While ministers and directors fight for seats, BiH airports face loss of licenses - Only Karić attended the meeting

(Patria) - The news that there is a serious risk of airports in Bosnia and Herzegovina losing their operating licenses has gone unnoticed by the public!

Namely, a meeting of the State Committee for Civil Aviation Security was held at the end of January, where it was concluded that there is no more time, and that airports must fulfill the obligations from the Civil Aviation Program of BiH.

Otherwise, by a decision from 2023, Edin Forto, Minister of Communications and Transport of BiH, was appointed as the chairman of the State Committee, Nenad Nešić, former Minister of Security of BiH, as deputy chairman, and members Zukan Helez, Minister of Defense of BiH, Elmedin Konaković, Minister of Foreign Affairs of BiH, Milanko Kajganić, Chief Prosecutor of the BiH Prosecutor's Office, Mirko Kuprešaković, Director of the BiH Border Police, Čedomir Šušnjar, Director General of the BiH Civil Aviation Directorate, Davorin Primorac, Director of the BiH Air Navigation Services Agency, Almir Džuvo, Director of the BiH Intelligence-Security Agency, Darko Ćulum, Director of the BiH State Investigation and Protection Agency, and Enes Karić, Director of the BiH Police Coordination Directorate.

At the last meeting, only Enes Karić, director of DKPT, appeared among the directors, while others sent deputies, despite the importance of the topic. Only Edin Forto was present among the ministers, at whose initiative the thematic session with representatives of airports in BiH was requested in order to fulfill the obligations from the Civil Aviation Program of BiH.

Otherwise, the program, among other things, stipulates the obligation of airports to take over the anti-sabotage control of passengers and luggage from the Border Police of Bosnia and Herzegovina by May 18, 2025, at the latest.

However, little has been done. The State Committee was informed that Sarajevo Airport has achieved the most in fulfilling this obligation, that airports in Tuzla and Banja Luka have started activities, while Mostar Airport has not yet begun the implementation of this obligation.

And although this issue most concerns the Border Police, Kuprešaković did not show up!

The security program transferred this obligation to the airports, in accordance with European practice and after years of delay.

"We are aware of the burning issue of the insufficient number of BiH Border Police officers, which currently lacks almost 750 police officers, which is why any further delay in the obligation to take over KDZ checks of passengers and luggage from the BiH Border Police calls into question the obligation to fulfill security procedures at our airports, which is why there is a serious risk that our airports will lose their operating licenses," stated Minister Forto in January.

Given the deadlines and the fact that very little has been done, it is difficult to expect this job to be completed by May. This particularly applies to Mostar Airport, which has not even started this job!?

Considering the fact that the Border Police is increasingly facing problems due to the lack of staff, it is clear that the problem will not be solved within the given deadline.

The story about BiH's European path is therefore just a slogan that the ruling elite spread in the public space just to be seen as pro-European politicians. But talk is one thing, and actions are another.

Political entities have never understood the need to equip the Border Police according to European standards, which is why they are currently in a situation where the BiH Border Police is not materially-technically and cadre-wise equipped for new challenges, and this is precisely what is necessary.

Solving this problem requires an urgent and serious reaction from all competent institutions, as well as political will for real reforms, which should be a priority for all actors in BiH, not their seats, which they have been fighting for intensely in recent days!