Helez: Gašić violated international norms and customs, suspend military cooperation with Serbia

(Patria) - BiH Minister of Defense Zukan Helez held extraordinary consultations today with the BiH military attaché in Serbia, Brigadier Srđan Čavić, regarding the incident caused by the Minister of Defense of Serbia, Bratislav Gašić, during the commemoration of the Day of the 3rd Infantry Regiment of the Armed Forces of BiH.

This move followed an event that occurred during the commemoration of the Day of the 3rd Infantry (Republika Srpska) Regiment of the Armed Forces of BiH and the Day of the Army of RS, when the Minister of Defense of Serbia, while sitting during the BiH anthem, showed disrespect towards BiH, thereby seriously violating the principle of mutual respect for the sovereignty and dignity of BiH.

Minister Helez conveyed the circumstances of the event to Brigadier Čavić, referring to the BiH Law on Defense, as well as international law governing the conduct of foreign officials during official visits.

Such conduct is considered a violation of the norms and customs of international relations. In particular, Article 3 of the Law on Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina emphasizes the importance of preserving the dignity and sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina in all military and diplomatic interactions.

- Minister Gašić, through his behavior, violated the protocol of mutual respect between BiH and Serbia, and violated international norms and customs.

In this regard, I have issued an order to suspend activities from the Plan of bilateral military cooperation with the Republic of Serbia, except for already initiated training – said Helez.

The BiH military attaché in Serbia, Brigadier Čavić, has received strict instructions to send a verbal note to the Ministry of Defense of Serbia, conduct necessary consultations with relevant institutions and competent authorities, and report to the BiH Ministry of Defense on the actions taken, all in order to preserve the dignity of BiH and maintain diplomatic relations.

- I have given clear guidelines that the verbal note, which the BiH Embassy in Serbia will deliver to the Ministry of Defense of Serbia, should clearly express concern and request an official explanation and statement regarding the incident – emphasized Helez.

Finally, Helez specifically pointed out the need to prepare a report on all relevant circumstances of the incident, including possible motives, the course of events, participants, and broader security implications for BiH's interests, and to hold consultations with allied and partner military representatives.

All actions and communications must be documented and submitted to the BiH Ministry of Defense without delay.