Helez Appointed Delegation: Bosnia and Herzegovina to be Represented in Riyadh by Wives of Nermin Nikšić and Nerin Dizdar

(Patria) - Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Defense of BiH Zukan Helez, along with members of the BiH delegation, will attend the third edition of the Global Defence Exhibition, which will be held from February 8 to 12 in the capital of Saudi Arabia - Riyadh.

As indicated in the Decision marked "very urgent" approving this visit, numerous members of the BiH delegation that Minister Helez will bring with him will stay in Saudi Arabia at state expense for a full seven days, specifically from February 7 to 13, writes Istraga.ba.

According to the document signed by Helez, the delegation from the Ministry of Defense in Riyadh, in addition to him, will be led by his chief of staff Salko Beba, Brigadier Bruno Lukić, Head of the Airspace Management and Protection Policy Department, Head of Protocol Activities Violeta Kuljanin, and Major Selver Hadžić from the Minister of Defense's cabinet, "also the minister's translator".



But that's not all. The Decision states that other members will also be part of Zukan Helez's delegation and will attend the planned meetings in Riyadh, including the Prime Minister of the Federation of BiH Nermin Nikšić, the Federal Minister of Energy, Mining and Industry Vedran Lakić, and the FBiH Minister of Displaced Persons and Refugees Nerin Dizdar.

And to combine business with pleasure, Nadija Nikšić, wife of Prime Minister Nikšić, and Jadranka Dizdar, wife of Minister Nerin Dizdar, will also travel to Saudi Arabia with this delegation.



The official visit to the Global Defence Exhibition in Riyadh will thus be used for a multi-day stay of an expanded BiH delegation that includes the wives of high-ranking officials.

The Decision provides no explanation regarding the role of Nadija Nikšić and Jadranka Dizdar, nor an answer to the question on what basis they are part of an official trip financed by the budget.

However, even if their travel and stay in Saudi Arabia were entirely paid for with private funds (which we justifiably doubt), it does not change the essence of the problem.

While citizens are constantly lectured about tightening their belts and the "lack of funds" for various reasons, the current government once again demonstrates its own version of a state where budget money is spent as if it were private, and official trips are turned into luxurious family vacations.