Helez Warns BiH Armed Forces Members: Any Illegal Action Will Be Sanctioned

(Patria) - RS Prime Minister and one of the suspects for attacking the constitutional order, Radovan Višković, who in his seventh decade of life earns his bread by nodding his head, today announced that he will attend the marking of the Day of the Third Infantry (RS) Regiment of the Armed Forces of BiH at the "Kozara" barracks.

On this occasion, the Minister of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zukan Helez, posted on social networks.

"This spineless individual, who has never even read the BiH Defense Law, which he invokes, says that I am not competent to issue an order by which I prohibited him, Milorad Dodik, and Nenad Stevandić, individuals for whom the Court of BiH has issued a central arrest warrant, from entering a military location - the 'Kozara' barracks.

I remind Višković, whose greatest achievement in his seventh decade of life is to be the number one lackey of the convicted fugitive Dodik, of Articles 13, 15, and 16 of the BiH Defense Law ('Official Gazette of BiH', No. 88/05) which I invoked in my order, and which state:

- The BiH Ministry of Defense is competent for creating and maintaining defense capacity in order to ensure the protection of the sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence, and international subjectivity of Bosnia and Herzegovina;

- Regulating the organization and management of regiments, their commands and personnel, implementing defined policies and guidelines, and ensuring the implementation of laws, other regulations, and general acts in the field of defense;

- Fulfilling obligations related to the construction and maintenance of military and other facilities, as well as facilities of special importance for the defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina;

- Managing and using funds intended for the needs of the Armed Forces of BiH;

- Planning and supervising the implementation of all military intelligence activities for the Armed Forces.

Also, according to the Law on Administration, the minister is responsible for the work of the ministry, and in that sense, the ministry's competencies are essentially the minister's competencies.

The Defense Reform Commission stated the following regarding Articles 15 and 16 of the BiH Defense Law:

'These articles define the organizational, administrative, and command competencies of the BiH Minister of Defense;

These articles define the command responsibilities of the Minister of Defense, who is responsible for issuing orders through the military chain of command for operations and all military intelligence matters.

The Minister of Defense would also be responsible for the distribution of operational and administrative commands, starting from the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.'

Any interpretation stating that all decisions must first go through the BiH Presidency, and only then through the Minister of Defense to the Chief of the General Staff of the BiH Armed Forces, has no legal basis.

With such logic, every approval for entering the barracks premises (for maintenance personnel, delivery of goods, garbage removal, reading water/electricity consumption) would require the approval of the BiH Presidency. Such a thing does not exist in any army in the world.

I am fully aware of and respect that the Presidency of BiH is the supreme commander of the Armed Forces of BiH. In accordance with the authorities granted by the Defense Law, which I hold as the Minister of Defense of BiH, I have issued an order that must be implemented.

I warn all those who are obliged to act on this order that any failure to do so will result in criminal liability.

My goal is not to prohibit the marking of the Day of the Third Infantry Regiment of the Armed Forces of BiH, but only the presence of individuals for whom an arrest warrant from the Court of BiH exists.

In order to ensure that the marking of this event passes peacefully and with dignity, I signed an approval this morning for the flight of a military helicopter in which the Minister of Defense of Serbia will travel, who is coming to attend this event.

I have not signed, and will never sign, an approval for the flight of a military aircraft or helicopter for officials coming to mark the so-called Day of RS, which is celebrated on January 9, because the Constitutional Court of BiH has declared that marking unconstitutional.

Respected generals of the Armed Forces of BiH of Serb nationality, I have immense respect for you and your work, but it is not your place to interfere in politics, but to carry out orders. I warn you that any illegal action will be sanctioned.

Respected members of the Armed Forces of BiH, you earn your bread through honest and dedicated work. Do not jeopardize your profession, your job, your family's livelihood, and your freedom because of fugitives who do not even know your name," Helez wrote on his Facebook profile.