Who is lying, Helez or EUFOR: If the soldier in Milići was on duty, why is an investigation being launched!?

By: A. Čorbo-Zećo

The photo from the memorial service in Milići, taken on the unconstitutional January 9th, showing an EUFOR member, has attracted significant public attention. EUFOR confirmed to Patria that their soldier attended the event, explaining that one of the regular tasks of LOT team members is to monitor local events to gain insight into citizens' needs and problems.

“A member of the LOT team attended this service to monitor it. EUFOR is committed to complete impartiality", EUFOR stated.

Then came the statement from the Minister of Defense, Zukan Helez, and after it, one fact is undeniable – someone is lying, either EUFOR or Helez.

Helez told Klix that the commander of EUFOR, Helmut Habermayer, informed him at a meeting that this incident had occurred.

"He briefly informed me that it happened and that they would investigate it and act according to their rules," Helez told us.

The identity of the soldier, as well as their country of origin, is still unknown.

"We did not go into details, but it is important that they have launched an investigation," Helez added.

If the soldier, as they stated to Patria, was on regular duty, what kind of investigation will be launched? One thing, however, is as clear as day. Impartiality is not what characterizes EUFOR, because the presence of a soldier at the celebration of an unconstitutional holiday is not impartiality, but it is a clear message to all Bosnian forces that EUFOR is not the one that will stand united in defense of BiH's territorial integrity if a conflict arises.

And the more abstractly they speak, for example, that EUFOR contributes to a safe and stable environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina together with its partners from BiH and performs all its tasks in accordance with its mandate, and that EUFOR carries out these tasks using multiple elements and at multiple levels, it is clear that in practice they show otherwise.

Thus, they deployed their forces during the 'border exists' rally along the administrative demarcation line. Perhaps this is how they show impartiality, even though secession is increasingly visible on the eastern side of that line!