Lendo: Thanks to the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, we have an internationally recognized state today

(Patria) - General of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH) and Vice President of the FBiH Refik Lendo, on the occasion of ARBiH Day, stated that it is the obligation of the authorities, institutions, and every individual to teach future generations about the honorable and crucial role of the ARBiH and its members in defending against aggression.

For the MINA Agency, General Lendo spoke about the memories that the Day of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina evokes in him, the role of the Army, the building of the homeland today, and other significant issues.

„The Day of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina is filled with a sense of pride and gratitude. I proudly remember the firm and unbreakable commitment of the citizens and peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina, organized in the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to defend against aggression the territorial integrity, political sovereignty, and constitutional order of the sovereign and internationally recognized state of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

With respect and gratitude, I remember our best daughters and sons, our martyrs and fallen soldiers. Those who gave the most valuable thing they had, their own lives, for the freedom and independence of our only homeland“, said General Lendo.

Speaking about the role of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lendo reminded that, as the only legal and legitimate armed formation of the sovereign and internationally recognized state of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, it had the task of defending against aggression the territorial integrity, political sovereignty, constitutional order, and the lives of all its citizens.

„Thanks to the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and its members, Bosnia and Herzegovina today, as an internationally recognized state within its historical borders, has gained the status of a negotiator for full membership in the European Union. I am sure that we will soon receive the negotiating framework and open negotiation chapters. Therefore, the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina fulfilled its primary task, defended the state from aggression, and created the preconditions for a better and more prosperous future“, he emphasized.

He also commented on whether those who made an immeasurable contribution to the defense of the homeland are now forgotten.

„As a general of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, I can testify to the courage and dedication shown by its members. In the way they distinguished themselves in battle, society should distinguish itself in peace, and enable them to enjoy the rights and status they deserve. The authorities must do everything in their power to fulfill the obligation that has been morally and legally entrusted to them. If there is a need to adopt any regulation, grant compensation, increase any amount, or grant any right that is due, this should be done without delay“, stated Lendo.

The culture of remembrance is the awareness and knowledge of people, events, and processes whose actions are embedded in history with consequences for the decisions we make today, General Lendo believes, and states that nurturing and raising awareness of the culture of remembrance of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina is of particular importance for the state.

„In this regard, it is the obligation of the authorities, institutions, and each of us individually to teach future generations about the honorable and crucial role of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and its members in defending against aggression. It is my personal conviction that for the purpose of developing and affirming the culture of remembrance, awareness can always be further raised and additional resources invested“, stated General Lendo.

Patriotic forces defended the homeland, after which a period of reconstruction followed. We also spoke with General Lendo about whether we have strayed from that very path – the building of the homeland – and how to respond to today's challenges.

„Every era brings its own challenges. During the period of aggression, the task was to defend the state, and after the cessation of aggression, its renewal and reconstruction. Of course, circumstances change, but the goal remains the same: building a state governed by the rule of law with the highest degree of legal certainty and the rule of law, whose laws and other regulations are harmonized with the legal acquis of the European Union. Strengthening economic potential, creating a favorable environment for foreign investment inflows, building transport infrastructure, diversifying energy sources, and investing in green and renewable energy sources“, he pointed out.

General Lendo also commented on the proposal in the United Nations General Assembly to adopt a resolution on the genocide in Srebrenica, which, among other things, would mark July 11 as the International Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Genocide.

„After the end of World War II, the legal intelligence of the free world took time to consider how and in what way to punish the criminals who planned and committed serious crimes against international law. The idea of the Nuremberg court was best described by one of the chief prosecutors, at that time a judge of the Supreme Court of the United States, Robert H. Jackson. In his opening statement, he said, among other things, 'that the act in which the victorious states stopped the hand of vengeance and handed over the criminals to the court of justice is the greatest tribute that power has ever paid to reason'“, he stated.

He added that, based on the idea of Nuremberg, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia established, through the force of final court judgments, the fact that genocide against Bosniaks was planned and executed in Srebrenica.

„The judgments contain the entire architecture of the planning and execution of the genocide, with the role of each individual. The significance of material evidence, especially forensic evidence, is also testified to by the fact that DNA analysis of mortal remains was piloted in Srebrenica for the purpose of their identification. Therefore, the criminal law and factual aspects of the genocide in Srebrenica have been thoroughly documented, and the force of court judgments protects them from revisionism“, said Lendo.

On the other hand, he emphasized, the resolution on the genocide in Srebrenica, which will be on the agenda of the United Nations General Assembly, concerns the victims and the memory of the victims of the genocide in Srebrenica.

„The International Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Genocide is a day on which the entire world that accepts civilizational values as the basic norm of life in a democratically organized society of the free world will be the voice of those who are no longer with us. The adoption of the resolution is an expression of respect for the victims and the families of the victims of the genocide committed in Srebrenica“, Lendo emphasized in the interview.

Finally, he sent a message for the challenging and turbulent times we are in.

„In complex and challenging times, both in the country and in the world, it is necessary to gather and unite all political, intellectual, and other capacities with the aim of protecting the best interests of the state. The state has no alternative, and the interests of the state must have no opposition“, stated General Lendo, and congratulated all members of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the families of martyrs and fallen soldiers, and all citizens on the Day of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.