NATO HQ for NAP: BiH Armed Forces participation in marking January 9th must be approved through the chain of command

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - NATO HQ Sarajevo expects the participation of BiH Armed Forces units in ceremonial activities, including RS Day, to proceed in accordance with valid legal regulations, they told the Patria agency from NATO HQ Sarajevo.

- The participation of individual members of the BiH Armed Forces in all ceremonial activities, including RS Day, must be exclusively upon approval from the chain of command and must be in accordance with the relevant regulations - state NATO HQ.

RS authorities have already declared January 9th a non-working day and announced the participation of all members of the RS Ministry of Internal Affairs. RS President Milorad Dodik previously stated that they do not need members of the BiH Armed Forces. 

Mladen Ivanić, member of the BiH Presidency, told the media that all conditions have been met for the participation of the Third Regiment of the Armed Forces in marking RS Day. In November 2015, the BiH Constitutional Court declared this holiday unconstitutional. In October 2016, the National Assembly of Republika Srpska adopted the Law on the Day of Republika Srpska, which stipulates that January 9th will be marked and celebrated as a secular holiday. Ivanić stated that no one has requested an assessment of the constitutionality of this law. 

The BiH Ministry of Defense would have to decide on the request submitted for the engagement of BiH Armed Forces members on RS Day. We have not yet received an answer to the question of whether Ivanić submitted such a request from the BiH MoD. 

According to the Law on Defense, the Presidency of BiH decides on the deployment of the Third Regiment of the BiH Armed Forces, as well as the other two regiments, by consensus. Each member of the BiH Presidency has the right to an Honorary Unit of the BiH Armed Forces, which is a special formation.