Osmić: NATO must give an opinion on the participation of the Armed Forces in the celebration of the unconstitutional January 9th

The Ministry of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina approved the participation of the Military Orchestra of the Armed Forces of BiH in the marking of January 9th, which is celebrated in Republika Srpska as the day of this entity, although the Constitutional Court of BiH declared the celebration unconstitutional.

It is not yet known who from the Ministry gave consent for members of the Armed Forces of BiH to participate in the unconstitutional celebration. Only the Minister of Defence Marina Pendeš had the right to issue such consent, or in her absence, her deputies Sead Jusić or Boris Jerinić could sign the approval.

The Ministry is still silent about whose signature is on the controversial decision. Disregarding the decisions of the Constitutional Court of BiH is a criminal offense. This time, they violated the decision of the Constitutional Court.

Former SDP Minister of Defence of BiH Zekerijah Osmić told Patria that he expects the NATO Headquarters in Sarajevo to react in this case as well.

- We have the NATO Headquarters in Sarajevo that monitors the work of the Ministry, and which is obliged to point out omissions to the Ministry. NATO decisions are not binding, they are advisory, but NATO's opinion has always been respected. That is why I expect NATO to react in this case as well - Osmić said.

The former Minister of Defence also called on the members of the Presidency of BiH to urgently consider the decision of the Ministry of Defence on the participation of the Armed Forces in the celebration of January 9th.

- Bakir Izetbegović is a member of the Presidency of BiH, and the Presidency of BiH is the supreme commander of the Armed Forces. The Presidency of BiH is the only one authorized to ask the minister to change the decision. If the minister does not want to do that, the Presidency of BiH can annul her decision - said Osmić.

He says that Izetbegović cannot take such a step alone. He needs the consent of the members of the Presidency from the Serb and Croat people, Mladen Ivanić and Dragan Čović.

- Let the members of the Presidency of BiH call on the minister to withdraw the decision on the participation of the Armed Forces on January 9th in Banja Luka, or let them announce to the public that they cannot agree on this - Osmić said.