Reservists in RS, Passivity in the Federation: Security on Hold!

By: Amina Čorbo-Zećo

Announcements from Republika Srpska about the possible formation of a so-called reserve police force are once again raising serious questions about security problems in that entity, as well as about the chronic passivity of pro-Bosnian political forces. And while the authorities in RS have been systematically building parallel security structures for years, the Federation of BiH remains without a strategy and without backbone.

The reaction of the SDP federal representative Damir Mašić is loud and sharp, but also expectedly late. And what after that? Where are the concrete proposals, laws, budgets, initiatives that will clearly show that the Federation of BiH no longer accepts being just an observer of processes that directly threaten the constitutional order and the security of the state?

It is worth remembering that the secondary police school, once an important educational and personnel institution, no longer exists. Instead, cadets are now trained at the Police Academy in Sarajevo, located in Vrace, in a program that lasts only about a year. This model may meet formal standards, but it does not address the essential challenges of personnel attrition, insufficient training, and increasingly serious security threats.

In the meantime, RS has not only formed the Gendarmerie but also taken concrete steps towards creating a reserve police force back in 2019. Although it abandoned the idea at the time due to pressure from the international community, it is clear that the idea never died, it was just waiting for the right moment.

Pro-Bosnian politics have been acting reactively for years, instead of proactively. There is a lack of a comprehensive vision for internal security, building professional and resilient institutions, and most importantly, political determination. While some expand powers and accumulate equipment, others write press releases and organize press conferences.

It is time to stop being passive statisticians in our own country. The state is not defended from the opposition, nor from behind a microphone, but by concrete laws, budgets, educational policies, and strategic staffing. If pro-Bosnian parties do not change their approach, they will soon no longer have institutions to defend.