Serving military service abroad violates the BiH Defense Law

(Patria) - We have recently witnessed political views being expressed in the domestic public regarding announcements of the possibility, and even encouragement, for citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina to serve military service in another country, the Ministry of Defense of BiH announced.

"For the correct informing of the public in Bosnia and Herzegovina, we consider it necessary to point out that the Law on Defense of BiH, in Article 51 (Prohibition of Engagement of Citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina), prohibits citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina whose place of residence is in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including those with dual citizenship, from serving military service and undergoing training as recruits in the armed forces of other countries.

We also emphasize that any incitement and encouragement of actions contrary to the provisions of the relevant article of the law can also be linked to the violation of Article 162b of the Criminal Code of BiH, which specifies that anyone who publicly, through the media, distributes or in any other way sends a message to the public with the aim of encouraging another to commit this criminal offense will be punished with imprisonment.

Therefore, in order to respect the laws of Bosnia and Herzegovina, we expect responsible conduct, not only from those who express such and similar views, but also from the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina themselves to whom such messages are directed. We also expect the competent authorities and institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which are responsible for the implementation of the law, to take all necessary measures and legally prescribed activities to ensure compliance with the aforementioned regulations," the statement said.