Ceremony marking the Day of the Armed Forces of BiH held at Rajlovac Barracks in Sarajevo

A ceremonial parade of commands and units of the Armed Forces of BiH, attended by high-ranking domestic and international officials of the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces of BiH, was held at the "Rajlovac" barracks in Sarajevo on November 30, 2017, to mark December 1 – the Day of the AF BiH and the 12th anniversary of the formation of the Armed Forces of BiH.

The ceremonial ceremony was attended by the Chairman of the Presidency of BiH Dragan Čović, member of the Presidency of BiH Bakir Izetbegović, Minister of Defence of BiH Marina Pendeš and Deputy Minister of Defence Boris Jerinić, Chief of the Joint Staff of the AF BiH Lieutenant General Anto Jeleč with his deputies, Major Generals Mirko Tepšić and Senad Mašović.

Also, numerous officials from all levels of government in BiH, high-ranking representatives of the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces of BiH, military diplomatic representatives accredited in BiH, representatives of the international community in BiH, former ministers of defence of BiH and retired generals of the AF BiH attended the ceremony.

The Chairman of the Presidency of BiH Dragan Čović and the Chief of the Joint Staff of the AF BiH Lieutenant General Anto Jeleč addressed the attendees with appropriate speeches.

In his address, Čović emphasized the important role of the Armed Forces of BiH in today's society, and particularly praised the numerous activities that members of the AF BiH carry out in peacekeeping missions, providing assistance to the civilian population, as well as fulfilling all other tasks prescribed by the mission.

- Bosnia and Herzegovina is going through many trials. Today it stands at the EU's doorstep, at a time when we view our past differently. Our past will not be written by anyone from outside, but by us in BiH, which is why we must be unburdened by the past, and you young soldiers should turn to the future.

In his address, the Chief of the Joint Staff of the AF BiH Lieutenant General Anto Jeleč particularly emphasized that the AF BiH has achieved remarkable and significant results in the past period through the execution of the legally defined mission and tasks of the AF BiH. He also highlighted the importance of the support provided to the Armed Forces of BiH by partners from the international community, especially the NATO HQ Sarajevo and EUFOR forces in BiH.

Continuing his address, General Jeleč emphasized that the Armed Forces of BiH are "recognized on the global map as a responsible and reliable partner in international peacekeeping missions, and domestically, the AF BiH has been continuously engaged in providing assistance to local communities in several different fields.".

For the next period, General Jeleč pointed out that it will be a period marked by "new challenges, hard work on developing the capacities needed to achieve the full operational capabilities of the Armed Forces of BiH", emphasizing that "the direct involvement of the Ministry of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the support of relevant state institutions and our international partners are an important factor for resolving these important tasks," concluded General Jeleč.

At the end of the ceremonial ceremony, Minister of Defence Marina Pendeš and Lieutenant General Anto Jeleč presented special recognitions and awards to members of the AF BiH for the results achieved in the past year, as well as for the results achieved in sports competitions.

After the ceremonial ceremony concluded, guests attended a presentation of the armament and equipment of the AF BiH.