Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Defence Minister Zukan Helez has accused Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić of violating security procedures during his visit to the country, saying that no foreign official has the right to bring undeclared armed groups into BiH.
Helez praised members of the Special Police Unit of the Central Bosnia Canton (SBK), who reportedly intervened near Bugojno after citizens alerted authorities to a group of armed men who were not among the officially registered members of Vučić’s security detail.
“Vučić has learned that the Drina is still a border,” Helez said, according to Sarajevo media. He added that the intervention demonstrated that state institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina are functioning and that nobody has the right to bring undeclared armed groups into the country or circumvent established procedures.
According to Helez, the men claimed to be members of the Ministry of Interior of Republika Srpska, but their presence had not been included in the officially registered security arrangements for Vučić’s visit.
After receiving reports from citizens, members of the SBK Interior Ministry’s Special Police Unit launched a search operation. When the officers located the group and approached them, the men reportedly fled the area on quad bikes and escaped into nearby woodland.
Helez said that all personnel responsible for protecting foreign officials visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina must be registered with the Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies of BiH.
He claimed that the SBK Interior Ministry compared the number of registered members of Vučić’s security detail with the number of people observed in the field and found that more individuals were present than had been officially reported.
“For Aleksandar Vučić, such controversies are unfortunately nothing new. His visits to the region are often accompanied by political tensions and actions that raise questions about respect for domestic institutions and prescribed procedures,” Helez said.
He added that Vučić had again failed to demonstrate sufficient respect for the institutions of the host country, arguing that the same security rules must apply to the Serbian president and his delegation as to all other foreign officials.
“In Bosnia and Herzegovina, nobody has the right to circumvent security procedures or expect special treatment,” Helez said.
The allegations come amid heightened political sensitivities surrounding Vučić’s visits to Bosnia and Herzegovina and renewed debate over Serbia’s role in Republika Srpska and its relations with institutions in Sarajevo.
