Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Defence Minister Zukan Helez has accused Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić of violating security procedures during his visit to the country, claiming that armed individuals were brought into the country without being part of the official security list accompanying the delegation.
Helez stated that no foreign official has the right to bring unregistered armed groups into the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina or bypass procedures established by local institutions.
According to him, members of the Special Police Unit of the Central Bosnia Canton intervened after citizens reported the presence of an armed group near Bugojno.
“Vučić has learned that the Drina is still a border,” Helez said, according to media reports from Sarajevo.
He praised the police response, saying the incident demonstrated that Bosnia and Herzegovina’s institutions are functioning and that security rules must apply equally to all foreign officials.
According to Helez, the individuals stopped for verification claimed to be members of the Ministry of Interior of Republika Srpska, but their presence had not been included in the official security list for Vučić’s visit.
Following reports from citizens, the special police unit launched a search operation. When officers located the group and approached them, the individuals allegedly fled using all-terrain vehicles and entered forested areas.
Helez emphasized that all personnel responsible for the security of foreign officials visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina must be registered with the country’s Police Bodies Coordination Directorate.
He claimed that the Ministry of Interior of the Central Bosnia Canton compared the number of people officially registered as part of Vučić’s security team with those observed on the ground and determined that there were more individuals present than had been officially reported.
Helez further stated that Vučić’s regional visits are often accompanied by political tensions and called on the Serbian president and his delegation to respect the institutions and laws of the host country.
