Defense Minister Helez Urges Rutte to Fast-Track BiH’s Conditional NATO Membership
Zukan Helez, Photo: Gov.me
Today in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Defense Minister Zukan Helez (SDP) announced his proposal to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, suggesting that BiH be granted conditional membership in the NATO alliance without delay.
“If this poses a challenge in the region, I have proposed that Serbia be offered conditional NATO membership as well. I am convinced that this approach would secure long-lasting peace and stability for both BiH and the entire region,” Helez remarked to reporters following a meeting with Rutte and other members of the BiH Council of Ministers.
He added that Rutte appeared to respond positively to his proposal, indicating that he would further evaluate it at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
Opposition to BiH’s NATO accession comes from politicians in the Republika Srpska (RS), who advocate for military neutrality.
Helez highlighted that “the NATO Secretary General’s visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the face of current political instability, sends a powerful message to all citizens and political entities that NATO stands firmly with BiH.”
He reiterated that NATO is committed to upholding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of BiH and will prevent any security vacuum or threats to peace and safety in the nation.
“It is crucial that neither NATO nor the European Union (EU) allow the achievements of the past three decades of peacekeeping efforts in BiH to be undermined by irresponsible political actions,” he stressed.
The office of Borjana Krišto (HDZ BiH), Chairperson of the Council of Ministers of BiH, reported that today’s meeting with the NATO Secretary General focused on the political and security landscape in the region and Europe.
In the statement, Krišto emphasized that there are currently no security threats in BiH and that all institutions continue to operate effectively and professionally.
“Despite various challenges, the stability of BiH and its institutions remains a shared interest among all political stakeholders. It is vital that political representatives from all three constituent peoples engage in constructive dialogue and make essential decisions together,” the office of the Chairperson of the Council of Ministers of BiH stated.
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