SARAJEVO, SEPTEMBER 6 (ONASA) – Some political leaders in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as some external commentators and experts, request that the Alliance accelerate BiH’s path to membership.
We understand and share their concerns related to the change in the geopolitical context and the threat posed to BiH by the secessionist rhetoric and actions of Mr. Dodik and the Republika Srpska authorities. The commitment of the United States to territorial integrity, sovereignty, and multi-ethnic character is constant and rock solid. It does not depend on the degree of integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina into Euro-Atlantic institutions. Like the NATO alliance, the United States will not allow the creation of a security vacuum in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Nor will we allow domestic actors to lead the country into a new conflict.
BiH’s aspirations towards NATO membership are welcome. The United States supports BiH’s accession to NATO and as BiH works towards that goal, we have led and will continue to lead a strong political and practical partnership between BiH and NATO – a partnership that is clearly beneficial to both sides. BiH’s aspirations towards NATO membership are also clear. They were included in the law almost 20 years ago. Article 84 of the Law on the Defense of BiH from 2005 obliges the authorities in BiH – the Parliamentary Assembly, the Council of Ministers, the Presidency and all defense entities – to “within their own constitutional and legal jurisdiction, carry out the necessary activities for the admission of Bosnia and Herzegovina to NATO membership.”
“Accordingly, the United States has long been providing practical support to the Ministry of Defense, the Armed Forces of BiH (OS BiH), as well as other BiH government institutions to help them prepare BiH for NATO membership. That support will continue.
But for the transformation of Bosnia and Herzegovina into the thirty-third member of the NATO alliance, more than aspirations are needed. Membership is not a favor that allies give to a country. Membership is something that a prospective allied country should earn. Membership requires hard work, focus and hard decision-making by a country aspiring to membership. In short, the country must do its homework in order to become a member of the NATO alliance. Acceptance of this reality is almost always missing when calling for immediate, urgent or accelerated membership of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the NATO alliance. It is an unfortunate fact that Bosnia and Herzegovina is not doing its homework. This is not only the problem of the current authorities. This also applies to the previous government. Neither the current coalition nor the current opposition should brag about what they have done when we talk about the NATO alliance.
Bosnia and Herzegovina sent its first reform program to NATO in 2019. Unfortunately, the annual adoption of the Reform Program became highly politicized, so BiH rarely delivered this document to NATO on time, if at all. Mr. Dodik is the biggest obstacle. But, if we leave politics aside, the Reform Program has regressed and turned into an annual “check-list”. It is not used as a mechanism for implementing serious, purposeful reforms. Sometimes I wonder if those who most loudly advocate the accelerated membership of BiH in NATO – a call that implies that BiH has implemented or is implementing its reform program – have even read this document.
The reform program is comprehensive and covers various areas from the fight against corruption and organized crime, through human rights, to environmental protection. However, I want to focus on the parts that deal with defense reform, which are the most important and relevant when we talk about the work of the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Most importantly, this document highlights the importance of the Defense Review from 2016 and the corresponding Plan for the Modernization of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2017-2027. These are strategic guidance documents whose finalization was helped by the NATO headquarters in Sarajevo after more than seven years of tireless work. What has been done since 2016? Well, the implementation of the Defense Review hasn’t even started yet, and some parts of it are outdated. As far as we know, only four percent of the Modernization Plan has been implemented so far.
It is clear to us that the implementation of the Defense Review is difficult and that it requires the political will of many government representatives, not only the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Ministry of Defense. The issue of property is sensitive, no doubt. Ensuring sufficient funds for the field of defense in the state budget of BiH is not under the control of the Ministry of Defense. For years, Mr. Dodik and his allies have denied all BiH state institutions the funds necessary for efficient functioning, which makes serious modernization in the field of defense, capital investments and the implementation of an appropriate system of maintenance of equipment and infrastructure almost impossible. BiH’s insufficient defense budget is a disservice to the men and women in uniform who serve this country.
But let’s be clear. For more than ten years, the Ministry of Defense has lacked the bold leadership and sincere political commitment necessary to implement reforms in the field of defense – and many of these reforms are within the competence of the Ministry. I repeat that this problem is not specific to a particular political party. The ruling parties and the current opposition are equally responsible.
Although the implementation of reforms in the field of defense is not easy, it is not impossible either. Conscientious, sustained work is essential to ensure support that crosses party and ethnic lines to achieve success. This was done in the past immediately after the formation of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, when the leaders put achieving progress before politics. It can and should be done again. My government welcomes the way in which the highest-ranking generals – Colonel General Knežević, Major General Ahmić and Major General Kolenda – support each other, communicate daily and remain focused on improving conditions for members of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We would like to see more of these relationships in the Ministry of Defense.
Successful and efficient execution of the budget is crucial for all NATO members, and there is an urgent need for reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, little has been done about it so far. For a sector that has such scarce resources, it was disappointing to see that the Ministry of Defense did not spend its budget for 2023, thereby losing approximately 30 million KM. Leaders in Bosnia and Herzegovina failed to strategically plan and reach a consensus on priority projects. Efforts to reallocate those funds have been delayed. This failure of leadership was a boon for those political forces opposed to a larger defense budget. Just think how useful it would be for the men and women of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina if only one third of those 30 million KM were invested in improving the infrastructure of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Situations where it would be good for everyone were possible, but the leaders failed to create them.
The number one priority for every NATO member country is the care of soldiers, and the procurement process in the defense system in Bosnia and Herzegovina has failed the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Commanders of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina are routinely forced to use the emergency procurement mechanism just to feed and supply their soldiers. Centralized contracting and procurement of perishable products, such as fresh fruit, resulted in the delivery of large quantities of these goods at one time, which led to their being thrown away. A better system would allow local suppliers to deliver such items when needed. The United States, NATO headquarters in Sarajevo and other key allies have consistently advocated for changes that would decentralize part of the procurement decision-making system to make the system more efficient and allow commanders in the field to make fewer purchases. Of course, all changes must be in accordance with the law. But progress on this issue is too slow.
A NATO member country does not maintain surpluses of unstable and useless ammunition and weapons. The United States was pleased to see the Council of Ministers in April adopt the 2008 Doboj Agreement Annex, which would facilitate the Department of Defense’s efforts to sell surplus old weapons and ammunition, and scrap metal, which would bring in millions in additional usable revenue. for the purchase of new, more modern equipment. However, no further progress has been made since April, which is puzzling. The international community is ready to support the Ministry by holding a workshop on the implementation of the Annex, but the Ministry is delaying it.
Addressing the issue of unpromising military assets in various locations, and in accordance with existing laws, would also have a positive domino effect on the defense budget. As stated in the Reform Program, “the funds intended for these purposes will be diverted for the purpose of… equipping the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina”. Considering its size, the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina have too many assets, and the maintenance of these assets is a burden on financial and human resources. Consolidation is possible and long overdue. This would free the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina from the obligation to keep old, dilapidated military facilities that they no longer need. Everyone knows this, but the leadership of the Ministry of Defense failed to define as a priority the achievement of the consensus necessary to solve this problem among political leaders. A NATO member must successfully and efficiently use its military forces, deploying them where they will have the greatest impact on security. This does not happen in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
NATO members understand that effective management of human resources is a strategic driver. There is an urgent need to reform the management of human resources in the Ministry of Defense and in the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We know that in the next two to three years, the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina will face significant personnel losses due to the retirement of people. A greater focus on accession to the armed forces, an increase in retention efforts, including the introduction of a “service retention officer position” and the establishment of a modernized career management program are critical to building and sustaining an armed force capable of meeting NATO capabilities and achieving interoperability goals, and to fulfill its mission here in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This work is not glamorous, but it is important, and it is not done yet.
In recent years, the AF BiH Light Infantry Battalion Group, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Platoon and the Military Police Platoon have worked towards and obtained their NATO Evaluation Level 2 certification. This was a major milestone to be proud of, which showed that the AF BiH can operate using the same language, the same procedures and the same equipment as the world’s most advanced armies. At the same time, however, the United States procured boots for the AF of BiH, and other allies, such as Germany, uniforms. It is difficult to explain or rationalize this reality: at the moment when the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina are ready to meet the highest standards of the NATO alliance, they are forced to turn to partners to ensure the most basic necessities for their soldiers. That is unsustainable.
Since its formation, the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina have represented the best in the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is a multi-ethnic team of dedicated professionals, who serve at the highest level and honorably in the country and abroad. Every soldier I met as an ambassador – whether in Manjaca, Glamoč or Sarajevo – impressed me as a patriot and public servant. No other country is more dedicated to BiH or has given more support to the Armed Forces of BiH than the United States of America. My country is proud to support the brave BiH men and women in uniform.
The foundation of every great friendship is honesty. The war in BiH ended almost 30 years ago, and the Armed Forces of BiH did not achieve what we wanted them to achieve, that is, BiH did not achieve it, but that is how it is. Rhetorical commitment to the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina in NATO is insufficient.
Bold leadership, genuine commitment and strategic vision are needed to address fundamental, structural issues and move forward with the implementation of important defense reforms.
The United States stands ready to support those who are willing to do the hard work—those who understand that NATO membership is not just given. It has to be earned. (end)