Thewesternbalkans
Following the official announcement from NATO, the Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană highlighted NATO’s continued, strong support to its partnership with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
At the invitation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the North Atlantic Council – (Ambassadors level), chaired by NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană, has visited Sarajevo on 1 and 2 February 2024.
On 1 February 2024, the Deputy Secretary General and NATO Ambassadors met the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).
A meeting of the NAC with the Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and members of the Council has taken place in the afternoon.
On the same day, the NAC met with the Collegium of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH.
On 2 February 2024, the NATO Deputy Secretary and NATO Ambassadors met with representatives of a think tank and with students from the Universities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the afternoon, the Deputy Secretary General and NAC discussed practical cooperation between NATO and Bosnia and Herzegovina with their counterparts, including during a visit to the Rajlovac military base.
The Deputy Secretary General and NATO Ambassadors also met the Commander of the NATO Headquarters in Sarajevo, Brigadier General Pamela McGaha; the incoming Commander of the European Union Force in BiH, Major General László Sticz; the High Representative for BiH, Mr Christian Schmidt and representatives of the international community in BiH.
Deputy Secretary General Geoană confirmed that “Bosnia and Herzegovina is a long-standing and close NATO partner. What happens in Bosnia and Herzegovina matters for the security in the Western Balkans and what happens in the Western Balkans matters for all of us in Europe”. NATO strongly supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Deputy Secretary General underscored NATO’s steadfast commitment to support the country’s ongoing reform efforts, including through a defence capacity-building package to help strengthen Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capabilities, in areas like crisis management, cyber defence, and countering terrorism.
Comments: Efforts to attract the countries of the Western Balkans, which are not yet members of NATO, continue. The visit of the North Atlantic Council to Bosnia and Herzegovina represents a clear gesture /albeit at the level of ambassadors/ that the country is important to the Alliance and will not be left under the influence of Moscow. Regardless of the orientation of Republika Srpska and its leader Dodik. The message “NATO strongly supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina” is very clear.
