Norwegian Embassy To Bosnia Denies Ambassador Warned of Bosnian Serb Secession Plot In Meeting
Norway’s embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina has denied that Ambassador Olav Reinertsen warned Bosnian defense minister Zukan Helez in a meeting that the leadership of Bosnia’s Serb entity planned to secede.
An Istraga report on January 16 reported that the comments were made during a meeting between the ambassador and defense minister on January 12. The report added that Helez was warned not to expect NATO assistance in the event of attempted secession, and was subsequently told ahead of a television appearance later that day by embassy officials from another NATO country to not attempt to publicize the ambassador’s comments, promising that NATO aid would be provided in such an event despite Reinertsen’s warning.
In a statement emailed to Overt Defense, the embassy said:
“The claims that the Ambassador of Norway to BiH, Olav Reinertsen, informed the BiH Minister of Defense, Zukan Helez, that Republika Srpska was planning a secession from BiH, are untrue. Additionally, the Ambassador did not state that BiH should not anticipate “a great help from the West” in such a hypothetical scenario.
It is regrettable that the Internet portal did not ask the embassy for a statement before publishing the article.
The primary focus of the meeting was to discuss Norway’s support to the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces of BiH, the upcoming signing of the Bilateral Defence Cooperation Plan for 2024, and the security situation in BiH. The interlocutors agreed that the threats of secession, which have become more frequent in the public sphere, negatively impact the security situation.
The Ambassador reaffirmed Norway’s unwavering support to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and multiethnic character of BiH, while at the same time remaining a balanced partner that promotes dialogue with all parties.
Norway stands fully behind EUFOR Althea and its executive mandate of providing a safe and secure environment for all BiH citizens.
Regarding Norway’s role as Contact Point Embassy for NATO in BiH, the Ambassador reiterates the NATO’s clear and repeated commitment not to allow a security vacuum in BiH. Norway is concerned about the financial situation of the Armed Forces of BiH and will continue emphasizing the significance of NATO’s support to BiH, such as the Defence Capacity Building package.”
Other topics mentioned in the Bosnian defense ministry’s official readout of the January 12 meeting included Bosnian preparations for a visit by the North Atlantic Council (NAC) in early February, the NATO Partnership Coordination Conference in April, and the NATO Partnership Symposium in October.
Istraga’s report came shortly after Milorad Dodik, the leader of Republika Srpska, the Bosnian Serb “entity” of the country, was seen participating in an illegal January 9 “national day” ceremony celebrating the start of the Bosnian War. Dodik has long pushed for Republika Srpska to secede, challenging the authority of Bosnia’s central government and establishing parallel government structures, including a successor to the Bosnian Serb Army, a paramilitary group found guilty of genocide during the Bosnian War.