Bosnia bans Hungarian military aircraft: suspicion of Dodik's support
The Minister of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina denied the flight and landing of a Hungarian military aircraft, suspecting its connection to the support of Milorad Dodik.
Photo: Ross Parmly, Unsplash
The Minister of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zukan Helez, banned the Hungarian military aircraft from crossing the country's airspace and landing on its territory.
According to him, the decision was made under pressure both inside the country and from international players.
Initially, Hungary requested permission to land at Sarajevo airport and later in Banja Luka. However, Helez questioned the purpose of this flight, especially in the context of the deployment of a Hungarian special forces unit to the Republika Srpska.
The minister expressed confidence that the presence of Hungarian military personnel might be linked to the support of Republika Srpska leader Milorad Dodik, who is attempting to undermine the unity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
"I could not allow a military aircraft from a country that openly supports Dodik to land on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina," Helez stated.
He emphasized that Budapest provides Dodik with clear political and economic support, and the appearance of Hungarian military forces only increases concerns about possible interference in the country's internal affairs.
Helez's decision caused a stir. The minister admitted that he faced pressure from both international partners and domestic political circles.
Nevertheless, he remains firm in his decision. "For me, nothing is more important than the integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Any pressure only confirms that my decision was the right one," he noted.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán continues to publicly support Dodik, while Belgrade also actively defends his position.
Reminder: The leader of the Bosnian Serbs, Milorad Dodik, was sentenced to one year in prison and banned from political activity for six years for defying an order from international official Christian Schmidt.
Dodik ignored the court process and is threatening radical measures, including the possible secession of Republika Srpska.
His supporters are protesting, arguing that Schmidt has no authority since his appointment was not approved by the UN Security Council.