Bosnian Defence Minister slams Vucic over "authoritarian" crackdown

In a statement, Helez claimed the Serbian authorities are utilizing repression and selective justice to shield the ruling elite. "The more politically exposed President Vucic becomes, the more brutal the government’s methods," Helez remarked. He argued that using the prosecution as a "shield from the truth" proves Serbia is no longer a democracy guaranteeing basic human rights.

Helez also voiced concern over the deaths of potential witnesses linked to wartime structures, describing the circumstances as "strange." He further questioned President Vucic’s wartime presence at Sarajevo's Jewish Cemetery, noting contradictory accounts of his role there.

Concluding his remarks, Helez stated that normalizing relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia remains difficult while Serbia is led by an individual burdened by such unresolved questions. He emphasized that genuine reconciliation requires truth, the recognition of the Srebrenica genocide, and an end to protecting war crimes suspects.