Bosnian generals urge NATO to counter Russian influence in Balkans

“We urge you to take this matter seriously. Do not repeat the mistakes of the international community, the European Union, and the United Nations, which initially underestimated Slobodan Miloševic’s determination to drag the former Yugoslavia into war. By tolerating his policies and turning a blind eye to the destruction of Bosnia and Herzegovina, they enabled the horrific crimes committed by the ‘Butcher of the Balkans,’” the Association of Generals stated in the letter.

Ahead of Rutte’s upcoming visit to Sarajevo, the Association extended its welcome to the leader of the world’s most powerful military alliance, reminding him that Bosnia and Herzegovina, a European state, endured immense destruction during the 1,425-day-long siege of its capital.

“As commanders of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, we were honored to participate in the 50th anniversary commemoration of the victory over fascism in 1995 in Paris, France—the only army from the former Yugoslavia invited to such a prestigious event. We remind you that the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, based in The Hague, ruled that the other armies involved in Bosnia and Herzegovina—those of Serbia and Croatia—were engaged in a joint criminal enterprise. The court also confirmed that both the Serbian and Croatian armies took part in an international armed conflict against our homeland, Bosnia and Herzegovina,” the letter stated.

The Association further noted that, despite the International Court of Justice dismissing Serbia’s lawsuit against NATO, both Serbia and Republika Srpska continue attempts to prosecute senior NATO officials for the Alliance’s military interventions in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1995 and in Serbia in 1999. These operations, the generals stressed, were humanitarian interventions aimed at protecting civilians. Meanwhile, Serbian political leaders persist in framing NATO’s actions as aggression, and Serbian media outlets frequently promote narratives of alleged NATO war crimes.

Reaffirming Bosnia and Herzegovina’s commitment to democratic values and Euro-Atlantic integration, the Association emphasized its unwavering support for NATO’s mission in the region.

“We have always stood by Western civilizational values and NATO principles. We aligned with NATO in defending democracy against fascism in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Balkans, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to the same principles today,” the letter concluded.