The High Representative, Christian Schwarz-Schilling, today welcomed a joint call by NATO, OSCE and EUFOR for the BiH Ministry of Defence to assume control over all weapons, ammunition and explosives still held by the Entities.
“The BiH Ministry of Defence is the sole competent institution to handle weapons and other munitions,” the High Representative said today. “Not only is this the natural consequence of the transfer of responsibilities for military and defence matters to the State level, it reflects the fact that following the successful adoption of the new defence laws last year, the BiH Ministry of Defence is the only competent institution to decide what will be surplus to the future needs of the armed forces. Most importantly it is the BiH Armed Forces that are most capable of safely storing, securing and disposing of dangerous munitions.”
BiH remains one of the biggest repositories of weapons and ammunition in the region and there have been several high profile cases of thefts from storage sites.
“In the current climate of concern over trafficking and terrorism, BiH cannot afford to be associated with munitions falling in to the wrong hands,” said the High Representative. “Proper control over weapons and ammunition at the BiH level helps ensure a safer environment within our own borders.”