CVIJANOVIĆ REQUESTS THAT INFORMATION ABOUT HELEZ'S ALLEGATIONS BE INCLUDED IN SESSION’S AGENDA

EAST SARAJEVO, NOVEMBER 24 /SRNA/ - Serb BiH Presidency member Željka Cvijanović suggested that information on statements by the Minister of Defense in the Council of Ministers, Zukan Helez, about "the existence of certain paramilitary formations and camps in the territory of Republika Srpska" be included in the agenda of the next session, which will be held on Monday, November 27.

In a letter sent to the Bosniak and Croat members of the BiH Presidency, Cvijanović has said that the minister of defense disclosed to the public information regarding the existence of certain paramilitary formations and training camps in the territory of Republika Srpska. "Also, in the continuation of his public presentation on this topic, Mr. Helez has said that these people are trained by certain instructors from the Russian Federation and that the mentioned activities are carried out under the auspices of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska. Further, the minister of defense made claims that the training camps for these formations are located in the territory of the municipality of Rogatica, as well as in the area of Mount Maglić, without clearly specifying the location of the disputed formations, which was followed by a denial of the allegations by the political officials responsible for the territories that were marked as the location of the said camps," Cvijanović said. Since the above-mentioned information has caused justifiable public anxiety in BiH, and which is added to information from certain foreign intelligence services about the existence of terrorist cells in the territory of BiH, Cvijanović believes that it is absolutely justified and necessary for the Presidency of BiH to request information on the matter in question from the competent institutions and the minister of defense himself, who presented the controversial information to the public. "Considering the constitutional and legal provisions, but also the political and social dimension of responsibility that the members of the BiH Presidency have towards the citizens and society as a whole, it is important that the BiH Presidency, as a collective body of the executive power, take a position on this issue, with a view to accurately determining the factual situation and obtaining true and precise information, which should be presented to the public in BiH with the aim of calming tension and unrest in society. Taking into account the provisions of the Constitution of BiH, Article 5 Paragraph (5) Indent a), according to which each member of the Presidency of BiH has, by virtue of their function, civilian command over the Armed Forces of BiH, as well as the provisions of Articles 11 and 12 of the Law on Defense of BiH /'Official Gazette of BiH', 88/05/ and Articles 1 and 32, Paragraphs (3) and (1) of the Rules of Procedure of the Presidency of BiH /'Official Gazette of BiH', No. 10/13, 32/13 and 22/14/ which clearly define that the BiH Presidency exercises supreme command and control over the Armed Forces and makes decisions in the field of defense, and taking into account the above, I consider it justified that the BiH Presidency at its 9th regular session consider the agenda item 'Information on the allegations by the minister of defense of BiH on the existence of certain paramilitary formations and camps in the territory of Republika Srpska,'" explained Cvijanović. In the letter, Cvijanović also proposed a conclusion stating that the BiH Presidency, as the supreme commander of the BiH Armed Forces, obliges the minister of defense in the Council of Ministers to provide complete information on the allegations made in public regarding the existence of paramilitary camps and formations in the territory of Republika Srpska. "The Presidency of BiH requires the Intelligence and Security Agency of BiH, the Ministry of Security, that is, the State Investigation and Protection Agency, to conduct an investigation within their competencies, in cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska, with the aim of establishing the exact factual situation and circumstances in connection with allegations presented by the defense minister. The Presidency of BiH instructs the aforementioned institutions to provide the requested information no later than 15 days after the receipt of this conclusion," said Cvijanović.