The exercise of the police and gendarmerie of the Republika Srpska on Jahorina was unannouncedly controlled by EUFOR yesterday.
Minister Dragan Lukac said that this hindered them in the exercise, while EUFOR said that they had the right to observe and that their presence could not create any obstacles.
“EUFOR monitors all activities or locations in BiH in order to be aware of the situation and to provide a safe and protected environment, all in accordance with our mandate. It does not matter whether the exercise was within the RS or elsewhere in BiH,” they said.
The RS police exercise was unannouncedly controlled by EUFOR, which flew over Jahorina Mountain.
They point out that they also had an observer on the ground, but that they assessed that this was not enough.
“This was considered insufficient to see the full scope of the exercise, so EUFOR aviation was also tasked with monitoring the exercise,” they said.
RS Interior Minister Dragan Lukac complained about the EUFOR helicopter, saying that it made it impossible for them to lift another RS MIA helicopter.
“The airspace in the RS exercise zones is class ‘G’ which is uncontrolled airspace. Therefore, the presence of EUFOR planes did not prevent another RS plane from taking off and applying the ‘see and avoid’ rule,” they said from EUFOR.
They add that the exercise was not recorded, but only monitored, which, he points out, is not wrong because “EUFOR has complete and unhindered freedom of movement by land, air and water throughout BiH.”
Source: Klix.ba