Serbian army troops held parades in Bosnia & Herzegovina’s towns of Bratuncac and Prijedor as part of a commemoration of the martyrdom of Serbs in the Podrinje area, sparking fresh unrest in the highly unstable Balkan country.

The commemoration of the anniversary of the Battle of Kozara, a symbol of suffering and resistance of Serbs in the fight against the Nazis and Ustashas (Croatian fascists), is held every year ahead of that of the Srebrenica genocide anniversary, but had not been attended by the Serbian army up to now.

The march of soldiers was seen as a fresh provocation made by the secessionist leaders of Bosnia’s Republika Srpska, following the landing of a Serbian police helicopter in the town of Trebinje a few weeks ago.

In Prijedor, the Bosnian Serb army committed some of the most violent crimes against Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) during the bloody 1992-1995 Bosnian war. The largest mass grave was also discovered there. In Bratunac, Bosnian Serbs also killed many Bosniaks.

According to Zeljko Komsic, the Bosniak member of Bosnia’s state-level tripartite presidency, the stay of Serbian troops on Bosnian territory was not authorised. He called for an investigation into how the soldiers were allowed to enter the country.

Bosnia’s state-level Defence Minister Zukan Helez also said that he did not issue a stay permit to the Serbian soldiers, nor there was any agreement through which they could enter the country.

“Immediately after learning about the stay of undocumented members of the Army of the Republic of Serbia on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, I requested that an investigation be conducted in the Ministry of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina to determine whether the ministry headed by me gave permission for this stay. I certainly did not. The investigation established that the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia did not request any permission for the stay of members of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Serbia in our country from the Ministry of Defense of BiH and that no one from the Ministry of Defense of BiH gave any permission or consent for this stay.” Helez said, as quoted by N1.

“Also, today's event was not foreseen by the bilateral cooperation plan of the defence ministries of the two countries. Unofficially, some information says that these were cadets of the Army of the Republic of Serbia and that they could stay at the invitation of the Ministry of Labour and Veterans and Disability Protection of Republika Srpska. I repeat the Ministry of Defence of Bosnia & Herzegovina has not issued an invitation, nor has it been asked for a permit for the stay of undocumented members of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Serbia on the territory of Bosnia & Herzegovina,” he added.

On the other hand, the Serbian embassy in Bosnia claims it had informed in a note the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia about the arrival of its troops, according to Republika Srpska’s public broadcaster RTRS.

Foreign Minister Elmedin Konakovic said that his ministry has only one obligation if such a notice is received, to forward it to the border police, the security ministry and few other institutions. Konakovic said the ministry has immediately fulfilled its obligations and that the border police has subsequently followed the regulations.

Konakovic – a pro-Western Bosniak – also said it was not his responsibility to check what the purpose of the visit of Serbian cadets was, nor it was mentioned in the notice.

The border police confirmed it was informed about the visit.

The entry of Serbian soldiers was seen as a threat by the Mothers of Srebrenica – an association of women who have lost their husbands and sons during the Srebrenica genocide.

“The Serbian army is located on the territory of sovereign Bosnia & Herzegovina. Should we, like in 1995, wait on our doorsteps to be killed, chased and raped while the whole world is silent? We demand an urgent reaction from the competent institutions and the international community. We ask whether it would be normal for a foreign army to enter the territory of Germany, France or any other country without permission and whether it would be characterized as aggression. Are we safe in our houses and can we bury our loved ones?” the association said in a statement.

They urged international institutions to react on this provocation and prevent a possible escalation in the country.