03.03.2025 20:11
The implication by Hungary's Deputy Foreign Minister Levente Magyar that his country would intervene in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the event of a war has caused tension between the two countries. Following these events, a Hungarian military aircraft was denied permission to land in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Deputy Foreign Minister of Hungary, Levente Magyar, met today in Banja Luka, the administrative center of the Serb Republic (RS) entity where Serbs predominantly live, with Serb leader Milorad Dodik. In a joint press conference with Dodik, Magyar expressed support for Dodik, who is known for his separatist statements.
"THE ATTITUDE TOWARDS SERBS IN BOSNIA IS NOT CORRECT"
Magyar argued that a political lynching campaign is being conducted against Serb leader Dodik, who was sentenced to one year in prison last week by a first-instance court for failing to respect the decisions of the Office of the High Representative (OHR). He stated, "The West always makes decisions about Eastern Europe without historical knowledge and awareness. The West's attitude towards Serbs in Bosnia and Herzegovina is not correct. It cannot act as if this country is an enemy. It cannot see the Serb Republic and Dodik as enemies. The Serb people are a proud people and should not have to accept this."
"THE PERIOD WHEN HUNGARY REMAINED A SPECTATOR TO THE EVENTS IS OVER"
Magyar said, "The West sees Bosnia and Herzegovina as its own province. It supports the horrific war in Ukraine. We are currently witnessing that the West is supporting and encouraging certain orientations that could lead to war events in the Balkans. This is not a province; this is a sovereign state, and we would like to remind you that Bosnia and Herzegovina has gone through periods in the recent past when external powers tried to realize their interests here. At one time, the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy took on this role, which led to the death of 1 million Serbs in World War I."
Emphasizing that Hungary also supports the Serb Republic, Magyar stated, "We are with you. No matter what happens, we are on your side and the side of the people of the Serb Republic. Hungary is only 70 kilometers away from here, and when something happens to you, it concerns us as well. The period when Hungary remained a spectator to the events in the Balkans is over."
HUNGARY'S MILITARY PLANE WAS DENIED LANDING PERMISSION
Following Magyar's statements, Zeljko Komsic, a member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, called for a meeting with Hungary's Ambassador to Sarajevo, Krisztian Posa, for consultations. Bosnia and Herzegovina's Defense Minister Zukan Helez announced that he refused to grant landing permission to a military plane from Hungary. Helez stated that he believed the landing of a Hungarian military plane first in Sarajevo and then in Banja Luka would send a political message at a time when tensions are at their highest in Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially highlighting Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's statements supporting Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik's actions against the constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
TENSIONS IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA ARE AT THEIR HIGHEST
Following the first-instance court decision announced on February 26, which sentenced Serb leader Dodik to one year in prison and banned him from the presidency of the Serb Republic for six years for failing to respect the decisions of the OHR established by the Dayton Peace Agreement that ended the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992-1995, political tensions escalated in Bosnia and Herzegovina. After the decision, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban made statements indicating that a "political witch hunt" had been initiated against Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik. Following the court decision, on February 27, the National Assembly of the Serb Republic (NSRS) prohibited the activities of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Bosnia and Herzegovina Agency for Research and Protection (SIPA), known for its operations against war criminals, and the High Council of Judges and Prosecutors (VSTV) within the borders of the Serb Republic. This decision raised concerns about the safety of state officials operating within the entity of the Serb Republic.