Official: It would be best if Bosnia abolished army regiments

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Bosnia's institutions should think about abolishing the regiments making up the Armed Forces, following the Presidency Chairman's calls for Serb army members to wear the wartime uniforms warn by Bosnian-Serb army, the head of the Centre for Security Studies in Bosnia, Denis Hadzovic said on Monday.

“I personally think the Armed Forces have no use of these regiments and it'd be best if they got abolished. Maybe this is the right opportunity to do it,” he said.

Bosnia's Presidency chairman and Serb leader Milorad Dodik delivered a speech during the ceremony marking the Day of the Third Infantry Regiment in the northwestern city of Banja Luka on Sunday.

Speaking at the event, Dodik urged the members of the Regiment, which is formally part of Bosnia's Armed Forces, to wear the wartime uniforms in the next year's ceremony because, as he said, it was their day.

He also said the abolition of the Army of Republika Srpska, one of two Bosnia's semi-autonomous entities, was a mistake.

Eight years after the end of the 1992-95 armed conflict in Bosnia, the country conducted defence reform, merging the Republika Srpska's and the Federation's entity armies into one, with the command at the state level.

Bosnian Serb leader called on the Regiment's command to make half of the unit wear wartime uniforms on the next year's ceremony because, as he said, this is their day.

Hadzovic argues that regiments only raise tensions and create ethnic segregations.

“It'd be much better if Bosnia had only one Regiment made up of members who took part in peace missions across the world and represent that heritage and experiences in Bosnia,” he concluded.

Bosnia's Foreign Minister Igor Crnadak also condemned Dodik's statement saying its only function is to divert attention from real issues.

“I heard the statement and its a topic which is needlessly activated to divert our third regimentattention from real problems. If he's calling for them to wear the uniform on May 12, why don't they wear them every other day,” Crnadak asked, adding that this is something that will not improve the citizens’ lives.