News item | 06-04-2023 | 13:29
The Netherlands will send a maximum of 150 military personnel to Bosnia and Herzegovina for 1 year. They are infantrymen of the Marine Corps. In addition, a maximum of 10 soldiers will go to the area to collect intelligence. On this basis, the security situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina can be better monitored. The so-called Human Intelligence unit will leave in June. The Marines will follow in October. With its deployment in the Balkans, the Netherlands contributes to the European force European Union Force (EUFOR Althea).
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Ministers Wopke Hoekstra of Foreign Affairs and Kajsa Ollongren of Defense informed the House of this in a letter today.
Part of the European force is a multinational battalion with about a thousand soldiers. The force is stationed in the Balkans to respond to incidents.
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Deter destabilizing actors
The primary objective of the operation is to maintain a safe and secure environment. In addition, EUFOR Althea should deter destabilizing actors and ensure that, when it comes down to it, the international community acts together. The Netherlands has been supplying 4 staff officers since January EUFOR Althea. They are located at the headquarters in Sarajevo.
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Rising tensions
It has been rumbling in Bosnia and Herzegovina for some time now. The escalating ethno-nationalist rhetoric of politicians regularly leads to rising tensions between the various ethnic groups. Although there are currently no signs of an imminent (armed) escalation, the possibility of this still remains.
The EUFOR Althea Operations Command estimates that the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina is currently relatively stable.
Nevertheless, there are some issues. For example, the letter from both ministers states that Russia, for example, is trying to increase its influence in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Russia benefits from an unstable Bosnia and Herzegovina to prevent further rapprochement with the EU and NATO.
Ollongren: “The Netherlands and the EU have a direct interest in stability in the Western Balkans. After all, it is fairly close by. There are enough reasons for the Netherlands to contribute to EUFOR Althea.”
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Participating countries
At EUFOR Althea 21 countries are participating, 16 of which are EU Member States. They are: Bulgaria, Germany, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain and the Czech Republic. The non-EU member states that contribute to EUFOR Althea are: Albania, Chile, North Macedonia, Turkey and Switzerland.
The Dutch contribution of a maximum of 150 military personnel to EUFOR Althea ends October 1, 2024. The deployment of a 10-man Human Intelligence (HUMINT) team expires July 31, 2025.
EUFOR Althea has existed since 2004. The operation has had two predecessors. These were NATO Implementation Force IFOR and then NATO Stabilization Force (SFOR).