Rafales over Bosnia-Herzegovina. As a warning
(B2) French Rafale aircraft from the carrier group of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle should carry out flights over the Balkans, in particular Bosnia-Herzegovina from this Monday (March 7), we learn from a European source. A preventive mission against any desire for destabilization.
A show of force to reassure and deter
These flights are qualified fast reaction training but they have a very political objective. Show the population, and in particular the Bosnian Serbs tempted by the separatist fever, that the French are indeed determined to intervene in the event of a problem. What is called a show of strength. NB: this exercise was not normally included in the program (at least in the file distributed to the press).
A risk of destabilization
The risk of destabilization is, in fact, not negligible in Bosnia-Herzegovina, according to an assessment given recently by the EUFOR Althea Operation Commander, General Brice Houdet. To the point that the Europeans decided at the end of February to urgently trigger the reserve. This will double the strength of the EU military stabilization operation in place since 2004 (Read: The EUFOR Althea reserve called in as reinforcements in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The fear of Russian contagion (Josep Borrell)).
500 more soldiers on site
Four land companies, coming from Austria, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, that is to say about 500 men, have begun to deploy, supplementing the manpower already on the spot, essentially made up of Turks and Hungarians. According to our information, the Slovaks are to send a company of 121 men from the 52nd Airborne Battalion from Trebišov, which is part of the special operations forces, is being deployed. At a time when the security balance in Europe is shaken, the Union wants to " thereby demonstrating its continued commitment and determination to support a safe and secure environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Balkans ».
A preventive deployment
It is also about showing the Russians that the Europeans are not fooled. At a time when the security balance in Europe is shaken, the European Union wants to " thereby demonstrating its continued commitment and determination to support a safe and secure environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Balkans ».
(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)
