Four companies, comprising approximately 500 personnel from European Union Force (EUFOR) ‘s reserves stationed outside of Bosnia and Herzegovina will be deployed, as a precautionary measure, in the country over the next two weeks to reinforce existing forces, too, more effectively support our BiH partners in maintaining a safe and secure environment. Operation Althea, formally the European Union Force Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUFOR), is a military deployment in Bosnia and Herzegovina to oversee the military implementation of the Dayton Agreement. The transition from SFOR to EUFOR was largely a change of name and commanders: 80% of the troops remained in place. It is the successor to NATO’s SFOR and IFOR. It replaced SFOR on 2 December 2004.
EUFOR has been deployed in Bosnia and Herzegovina since 2004. EUFOR comprises a total of approximately 3,500 personnel of which 600 are currently deployed in the country. The companies that will soon be deployed will bring the total number of EUFOR forces stationed in BiH up to 1,100. These personnel will come from Austria, Bulgaria, Romania, and Slovakia. EUFOR assesses that there is currently no threat to the safe and secure environment that would require EUFOR’s support. The situation is being continually monitored and further reinforcements can be brought in if necessary.
The deterioration of the security situation internationally has the potential to spread instability to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The deployment of these forces is a precautionary measure to strengthen stability in BiH by positioning sufficient, capable forces in-country to support the BiH Government efforts to maintain a safe and secure environment. Their mission will be to demonstrate the EU’s determination to maintain stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is a prudent and proportionate measure that reflects the EU’s and EUFOR’s unequivocal commitment to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The total force of EUFOR is at 600 troops from 19 countries, including EU member states and non-EU “Troop Contributing Countries” (TCC) are present within EUFOR (Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Chile, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, North Macedonia, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, and Turkey). As of early 2021, EUFOR personnel are based include: – Multinational Battalion is EUFOR’s military maneuver unit for BiH, located at Camp Butmir, Sarajevo and comprises troops from Austria, Hungary, and Turkey; – 17 LOT Houses located throughout BiH to connect EUFOR to local communities and authorities. From north to south, west to east – Cazin, Banja Luka (Roumania) and Banja Luka (Chile), Brcko, Duboj, Tuzla, Zavidovici, Travnik, Bartunac, Zenica, Sarajevo (headquarters), Livno, Jablonica, Visegrad, Foca, Mostar, and Trebinje.
