SARAJEVO, August 13 (FENA) – EUFOR Commander Major General László Sticz said that this year’s “Quick Response” exercise, which will last from August 24 to September 16, will involve EUFOR forces deployed in the area of ​​operations coming from 23 countries participating in the mission, which will be temporarily reinforced by reserve forces from Austria, Hungary, Romania and the composition of the International Peace Mission in Kosovo.

Sticz said today at the press conference at the Butmir base, which he held with the Chief of the Joint Staff of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colonel General Gojko Knežević, that on August 24, the reserve forces of EUFOR will also begin their deployment and integration into the EUFOR structure.

After the exercise was over, he pointed out, those forces would return to their home countries.

“The activities will be carried out within the Butmir base, but will also include activities outside the base, such as deployments to operational areas, then force patrols, the use of drones and helicopters, as well as events that will take place in our lot houses and airports,” he stated.

Sticz said that citizens would notice an increased level of international military presence throughout BiH, such as the Klobuk, Metaljka and Svilaj border crossings, as well as in the populated areas of Čapljina, Glamoča, Livno, Orašje, Pazarić, Sarajevo, Tuzla, Ustikolina and other populated areas.

He pointed out that some of these activities may produce noise because they will also take place during the night. Local authorities, he added, will be informed in time about any EUFOR activities in their community.

Sticz said that EUFOR is a functional and efficient force deployed in the area of ​​operations which, in case of need, can also call on the reserve forces available to them. The reserve forces, he added, can be integrated into EUFOR together with EUFOR troops deployed in BiH.

“A large number of member states of the European Union have contributed their forces to the composition of these reserve forces, which are deployed in BiH on a regular basis, for training and information about BiH, because we want to ensure that they are familiar with BiH and that they can quickly integrate and perform tasks which were assigned to them,” he explained.

In this way, he added, they ensure that EUFOR continuously provides support to its B&H. partners in maintaining a safe and stable environment in BiH.

Sticz said that exercise “Quick Response” is one of the most important training opportunities for EUFOR forces deployed in the area of ​​operations, as well as for reserve forces, which is the main EUFOR training event every year, which has been held regularly since 2012.

He added that this year’s “Quick Response” exercise is being held with the support of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which made facilities and locations available for the activities. He praised the cooperation and coordination of EUFOR and the BiH Armed Forces, which will be continued at all levels in accordance with the highest professional standards.

The Chief of the Joint Staff of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colonel General Gojko Knežević, said that the exercise “Quick Response” 2024 represents an annual planned activity of EUFOR and assessed that the security situation in BiH is stable, expressing hope that in the coming period, it would stay that way.

“Citizens can be completely calm because the increased presence of forces is part of the exercise,” he said.