EUFOR

The European Union Force Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUFOR) is a military deployment to help keep the peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).  At least it used to be called EUFOR.  Now it is Operation ALTHEA.

The United Nations put a peacekeeping force called UNPROFOR in BiH  back in 1992.  As part of the 1995 Dayton Peace Accords between BiH, Croatia, and Serbia (with Serbia also representing Srbska Republika), there was a one-year mandate for a multinational peace enforcement force.  The Implementation Force (IFOR), which replaced UNPROFOR, was led by NATO under the codename Operation Joint Endeavour.  

After the one year, IFOR was replaced by the Stabilisation Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina (SFOR).  SFOR was another NATO-led peacekeeping force, with several non-NATO countries contributing troops.  IFOR was replaced by EUFOR in December 2004.

NATO handed over its peacekeeping mission to the EU which is how EUFOR took over in 2004.  Operation ALTHEA ensures compliance with the Dayton Peace Agreement and contributes to safe and secure environment in BiH.

There are about 1000 troops currently stationed in BiH from 19 different countries, including Czechland.  The countries are all EU and/or NATO member states with the exception of Chile which isn't either.  In December 2020, the UK withdrew its troops from EUFOR after 16 years due to Brexit. 

The EU also has an Intermediate Reserve Force based in Europe that can be deployed on short notice to reinforce EUFOR in BiH if needed.

The first five years each saw a commanding general from a different country.  For some reason, since December 2009, each year the commanding general comes from Austria.

Here are a couple of short videos I found on YouTube.

©EUFOR Althea

©EUFOR Althea

Update March 2023:  Here's the new EUFOR video.

©EUFOR Althea

KFOR

KFOR, Kosovo Force, is a NATO-led international peacekeeping force in Kosovo.  Following the breakup of Yugoslavia and the wars in the Balkans, the UN Security Council passed a resolution in 1999 which among other things authorised an international with substantial NATO participation in Kosovo.  Two days after the resolution, on 11 June 1999, KFOR entered the country.

The main tasks of KFOR are to ensure a safe and secure environment and the freedom of movement for all communities in the country.  

At its height, KFOR was made up of 50.000 troops from 30 NATO and non-NATO countries.  Today are are just over 3700 troops from 27 countries in Kosovo.

The Czech Armed Forces have participated as part of KFOR since 1999.  In 2011, they ended their deployment and left its base in Sajkovac.  However, there are currently eight Czech soldiers serving at KFRO Headquarters in Prishtina.

The USA has just over 560 soldiers currently deployed to KFOR.

KFOR is gradually transferring responsibilities over to Kosovo's Security Force.

Here's a six-minute video I found on YouTube about KFOR.

©NATO

Update March 2023:  Here's a 9½-minute video about the evolution of KFOR.

©NATO

Banja Luka, Bosnia and Hezegovina

Banja Luka, or Бања Лука in Serbian, is the second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovia.  It is the largest city and the administrative capital of Republika Srpska.  

The city is in the northwest part of Bosnia, on the Verbs river, just over 3 hours by car, 139 km (86 miles), from Sarajevo.  

Banja Luka is home to just around 140,000 while the greater area totals around 185,000 people.

There's evidence that the Romans were here back in the first centuries.  

Banja Luka was first mentioned in writing in 1494.  In 1527 it fell to the Ottoman Empire before eventually becoming part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.  

At the end of WWI it became part of the the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.  During WWII, it became part of the Independent State of Croatia which was a Nazi puppet regime.  Yugoslav partisans liberated the city on 22 April 1945 and it rejoined Yugoslavia.

During the war in the 1990s, almost all of the city's Bosniaks and Croats were expelled.  All 16 of the city's mosques were rigged with explosives and destroyed as part of the ethnic cleansing that was going on.

The Ferhat Pasha Mosque was built in 1579 but it was demolished in 1993.  The mosque was rebuilt and opened in 2016.

The Catholic Church of St. Anthony and Franciscan monastery was also destroyed in 1993 by the Bosnian Serb Army.  Reconstruction began in 2003 after Pope John Paul II visited the site.

The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, is part of the Serbian Orthodox Church, was consecrated in 1939.  It was demolished during WW2 and following the war the Yugoslav communists didn't permit the church to be rebuilt.  During the Bosnian war, in 1993, permission was give to rebuilt the church.

There are four Roman Catholic cathedrals in Bosnia and Herzegovina one of them is in Banja Luka.  The Cathedral of St. Bonaventure was built in the 1970s.  It too was damaged during the Bosnian War but it reopened in 2001 following repairs.  The 42m (138 ft.) tall bell tower is kind of funky.

There's even a Ukrainian church that was built on the site where a Ukrainian Greek church was destroyed during WWII.  Restoration began in 1998.  The exterior is done but the interior is still a work in progress.

The National Theatre of the Republic of Srpska was founded in 1930.

At Memorial Park, there is a memorial to the Yugoslav partisans that died fighting in WWII.

Banski Dvor opened in 1932.  Until 2008 it was the seat of the President of the Republika Srbska.  Today, it is home to the city administration and it is a cultural centre.

The Palace of the Republic is the official residence of the President of Republika Srpska.  It was built as a bank in 1936.  After WWII, the communists used the building as the People's Bank.  During the Bosnian War the building became a place for youth meetings.  After the war it was the home of the National Bank of Republika Srpska and the Ministry of Finance of Republika Srpska.  In 2008 is when the official residence of the President of Republika Srpska moved here from Banski Dvor.

The Office of the Prime Minister of Republika Srpska is a modern building.  I was surprised that the armed guards allowed me to take photos of it.

Gospodska is Gentleman's Street, and it is full of shops with cafes and bars tucked in side streets.  

The Museum of Modern Art of Republika Srpska was established in 1971.

In 1930 the Museum of Verbs Banovina opened.  In 1982 the location was moved to the Worker's Solidarity House, next to the national library.  In 1982 it became the Museum of Republika Srpska.  There's some interesting displays inside but there's this odd taxidermy collection that I didn't really understand how it fit in with the displays.

Next door to the museum is a library.  I assume it's the national library but I could be wrong.

The Arie Livne Jewish Cultural Centre was inaugurated in 2014.  It is the only such facility built in the Balkans since WWII.  It contains one of only two synagogues in Republika Srpska.  Before the Holocaust there were a few hundred Jewish families in Banja Luka but today the number of families is in the tens.

Tržnica is the central market where you can find pretty much everything.  There are plenty of fruits and vegetables plus lots of clothing shops.

The Kastel Fortress is on the left bank of the Vrbas river.  It's medieval but it sits on the site of previous Roman fortifications.  It is one of the city's main sights.

The Vrbas river runs through the town.  The river runs for 250 km (155 miles) and it is a tributary of the Sava river.

At Banj Brno is the monument to fallen Krajina soldiers in the National Liberation War (1941-1945).  It opened in 1961.  It's a good hike up to the the top of the hill.  Thanks to Covid, I'm still not allowed any strenuous exercise for another couple of months so I took my time on the way up the hill.  But on my first post-Covid hike, I'm glad that the 18 km (11,25 miles) didn't do me in.

There are Republika Srpska flags all throughout the city.  On the other hand I think I only saw maybe two Bosnia flags out.

There are also lots of murals for the Vultures which is the local football team.  

I saw a few murals across the city of Ratio Mladić, who led the Bosnian Serbs during the war.  In 2017 he was convicted of committing war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

The Serbian text translates to "Unification has started and it can't be stopped."  I assume this has to do with the desire to merge with Serbia. 

What I didn't care for was all of the open support for Putin and Russia in the invasion of Ukraine.  I saw more than one Z in the city.  

There were even Z t-shirts for sale.  It wasn't a souvenir that I wanted. 

Я за Україну. Я за Україною. Слава Україні  Stojím za Ukrajinou!  I stand with Ukraine. 

Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Tuzla is the third largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  It is located in the northeast of the country about a 2,5 hour drive (120 km / 75 miles) from Sarajevo.  It is home to over 142,000 people.

While the area has been inhabited for more than 6000 years, the city itself dates back to the 9th century.  At one point it was part of the Roman Empire and in 1510 it became part of the Ottoman Empire.

The city sat on top of extensive salt deposits and "Tuzla" is the Ottoman Turkish word for salt mine.

In 1878 it was annexed by the Austro-Hungarian Empire.  Following the end of WWI, it became part of Yugoslavia.

Freedom Square, Trg Slobode, is the main town square.  There are some beautiful buildings here along with lots of cafes and restaurants.



In the old town are statues two famous Bosnians.  Meša Selimović, the author, and Ismet Mujezinović the artist.

The Mosque of Atik Behram Bev is known as the colourful mosque.  It is the oldest mosque in Tuzla but was rebuilt in 1888 after a fire.

At Gradski Park is a statue of the 14th century King Tvrtko who promoted tolerance between different religious groups.

The Serbian Orthodox Bishop's Residency is also the Museum of the Eparchy.




The Temple of Ascension of the Virgin Mary is a Serbian Orthodox Church built from 1874-1882.

Tuzla is the only city in Europe with a salt lake as part of its central park.  The Pannonian Sea dried up about 10 million years ago.  In 2003 the Pannonian Lake was opened and a second lake with artificial waterfalls opened in 2008.

Turaliberg's Mosque was restored in 2007.  It is unique that it has a stone minaret and a pyramid-shaped roof.

In 2003 the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo donated a bust of Martin Luther King.

There are a few cemeteries in town.  This is the Muslim cemetery near the city centre.

Slana Banja is a nice park on a hill overlooking the city. 

During WWII, this area was one of the first to be liberated from the Germans and there are many memorials and graves of Yugoslav partisans.

At the top of the hill is a Serbian Orthodox cemetery with a 19th century chapel.

The Peace Flame House hosts an eternal flame commemorating peace.  The facility is used for cultural events.

Tuzla wasn't heavily targeted during the war but on 25 May 1995 the Army of Republika Srpska launched an artillery attack on the city. 

The Tuzla Massacre left 72 dead and 240 wounded.  There is a memorial in the city centre and the victims are all buried at Slana Banja.

The Mellian Hotel in the centre has an observation floor with great views of the city.

I had never heard of Tuzla before but it turned out to be a nice little city break.  It is one of the new destinations that Wizz Air is now offering from Vienna.  Well worth a quick visit.