Recruits' Refusal To Pledge Allegiance To Bosnia Condemned
18 April 2005 -- Representatives of the international community today condemned the refusal of Bosnian Serb army recruits to swear allegiance to Bosnia.
On 16 April, the first generation of Bosnian Serb army recruits asked to swear loyalty to Bosnia -- rather than just the Serb part of the country -- refused to take the oath of allegiance and booed the national anthem.
Today, the European Union, U.S. Embassy, NATO and the top international administrator in Bosnia, Paddy Ashdown, said in a statement that the refusal by the 500 recruits should "be taken very seriously" because it indicates a "deeper problem."
A peace agreement that ended the 1992-95 Bosnian war left the country divided into a Bosnian Serb mini-state and a Bosnian-Croat federation linked only by joint institutions at the national level.
The oath of allegiance to the entire Bosnian state was ordered by a joint Defense Ministry formed last year.
It is unclear if any measures will be taken against the recruits.
(AP)
18 April 2005 -- Representatives of the international community today condemned the refusal of Bosnian Serb army recruits to swear allegiance to Bosnia.
On 16 April, the first generation of Bosnian Serb army recruits asked to swear loyalty to Bosnia -- rather than just the Serb part of the country -- refused to take the oath of allegiance and booed the national anthem.
Today, the European Union, U.S. Embassy, NATO and the top international administrator in Bosnia, Paddy Ashdown, said in a statement that the refusal by the 500 recruits should "be taken very seriously" because it indicates a "deeper problem."
A peace agreement that ended the 1992-95 Bosnian war left the country divided into a Bosnian Serb mini-state and a Bosnian-Croat federation linked only by joint institutions at the national level.
The oath of allegiance to the entire Bosnian state was ordered by a joint Defense Ministry formed last year.
It is unclear if any measures will be taken against the recruits.
(AP)