Moldova claims that in Serbia and BiH there are camps with pro-Russian elements trained to cause chaos in Moldova. No one in Bosnia and Herzegovina has information about this, and Banjaluka strongly denies everything, he writes Deutsche says.
Intelligence agencies of Moldova published reports on the existence of training camps in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, where people were allegedly trained to cause riots in Moldova.
It is stated that more than three hundred young people from the Republic of Moldova were trained in camps in the Russian Federation, as well as in guerrilla camps in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the aim of causing mass destabilization and disorder around the presidential elections and the constitutional referendum on joining the European Union on October 20. .
"They also received specialized instructions on the use of drones equipped with explosives and pipe bombs, from September to mid-October, by foreigners linked to private military groups such as 'Wagner' and 'Ferma,'" said Alexandru Musteata, head of intelligence and security services, Moldovan media reports.
"Some people, some groups"
The Security Service of Moldova (SIS), in cooperation with the Moldovan police and the Prosecutor's Office for the fight against organized crime, identified 13 foreigners who played the roles of coordinators and instructors, the police announced.
SIS identified 11 more foreigners who helped in training camps in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, as instructors.
A few days later, the Commission for Oversight of the Work of the Intelligence and Security Agency of BiH (OBA) received information from this agency that there were groups that stayed in BiH for the past two months and that, according to unofficial information, those camps are located on the territory of Republika Srpska.
"In Bosnia and Herzegovina, there were some people, foreign nationals who can be identified as persons who can participate in the organization of some groups that could at some point act against the public gathering," said Ilija Cvitanović, a member of the Joint Commission for Oversight of the Work of the OBA , denying the existence of the camps.
"We have not received the details as it is an operational matter, but there are no camps." At one point, suspicious citizens from the east were staying in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but it was not about any kind of camps. The reasons for their stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina are being determined," said Cvitanović.
Moldovan police released hidden camera footage of alleged training sessions in Russia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, showing young people in a classroom "practicing protests" and shouting slogans such as "our language is Russian", "no dual citizenship", "we don't want to Europe".
American condemnation, Banja Luka defense
Banja Luka also responded to the report on the existence of camps, categorically rejecting the possibility of the existence of any training camps.
"MUP previously, and now when that information appeared, took measures within its jurisdiction and we checked such information." We contacted all services, including the service of Moldova. No intelligence agency, neither here nor in the region, has such data," said Siniša Karan, Minister of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska.
The allegations of services from Moldova were denied by BiH Minister of Security Nenad Nešić, claiming that "there is no relevant evidence or material that would indicate that such a thing took place in BiH".
The American Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina reacted to the report from Moldova, stating that the existence of those camps should be investigated in detail and those responsible should be prosecuted.
The embassy took the opportunity to draw the attention of the authorities in Banja Luka to the fact that these reports "raise serious questions about the commitment of Republika Srpska and its leadership to the implementation of reforms as well as their European orientation."
A sharp response came from the first man of the RS who spoke from Kazan from the BRICS summit, saying that "the Americans know very well that there are no camps in the Republika Srpska."
Milorad Dodik stated on the X platform that this Saturday (October 26.10) he will organize a meeting of all officials and competent services in order to prove it, and he stated that he will also inform Russia about the lies being spread against Republika Srpska.
The day before the meeting, information arrived from the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina about the non-conduct of the investigation, after the earlier statements of the Minister of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zukan Helez, about the camps in the RS where the Russians allegedly train for terrorist attacks, were investigated with partner agencies.
The Prosecutor's Office added that there is no information on training for terrorist attacks in Moldova, and that the competent security institutions should give their opinion on this.
Questionable qualifications
Security expert Safet Mušić says that this kind of information has been circulating in the public for a long time and that it is symptomatic that no one wants to deal with it. Also, there is no confirmed information in the public.
"All that information adds more to the confusion in the intelligence-security sector than we have a chance to clear it up." A lot more professional approach and seriousness is lacking in all these cases," says Mušić, emphasizing that it is difficult to comment on who is behind everything and what their intentions are because in reality there is no information from official authorities.
The confusion is the result of years of bad work and unprofessionalism, which is the result of enormous political influence. Analyst Đuro Kozar says that even BiH is not immune to the second oldest trade in the world, so espionage is one of the tickets for entering that area for persons from Arab countries, the Russian Federation, America, Great Britain, France, as well as Serbia and Croatia.
Why do the intelligence and security structures have no information about this, as well as about potential camps and activities of various groups? The answer should be sought in the past, says Kozar.
"The OBA does not have counterintelligence jurisdiction. When it was established, foreigners thought there was no need for it," says Kozar, stating that the service would coordinate and have data on potential dangers. He believes that the story of training should not be dismissed easily.
"enemies" within
In addition to the camps, as well as the famous drones that recently flew over the facilities of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, about which the public still knows nothing, Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmedin Konaković announced another potential security problem.
He states that there are persons within the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina who work on the orders of the Security and Information Agency (BIA) from Serbia.
"These days, we are very seriously engaged in analyzes to see who is that inserted element, who is the spy who presents himself as the protector of Bosnia and Herzegovina's interests, and at the same time, the Constitutional Court and the OHR are swaying with Dodik. He presents himself as a member of the pro-Bosnian bloc, and he works in the interests of the Serbian state to destabilize two important institutions," Konaković said.
A politicized security structure such as that of Bosnia and Herzegovina opens the door for wider action which, by all accounts, no one has any interest in suppressing. Although it is a long process, the security system should be completely distanced from politics.
"We are a country that still looks at the candidate's suitability and not professionalism." In the world too, politicians support individuals to be at the head of the security services, but the professional background is looked at first. And we, unfortunately, appoint people who are not ready to cooperate within the state, let alone with other countries," says Mušić.
He adds that BiH is lucky to be in Europe, which is ready to help, but that domestic politics is trying with all its might so that nothing works.