BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 25. On the last day of
his stay in Istanbul, as part of his participation in the 17th
International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF 2025), Deputy Chairman of
the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Minister of
Defense Zukan Helez held a bilateral meeting with the Minister of
National Defense of the Republic of Türkiye, Yaşar Güler, Trend reports.
During the meeting, Minister Helez emphasized that Bosnia and
Herzegovina and Türkiye share a long historical connection and that
Türkiye is one of the most important partners of our country, both
in strengthening the Armed Forces of BiH and in supporting
Euro-Atlantic integration.
“The meeting with Minister Güler is yet another strong
confirmation of everything we have been diligently building for
months – the strong support for the sovereignty and territorial
integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as for strengthening
our defense and security system,” said Minister Helez.
This meeting provided an opportunity to present the results
achieved through bilateral cooperation, as well as to openly
exchange views on the challenges in implementing projects supported
by the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Türkiye.
Minister Helez thanked Minister Güler for Türkiye’s continuous
support in developing the Armed Forces of BiH and in the process of
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s accession to NATO, stressing that
membership in this alliance is one of the key foreign policy
priorities of our country.
Minister Güler expressed unequivocal support for BiH’s NATO
path. In this context, Minister Helez highlighted the country’s
commitment to continuing and improving cooperation with the
Republic of Türkiye, particularly in the areas of developing the
operational capabilities of the Armed Forces of BiH, an institution
that is a key cohesive factor in Bosnian society and has repeatedly
proven itself as a guarantor of the security of all citizens.
The Ministry of Defense of BiH expressed full readiness to
continue cooperation with the Ministry of National Defense of the
Republic of Türkiye, as well as to actively participate in the
further implementation of the existing Agreement on Military and
Financial Cooperation.
It was also emphasized that the Ministry of Defense of BiH is
open to discussions on new arrangements with Turkish companies from
the defense industry sector, with the aim of further strengthening
the capacities and capabilities of the Armed Forces of BiH.
Minister Helez once again underlined that Bosnia and
Herzegovina’s integration into the European Union and NATO are two
fundamental strategic goals of the country’s foreign and security
policy. Although these two processes are progressing at different
speeds and face numerous challenges, the Ministry of Defense and
the Armed Forces of BiH remain firmly committed to meeting the
standards and achieving full interoperability with EU and NATO
forces.
At the end of the official visit, the Minister of Defense of
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zukan Helez, held a meeting with ASFAT’s
General Director, Dr. Mustafa Ilbas, and the Assistant Minister of
National Defense and Chairman of the Board, Mr. Musa Heybet, to
whom he expressed gratitude for their successful cooperation so
far. The Ministry of Defense of BiH has signed an agreement with
this company for the training of 60 pilots over a period of 10
years (six pilots per year), which represents a significant
investment in the capabilities of the Armed Forces of BiH, even
when compared to countries with larger defense budgets than Bosnia
and Herzegovina.
An agreement was also reached on the procurement and
installation of flight data recorders – Ses Veri Kayıt
Cihazı (SVKC), known as “black boxes,” which will be installed
on the helicopters of the Armed Forces of BiH.