Drone prototypes produced in Bosnia. Photo: BNT Novi Travnik.
Bosnia’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, Stasa Kosarac, on Monday revoked the licence of BNT Tvornica Masina i Hidraulike to produce drones, citing violations of the Law on the Production of Weapons and Military Equipment.
The decision has halted the production of military drones, of which two types were presented at the end of October.
According to the decision, inspections at BNT, a company from the city of Novi Travnik, identified “numerous illegalities and irregularities” in drone-production activities.
“Offence proceedings will be launched against BNT Novi Travnik and the responsible person within this legal entity before the competent judicial institutions, with a proposal that they be fined the maximum financial penalties due to the established illegalities and irregularities,” the ministry said.
The inspections found that the actual quantities and the technical and operational characteristics of the drones produced did not correspond to the data stated in BNT’s application for approval to manufacture a prototype of the device.
“Differences were identified which indicate that BNT made significant changes to the technical and operational characteristics of the drones without first informing the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations,” the ministry stated.
Inspection findings also show that BNT continued producing drones without legal grounds even after the licence expired.
“Illegalities were also established in relation to subcontracting agreements concluded by BNT, which were neither presented to the inspection authorities nor submitted to the Ministry within the legally prescribed deadline. Given that conduct contrary to applicable legal regulations was established, Minister Kosarac … issued a decision revoking BNT’s drone-production licence, and offence proceedings will also be initiated against the company,” the ministry said.
In September 2024, a BIRN investigation revealed that at least three companies in Bosnia were developing at least 12 different types of drone, five of which have military capabilities.
A source within R&D told BIRN that only one of the companies was working on prototypes intended for military purposes. Three of the prototypes are so-called ‘kamikaze’ drones, which attack a target by crashing into it but can also be used for reconnaissance. Another prototype is a fixed-wing bomber and reconnaissance drone.
BNT Novi Travnik has been one of the most significant companies in the defence industry of the Federation entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with extensive experience in the production of artillery weapons.