The Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) is deeply concerned about the establishment of an anti-terrorism unit within the police force of Republika Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is to be headed by the Hungarian elite unit TEK (Terrorelhárítási Központ). The establishment of the so-called “Center for the Fight against Terrorism” was announced by the Minister of the Interior of Republika Srpska, Željko Budumir, and the Director General of the Hungarian unit, Hajdú János, on January 28, 2026, at a ceremony in Zalužani near Banja Luka, the seat of the new center.

"This development comes at a politically highly sensitive time. The leadership of Republika Srpska is pursuing the goal of secession from Bosnia and Herzegovina. There are repeated institutional blockades and electoral irregularities. The rule of law is increasingly being undermined. The presence of foreign security forces therefore raises fundamental questions regarding constitutional legitimacy and democratic control," says Belma Zulčić, director of the STP section in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a sovereign state with clearly defined constitutional powers in the area of internal security. Security cooperation with foreign actors must be established at the state level, clearly regulated by law, and controlled by parliament. Bilateral security policy engagement at the entity level undermines the country's constitutional order and increases the risk of political instrumentalization of security structures.

"Particularly alarming are the close political ties that have existed for years between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and the former president of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, as well as his party, the SNSD. These relationships are characterized by mutual political support, targeted economic cooperation, and an open questioning of central European rule of law and control mechanisms. At the same time, both Orbán and Dodik maintain close ties to the leadership of the Russian Federation under Vladimir Putin," says Zulčić. “Against this backdrop, the establishment of a Hungarian-led ‘Center for the Fight Against Terrorism’ within the Republika Srpska police force should not be viewed as an isolated security measure, but rather as part of a geopolitically problematic pattern of authoritarian networking and hybrid influence in Southeast Europe,” warns Zulčić.

The Society for Threatened Peoples expressly warns against further militarization of political conflicts in Bosnia and Herzegovina. "We demand complete transparency regarding the mandate, tasks, and legal basis of the Hungarian anti-terrorism unit, clear involvement of the state institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and review by international organizations, in particular the Council of Europe and the OSCE. Bilateral security cooperation must not be misused to support nationalist power politics or to circumvent state responsibilities," emphasized Zulčić.

This press release was translated from German to English using AI. If you come across errors or ambiguities, please contact us at presse@gfbv.de.