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Bosnia & Herzegovina Travel Blogs

Bosnia and Herzegovina's declaration of sovereignty in October 1991, was followed by a declaration of independence from the former Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992 after a referendum boycotted by ethnic Serbs. The Bosnian Serbs - supported by neighboring Serbia and Montenegro - responded with armed resistance aimed at partitioning the republic along ethnic lines and joining Serb-held areas to form a "Greater Serbia." In March 1994, Bosniaks and Croats reduced the number of warring factions from three to two by signing an agreement creating a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 21 November 1995, in Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties initialed a peace agreement that brought to a halt three years of interethnic civil strife (the final agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December 1995). The Dayton Agreement retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's international boundaries and created a joint multi-ethnic and democratic government. This national government was charged with conducting foreign, diplomatic, and fiscal policy. Also recognized was a second tier of government comprised of two entities roughly equal in size: the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska (RS). The Federation and RS governments were charged with overseeing most government functions. The Office of the High Representative (OHR) was established to oversee the implementation of the civilian aspects of the agreement. In 1995-96, a NATO-led international peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops served in Bosnia to implement and monitor the military aspects of the agreement. IFOR was succeeded by a smaller, NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR) whose mission was to deter renewed hostilities. European Union peacekeeping troops (EUFOR) replaced SFOR in December 2004; their mission was to maintain peace and stability throughout the country.To be updated

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Bosnia and Herzegovina

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By Foggy Balla
October 15th 2002

On the Road Again

Europe » Bosnia & Herzegovina » North

Over the past weeks it appears that the Factory Moles have been trying to escape from the confines of BLMF. A random series of trenches emanating from the main building have now circled most of the south western quadrant of the compound. These holes wind about the camp regardless of obstructions before them and it is not uncommon to see decking and walkways that seemed perfectly solid and permanent at nightfall cast aside like matchwood the next day. Later on the holes are filled with sand, which of course is washed away the moment that we have a Bosnia special rainstorm. [View Full Entry]

By Foggy Balla
September 30th 2002

Band on the Run

Europe » Bosnia & Herzegovina » North

Occasionally as part of the job of showing the flag for SFOR and to remind the locals that we are British the UK command structure assigns a band to come out to theatre. As Bosnia has no coastline and there is not deemed to be a need for bunting the Royal Marines Band do not come and we get various Army musicians instead. After the success of the visit from the Royal Signals and Welsh Guards we were assigned a tour from the Band of the Royal Lancers. In a masterful demonstration of the art of shoulder-sloping and buck-passing the Band’s [View Full Entry]

By Foggy Balla
August 1st 2002

Road Trip

Europe » Bosnia & Herzegovina » North

A gag runs here that those who work within the Factory are a rare species known as “Factory Moles”, because in summer they emerge from the Stygian gloom of the building itself into the incandescent sunlight (which reflects from all the (handily) white surfaces outside) blinking, unable to see for several minutes and a hazard to themselves and traffic. A similar effect happens to those of us from outside when going in as we can see nothing in the dark and walk around with arms outstretched like zombies feeling our way about until the eyes become accustomed. The only way to [View Full Entry]

By Foggy Balla
July 31st 2002

Behind Bars at HMP Banja Luka

Europe » Bosnia & Herzegovina » North » Banja Luka

A previous edition of this review of life in the Mental Factory mentioned the endless supply of barbecues and other festivities that occur at the drop of a hat out here. Indeed such events are so frequent that it could be presumed that hat dropping is a sport as common to the soldiery as littering is to the locals and that berets lie as thick on the ground as autumn leaves. However on the rare occasion that the thirsty tippler faces an evening without outdoor entertainment he can take solace at least that from seven until half ten each evening an [View Full Entry]

By Foggy Balla
July 18th 2002

Welcome to Sarajevo

Europe » Bosnia & Herzegovina » East » Sarajevo

A trip to Sarajevo had to come eventually and like buses two came all at once. The first was for a G1 conference similar to that due to have happened at Mrkonjic Grad and for this I enlisted a helicopter in order to avoid road carnage and delay. I was accompanied by C*** S****, the RAO, who as holder of the purse strings would be berated about the whereabouts of the welfare cheques which he swore blind had been sent out and had definitely not been “resting in his account”. Still, what can you expect from a man who was backtermed [View Full Entry]

By Foggy Balla
July 7th 2002

"The Soil Soaked With Tears" - Around Banja Luka & the Road to Zagreb

Europe » Bosnia & Herzegovina » North

Tim Judah, in his book “The Serbs”, describes the occasion when around the Orthodox Easter 1995 the motorway across Croatia, closed because of the war, reopened for a short time. Families divided by the conflict met up in the rest areas and petrol stations for reunions which were understandably emotional events. A man quoted by Judah said, “It does not need to rain here, the soil is already soaked with tears”. After the weather we’ve been having that would have been an awful lot of crying, but I suppose that then it was Easter and the ground hadn’t yet baked [View Full Entry]

By Foggy Balla
July 1st 2002

"...We Come In Low Out of the Morning Sun"

Europe » Bosnia & Herzegovina » North » Banja Luka

An oft quoted fact is that the helicopter pad at Bessbrook in Ulster was for a time the busiest airport in the world. However in the blue corner now stands a new contender for the crown: the Banja Luka Metal Factory. The Factory has two pads controlled by an august body named Springfield Ops. How the heli-tasking centre got this name is lost in the mists of time, but rest assured that a suitable number of pictures of the Simpsons adorn the walls of the corrimecs. Pulling out my spotters’ guide I reckon that we have been host to Lynx, Gazelle, [View Full Entry]

By Foggy Balla
June 17th 2002

Flying the Desk Solo

Europe » Bosnia & Herzegovina » North » Mrkonjic Grad

Having got my feet firmly under the desk (and feeling relaxed enough that sometimes they are on top of the desk) it was time to explore the surrounding countryside. My excuse was the monthly G1 conference to be held at Mrkonjic Grad, a short trip down MSR Gull. On the agenda was the disposal of welfare funds, so armed with a request for ping-pong bats from the SQMS of MND (SW) I grabbed my crash-kit and hopped in my Landrover. A word on the crash-kits: these consist of sleeping bag, body armour, helmet, webbing, rations and other miscellaneous items to allow [View Full Entry]

By Foggy Balla
June 14th 2002

Deployment and Handover

Europe » Bosnia & Herzegovina » North » Banja Luka

After a weekend’s leave (happily enough the Queen’s Jubilee Weekend) the fateful day of embarkation arrived. Against all military logic I was allowed to report direct to Brize Norton (45 minutes from home) rather than going to Nottingham (over 2 hours away) and getting a coach to Brize (3 hours back). A worrying note came when the sunshine coach from the North was an hour late: your correspondent had nightmares of being at the wrong airport, or worse a day late. For those unacquainted with Brize, the “Rough Guide” to RAF establishments comments along these lines: &ld [View Full Entry]

By viajerodelmundo
August 2nd 2001

One Summer Night in Bosnia

Europe » Bosnia & Herzegovina

Mostar
A view of the Old Town in Mostar, Bosnia-Hercegovina

I found myself sitting at a table on the terrace of a restaurant overlooking the river on a warm July evening. There I sat, enjoying a nice cold beer with the three companions I made this journey with earlier in the day. It sounds like the typical backpacker scenario. River, outdoor restaurant, beer, travel companions, they all seem quite synonymous with the excursions of a backpacker. Well this particular excursion was a bit different for me as the river was the Neretva, the beer was Sarajevsko Pivo and that morning’s journey was through the war-ravaged Hercegovinian countryside. T [View Full Entry]

Links: Bosnia & Herzegovina Travel Blogs (all) | Bosnia & Herzegovina Travel Photos | Bosnia and Herzegovina Travel Forum | Bosnia and Herzegovina Facts | Map of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Travel Blog » Europe » Bosnia & Herzegovina