The Croatian government has officially clarified that it will not call for military service young people with dual citizenship – Croatian and Bosnia and Herzegovina – who live in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
This decision comes after concerns were raised about a possible legal conflict between the two states.
According to Croatia’s Defense Ministry, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s laws prohibit its citizens from participating in military training or serving in another country’s armed forces. On the other hand, Croatian law stipulates military service as mandatory for its citizens.
In order to avoid any legal conflict or criminal prosecution against citizens with dual citizenship, the Croatian authorities have decided not to call up for military service those who have permanent residence in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“The Ministry of Defense will not subject Croatian citizens living in Bosnia and Herzegovina to criminal prosecution, as the laws of this country prohibit military service in foreign armies,” it is stated in the official statement of the Ministry of Defense of Croatia, given to Radio Free Europe.
The Deputy Minister of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slaven Galić, described this situation as a conflict of laws between the two countries and emphasized the need for a joint and harmonized position in the future.
Earlier, Croatia had announced that young Croatian citizens living abroad would be called up for military service if they had not previously fulfilled this obligation. However, in the case of Bosnia and Herzegovina, this practice has been suspended due to clear legal prohibitions that exist in that country.
