Easter greetings from Vienna: Mayor Ludwig presents soldiers in Bosnia

Easter greetings from Vienna: Mayor Ludwig presents soldiers in Bosnia

Wien, Österreich - On April 9, 2025, Mayor Michael Ludwig conveyed Easter greetings to the soldiers of the 5th Guard Company, who are currently working as part of Eufor/Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Arkadenhof of the Vienna City Hall. During the handover, the unit received 100 Goodiegs, which contained typical Viennese products such as wine, manner cuts, town hall honey and Wiener Gusto products, as well as a personal letter from the mayor. Ludwig emphasized the importance of the mission in this unstable region, in which Austrian soldiers have been active since 2004, and emphasized the high qualification of the Guard Company.

The 5th Guard Company, consisting of around 100 soldiers under the command of Captain Christoph Hoffmann, has been used in Bosnia since mid -March 2023. This "squad presence unit" is made up of soldiers who voluntarily registered for longer service times and foreign missions. Your return to Austria is planned for early October 2025, which underlines the continued commitment of Austria on the stability in the Balkans.

eufor surgery and security situation in Bosnia

The Eufor mission in Bosnia, officially known as an Operation Althea, aims to support the civil implementation of the 1995 Dayton Agreement. This initiative is supervised by the high representative's office. On March 10, 2025, the current commander of Eufor, Major General Florin-Marian Barbu from Romania, took over the command of the approximately 1,500 soldiers who are currently stationed in Bosnia. These include up to 700 Austrian members of the Federal Army. Eufor and the European Union Police mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUPM) work closely together to ensure security against organized crime.

The political situation in Bosnia is still tense. A recent law of Milorad Dodik, the President of the Republica Srpska, which rejects the authority of Central state institutions, was suspended by the Bosnian Constitutional Court. This law exacerbates the already conflict -loaded situation. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned of possible destabilizations from Dodiks' views to leave the police and judiciary. European use to stabilize thus appears more necessary than ever, especially in view of the repeated challenges through extremist efforts and political failure.

Austria's contribution to stability

Austria actively participates in the Eufor mission and has operational reserve staff of 200. The troop contribution countries are diverse and include Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Italy and Turkey. These multinational efforts illustrate the collective efforts to support Bosnia and Herzegovina on the way to a stable and peaceful state.

The Austrian 5th Guard Company plays an outstanding role. It is considered the highly qualified infantry company within the guard and makes important contributions to peacekeeping in the volatile environment of Bosnia. The European participation in the mission, which has taken over all SFOR missions led by NATO, is of crucial importance for long-term stability and security in the region.

The events and ongoing operations are a clear indication of how important the maintenance and support for Bosnia-Herzogovina is, especially in view of the underlying political tensions and the continuous threats to stability on site.