Bosnian Serb Entity Bans State Symbols From Exercise

Media in Bosnia reported on Wednesday that the government of Bosnia's mainly Serbian entity, Republika Srpska, has approved the participation of the entity's Civil Protection staff in an disaster-emergency exercise in Serbia - but they will not be allowed to display Bosnian flags or state symbols.

The session was held at the end of May but its findings were only publicised on Wednesday.

The Republika Srpska government concluded that ten people from the Radiological-Biological and Biological Protection Unit and 11 persons from the Water Rescue Unit will take part in the exercise, called "Serbia 2018".

"Members of these units are obliged to wear uniforms bearing the marks of the civil protection of Republika Srpska [RS], without the symbols of Bosnia and Herzegovina, during their operational activities. The flag of the RS will be displayed in the camp where the teams from the RS will be located," the RS government concluded.

The international field exercise for managing the consequences of emergencies will be held in Serbia from October 8 to 11.

According to the exercise, international teams will train in the area of Mladenovac and Arandjelovac in scenarios of earthquakes and floods.

The exercise is being held in co-operation with NATO, and nearly 30 teams from 26 countries will take part.

The organizers are the Emergency Situations Department of the Serbian Interior Ministry and the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Center, EADRCC.

Bosnian media reported that the Civil Protection Agency of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia's other entity, will wear Bosnian state symbols during the exercise.

"Bosnia is participating in this exercise and the Bosnian flag must be present there. If they...