On Tuesday 22nd of August a ceremony, presided over by Commander EUFOR, Major General Anton Waldner, marked the Transfer of Authority of the Chief Liaison and Observation Teams (LOT) Co-ordination Centre.
EUFOR retains its presence throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina through teams of soldiers living in 17 EUFOR LOT Houses across the country. The EUFOR LOT Houses are EUFORs link to the community. They are in touch with the local authorities and the population as well as other agencies to monitor the general situation across Bosnia and Herzegovina and to be aware of local issues that could affect the security situation. The 17 EUFOR Teams provide information for the EUFOR Headquarters in Sarajevo via the LOT Coordination Center (LCC) in Camp Butmir, Sarajevo.
Chief of the LCC was handed over from Lieutenant Colonel Ľuboš MURČEK to Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Draganovský both members of Slovakia contingent in EUFOR. Lieutenant Colonel Draganovský said in his opening address: “Today I take on the responsibility of what will be one of the most rewarding and challenging jobs in my career.” He then went on to add that “From all of us nothing but excellence is expected and EUFOR LOT Houses will come up to those expectations.”
The Coordination Centre has been implemented to ensure Commander EUFOR has a full and timely situational awareness of events in BiH and to propose actions related to security issues. While the EUFOR LOT houses have a specific area of responsibility, the Coordination Centre is responsible for the whole geographical area of BiH. Knowing what is important to the people of BiH enables EUFOR to provide support in maintaining a Safe and Secure Environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
EUFOR Operation ALTHEA, currently made up of soldiers from 14 EU member states and 5 partner nations, works closely with government agencies and local authorities, to promote a climate where the peace process can continue to move forward. EUFOR is fully committed to support BiH "on its path to a European future" and remains a vital enabling actor in the development and maintenance of a safe and secure environment.
