On Friday 16 March, Commander EUFOR Major General Anton Waldner welcomed Senator Denis O'Donovan, Chairman of the Upper House of the Parliament of the Republic of Ireland, to EUFOR Headquarters in Sarajevo.
Mr O'Donovan and the Irish Ambassador to BiH, HE Myles Geiran, visited EUFOR to discuss the security situation in the country and to underline the ongoing commitment of the Republic of Ireland to EUFOR Operation ALTHEA and BiH as it moves towards its European future. Ireland contributes key personnel to EUFOR Headquarters in Sarajevo as one of the 14 EU and 5 partner nations working together to support BiH authorities in maintaining a safe and secure environment in the country. The timing of the visit was significant to the personnel from the Irish Defence Forces, as 17 March is St Patrick's Day, when Irish culture is celebrated all over the world. They had arranged a special cultural evening for all EUFOR personnel, where Mr O'Donovan was guest of honour. In his speech, Mr O'Donovan praised the efforts of all personnel deployed on peace support operations, and highlighted the valuable contributions made by those who serve a long way from their families.
The spirit of European cooperation and friendship at EUFOR was highlighted during the final part of the reception, with a team of Irish dancers from Slovenia giving a display of traditional Irish step dancing to the EUFOR troops and visitors.
