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Could Jeopardize Serb Flights to Banja Luka
SARAJEVO, May 3 (Reuters) — Bosnian Serb hopes of opening an airport to passenger traffic soon on their territory were in jeopardy after three humanitarian aid flights were found to be carrying smuggled cigarettes, NATO said on Friday.

"A humanitarian aid flight... was discovered by (NATO) troops to be carrying instead a cargo of 6,650 kg (14,660 lb) of cigarettes after landing at the (Banja Luka) airport," NATO spokesman Captain Mark Van Dyke said.

The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, was followed by two other flights into the northern city of Banja Luka where cargos described by Serb authorities as humanitarian aid turned out to be more cigarettes.

"Future humanitarian flights will require prior (NATO) approval of cargo manifests," Van Dyke said. "The incident represents a violation of trust between (NATO) and the (Serb) republic which could impede progress towards reopening the Banja Luka airport to commercial passenger service," he added.

Banja Luka is the second largest city in Bosnia after Sarajevo and is the largest in Serb territory, which covers 49 percent of the country. Banja Luka's airport, the most important on Serb territory, is under the supervision of North Atlantic Treaty Organization peace forces under the terms of the Dayton peace agreement, which ended the 43-month Bosnian war late last year. All flights and cargos anywhere into or over Bosnia must be approved by NATO.


Commercial Aviation in Bosnia
Mar 30 · Air Bosnia Takes to the Peaceful Skies


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