Hungarian FM Szijjártó denied military landing, flies private jet to controversial award in Banja Luka

Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Péter Szijjártó, travelled to Banja Luka on Thursday aboard a private jet after Bosnian authorities refused landing permission for a Hungarian military aircraft. The visit, intended to receive an honorary doctorate from the local university, has drawn attention due to the unusual circumstances surrounding the flight.

Szijjártó was denied landing in Banja Luka

The Bosnian Defence Minister, Zukan Helez, declined the landing request for the Hungarian military plane, citing a lack of clear explanation for the minister’s use of military transport, Telex reported, based on n1info.ba’s article. He further criticised both Szijjártó and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán for their longstanding support of Milorad Dodik, former president of the Republika Srpska, which Helez says undermines Bosnia-Herzegovina’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Following the refusal, Szijjártó and his delegation arrived at Banja Luka airport aboard a Cessna C-650 Citation VI private jet. According to 24.hu, the size of the entourage required the aircraft to make two separate trips between Budapest and Banja Luka, with the first flight departing early Thursday morning, returning briefly to Budapest, and then completing a second leg to the Bosnian city.

Local media highlighted that Hungarian officials have historically avoided contact with Sarajevo, opting instead to engage solely with the Republika Srpska entity, of which Banja Luka is the administrative centre. Prime Minister Orbán himself previously arrived in Banja Luka via military aircraft in 2023. Observers noted that it might have been diplomatically preferable for the Bosnian Defence or Foreign Ministries to formally communicate the refusal through a diplomatic note.

• No surprises: Hungary will not accept ruling against Milorad Dodik, says Orbán

On social media, Szijjártó emphasised the economic dimension of his visit, announcing a new four-billion-forint Hungarian support programme for Bosnia-Herzegovina. The initiative aims to assist local small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises in purchasing Hungarian-made equipment to boost productivity and modernisation, highlighting mutual benefits for both countries.

This incident is not the first time Bosnian authorities have denied landing rights to Hungarian military flights. In March, a plane carrying Hungarian State Secretary Levente Magyar was similarly refused permission to enter Bosnian airspace.

• The Hungarian government claimed back in March that Milorad Dodik was a victim of a ‘witch hunt’