CELEBRATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA POLICE DAY
| Banja Luka | Tuesday, 04/04/2023
The Republic of Srpska Ministry of the Interior celebrated today the Police Day. The attendees placed wreaths and joined the memorial service at the Central Memorial to the fallen members of the Ministry, and the Solemn Academy that was held in the amphitheatre of the Administration for Police Education.
Wreaths at the Central Memorial to the fallen members of the Ministry were placed by the Republic of Srpska President, Mr Milorad Dodik, the President of the Republic of Srpska National Assembly, Mr Nenad Stevandić, Serb member and Chairwoman of the BiH Presidency, Ms Željka Cvijanović, the Minister of the Interior, Mr Siniša Karan, and Police Director, Mr Siniša Kostrešević, delegation of the Republic of Srpska Government, delegation of the BiH Ministry of Security, present and former members of the Ministry, family members of the fallen members of the Ministry in the Homeland Defence War, representatives of organisations arising from the previous war, Third Infantry of the BiH Armed Forces, representatives of the City of Banja Luka and others.
The Republic of Srpska Minister of the Interior, Mr Siniša Karan, pointed out the important role the Republic of Srpska Police had in the beginning of the war, during the war and in the period of peace. He said that the Police today, 31 years later, was a modern and powerful institution, adding that in the following period they would dedicate to raising the discipline and ethics of the members of the Ministry.
Minister Karan said that the Republic of Srpska Police proved it was prepared and trained to deal with the most severe cases of organized crime, in cooperation with police agencies from the region and Europe. He reminded the public of 19 significant international police operations in the previous year that the Republic of Srpska Police participated in, with the aim of resolving the most severe forms of organized crime, mostly in the area of trafficking in narcotics.
”Our police officers are police officers 24 hours a day, whether in uniform or in civilian clothes, that is the essence of police work. It is not easy to be a police officer”, said Minister Karan.
Minister Karan and the Police Director, Mr Siniša Kostrešević, awarded the Golden Police Badge to the Chief Inspector for Traffic, Mr Goran Amidžić, and the Silver Police Badge to the Mayor of Pale municipality, Mr Boško Jugović, for his contribution in establishing video-surveillance system on the territory of the municipality.
Mr Jugović said that the badge he was awarded with, represented a sign of extraordinary cooperation between the local authorities and the Ministry of the Interior in improving the police work.
The Republic of Srpska President, Mr Milorad Dodik, stated that the Srpska Police was integral part of the citizens of Srpska, and that their role was to preserve peace and defend the territorial integrity of Srpska. He said that, in addition to the need for improving the financial status and purchasing equipment, the Police must be given a more important role in social and legal affairs. ”In terms of security, the Republic of Srpska today is one of the most stable territorial units in the region. General crime in the Republic of Srpska has significantly reduced, there are no organized criminal groups and if such groups appear, the will be immediately eliminated”, President Dodik said.
The Serb member and the Chairwoman of the BiH Presidency, Ms Željka Cvijanović thanked all the members of the Ministry of the Interior who protected and defended the lives and the property of the citizens, as well as the constitutional order of Srpska.
The President of the Republic of Srpska National Assembly, Mr Nenad Stevandić, said that the Republic of Srpska Police was the most important pillar of its sovereignty, and that investments in its equipment and modernization would continue in the future.
Numerous Republic of Srpska officials, Serb representatives in BiH institutions, and several international delegations attended the celebration of Police Day.
