FORMAL RECEPTION FOR THE 36 BRAVE POLICE OFFICERS
| Banjaluka | Tuesday, 26/12/2023
On occasion of celebrating the 9th of January, the Republic of Srpska Day, the Republic of Srpska Ministry of the Interior organized a formal reception for the police officers who demonstrated a high level of professionalism and dedication in saving human lives.
The Republic of Srpska Minister of the Interior, Mr Siniša Karan, and the Republic of Srpska Police Director, Mr Siniša Kostrešević, awarded letters of appreciation to the 36 police officers from the whole Republic of Srpska, who showed particular humanity in performing their duties and assignments.
Minister Karan stated that the reception was an opportunity to thank the bravest, the most dedicated and humane members of the police who saved other peoples’ lives in different ways, even off-duty and risking their own lives.
”The Ministry is as strong and valuable as its members are. With that in mind, this year we re-introduced the High School of Internal Affairs and it is our intention to build their integrity, their ethical and moral values, so that they are aligned with the greatest and the most noble values of the Ministry – to be good people and police officers, patriots who will preserve the constitutional order and the safety of the Republic of Srpska and its citizens”, said Minister Karan in his address.
He reminded the public of the 782 fallen members of the Ministry who lost their lives in the battle for the establishment of the Republic of Srpska during the Homeland Defence War, together with the Army and the people of Srpska.
”After the war, 31 police officers lost their lives on duty, several hundred of them were injured, and we witness attacks on police officers almost every day. The job of a police officer is hard, but honorable”, the Minister stated.
The Minister said that the Ministry had successfully completed its mission to preserve the constitutional order of Srpska, as its highest value, and to maintain the safety of the Republic of Srpska citizens.
He invited the citizens of the Republic of Srpska to celebrate the Republic of Srpska Day on the 9th of January, pointing out that the members of the Ministry were preparing for the ceremonial parade that would be held on the evening of the 9th of January.
Zoran Šmitran, a policeman from the Gradiška Police Administration, who retired this fall, after 30 years of work in the police uniform, addressed the audience on behalf of the awarded police officers. This year, Šmitran and his colleagues rescued a young person from the swollen Sava River. "I would like to thank everyone and this is not something any of us would not do. I am happy to retire in this way. I do not consider this such a great accomplishment. I am glad it all worked out in the end and that we were able to pull the person out of the river and that there were no consequences," Šmitran said. The reception was attended by the President of the Republic of Srpska National Assembly, Mr Nenad Stevandić, Serb member of the BiH Presidency, Ms Željka Cvijanović, the Prime Minister of the RS Government, Mr Radovan Višković, and the management of the Republic of Srpska MoI, as well as students of the High School of Internal Affairs. The Serb member of the BiH Presidency, Ms Željka Cvijanović, pointed out that the members of the Republic of Srpska Ministry of the Interior had expressed great courage, humanity and professionalism when they were faced with challenging situations in the past period, and that gratitude to all members is the best introduction to the celebration of the Republic of Srpska Day on the 9th of January. "Their message is extremely important and they are first of all good people, valuable members of the Ministry and good citizens of the Republic of Srpska, who want to those in need," said Cvijanović.
I am proud we have people like this in the Ministry, who will react in that way at the right moment. We tried hard to create good conditions for their work. We have invested in the personnel, their equipment and facilities”, said the Prime Minister of the RS Government, Mr Radovan Višković.
He also stated that the members of the Ministry of the Interior were provided with the possibility to have top quality training and education, and that they were the reflection of the Republic of Srpska.
Letters of appreciation were awarded to: Risto Ivanović, Igor Lončarević, Njegoš Ćirković, Njegoš Zelić and Bojan Dragić, police officers of the Zvornik Gendarmerie Unit; Radislav Glamočak and Radiša Stokanić, police officers of the Traffic Safety Police Station Banja Luka; Dalibor Kostrešević and Nikola Knežević, police officers at the Čelinac Police Station; Armin Hamidović, police officer of Police Station Bijeljina 1; Zoran Šmitran and Đorđe Đurđević, police officers of the Gradiška Police Station; Dževad Kosić and Slavisa Šinik, police officers of the Traffic Safety Police Station in Gradiška; Darko Spasojević, inspector in the Department for Explosive Substances and Operations of the ZOP of the PU Bijeljina and Slobodan Đurđić, police officer of the Police Station Bijeljina 1; Nebojša Topalović, police officer of the Banja Luka Traffic Safety Police Station and Aleksandar Borojević, police officer of the Banja Luka Police Station - Center; Miroslav Nedić, assistant commander of the Banjaluka - Lazarevo Police Station and Njegoš Đekanović, police officer of the Banjaluka - Lazarevo Police Station; Aleksandar Čavić and Nemanja Graorac, police officers of the Police Station Banja Luka - Obilićevo; Slobodan Sarafijanović, police officer of Doboj 2 Police Station; Dejan Maksimović and Srđan Vučkovac, police officers of the Prijedor 1 Police Station; Mladen Vuković, Inspector for Criminalistics at the High School of Internal Affairs; Srđan Kulić and Marko Vasiljević, police officers of the Kalinovik Police Station; Stefan Ćorić and Miladin Stojančić, police officers of the Prijedor 1 Police Station, and Stefan Jović, a trainee of the 25th class of the Police Academy, assigned to the Prijedor 1 Police Station; Miroslav Mišić and Kristian Jović, police officers of Doboj 2 Police Station; Mladen Petrušić, criminal police inspector of Kotor Varoš Police Station; Dragan Krasić, head of the security sector of Laktaši Police Station; Miloš Radulović, police officer of the Kozarska Dubica Police Station; Aleksandar Mijatović, group leader in the "A" team of the Special Antiterrorist Unit.
