INTERNATIONAL DAY OF UN PEACEKEEPERS MARKED BY THE MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
| Banja Luka | Wednesday, 29/05/2024
Today, on the occasion of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, the Republic of Srpska Minister of the Interior, Mr Siniša Karan, and the Republic of Srpska Police Director, Mr Siniša Kostrešević, organised a reception for the police officers of the Republic of Srpska Ministry of the Interior that have been or are currently engaged in the UN peacekeeping missions.
Minister Karan said that the members of the Ministry of the Interior who participated in the peacekeeping missions all around the world were the police ambassadors of the Republic of Srpska.
Furthermore, at the formal reception organised for this occasion, Minister Karan and Director Kostrešević thanked the members of the Ministry of the Interior who participate in the missions for building and keeping peace as well as for dedicated and committed work.
‘I was honoured to talk to the members of the Ministry who were and who are members of UN peacekeeping missions worldwide. The total number of 10 members of the Ministry are participating in missions in South Sudan and Cyprus’, Minister Karan said.
He pointed out that the members of the Ministry of the Interior have been participating in peacekeeping missions all around the world since 2000. Also, he said that many decorated members put their lives at risk on the field, which, in addition to their capacity to participate in such operations, also points to the stability of institutions of the Republic of Srpska.
Member of the Ministry, Ms Maja Gačić, who recently ended her mission to Cyprus, and has previously participated in the peacekeeping mission to South Sudan three times, said that she and her colleagues performed all their activities and tasks honourably.
‘We have performed activities at extremely responsible and important positions in missions next to the participants from the USA, Great Britain, Russia, and China… We have found ourselves there as the representatives of a small country, and yet we managed to do our job professionally and responsibly’, Ms Gačić said.
She explained that the service includes danger and daily challenges, but that it was also an honour and pleasure to share experience with other colleagues and learn from them.
Mr Ratko Gojić, a member of the Republic of Srpska Ministry of the Interior, was also a member of peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, and had previously participated in the mission to Liberia.
‘I had the honour to represent the Republic of Srpska in peacekeeping missions on two occasions. I was a commander and chief of operations. In most cases, members of the Republic of Srpska Ministry of the Interior perform management functions and this is something we are recognised for worldwide. We are highly appreciated by UN members, as well as the countries where we have served’, Mr Gojić pointed out.
He said that the participants of peacekeeping missions encounter danger on a daily basis, and that he was deployed in the so-called ‘red zone’, where there were 50,000 refugees and while conflict was still in progress.
‘The conflict was still in progress within the country, and with our work we have managed to return home safe and sound’, Mr Gojić explained.
The International Day of UN Peacekeepers, the 29th May, is marked worldwide in order to honour all men and women who have served and who are serving in UN peacekeeping missions, due to the high level of their professionalism, dedication and courage, but also to express the honour and remember all those who gave their lives to keep peace.
