The Republic of Srpska

In cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, the Republic of Srpska Ministry of the Interior is implementing a campaign under the slogan ‘Don’t let them blur your mind’ on the occasion of marking the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. The Republic of Srpska Police Director, Mr Gojko Vasić, said that the Republic of Srpska Ministry of the Interior finds this field to be of special importance and therefore actively participates in the activities of the Commission for repressing the abuse of narcotic drugs within the Republic of Srpska Government. ‘Thanks to well-created Strategy, I believe that we have very good results regarding the prevention and repression, and in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Social Protection and NGOs, we have achieved a lot in the field of removing consequences of drug abuse, as well’, Director Vasić said. According to him, one of the most important activities is education, which has been implemented among members of the police, youth in schools, as well as parents and teachers. ‘More than 7,500 students, 2,050 parents and about 450 professors have attended the training. This is the most significant investment in this field – informing people on dangers related to abusing drugs. I consider it to be the key reason for us being one of the countries that have good results in the sense that the interest for abusing drugs has decreased significantly compared to other countries’, Director Vasić announced. Furthermore, he pointed out that the Ministry of the Interior has formed an electronic database on persons in any manner related to abusing and illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs. Also, he added that special courses were organized for the employees of correctional facilities related to abusing and trafficking drugs and addiction diseases. ‘The Republic of Srpska Ministry of the Interior has realized cooperation with international association monitoring this field, and through regular information exchange, we receive information on new psychoactive substances on the market. Then, in cooperation with authorities on the level of BIH, we try to declare them as prohibited them as soon as possible’, Director Vasić noted. The president of the Commission for repressing the abuse of narcotic drugs within the Republic of Srpska Government, Mr Milan Latinović, said that the Commission created and printed posters that would be distributed on the whole territory of the Republic of Srpska Ministry of the Interior in public security centers, community health centers, and schools. The aim of these activities is to inform the citizens about the dangers of abusing drugs and encouraging them including them in activities of fighting against drug abuse. The Commission also created the Strategy of monitoring narcotic drugs and