The Republic of Srpska

    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.