RS MoI organized a meeting of the Chief Prosecutor and Directors of BiH Police Agencies in Banja Luka.
Central topics of the meeting were strengthening of cooperation and coordination in the fight against terrorism, an agreement regarding the dynamics of the chief prosecutor/heads of police agencies meetings in the future, and the analysis of joint police operations carried out in recent years.
In the framework of strengthening cooperation in the fight against terrorism in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the meeting participants discussed the necessary future activities that will contribute to strengthening the capacity of BiH to fight against terrorism through the efforts of the Task Force and the Operative group to combat terrorism.
It was concluded that good cooperation between police agencies can facilitate efficient detection of terrorist threats, prompt reaction, prevention and sanctioning of criminal offenders linked with terrorism.
The meeting participants also discussed the sanctioning of police officers who were detected in commission of criminal offences. Specifically, it was concluded that such phenomena must effectively be sanctioned through disciplinary and criminal proceedings in order to eliminate such individuals from police structures.
One of the topics of the meeting was related to the analysis of joint police operations that have been carried out in recent years per order of the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH. Representatives of the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH have informed the participants about these cases, some of which are at the trial stage while others are in the investigation phase where indictments are to be expected.
They also discussed the cooperation of police agencies and security of the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was concluded that it is necessary to strengthen the capacities of the Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies in order to successfully protect the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The future dynamics and composition of participants of the Chief Prosecutor/ Directors of Police Agencies meetings were agreed at the Banja Luka meeting. It
was concluded that the parties should meet at least four times a year and that the meetings of the Chief Prosecutor and the Directors of Police Agencies should be attended by a representative of the Intelligence and Security Agency and representatives of cantonal police structures i.e. Police Commissioners to ensure better and more efficient cooperation.
Meetings of the Chief Prosecutor and directors of police agencies are held periodically in order to agree on joint actions in the fight against all forms of crime and to analyze security challenges in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The aim of the meetings is to strengthen the cooperation, exchange information and reach an agreement on activities that will enhance the fight against crime and ensure safety of all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Banja Luka meeting was attended by the following representatives:
- Chief Prosecutor of the BiH Prosecutor’s Office, Goran Salihović
- Director of the State Investigation and Protection Agency - SIPA, Goran Zubac
- Director of the Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies in BiH, Himzo Selimović
- Director of the BIH Border Police Vinko Dumančić
- BiH Intelligence and Security Agency representative Trifko Buha
- Chief of Police of the Brčko District, Goran Lujić
- Director of the RS Police, Gojko Vasić
- Director of the Federation BiH Police Department Dragan Lukač
- Representative of ICITAP in BiH Jim Tillman
Representatives of other police and security agencies in BiH shall attend the meetings of the Police Directors and Chief Prosecutor, when necessary, and if some of the issues discussed are related to matters falling within the domain of these institutions
RS MoI hosted the meeting in Banja Luka and the RS Minister of Interior - Radoslav Jovičić addressed the participants at the begging of the meeting.
The next meeting will be organized by the State Investigation and Protection Agency - SIPA.