Town Hall meetings on Police Restructuring
The European Union Police Mission (EUPM) and the Office of the High Representative (OHR) will continue a series of public meetings being held throughout BiH on police restructuring. This weeks events will be held in Trebinje and Nevesinje. The purpose of these meetings is to present the Police Restructuring Commission’s (PRC) proposal to citizens, police, civil society representatives, and other interested stakeholders, and to open a broad dialogue on the ongoing process of police reform.
Each public meeting will focus on answering questions form members of the public.
The meetings will be held in the Conference Room of the Assembly Building in Trebinje at 18:00 on 23 March, and at the Municipal Assembly in Nevesinje at 18:00 on 24 March. Events are being planned in Mostar on 22 March, Trebinje on 23 March, and Nevisinje on 24 March, as well as other locations throughout BiH. Details of each event will be announced on local radio before each event.
Police Restructuring Webpage Launched
I would like to use this opportunity to remind you that the Office of the High Representative launched a new webpage that provides comprehensive information on the police restructuring process. The webpage brings together all the core documents related to the work of the Police Restructuring Commission, including the Commission’s conclusions and recommendations, and reviews the options open to BiH as it moves away from a fractured and fundamentally inefficient police system to one that meets European standards and begins to guarantee the personal security of every citizen.
The European Commission has made it clear that if BiH wants to begin negotiations on a Stabilisation and Association Agreement, police restructuring must ensure that
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All legislative and budgetary competencies are vested at the state level.·
Police services are based on geographical regions drawn up to ensure maximum efficiency; and·
Political interference in policing in BiH is eliminated.The new webpage is designed to contribute to and stimulate the public debate on police restructuring.