The United Nations should consider establishing a process for reviewing cases where police officers failed to secure certification by the International Police Task Force, the High Representative and EU Special Representative, Christian Schwarz-Schilling, argued in his weekly column, which appeared today in Dnevni avaz, Nezavisne novine and Vecernji list.
The High Representative and EU Special Representative noted that this Sunday, which is UN Hunan Rights Day, would be an apposite moment for the UN to institute a new policy on the issue of decertified police in BiH, and he expressed solidarity with former police officers who have announced plans to demonstrate in
Mr Schwarz-Schilling pointed out that he has publicly supported a review process since before taking up his position as High Representative and EU Special Representative, and that throughout 2006 he has lobbied for a change in the UN policy on this issue.
“In April this year during my first briefing as High Representative to the UN Security Council, I took up the case of the decertified officers, calling on the Security Council to respond positively to the calls for a review mechanism to be established. Over the summer, I dispatched members of my staff to
The High Representative and EU Special Representative emphasised that the issue at stake is not whether the IPTF process was valid; nor is it necessarily the case that a review process would result in large numbers of officers securing re-appointment.
“The IPTF succeeded in identifying a large number of individuals who were not suitable to work in law-enforcement agencies in
The text of the High Representative/EU Special Representative’s weekly column can be accessed at www.ohr.int and www.eusrbih.org.