SARAJEVO, Bosnia (October 14,2008) - Ambassador Dimitris Kourkoulas, Head of the Delegation of the European Commission to Bosnia attended yesterday the conference "Cooperation between the Police and Prosecutor's Offices in Bosnia" that takes place in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo from October 13-15.
The Conference is a part of the Project “Establishment of enhanced mechanisms of cooperation between the police and prosecutor’s offices in Bosnia” and is implemented by the Bosnian High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of Bosnia.
This project has been facilitated by the EU Police Mission in Bosnia (EUPM) and financed by the United Kingdom. The project is jointly implemented by the Bosnian State Ministry of Security, entity ministries and Brčko District Police.
European Union is attaching particular importance to the consolidation of the rule of law in Bosnia .
"In this context, improved cooperation between prosecutors and police agencies is essential for the European integration process," said Ambassador Kourkoulas and named three main reasons for the rule of law importance. First, the rule of law is a precondition for democracy and economic development, second, for the Stabilisation and Association Process, and third, it is important for future progress in relation to Visa Liberalisation.
Ambassador Kourkoulas noted that to date the European Union had made investments in Justice and Home Affairs in Bosnia in amount of 140 million Euros.
"The European Union and European Commission will continue to be fully committed supporting your efforts in the area of Justice and Home Affairs throughout new financial instruments,“ concluded Kourkoulas.
All ministers underlined the importance of further enhancement of the cooperation between the Police and Prosecutor’s Offices throughout the country for the benefit of all Bosnian citizens. They were all united in the message that it was the only way to efficiently fight organised crime and all other forms of criminal behaviour.
Head of the European Union Police Mission to Bosnia, Brigadier General Vincenzo Coppola evaluated the relations among police agencies and prosecutors in the entire country, and stressed that although there was a room for improvement, the situation was much better than several years ago.
"We witnessed the number of complex and high profile investigations, which resulted with arrests and indictments. Some of the most dangerous criminals are behind the bars and serious organised crimes gangs have been dismantled. This shows that we are on the right track," outlined the general Coppola.
Raffi Georgian, the International community's Principal Deputy High Representative in Bosnia and Supervisor for the Brcko District said that this conference had a unique role to play in bringing professionals together to consider the relations between police and prosecutors and how they could be improved.
In the afternoon, all present professionals had panel discussions on Human Trafficking, Organised Crime, General Crime and Criminal Intelligence Service.
During the day, the beneficiaries of the Project signed the Memorandum of Understanding for Implementation of Joint Training Programmes for the Police and Prosecutors in Bosnia and Memorandum on the Implementation of the “Community Policing in Bosnia” Project (phase 3)”.
About Project:
The purpose of the project is to enhance current and adopt new coordination mechanism between the police and prosecutor’s offices with the aim of more efficient combat against all types of crime in Bosnia. The project implementation is also going to increase the efficiency of prosecutor’s offices in terms of a better capability of the prosecutors to process criminal offences.
The aim of the project is defined through four operational goals:
1. Drafting and adoption of non-existing bylaws and harmonization of the existing bylaws;
2. Development of joint training programmes for the police and prosecutors;
3. Harmonisation of records and statistical data;
4. Feasibility study conducted to define methodology for development of criminal/other records accessible by the police and prosecutor’s offices.
The project is being implemented by the project team of the Bosnian High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council, facilitated by the EUPM and financed by the UK government in cooperation with the Coordination Board, whose formation was approved by a decision of the project Steering Board.
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Showing posts with label eupm. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eupm. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
WEST HERZEGOVINA CANTON POLICE JOINS FORCES WITH LA STRADA TO PREVENT HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN THIS PART OF BOSNIA
SARAJEVO, Bosnia (October 8,2008) – Within the framework of the ‘Usudi Se!’ campaign the Ministry of Interior of the West Herzegovina Canton has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with La Strada, a foundation aiming to prevent and tackle human trafficking in Bosnia.
“We were looking for a partner who shares the same values and who is resolute to take a risk and fight this serious form of crime,” said Minister of Interior Ivica Gaspar. “We have found all of these virtues in La Strada.”
A joint team composed of a police officer and a member of La Strada will coordinate activities and ensure a smooth information flow with regard to human trafficking and victims’ needs.
The EU Police Mission in Bosnia (EUPM) welcomed the agreement, as it has been advocating closer cooperation between the police and civil society throughout its public information campaigns.
La Strada Bosnia is a member of the international La Strada network, which works on the prevention of human trafficking in nine southeastern European countries.
“Since our establishment in 2000 we have managed to rescue 190 women from the jaws of human trafficking, slavery and forced prostitution,” says Fadila Hadzic, the Director of La Strada Bosnia.
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“We were looking for a partner who shares the same values and who is resolute to take a risk and fight this serious form of crime,” said Minister of Interior Ivica Gaspar. “We have found all of these virtues in La Strada.”
A joint team composed of a police officer and a member of La Strada will coordinate activities and ensure a smooth information flow with regard to human trafficking and victims’ needs.
The EU Police Mission in Bosnia (EUPM) welcomed the agreement, as it has been advocating closer cooperation between the police and civil society throughout its public information campaigns.
La Strada Bosnia is a member of the international La Strada network, which works on the prevention of human trafficking in nine southeastern European countries.
“Since our establishment in 2000 we have managed to rescue 190 women from the jaws of human trafficking, slavery and forced prostitution,” says Fadila Hadzic, the Director of La Strada Bosnia.
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Monday, October 6, 2008
COPPOLA COMMENDS PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT OF POLICE DURING LOCAL ELECTIONS IN BOSNIA
SARAJEVO, Bosnia (October 6,2008) - Head of the EU Police Mission in Bosnia (EUPM) Brigadier General Vincenzo Coppola is pleased to note that the local elections in Bosnia passed smoothly over the weekend with no notable incidents. In the very few instances of minor disorder the local police responded in a professional and proper manner,the EUPM said.
“Based on the reports received from EU Police Mission’s officers who were alongside their colleagues from Bosnia, we observed that the security situation prior and during the polling was completely satisfactory,” said General Coppola and commended Bosnian police agencies for their highly professional work, which has ensured the security and safety of all citizens on the polling day in Bosnia.
EUPM has been actively monitoring the preparation of the security plans and the Bosnian police agencies’ conduct at the elections.
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“Based on the reports received from EU Police Mission’s officers who were alongside their colleagues from Bosnia, we observed that the security situation prior and during the polling was completely satisfactory,” said General Coppola and commended Bosnian police agencies for their highly professional work, which has ensured the security and safety of all citizens on the polling day in Bosnia.
EUPM has been actively monitoring the preparation of the security plans and the Bosnian police agencies’ conduct at the elections.
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Monday, March 3, 2008
SDA CAUCUS HAS PREPARED A NUMBER OF AMENDMENTS TO POLICE REFORM LAWS
SARAJEVO, Bosnia (March 3,2008) – The Bosnian Minister of Security Tarik Sadovic stated in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo that the SDA Party Caucus at the Bosnian Parliamentary Assembly prepared a “number of amendments to the two proposals for the police reform laws aimed to improve the laws’ texts”.
”We are not optimistic related to adoption of the amendments”, Sadovic stated and assed that both these laws were supported in the first reading in the parliamentary houses. What follows is the phase of amendments.
Sadovic expressed concerns over the fact that the text of the existing laws does not contain neither of the three EU principles on police reform.
”That worries us greatly. I clearly heard at the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) Main Board session that the Office of the International community's High Representative in Bosnia (OHR) and the EU Police Mission in Bosnia (EUPM) are authorized to state whether or not the EU principles have been implemented or not. If not, the question is why has the EU given up the principles”, Sadovic stated.
He added that he has had an opportunity to see almost all the documents of the PIC Main Board’s communiqué and several letters of the Commissioner for Expansion Olli Rehn.
”In each of the three letters, police reform based on the three principles was emphasized. It is strange for us at the SDA party that we are to be given something that is not the police reform, under the excuse for signing the SAA. My party’s position is that Bosnia should sign the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) between Bosnia and European Union, but we also need a good police reform. That means that wee need to get a multiethnic police, based on the EU standards and in the function of efficient fight against all forms of crime”, Minister Sadovic said.
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”We are not optimistic related to adoption of the amendments”, Sadovic stated and assed that both these laws were supported in the first reading in the parliamentary houses. What follows is the phase of amendments.
Sadovic expressed concerns over the fact that the text of the existing laws does not contain neither of the three EU principles on police reform.
”That worries us greatly. I clearly heard at the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) Main Board session that the Office of the International community's High Representative in Bosnia (OHR) and the EU Police Mission in Bosnia (EUPM) are authorized to state whether or not the EU principles have been implemented or not. If not, the question is why has the EU given up the principles”, Sadovic stated.
He added that he has had an opportunity to see almost all the documents of the PIC Main Board’s communiqué and several letters of the Commissioner for Expansion Olli Rehn.
”In each of the three letters, police reform based on the three principles was emphasized. It is strange for us at the SDA party that we are to be given something that is not the police reform, under the excuse for signing the SAA. My party’s position is that Bosnia should sign the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) between Bosnia and European Union, but we also need a good police reform. That means that wee need to get a multiethnic police, based on the EU standards and in the function of efficient fight against all forms of crime”, Minister Sadovic said.
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Wednesday, February 27, 2008
EUPM IS HOSTING FORUM ON STANDARDISATION OF INVESTIGATION PROCEDURES
MOSTAR, Bosnia (February 27,2008) – The EU Police Mission in Bosnia (EUPM) is hosting a three-day forum gathering Bosnia's police officials and prosecutors in order to standardise and harmonise the formal documentation used in criminal investigations.
The need to harmonise procedures directly follows from a desire to improve mutual understanding and efficiency with regard to investigations.
The forum has a two-fold assignment – to analyse every relevant step of criminal investigations and the formal documents used on the one hand, and to define how they could be standardised and harmonised throughout the whole country to make investigations and the necessary cooperation between various authorities more efficient on the other.
The findings of the working group will be communicated at a press conference scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday 27 February 2008 at 13:00 hrs at the Hotel Ada in Blagaj, Mostar.
This meeting was organised upon the initiative of the EU Police Mission in scope of an ongoing project of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council aimed at establishing better coordination mechanisms between the police and prosecutors in the fight against crime and corruption.
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The need to harmonise procedures directly follows from a desire to improve mutual understanding and efficiency with regard to investigations.
The forum has a two-fold assignment – to analyse every relevant step of criminal investigations and the formal documents used on the one hand, and to define how they could be standardised and harmonised throughout the whole country to make investigations and the necessary cooperation between various authorities more efficient on the other.
The findings of the working group will be communicated at a press conference scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday 27 February 2008 at 13:00 hrs at the Hotel Ada in Blagaj, Mostar.
This meeting was organised upon the initiative of the EU Police Mission in scope of an ongoing project of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council aimed at establishing better coordination mechanisms between the police and prosecutors in the fight against crime and corruption.
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Friday, February 22, 2008
HEAD OF EUPM TO VISIT TUZLA TODAY
TUZLA, Bosnia (February 22,2008) – In scope of his regular visits to Bosnian police counterparts and EU Police Mission’s offices across Bosnia, Brigadier General Vincenzo Coppola, Head of the EU Police Mission to Bosnia, will pay a visit to Tuzla today.
During his visit, General Coppola will meet with the Minister of Interior of the Tuzla Canton, Sead Omerbegovic, Police Commissioner Nedim Mutapcic, and the EU Police Mission personnel in Tuzla.
General Coppola will use the opportunity to discuss the current state of affairs in the Ministry and police activities in Tuzla Canton as well as their cooperation with the EU Police Mission and other law enforcement agencies.
All media are cordially invited to attend a press opportunity which will take place today, Friday, 22 February 2008 at 12.30 hrs at the Tuzla Canton Ministry of Interior’s premises, Turalibegova bb, Tuzla.
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During his visit, General Coppola will meet with the Minister of Interior of the Tuzla Canton, Sead Omerbegovic, Police Commissioner Nedim Mutapcic, and the EU Police Mission personnel in Tuzla.
General Coppola will use the opportunity to discuss the current state of affairs in the Ministry and police activities in Tuzla Canton as well as their cooperation with the EU Police Mission and other law enforcement agencies.
All media are cordially invited to attend a press opportunity which will take place today, Friday, 22 February 2008 at 12.30 hrs at the Tuzla Canton Ministry of Interior’s premises, Turalibegova bb, Tuzla.
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Saturday, January 26, 2008
EUPM COMMEMORATES COLLEAGUES WHO DIED WHILE SERVING IN BOSNIA
SARAJEVO, Bosnia (January 26, 2008) - The European Union Police Mission in Bosnia (EUPM) remembered yesterday its first Head of Mission, Sven Frederiksen, and two colleagues, Jose Andres Ygarza Palou and Francesco Niutta, who lost their lives while serving in Bosnia.
In the presence of Alessandro Fallavollita, the Ambassador of Italy to Bosnia , and José María Castroviejo y Bolíbar, the Ambassdor of Spain to Bosnia,Deputy Head of Mission, Ari Sarjanen, laid a wreath at a memorial stone in front of the main entrance of the EUPM Headquarters in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo and invited all those present to join him in a minute of silence.
“These fine officers lost their lives during honourable service in the EUPM, assisting Bosnia on its path towards European Union,” Sarjanen said.
“Their professionalism and dedication to service will always be remembered. They will be missed but not forgotten,” he added.
Commissioner Frederiksen passed away on the morning of 26 January 2004, following a coronary seizure. Warrant Officers Palou and Niutta lost their lives in tragic accidents.
Commissioner Frederiksen served as the last Commissioner of the International Police Task Force in Bosnia (IPTF) and was entrusted with the difficult task to close it down and establish the European Union Police Mission. Commissioner Frederiksen led the mission from its establishment, 1 January 2003, until his sudden death in 2004.
In the presence of Alessandro Fallavollita, the Ambassador of Italy to Bosnia , and José María Castroviejo y Bolíbar, the Ambassdor of Spain to Bosnia,Deputy Head of Mission, Ari Sarjanen, laid a wreath at a memorial stone in front of the main entrance of the EUPM Headquarters in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo and invited all those present to join him in a minute of silence.
“These fine officers lost their lives during honourable service in the EUPM, assisting Bosnia on its path towards European Union,” Sarjanen said.
“Their professionalism and dedication to service will always be remembered. They will be missed but not forgotten,” he added.
Commissioner Frederiksen passed away on the morning of 26 January 2004, following a coronary seizure. Warrant Officers Palou and Niutta lost their lives in tragic accidents.
Commissioner Frederiksen served as the last Commissioner of the International Police Task Force in Bosnia (IPTF) and was entrusted with the difficult task to close it down and establish the European Union Police Mission. Commissioner Frederiksen led the mission from its establishment, 1 January 2003, until his sudden death in 2004.
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