JOINT POLICE PATROLS TO GUARD BORDER BETWEEN BOSNIA AND CROATIA

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 6,2008) – A ceremony held o Tuesday in Zupanja (Croatia) marked the commencement of joint patrols of Bosnian and Croatian police at the part of the border under the jurisdiction of Croatian Vukovar-Srijem Police Administration on one side and Bosnian Border Police, Field Office Bijeljina on the other.

“The border should no longer be an obstacle for the police work in this region,” said Vukovar-Srijem PA police officer Tomo Iljic.

“Joint patrols with our colleagues from Bosnia should demonstrate our commitment in preventing crime in the area along the border. Until now, it was the border itself which prevented us from fighting crime since we ourselves were not able to cross it in order to prevent illegal border crossings. We also had no protocols nor agreements signed. Now, we are able to cross the border in case we notice illegal border activity, and our colleagues from Bosnia can do the same.“

The agreement on joint police patrols has been signed between the Bosnian and Croatian governments. Chief of the Bosnian Border Police Field Office Bijeljina, Novo Blagojevic, sees this decision as an approach to solve the problems of police forces on both sides of Sava River.

“This is surely a way to jointly fight against smugglers and other criminals, “ stated Blagojevic.
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