Republika Srpska has full internal sovereignty, and uniformed personnel from Serbia and other countries can be present within its territory. Anything else is madness, which, unfortunately, will not end soon, stated Slobodan Župljanin, Dean of the Faculty of Security and Protection at the Independent University of Banja Luka.
Župljanin emphasized that the Serb-hating messages from Sarajevo following the news that two police officers from Serbia will be in Banja Luka, Foča, and Trebinje from July 22 are not surprising, and these policies will persist for a long time.
“Nothing coming from the Federation of BiH is surprising, and such reactions will continue for a long time because they cannot accept the reality, the fact that the world has changed and that there must be dialogue and cooperation,” pointed out Župljanin.
He believes that only deluded and malicious individuals do not see the benefits of cooperation, as it is necessary for all police forces in the region to cooperate, regardless of what someone from FBiH thinks.
“It doesn’t bother them when Interpol, EUFOR, and Europol operate in BiH, but it bothers them when police from Serbia come, which is not problematic at all. It is a usual activity that has happened and will happen in the future,” said Župljanin.
He highlighted that this cooperation is based on the Agreement on Special and Parallel Relations concluded by Serbia and Republika Srpska based on the Dayton Peace Agreement, further strengthened by the Declaration from the All-Serbian Assembly and in accordance with the Memorandum signed by the Ministries of Internal Affairs of Srpska and Serbia.
“This bothers only those who see a problem in any cooperation between BiH and Serbia. It doesn’t bother them when Serb police uncover crimes with international elements, nor when Serbia effectively responds to fires in North Macedonia, but it bothers them when a helicopter from the Serbian Ministry of Interior is supposed to come to BiH,” noted Župljanin.
He believes that Sarajevo will persist in its Serb-hating policies for a long time, especially during the pre-election period, when they try to enhance their political positions through daily political events.
“Inter-police cooperation in the region, as well as between Serbia and all police structures in BiH, occurs normally, and now there is a problem when five or six uniformed personnel enter Republika Srpska. This is sick; these are disturbed minds that see nothing but creating unrest and tension,” said Župljanin.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Serbia announced that from Monday, July 22, one uniformed police officer and one officer from the Serbian Criminal Police Directorate will be deployed in Banja Luka, Foča, and Trebinje, working together with colleagues from Republika Srpska until September 1.
The SDA has called the agreed police cooperation and deployment of Serbian MUP members in Banja Luka, Foča, and Trebinje part of a Greater Serbian project, while the Democratic Front is requesting that the Council of Ministers issue an order to the BiH Border Police to prevent the agreed arrival of police officers from Serbia.
Serbia’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Ivica Dačić, stated that Serbia is ready for police cooperation with everyone in BiH during the tourist season, but if it is a problem for BiH, there doesn’t have to be any cooperation.
Source: RTRS
