OSCE Mission and Serbian Interior Ministry agree to co-operate on new police reform priorities

BELGRADE, 7 September 2009 - The Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Ambassador Hans Ola Urstad, and Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic signed a revised agreement today on continued strategic partnership on police reform priorities.

Under the agreement, the OSCE Mission to Serbia will provide expert advice and assistance in seven priority areas: police accountability, the fight against organised crime, community policing, police training, strategic planning and development as well as border policing. The agreement also introduces public relations and communication as a new priority area.

"We are pleased to support the Interior Ministry in its progressive and steady work towards an efficient, transparent and accountable police service. Police reform remains one of our largest programmes, and this reflects our commitment to this process," Urstad said.

Dacic added: "The agreement signed today shows our readiness to continue police reforms. It will enable a stable and balanced development of Serbian police and provide an answer to all challenges that arise as outcomes of the process of European integration. I believe that the OSCE Mission to Serbia is a key partner for us in this process. We will focus our co-operation on the key priority areas as outlined in the agreement that we will sign today."

The agreement updates a similar document signed in 2004.