Newsroom
Third phase of multi-ethnic police training in southern Serbia to begin 6 August
BELGRADE 6 July 2001
BELGRADE, 6 July 2001 (OSCE) - The third phase of the multi-ethnic police training programme in southern Serbia will start on 6 August 2001. In the space of 12 months, 400 police officers will be trained and deployed for duty in the Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja municipalities.
The principles underlying the training were agreed upon yesterday in Bujanovac among the parties involved, on the basis of a document previously signed by Mr. Mihajlovic, Serb Minister of Interior and Mr. Covic, Head of the Co-ordination Body for Southern Serbia, on behalf of the Serb side, Mr. Halimi, Head of the Presevo Municipal Assembly, on behalf of the Albanian side, and the Head of the OSCE Mission to Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Ambassador Stefano Sannino.
"This is a major step forward in building confidence between Serbs and Albanians in the region", said Ambassador Sannino. "We hope that young people living in the area will take part in the training and take on the responsibility for the stability and development of the region".
Implementation of the agreement will substantially balance the presence of ethnic Albanians in the police structures in the three municipalities.
Candidates for the training will be selected trough a public competition. Details can be obtained in police stations and town halls in the three municipalities. Qualified candidates have until 15 July 2001 to apply. Female candidates are encouraged to participate in the competition.
The training will take place in Mitrovo Polje in a centre devoted exclusively to multi-ethnic police training. The courses will be conducted by national and international instructors. The training will focus on preparing police officers to serve in a multi-ethnic environment.
"I am convinced that this centre will soon provide training for police officers to be deployed in other minority areas and hope that the contents of this course will ultimately find their place in national police training", said Ambassador Sannino.
--
For more information please contact Stella Ronner, Spokesperson, OSCE Mission to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, tel: +381 11 367 24 25, mobile: +381 63 315 969; e-mail: osce-portparol@omifry.org, website: www.osce.org/yugoslavia/
The principles underlying the training were agreed upon yesterday in Bujanovac among the parties involved, on the basis of a document previously signed by Mr. Mihajlovic, Serb Minister of Interior and Mr. Covic, Head of the Co-ordination Body for Southern Serbia, on behalf of the Serb side, Mr. Halimi, Head of the Presevo Municipal Assembly, on behalf of the Albanian side, and the Head of the OSCE Mission to Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Ambassador Stefano Sannino.
"This is a major step forward in building confidence between Serbs and Albanians in the region", said Ambassador Sannino. "We hope that young people living in the area will take part in the training and take on the responsibility for the stability and development of the region".
Implementation of the agreement will substantially balance the presence of ethnic Albanians in the police structures in the three municipalities.
Candidates for the training will be selected trough a public competition. Details can be obtained in police stations and town halls in the three municipalities. Qualified candidates have until 15 July 2001 to apply. Female candidates are encouraged to participate in the competition.
The training will take place in Mitrovo Polje in a centre devoted exclusively to multi-ethnic police training. The courses will be conducted by national and international instructors. The training will focus on preparing police officers to serve in a multi-ethnic environment.
"I am convinced that this centre will soon provide training for police officers to be deployed in other minority areas and hope that the contents of this course will ultimately find their place in national police training", said Ambassador Sannino.
--
For more information please contact Stella Ronner, Spokesperson, OSCE Mission to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, tel: +381 11 367 24 25, mobile: +381 63 315 969; e-mail: osce-portparol@omifry.org, website: www.osce.org/yugoslavia/