OSCE Skopje Mission and Italian Embassy assist Border Police modernisation
(OSCE/Ida Nikolovska)Border police officers attend a managerial course provided by the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje, at Kavadarci Regional Headquarters, 14 June 2004. (OSCE/Ida Nikolovska) Photo details
SKOPJE, 10 August 2004 - Over 60,000 Euros worth of computer equipment for the Border Police has been handed over to the Interior Ministry in Skopje today.
The equipment will enable border police offices in the south and the east of the country to collect, analyse, maintain and distribute intelligence and operational data.
"The donation is part of the Integrated Border Management Project funded by the Italian Government and includes 38 networked computers and appropriate accessories," said Maurizio Antonini, the Italian Embassy's First Secretary.
"We are extremely satisfied with the high level of co-operation with the Interior Ministry and the OSCE Mission, on this and on other issues of importance for the country."
Zoran Jovanovski, Under Secretary of the Border Police, said that the equipment will play a crucial role in improving the efficiency of the Border Police during the transfer of border security from the Defence Ministry to the Interior Ministry.
The OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje arranged the purchasing process and has further contributed to the development of the Border Police by providing training to officers to ensure operational effectiveness of the equipment.
Last Friday, 279 border police officers graduated from the Idrizovo Police Academy, which is supported by the OSCE Mission, bringing the number of graduates to date to 550. Some 1,000 cadets are expected to attend border police training courses in 2004 and 2005.
The Mission will also support the development of the Border Police with follow-up visits to the police stations to monitor progress and ensure the system meets the recommendations of the Schengen Catalogue, which calls for inter-state exchange of information.
The equipment will enable border police offices in the south and the east of the country to collect, analyse, maintain and distribute intelligence and operational data.
"The donation is part of the Integrated Border Management Project funded by the Italian Government and includes 38 networked computers and appropriate accessories," said Maurizio Antonini, the Italian Embassy's First Secretary.
"We are extremely satisfied with the high level of co-operation with the Interior Ministry and the OSCE Mission, on this and on other issues of importance for the country."
Zoran Jovanovski, Under Secretary of the Border Police, said that the equipment will play a crucial role in improving the efficiency of the Border Police during the transfer of border security from the Defence Ministry to the Interior Ministry.
The OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje arranged the purchasing process and has further contributed to the development of the Border Police by providing training to officers to ensure operational effectiveness of the equipment.
Last Friday, 279 border police officers graduated from the Idrizovo Police Academy, which is supported by the OSCE Mission, bringing the number of graduates to date to 550. Some 1,000 cadets are expected to attend border police training courses in 2004 and 2005.
The Mission will also support the development of the Border Police with follow-up visits to the police stations to monitor progress and ensure the system meets the recommendations of the Schengen Catalogue, which calls for inter-state exchange of information.