Keepin touch

Whether you have a question, comment, suggestion or any problem in the purview of the government, send us your message and we will try to respond as soon as possible. If your problem is not in our purview, we will forward your message to the relevant institution.

The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

EU assistance for reform of police internal control sector

Belgrade, 22 November 2010

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Ivica Dacic said today that the reform of the Internal Affairs Sector within the Ministry will be carried out during next year in order to more efficiently detect and combat corruption in the police. This project is supported by the EU with €1 million.

Vincent Degert, Ivica Dacic and Stephen Wordsworth

Speaking at a ceremony at which the official start of the EU twinning project "Reform of the police - internal control” was announced, held at the Serbian government, Dacic stated that the project aims to ensure the implementation of best EU practices in the working procedures of the Internal Affairs Sector of the Ministry of the Interior, as well as to implement training programmes for the prevention of corrupted conduct of officers.

The twinning project will contribute to strengthening the administrative and institutional capacity of the Serbian Interior Ministry in the framework of Serbia's preparation for EU membership and entails direct support to further development of this Ministry in accordance with the standards of EU member states, the Minister underlined.

The Internal Affairs Sector proposed the implementation of this important project two years ago to promote operational independence in its work, professionalism and contribution to police reform, the first Deputy Prime Minister recalled. In addition to professional and technical assistance, this project also has bilateral importance because it develops mutual partnership and cooperation with the EU in the long term in the field of justice and home affairs. Among the various administrative practices within the EU, Serbia will choose ones that are most suitable for our country, Dacic explained.

The Minister stressed that the ultimate objective of the project is establishing a professional police force that will act in accordance with international standards, with the principle of responsibility of its members being one of the key principles of development strategy.

Head of the EU Delegation in Serbia Vincent Degert pointed to the need of strengthening cooperation between the police and judiciary of the countries of the EU and the region, and noted that this cooperation will be strengthened with Serbia as well along its path to the EU.

The police needs professionalisation and depolitisation, he maintained and underlined that there is a lot of work ahead for Serbia when it comes to implementation of EU standards and practices.

British Ambassador to Serbia Stephen Wordsworth recalled that his country and Serbia have excellent cooperation in preventing drug and human trafficking and money laundering.

As part of this project, British experts will pass on their knowledge and experience in the fight against corruption to representatives of the Serbian Interior Ministry, specified Wordsworth.

Czech Ambassador to Serbia Hana Hubackova confirmed that the police officers of this country will do the same and highlighted the importance of combating corruption.

Fighting corruption is not easy, but it is necessary in order to ensure a functional democracy, Hubackova emphasised.

As part of the EU twinning project for assistance in the reform of the Serbian Ministry of the Interior, experts from the UK for specialist techniques of secret investigations and experts from the Czech Republic will provide assistance to Serbia in its efforts to strengthen the Internal Affairs Sector.