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Medjugorje gets more effective police
Federation minister announces “concrete steps” in Medjugorje where more pilgrims have attracted more crime, but no more policemen. Top meeting attended by prime minister, mayor and head of Medjugorje’s local community also heard police director admit neglect of Medjugorje.
Amir Begic, police director of Hercegovina-Neretva – admitted police work in Medjugorje has been insufficient
Medjugorje will get a more effective police, federation minister of internal affairs Mario Sulenta said on June 21 when a delegation including prime minister Denis Lasic visited Citluk mayor Ivo Jerkic to talk about the safety of local citizens and their property.
The meeting was one day after store owner Miki Dedaj died from the shot wounds he received during an armed robbery against his nephew’s jewelry shop on June 14 in Medjugorje.
“We are familiar with the difficulties that the mayor and the municipal authorities have in their work, especially where police assistance is required, and we are on the way to improve the performance and efficiency of the police force. We have prepared very concrete steps that will, we believe, give concrete results” minister of internal affairs Mario Sulenta said, according to local news portal Brotnjo Info.
Ivo Jerkic, mayor of Citluk – demanded action from his higher level colleagues and the central police administration
During the meeting, Citluk mayor Ivo Jerkic demanded action now. On Wednesday, another meeting had updated him on different kinds of crimes on the increase in Medjugorje at the moment:
“Here today, I want to say very clearly that some phenomena in our municipality, particularly in Medjugorje, have reached such a level that it is not possible to adequately respond to these challenges with the resources of municipality and county” mayor Ivo Jerkic said.
Mario Sulenta, federation minister of internal affairs – promised concrete steps for a better police in Medjugorje
“You are expected to fully support our efforts to improve the safety of citizens and their property, and resolutely realize a stop to illegal construction and other negative phenomena” the mayor added.
The quality of the police work in Medjugorje has not been satsifying, regional police director Amir Begic admitted:
“We are aware of certain problems we have when it comes to the material and technical equipment, and staffing of the police administration in Citluk which unfortunately is being reflected in the quality of the performance of tasks within our competence in this municipality” the police director said.
Federation prime minister Denis Lasic reinforced the promise of better police work, and said action will likewise be taken in the other areas brought up during the meeting.
Denis Lasic, prime minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Hercegovina – reinforced the promise of his minister of internal affairs, and announced a joint venture to address specific problems
“Today’s visit and the conversations we had will result in very concrete actions in the near future” said Lasic, the head of government of the Federation of Bosnia and Hercegovina, one of the two political entities that make up the country by the same name.
“We have now touched on many topics from security and illegal construction to traffic and other infrastructure. These are important issues, and we have agreed that each of us must take specific actions to respond to the tasks that lie ahead.”
“The decisiveness which I saw today with the mayor and his associates, as well as the willingness of members of the government, give me reason to believe that we will successfully meet the challenges” the prime minister said.
Prime minister Denis Lasic, minister of internal affairs Mario Sulenta and police director Amir Begic during the meeting
The meeting will be followed up by another next week when concrete police resources will be allocated, mayor Ivo Jerkic told the municipality website:
“It was agreed to meet again next week at the police office in Mostar where they will proceed into action and make some new staffing solutions” Ivo Jerkic said.
Dragan Vasilj, president of the Medjugorje local community, also attended the meeting.