28.05.2004

As La Strada BiH was asked by the State Commission, EUPM and OSCE to train local and state border police, it was decided to organise trainings for policemen (policemen from the Canton of Central Bosnia, Canton of Herzegovina-Bosnia, Canton of West Herzegovina and Herzegovina-Neretva Canton).
In addition to this, several contacts with EUPM from different cantons were established (an agreement on training sessions for local and state border police). Moreover, contacts were made in the beginning of the year 2004 with the new arrived representatives of the EUPM, The European Union Police Mission, who arrived at the beginning of 2003 and replaced the UNIPTF (United Nations International Police Task Force) - both on canton level (Canton 7, 8, 10 and South Herzegovina) and on state level. The EUPM has a different mandate in Bosnia and Herzegovina, than the UNIPTF had, for example the EUPM has no mandate to organise raids in night-clubs or elsewhere. This task has been transferred to the police forces of BiH. The problem is however, that the policemen are not prepared yet for such a specific task and so far there have only been a few raids, which were not very successful. In addition to this, several contacts with EUPM from different cantons were established (agreement on training sessions for local and state border police). The local policemen do get trainings though from the EUPM.
As a result of separate meetings held with representatives of the EUPM in Mostar and in Sarajevo which took place during the second half of the year 2003, as well as the meeting with the EUPM in Mostar, La Strada BiH started a series of training sessions for the police in November 2003. Preparation of new training sessions for the police continued during 2004.
Most contacts took place with border agencies in Herz-Neretvanski Canton, in West Herzegovina and the South-Easthern parts of Republika Srpska; the area of Trebinje, simply because of the fact that these are the closest border agencies to Mostar. These are also the areas through which the main “trafficking roads” are leading from Montenegro to Croatia, Italy and further to Western Europe. Furthermore La Strada representatives participated in the workshop for (Border) police officers, held on October 22, 2003 in Capljina, organised by the State Border Agency, as a result of La Strada’s long cooperation with this institution and previous consultations. Another training, on November 18th, 2003, was also attended.
There have been a continuation of the series of these trainings during 2004. The first in the series in 2004 was held in Mostar in May 5 to 7. This three day training was attended by representatives of both local and state border police. Furthermore, a training for state border police in which La Strada BaH participated, was held in Neum (May 21).Soon afterwards, in May 25 to 26, there was another training organized by La Strada BaH (organisation, facilitation, technical/factual aspects of training) in cooperation with Medica-Zenica (psychological aspects) and held in Travnik.