GOVERNMENT AND INTERIOR MINISTRY COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING SATISFACTORY SECURITY SITUATION

PALE, AUGUST 5 /SRNA/ – Republika Srpska Interior Minister Željko Budimir has stated today that the Government and the Ministry of Interior are committed to maintaining a satisfactory security situation in Republika Srpska and stressed that organised crime will not be allowed to take matters into its own hands.

Budimir said at a press conference in Pale that the security situation had been disrupted by two attempted murders in the AOR of the Istočno Sarajevo Police Administration, which is why an increased police presence can be expected. "An operational task force has also been established to deal with the conflict between /Darko/ Elez and /Đorđe/ Ždrale, who is currently at large," Budimir said. He stressed that the Republika Srpska Police are cooperating with law enforcement agencies in the FBiH and that there is information indicating that Đorđe Ždrale is on the territory of that entity. The minister noted that the Istočno Sarajevo area isparticularly sensitive, adding that the Ministry of Interior will use all available resources to combat organised crime in the city and that the increased deployment of all operational police units would help solve the recent criminal offenses while also serving as a preventive measure against any future incidents. "That is why cooperation from citizens is essential. We urge them to report every suspicious situation to the police, and the Ministry of Interior will do everything within its power and use all available capacities in the fight against organised crime in Istočno Sarajevo," Budimir said. He warned that those involved are dangerous individuals, pointing to the recent shooting of Kosta Pandurević, during which a two-year-old child was inside the victim's vehicle. "We must not allow innocent people to become victims," the minister stressed. Budimir also appealed not to exploit these incidents for "petty political purposes", emphasizing that the situation is extremely serious. Budimir called on judicial institutions to play their part, stressing that the police alone cannot resolve the problem of organised crime. "Our fight against organised crime is too slow, and we should consider amendments to the Criminal Code because I fear the current system is not producing results," Budimir said. According to him, courts and prosecutors' offices should not be occupied with minor criminal cases while showing reluctance to deal with organised crime. "If we want to successfully combat organised crime, we must increase the pace of work of both the police and the judiciary," Budimir concluded.