Appointments of police directors cannot be of a political nature

Reacting to media reports and speculation that political parties are discussing the appointment of a new SIPA director as part of the process of distributing political positions, the OHR wants to make it clear that such a move would be contrary to the provisions of the Law on Police Officials, reports the Bosnian news agency Patria. 

Further speculation in this regard, or attempts to amend existing provisions to allow for the political appointment of police directors, would be not only contrary to the law but also against best practices that ensure the professional conduct of police work in BiH, with adequate protection from inappropriate political control over these institutions.

The Law on Police Officials contains explicit provisions aimed at ensuring that police directors are selected only from among candidates who are currently serving as police officers of the highest rank and possess the necessary skills and many years of work experience, and that they are appointed for a fixed term.

These provisions were deliberately embedded in the Law as a mechanism to prevent inappropriate political control over police work. Police directors cannot be reappointed based on the electoral cycle, the OHR stated. 

Today's statement followed media reports that NDP Vice President and RS National Assembly deputy Zdravko Krsmanović would be the new SIPA director, which he did not deny. Krsmanović, it will be recalled, stated at a press conference that if he were to head SIPA, he would "wield a birch broom."