Control of child exploitation for begging and illegal serving of alcohol to minors begins

The Police Administration of the Ministry of Interior of Zenica-Doboj Canton has conducted an analysis and assessment of the public order situation in the Zenica-Doboj Canton area, especially regarding the involvement of children and minors in disturbing public order, and the exploitation of minors by parents, guardians, or third parties for the purpose of committing certain offenses.

The analysis found that a larger number of minors are noticeable on a daily basis, who, while staying in catering establishments, consume alcoholic beverages, and an increasing number of minors who, at the urging of older persons, most often parents or guardians, engage in begging, at specific times and in specific locations, thereby significantly endangering public order. Although police officers daily sanction perpetrators of these offenses, the analysis indicated a need for a larger and more comprehensive action to more effectively prevent such socially unacceptable and deviant behaviors among the young population, as well as their exploitation.

In this regard, the Police Administration of the Ministry of Interior of Zenica-Doboj Canton has prepared a plan of activities to be implemented in the coming period, aimed at controlling the exploitation of children for begging and the illegal serving of alcohol to minors in catering establishments. These activities will be carried out in cooperation with representatives of social work centers, from January 13 to 18 of this year, across all police stations in our Canton.

During this period, police officers' activities will be focused on taking repressive measures against minors who beg or engage in vagrancy, and their parents, guardians, or third parties who induce them to do so, as well as against persons who give alcoholic beverages to minors, especially owners of catering and other establishments where alcohol is served, which actions constitute offenses under the Law on Public Order and Peace of Zenica-Doboj Canton.

On this occasion, the Police Administration of the Ministry of Interior of Zenica-Doboj Canton expresses its full readiness to ensure a favorable public order situation in its area of jurisdiction, and calls on citizens to contact police officers in the field, the nearest police station, or call 122 in all cases where they observe actions or occurrences that in any way disturb public order.