MUP of Zenica-Doboj Canton on Vidović at Police Day of RS: It is practice to attend ceremonies, he did not sit next to Dodik

(Patria) - The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Zenica-Doboj Canton has issued a statement regarding the presence of Damjan Vidović, commander of the Special Police Unit of the MUP of ZDC, at the central ceremony marking the Police Day of the entity Republika Srpska, which was held last week at the Training Center in Zalužani near Banja Luka.

The MUP of ZDC points out that the Federal Police Administration (FUP) learned about this event through the media, and states that it is a "long-standing practice in the context of institutional response regarding inter-institutional cooperation and mutual respect of police structures operating within the security system of Bosnia and Herzegovina".
Also, as they pointed out, "representatives of police agencies often attend ceremonies and other events organized by other institutions".

In this regard, it was confirmed that Vidović attended the ceremony in Banja Luka officially, and that "upon official invitation". It was also emphasized that representatives of other police structures from the Federation of BiH, as well as members of the Armed Forces of BiH, attended the same event.

"We absolutely exclude and deny the claim that our employee sat next to Milorad Dodik," the MUP of ZDC stated.

The statement emphasizes that institutions that send their representatives to a certain event do not have insight into the official protocol, nor into the content of the speeches at the ceremony, which is why it is "irresponsible, even malicious, to develop a narrative that the Police Administration of the MUP of ZDC is partially responsible for the events during the ceremony".

They also emphasize that the Police Administration of ZDC is an "extremely responsible and professional police agency" that acts within its legal powers, in creating a safe environment not only in the Zenica-Doboj Canton but also throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina. Their primary task, as they state, is to "in accordance with the Constitution and laws of Bosnia and Herzegovina, act preventively and repressively on all security events, protect the rule of law and the development of democratic procedures, protect human rights and freedoms of citizens, and ensure their personal and property security".

The Police Administration of ZDC, as they further state, achieves enviable results in all segments of security through its "professionalism, proactive approach, and quality leadership", and they consider media interpretations that question its reputation to be not only unfounded but also a form of pressure on the professional work of the institution.

"The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska is an official institution and a segment of the security system of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as is the Police Administration of the MUP of ZDC. Necessary cooperation between security agencies in BiH is established on a daily basis," the statement reads.

Finally, the MUP of ZDC states: "We confirm our commitment to respecting all institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and certainly not denying them, and within our legal activities and by engaging all available resources, we act to protect the legal and state order of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as all institutions that function within that system".

For any omissions or illegal behavior during the ceremony, responsibility and official answers, as they conclude, should be sought exclusively from the MUP of Republika Srpska, in whose territory the event was organized.