Police arrest person with coronavirus and must release them to home isolation

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Two officers (a police officer and an inspector) in the MUP KS Police Administration have been infected with coronavirus. The Police Commissioner of Sarajevo Canton, Nusret Selimović, pointed out that they are on high alert due to the arrest of two persons infected with coronavirus. Police officers who were in direct contact have been sent to home isolation. 

Another problem is that police officers perform their duties, but the system is not ready to further accommodate a person who has committed a criminal offense and is infected with Covid 19.

“The problem arises when it is unknown what to do with such persons. The Prosecutor's Office's recommendations to proceed according to the regular procedure cannot be used. At the same time, the quarantine at Bjelave does not accept persons registered as infected. The basis for forced isolation is also out of the question. We are left to return such individuals home, even though they have violated the measure and committed a serious criminal offense against human health and will very likely repeat it,” said Selimović, asking the authorities to provide accommodation for such persons. 

He added that the problem with migrants is still active, and due to the lack of accommodation, their placement in camps has been temporarily halted.

“The problem of insufficient capacity in existing migrant centers persists, as there are many more migrants in the KS area than these centers can accommodate. New migrants, according to operational intelligence, arriving from the northeastern Bosnia and Tuzla regions, are causing particular problems,” said Commissioner Selimović.

He also emphasized that this problem, if it escalates, could cause serious damage and nullify all the good work and measures taken so far.

He stressed that it is necessary to urgently contact the International Organization for Migration – IOM, which manages both migrant centers, to better secure the exterior of the facility, primarily in Blažuj at the barracks, where migrants illegally enter and exit this center.

“The KS Police will continue to perform its original duties, as well as these new ones assigned to it, all with the aim of successfully combating the spread of coronavirus,” concluded the commissioner.