Police agencies proven to be extended arms of politics: SNSD and HDZ know what they are doing, but where is the Three's ship heading?

By Amra Vrabac

Last year was challenging not only politically but also security-wise. This was shown by the events that took place in the entity of Republika Srpska from the end of February, which also spilled over into the actions of two of the three state police agencies.

We remind you that when the National Assembly of Republika Srpska passed unconstitutional laws, which among other things prohibited the work of the State Investigation and Protection Agency on the territory of Republika Srpska, there was a call from the then political leadership for Serbs to leave that agency and move to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska. According to official information, six people did so, but the devastating fact is that the director of SIPA, Darko Ćulum, also responded to this call and, on the same order, emptied the SIPA building in Banja Luka on March 7.

It was already clear then that Ćulum had sided with the attack on the constitutional order carried out by the authorities of the entity of Republika Srpska together with the National Assembly of Republika Srpska. Ćulum's departure from SIPA, secret meetings with individuals loyal to him while he was undermining a state institution, and finally his return in mid-July are definitively the biggest slap in the face to the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Despite the criminal complaint filed against Ćulum, the BiH Prosecutor's Office has never responded to the complainants or the media about Darko Ćulum's status and whether he has ever been questioned.

When Milorad Dodik walked into the BiH Court at the beginning of July, accompanied by OSA, and a few days later Nenad Stevandić and Radovan Višković, it was already clear that the BiH Prosecutor's Office would not protect state institutions and the constitutional order, but those thanks to whom they sit in that institution and who openly told them they were there because they were "Serbs, not some Einsteins".

While a central warrant from the BiH Court was issued for them, Dodik and Stevandić crossed the state border without any hindrance; they were saluted upon exiting and entering at border crossings, and the only attempt to serve Dodik with an arrest warrant at the end of April could have had a tragic end. Members of the RS Ministry of Internal Affairs confronted SIPA inspectors, and with threats of weapons, the SIPA inspectors withdrew. To make matters more tragic, a report on a committed criminal offense was filed against them. Thus, those who attack the state and those who wanted to defend it were reduced to the same level.

This is also shown by the decision of the BiH Prosecutor's Office, which issued orders not to conduct investigations against both those who attacked the BiH constitutional order and those who acted in accordance with the law.

The state prosecution retreated before politics and the foreign factor, and this is also shown by the fact that in March, the names, surnames, and biographies of state prosecutors and judges disappeared from the website of the Court and Prosecutor's Office and were never returned.

SIPA and the BiH Border Police are led by people close to SNSD and HDZ BiH. Almost six months have passed since Ćulum's return to SIPA, and the parties of the Three, who should presumably care about the state's interests, are silent as if they were drowned. The alleged investigations ordered by the director of the BiH Border Police, Mirko Kuprešaković, regarding the border crossings of fugitives have never reached their epilogue.

Instead of clearing things up, the Three supported the appointment of Dragan Andrić as deputy director of SIPA at the beginning of November. They forgot all previous ultimatums that they would not vote until Darko Ćulum was dismissed and a new Minister of Security was appointed. Thus, they abandoned these demands and obediently voted for Andrić and fell silent about Ćulum, even though the situation in SIPA is on the verge of boiling over. Ivica Bošnjak from HDZ held the position of Minister of Security throughout 2025.

The national structure is unfavorable to Bosniaks, especially in the last two years. The number of management positions is less than they are entitled to, promotions are awaited for years, and promotion lists are compiled in other interest-political circles. The issue of promotions in SIPA has been under political control for years. However, although the Three swore they would be different from SDA, they decided to maintain the same practice when it comes to police agencies and decide who can and cannot get a promotion, trade positions, hire close people...

Although police agencies should be focused on lawful conduct, it seems that no one is immune to corruption in any of its forms.

During 2025, several indictments were filed against police officers of SIPA and the BiH Border Police for accepting bribes.

An indictment has not yet been filed in the Kings case, which was carried out during 2024 and included members of the BiH Border Police and the former director of the BiH Border Police, Zoran Galić. On July 8, 2024, he fled to Croatia to avoid arrest, and according to the chief prosecutor of the BiH Prosecutor's Office, Milanko Kajganić, Galić knew about the operation. Although the RS Ministry of Internal Affairs participated in the operation, there was suspicion that Galić was tipped off about the operation from SIPA, as he was Ćulum's deputy at the time. However, these circumstances have never been fully clarified, and Galić continues to enjoy his freedom in neighboring Croatia, which has refused his extradition.

And while citizens' trust in police agencies has been eroded, as confirmed by the events during 2025, the parties of the Three initiated amendments to the Law on Police Officers of BiH at the end of the year, which would extend the working life of police officers to 65 years. After the rebellion of trade unions and experts who know how the police work, the proposers lowered the threshold to 60 years. However, regardless of the rejection of the urgent and shortened procedure, this proposal is still alive, and a competent commission has been appointed to consider the law. This is the Joint Commission for Defense and Security, which has not taken a stance on all the shortcomings recorded in these police agencies.

Trade unions are united. No to partial amendments to the law, yes to a comprehensive analysis and amendments that will solve other problems faced by the agencies.

What should also be initiated in the coming period is that the three state police agencies be filled in accordance with the results of the 2013 Census, as it is increasingly clear that the 1991 Census is simply no longer applicable.