Increase in Criminal Offences in the Border Zone, More Staff and Better Infrastructure Needed

During the nine months of 2015, 2,241 crossings or attempts to cross the state border were recorded by 990 persons for whom the competent authorities had issued warrants, search notices, measures prohibiting crossing of the state border, or who were security-interest persons or persons about whom information needed to be provided, according to data from the Border Police of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as reported by the Bosnian news agency Patria.

Also, 817 documents that were not valid for crossing the state border were discovered. In the same period, 1,839 foreigners were registered who were not allowed entry into Bosnia and Herzegovina because they did not meet the conditions prescribed by the Law on Movement and Stay of Foreigners and Asylum. Compared to last year, there was an increase in entries by 241 persons.

The Border Police recorded 180 criminal offences at border crossings for the first nine months, in the border zone and in the interior of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is an increase of 46.34 percent compared to 2014 when 123 criminal offences were recorded.

As pointed out by the Director of the Border Police of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zoran Galić, positive results were nevertheless achieved in reducing illegal migrations across the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, increasing the number of detected criminal offences, as well as in the segment of border checks, which were improved by a new application donated by the European Union, which prevented persons with any connection to illegalities from crossing the state border.

Galić emphasized that all available capacities and material resources will continue to be at the disposal in the fight against all forms of cross-border crime and illegal migrations, and that he insists on compliance with legal regulations and consistent application of standards and rules of conduct prescribed by the Code of Ethics for Police Officers. He added that this police agency will continue to develop cooperation both with law enforcement agencies of neighbouring countries and the world, as well as with agencies from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The biggest problem in the further development of the Border Police of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the lack of staff, as well as the lack of budget funds available to the Border Police of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the implementation of development projects, and the poor state of infrastructure at border crossings.