Ahead of tomorrow's major protests: RS police visit union offices and homes

"In the last four days, police officers without any warrant or written act have been visiting union offices in the field and the Alliance of Trade Unions of RS, seeking certain information, which we are willing to provide, but only if the police officer presents a warrant for such an intervention," the Alliance of Trade Unions of RS announced, reports the Patria News Agency.

"Wishing for the situation not to get out of control, as police officers are visiting the homes of trade union activists without any warrant, to have friendly conversations, I insist that such actions cease immediately. For all necessary information, and in accordance with the Law on Police Officers of Republika Srpska, I personally, as the organizer, am prepared to provide all answers that are important for our Ministry of Internal Affairs. No one in the field is authorized to provide any kind of information about the protests except for a legally authorized person," said the President of the Trade Union Alliance, Ranko Mišić.

"The Alliance of Trade Unions of Republika Srpska and I, Ranko Mišić, as the sole authorized person to represent the Alliance of Trade Unions of Republika Srpska in this specific case, the only one responsible for organizing the protests that will be held on December 28, Monday at 2 PM, request from the Ministry of Internal Affairs that all activities conducted in the field, throughout Republika Srpska, concerning the protests, be in accordance with the Law on Police Officers of Republika Srpska," Ranko Mišić stated in a press release sent to the media.

"I ask all political parties to distance themselves from any kind of activity towards trade union members in any part of Republika Srpska. The right of workers, the right of citizens, the right of trade union members is to voluntarily decide, according to their own will, in accordance with the Constitution and positive legal regulations, whether to participate in the protests organized by the Alliance of Trade Unions of Republika Srpska, in accordance with positive legal regulations. Workers of Republika Srpska – members of branch unions within the Alliance of Trade Unions of RS, I call on you to with dignity, without any fear, reject any kind of pressure from anyone, and come to your protests with the message: 'We will not give up on the reduction of workers' rights!'", the statement reads.