Independent Trade Union of Border Police Officers: Working until 65 is unacceptable and unsustainable

(Patria) - The Independent Trade Union of Border Police Officers of BiH expresses its strongest possible opposition and deep concern regarding the proposed law to amend and supplement the Law on Police Officers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has been sent to the urgent procedure of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH by MPs Nihad Omerović, Jasmin Imamović, and Predrag Kojović.

An analysis of the proposed solutions, particularly Article 2 of the Proposal (which amends Article 119, paragraph (1) of the Law on Police Officers of BiH by adding new points), reveals a shocking intention that does not aim to improve the position of police officers, but exclusively to "cement" the positions of management staff within police agencies in BiH.

This is not a law, this is favoritism of management and exclusive protection of management positions! The urgent procedure for proposing this law is itself an unacceptable precedent. Amendments to the law that directly affect the employment status, career, and life destiny of every police officer must not be subject to shortcuts and secret agreements.

- The real intention of the amendments: Article 2 of the proposed law, which allows remaining in service until the age of 65 under the guise of "service interest" and "voluntariness," is exclusively a mechanism for cementing management positions held by those who sit in air-conditioned offices, not engaging in field work. These individuals, who enjoy enormously high salaries and administrative comfort, clearly want to extend that status at the expense of the entire system.

- Absolute career blockage: Every unfilled or extended management position means a direct halt to the advancement of young, educated, and operationally capable police officers. The management structure not only blocks its own positions but creates generational frustration and demotivation, pushing younger generations to consider leaving the service and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

- There is no operational interest: A police officer in the field, struggling with the migrant crisis, organized crime, or maintaining public order, cannot and must not perform the same job with the same efficiency at the age of 64. Keeping them in field positions is a risk to their health, the safety of colleagues, and police efficiency. Their "lack of interest" in staying is a clear signal! Trade unions ignored – Management as the sole criterion?!

The proposers and management staff must know that the vast majority of police officers do not want and will not seek to extend their working lives until the age of 65! For us, who are on the front lines fighting crime, at the border, on the streets, working until 65 is unacceptable, unsustainable, and insulting! The greatest shame of this process is the complete marginalization of social partners – trade unions, which represent the interests of police officers.

We demand that laws of this importance CANNOT be passed without fundamental consultations!

- Mandatory inclusivity: Amendments to the Law on Police Officers of BiH, which regulates the professional path, rights, and obligations, must be the result of broad consensus achieved through dialogue with all trade unions in police agencies in BiH. By ignoring trade unions, the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH agrees to operate at the dictate of a few managers!

- Manager is not the measure: It is unacceptable for proposals to be based on the wishes of a single management individual, who crafts the law to suit their personal comfort and desire for mandate extension, while absolutely no one asks those who bear the greatest burden of service – the basic police officers.

- Arrogance and arbitrariness: Such an approach, where the law is pushed into urgent procedure without social debate, demonstrates the arrogance and arbitrariness of the management layer and proposers. This is an anti-civilization and anti-democratic act!

Pension/Salary: Why we DON'T want to stay!

Given the work of police officers in the field under total "unfavorable conditions," overtime, stress, and constant risk to life and health, it is not a sufficient motive to postpone a deserved retirement. Unlike management staff, whose salaries are astronomically high, no honest police officer wants to stay and work in these "unfavorable conditions." We ask MPs not to be accomplices in this destruction of careers and dignity, and we call on them to IMMEDIATELY REJECT this shameful Draft Law.

The police profession is one of the most demanding in the country. It must not be allowed to become a playground for the personal interests of those who were supposed to protect it. Enough privileges, we want dignity and justice for police officers, states the Independent Trade Union of Border Police Officers of BiH.