The last cycle of training for representatives of police agencies in Bosnia and Herzegovina was held in Sarajevo with the aim to strengthen the integrity of the electoral process and ensure a pro-active approach while processing electoral irregularities.
On the first day of the training, the panelist on behalf of the Central Election Commission of BiH (CEC BiH), Mr. Mišo Krstović, spoke about the electoral system and electoral processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Also, Mrs. Ana Jagar, on behalf of the CEC BiH and Mr. Srđan Ostojić, on behalf of the Coalition “Pod lupom”, presented specific types of election irregularities and examples from previous practice.
The first day of training was closed by Mr. Jerko Livaja, chief inspector and head of the Office of the Police Commissioner of the Ministry of Interior of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton. Through his presentation, he pointed out the importance to investigate election irregularities, and talked about the needed steps while investigating election irregularities, collecting and analyzing evidence, and cooperating with other investigative bodies.
The second day of the training was opened by Mrs. Gorana Đurković, on behalf of the Doboj Police Department and Mr. Saša Lazić, on behalf of the Brčko District Police, who informed the training participants on experiences gained from the previous practice by the law enforcement agencies.
Mr. Milimir Pojužina, district public prosecutor in the District Public Prosecutor’s Office in Trebinje, spoke about his experience in working on cases related to criminal acts in the field of electoral irregularities. The participants were also informed on a comparison with other public prosecutor’s offices in terms of prosecuting criminal offenses. Importance of cooperating between prosecutor’s offices and police agencies in investigations of committed criminal offenses was highlighted.
The Chief Prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office of the Brčko District of BiH, mr. Zekerija Mujkanović, spoke about proving guilt in the case of committing criminal offenses in the electoral process and the use of witnesses and experts in this field.
Representatives of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA), the Federal Ministry of the Interior, the Police Department of the Ministry of the Interior of the Sarajevo Canton, the Police Department of the Ministry of the Interior of the Bosnian Podrinj Canton, the Police Department of the Ministry of the Interior of the Western Herzegovina Canton, the Police Department of the Ministry of Interior of Zenica Doboj Canton, the Police Department of the Ministry of Interior of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, the Police Department of Foča, the Police Department of Trebinje and the Police Department of East Sarajevo.
Previously, the first training cycle was held in the Brcko district of BiH and the second training cycle was held in Banja Luka.