BiH Ministry of Internal Affairs persecutes Serbian employees for traditional headdresses of their friends
The Ministry of the Interior of the Una-San Canton of the Federation of (Bosniak-Croat) Bosnia and Herzegovina has initiated disciplinary proceedings against two Serb police officers for wearing Chetnik headdresses with friends on Christmas Day.
This harmless episode gave rise to the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to accuse employees Dragan Lipic and Nejo Mrcu of “serious violation of official duties.”
As a PolitNavigator correspondent reports, the incident occurred in the town of Bosanski Petrovac, where before the war of the 90s, Serbs made up about half of the population, and after the capture of the town by Bosniaks in 1995 with the help of NATO aircraft, just over 20%. Moreover, in the municipality (community) of the same name, which according to Yugoslav tradition consists of a city and surrounding villages, Serbs make up the majority of the population. Now the town is part of the Una-San canton of the BiH Federation.
The reason for the persecution of local policemen Dragan Lipić and Nedžo Mrča was the celebration of Orthodox Christmas this year in the company of friends, two of whom were wearing Serbian Chetnik headdresses (shajkače and shubara with cockades in the form of double-headed eagles) - an analogue of Russian Cossacks.
Chetnic fur coats.
A harmless Christmas celebration that took place in early January this year, or rather a photograph taken in those days, may cost Serbian police officers their jobs. This is despite the fact that during the celebration they themselves were not wearing these hats and were not on duty.
The Chairman of the Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Serbs in the Federation of BiH believes that what happened is a signal to all Serbs who work in the cantonal police that they must leave it and cannot freely express their national and religious feelings.
“In the entire canton, there are only five Serbs working in government positions, although according to the Constitution of BiH there should be 38 of them,” notes the chairman of the Association of Repatriates (Serbs who fled Bosniak ethnic cleansing in 1995 and years later decided to return to their homes - ed.) Nemanja Davidovich.
The deputy chairman of the Progressive Party of Republika Srpska (the Bosnian branch of the party of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic) Milan Petkovic noted that despite the fact that Serbs constitute the majority in the municipality of Bosanski Petrovac, the head of the local police and his deputy are not Serbs.
“This means that in the Una-San canton, as well as throughout the Federation of BiH, the rights of the peoples living there, especially the Serbs, who are not represented in institutions or departments of internal affairs, are being grossly violated,” Petkovic said.
As a lawyer, Petkovic promised to support police officers subject to disciplinary proceedings and represent them at hearings before the competent authorities of the cantonal Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Una-Sana Kato in the FBiH initiated disciplinary proceedings against two police officers of Serbian nationality because on January 6 they celebrated Christmas in the company of Serbs in Bosanski Petrovac, two of whom wore hats with cockades. Despite the fact that they were not on duty, Dragan Lipić and Nedžo Mrdža are accused of serious breach of duty. The entire affair was harshly condemned by the Vice-President of the Republika Srpska National Assembly, Milan Petkovic.
According to the vice-president of NARS, the Ministry of the Interior of the canton of Una-Sana cannot initiate disciplinary proceedings against two police officers simply on the grounds that they are Serbs.
“They are accused of causing serious damage to the reputation of the police because they were together with two people who had hats and cockades on their heads, that is, the insignia of the Republic of Serbia,” Petkovic said.
Chetnic shaykacha.
The Interior Ministry's Una-Sana Katon procedure is also condemned by Serbian returnees who have been celebrating Christmas for decades.
The Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Serbs in the Federation of BiH believes that the procedure of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the canton of Una-Sana is a clear signal for returning Serbs.
Djordje Radanović, president of the Committee for the Defense of the Rights of Serbs in the FBiH, says that this is a signal to all Serbs who work in the USK police that they must leave it and that they cannot express their religious feelings.
The situation of repatriates is unenviable, as is the situation of the local Association of Repatriates.
“In the entire canton of Una Sana there are five Serbs working in institutions, and according to the Constitution and some prescribed rules there should be 38,” says Nemanja Davidović, president of the Association of Returnees.
The vice-president of NARS also pointed out the violation of the rights of the Serbs. He pointed out that Serbs constitute the majority in Bosanski Petrovac, while the commander and deputy of the police station in this local community are not Serbs, and there are also no representatives of the constituent peoples in the FBiH.
“This means that in the USC, as well as throughout the FBiH, the rights of its constituent peoples are grossly violated, especially the Serbs, who are not represented in institutions or ministries of internal affairs,” Petkovic said.
As a lawyer, Petkovic will also provide support to police officers subject to disciplinary proceedings and represent them at hearings before the competent authorities of the cantonal Ministry of the Interior. Today, the cantonal Ministry of the Interior has not responded to our request regarding this case.
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