Applauding the initiative to organise a public debate on the draft laws, Defence and Internal Affairs Committee Chairperson Marija Obradovic reminded that this is a new practice at the National Assembly and urged the MPs to support it so as to come up with better legislation before it is sent into Assembly procedure.
Minister of Interior Dr Nebojsa Stefanovic briefed the MPs on the draft laws, saying that, so far, four public debates have been organised in different Serbian towns and at least two more are to be organised so as to include all the opinions of the experts, public and MPs and come up with quality legislation to forward to the National Assembly for discussion and adoption. Though these laws are to be passed in times of austerity measures and rationalisation, their adoption will not jeopardise the security system, said Minister Stefanovic.
The innovations contained in the laws, primarily the Draft Law on the Police, are the emphasised cooperation between the police and the citizens aimed at improving the security environment in the community, cooperation within the local community, change of the organisational structure of the Ministry, division into smaller organisational units, strategic planning and introduction of modern technology, change of police duties and security checks, new methods of compulsion, new ranks and titles in the police, in the system of career advancement, reform of the internal control sector, etc.
In the course of the debate the MPs had questions about the deadline for the adoption of by-laws after the laws are passed, transfer of duties and responsibilities from the police to the local self-government, especially as regards issuance of documents, process of training and subsequent employment of police personnel, as well as adjusting the number of trained staff to the needs of the police. They also wanted to know about healthcare for police personnel, whether there are any plans to open training centres for skills other than ones relating to security, participation of police chiefs in local self-governments, education of citizens on the need for closer cooperation with the police, primarily as regards the security of children, equipment of police personnel and their financial status.
In addition to Minister Stefanovic, the public debate was also attended by Chief of Police Milorad Veljovic, Secretary of the Ministry of Interior Milorad Todorovic and members of several police administrations.