Statement by the Belgrade Police Union (Belgrade #1)

Statement Regarding the Events in Bosnia

(Original text here)

February 7, 2014

A “Bosnian Spring” has begun to spread in Bosnia – a far reaching front of violent protests of the unemployed, the hungry, the neighbors whose rights have been trampled upon in the Federation and Republic of Srpska. Before those desperate people stand our professional colleagues, and it’s their bodies that will take the anger directed at the incapable and corrupt government. The law of Communicating Vessels is not just a phenomenon in physics, but also in geopolitics; so that it is quite possible that the river Drina will not be wild enough and deep enough to stop the protests and demonstrations. It is completely reasonable that a similar scenario can be seen in our Republic, where there are also many destitute, unemployed, or employed people not receiving salaries, with corruption at all levels, and political manipulation of citizens. And then again, us, the police officers, just like our colleagues in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republic of Srpska, would find ourselves between a rock and a hard place; would find ourselves in a situation in which we would be defending, with our bodies and our lives, the very institutions that have led us into this hopeless situation that holds for hundreds of thousands of residents in Serbia. Police officers’ rights have also been trampled upon, and they are also on the edge of poverty, cheated at every step by every person who happened to reach the leadership position of the Ministry of Interior with the help of political intrigue.

It’s obvious that the example from the west coast of the Drina will be very carefully followed by Serbia’s politicians and its institutions, but especially by the columns of hungry and unemployed citizens. We’re steps away from similar events as our neighbours are now in the midst of—events which we yet have to see the outcome of. After all, we’re talking about the region where the bloodiest act of the disintegration of our once shared country took place so we cannot rule out the possibility that the current events might spark a similar “spring” both in Serbia and our other former sister republics. State institutions should therefore disregard pre-election party interests and take the many warnings that police union representatives have been giving them for years, especially leaders of the Belgrade police union and police chiefs.

It wouldn’t be the first time in history of nations—our own included—if those of whom the authorities expect to protect their seats and positions, if the men in blue joined the debased and wronged citizens when they take to the streets. It’s not that long since that happened in Serbia because society then as now had been brought to the brink of collapse while the authorities only thought of themselves. That won’t work this time, and if warnings like this one from the ranks of the police are not enough, there will be much more brutal and direct warnings and actions in the streets that no one will be able to stop. Won’t be able to, or won’t want to—either way, the outcome will be catastrophic.