Serbian police union announces protests over change in status

NEWS 07.03.201911:31
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The Police Union of Serbia (PSS) has announced daily protests over an Internal Affairs Ministry decision to downgrade its status.

The PSS said it would stage three hour protests starting on Monday, March 11 at noon in front of the ministry in New Belgrade over what it said was “the illegal decision by Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic” to take away its representative status. The ministry said on Wednesday that the PSS had lost its representative status following a review of its membership.  

Under Serbian law, a union gets the status of representative if it has a certain percentage of employees as its members. The PSS says that it has more than enough members which the ministry has denied following its own review. That status gives the union the right to take part in negotiations on collective contracts and other benefits.  

“We are demanding a review of the decision to take our representative status,” PSS leader Veljko Mijailovic wrote in a statement released by the union.  

The statement said the PSS has decided to join the 1 in 5 Million protests. “Citizens and police officers, all ministry staff are obliged to fight for respect of the law in Serbia. We have to prevent violations of the law by the very people who are charged with respecting it such as individuals in the top ranks of the ministry,” it said.