Serbian official who pressured police leaves ministry

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A senior Serbian Internal Affairs Ministry official who drew public attention for allegedly pressuring the police during local elections has left her post, the ministry said in a press release on Wednesday.

It said that Ministry State Secretary Dijana Hrkalovic was leaving her post to take up other duties but did not say whether she resigned and where she was going to.  

Hrkalovic joined the ministry in 2014 first as a deputy cabinet chief to the minister and later as secretary of the Criminal Police Department. She was appointed State Secretary in mid-2017.  

She became widely-known during the local elections in the town of Lucani, appearing at the local police station when opposition activists were arrested. A video showed her arguing with Dveri leader Bosko Obradovic inside the station. The tabloid press claimed that she was involved with a man allegedly linked to the murder of a Partizan FC supporter group chief.  

Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic is quoted in the press release as thanking Hrkalovic for her dedication and contributions to reforms and the fight against crime and corruption.