Police unions organization "not planning coup"

Police unions organization "not planning coup"

"This argument that we are in some sort of collusion with representatives of the police against whom some procedures are ongoing is also funny and sad, I call upon the police minister to schedule a polygraph test for us all," said SPF representative and head of the Union of the Serbian Police Glišo Vidović.

Addressing a news conference, he added that the Serbian police is in the service of the people and that "nobody has any intention of bringing down the system."

Vidović and his colleagues also told reporters that "all they did was send a letter to Interior Minister Nebojša Stefanović seeking an urgent meeting to discuss the burning issues."

"Instead of replying and inviting us to a meeting, we were in for a shock when the media reported that 'a few people want to provoke a coup'. We are not 'a few people', but people who represent 30,000 members," said leader of the Independent Union of the Police Veselin Nikolić.

Interior Minister Nebojša Stefanović on Thursday said that a statement issued by the SPF was "a serious threat to the state and an attempt to cause chaotic conditions in the society" because, as he said, it "warned that discontent that could not be controlled could accumulate."

Representatives of the SPF said that their requests have been the same for years, but that none have been meet so far.

They are demanding payment of RSD 10,000 per each employee, travel to work place reimbursements that are nine months overdue, and uniforms.

The SPF added that they would insist to continue the social dialogue with Stefanović, or representatives designated by him.

Meanwhile, the Police Union also issued a statement on Friday, in support of Stefanović in his "decisive struggle to implement the much-needed reforms in the ministry and strengthen the reputation of the police."

The union also welcomed the initiative of the minister that all problems of the MUP employees should be solved exclusively through a social dialogue, "and not by causing any unrest."

"We do not agree with some of our colleagues who think that discontent could assume frameworks that cannot be controlled," said this union organization..