Daily: Police director, interior minister in "disputes"

The Chief of Police Milorad Veljovic’s mandate expires on June 15 and it likely won't be extended due to his disputes with Interior Minister Ivica Dacic. This is according to a report in the Belgrade daily Pravda today. Daily: Police director, interior minister in "disputes" The newspaper writes that Dacic used a joint meeting of the MUP and the state prosecution "to issue an indirect message that Veljovic would remain on the position of police director only until the expiration of his mandate." Veljovic was appointed to his current office in June 2006 at the proposal of the then Interior Minister Dragan Jocic from the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS). In Belgrade's political circles Veljovic has been seen as close the ruling Democratic Party (DS); according to these interpretations, tensions between Dacic and Veljovic existed during the entire time of Dacic’s mandate as interior minister. Dacic also heads the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), one of the current ruling coalition partners. According to the statements of Pravda’s sources, from the beginning of Dacic’s mandate Veljovic has been “bypassing colleagues in the police connected to Dacic’s Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS)”. Dacic was annoyed the most with the fact that Veljovic “worked independently on some sensitive issues”, says the article. Veljovic can still reapply for the position via a public competition, writes the daily. “An unfavorable circumstance for him could be that the commission for the appointment of head of police is formed by Dacic. In the event that Dacic agrees with the commission’s choice, the proposal is then passed on to the government. Otherwise, the entire procedure is repeated”, says the article. Ivica Dacic and Milorad Veljovic (Beta, file)

Daily: Police director, interior minister in "disputes"

The newspaper writes that Dačić used a joint meeting of the MUP and the state prosecution "to issue an indirect message that Veljović would remain on the position of police director only until the
expiration of his mandate."

Veljović was appointed to his current office in June 2006 at the proposal of the then Interior Minister Dragan Jočić from the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS). In Belgrade's political circles Veljović has been seen as close the ruling Democratic Party (DS); according to these interpretations, tensions between Dačić and Veljović existed during the entire time of Dačić’s mandate as interior minister.

Dačić also heads the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), one of the current ruling coalition partners.

According to the statements of Pravda’s sources, from the beginning of Dačić’s mandate Veljović has been “bypassing colleagues in the police connected to Dačić’s Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS)”. Dačić was annoyed the most with the fact that Veljović “worked independently on some sensitive issues”, says the article.

Veljović can still reapply for the position via a public competition, writes the daily.

“An unfavorable circumstance for him could be that the commission for the appointment of head of police is formed by Dačić. In the event that Dačić agrees with the commission’s choice, the proposal is then passed on to the government. Otherwise, the entire procedure is repeated”, says the article.