On Sunday, 20 May a five day study visit for the representatives of Border Police of the Republic of Serbia ended in Ljubljana. The study visit, titled "Towards Excellence in Police: Creating a Positive Working Environment for High Quality and Professional Work", was organised by the Centre for European Perspective (CEP) in cooperation and with the support by the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Slovenia and Police of the Republic of Slovenia.
Dr Tatjana Dragović, acknowledged Slovenian trainer of management and motivation conducted the introductory workshop on leadership skills and strategic communication, together with Branko Novak from the Police Academy and Anton Štubljar, Head of the Department for State Border and Foreigners from the Novo mesto Police administration. On the first evening, representatives visited the Police station Brežice where they were greeted by the Commander Sandi Hervol, who presented the specifics of their work and organised simulation of the intensified border control with thermovision vehicle, several policemen and police dog guides. On the next day participants spent time at the border police station Obrežje, where they had the opportunity to observe and exchange experience at work with the Slovenian colleagues. Elvis A. Herbaj, Chief of Traffic Department at Celje Police Directorate and Edi Baumkirher, Commander of Traffic Police Station Celje, organised the intensified control on the motorway section Lopata with the Criminal Police Sector Celje, specialised mobile unit for state border control, customs unit and motorway control unit. The police dog guides also took part in the activity searching for illegal migrants and drugs. After Novo mesto and Celje, programme continued in the Police administration of Koper, where they were greeted by Viljem Toškan, Head of the Department for State Border and Foreigners. They spent the next morning observing and participating in the work at the Dragonja border crossing. After that, they compared, together with Commander of the Border Police Station Obrežje Bojan Bogovič and Commander of Border Police Station Dragonja Sevlad Čatak and their assistants, work and working environment in both stations and found concrete ideas to include in their daily routine. Afterwards, they also had the chance to visit the Piran maritime police station.
During all the visits and the workshop on the last day at Jable Castle, focus was given on practical issues of leadership skills, work organisation and communication, as well as their role in sustaining motivation, quality and professionalism on a high level. Trainees have through workshops come to important conclusions and concrete goals they'll strive to achieve at their daily work in their border police stations. CEP representatives and representatives of the Slovenian police plan to visit the trainees later this year in order to conduct the impact analysis of the study visit.
At the solemn dinner at the end of the study visit CEP Programme Director, Ms Andreja Dolničar Jeraj thanked the Slovenian and Serbian colleagues for their engagement and contribution to make the study visit utmost successful and was pleased that the Slovenian and Serbian colleagues had the opportunity to exchange their experience and make even stronger ties as well as strengthen the capacities of Serbian border police on their way to the EU.
The project will be continued with upcoming activities for the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Serbia in 2013.
