ZAGREB, Aug 9 (Hina) - The Interior Ministry is not the place to provide for welfare cases and this should be stated, regardless of how harsh it sounds, Minister Sime Lucin told Friday's edition of Jutarnji List daily. Speaking in the
wake of current police protests throughout the country over the layoffs of 3,100 officers, he said "everybody is surprised" even though both the government and parliament's national security and internal affairs committee had okayed a reform of the Interior Ministry. Lucin wondered why nobody was surprised at the fact that the sick leave rate at his ministry was twice the acceptable rate according to the Croatian Health Insurance Institute. More than 6,000 employees called in sick in this year's first three months, he said. The minister wondered what sort of police force had disciplinary proceedings filed against every tenth of its officers in the last 18 months. He also remi
ZAGREB, Aug 9 (Hina) - The Interior Ministry is not the place to
provide for welfare cases and this should be stated, regardless of
how harsh it sounds, Minister Sime Lucin told Friday's edition of
Jutarnji List daily.
Speaking in the wake of current police protests throughout the
country over the layoffs of 3,100 officers, he said "everybody is
surprised" even though both the government and parliament's
national security and internal affairs committee had okayed a
reform of the Interior Ministry.
Lucin wondered why nobody was surprised at the fact that the sick
leave rate at his ministry was twice the acceptable rate according
to the Croatian Health Insurance Institute. More than 6,000
employees called in sick in this year's first three months, he
said.
The minister wondered what sort of police force had disciplinary
proceedings filed against every tenth of its officers in the last 18
months. He also reminded that in 2000, criminal charges had been
pressed against 155 police.
Lucin said an inspection of diplomas was showing devastating
results, with 220 indisputable forgeries thus far. He wondered how
it was possible to expect better from those committing felonies,
and stressed people should not say the police force was inefficient
yet support a concept whereby anyone with only eight years of
elementary school could be an officer.
Lucin said he would rather not comment on police unions, but did
state their work seemed "too irresponsible... they lie easily and
it seems to me the only thing they are good at are threats and
blackmail. I think Croatia's police deserve better unions."
(hina) ha