OSCE Mission to Skopje organizes study trip for Georgian police

SKOPJE, 15 November 2005 - A group of high-ranking Georgian police officers arrived yesterday in Skopje to study police reform, particularly in the field of community policing.

The visit is supported by the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje and the OSCE Mission to Georgia, in co-operation with the interior ministries of both countries.

"For many years, the OSCE Mission to Skopje has closely co-operated with our Ministry to strengthen community policing in the country. We are proud that the success of our national police reforms is visible to many and that it has inspired the Georgian police to learn from our experience," said Goran Pavlovski, Chief of Cabinet of the Interior Minister.

The five Georgian police officers will discuss the challenges of police reform with Ambassador Carlos Pais, Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje, Philip Tolson, Head of the OSCE Mission's Police Development Unit, representatives of the European Union Police Mission (Proxima), as well as with high-level officials from the Interior Ministry in Skopje.

"We look forward to absorbing new ideas from the management of the Idrizovo Police Academy, to visiting regional police units in Tetovo, and to participating in a Citizen Advisory Group meeting," said Chief Inspector Levan Keburia, Community Police Development Unit of the Georgian Internal Affairs Ministry.

"We appreciate that the OSCE supports these exchanges, since we often have common problems and are looking for common solutions."

Once back in Georgia, the visiting police officers will share knowledge obtained on the study visit with their colleagues.