OSCE Skopje Mission helps keep borders open but safe
(OSCE/Ida Nikolovska)Border police officers attend a managerial course provided by the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje, at Kavadarci Regional Headquarters, 14 June 2004. (OSCE/Ida Nikolovska) Photo details
SKOPJE, 6 August 2004 - A second generation of 279 Border Police Officers graduated today from the Idrizovo Police Academy, which is supported by the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje.
As former members of the Defence Ministry's Border Brigade, cadets had previous knowledge of the border security issues. At the Academy, they were trained in police duties and policing techniques, particularly in work with civilians.
The OSCE Mission assists the work of the Academy through curriculum development and delivery of training.
The newly-graduated officers, of different ethnic backgrounds, will be assigned to work on southern and eastern border crossings.
"Border policing is very specific," said Zoran Jovanovski, Under Secretary of the Border Police, at the graduation ceremony.
"Having well-trained people working in the civilian sector, securing the borders, is crucial to keeping borders open but safe."
David Tingle, Head of the OSCE Mission's Police Development Unit said that the Mission supports the transfer of responsibility for border control from the Defence Ministry to the Interior Ministry by helping them train new cadets.
"The hand-over process increases democratic control in the security sector and brings country closer to European standards," he added.
To date, close to 550 border police officers have gone through the OSCE-supported Academy in Idrizovo, 15 kilometres south-west of Skopje. Some 1,000 cadets, in total, are expected to attend the border police training in 2004 and 2005.
As former members of the Defence Ministry's Border Brigade, cadets had previous knowledge of the border security issues. At the Academy, they were trained in police duties and policing techniques, particularly in work with civilians.
The OSCE Mission assists the work of the Academy through curriculum development and delivery of training.
The newly-graduated officers, of different ethnic backgrounds, will be assigned to work on southern and eastern border crossings.
"Border policing is very specific," said Zoran Jovanovski, Under Secretary of the Border Police, at the graduation ceremony.
"Having well-trained people working in the civilian sector, securing the borders, is crucial to keeping borders open but safe."
David Tingle, Head of the OSCE Mission's Police Development Unit said that the Mission supports the transfer of responsibility for border control from the Defence Ministry to the Interior Ministry by helping them train new cadets.
"The hand-over process increases democratic control in the security sector and brings country closer to European standards," he added.
To date, close to 550 border police officers have gone through the OSCE-supported Academy in Idrizovo, 15 kilometres south-west of Skopje. Some 1,000 cadets, in total, are expected to attend the border police training in 2004 and 2005.