Mladen Šuškavčević, President of the Police Administration Union
In an interview with Mladen Šuškavčević, President of the Police Administration Union, we discussed the current challenges and improvements that have marked the work of the Montenegrin police in recent years. Through his perspective, we learn how the status of police officers has changed since he began his career, and the importance of the Union’s role in protecting rights and improving working conditions. Reflecting on issues such as personnel shortages, political interference, and challenges in collaboration with management, Mr. Šuškavčević highlights the Union’s key successes and efforts in creating better conditions for police officers, including improvements in labor rights, housing, and the provision of legal and social assistance.
Mr. Šuškavčević, when you look back at the time when you started your career in the police and compare it with the current situation, what conclusions can you draw about the position of police officers in Montenegro? Do you believe their status has improved, or has it deteriorated?
I believe there has been a significant improvement in the police, compared to when I began my career. First of all, today’s police officers receive much more education than was the case before. Additionally, there have been innovations in the way work is organized. Today, we are a much more modern police force, keeping up with the times and the current challenges in the security sector. Police officers’ salaries have increased significantly. Finally, the legal framework has been much better regulated, especially in terms of the rights and interests of police officers regarding labor relations. All of this indicates that the status of police officers in Montenegro has greatly improved. Of course, there is always room for further improvement. The Police Administration Union has also made a significant contribution to this progress. The Union has taken on many of the employer’s responsibilities in addressing various issues and needs of police officers. Therefore, I can confidently say that we are successfully tackling many challenges.
The state of the Police Administration is concerning. It is estimated that the Montenegrin police, looking long-term, is short by at least 1,000 officers. What does the Police Administration Union plan to do to improve the working conditions and status of police officers?
I agree with your observation! Currently, over 1,600 positions in the Ministry of Internal Affairs remain unfilled due to a personnel shortage. Almost all organizational units are short by 30 to 50 employees. The Police Administration, as an agency within this Ministry, directly suffers the consequences of this issue. I fear we will soon reach a point where the quality of work will start to deteriorate because of this situation, and the citizens will suffer the most. The Union is actively involved in solving this issue. The Minister of Internal Affairs, Danilo Šaranović, is working on amending the Law on Internal Affairs to create a model that will, in a relatively short period, train new police officers who will become the backbone of the Montenegrin police. Of course, there is the Police Academy in Danilovgrad, which produces a certain number of professionals each year. However, the Academy operates under the Ministry of Education, which creates administrative barriers for graduates to promptly join the police force. The Police Administration Union frequently submits proposals and initiatives to our employer to resolve this problem. Additionally, two years ago, we signed a Collective Agreement, which laid a solid foundation for improving the working conditions and status of police officers. I would also point out that political interference in our ranks is a significant issue. Especially in our service, politics should not have any influence! By law, police officers are prohibited from being members of political parties or engaging in political activities. Their primary duty is to serve the citizens and the community. Therefore, we must urgently address and eliminate this issue.
How do you comment on the cooperation between the union you lead and the management of the Police Administration?
The cooperation between the Police Administration Union and the employer has always been at a high level. However, due to objective circumstances, our employer is often not able to fulfill all our requests. One such circumstance that hinders the realization of our demands is the lack of legal regulation in certain areas. For example, many of our colleagues were part of the police reserve while we were in the state union with the Republic of Serbia and before. The time spent in the reserve was not counted toward their work experience, which creates significant complications when it comes to exercising pension rights. Additionally, in the last few years, we have seen a rapid change of several Ministers of Internal Affairs, as well as directors of the Police Administration. Naturally, this has slowed down our cooperation. It simply takes time for people who take on decision-making positions in the Police Administration to get a deeper understanding of the structure of the job itself. Therefore, I believe that the position of the Police Administration director can only be properly performed by someone who has dedicated their career to working in this agency. Only then are you able to see things more broadly and assess the challenges your officers are facing. In such cases, it is much easier for us, from the Police Administration Union, to present our problems or initiatives, knowing that we have a reliable partner on the other side. Fortunately, the current Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr. Danilo Šaranović, and his predecessor, Mr. Filip Adžić, have recognized our initiatives and committed to resolving the problems and needs of police officers.
How does the Police Administration Union protect police officers when they are involved in legal proceedings or subjected to media attacks? What specific steps do you take to ensure their rights and professional integrity in such situations?
The foundation of our existence is the protection of police officers while performing their official duties. It often happens that a police officer, in the process of solving a task, has to use force. At that point, they enter a zone of responsibility that is certainly questionable. The question arises whether the officer used force in accordance with the law or not. However, even when such cases reach a legal conclusion, we face a problem from the public, which often, based on inaccurate information, comments on the case, prematurely condemning the officer. Unfortunately, such public comments significantly contribute to the degradation of both the professional and moral integrity of the police officer. The Police Administration Union has been drawing attention to this issue for years. We have pointed out that the judiciary and prosecution often fail to consider all the facts related to police actions, which are crucial for making decisions in the proceedings. Of course, the Union is there to provide help and support to colleagues who, due to circumstances, find themselves in such situations. Therefore, when we determine that our colleague acted in accordance with the law, but a legal process is initiated against them, we engage a lawyer to represent their rights and interests in the case. Additionally, in cases of misdemeanors that imply the initiation of disciplinary proceedings, legal assistance has been provided to our officers for the past three years by Vladimir Vukotić, a law graduate and long-time Ministry of Interior employee. Unfortunately, there have been situations where officers tragically lost their lives while performing their duties. Our Union ensures that the employer provides adequate financial support and other assistance to the families of our fallen colleagues. Sometimes this involves resolving housing issues, and other times it may involve helping with employment, medical treatment, and similar needs.
You were elected to the position of President of the Police Administration Union five years ago. What are the key achievements that you and your team have accomplished during that period?
Here, I will refer to the Report on Work Results for the period 2019–2024. First of all, more than 90% of the total annual membership fees were allocated for loans and assistance to our members. In 2019, from the total annual membership fees and loan repayments, amounting to over €900,000, more than €800,000 was allocated for assistance and loans. Over €380,000 of non-refundable funds were allocated for assistance, and more than €420,000 was allocated for loans. In 2020, from the total annual membership fees and loan repayments, amounting to over €980,000, more than €850,000 was allocated for assistance and loans. Over €410,000 of non-refundable funds were allocated for assistance, and more than €440,000 for loans. In 2021, from the total annual membership fees and loan repayments, amounting to over €1.1 million, more than €1 million was allocated for assistance and loans. Over €450,000 of non-refundable funds were allocated for assistance, and more than €550,000 for loans. In 2022, from the total annual membership fees and loan repayments, amounting to over €1.24 million, more than €1.13 million was allocated for assistance and loans. Over €520,000 of non-refundable funds were allocated for assistance, and more than €610,000 for loans. In 2023, from the total annual membership fees and loan repayments, amounting to over €1.16 million, more than €1 million was allocated for assistance and loans. Over €420,000 of non-refundable funds were allocated for assistance, and more than €580,000 for loans. Additionally, every year we provide free medical treatments and rehabilitation for our employees at health centers like the “Dr. Simo Milošević” Institute in Igalo, Vrnjačka Banja (Serbia), Teslić Spa (Bosnia and Herzegovina), etc. We also provide recreational vacations, both summer and winter, at the seaside and in the mountains. I would also mention that seven years ago, our Union established a fund to support the families of colleagues whose children have developmental difficulties. Every month, the Union sets aside significant financial resources to adequately support these families and be there for them. If one of these children requires treatment abroad, we provide additional funds. Importantly, after thirty years, we signed the first Collective Agreement for employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Police Administration. We encountered deep understanding from the employer, and through this agreement, we better defined certain labor relations issues that had not been clearly addressed before. One of the most important activities of the Union is definitely addressing the housing needs of our members. We can proudly say that we handle this successfully, knowing that police unions in the region generally do not deal with this issue. We took over the management of the Housing Fund, and although this duty is very difficult and demanding, we successfully and responsibly carry out this role. Currently, in Montenegro, we have completed three housing projects for our members in Podgorica, Nikšić, and Žabljak, under favorable purchasing conditions. In Podgorica, we provided 288 apartments for our members, 105 in Nikšić, and 12 in Žabljak. We are currently working on a housing project in Herceg Novi, while construction is soon expected to begin in Bar and Kolašin. Preparations are underway for the necessary documentation for housing projects in Kotor and Cetinje, and we are awaiting the realization of a project in Mojkovac. All these allocations have been conducted in full accordance with the Rulebook on Housing Solutions, respecting our core document, the Statute. Additionally, we have provided loans for housing needs to some of our union members. Over the past five years, we have had three such distributions, with a total of nearly €3 million paid out. I must commend the work of our union organizations operating in all cities. All of the above is the result of our collective effort. I would also like to highlight the significant support the Union receives from the Government of Montenegro in housing construction projects, which helps us realize our planned projects. Finally, as the President of this Union, I am confident that we have a bright future ahead of us, and that only united can we achieve our desired goals. Unity is our greatest strength!