Skopje, 25 March 2023 (MIA) - The Ministry of Interior and the Macedonian Police Trade Union launched a joint campaign on Saturday at the City Square in Kumanovo. The campaign aims to bring citizens closer to the essence, values and characteristics of the concept - policing with the community, the importance of building a partnership between the police and the citizens, as well as the control mechanisms over the police that contribute to increasing its credibility and integrity.

Interior Minister Oliver Spasovski said Saturday that the police, as an institution responsible for the safety of citizens and society has one of the most important roles in the state and community.

"The police guarantee order, peace, security and the rule of law. The police work to suppress crime and lead an uncompromising fight against all criminogenic phenomena in society, while taking preventive measures to increase the safety of citizens, protect the constitutional order and respect for the basic rights and freedoms of citizens and, of course, provide civil services," Spasovski pointed out. 

Spasovski noted that all major reforms and material technical improvements that have been implemented in the past few years in the Ministry of Interior are aimed at building a police force that will be a real service to the citizens, and the working motto of the Ministry is "MoI for the Citizens".

"Joint work between the police and the local population is crucial for identifying problems, setting priorities and solving the challenges of the local community related to crime, social and physical disorders," said Spasovski, adding that measures will continue to establish a visible and accessible police, to respond to the needs of the community, be accountable and transparent in the activities. 

According to Minister Spasovski, efforts so far have been rewarded with high trust from the citizens, which has increased drastically from before, and according to evaluations, the institution of the police has become one of the three most transparent institutions in the country.

"That's why we decided to implement this campaign in all departments of internal affairs in the country, and thus bring the police even closer to the citizens, through the concept "The Police and the Citizens". Planned cooperation contributes to the prevention of crime, while the result is increased safety and a better quality of life," said Spasovski. 

President of the Macedonian Police Trade Union, Marjan Kicev, said the campaign is launched to send a message that the police are here to be of service to the citizens, to maintain safer environments for citizens to live in, environments in which citizens will feel safer and protected. 

Photo: MoI