The obligation of politicians is to provide us with quality working conditions, and a safe and secure society for citizens, the Main Board of the Independent Police Union of Montenegro (NSPCG) announced today.
"Whoever followed the celebration of the Day of Internal Affairs on October 2, 2024, could have thought that the job of the future in Montenegro would be to be a police officer. So many promises, so much praise, so many nice words that remained just that - words. Unfortunately, completely empty words. Celebrating May 1, International Labor Day, we once again heard about the dignified life of workers, improving standards, progress. Before, between and after these holidays, every few days we hear about the dignity of the police profession, honor, honesty, the privilege of being a police officer. There is a lot of truth in that," the statement of the Main Board of the NSPCG emphasizes.
The committee added that there is no greater honor and pride than to honestly wear a police uniform and protect one's country and people.
"There is no greater privilege than performing police work with dignity and professionalism. For those who know how to appreciate it, it is priceless. Unfortunately, none of that is 'smeared on bread' and one cannot live off those feelings alone. Full, undivided and absolute support to all state bodies fighting crime and corruption, especially in the police ranks. This service should and must be clean, untainted and free from any influence of criminal structures," reads a statement from the Main Board of the NSPCG, signed by Igor Rmandić, President of the NSPCG.
The Main Board of the NSPCG said that anyone who uses a uniform for criminal activities deserves twice the punishment of an ordinary citizen for the same act.
"We simply have no dilemma here, but we also say clearly and loudly that the majority, the huge number of honest employees, professionals deserve respect first and foremost, and then everything else. Our shoulders simply 'ache' from the constant pats and congratulations on how well we have done this or that task. We are even a little uncomfortable because we are praised so much. Our personalities are divided and we fight within ourselves about what is more important, more significant, more sacred, work or family, a miserable salary or children who need to be made into people, professional or human dignity. We are embarrassed and ashamed in front of so much praise and congratulations, but we are more uncomfortable and incomparably more ashamed in front of our own children. What to say when they ask us why we work so much and why we don't spend more time with them? How to explain to a child that dad or mom have to work a lot of overtime and they miss a lot of colleagues that "some guys there" can't, won't or don't want to hire. 'Boys' in expensive suits, with ties and quite high salaries. "Uncles" who are not touched by the problems of the ordinary, small man, poverty, hard life, unpaid bills," said the Main Board of the NSPCG.
They ask - how do you explain to a child that instead of them, their dad or mom has to buy themselves shoes or sneakers to wear to work because those same uncles are not capable of buying them shoes for their uniform?
"How do you explain to a child that dad and mom have to buy a uniform shirt for themselves instead of him, again because of whose incompetence. And all of this on a miserable salary that is a full 19 euros higher than the average minimum wage in our country. An absurdity unheard of even in third world countries. If we can be a first or second world country to anyone at all. Should children be burdened with solving the housing issue on unprecedentedly unfavorable, we can freely say shameless, conditions? It shouldn't be, but it has to be because if dad and mom buy an apartment on the 'favorable' conditions offered to them by the union, then this debt slavery will be passed on to the children. And again, the fault lies with 'those uncles' who make decisions but don't think to interfere in their work and solve at least one of these problems. They watch from the sidelines, they know everything that is happening, that's for sure, but it doesn't occur to them to do anything, to help, to make things easier for people," said the Main Board of the National Socialist Workers' Union of Montenegro.
They say that it is much more comfortable, plus it costs nothing, to praise the police every few days, mention their dignity, honor, honesty, and uniform.
"These are big words, they sound nice, they may even boost ratings. They are expensive words, the most expensive, but we have terribly devalued and cheapened them almost to the point of worthlessness. We hide the facts, embellish reality, deceive ourselves and others. We put on makeup for an old woman who can never be a girl, but we hope that she will live a few more years without serious health problems. Knowing this 'old woman', hope is very slim. The growing dissatisfaction of police officers caused by the catastrophic state of affairs in all segments of the service in terms of salaries, uniforms, footwear, equipment, a huge number of overtime hours, seriously impaired health, excessive pressure and stress will very soon lead us to a 'flood' of retirement requests. Simply put, there is no way out of the current situation. An entire generation of nearly 100 young people from the police academy is sitting at home waiting for someone to take pity on them and call them back to work. Does anyone else believe that the service is not capable of conducting security checks for 100 people by December 2024?" year? Rather, it will be that the state has no money even for these miserable salaries that are slightly higher than the minimum for those 100 people. If so, how will they hire and pay those 700 that were loudly announced?
They stated that it is high time for politicians to start doing the job they were elected and paid to do.
"Their obligation is to provide us with quality working conditions and a safe and secure society for citizens. And we do not beg for that, but rather we demand it with full right because citizens are not servants and subjects of politicians, but politicians should be servants of the people. Anyone who thinks, works and behaves differently does not mean well for this society or this country. Trite, empty phrases about support have long been so outdated that they are becoming irritating not only to us but also to ordinary citizens. We need real, essential support that will be measurable and tangible. The only thing separating us from it is the will of individuals in the most responsible positions in this country. The conditio sine qua non, do they have that will?" said the Main Board of the NSPCG.
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