Sarajevo, 4 June 2010 – In an effort to increase capacities within the authorities responsible for the prison reform across Bosnia and Herzegovina, the EU Police Mission (EUPM) will facilitate a study trip to Finland from 6 to 12 June 2010.  The trip will be financed by the European Union’s TAIEX programme, the EUPM and the Finnish Training Institute for Prison and Probation Services.

The study trip, which will gather officials of the Ministry of Justice and penitentiary system from all levels, will provide an insight into the management and inspection processes of various types of prisons, including high security institutions and a forensic psychiatric institution. It will also cover the Finnish system of prison staff recruitment as well as the training structure of uniformed police officers, official and mutual cooperation between prison and police authorities, risk assessment and the treatment of certain vulnerable groups, such as substance abusers.

It is also expected that next week, the BiH police and prison services will move towards closer cooperation by signing the joint cooperation agreement between the services. The Minister of Security and Ministers of Justice have worked towards this positive development in the fight against organised crime by bringing the services closer to mutual understanding.

The European Union places great importance on respecting the rule of law in all potential candidate countries to the European Union. Over the past decade a substantial amount of support in this area has been provided to Bosnia and Herzegovina. One aspect of such assistance has sought to enhance the execution of criminal sanctions.

For more information, please contact: Ms. Slađana Lizdek, Spokesperson, EU Police Mission at 033 752 799 Ms. Zora Stanić, Spokesperson, Delegation of the European Union to Bosnia and Herzegovina at 033 254 732