PROGRAM OF GOVERNMENT 2017-2020 Professional police – security for all citizens The Government of Republic of Macedonia will build police force, which will protect citizens and prosecute crime. Only such police can guarantee security and rule of law. The police will be free of party influence and guarantee impartial implementation of laws. We will introduce mechanisms for improving internal and external control of police forces and security services. We will strengthen parliamentary oversight and establish a police Ombudsman with authority to launch independent investigations into possible abuse of police authority and violation of human rights and freedoms. The recommendations of The Priebe Report will be fully implemented without delay. The Government will work zealously on de-partization of the police forces and fight against corruption; unbiased and indiscriminate implementation of laws; effective fight against corruption; and transparency and accountability in all police matters. To this aim, the Government will reintroduce the neighborhood cop on every street and neighborhood. He/she will be available around the clock for all citizen needs. Restoring citizen trust in the police is a prerequisite for public safety. We will reinstate the career development system in MoI, fully respecting all rules and procedures for career advancement and deployment of employees, and paying special attention to the professional capacity of all MoI employees. The Government will promote mechanisms for monitoring police behavior in cases of direct or indirect involvement of police forces in legally inadmissible operations. Equality before the law must be respected, as it is the only guarantee for public safety. Police actions must be geared toward protection, not threat. Consequently, we will strengthen the independence and capacities of MoI’s Sector for Internal Control and Professional Standards and introduce new provisions in the appointment of the assistant minister for internal control and professional standards based on criteria guaranteeing independence and impartiality in professional investigations. The Government will dedicate to full solution of the Kumanovo events from May 2015 and reveal the instigators and the background of the entire case. We will also request international support in the investigation for providing all relevant information, but also for securing complete trust of citizens in the results of the investigation. At the same time the line ministry will give full logistic support to the prosecutor and juridical instances in opening and investigating the procedures for the cases „Sopot”, “Brodec”, the death of Martin Neshkovski and Nikola Mladenov and “Monstrum”. The Government of the Republic of Macedonia will evaluate the implementation of the collective agreement of MoI employees and the respect of labor legislation. In case of outstanding shortcomings, weaknesses and inconsistencies we will launch social dialogue for improvement of the collective agreement in view of better protection of police officers’ rights. We will guarantee free trade union organization and freedom of association in trade unions. Quality of life of MoI employees will be improved by their deployment in their domicile places. In this light, travel and logging costs so far borne by police officers stationed outside their domicile will be reduced. Should exceptional circumstances arise and a police officer is deployed outside his/ her place of residence, the Ministry will compensate all travel and logging costs. The Government will adjust the base salary of MoI employees and fix all benefits, bonuses 26