Police union accuse Interior Minister of authoritarian methods

The union of police staff Deminitate is accusing Minister of the Interior Alexei Roibu of using authoritarian and bureaucratic methods that damage the police's reputation, Info-Prim Neo reports. The union president, Mihai Lascu, held a press conference on Monday, July 4, to state that the Minister committed “blatant violations” during the process of collective negotiations for the amendment of the Collective Convention on subdivision levels. This led to conflicts within the police personnel. “I want a fruitful collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior. The unions are the social partners of the government. It’s we who supported them and now we want collaboration”, said Mihai Lascu. The union members criticized Alexei Roibu for supporting the transfer of the police hospital to the Ministry of Health and for his negative attitude towards the academic environment. “The Minister’s obviously hostile attitude towards the academic body of the Police Academy is unexplainable. It’s there where all the research in the field of fighting crime and other infringements is done”, stressed Lascu. Eugen Onica, the MAI spokesman, told Info-Prim Neo that Mihai Lascu’s accusations were groundless as the Minister had met with representatives of unions, including the Demnitate union, and discussed the amendments to be approved. Onica dismissed other charges as well.