Training Center for Special Police Unit and Police Special Task Force officially opened

Deputy Prime Minister Aleksa Bečić, Minister of the Interior Danilo Šaranović, and Acting Director of the Police Administration Lazar Šćepanović officially opened the newly constructed Training Center for the Special Police Unit and the Police Special Task Force today in Podgorica. This modern complex represents one of Montenegro’s most significant security infrastructure investments to date.

Deputy Prime Minister Bečić emphasized the symbolic and strategic importance of this milestone.

Today, we are opening a new line of defence for Montenegro—not only against crime but against the loss of what it means to serve and love one's country. This Center sends a message: that Montenegro will never again be the property of a few families or a haven for organized crime. Never again. This will be the place where officers are trained to bow only to the law and the state—not the underworld, he said.

Addressing the elite units of the Montenegrin Police, Bečić underscored the importance of integrity and accountability within the police ranks.

Don’t let it happen that you know which officer is connected to organized crime, while we learn it from others. Don’t let us be the ones to expose them before you do. Because if you stay silent and we uncover the truth, you are no longer police officers—you are accomplices. Don’t be the ones to look a good man in the eye tomorrow, knowing that he no longer sees you as one of his own, he said.

He also extended his gratitude to all honest police officers.

Thank you for preserving the honor of this country when others sold it. Thank you for standing tall while others knelt before the mafia, he added.

Today we open a Center—but we close an era. An era in which police badges served private interests, not the people. An era in which everyone knew the truth, but no one dared to speak it. That time is over, Bečić concluded.

Interior Minister Danilo Šaranović stressed the importance of investing in human capital and operational readiness.

Human potential is, and will always be, the most vital asset of our security system. It is our duty to provide every professional police officer with both systemic and moral support, and to continuously create an environment that recognizes commitment and rewards professionalism. With the introduction of a 24/7 permanent duty model for the Special Police Unit, we are maximizing operational readiness to ensure the fastest possible response to high-risk and emergency situations. We will do everything necessary to be a Police force that is the state's most loyal guardian—and the harshest adversary of lawlessness and crime, Šaranović added.

Acting Police Director Lazar Šćepanović, who hosted the ceremony together with commanders Rakonjac and Pavićević, highlighted the dual significance of the event.

First, it represents tangible support from the Ministry and the Government in enhancing working conditions and continuously investing in the safety of Montenegrin citizens. Second, it restores the full autonomy and operational command of the Police Administration and both elite units after five years. During that period, these units were operating contrary to the Law on Internal Affairs in terms of leadership, command, and accountability—especially given their critical role in managing complex, high-risk operations and threats, he said.

The opening ceremony was attended by members of the Parliamentary Committee on Security and Defence, representatives of the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces of Montenegro, senior officials from the Police Academy, and heads of numerous units within the Police Administration.