Podgorica, (MINA) – The Bureau for Operational Coordination of Intelligence and Security Sector Authorities (BOK) has once again called for urgent amendments to criminal legislation aimed at extending pre-trial detention for serious crimes until the delivery of first-instance verdicts, as well as introduction of violation of surveillance measures as a separate criminal offense.

BOK Coordinator and Deputy PM Aleksa Becic announced that the Bureau discussed several issues concerning the activities of intelligence and security sector at the session attended by Minister of Internal Affairs Danilo Saranovic.

He recalled that during the past two years, due to the inefficient actions of the judicial authorities, BOK had repeatedly publicly called for legal amendments to extend pre-trial detention for serious crimes from three to five years until first-instance verdicts are delivered, as well as introduction of the violation of supervisory measures as a separate criminal offense.

“BOK once again appeals, insists and demands that urgent amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code and the Criminal Code be adopted as soon as possible, as they directly affect the rule of law, the fight against organized crime and the security situation”, Becic said in a press release.

He said that BOK emphasized the need for the adoption of the laws on Internal Affairs and on the National Security Agency, especially from the aspect of strengthening personnel capacities and integrity protection.