The police commander exerted pressure on union members to discontinue their strike action on two separate occasions. In February and December 2011, the Independent Trade Union of Police (NPSS) organised strikes in protest at unsatisfactory wages and working conditions. Both strikes were organised lawfully, respecting the minimum service requirements.
According to NPSS President Velimir Barbulov, during the strike which started on 2 February, the heads of certain police administrations were instructed to press union members to stop their strike, and were threatened with demotion if they failed to do so. The strike was called off on 15 February after agreement with the Ministry of Interior which was followed by the signing of a collective agreement for the police forces on 28 February.
During the strike that started on 12 December in protest at violations of the collective agreement, police officer Nenad Bošković from the police station in Babušnica, suffered daily insults and harassment from his commanding officers, including the Head of Police Administration Pirot Goran Krstić, who on 17 December attempted to physically attack Bošković. Following Bošković’s request for legal protection, the NPSS applied for disciplinary procedures against Krstić, and filed charges with the Minor Offences Court in Pirot, and instigated criminal proceedings against him with the Basic Public Prosecutor Office in Pirot.