PS: Police Housing Bonuses Only Feeble Attempt at Damage Control

Bratislava, August 28 (TASR) - Accommodation bonuses for members of the Police Corps are nothing but a cosmetic attempt to tackle an unaddressed problem, MP and ex-police chief Jaroslav Spisiak (PS) declared on Wednesday. Spisiak doesn't think that the bonuses will help persuade officers, who decided to leave the force, to change their minds. "Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) had plenty of time to deal with the danger of mass police retirements, as we've been warning him about it. We warned him that the security situation in Slovakia will change, due to the new Penal Code changes, and that the crime rate will go up. We were asking him whether he had any analyses, officers and state clerks. He hasn't responded, hasn't made any preparations and now he's only going for damage control," said Spisiak. Spisiak believes that once a police officer decides to leave the force, there are reasons behind the decision. "Most often it's that he or she no longer sees any potential in doing police work, there's no purpose, no motivation any more. And once people decide to leave, I'm not sure whether bonuses can sway their minds." In September-December, members of the police corps will be paid €100 housing bonuses monthly, hence an additional €400 to their regular salaries. mf/mcs