No. 07-00-192/2017-02  Date: 25 July  2017

OPINION

The present opinion was issued following a complaint procedure on account of a complaint lodged by U.D.K. on behalf of members of this association as well as on behalf of U.M.S., U.P.K. and D.C.P., against the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, Police Administration Kraljevo – Administrative Affairs Department, on account of discrimination of persons with disabilities. In its complaint, the complainant stated that the premises of Administrative Affairs Department of Kraljevo Police Administration were inaccessible to persons with physical disabilities as there was neither an access ramp nor a platform which would make access to police premises where personal documents are issued possible for persons with disabilities. In his declaration responding to allegations made by the complainant in their complaint, the Head of Kraljevo Police Administration stated that Kraljevo Police Administration receives applications pertaining to administrative affairs at its head office at three locations, namely at the seat of the Police Administration, at the Police local office in Ribnica and at the Police Department in Ušće. Furthermore, the respondent stated that at the seat of the Police Administration there indeed was neither an access ramp nor a platform which would make access to police premises where personal documents are issued, possible for persons with disabilities as there were no technical conditions to do so, that the Police Administration had made it possible for citizens to submit applications for the issuance of personal identification documents at the Police local office in Ribnica where persons with disabilities can access police premises without difficulties, and that at the Police Department in Ušće ’’there is neither an access ramp nor a platform, but we are talking here about one step and one step only“. In the course of the complaint procedure it has been ascertained that at the entrance of Kraljevo Police Administration and Police Department in Ušće there was neither an access ramp nor a platform which would enable persons with disabilities to access police premises, as well as that all three locations utilized by Kraljevo Police Administration were inaccessible to persons with disabilities since there was neither a desk or a window nor a toilette accessible to persons with disabilities, which constitutes a violation of provisions of the Law on the Prevention of Discrimination of Persons with Disabilities and provisions of the Law on the Prohibition of Discrimination. For this reason, the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality issued a recommendation to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Kraljevo Police Administration to take measures aimed at ensuring access to persons with disabilities to premises of Kraljevo Police Administration in order to provide persons with disabilities with access to services, and to refrain from violating anti-discrimination provisions when performing its regular work and activities.