Low applicant numbers lead Serbia to extend elite police unit recruitment

Serbia's Ministry of Internal Affairs has extended the application period for its elite Special Anti-Terrorist Unit (SAJ), citing a need for a more thorough selection process. However, unofficial reports suggest the primary reason is a significantly low number of applicants compared to previous years.

As of the extended deadline of August 11, only 134 candidates had applied for the SAJ positions. This figure is notably lower than the 403 applications received last year, when the deadline was also extended. The ministry officially stated that the extension is intended to ensure a "more qualitative and efficient selection process," allowing candidates time to supplement incomplete documentation.

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The decision to extend the competition was made solely to conduct a more qualitative and efficient candidate selection process.

While the ministry reported strong interest in other units, such as the Unit for Personal and Object Security (JZO) which received 795 applications for 100 positions, the SAJ's recruitment appears to be struggling. This low turnout comes amid reports of a significant number of SAJ members leaving the unit following the replacement of its commander, Spasoje Vulević. Unofficial sources attribute these departures to difficulties adapting to new conditions and the atmosphere created by Vulević's successor, Igor Žmirić.

The ministry has downplayed these reports, stating that only 15 officers left the unit, with four being reassigned. However, the low application numbers for the SAJ, contrasted with the high interest in the JZO, suggest a potential underlying issue with recruitment for the specialized anti-terrorist force. President Aleksandar Vučić had previously inquired about the SAJ's recruitment numbers, receiving an optimistic report that has since been contradicted by the extended deadline.

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six candidates for one job