Lack of Funds Hobbles Police

“The boat cannot move as there is no money for maintenance,” was the cry of Prespes mayor Vasilis Tsepas, who spoke to the Athens News Agency after the shootout in the area that claimed the life of a border guard and two poachers.

The police officers had to check out an area after walking 1.5 kilometers in treacherous terrain, in the dark, while they could have reached the spot quickly and under relative cover in the aforementioned craft.

Lack of funding is also keeping another three boats in dock, at Megali Prespa lake.

The mayor also decried security conditions in his area where three borders (Greece, Albania, FYROM) meet, mentioning livestock rustling, poaching of fish and wildlife, illegal lumbering, drug and human trafficking, and other cross-border crimes as degrading citizen's lives.

Mr. Tsepas notes that although 96 officers had been hired to serve in the area, only 15 remain, and counting leaves they end up being practically 12.

The local official noted that almost all of the criminal activity comes from the Albanian side of the border, while there are very few problems crossing over from FYROM.