As parliamentary democracy developed in the Republic of Croatia, reforms in security system were continued.
As a result, a Security Services Act was passed in 2002 (hereinafter: ZOSS) which defined three new services – the Counter-Intelligence Agency (formerly SZUP), the Intelligence Agency (formerly HIS) and the Military Security Agency (formerly SIS). The Counter-Intelligence Agency (hereinafter: POA) planned and performed counter-intelligence operations in the country, as well as collected, analyzed, processed and evaluated data on foreign intelligence activities and activities of particular persons, groups and organizations on the territory of the Republic of Croatia aimed at threatening the national security.
Similarly, POA was involved in counter-intelligence protection and provided safety for protected persons, property and space defined by government decrees, as well as major gatherings and meetings at the request of the Government of the Republic of Croatia. In order to secure counter-intelligence protection POA performed security vettings of persons entrusted with classified data or objects of special interest, persons with access to such data and objects, persons employed, or to be employed, in state administration and special state authority services, as well as legal persons performing operations relevant for the national security.
POA Directors, from 2003 to 2006
- Assistant Minister of Interior / SZUP Director
from 11 February 2000 to 04 May 2003,
and from 05 May 2003 to 14 March 2004,
POA Director
- POA Director
from 15 March 2004 to 11 December 2004
- POA Director
from 11 December 2004 to 13 September 2006