National security system of the Republic of Croatia

Evolution of intelligence community in Croatia

1991 - 2002

During the 1990s, the central body responsible for conducting national security operations was the Office for the Protection of Constitutional Order (UZUP). The UZUP was founded on 27 May 1991 following the Croatian President’s decision. UZUP ceased to exist and function on 21 March 1993 when, by the decision of the President of the Republic, the National Security Office (UNS) was established. With the adoption of the National Security Office Act on 17 May 1995, UNS was included in the legislative framework.
The intelligence community goals and tasks were set by the Joint National Security Committee (SONS) and the Intelligence Community Coordination Committee (KOOZ). SONS was in charge of directing and coordinating state ministries in conducting national security operations, whereas KOOZ was responsible for the execution of tasks given by SONS.

The core of the intelligence community consisted of four intelligence agencies:

The Croatian President provided guidelines for UNS and the Croatian intelligence community operations. The UNS director and state ministers assigned tasks to the services under their authority. The yearly operational plan of the intelligence community was prepared by KOOZ and it included projects and operative actions in which two or more services were required to take part. SONS approved the yearly operational plan of the intelligence community and supervised its implementation.
Aside from the above mentioned UNS and the agencies, a wider security-system circle also included the Criminal Police, the Military Police, the Customs Service, and the Financial Police, whose representatives could be invited to participate in the KOOZ sessions.

2002 - 2006

In 2002, the Croatian Parliament passed the Security Services of the Republic of Croatia Act, and the National Security Strategy of the Republic of Croatia.
In accordance with this Act three security and intelligence services were founded:

To facilitate the cooperation between the Croatian President and the Prime Minister in directing security and intelligence services operations, the National Security Council was founded. Furthermore, in order for the operative coordination of the security and intelligence services operations to be realized, the Council for Coordination of Security and Intelligence Agencies was founded.
The Office of the National Security Council was founded for the purpose of performing expert and administrative operations for the National Security Council and the Council for Coordination of Security and Intelligence Agencies.

The security and intelligence system today

In mid 2006, the security intelligence system in the Republic of Croatia was reformed by passing the Security Intelligence System of the Republic of Croatia Act. In accordance with this Act two security and intelligence services were established – the Security and Intelligence Agency (SOA) and the Military Security and Intelligence Agency (VSOA).