Parliament debates draft on military agencies

BELGRADE The Security Services Control Committee proposed on Monday to MPs to accept in principle amendments to a law on two military agencies. The amendments concern the Law on the Military Security Agency (VBA) and Military Intelligence Agency (VOA). Parliament debates draft on military agencies At the same time the largest opposition party, the Democratic Party (DS), announced its support for the law. The amendments envisage that secret electronic surveillance of telecommunications and information systems for the sake of collection of retained data on telecommunications traffic, without access to its contents, will in future be performed only based on a court decision. VBA Director Svetko Kovac said at the committee meeting that the Constitutional Court declared the legal provision on secret surveillance unconstitutional and that it has not been applied after that, which slowed down and obstructed the work of VBA and VOA. He added that it was necessary to find a way how to work in urgent situations such as international terrorism and emergencies and not affect the effectiveness of military agencies. Dragan Sutanovac, a DS MP and former defense minister, stated that the proposed amendments were expected and that the Democrats will support them. The amendments were proposed by the Serbian government on the grounds that application of special procedures and measures of secret surveillance are still necessary for the VBA's operational work, since they represent one of the important instruments of security in democratic practice which has become legally inevitable when it comes to fighting terrorism, organized crime and corruption. However, the proposed amendments are less infringing upon human rights and freedoms, the government's explanation reads. Serbian Defence Minister Aleksandar Vucic stated late on Monday that the Military Security Agency (VBA) and the Military Intelligence Agency (VOA) never disclosed any documents nor was there any case of political blackmail. "VBA and VOA never disclosed any documents, nor was there any political blackmailing involved, nor was any kind of dirty linen revealed by the Serbian Armed Forces or the Defense Ministry as was the case in some other institutions, Vucic said at the end of the parliament debate on the amendments to the law. He said that the agencies have a clear book of regulations as to the performance of security checks, which the Interior Ministry or Security Information Agency (BIA) do not have it. “We have a clear book of regulations as to the performance of the checks, it is completely transparent and is being used consistently, while other institutions do not have such a document, not even the Interior Ministry nor BIA,” Vucic said and added that it is only natural for the army to have its problems, but it is always protecting the country and it is the institution with the smallest number of scandals, which is why the army has the greatest confidence of Serbian citizens. He reiterated that other countries with which Serbia is cooperating in multinational UN and EU peacekeeping missions also have a high degree of trust in the Serbian Armed Forces. An amendment sent in by ombudsman Sasa Jankovic would only allow the Military Security Agency and the Intelligence Agency to pass on information gathered outside their jurisdiction, to other services and the police, in matters of national security or in cases of the most serious crimes. Aleksandar Vucic (Tanjug) Beta Tanjug

Parliament debates draft on military agencies

At the same time the largest opposition party, the Democratic Party (DS), announced its support for the law.

The amendments envisage that secret electronic surveillance of telecommunications and information systems for the sake of collection of retained data on telecommunications traffic, without access to its contents, will in future be performed only based on a court decision.

VBA Director Svetko Kovač said at the committee meeting that the Constitutional Court declared the legal provision on secret surveillance unconstitutional and that it has not been applied after that, which slowed down and obstructed the work of VBA and VOA.

He added that it was necessary to find a way how to work in urgent situations such as international terrorism and emergencies and not affect the effectiveness of military agencies.

Dragan Šutanovac, a DS MP and former defense minister, stated that the proposed amendments were expected and that the Democrats will support them.

The amendments were proposed by the Serbian government on the grounds that application of special procedures and measures of secret surveillance are still necessary for the VBA's operational work, since they represent one of the important instruments of security in democratic practice which has become legally inevitable when it comes to fighting terrorism, organized crime and corruption.

However, the proposed amendments are less infringing upon human rights and freedoms, the government's explanation reads.

Serbian Defence Minister Aleksandar Vučić stated late on Monday that the Military Security Agency (VBA) and the Military Intelligence Agency (VOA) never disclosed any documents nor was there any case of political blackmail.

"VBA and VOA never disclosed any documents, nor was there any political blackmailing involved, nor was any kind of dirty linen revealed by the Serbian Armed Forces or the Defense Ministry as was the case in some other institutions, Vučić said at the end of the parliament debate on the amendments to the law.

He said that the agencies have a clear book of regulations as to the performance of security checks, which the Interior Ministry or Security Information Agency (BIA) do not have it.

“We have a clear book of regulations as to the performance of the checks, it is completely transparent and is being used consistently, while other institutions do not have such a document, not even the Interior Ministry nor BIA,” Vučić said and added that it is only natural for the army to have its problems, but it is always protecting the country and it is the institution with the smallest number of scandals, which is why the army has the greatest confidence of Serbian citizens.

He reiterated that other countries with which Serbia is cooperating in multinational UN and EU peacekeeping missions also have a high degree of trust in the Serbian Armed Forces.

An amendment sent in by ombudsman Saša Janković would only allow the Military Security Agency and the Intelligence Agency to pass on information gathered outside their jurisdiction, to other services and the police, in matters of national security or in cases of the most serious crimes.