12.12.2019.

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Depoliticisation of Security Services in the Region

Depoliticizing security services in Western Balkans is impossible without the joint insistence of citizens, media and civil society organizations, it was concluded at the discussion organized by Institute Alternative on 6 December 2019 in Podgorica, attended by BCSP Executive Director Predrag Petrovic. Petrovic warned that in Serbia the centralization of ...

Depoliticizing security services in Western Balkans is impossible without the joint insistence of citizens, media and civil society organizations, it was concluded at the discussion organized by Institute Alternative on 6 December 2019 in Podgorica, attended by BCSP Executive Director Predrag Petrovic.

Petrovic warned that in Serbia the centralization of power is being strengthened by the security services controlling institutions and different elements of society, helping to further capture the state. He recalled that people with ties to the Security Information Agency (BIA) or loyal to the ruling party were appointed to top positions.

“Former BIA chief Aleksandar Djordjevic is a friend of Aleksandar Vucic, and current BIA chief Bratislav Gasic is also the vice president of the ruling party. The Organized Crime Prosecutor's Office is led by Mladen Nenadic, who is a close friend of Djordjevic's. The tax administration is run by former BIA staff. That way you can take control of the whole system,” Petrovic said.

Alternative Institute (IA) researcher Dina Bajramspahic said that there is almost no oversight of the intelligence sector in Montenegro, or it is very weak. The National Security Agency (ANB) has modernized itself in the process of Montenegro's accession to NATO, but at the same time information about its work has become inaccessible to citizens.

“There is no oversight, or it is very superficial when it comes to the parliamentary committee, which only considers the annual report. Since 2010, MPs have shown no interest in going to the ANB and asking what is being done there. Security services reform is not a part of negotiations with the EU, but it has been in Macedonia. The security-intelligence sector should not be underestimated because it is a powerful apparatus, but when overestimated it leads to self-censorship of rights in the country,” said Bajramspahic.

Recalling the reform of the security services in Northern Macedonia after the wiretapping affair, Magdalena Lembovska of the Centre for European Strategies (EUROTHINK) stressed that there was a clear centralization prior to that period. She indicated that the security services reform was initiated through the so-called Priebe report, when the European Commission became involved in the oversight process.

“The scandal involving the wiretapping of politicians in power has launched a process, although the wiretapping was nothing strange to us, since journalists and opposition politicians were also subject to it. The affair caused a major crisis that ended with the dismissal of the Government,” Lembovska emphasized.

Half of the officers were dismissed after a security check. However, they were only transferred to the Ministry of Interior, Lembovska said.

Independent MP Aleksandar Damjanovic engaged in discussion from the audience, and reminded that there were replacements in the ANB due to the wiretapping of foreign diplomats, but that there was no effective control. Security services should be strong, but also under appropriate control, Damjanovic concluded.

This discussion is supported by European Fund for the Balkans within the regional program  through the project “Watching the Watchers: Towards Accountable Intelligence Services in the Western Balkans”, which is jointly implemented by Belgrade Centre for Security Policy from Serbia, Center for European Strategies – EUROTHINK from North Macedonia and Institute Alternative from Montenegro.

Tags: ..., &rdquo, alternative, depoliticisation, discussion, european, institute, intelligence, lembovska, macedonia, petrović, process, reform, region, security, services, wiretapping

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