Croatia's National Security Council meets

Croatia's National Security Council met on Monday to discuss relations with neighbouring countries in light of migration, and it decided to establish cooperation between Croatian security and intelligence agencies and partner services in foreign countries.

A statement issued by the President's Office said that the meeting, the second this year, was convened by President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, who also serves as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, and Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic.

The Council discussed information security and, with regard to non-classified information, it adopted two decisions and one recommendation for state authorities, mostly to raise the awareness, knowledge and efficiency of state institutions. It also discussed relations with neighbours and migration trends in the region.

The Council approved cooperation with security and intelligence agencies in partner countries and adopted annual guidelines for the work of the security and intelligence agencies for 2019 and the annual plan for the work of the coordinating body of the homeland security system for next year, the statement said.

Although unofficial sources in the President's Office and the government had previously announced that among the topics to be discussed at the meeting would be the so-called fake text messages affair, there was no mention of it in the statement.

The scandal concerns the fabrication by former police IT specialist Franjo Varga of false text messages between former chief state prosecutor Dinko Cvitan and a judge in the trial of former Dinamo Football Club boss Zdravko Mamic. The purpose of the false correspondence was to show that Cvitan tried to exert pressure on the judge to convict Mamic.

In his deposition to investigators, Varga also spoke about his cooperation with former HDZ leader Tomislav Karamarko and his deputy Milijan Brkic as well as with former Agrokor owner Ivica Todoric and presidential defence and national security adviser Vlado Galic, who had introduced Varga to Karamarko.

Media reports have said that Grabar-Kitarovic was also involved in the affair and that she attempted to topple the government of Prime Minister Plenkovic. She has resolutely dismissed such speculation.

Galic stepped down as presidential adviser last week, citing "moral and ethical reasons", and Grabar-Kitarovic accepted his resignation.

Another issue that was to be discussed by the National Security Council was problems surrounding the agreed purchase of F-16 fighter jets from Israel.

Text: Hina

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