ZAGREB, Jan 29 (Hina) - Croatian Interior Minister Ivan Penic on Friday said opening of the question on the work of intelligence services and the wire-tapping affair was an attempt to destabilise the state. Croatian National
Parliament vice-president Vladimir Seks announced the possibility that a public parliament discussion on the subject would not take place to protect the confidentiality of information. "The (ruling) Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and I, personally, are not avoiding speaking about the work of security services, but we do not wish to take part in a purposefully construed wire-tapping affair which is used by a part of the media to mislead the public," Penic said at a news conference Friday. Penic dismissed 'attacks' on security and intelligence services, especially on the Interior Ministry's Service for the Protection of Constitutional Order, citing numerous legal provisions which speak of
ZAGREB, Jan 29 (Hina) - Croatian Interior Minister Ivan Penic on
Friday said opening of the question on the work of intelligence
services and the wire-tapping affair was an attempt to destabilise
the state.
Croatian National Parliament vice-president Vladimir Seks
announced the possibility that a public parliament discussion on
the subject would not take place to protect the confidentiality of
information.
"The (ruling) Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and I, personally,
are not avoiding speaking about the work of security services, but
we do not wish to take part in a purposefully construed wire-tapping
affair which is used by a part of the media to mislead the public,"
Penic said at a news conference Friday.
Penic dismissed 'attacks' on security and intelligence services,
especially on the Interior Ministry's Service for the Protection of
Constitutional Order, citing numerous legal provisions which speak
of the authority, tasks and internal and external mechanisms of
supervision of the work of intelligence services.
Asked if there had been any irregularities in the work of
intelligence services, Penic said "Croatian secret services did
and will continue to do what they have to in the interest of Croatian
national security".
He added "there is no such discipline in any state service as there
is at the Interior Ministry".
Seks said in all Council of Europe member-countries, the
parliamentary control of secret services was carried out
exclusively through permanent committees whose work is closed for
the public.
"This does not mean that there will be no parliamentary discussion
(at the Croatian National Sabor), but it must be held within the
framework of constitutional and legal order, taking into
consideration the protection of information confidentiality,"
Seks stressed.
(hina) lml mm