The Chairman of the Expert Commission on Intelligence Reform,Kalman Kocsis, on Friday presented a draft Law on Intelligence and Security Agency to the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown.
The Commission, which was established by the High Representatrive on 29 May and tasked with producing a draft law by 1 August, has spent the last two months laying the legislative groundwork for setting up a single intelligence structure in BiH, in line with democratic principles and practice elsewhere in Europe.
“The Commission has made a major contribution to a legislative project that will deliver real benefits to the people of BiH,” the High Representative said. “Our object is to establish a single intelligence service in BiH that is efficient and non-political. There is no place in a European BiH for the discredited and politicised intelligence operations of the past, and the legislation that is presented to parliament must ensure that never again will the citizens of this country live in fear of their intelligence service.”
“We have worked hard to draft a Law that is in line with the highest European standards, but which allows the Agency to take up the fight against terrorism, organized crime and other threats to the State and the region,” Ambassador Kocsis said.
The High Representative will consider the draft law before sending it for review by international experts. He has asked Ambassador Kocsis to reconvene the Commission in September to consider any proposed amendments.