Security Intelligence Agency

The Security Intelligence Agency (Serbian: Безбедносно-информативна агенција / Bezbednosno-informativna agencija; abbr. BIA) is a national intelligence agency of Serbia. The agency is responsible for collecting, reporting and disseminating intelligence, and conducting counter-intelligence in the interest of Serbia's national security.[3]

Security Intelligence Agency
Безбедносно-информативна агенција (БИА)
Bezbednosno-informativna agencija (BIA)
Emblem of the BIA
Agency overview
Formed1 August 2002
Preceding agency
JurisdictionSerbia
HeadquartersKraljice Ane Street, Belgrade, Serbia
Employees1,953 (2011)[1]
Annual budget€56.40 million (2020, planned)[2]
Minister responsible
Agency executive
Websitewww.bia.gov.rs

History

The Security Intelligence Agency (BIA) was formed on 1 August 2002 as the successor of State Security Service (SDB), which existed from 1991 to 2002.[4]

Its function is similar to that of the CIA in the United States or the MI6 in the United Kingdom.

2017–present

In May 2017, Bratislav Gašić, former Minister of Defence and close associate of outgoing Prime Minister and newly elected President, Aleksandar Vučić, was appointed as the head of the Security Intelligence Agency.[5] Following his appointment, Gašić suspended his activities in the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).[6]

In August 2017, an amendments to the Law on the Security and Information Agency, which strengthen the authorities of the agency's director, have arrived in the National Assembly for adoption.[7] This move was condemned by several officials including the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance Rodoljub Šabić and former co-Minister of Internal Affairs Božo Prelević.[8] They have stated that these amendments are unconstitutional and thus way creating a platform for "party's intelligence agency" of SNS, aimed at the opposition and "domestic traitors" who disagree with the ruling regime.[8][9]

Directors

Source: [10]

Status
  Denotes service as acting Director
No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)		 Took office Left office
– Andreja Savić
(born 1947)		 1 August 2002 24 January 2003
1 Miša Milićević
(born 1960)		 25 January 2003 6 March 2004
2 Rade Bulatović
(born 1958)		 6 March 2004 17 July 2008
3 Saša Vukadinović
(born 1972)		 17 July 2008 3 August 2012
4 Nebojša Rodić
(born 1953)		 3 August 2012 3 September 2013
– Dragan Marković
(born 1965)		 3 September 2013 25 October 2013
5 Aleksandar Đorđević
(born 1970)		 25 October 2013 23 May 2017
6 Bratislav Gašić
(born 1967)		 23 May 2017 Incumbent

See also

References
  1. "U BIA radi oko 2.000 bezbednjaka". b92.net (in Serbian). 14 April 2011. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  2. "ЗАКОН О БУЏЕТУ РЕПУБЛИКЕ СРБИЈЕ ЗА 2020. ГОДИНУ" (PDF). parlament.gov.rs. Народна скупштина Републике Србије. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  3. "About Agency / Security Information Agency". www.bia.gov.rs.
  4. "Period between 1945 and 2002 / History / Security Information Agency". www.bia.gov.rs.
  5. Zivanovic, Maja (22 May 2017). "Sacked Minister To Head Serbian Security Agency". balkaninsight.com. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
  6. "Gašić zamrznuo stranačke funkcije zbog direktorskog mesta u BIA". Blic.rs (in Serbian). 23 May 2017. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
  7. "Zakon koji jača ovlašćenja direktora BIA stigao u Skupštinu". n1info.com (in Serbian). Tanjug. 30 August 2017. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
  8. "Šabić: Izmene Zakona o BIA u suprotnosti sa Ustavom". n1info.com (in Serbian). Retrieved 3 September 2017.
  9. Nikolić, Maja (31 August 2017). "Prelević o BIA: Fokus će biti na unutrašnjem neprijatelju". n1info.com (in Serbian). Retrieved 3 September 2017.
  10. "Serbian ministries, etc". rulers.org. B. Schemmel. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
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