The presentation of the 1st draft of the National Security Strategy

The Commission was founded based on the Decision of the Government of the Republic of Croatia of November 2016, composed of experts from various government administration bodies (ministries, the Office of the President of the Republic, experts from the security and intelligence services and others). The session was chaired by the main authority for the drafting of the Strategy, the Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of the Republic of Croatia, Damir Krstičević, and was attended by the Defence and National Security Advisor to the President of the Republic Maja Čavlović, the Chairman of the Defence Committee of the Croatian Parliament Igor Dragovan, the Chairman of the Foreign Policy Committee Miro Kovač and the Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces, General  Mirko Šundov.

The session intended to present the first draft of the National Security Strategy. The final draft is due in June, and the adoption by the Croatian Parliament in July 2017. The Strategy will follow the significant changes in the security paradigm emerging since 2002, when the current Strategy was adopted as well as the modern concept of security and security system. The approach to the drafting of the strategy has been altered in terms of the content, structure and competent authorities. Furthermore, the new Strategy will define the development of the concept of the homeland security and the respective Act on the Homeland Security System. 
“It was of critical importance  to include the entire concerned public, the opposition parties and all subjects who can contribute quality and up-to-date solutions in the domain of homeland security in the Republic of Croatia. We have to submit relevant and viable documents submit to the Croatian Parliament for adoption, as the national security is a matter of national interest and Croatia and of its citizens “, said Minister Krstičević. 

The Commission has worked intensively preparing the draft documents – the National Security Strategy and the Act on Homeland Securiy System-  since the founding. In addition to its third session held on 7th March session, it also held three workshops of the working groups and a series of daily meetings and consultations.
The drafting of the strategy is running as planned; in view of its complexity and the interest of the public, the documents will be presented for general debate and e-consultation by late April and during May 2017 to enable inputs, suggestions and critical remarks from potential contributors. 
As many as 150 officials have been engaged drafting the Strategy, including ministers, advisors, state secretaries, assistant  ministers, heads of agencies, university lecturers, journalists and others, engaged wither as members of the Commission or the various working groups as a function of their respective domains of expertise and research or interest. The overall process has involved the majority of the ministries of the Republic of Croatia.