The Committee members inspected the legality of operation of the Military Security Agency through direct insight into the data and findings contained in the documents no longer in the operative work stage. He Committee ascertained that the data and findings of the Military Security Agency contained in said documents comply with the service’s legally determined scope of operation and duties, and that there has been no illegal data collection outside of the Military Security Agency’s purview.
The Committee delegation reviewed the suitability of the organisational structure of the Military Security Agency for the security challenges, risks and threats the Ministry of Defence, Serbian Armed Forces and the entire security system are exposed to, as well as the conclusions of the Military Security Agency 2014 Annual Activity Analysis.
Since at the sitting of the Security Services Control Committee held on 28 January the Ombudsman brought up document SP 1696-1/14 of 14 November 2014, in the course of its supervisory visit the Committee checked the authenticity of the document and the legality of the Military Security Agency’s treatment of it.
The Committee found the abovementioned document to be authentic and in the Military Security Agency’s records. Analysing its content, the Committee found that the document contained some data and findings outside of the Military Security Agency’s purview as proscribed by the law. Consequently, the Committee ordered the Ministry of Defence Inspector General for security services to, within 15 days, conduct the necessary investigations, as stipulated by law, and ascertain the facts and responsibility for the collection of data and findings not in line with regulations and contained within the case file, and then report to the Committee on the results of the inspection and measures employed.
Considering that at the 13th sitting the Minister of Defence made allegations about irregularities in the procurement and use of the cell communication system monitoring device, in the course of the supervisory visit the Committee performed the necessary investigation of the situation surrounding the procurement and use of the device.
The Committee ascertained that in 2006, at the initiative of the Serbia and Montenegro Armed Forces General Staff Planning and Development Directorate G-5 and the proposal of the Ministry of Defence Supply Administration, the Minister of Defence of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro at the time, Zoran Stankovic decided to initiate the procedure for the procurement of a cell communication system monitoring device. According to the documentation and findings gathered, the Committee ascertained that there have been no irregularities or illegal activities in the procurement and use of the device.
The Security Services Control Committee will inform the Defence and Internal Affairs Committee on its findings as regards the procurement and use of said device.