Since Croatian independence the central body for conducting affairs in national security had been the Bureau for the Protection of the Constitutional Order (UZUP) which was founded on 27 May 1991. UZUP was replaced on 21 March 1993 by the National Security Office (UNS). UNS authorities were regulated with the adoption of the Act on the National Security Office on 17 May 1995.
The objectives and tasks of the intelligence community were determined by the Joint National Security Committee (SONS) and the Intelligence Community Coordination Committee (KOOZ). The task for SONS was to direct and harmonize the work of state ministries in conducting national security affairs, whilst KOOZ was responsible for conducting tasks received from SONS.
The core of the intelligence community in Croatia comprised four services that conducted intelligence work:
• Croatian Intelligence Service (HIS)
• Service for the Protection of the Constitutional Order of Croatia (SZUP)
• Security Service of the Ministry of Defense (SIS)
• Directorate of Intelligence Affairs of the Croatian Armed Forces General Staff (ObU GSOSRH)
The Croatian president provided the guidelines for the work of UNS and the Croatian intelligence community. The UNS chief and state ministers determined tasks set for services out of their areas of responsibility. Other than UNS and services, the wider circle of the intelligence apparatus also comprised anti-crime police, military police, customs service and financial police whose representatives could be called upon at KOOZ meetings.
The Security Services Act from 2002 provided the legislative basis for the forming of three security services:
• Intelligence Agency (OA)
• Counterintelligence Agency (POA)
• Military Security Agency (VSA)
The National Security Council (VNS) was formed for achieving cooperation of the Croatian president with the Government in directing work of security services. The Council for Coordinating Security Services was formed for coordinating the operative work of security services.
In 2006 OA and POA merged in Security-Intelligence Agency (SOA).