After three months of turmoil, it seems that the Security Intelligence Agency will finally be getting a new director.
According to media reports, Dragan Lozančić, director of the Security Intelligence Agency, has resigned, after months of controversy about whether and why he should be dismissed, reports hr.n1info.com on May 2, 2016.
Three months ago, President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović signed his dismissal due to alleged violations of the law, adding that she had lost her confidence in Lozančić. However, Prime Minister Tihomir Orešković, whose countersignature was needed for the dismissal to become official, refused to sign the decision.
About a month and a half ago, the President and the Prime Minister finally came to an agreement to appoint Daniel Markić as the new director of the Security Intelligence Agency, instead of Lozančić.
It is expected that the Parliamentary Committee on Internal Affairs and National Security will meet on Wednesday to discuss the appointment of Markić as the new Security Intelligence Agency director. According to the Committee Chairman Ranko Ostojić (SDP), the Committee could not discuss his appointment earlier since Lozančić had not been dismissed nor had he resigned. Now, it seems that the conditions for the appointment of Markić have been fulfilled.
First Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Karamarko (HDZ) repeatedly requested Lozančić’s dismissal, but he did not support the appointment of Markić as his successor. He reportedly had his own candidate for the position, but was refused by the Prime Minister.
