The Intelligence and Security Agency (OSA) of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) got a new director, Almir Dzuvo. Military security analyst Safet Music commented on the challenges that Dzuvo and OSA will face.
Music noted that the basic mission of all intelligence services, including OSA, is the collection, analysis and processing of intelligence and counter-intelligence information that serves decision-makers at the state level for some of their future activities, especially on sensitive police, security and safety issues.
“As the director or head of the Intelligence Service, the basic role is to lead and manage all processes, especially when it comes to countries that are in transition and countries that fall into some areas that are quite sensitive to intelligence activities and countries in the environment, and according to some the information of the majority of countries that practice that intelligence work,” says Music.
Challenges for the new director of OSA BiH
He points out that for Dzuvo, who has a new mandate at the head of the OSA, the same obligations remain in terms of counter-intelligence and protection of information in BiH, as well as protection from the intelligence activities of other foreign services.
“I think that a lot of attention should be paid to the current war in Ukraine, which is already having consequences in some way in neighboring countries, and is visible in the whole of Europe in some way. If nothing else, in the part that concerns the intensification of intelligence and counter-intelligence work. In the coming period, we should focus on those activities that concern the consequences, but also the transmission of certain and hybrid ways of warfare to our region and BiH“, Musicpoints out as the first task of the new head of the OSA BiH.
Music says that after that there are regular security challenges that are characteristic of this modern age, such as cyber threats, threats related to extremism including right-wing extremism, and he notes that right-wing extremism is also assessed at the Europen Union (EU) level as a serious security threat and something that is on the rise. Especially if the states are behind those organizations and activities, and such examples exist.
“Then there are specific activities that concern the Balkans, that is, the region, and relate to organized crime and corruption, and in the coming period, BiH should be more actively involved. These are the intentions of the EU and other partner countries,” explains Music.
He concludes that if there are certain reforms within the OSA BiH, we should pay attention and strengthen “the part related to defense activities, the priority is cooperation with NATO and the exchange of information, but the priority is a better understanding of military threats, that is, military activities in the world. This should be strengthened within OSA BiH itself”, Klix.ba reports.
E.Dz.