President Milanović Proposes the Appointment of Daniel Markić as Acting Director of SOA to the Prime Minister

The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović has sent a letter to Prime Minister Andrej Plenković yesterday, 11 March, in which, in accordance with his constitutional and legal powers, he has proposed the appointment of Daniel Markić as acting director of the Security and Intelligence Agency (SOA) from the expiry of his term on 5 May 2024 until the appointment of a new SOA director, and for a period not exceeding two months. Attached to the letter was a proposal of the Decision to Appoint the Acting Director of the SOA.

The text of President Milanović’s letter sent to the Prime Minister yesterday with an explanation of the proposal follows:

“Dear Mr. Prime Minister,

As you are aware, the term of the director of the Security and Intelligence Agency Daniel Markić expires on 5 May 2024. Given the announcement of the dissolution of the Croatian Parliament effective 14 March 2024, it is apparent that the term of the SOA director will expire in early May when the new Government of the Republic of Croatia will most likely not be formed therefore it will not be possible to proceed with the legal procedure to appoint the SOA director.

Until now you have rejected without rational explanation a proposal – while you are still Prime Minister, and before the dissolution of the Croatian Parliament – to appoint the director and the deputy director of the SOA, as established by Article 66 of the Law on the Security-Intelligence System of the Republic of Croatia. Moreover, you have not shown the least interest to proceed with amendments to bylaws which would improve the functioning of the SOA thereby avoid a new “Turudić case”.

So as to avoid a situation in which the SOA has no director, and a deputy director has not been appointed, I propose that together, in accordance with our constitutional and legal powers, we appoint Daniel Markić acting director of the SOA from the expiry of his term on 5 May 2024 until the appointment of a new SOA director, and for a period not exceeding two months. I underline that in any case I will insist that a deputy director be appointed in addition to the SOA director as established by law. You will find attached a proposal of the Decision to Appoint the SOA’s Acting Director therefore, if you agree, I ask you to sign it and return it to me for my co-signature. Should you have a different proposal or an amendment to the attached Decision, feel free to contact me”.