2009 Country Reports on Terrorism - Croatia
Publisher | United States Department of State |
Publication Date | 5 August 2010 |
Cite as | United States Department of State, 2009 Country Reports on Terrorism - Croatia, 5 August 2010, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4c63b64d8.html [accessed 6 June 2023] |
Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
In 2009, Croatia started the drafting process for an action plan to implement its national strategy for the prevention and suppression of terrorism. Croatia expanded its extensive counterterrorism legal framework by passing the Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act, which entered into force in January.
In 2009, Croatia chaired the UN Security Council's Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC). Croatia supported U.S. efforts in the 1267 Committee. Croatia also advocated providing further financial support to the Counterterrorism Implementation Task Force. The Croatian Interagency Working Group on Suppression of Terrorism amended its mandate adding UNSCR 1624 to the UNSC Resolutions it was already charged with implementing, such as UNSCRs 1267, 1373, and 1566.
Croatia is currently issuing biometric passports. In addition, Croatia signed a number of agreements in 2009 with the United States that strengthened information sharing and cooperation between U.S. and Croatian immigration, law enforcement, and security agencies. Croatia also worked with the State Department's Export Control and Border Security program to improve security along its 750 mile border with Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia, as well as to monitor the country's 6,000 miles of coastline.
The multinational Special Forces military exercise "Jackal Stone 09" held in September in Croatia had approximately 1,500 participants from 10 countries, including the United States, and developed the capabilities of the participants in countering terrorism.
During 2009, Croatia chaired the Council of Europe's Committee of Counterterrorism Experts (CODEXTER). Following up on a Croatian initiative to develop cross-regional cooperation in counterterrorism, the Council, Spain, and the Organization of American States organized a Conference on Cyber Security in Spain in April. Under CODEXTER's umbrella, Croatia kept an updated self-assessing Country Profile that summarized Croatia's counterterrorism activities.
Croatia worked closely with the OSCE's Action against Terrorism Unit. This resulted in a joint Croatian-OSCE workshop addressing cyber-security issues such as terrorist use of the Internet, held in Zagreb in November. More than 140 national representatives, as well as 20 internationally recognized experts from academia, business, and government, participated in this event.
As part of international efforts to counter violent extremists, Croatia participated in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, contributing approximately 300 troops. Croatia joined NATO in April and began contributing to the Alliance's counterterrorism efforts.