National Security Agency (Montenegro)


The National Security Agency is the national intelligence agency of Montenegro. Its headquarters are located in Podgorica.
According to the law governing ANB, the agency is tasked with collecting, storing, analyzing, assessing, exchanging and guarding
ANB is also responsible for counterintelligence protection of Parliament of Montenegro, Government of Montenegro, President of Montenegro, and other Government bodies and ministries, pertaining to activities significant to security of personnel, buildings and assets of aforementioned institutions.

History

Contemporary history of state intelligence in Montenegro can be traced to 13 May 1944, when OZNA was formed, as part of Yugoslav People's Army, with autonomous center of territorial intelligence in Montenegro. OZNA was split from the Army in March 1946, and incorporated in Ministry of Interior, thus becoming civilian intelligence agency. Within the Yugoslav army, KOS was formed as military counterintelligence agency, while civilian branch was renamed UDB.
In May 2005, National Security Agency was formed as a separate Government agency, inheriting the employees and assets from Montenegrin UDB.
In June 2014, the Associated Press published a statement made by an unnamed NATO source that between 25 and 50 Montenegrin intelligence officers had close links to Russia, a report that was denied by the Montenegrin officials; a Montenegrin political analyst commented that against the backdrop of talk about the country′s Euro-Atlantic integration, Russian tycoons were unhindered in taking over state resources through a network of organized crime and corruption.

Directors