CROATIA INTERESTED IN SOFIA CYBERSECURITY

UNCLAS ZAGREB 001677

SIPDIS


STATE FOR PM/MMARKOFF

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON KCIP EINT PREL HR
SUBJECT: CROATIA INTERESTED IN SOFIA CYBERSECURITY
CONFERENCE

REF: STATE 195750

SUMMARY


1. THE GOC HAS NO SPECIFIC NATIONAL PLAN FOR
CYBERSECURITY AT THIS TIME, BUT IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM
AND TAKING STEPS TO ADDRESS IT AS PART OF A LARGER
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY. THE GOC WILL LIKELY
ATTEND THE SOFIA CYBERSECURITY CONFERENCE (REFTEL),BUT
WILL ONLY DETERMINE WHO TO SEND FROM THE GOVERNMENT'S
OFFICE OF INTERNETIZATION, MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY, AND MINISTRY OF MARITIME AFFAIRS,
TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATIONS ONCE THE STRUCTURE
(AND LEVEL OF ATTENDANCE) OF THE CONFERENCE IS
DETERMINED. END SUMMARY.


2. WE DISCUSSED REFTEL ISSUES WITH MLADEN MAUHER, HEAD
OF THE GOVERNMENT OFFICE FOR INTERNETIZATION AND OVERALL
COORDINATER FOR CYBERSECURITY ISSUES, AND DIJANA SIMIC,
ASSISTANT MINISTER AT THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY. SIMIC SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS
DEVELOPING A STRATEGY OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FOR THE
21ST CENTURY, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE AN EXAMINATION OF
CROATIA'S CYBERSECURITY NEEDS.


3. CROATIA IS A SIGNATORY TO THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE'S
CONVENTION ON CYBERSECURITY. IT IS PASSING A SERIES OF
LAWS AND REGULATIONS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE, INCLUDING: A
LAW ON ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES WHICH WAS PASSED LAST YEAR,
A DRAFT LAW ON COMMUNICATIONS IN THE WORKS, AND AN
ELECTRONIC COMMERCE LAW WHICH IS CURRENTLY IN DRAFT AND
EXPECTED TO GO TO THE PARLIAMENT THIS FALL.


4. A GOVERNMENT AGENCY CALLED CARNET (CROATIAN ACADEMIC
AND RESEARCH NETWORK) OPERATES A 24/7 OPERATION THAT
TRACKS AND RESPONDS TO PROBLEMS AND CYBER THREATS TO
CROATIA'S INFORMATION NETWORKS.


5. MAUHER AND SIMIC SAID THAT DEPENDING ON THE
STRUCTURE AND LEVEL OF THE CONFERENCE, MAUHER, SIMIC,
AND POSSIBLY TATJANA HOLJEVAC, ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR
COMMUNICATIONS, WOULD ATTEND. IF THE CONFERENCE IS AT
MORE OF A TECHNICAL AND EXPERT LEVEL, SUSANA STOJANOVIC,
ADVISOR IN OFFICE OF INTERNETIZATION AND EXPERT IN
SECURITY ISSUES, PERHAPS AN EXPERT FROM SIMIC'S OFFICE,
AND MIHO PITAREVIC FROM HOLJEVAC'S DEPARTMENT WOULD
ATTEND. SIMIC ALSO RECOMMENDED THE HEAD OF CARNET IF
THE CONFERENCE IS AT AN EXPERT LEVEL.

FRANK

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