Prague, Dec 19 (CTK) – Former Czech BIS counter-intelligence chief Jiri Lang will head the National Security Office (NBU) and the current NBU head Dusan Navratil will become the government coordinator for cyber security, the government agreed at its meeting today.
The personnel changes will take effect as from the end of January.
Last week, Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka’s proposal to appoint Lang and Navratil to the new posts was approved by the defence committee of the Chamber of Deputies.
Lang headed the civilian counter-intelligence BIS for 13 years. He left the post at his own request earlier this year.
The government coordinator for cyber security, a post that is yet to be established, will be in charge of the preparation and establishment of a national cyber security centre that is to start working at the end of 2017.
“(The centre) will markedly contribute to the readiness of the Czech Republic to the threats connected with the modern information society,” Sobotka said in a press release.
He said previously Navratil proved his qualification during his NBU management when he contributed to the fight with cyber crime.
Sobotka said a separate office for cyber security was needed because the NBU’s cyber agenda has become more extensive due to the emergence of new security threats and it has overshadowed the NBU’s original purpose, which was to issue security clearances.
The national cyber security centre with up to 400 employees is to protect the Czech Republic from hackers’ attacks and other security incidents. It will be seated in a part of former barracks in Brno, south Moravia.
