Civilian counter-intelligence and intelligence services not to merge

The government committee for intelligence services has decided that the civilian counter-intelligence service (BIS) and the civilian intelligence (UZSI) will not merge under a new reorganisation of Czech intelligence. The government had been considering a merger of the two intelligence services for some time. But the plan was strongly criticised by some politicians and experts. The UZSI gathers foreign intelligence information for the government and senior officials, while the BIS operates in the Czech Republic, gathering for example information on potential terrorist threats, extremist groups, and illegal arms trading.