The 1933 Constitutional Amendment, commonly referred to as the National Security Act, was a significant alteration to the Constitution of the Divine Republic of Kresimiria. It expanded the scope of Article 35, granting the Council for Internal Affairs sweeping powers to restrict the freedom of movement of citizens deemed a threat to national security or “religious unity.”
Passed by a coalition of the ruling Revolutionary People’s Party (RPP) and the hardline Sons of Kresimir (SoK), the amendment marked a decisive shift toward authoritarianism in the pre-war era. It provided the legal framework for the containment of the Bosken population in Moraviskameja and the suppression of political dissent during the chancellorship of Kresimir Kresimirovic II.
Background
The Security Crisis
By the mid-1930s, the Kresimirian government was facing a crisis of confidence regarding its security policies. The 1931 Vijrje Anniversary Attack had exposed significant vulnerabilities in the state’s ability to prevent terrorism. BRC-21 operatives had successfully infiltrated a high-security event in District V, proving that the insurgency was no longer contained solely within District X.
In the Assembly, Kresimir Basic, leader of the Sons of Kresimir, relentlessly attacked Chair of the Assembly Filip Novak for being “soft on terror.” Basic demanded martial law and the closure of the internal borders between Moraviskameja and the rest of the Republic.
Political Compromise
Filip Novak and the RPP leadership were reluctant to declare martial law, fearing it would hand too much power to the military and destabilize the economy. However, they recognized the need for a stronger legal mechanism to control the movement of suspected militants.
The National Security Act was drafted as a political compromise. It avoided military rule but empowered the civilian Council for Internal Affairs to act with almost unlimited discretion regarding travel. To secure the necessary 12 votes required to amend the Constitution, the RPP had to rely on the support of the Sons of Kresimir, as the liberal Civic Renewal Front (CRF) under Eward Matek staunchly opposed the measure as an infringement on civil liberty.
The Amendment
The Act specifically targeted Article 35, which guaranteed freedom of movement. The original text allowed restrictions only if a citizen had “fought… against the values of the Republic.” The 1933 Amendment expanded this definition significantly.
The new text allowed the state to restrict movement if a citizen was proven to have:
“Participated in a campaign, social, physical, or military, against the Republic of Kresimiria or the Faith of Kresimirianism… [or] an insurrectionist movement designed with the aim of inserting instability into the Republic, where the movement is not necessarily violent, but is creating or has created with its actions any significant sense of anti-Republican sentiment.”
This broad wording effectively criminalized not just violent separatism, but also political agitation and religious dissent.
Voting Breakdown
The Treaty was ratified by the Assembly in a 13-7 vote, only possible since the 14-senator threshold had been replaced by a 12-senator threshold in the 1933 constitutional amendment.
| Senator | Vote |
|---|---|
| Ana Kovacevic (RPP) | For |
| Filip Novak (RPP) | For |
| Mil Vucic (CRF) | Against |
| Luka Matar (RPP) | For |
| Eward Matek (CRF) | Against |
| Marija Sarislav (RPP) | For |
| Antonio Iric (BPP) | Against |
| Sara Unalina | For |
| Nika Radman (RPP) | For |
| Zoran Banit (RPP) | For |
| Toni Uzela (RPP) | For |
| Mia Colak (CRF) | Against |
| Vlade Koci (CRF) | Against |
| Matej Marij Mihaljevic (SoK) | For |
| Rod Blakojevic (SoK) | For |
| Marin Lurcic Grubisic (SoK) | For |
| Ivan Franj (RPP) | For |
| Kresimir Basic (SoK) | For |
| Adin Vedran | Against |
| Josipa Vukel | Against |
Implementation: The “Internal Passport” System
The practical application of the amendment was immediate. The Council for Internal Affairs introduced the “District Transit Permit” (commonly known as the internal passport).
- The Watchlist: The Council compiled a list of “Persons of Security Interest,” which included known BRC-21 sympathizers, Bosken cultural activists, and even Kresimirian liberal critics.
- Travel Bans: Individuals on this list were legally barred from leaving their home districts without express written permission from a Chief Magistrate.
- Checkpoint Expansion: Permanent security checkpoints were established on all major roads and railways leading out of Moraviskameja. Any citizen wishing to cross into Decelska or Ravna Skrad was required to present their Divinity Certificate and Transit Permit.
Impact and Legacy
The immediate effect of the Act was the effective containment of the Bosken population. By restricting the movement of activists, the state hoped to prevent BRC-21 from organizing attacks in the northern cities.
However, the Act also had severe civil rights implications.
- Suppression of Dissent: The inclusion of “anti-Republican sentiment” allowed the government to restrict the movement of journalists and CRF politicians who criticized the government, effectively placing them under house arrest within their districts.
- Radicalization: By isolating Moraviskameja, the Act deepened the economic grievances of the Bosken people, driving recruitment for BRC-21.
The powers granted by the 1933 Amendment remained in full force for over two decades. They were heavily utilized by Chancellor Kresimirovic II during the crackdowns of the 1950s. It was not until the 1961 Treaty of Brod Moravice that the application of these restrictions began to loosen, though the constitutional text remains in place to this day.