Security Cooperation in the Balkans

Abstract

Security cooperation in the Balkans is an important impetus for regional stability and peace. After the end of the Cold War and the reestablishment of peace following the Balkan wars, there were many initiatives aiming to enhance the stability of the Balkan peninsula, for example the efforts to increase democratic oversight over the reforms in the security sectors of the Balkan nations, initiated by the Partnership for Peace programs, then bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the form of joint military task forces (i.a. MLF and SEEBRIG) and the regional contributions to peacekeeping operations in the region or throughout the world. In this article, we are going to present future perspectives for security cooperation in the Balkans. Historians used to say that the Balkans are the powder keg of Europe, therefore security in the Balkans is an integral part of European security. In addition to this, the Balkans are often still viewed as a security risk area. There is the question of what capacities Europe will have available in future with regard to the area of military security, both regionally and globally. What could the Balkans contribute to Europe’s future military effectiveness ? This issue has become evident in decreasing defense budgets in Europe following the end of the Cold War and after the majority of European states suspended conscription and established all-volunteer forces, which essentially decreased the number of soldiers in national militaries throughout Europe1.