Series:Beogradski centar za bezbednosnu politiku - POLICY PAPERS

Challenges of Women’s Participation in Serbian Peacekeeping Missions

Author(s): Marko Milošević / Language(s): English

This paper discusses the challenges of women’s participation in peacekeeping operations, global characteristics of the inclusion of women in peacekeeping operations, and the challenges of the related policy in Serbia. The attempt is to answer what obstacles to peacekeeping operations are present in Serbia, and what additional barriers women participating in the peacekeeping operations of Serbian military and police need to overcome. Based on interviews with the men and women participating in the missions and using secondary sources, an attempt will be made to present to the public the main challenges related to the participation of women in peacekeeping missions and to provide a number of recommendations to improve the situation in this area.

Constitutional provisions in the area of security a comparative table. Excerpts from 50 selected Constitutions

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCSP) presents an overview of comparative constitutional norms on security with a view to promote debate on constitutional reforms in Serbia in this area. The overview has taken a form of comparative table consisting of selected constitutional provisions of 50 states and entities altogether, divided by regions. The first chapter is dedicated to Western Balkans states and entities which, due to shared recent historical and political experience, represent a first point of reference for comparison with Serbia (excerpts of Serbian constitution are also provided in the table). The second chapter covers most of the Eastern and Central European states, that underwent similar political transitions since the 1990s and are now members of the European Union. The third chapter covers 15 other EU member states and Switzerland, usually referred to as the Western Europe. Selected constitutional provisions of several, also transitioned, former Soviet Union states are offered in the fourth chapter. Finally, aiming at a broader perspective, a random selection of other countries all over the globe is presented in the fifth chapter.

Izgradnja civilnih kapaciteta na Zapadnom Balkanu – komparativna analiza

Author(s): Maja Bjeloš / Language(s): Serbian

In this text, we will present the current practices of sending civilians to peacekeeping missions from the countries of the Western Balkans, the shortcomings that need to be overcome in order to increase the involvement of civilians in international missions and organizations, as well as an examination of the potential of individual countries for building civilian expertise. The comparative analysis is based, first of all, on the analysis of the initial situation in the field of civil capacity building, which was carried out in 2014. The initial analysis of the state of civilian capacities was carried out in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Serbia, in cooperation with the Institute for Democracy and Mediation (Albania), the Center for Security Studies (Bosnia and Herzegovina), the Center for Peace Studies ( Croatia), the Independent Research Center - Analitika (Macedonia), the Alternative Institute (Montenegro), the Belgrade Center for Security Policy (Serbia) in cooperation with the Norwegian Institute of International Relations (NUPI). The research results were presented in an academic journal in English. The initial analysis was completed with data obtained during interviews and expert consultations with key government actors, as well as with the analysis of secondary sources, i.e. the results of research in this area.

Meaning of Security and Theory of Securitization

Author(s): Vladimir Šulović / Language(s): English

Since its inception, the security studies represent the core of the International Relations, predominantly dealing with the issues of war and peace. In the years following the Second World War security studies have become a synonym for Strategic Studies with a distinct focus on the military sector. However, with the growing complexity of the international relations` agenda, namely with the rise of economic and environmental challenges count, emergence of the new security challenges, risks and threats, emergence of the new international relations` actors, the traditional view of the sole concept of security, that is, its essence, has become too narrow … The question is whether there is a generally accepted definition of the meaning of concept of security in theory and whether it should be regarded as an “essentially contested concept“ (Baldwin, 1997: 5) or it is more suitable to say that the concept itself is insufficiently explained and blurry. Anyway, the security concept can be “dangerously ambiguous” (Wolfers 1952) should it be used without additional specifications.

Monitoring and Evaluation of the Rule of Law in the Western Balkans

Author(s): Bojan Elek,Katarina Đokić,Sofija Mandić,Andrej Stefanović / Language(s): English

This national study on monitoring and evaluation of the rule of law in Serbia reflects on the development in the areas Political criteria, Chapter 23 and 24 from the acquis, for the period after the 2015 Country Report by the European Commission. The purpose of this policy study is to assess the trends in the areas under analysis in the Republic of Serbia. The study is conducted within the framework of the project Monitoring and Evaluation of the Rule of Law in Western Balkans (MERLIN WB), conducted by the European Policy Institute – Skopje in partnership with Institute Alternativa from Montenegro and the Belgrade Center for Security Policy from Serbia and funded by the European Fund for the Balkans. Based on the country studies, a policy paper covering the three countries (Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia) will be produced.

Partnership for Safe Communities in Serbia

Author(s): Saša Đorđević,Gorana Radovanović / Language(s): English

The primary aim of this Report is to raise public awareness about the concept and importance of partnership, notably between the police and local self-government, in building safe communities. The findings should help the MoI and Ministry of State Administration and Local Self-Government in drafting the action plan to implement the Community Policing Strategy, whose development is late for 17 months already. Furthermore, civil society organisations will be able to rely on the Report in taking their own positions to espouse appropriate mechanisms for the improvement of safety vis-à-vis the police and local self-government. The first part of the Report contains a comparative overview of legal responsibilities of the local self-government in regard to safety and development of the community policing concept following the adoption of the strategic plan in April 2013. The second, main part analyses the operation of municipal safety councils so far. The gender dimension of local safety is then presented, followed by the analysis of the safety situation in Aranđelovac, Golubac, Leskovac, Niška Banja, Novi Pazar and Paraćin. The research methodology is presented in the final section of the Report.

Public Perception of Serbia’s Foreign Policy

Author(s): Miloš Popović,Sonja Stojanović Gajić / Language(s): English

Šta je individualni Akcioni Plan partnerstva Srbije i NATO?

Author(s): Nevena Radosavljević / Language(s): English

The glossary offers basic information about what the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) of Serbia and NATO represents and contains. The main areas of cooperation between Serbia and NATO through IPAP are concerning politics and security, defense and military issues, public diplomacy, scientific cooperation, crisis management systems and planning in emergency situations, as well as the protection of classified information. Bearing in mind the areas of interest, the IPAP largely coincides with the European integration process and it confirms Serbia's obligations from the negotiations with the Union. In order to make it easier to understand the nature and content of this Plan, the basic characteristics that distinguish it from individual agreements signed by Serbia with NATO have been highlighted. Also, numerous other mechanisms of Serbia's cooperation with NATO were presented, to which the Republic of Serbia committed itself by signing the IPAP. The publication of this publication was supported by the Embassy of Great Britain in Belgrade through the "IPAP in the vernacular language" project. The views expressed in this publication are solely those of the author and do not reflect the views of Great Britain.

Territorial and Border Demarcation Disputes in the Western Balkans. Case study: Territorial and boundary disputes between Serbia and Kosovo

Author(s): Zorana Brozović / Language(s): English

Territorial and border demarcation disputes brought diverse challenges to republics and provinces funded after dissolution of SFR Yugoslavia. Overview of the issues and lessons that have been identified regionally inWestern Balkans are presented in regional study „Drawing boundaries in Western Balkans: A peoples‘ perspective“. This case study provides an overview of peoples‘ perspective on terriotorial and boundary issues in South Serbia, near administrative boundary with Kosovo and Metohija. Data for this research were collected in Bujanovac. // Underdevelopment is the biggest challenge of this community. Participants in this region stated that society is devided along ethnic lines and other problems are non-recogniton of degrees awarded in Kosovo, the prolonged presence of armed forces in this region and lack of freedom of movement for the people living in Kosovo. Whith the recommendations of this paper We are addressing Government of Serbia, local authorities and the international community.

The Citizens on the Serbian-Albanian Relations and the Regional Security Cooperation

Author(s): Florian Qehaja,Arjan Dyrmishi / Language(s): English

Security Research Forum Belgrade-Prishtina-Tirana is a joint project of the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy, the Kosovar Center for Security Studies (KCSS) and the Institute for Democracy and Mediation (IDM), three independent think-tanks from Belgrade, Prishtina and Tirana, specialised in security issues. The project aims to initiate research-based discussion on possible ways to improve the relations among Serbia, Kosovo and Albania. The debate should include think-tanks, academia, politicians and the media.

The Role of CSOs in Monitoring and Evaluating National Action Plan (NAP) for Implementation of UNSCR 1325

Author(s): Gorana Odanović / Language(s): English

Successful implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) on United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 requires the establishment of an effective mechanism for monitoring and evaluation. To ensure that monitoring and evaluation mechanisms are effective, it is necessary to include involvement and ideally, oversight, from civil society organizations (CSOs). Unfortunately cooperation between government institutions and CSOs in implementing, monitoring and evaluating the NAP on 1325 is often reduced to a single CSO consultation and only in a formal and limited context. As a consequence, meaningful dialogue and cooperation between state institutions and CSOs in NAP implementation, monitoring and evaluation is either missing altogether or limited to the point of ineffectiveness. As a result, the intended positive effect to improve considerations of gender and security through the development and implementation of the NAP on 1325 is marginal.

Towards a Western Balkans Battle-Group. A Vision of Serbia's Defence Integration into the EU 2010–2020.

Author(s): Filip Ejdus,Marko Savković,Nataša Dragojlović / Language(s): English

The aim of this policy vision is to offer arguments for Serbia's proactive integration into the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) through the implementation of the Battlegroup concept in the period running up to 2020. In the following text, we will first present a short overview of the CSDP and the concept of EU Battlegroups. Next, we explain why it is in the interest of the Republic of Serbia to participate in EU Battlegroups as soon as possible. Special attention is directed to arguments which explain why the creation of a Western Balkans Battlegroup before 2020 is in the interest not only of Serbia and her neighbours, but also of the EU as a whole. Finally,a four-phase model for the inclusion of Serbia into an EU Battlegroup is presented. The model encompasses (1)a preparation and observation phase(2010-2012), (2) an adaptation phase (2013-2015), (3) a phase of advanced participation, planning and preparation (2016–2018) and (4) a phase of development of initial operational capability and the formation of the Western Balkans Battlegroup (2018–2020).

Towards the Prevention of violent Acts at Sports Events: Proposal on a regional Cooperation Framework

Author(s): Marko Savković,Saša Đorđević / Language(s): English

Since 2000 until today seven people were killed due to the sports violence in Serbia. Over the last two years the incidents of violence at and before sports events have generated political, academic and media debate. Incidents at the Genoa stadium Luigi Ferraris jointly with the incidents during the Pride Parade have just “spiced up” the current debate. Additionally the presidents of Croatia and Serbia came with the initiatives to establish joint regional football compe¬tition, similar to the one already existing in basketball, and to co-host the 2020 European Football Championship. Yet, the sport of such international character as football is generates considerable “degree” of insecurity, particularly in this region. Incidents are constantly repeated, not only as random or organized acts of violence but also in the form of different criminal activities. This paper places an emphasis on the prevention of violence. The aim of the paper is to stir public debate about the lack of regional co-operation framework in the fight against hooliganism and violence at the sports events. In that regard, we made a brief analysis of the current situation with the focus on the mechanisms of prevention, which are already in place within EU and other European countries. Finally, we propose the model of the regional co-operation framework. The essence of our idea is to establish an additional, eighth Task Force in the current SECI Centre organisational structure, with its HQ in Bucharest. We have named it Task Force on Prevention of Violence at Sports Events. In order to achieve this goal, it is necessary to build capacity through appoint Laison Officers that will be in charge of this metter within NFP of the SECI Centre member states. We emphasize that our idea is not to set up a new regional body for strengthening cooperation in the areas of justice and internal affairs; although there is a tendency among the Western Balkan countries to do so (we refer to the initiatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia and Croatia). Our goal is to build up on the already existing institutional framework of cooperation.

WHAT ABOUT THE WOMEN? Understanding and Addressing the Problem of ISIS Female Recruitment in the Western Balkans

Author(s): Eric Mietz / Language(s): English

This policy paper aims to bring attention to an oft-neglected security problem in the Western Balkans: women being recruited by—and migrating to—the Islamic State. In many ways, female recruits, both from the Western Balkans and other regions, are attracted to the Islamic State for the exact same reasons as men, yet the roles of women in the Islamic State and the messaging the group uses to lure women to migrate to Syria and Iraq are sufficiently different to warrant a gender-based perspective in countering violent extremism (CVE) policymaking. The Islamic State and ways to defeat it dominate current media headlines and policy discussions, but as propaganda continues to attract women, strategies to topple the Islamic State will require equal attention to both male and female recruits in order to be successful. The first part of the paper looks at the numbers of women leaving from the Western Balkans to Islamic State-held territory, the profiles of women who migrate, and the roles they take on in the Islamic State. To explain why women are influenced to migrate, the second part examines the “push” and “pull” factors of Islamic State recruitment. The last part focuses on the efforts of Western Balkans governments to criminalize participation in or support of the Islamic State and the disadvantages of relying solely on this policy.