Integration of Euro-Atlantic norms and values: changes in the military culture of the Balkans
Publisher: Partnership for Peace Consortium of Defense Academies and Security Studies Institutes
Volume: 18 pages, pdf
Description:
In the recent past societies in the Balkan states have undergone profound changes during the period after the disintegration of Yugoslavia. The fragmentation of this previous regional power into a variety of successor states is the defi ning feature of the region. After the recent round of wars in the Balkans, the nations in the region imposed new roles and forms for their security forces, primarily in line with the requirements set forth in the NATO and EU enlargement processes. Through the process of integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions, the Balkans were pushed to adopt many of the values of the “Western” world, primarily the achievement of democracy, rule of law, and independent political systems that are open to criticism and changes. Within these processes in the Balkans, the legitimate use of military force is also a serious issue, as it has a direct bearing on the region’s stability. Recent achievements in the political penetrated deeply inside the military organizations, and were manifested through the behavior and actions of several nations’ military forces. Additional challenges facing the region relate to the area of security sector reform, with particular relevance placed on the effort to promote the adoption of theories and practices of security affairs that are part of the programs of the Partnership for Peace and NATO.