Session 1: Overcoming the Gaps in Security Cooperation in the Western Balkans
(in partnership with the Research Council of Norway)
In this panel, we want to take a critical look at security cooperation practices and evaluate how regional interactions could be further developed to foster both trust-building and operational effectiveness in the provision of security. The panel discussion is based on original empirical findings from the collaborative research projects “Security Transitions in Western Balkans: from Conflict Zone to Security Community” and “Security Research Forum ‘Belgrade-Prishtina-Tirana’” bringing together think tanks from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.
Discussion topics:
- Which areas of security cooperation and between which countries are delivering the best results for citizens? What are the elements of their success?
- Which countries and issues are not covered by official inter-governmental cooperation frameworks? Who is benefiting from the gaps in cooperation?
- Who are the greatest champions of regional cooperation: politicians, security professionals or non-state groups (e.g. crime networks)? Who are the biggest losers?
- Are lessons from French-German security cooperation relevant for improving Belgrade-Tirana and Belgrade-Priština cooperation or do we need a different toolbox?
- What is the future of security cooperation in the region following the integration of some countries into the larger EU and NATO security structures?
Speakers:
Arjan Dyrmishi‚ Head of the European and Security Affairs Department, Institute for Democracy and Mediation, Tirana
Florian Qehaja‚ Executive Director, Kosovar Centre for Security Studies, Pristina
Kenan Dautović‚ Associate Professor, Faculty of Political Sciences, Sarajevo
Dženita Brčvak‚ Research Fellow, Centre for Democracy and Human Rights, Podgorica
Sonja Stojanović Gajić‚ Director, Belgrade Centre for Security Policy, Belgrade
Jelica Minić‚ former Deputy RCC Secretary General/Head of Expert Pool (Moderator)