Europe must take greater responsibility for its own security, and the expansion of the European Union (EU) to the Western Balkans can be seen as a test of the capacity of the enlargement policy, said the executive director of the Balkan Security Network, Daniel Šunter.
In an interview with the MINA agency, he said that integration into European and Euro-Atlantic structures has proven to be the best way to achieve stability and predictability, and that cooperation within the EU and NATO has no alternative for the Western Balkans when it comes to security threats.
When asked whether Europe is ready to face the challenges arising from conflicts and changes on the global level, with strained relations between the EU and the United States of America (USA), Schunter said that Europe must take on more responsibility than before.
"Europe definitely must and does take on a greater degree of responsibility compared to the previous period," said Schunter.
He emphasized that this is not just a matter of the position of the current US administration led by President Donald Trump, recalling that even during Joe Biden's time, there was a position that Europe needed to be more concerned with its own security and invest more in its defense.
"What we are seeing now is just a continuation of that trend. This does not mean the end of NATO or the end of transatlantic relations, but they are definitely entering a new era where the old continent will have to take on more responsibilities than was previously the case," said Shunter.
When asked whether all of this led to rapprochement within Europe itself, Shunter answered in the affirmative.
"It has definitely led to greater connectivity. If you look at what is happening between France, Great Britain (UK) and Germany - the UK and France as the only nuclear powers in Europe and members of NATO and Germany as the leading economy of Europe, they are putting forward important initiatives for the future, the stability of both the EU and NATO," said Schunter.
According to him, the key question is how long it will take for countries to gain the necessary capacity and launch the large-scale programs they are talking about. "That is definitely the future that lies ahead of us."
Asked how these changes are reflected in the Western Balkans, Schunter emphasized that the region reads very carefully what Washington, Berlin, Paris or Brussels say, adding that most countries in the region are committed to integration into the EU and NATO.
As he pointed out, this has proven in practice to be the best way to ensure stability even in such unpredictable times as the current one.
"I assume that this will be a trend that will continue, since cooperation in this sense really has no alternative," said Shunter.
Responding to a question about what he sees as the main security risk for the region, Shunter pointed to the broader European issue of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the consequences it has for the entire old continent, including the Western Balkans.
"Given that we are talking about countries that are mostly NATO members, EU members or will be EU members, this issue concerns everyone and some kind of coordination and joint response is expected," said Shunter.
On the other hand, when it comes to local security threats, Shunter believes that they are more in the domain of issues of organized crime, corruption, but also emergency situations.
He added that another security risk in the Western Balkans is the challenge of fighters going to foreign battlefields. "That is one type of risk that countries in the region need to pay attention to."
When asked whether the Western Balkan countries are addressing these issues sufficiently, Shunter said that one gets the impression that Montenegro is making a significant step forward when it comes to implementing specific prevention measures.
He pointed to the Montenegrin police operation codenamed "Lugansk", which, as he stated, has a significant resonance in professional circles and the broader European context as a clear position, clear information that Podgorica recognizes the importance of this topic.
"Which is not just a question of what is happening on the battlefield in Ukraine, but of a trend of hybrid threats coming from Russia, which are projected onto Europe and concern major EU and NATO members," said Schunter.
Asked whether he agreed that the Western Balkans were less and less in the focus of the US and whether this was opening up space for other players, Shunter said that he was not sure how much this thesis corresponded to reality on the ground and pointed to the US military presence in the region.
"The tendency to delegate more responsibility to the countries of the region when it comes to strengthening security structures, which are supposed to strengthen the stability of the region, is a trend that has been going on for some time," said Shunter.
According to him, all of this should still be read within the framework of NATO, of which the US is still a part, regardless of various speculations and daily political stories.
"The most important thing is to analyze things through actions and decisions, and not so much through words that can be perceived in different ways," Šuter said.
When asked how prepared Balkan countries are to respond to crises such as cyberattacks, geopolitical shocks, or internal destabilization, Shunter said that few countries have the capacity to deal with such threats on their own.
According to him, when it comes to cyber attacks, international support and partnerships with large private companies are necessary.
"And when it comes to security threats, broader cooperation within the EU and NATO has absolutely no alternative. Of course, regional cooperation should go hand in hand with that," said Shunter.
He believes that disinformation and hybrid threats are one of the major problems in the region.
This, he pointed out, is a major social challenge that cannot be solved overnight, but the entire community must participate in it.
Speaking about Montenegro, Shunter pointed to its leading position in negotiations with the EU, emphasizing that this has positive effects on the region.
"I think that the practice of Montenegro, but also of other countries in the region such as Slovenia, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria or Hungary, has shown that they have all benefited much more than harmed from the integration process," said Shunter.
He believes that it would be no different for countries that are not yet within those frameworks.
Schutter said he hopes that all Western Balkan countries will find their place within the European and Euro-Atlantic frameworks in the near future.
"The needs of the public are clear and relate to a good standard of living, open borders and life in a predictable environment, with economic growth," said Shunter.
As he said, he does not see a better solution for solving the region's problems than integration into European and Euro-Atlantic integrations.
On the other hand, Schunter said that he also hopes that Brussels will be attentive and understanding of the needs of the region, pointing out the importance of consensus among member states, especially when it comes to enlargement.
"We can also see this as a test of the EU's capacity for enlargement," said Šunter.
He also pointed out the claims of other states to membership in the Union, such as Ukraine.
"How can other countries think about European integration if the Western Balkans cannot become part of it," asked Schunter.
He said that he hopes that the logic of common sense and benefits will prevail on all sides.
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