Montenegro became part of the NATO alliance at the right time, thus preventing the unfinished history of the Balkans from affecting its sovereignty and territorial integrity. In the coming period, Podgorica only has to direct its limited resources towards developing a specific ability for which it will be recognized in the Alliance, he told "Vijesti" Nikola Lunic, military analyst and executive director of the Strategic Policy Council.
Commenting on occasional polemics, after almost seven years, about joining NATO, Lunić believes that Montenegro has chosen to ensure national and personal security for its citizens in the most efficient and optimal way.
"In the modern era of rapid technological development, it is inevitable to generate sophisticated security challenges that many countries are unable to respond to independently. This is precisely why they choose a collective security system with the aim of adequately responding to the spectrum of threats for which they could not independently develop resistance", explains the analyst, citing the example of Scandinavian countries.
"Even developed countries like Sweden and Finland are abandoning their traditional concept of military neutrality because their capabilities and financial resources do not provide security. Unlike the mentioned countries, whose projected military budget for 2024 is 18,5 billion euros, Montenegro's gross national income is less than 6 billion euros, and the planned military budget is 75 million euros. When we take into account that Montenegro plans to allocate 17,5 million euros for the equipment, modernization and infrastructure of the defense system, then we understand that the Euro-Atlantic integration was the primary national interest of Montenegro," Lunić points out.
For the sake of comparison, he says that the price of one combat vehicle of the mid-range air defense system "panzer-S1" is up to 15 million dollars, and the battery consists of 10 to 13 vehicles of different purposes. The cost of the American battery of the medium-range air defense system "Patriot" is 1,1 billion dollars, and each fired missile costs 4 million dollars. An alternative acquisition may be the Norwegian air defense system "NASAMS" with a price of 285 million dollars for the battery.
"When we talk about drones, the price of one Turkish drone 'bayraktar TB-2' is up to 5 million dollars, while the new version TB-3 is expected to be several times more expensive. It should be known that when purchasing any combat system, one should count on the long-term obligation of training, maintenance, overhaul, as well as the occasional procurement of ammunition", adds Lunić, noting that many countries are not able to respond financially, and consequently technologically, to the challenges that pose contemporary security threats.
"If we don't want or can't understand what the consequences of global geopolitical tectonic changes can be, we can live in illusions, but only for a while. The hybrid action of foreign factors for the purpose of destabilization and escalation of tensions is not a warning to many in the region of the Western Balkans. If a conventional conflict happens, it will be too late for changes in foreign policy," warns Lunić.
A rich military career
Nikola Lunić is a retired battleship captain and former defense envoy of the Republic of Serbia in London and Oslo. He is the co-founder and executive director of the Council for Strategic Policies.
He held various positions in the Serbian Navy and Army, and was also appointed as the national coordinator for cooperation with the Center for Security Cooperation RACVIAC. After finishing his military career, he was engaged as an expert of the OSCE Mission in Serbia.
He graduated from the Naval Military Academy and master's studies in marine engineering in Split, specialized in hydrography in Trieste, the global security program at Harvard University in Boston, and a master's degree in mathematical cartography and General Staff training in Belgrade.
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