Professor Fritz Rademacher from the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies said that NATO is the strongest alliance in history.
However, we have to do much more. We need signals from the field and the ability and desire to aggregate purchases through multilateral formations. I think more needs to be allocated," said Rademaher.
AIES President Verner Faslabend said that when Russian President Vladimir Putin went to Pyongyang, North Korea managed to deliver two million weapons to him because he is the head of an authoritarian regime.
The former president of Montenegro and the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) Milo Đukanović said that Prime Minister and leader of the Europe Now Movement (PES) Milojko Spajić "did not have the courage to go with the DPS", and that those two parties would have a stable majority.
"Milatović does not want to go with Greater Serbian nationalism, but let's see if he will understand the message that his voters are sending him," Đukanović said.
The former president of Slovenia, Borut Pahor, said that the status quo in the Balkans is not a good message, and that he hopes that there will be further expansion of NATO in the region.
He added that there is a will for enlargement in Brussels, but that it has not happened yet, and that many of his colleagues believe that Montenegro could be the first and next member of the EU.
Đukanović assessed that Montenegro has shown that it has the capacity to join the European family, but that he cannot help but notice the stagnation and regression that has occurred in the last four years - in terms of security, but also in the field of health, education...
"We have changed three governments in the course of four years. From the first one, which was clero-nationalist, to the second one, which was anti-Montenegro, Great Serbian and dilettantish, to this one, which is equally Great Serbian and populist," he said, adding that Montenegro has an open door because of the war in Ukraine, but that "homework cannot be done by others".
The former president assessed that a lot had been done from 2006 to 2020, and that Montenegro was the poorest in Yugoslavia.
"You have only two offers in the region today - multi-ethnic democracy, reform, membership in the EU or nationalism. No one gave us the gift of joining NATO," he stated.
Pahor said that Russia is counting on Dodik as a contractor.
Đukanović stated that Serbia has the possibility to be on the European side, while balancing on a fine line between East and West, which is a short-term victory.
"With the dominant policy of the West, Serbia was allowed to play such a policy that, in my opinion, was unsuccessful, from the point of view of the interests of the citizens to be in the West, of the Western countries that wanted Serbia in their ranks, and from the aspect of the region that needs security," he said. .
Pahor added that Russia has not achieved its goals in Ukraine, and that it can therefore look for a new focal point in the Balkans.
Đukanović said that the ruling parties do not have a majority in Podgorica.
"In the local elections in Podgorica in 2022, PES and Democrats had about 33 percent, and in this election about 21 percent. In those elections, strengthened by an insignificant party such as GP URA, which has three or four percent, they had 46 percent, and in this election 21 percent in the elections. This is a sharp drop in those policies and it shows that citizens in Montenegro have sobered up," he announced.
When asked by the moderator how the government in Podgorica will be formed, he stated that there is no clean politics in Montenegro without courage.
"That's the situation Spajić had last year. His party had 23 MPs, DPS 21. Zajedo 44, which is more than enough majority for the two parties that declare themselves for Europe, for NATO to govern stably for the next not four, but eight years because it is realistic to make a serious step towards membership in the EU in the first four, which would be the strongest legitimization of that government for the elections that will follow. Therefore, Milatović is facing the same temptation today and the picture is clear to him - he does not see it the future with the Greater Serbian nationalism of Mandić and Knežević," he pointed out.
Lunić said that the concept of mass army is from the 19th century.
"What should be pointed out is that in the region some politicians believe that the arms race could be who has more tons of steel. In the future, it could be who has better artificial intelligence."
Lunić said that Serbia's military neutrality was brought on the eve of Kosovo's declaration of independence.
"In order to be credible, it must be historically based and recognized by other countries. We did not ask for multilateral recognition. Yugoslavia was part of the Little Entente, the Non-Aligned Movement, and even negotiated with NATO about joining... We must integrate in the Western the Balkans," he stated.
Volker reminded that both Sweden and Finland joined NATO.
"Serbia will also have to decide whether it belongs to the same civilizational framework. Trump gave voice to the frustrations of the people in the USA that that country gives too much, and that Europeans ride that wave for free. That's why European allies have to give more. Since Trump has not President, they have already given more. We have to show Putin that we are strong and that we work together," Volker said.
Kurt Volker said that the leaders of the region and the EU failed to find a way to strengthen multicultural institutions.
"If we had finished that job quickly, we would have been in a different situation."
"Membership in NATO is a key step for everyone, I am glad that North Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro succeeded in this. It is important that the country knows that there is no reason to worry," he said.
"It turns out that Serbia spends 3.5 percent of its GDP on the military budget, and that puts it in second place in Europe. There is no danger of conflict, and therefore no need for so much armament. and they don't have funds for their maintenance, training...", said Nikola Lunić, executive director of the Council for Strategic Policies.
When asked about the introduction of mandatory military service, he said that the army cannot be an educational institution.
Peter Grk, national coordinator for the Western Balkans in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia and general secretary of the Bled Strategic Forum, said that political elites must realize that while they are opening wounds from the past, time flies.
"We see what is happening in Ukraine and in the Middle East. What the EU needs is a common voice from the region that they want to integrate into the EU and for that alliance to be consolidated at the level of the whole of Europe. Lack of political will and problems from the past are the main problem." , he said.
Kristijan Šmit, high representative in BiH, said that young people must be given the chance to stay in that country.
"We need to have short-term agreements that will keep BiH on the path to EU membership. I think that Montenegro will be the torchbearer of that process in the Western Balkans, even though that path is not easy," he added.
James Scherr said that it is important that all decision-makers in the EU understand that without the support of China, Iran and North Korea, Russia would not be able to wage war in Ukraine.
It is important to create an integrated European defense industry, he said.
Martin Sklenar, the former defense minister of Slovakia, said that he believes that Europe has "learned its lesson".
"The EU had to start things in February 2022. It was necessary to start changes, just as the USA changed after September 11 (2001). The EU must strengthen Ukraine, help it as much as it needs. The West should commit itself to winning this war. What is important for (President of Ukraine Volodymyr) Zelensky is to raise the limits for donating weapons," he said.
Defense Minister Dragan Krapović said that he expects the session of the Defense and Security Council to be held in due course.
He believes that it is necessary for it to happen as soon as possible.
Krapović said that the Government is ready to revitalize the damaged relationship through dialogue and that he thinks it will happen quickly.
"The conflict in Ukraine is reflected differently in the world, but especially in regions where there is no unified position. We are the target of influence".
When asked by the moderator about North Macedonia's entry into the EU, Lajcak said that there is no "no, thank you" in the negotiations, and that the certificate is obtained when the process is completed.
He added that constitutional changes await them.
When asked by journalists whether fulfilling obligations towards NATO makes it difficult for pro-Serbian parties to enter the government, Krapović said that failure to fulfill obligations leads to punishment, and that has not happened so far.
"Montenegro carries its burden within what is assigned to it. It seems to me that, at least from the point of view of the Ministry of Defense, it is well done," he said and added that nothing prevents Montenegro from carrying the burden.
Lajčak said that "we have a new situation and a new flywheel" for the Western Balkans on the European road.
"This is an opportunity for all politicians who declaratively support the European path to show it in action. Bosnia and Herzegovina received candidate status, which is a concrete step. It is a complex country with many problems, Dodik is one of them. The Dayton Agreement is not compatible with the EU as a system , it is necessary to create a new Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina," he added.
Krapović said that what the majority does is to contribute to the reconciliation of society.
"Not a single decision was made to cause damage, especially not to an EU member like Croatia. We share a part of history with them. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Croatia said that for 30 years, not a single open issue between Croatia and Montenegro has been resolved. This was inherited from the previous government. On behalf of the Government and the party I represent, I want to say that every crime and genocide will be called by its right name," Krapović said.
When asked by the moderator Jasmine Kos, that the Prime Minister of Croatia characterized the resolution on Jasenovac as the instrumentalization of another state, Krapović said that Montenegro makes its own decisions, and that it is a matter of continuing the condemnation of all crimes.
Lajčak said that relations between Serbia and Kosovo represent the most important regional challenge.
"We have less normalization, less tension. We have to return to the implementation of the agreement. My question is, do we even have an alternative to normalization? Is it a conflict? We citizens of Kosovo and Serbia would not benefit from that," he added.
He also says that a year after the events in Banjska, there was no judicial epilogue.
"The EU said that those responsible must be held accountable. We have not seen any progress in this. It was an attack on the rule of law and good relations," he said.
"Realistically, parliamentary elections are coming up in Kosovo in February, and the EU is in a transitional period. My experience tells me that we cannot expect progress before them, and we are preparing the ground for progress after them," Lajcak said.
Defense Minister Dragan Krapović said that, when it comes to internal plans, they see the fight against organized crime and corruption as a priority.
He believes that the situation is much better than before 2020.
"The absolute foreign policy priority of the 44th government is membership in the EU, and with the previous ones it was declarative. The current government is supported by two thirds of the parliament, which is the most heterogeneous government in the history of Montenegro," he added.
Krapović said that he sees the malignant influence of third parties, primarily Russia, as a threat.
"Space is opening up for them to open up in the Western Balkans. If we leave a vacuum, it will be filled by third parties," he said.
The European Union's special representative for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina and other regional issues of the Western Balkans, Miroslav Lajčak, said that too many politicians build their careers by interpreting the past, and not by dealing with the future.
On the repeated question of who he will go into a coalition with in Podgorica, Milatović said that the more important question is who will go with the principles he "is not giving up on" - Montenegro as a civil, European state that a part of the "former civil block" has given up on.
Bonus video:
