Security Dialogues

WAGNER VERSUS MOZART IN THE UKRAINIAN THEATRE

2024-02-09T11:32:11+01:00

Privatisation and outsourcing of war have become a feature of contemporary armedconflicts. It is also true for the conflict in Ukraine; the participation of many private militaryactors has been recorded, of which Mozart and Wagner groups - often called ‘orchestra’ aswell as International Legion of Defence of Ukraine stand out in the Ukraine theatre. On theone hand, private military actors taking part in the conflict on the Ukrainian side are calledvolunteers, while private military actors participating on the Russian side are designatedas mercenaries. Therefore, the question can be asked: ‘What is the difference betweenprivate military actors participating in the Ukrainian battlefield and how are they treatedlegally?’ In order to answer the asked question, the paper started from the basic definitionsof private military actors and relevant legal regulations, and then the most important actorsparticipating in the Ukrainian battlefield were presented, as well as their legal treatment. It isconcluded that due to the lack of a binding international regulation in this area, lots of privateactors operate in a legal vacuum and that their determination is rather a matter of politicsthan of law. Therefore, the difference between these actors is the narrative and sentimentthat describes them and justifies their engagement.

FORMER PARAMILITARY ORGANIZATIONS AS A PROXY FOR CIVIL DEFENSE: BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA AND LEBANON

2024-02-09T11:33:05+01:00

Lebanon and Bosnia and Herzegovina share many commonalities involvingsectarian and inter-ethnic strife, power-sharing agreement and the multitude of former andcurrent paramilitary and revolutionary organizations. In the greater political view, the rolesof paramilitary organizations are often controversial and problematic; however, during thetimes of civil-emergency, they often fill the niche of the missing first-responders. In Lebanon,a fragmented country, mired in an economic turmoil with occasional outbursts of sectarianviolence, the emergency response and assistance are severely curtailed, which was evident inthe sluggish response to the Beirut Port Explosion. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, a country miredin the continuous power-struggle among the nationalistic parties, the emergency responseis inefficient and fragmented. This paper examines the unique role of former revolutionaryorganizations in Beirut which have taken the form of de-facto civic organizations and formedthe backbone of emergency response, clean-up, and aid distribution. The study outlines severalexamples where the former revolutionary organizations mobilized and utilized their commandauthority, hierarchy, and community roles to provide an effective and sustainable emergencyresponse. In Bosnia, the study outlines the cases of community-based organization under thevestiges of the old general communal self-protection. The results indicate that the lessonslearned from the years of civil-strife in Lebanon and vestiges of communal-defence in Bosniahave contributed to the relief distribution, cooperation across the sectarian/ethnic lines andcoordination with external NGOs and state actors. Given the magnitude of the recent events(explosions and natural disasters), the role of civic organizations and their strategic approachto emergency response is instrumental to limiting further loss of life and deterioration of theoverall security situation.

COOPERATION OR COMPETITION DURING THE PANDEMIC OF COVID-19? A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF REALPOLITIC WORLDVIEW

2024-02-09T11:35:09+01:00

The Covid-19 virus emerged firstly in the Wuhan city of China in late 2019 andquickly spread to the rest of the world. A few months later the states and World HealthOrganization securitized the virus, then it has become a severely full-scale health crisis atthe global level. The Covid-19 pandemic has threatened all humanity irrespective of race,nation, religion, and ethnicity except socio-economic class, and has brought widespreadinsecurity, risk, and uncertainty around the world. Moreover, the pandemic has been a testfor cooperative relations among states in the international system. The Covid-19 pandemicis a global problem but the response against the virus has been mostly national during thepandemic. In this context, the paper aims to evaluate the pandemic conditions critically andmakes a comparison between the pre-pandemic era and the pandemic era of world politics.The paper concludes that although global problems ask for global solutions, concepts suchas egocentrism, nationalism, and national security have increased their importance in theinternational system instead of cooperation and global solidarity during the pandemic.

MIGRANT SMUGGLING IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: THE OTHER SIDE OF THE REFUGEE CRISIS

2024-02-09T11:39:12+01:00

The smuggling of migrants is not a new phenomenon but in recent years it has attracted increasing international attention. In the last few years, migrant smuggling has become one of the most lucrative types of organized crime in the Balkans. This research article focuses on the issue of migrant smuggling as a contemporary transnational organized crime which is getting structurally stronger and more established. According to Frontex, the Western Balkans continues to be the most active migratory route into the European Union. From the beginning of the 2022 the number of irregular border crossings detected rose by 152% compared to 2021. The paper will present and analyse the official data of the judicial authorities. Also, a brief overview of the security implications of migrant smuggling to national security from 2015 until today will be given.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF DRM SYSTEMS IN GERMANY, USA, RUSSIA AND CHINA

2024-02-09T11:40:16+01:00

The uniqueness of each system stems from the fact that the risks of disasters arespecific and that their presence and manifestation are not universal and the same for everycountry. Just as no country is the same in all other segments, their disaster risk systems areunequal. The paper describes the systems in four different countries, through observationand comparison of four areas of activity that are implemented in dealing with disasters.First of all, in the paper, the legal basis and institutional frameworks on which these systemsrest in each of the countries were considered – starting from the international level andguidelines given at international conferences, to all by-laws and local disaster activity plans.It was considered how each of the states implements risk mitigation activities and how itincreases preparedness for them. When the system recognizes risks, their probability andthe frequency of their occurrence, activities are planned to prepare the country and everyindividual in it for a potentially unwanted event. Differences in the ways of mitigating risksand preparing all elements of the system and protected values for disasters are presented. The third element of action in the event of disasters concerns the response. In this segment,questions are raised regarding institutional solutions in the system, division of responsibilities,the priority of response and mobilization of resources at all levels. The last phase, the onethat occurs after the disaster, and that is the recovery from it, depends on the reaction.In the paper, it was discussed how in the end, when a disaster occurs and when damageto the population, environment, material and other goods occurs, how each of the statesimplements reconstruction, i.e. how it recovers - whether that recovery was previously wellplanned or whether ad hoc solutions are applied.

THE ROLE OF THE BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA IN PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY AFTER THE 2023 EARTHQUAKE

2024-02-09T11:41:51+01:00

A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.8 hit Turkey and Syria on February 6,2023. Another strong earthquake occurred during the day and ground shook during theweek. Many buildings have been demolished and the search for residents is intense. Afterone week 31,643 deaths were confirmed. Turkey has officially sent a request for emergencyassistance through the Civil protection mechanisms of the European union, NATO, and theUN. Numerous countries have sent their rescue teams to Turkey, but also sent the necessarygoods for the survivors. Bosnia and Herzegovina joined in responding to the disaster in Turkey. Complex political structure and organization of agencies for responding to natural and otherdisasters in Bosnia and Herzegovina are difficult for providing aid to other countries. Despite this, rescue teams from Bosnia and Herzegovina went to Turkey. Members of the Mountainrescue service was the first to go to Turkey and were later joined by members of ArmedForces of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Significant funds and goods were collected in Bosnia andHerzegovina and transported to Turkey. Media reports state that the teams from Bosnia andHerzegovina have rescued many victims from the ruins. It is necessary to do engagementanalysis of rescue teams from Bosnia and Herzegovina and check the possibilities for fasterinvolvement in responding to natural and other disasters.

WOMEN AS PERPETRATORS OF CRIMINAL OFFENSES AND THEIR TREATMENT IN INSTITUTIONS FOR THE EXECUTION OF CRIMINAL SANCTIONS

2024-02-09T11:43:08+01:00

The scientific paper explores women as perpetrators of criminal acts andtheir penal treatment, providing insights into the specifics and challenges they faceduring incarceration. Traditionally, prisons were primarily oriented towards men, buttoday there are specific prison units and facilities exclusively for female inmates. In the introduction, we address the history and development of the prison system forwomen, including the creation of specialized units and a gender-sensitive approachto imprisonment. The second part investigates the specifics of women’s incarceration,including healthcare needs, education, vocational training, challenges of motherhoodand childcare in prison, as well as psychological aspects of women’s imprisonment. The third part examines the issues and challenges women encounter during incarceration,such as prison system overcrowding, gender discrimination, and violence againstwomen in prison. Additionally, we explore the application of alternative punishmentmeasures for women, including home confinement, rehabilitation and reintegrationprograms, and harm reduction measures for women with special needs.

A RADIOACTIVE WASTE REPOSITORY IN THE BORDER AREA BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA AND BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: HUMAN SECURITY PERSPECTIVE

2024-02-09T11:44:13+01:00

The Republic of Croatia has announced a plan to build a radioactive waste repositoryin Mount Trgovska Gora located along the border area with Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH),which has upset residents living in the border municipalities in BiH. This paper seeks toexamine local residents’ opinion regarding the construction of a radioactive waste repository. Our study was conducted in Novi Grad, a place located in the immediate vicinity of TrgovskaGora. The aim of the study was to examine local residents’ perceptions and the implications ofthe planned project for human security. This study is based on a qualitative research approachusing the focus group interview as a technique. Eleven respondents participated in the focusgroup interview. The group consisted of representatives of local communities, residents, andrepresentatives of non-governmental organizations. Our findings indicate that local residentsstrongly disagree with the announced project and numerous negative implications for human security.

CURRENT SECURITY CHALLENGES IN THE WESTERN BALKANS AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE WAR IN UKRAINE

2024-02-09T11:44:54+01:00

The Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began at the end of February 2022, confirmedthe de facto impotence of the EU policy towards the Western Balkans. Only the reaffirmationof the United States of America and NATO’s roles in the Western Balkans after 2017 had asignificant impact on the situation in the region, as it had for the previous three decades. Theimportance of their roles was confirmed after the entry of Montenegro and North Macedoniainto NATO and the achievement of the Prespa Agreement (2018). However, there are stillessentially unresolved issues, such as the relations between Belgrade and Pristina (which arecurrently accelerating primarily due to the US), the internal reconfiguration of relations inBosnia and Herzegovina, and the gradual attempt to suppress the further growth of Russianinfluence in certain states of the region (it already has a strong influence in Serbia and theBiH entity, the Republic of Srpska). In this sense, the author emphasises that only after the additional integration of thecountries of the region with the European Union and NATO, which implies an acceleratedcontinuation of the EU enlargement process but also a strengthened open-door policy, canNATO additionally ensure peace in the Western Balkans, where there are still significantand visible consequences of post-Yugoslav wars and numerous problems, such as a lack ofthe rule of law, an insufficient fight against corruption, and cross-border crime. Therefore,the current moment, characterised and determined by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine,should ensure the acceleration of geopolitical responses related to the admission of thecountries of the Western Balkans to the European Union and also empower the real andpro-European capacities of existing forms of regional cooperation. The author emphasisesthe necessity of accelerated integration of the remaining WB entities into NATO, which theyhave already pursued.

SERBIA AND NORTH MACEDONIA IN 2023: ECONOMIC RISKS, POLITICAL CHALLENGES AND SECURITY THREATS

2024-02-09T11:45:42+01:00

The goal of this paper is a comparative analysis of the current and upcoming challenges facing Serbia and North Macedonia in the economic, security, and political context. The research question is following: whether small states, such as Serbia and NorthMacedonia, can overcome instability in international relations and the region, while at thesame time preserving the achieved levels of economic development, security environment and internal political stability. Through a comparative analysis of these two countries, we will present the risks, challenges and threats faced by these two small countries in the current year, as well as what unites and what separates these countries in the context of newly emerging international circumstances. Also, we will analyse the real potentials of regional cooperation in the Western Balkans from the point of view of the interstate cooperation of these two countries, as a potential determinant of creating sustainability and stability in the economic, political and security domains.

NATIONAL COUNTER TERRORISM POLICY AS A CRISIS MENAGMENT TOOL

2024-02-09T11:46:24+01:00

The current study examines the effects of one of the modern crises nowadays, andthat is the terrorism. Today’s terrorist threats have changed, and terrorist groups are now more geographically dispersed and their tactics more diversified. To address this evolving terrorist threat across the globe and within the homeland, our approach to counterterrorism must evolve. The preparation for a terrorist attack, a rampage, hostage taking or other violentattacks is an essential part of crisis management these days. Rapid, careful intervention isoften vital in situation of terrorism and other external threats. Time is a very decisive factorin exceptional and critical situations. Accordingly, an essential prerequisite to ensuring thatour formidable resources are focused where they can have the most effect is a sober andempirical understanding of the threat coupled with a clear, comprehensive, and coherentstrategy. Without such a strategy, we risk embracing policies and pushing solutions thatmay not only be dated, but may have become irrelevant. We also lose sight of current andprojected trends and patterns and thereby risk preparing to counter and respond to possibly illusory threats and challenges.

THE PRISONER’S CODE AS AN EXCHANGE CAPITAL IN THE FUNSTIONING OF THE CLOSE-TYPE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTE IN ZENICA, BIH

2024-02-09T11:47:11+01:00

An important functioning aspect of the prison community is its social climate, composed by the interdependencies of the subdimensions such as: deprivation, the prisoncode (informal aspect of the prison), repression and disorganization (the formal aspect ofimprisonment) that defines the direction and movement of this community through a complexenvironment in an effort to explain or use that for its own purpose. The social climate wasmeasured by a custom inventory of attitudes originally created by R.H. Moos in a closed-typeprison in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. In this paper, we focus on a prison code based onvalues that the prisoners have in the time-space of the prison. The prison code is a theoreticalconstruct that has its reality in prison experience. In this work, we present the correlation andmultiple values of the prison code in relation to other subdimensions of the social climatefrom 1991, 1993, 1994, 1997 and 2016. In all samples more than 80% of prisoners wereincluded, except for 2016 were approximately 20% of prisoners were included in the sample.All the individual and multiple correlations of the prison code with other subdimensions arestatistically significant (I will specifically present them during the presentation) and it seemst hat has a significant impact on a scenario that takes place in prison; ranging from a riot, to its normal day-to-day functioning.