Breaking Fear: What Can Civil Society Do to Save Accountability of Security Governance in the Time of Fear?

Revival of democratic oversight in the security sector is the main topic of the conference organized by the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCSP) as part of  the 20th anniversary celebration, on November 28 starting from 11 am in Dorcol Platz, Dobracina 59b.

The aim of the conference entitled “Breaking Fear: What Can Civil Society Do to Save Accountability of Security Governance  in the Time of Fear?” is to bring together a diverse group of actors from European civil society, in search for answers to questions on how to keep civil society active and successful in democratic oversight of security institutions during the time of fear.

20th anniversary celebration

The conference is organized as part of the BCSP's 20th anniversary celebration. BCSP is the first civil society organization in the Western Balkans specializing in security topics. Until 2010, BCSP has worked under the name of the Center for Civil-Military Relations (CCMR).

#BreakingFear Agenda:

11.00 – 12.30: First Panel – BREAKING FEAR IN SERBIA

• Miroslav Hadžić, head of Executive Board of BCSP;
• Sandra Petrušić, journalist from weekly NIN;
• Rodoljub Šabić, Commissioner for Freedom of Access to Information and Privacy of Data;
• Jovanka Matić, Vice President of Executive Board of BCSP and Research Associate at the Institute of Social Sciences, and
• Moderator: Predrag Petrović, Executive Director of BCSP.

13.00 – 14.30: Second Panel: BREAKING FEAR IN THE WESTERN BALKANS – Regional Networking for Accountability of Security Governance and Peace

• Florian Qehaja, Director of Kosovo Centre for Security Studies from Pristina;
• Magdalena Lembovska, Researcher at Security Programme of Analytica from Skoplje;
• Sotiraq Hroni, Executive Director of Institute for Democracy and Mediation from Tirana;
• Stevo Muk, President of Management Board of Institute Alternativa from Podgorica, and
• Moderator: Sonja Stojanović Gajić, Director of BCSP

15.30 – 17.00: Third Panel BREAKING FEAR IN EUROPE: How can democratic governance of security survive in Europe?

• Arvinder Sambei, Director of Amicus Legal Consultants and former Senior Crown Prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service of England & Wales, and Legal Adviser at the Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ), Ministry of Defence;
• Josef Batora, Professor at the Department of Political Science at Comenius University in Bratislava;
• Dejan Jović, Professor at Faculty of Political Science of University of Zagreb, and
• Moderator: Filip Ejdus, member of Executive Board of BCSP and Professor at the Faculty of Political Science of University of Belgrade

18.00 – 19.00: BREAKING FEAR TALKS

• Stevan Dojčinović, editor in chief of portal KRIK; 
• Sandra Benčić, representative of Centre for Peace Studies from Zagreb;
• Vukašin Obradović, editor in chief of Vranjske Novine and former head of Independent Journalist Association of Serbia;
• Bobana Macanović, representative of Autonomous Women's Centre, 
• Miroslav Hadžić, head of Executive Board of BCSP.

19.00 – 23.00: Celebration