OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security as stimulus for security sector reform

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During the event participants had the opportunity to share their experiences regarding the implementation of OSCE CoC document, as well as to recognize the disputed places in current practice. Presenting the extent of security sector reforms in Serbia BCSP researcher Marko Milosevic said that despite numerous challenges Serbia has made progress in the reform process.

“Serbia has completed the first generation of security sector reform with harmonizing its legal framework with demands of democratic civilian control of the armed forces. Few countries had so many challenges during its reform course since 2000 till today: the rebellion in southern Serbia, murder of Prime Minister and a state of emergency, separation of Montenegro, the self-proclaimed independence of Kosovo are just some of the potential brakes of this reform process”, said Milosevic.

Milosevic informed the participants about the attitudes of the citizens of Serbia towards the security sector reform. He pointed out the disturbing findings of BCSP researches that most people have negative views on the consequences of the reform which may provoke a slowdown or delay of certain reforms by political decision-makers.

The workshop marks the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security(OSCE CoC), a landmark document in security sector governance. The Code obliges all OSCE participating States to provide for democratic oversight of their armed, internal, para-military and intelligence forces and police.  States must also ensure that their armed forces remain politically neutral and respect human rights.

{image2}As the Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Paula Thiede said democratic political control of armed forces, such as parliamentary oversight, is an indispensable element of stability and security.

“Through the OSCE Code of Conduct, OSCE states have committed themselves to the democratic control of their armed forces and to other important principles of inter-state behaviour. In that sense the Code of Conduct is an important conflict prevention mechanism”, said Thiede.

CoC is a politically binding document and therefore, the state has an obligation to report annually on progress in various aspects of security sector reform, and the reports of all OSCE countries are publicly available.

In her closing speech BCSP Director Sonja Stojanovic Gajic pointed out two important issues for effective implementation of the CoC.

“It is necessary to ask whether there is a consensus about the norms imposed by the CoC. More specifically, to determine whether a document is a shared vision or a procedural obligation. Also, there is a second question which is whether there is enough mutual trust between countries to assess each other”, said Stojanovic Gajic.

The workshop gathered some 50 participants, including representatives of OSCE field operations, Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF), the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), RACVIAC Centre for Security Co-operation, Belgrade Centre for Security Policy and the Serbian Defence and Foreign Affairs ministries.

The event was organized by the OSCE Mission to Serbia, in partnership with the OSCE Secretariat Conflict Prevention Centre, and the Serbian Defence Ministry.