Balkan Defence Monitor 2023 – Transparent Defence Systems for Peaceful Balkans

In order to provide credible data on defence systems in the region, BCSP will update and enhance the Balkan Defence Monitor, a comparative analysis that serves as an independent and comprehensive source of information regarding defence topics.

The report will present data on defence policies and issues in Western Balkans countries plus Croatia. The pilot report includes data on defence expenditure, national strategic documents, international military cooperation, including military exercises, peacekeeping operations and foreign donations and gender equality in defence systems. Since the greatest problem identified in the first iteration of research demonstrated great lack of transparency, the research team will devise a Defence Transparency Monitor for the countries in the region, as a subchapter of Balkan Defence Monitor.

The immediate goal of the project is to offer information that will help tackle hostile narratives in the region. Also, the monitor devotes particular attention to women in defence systems and aims to revive discussion on gender equality issues by organising a regional roundtable about the UNSCR 1325 implementation. The long-term ambition is to sustain an annual monitor that will collect data on a year-to-year basis, thus providing a sustainable and recognizable source of information aimed at increasing the regional transparency on defence-related topics.