GAP Institute published the analysis “Strategic Defense Review of the Republic of Kosovo”
13/09/2013
This analysis was written by Professor John DeRosa as a non-resident fellow as a research professional in the field of public policy.
Read the full analysis in here:
GAP Institute published the analysis “Strategic Defense Review of the Republic of Kosovo” written by Professor John DeRosa as a non-resident fellow as a research professional in the field of public policy.
The purpose of this Strategic Defense Review (SDR) is to foster discussion of and decisions about Kosovo’s vital interests, how best to protect them, and to scope required resources. This report is an independent look at future armed forces of Kosovo. It provides an objective review into vital national interests, regional threats, and strategic choices for the capabilities and capacities of the future armed forces of Kosovo.
In this study, a vital national interest is an enduring condition upon which Kosovo depends that, if compromised, could imperil survival or well-being. Defense strategy should be designed with these interests in mind, and Kosovo’s armed forces should be adequate to ensure that these interests can be defended with minimum risk. This review has identified the following vital national interest:
- Independence and territorial integrity
- Conditions that enable economic stability
- Consolidation of a democratic state
- Security and stability of the region
The next questions asked in this assessment are: what are the most significant threats to national interests? Overall, the most significant threats are political-economic, criminal-terrorist, and environmental in nature. Politically, the main threat to the security of Kosovo remains with Serbia’s constitutional territorial claims. Economics remains the paramount condition that threats the security of Kosovo. Transnational organized crime, violent extremism, and environmental threats may have significant consequences to the national interests of Kosovo.
In review of the conditions of the strategic environment, national interests, threats and opportunities, there is an occasion to reshape the defence architecture of Kosovo. These opportunities come in the form of recommendations for reshaping the roles and missions, force structure, and defence reform. Inasmuch, there is no higher priority for a government than the protection of its sovereignty, people and national security interests. Therefore, this report recommends the primary role of the armed forces is to preserving the independence and territorial integrity of the nation by detecting, deterring, preventing, or, if necessary, defeating threats and aggression against the state.
