On the hierarchy of doctrinal documents

Abstract

Normative and hierarchical definition of national (state) security is an important prerequisite for the overall development of the Serbian society in accordance with the needs of the present day, but also with the practice of modern democratic states towards which the Republic of Serbia declaratively gravitates. Basic doctrinal documents of the Republic of Serbia are full of, primarily, orientation ambiguity, political and doctrinal ramble, which is also the main feature of the last three decades of recent Serbian history as a whole. This paper defines the hierarchy of doctrinal documents in accordance with the achieved development of scientific thought in our country, with a review of relevant documents that support and confirm the defined hierarchy. This is also a response to the call for the creation of a wider scientific forum which would discuss further doctrinal and strategic development of the Republic of Serbia with the aim to complete the established series of doctrinal documents. The defense reform, as an inappropriately long lasting process, cannot be successfully completed without precisely established hierarchy of doctrinal documents. This has turned out to be unified, unique process for each respective country, and any attempt to copy an already implemented reform in a “similar” country will be a failed concept. Consistent with the commitments set out in the strategic and doctrinal documents and the presented political goals of cooperation, the Republic of Serbia has not gone much ahead of the intensive and meaningful participation in the Partnership for Peace Program, or a clearly expressed interest of the Republic of Serbia for establishing a national defense system compatible with the defense systems of the NATO and the Partnership for Peace member states. The Republic of Serbia has no clear, unified national hierarchical flow of doctrinal documents, which is one of the reasons for the security and strategic ramble in the past twenty-five years, as a result of deficiencies in the overall political situation and sociopolitical development of our society.

Keywords

• state
• security
• orientation
• national interest
• strategy
• preservation
• document