Baština (Jan 2018)
Military neutrality of Serbia and co-operation with Russian Federation
Abstract
New challenges and threats to security in contemporary society represent a challenge to 'traditional neutrality' as the guarantor of citizens and territory security. All European neutral states modified more or less their concepts of neutrality by the establishing of co-operation with certain international organizations. There is no permanent neutrality in traditional sense any longer, but these are different initial 'differential' forms of neutrality. Thus, concept of military neutrality is a specific model in the Republic of Serbia. Starting from national interests, Serbia unilaterally proclaimed military neutrality. The decision of military neutrality is the co-operation model and compliance of security and defence politics with EU, NATO, ODKB, Russian Federation and other states and international organizations with which the Contract on military-technical co-operation was stipulated, and participation in multinational operations of UN and missions of EU, all with aims of providing contribution to common democratic values and reinforcing of regional and global security. The increasing military co-operation with Russian Federation in the latest years represents the confirmation of political determination for military neutrality of Serbia. Such tendencies in foreign politics were reinforced in May 2018, when National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia adopted alterations and amendments of the Law on Defence. By the same law defence interest, military neutrality, co-operation and partnership with states and international organizations in the field of security and defence were defined.
