West Balkans increases defense spending, brings back compulsory military service

By Talha Ozturk, Lejla Biogradlija, Dzihat Aliju and Eren Beksac

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) — Western Balkan countries recently decided to make new investments in the field of defense and the region is reintroducing compulsory military service.

The move comes as conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, the increasing number of crisis points and the deterioration of the security situation around the world have forced many countries to think about their military potential.

NATO members Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Albania and North Macedonia have increased their military budgets and non-members Serbia and Kosovo have followed a similar path.

Meanwhile, Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is also not a member of NATO, is lagging behind the rest of the Balkans in defense expenditure.

In addition to investments, the reintroduction of compulsory military service by Serbia and Croatia constituted another form of defense activity among the countries of the region.

- Serbia draws the most attention

Serbia, known for its military neutrality among the countries of the former Yugoslavia, recently attracted the most attention with its purchase of Rafale fighter jets from France and its reintroduction of compulsory military service.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced that compulsory military service, which was abolished in 2010, will be brought back and military service will be 75 days.

Prime Minister Milos Vucevic also said they are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the French warplanes they purchased.

Serbia has a 37.9% investment rate in its military budget this year, which it uses to buy new equipment, upgrade existing systems, or invest in infrastructure or technology, rather than just covering operating costs like salaries or maintenance.

- Croatia also brings back compulsory military service

Croatia, a member of NATO and the European Union, has also announced that it will bring back compulsory military service.

Croatian Defense Minister Ivan Anusic said compulsory military service, which was abolished in 2008, will be reintroduced as of Jan. 1, 2025, and will last for a period of 60 days.

Croatia's recent purchases of Bradley armored fighting vehicles from the US and Rafale fighter jets from France have been described as the "modernization" of the country's army.

According to data from the Croatian Ministry of Defense, the 2024 military budget for army modernization has increased by 622% compared to 2016.

- Montenegro and Slovenia also increase their military budgets

Montenegro, which became a NATO member in 2017 and is continuing its EU membership process, has also allocated at least 2% of its gross domestic product (GDP) to defense.

The Montenegrin Defense Ministry said that 35.7% of the 2024 military budget will be allocated to investments, while new purchases such as patrol boats and helicopters are on the agenda.

While compulsory military service has not been implemented in Montenegro since 2006, the country said that unlike Serbia and Croatia, bringing back this practice is not on Montenegro's agenda.

Another regional country that is a NATO and EU member, Slovenia, is also on the list of those increasing their 2024 military budget. Slovenia is also among the countries that do not plan to bring back compulsory military service, which it shelved in 2003.

- North Macedonia cares about development of its army

North Macedonia, a NATO member since 2020, abolished compulsory military service in 2006 and the army was fully professionalized in 2006-2007.

Although the reintroduction of compulsory military service is being discussed in public, such a topic is not yet on the nation’s agenda.

The country, which participated in many international missions and exercises before and after NATO membership, also plans to purchase defense equipment that complies with NATO standards.

North Macedonia, which accepts donations of military equipment from NATO member countries, especially Türkiye, cares about the modernization of its army.

Defense Minister Vlado Misajlovski said in a statement following a ceremony marking the delivery of military equipment donated to their army by the Turkish Ministry of National Defense on Aug. 30 that they will continue the modernization of the country's military with new equipment.

- Kosovo takes key steps to strengthen army

Kosovo transformed its Kosovo Security Force (FSK) into an armed force with legal amendments in 2018.

The FSK was established in 2009 to provide crisis management operations across the country and borders and to serve in civil defense operations in the country and address natural disasters and other emergencies.

It is expected that Kosovo will have approximately 7,500 military personnel upon completion of the process, which is expected to take 10 years.

The Kosovo government established the Security Fund in 2022, through which citizens can contribute to the budget of the Ministry of Defense for military purchases. In addition, it approved the National Program for Comprehensive Protection on Sept. 11.

The program was prepared based on similar systems implemented in NATO member countries and aims to build national resilience in the country so that the society can voluntarily join and support the army in the event of natural disasters or armed attacks and be ready to react.

Kosovo, which allocated over €200 million ($220 million) for weapons and equipment in 2021-2023 as part of the process of transforming the FSK into an army, made the most striking purchase of Bayraktar TB2 SIHA unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Türkiye last year.

On the other hand, Kosovo aims to become a member of the Partnership for Peace Program, which is a prerequisite for NATO membership.

There is no compulsory military service in Kosovo.

- Bosnia and Herzegovina lagging behind in defense mobility

Due to the complex political structure that emerged with the Dayton Peace Agreement after the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 1990s, it is considered "nearly impossible" to make innovations in the fields of defense and military in the country.

While the Republika Srpska (RS), one of the two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, makes many investments in the field of defense, the country’s other entity, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBIH), remains deficient in this regard.

- Albania hosts NATO's first air base in region

Albania became a member of NATO in 2009. The country, which abolished compulsory military service upon joining NATO, has an army consisting of professional personnel selected according to certain criteria.

In March this year, Kucove Tactical Air Base, NATO's first air base in the Western Balkans, was opened in Kucove municipality in Berat County in the southern part of the country.

While authorities pointed out that the base gave Albania new geostrategic importance, Prime Minister Edi Rama said they were working on building NATO's naval base in Durres County in the western part of the country.

The reinstatement of compulsory military service is being discussed in public but authorities have not taken any official action on this issue.

In July this year, the Albanian Parliament approved a package of laws on the defense sector and military industry to reactivate some facilities related to the military equipment and weapons production chain.

Albania also received Bayraktar TB2 UAVs within the scope of the Türkiye-Albania Strategic Partnership in March, and these drones entered the inventory of the Albanian army. In early 2024, Albania also received the first batch of Black Hawk helicopters it ordered from the US.