Transform, Transcend, Translate

Welcome to TransConflict, an organization undertaking conflict and post-conflict transformation projects and research throughout the Western Balkans

Wednesday 5th May, Interview with the Czech Republic's Ambassador to NATO, H.E. Martin Povejsil

In an interview with TransConflict Serbia, the Czech Republic's Ambassador to NATO, H.E. Mr. Martin Povejsil, responded to a variety of questions regarding the development of NATO's future and the development of a new Strategic Concept.  

1) Why is NATO's new Strategic Concept important - not only for NATO member states, but for the overall global security architecture?

Ambassador Povejsil - The Strategic Concept in general is the most important political document of NATO. It sets a strategic course roughly for a decade ahead. And very important feature of the Strategic Concept is its public nature. There is no secret version of it in the NATO drawers. So for members states, it means consensual picture of our security environment, its prospects and most importantly - where is the NATO place in it. And everybody in the outside world can get familiar with it. So it touches upon two crucial issues - transparency and predictability. As for the architecture question - let me say very clearly that NATO does not seek a role of global hegemon possessing a panacea for all the world security issues. 

2) What is the Czech Republic's perspective on NATO's new Strategic Concept?

Ambassador Povejsil - For the Czech Republic, it is a historic moment. For the first time, we contribute as a NATO member state to setting the Alliance's strategic course. There are two main issues. First, the process of drafting is as important as the outcome. At the end, everybody must be able to sign the text. So everybody gets his voice heard and reflected to the extent possible. Second, we do not seek major NATO overhaul. NATO must remain action-capable alliance able to safeguard security of its member states. 

3) What concrete steps is the Czech Republic currently taking in order to ensure that its own views on the new Strategic Concept are taken into consideration?

Ambassador Povejsil - As I explained in the previous answer, the ongoing process ensures it. We take floor at different meetings, including Ministerial meetings, we have organized a seminar in Prague etc.

To read the rest of this interview, which is also available in Serbian, please click here.

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Tuesday 27th April, Joint agreement on developing the hydro-electric power potential of the Drina river

Serbia's minister for energy and mining, Petar Skundric, Italy's minister of economic development, Claudio Scajola, and Republika Srpska's minister of economy, energy and development, Slobodan Puhalac, yesterday signed a joint agreement on developing the Drina river's hydro-electric power potential. 

The construction of new hydro-electric power plants on the Drina - with capacity of between 380 and 400 megawatts - will ensure that the Podrinje region becomes an important energy resource for Serbia, Republika Srpska and Italy (through a joint energy network via Montenegro). 

TransConflict Serbia, in conjunction with the Representational Office of Republika Srpska in Belgrade, is currently implementing a project, entitled 'Strengthening Inter-Municipal and Economic Co-operation in the Podrinje Region'; the aim of which is to promote and facilitate economic and inter-municipal co-operation between Republika Srpska and Serbia by strengthening the skills and knowledge of municipal officials and small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs) from municipalities throughout the Podrinje region. The project involves 13 municipalities from Serbia and 12 from Republika Srpska, plus the Regional Chambers of Commerce of Bijeljina, Istocno Sarajevo, Sremska, Uzice and Valjevo. 

Four business sectors have been identified as areas with significant potential for facilitating economic trade and co-operation between Republika Srpska and Serbia - agriculture, natural resources (particularly hydro-electric power generation on the Drina River), light manufacturing and tourism. TransConflict Serbia is currently undertaking in-depth analysis of questionnaires completed by all the participating municipalities and Chambers of Commerce. 

For further information about this project, please contact Ms. Mirjana Kosic (mirjana.kosic@transconflict.com). 

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Tuesday 10th April, Conference on 'Strengthening Dialogue on Euro-Atlantic Integration through Local Youth Offices' 

A final conference, marking the successful implementation to date of part of TransConflict's 'Strengthening Serbia's Euro-Atlantic Integration through Local Youth Offices' project, was held on 9th-10th April in Sremska Mitrovica. The five Local Youth Offices (LYOs) - Kladovo, Novi Becej, Obrenovac, Sjenica and Sremska Mitrovica, respectively - who have directly participated in each phase of the project were joined by representatives from several other LYOs from throughout Serbia who have expressed an interest in participating in this initiative.

During the two-day conference, the participants had the opportunity to discuss a variety of issues related to both the process of EU integration and Serbia's role in the international security arena, facilitated primarily through the Partnership for Peace (PfP) Programme. Mr. Jiri Jurik, from the Czech Embassy in Belgrade, provided a variety of insights into the Czech Republic's own experiences of Euro-Atlantic integration; whilst Mrs. Zorica Labudovic, from the Ministry for Youth and Sports, provided a detailed overview of the Ministry's work, placing a particular emphasis on the importance and role of LYOs as a mechanism for strengthening of youth activism and participation throughout Serbia. Mrs. Labudovic also talked about the increasing opportunities for young people to travel, including student exchange programmes, which many still do not seem to be sufficiently well informed about. 

Mrs. Snezana Kresoja, from the Novi Sad-based Centre for Politics and Euro-Atlantic Partnership, opened up an interesting and provocative discussion about the topic of "Mythologising Euro-Atlantic Integration"; whilst Mr. Marko Savkovic, of the Centre for Civic-Military Relations from Belgrade, introduced the participants to a range of new security threats and challenges, emphasizing their interconnectedness and the need for increased cooperation and mutual efforts to find global solutions. The first day of the conference concluded with a short documentary on Serbia's military neutrality - a topic which was discussed by our guest-speakers during the course of the day and which has also been explored during the series of workshops previously organised in cooperation with LYOs.  

The second day of the conference was conducted in an interactive manner, with Mrs. Ljiljana Josic, from the European Movement in Serbia - Local Council Sremska Mitrovica, skilfully guiding the young participants through a workshop entitled "The EU and You". During the final afternoon session - the main objective of which was to lay the foundations for the development of a joint strategy for promoting dialogue on Euro-Atlantic integration through Local Youth Offices - the participants were divided into two working groups and tasked with devising approaches to engaging young people on, and educating them about, issues related to Euro-Atlantic integration. 

For photographs from the conference in Sremska Mitrovica, please click here. 

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Friday 2nd April, Panel discussion organized in Pancevo 

TransConflict Serbia, in close co-operation with Gradjanska akcija (Citizens' Action) from Pancevo, organised a panel discussion on Wednesday 31st March, entitled "Serbia and NATO tomorrow". The guest speakers were Mr. Steffen Elgersma, from NATO's Political Affairs and Security Policy Division (PASP) and Euro-Atlantic Integration and Partnership Directorate (EIPD), Mr. Jan Vlkovsky and Mr. Jiri Jurik from the Czech Embassy in Belgrade, and Mr. Aleksandar Radic, an independent military analyst.  

The panel discussion - which was organised as part of TransConflict's 'Strengthening Serbia's Euro-Atlantic Integration through Local Youth Offices' project - was attended by a large number of people, including public officials and academics, as well as representatives of the Students' Association and former employees of the chemical industry. The representatives of the Czech Embassy opened the discussion by introducing the role and activities of the Czech Embassy as NATO's Contact Point Embassy for 2009-2010, and by referring to the experiences of the Czech Republic in its transitioning to, and transformation into, a full member of both NATO and the EU.

Mr. Elgersma spoke about the intensive process currently underway to develop NATO's new Strategic Concept and provided a variety of insights into constantly emerging security challenges and threats. Mr. Elgersma also talked about the present and future relationship between Serbia and NATO, possible modes of cooperation within the Partnership for Peace (PfP) Programme, NATO's open door policy and Serbia's military neutrality. Mr. Radic continued along these lines, giving a detailed explanation and analysis of the costs of military neutrality, the importance of stronger cooperation in our inter-connected world and the potential benefits Serbia can derive from closer relations with NATO. 

Towards the end, Rastko Pocesta, a 12-years old pupil from Pancevo, surprised all the participants by displaying his thorough understanding of global affairs with a speech that emphasized the importance of openness and tolerance.

Questions ensuing from the presentations contributed to a lively and long debate on a variety of issues, including the legacy of NATO's air-campaign in 1999, demonstrating that there is not only a huge interest amongst the public in Serbia to openly discuss security-related issues, but also a great need to provide them with up-to-date and impartial information.

For photographs from the panel discussion in Pancevo, please click here.