Belgium (Brussels Morning Newspaper) The Tactics Institute for Security and Counter Terrorism has released its highly anticipated second major report titled “UAE/KSA Opportunism, Captive States & the Arms Trade in South-Eastern Europe.” The comprehensive report sheds light on the evolving dynamics between the European Union (EU) and the Balkans, focusing on the manufacture and sale of weapons in the region. It highlights the rise of powerful Middle Eastern nations, particularly the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia, as the leading customers for arms in the region.
According to the report, the year 2017 witnessed the UAE emerging as the primary contractor for the Serbian defense industry, with export contracts valued at an astounding $138 million for that year alone. Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, secured the third position with contracts estimated at around $62 million. This surge in arms trade with the Gulf states can be attributed to the power vacuum created by EU isolation and its implications for the Balkans and Eastern Europe. Notably, countries like China and Russia have also taken advantage of this situation to expand their influence in the region.
The report examines several factors that have driven the shifting policies toward the Balkans, including EU fatigue, conflicting interests among member states, Brexit, and France’s veto on EU enlargement. These factors have cast doubt on the feasibility of aligning the region’s industrial interests with those of a larger European community, thereby reversing the progress made in NATO/EU expansion and hindering economic, social, political, and military transformation.
Contributors to the report include Brigadier-General Metodi Hadji-Janev, a senior military analyst; Michal Vit, an Assistant Professor at the Metropolitan University of Prague and Visiting Professor at South East European University; Ivan Fischer, a foreign policy expert; Vojkan Kostic, an investigative journalist; and Thomas Charles, the Director of Tactics Institute.
One of the report’s crucial findings is the alarming proliferation of Balkan weapons into conflict zones such as Libya, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and Eritrea. These weapons eventually make their way into the hands of organized criminal groups and terrorists operating throughout Europe, establishing a disturbing reuse-recycle flow from the Balkans to the rest of the continent.
The complete report, which delves into further details and insights on this critical issue, can be downloaded from the Tactics Institute’s website. The findings serve as a wake-up call for policymakers and stakeholders involved in security and defense matters, urging them to address the emerging challenges posed by the changing dynamics in the Balkans and Southeastern Europe.
