Balkan arms race, Montenegro boost military budget

Montenegro is gradually increasing its budget for military needs and is sending soldiers to missions abroad. Due to NATO accession, Montenegro has signed two major arms purchase contracts.

During US Foreign Minister Mike Pompeii's recent visit to Podgorica, an agreement has been signed with Montenegro for the purchase of 67 US armoured vehicles, worth about $36m. This is the first purchase of vehicles like this for the needs of the Montenegrin Army in the past 40 years. It's about vehicles known as “heimer”, of the renowned American company “Oskosh” The first contingent comes next year, and Montenegro will be the first European country to have such vehicles available. The cars were bought on credit.

“These vehicles present great progress in modernising the Montenegrin Army. Our forces will reach these vehicles with the necessary training level, movement, defense... These preparations are in line with the preparation of other NATO forces”, defence ministry representatives say Deutsche Ellen.

This is Montenegro's second largest message from its entry into NATO. Montenegro has purchased three helicopters worth $30m from Canada last year. Such acquisitions have previously been unthinkable for Montenegro. In the opinion it was earlier said that the Montenegrin Army is small and without good equipment. Authorities say that with recent preparations, the Montenegrin Army will achieve the proper level for support of units on the ground, air support and the necessary evacuation in case of need, but also for help of the population in emergency cases.

Balkan arms race

Since Montenegro's entry into NATO, this country has allocated 20m euros to the defence budget last year, while next year it will allocate another 46 million. But even more. In the Ministry of Defence, they say the past two years have received numerous donations from the United States in the field of communication, but also medicine. While Germany has given Montenegro six armoured vehicles for patrols, called Mercedes Benc. The largest donation will later come a large-caliber radar, with which Montenegro can monitor its airspace. Montenegro's airspace is currently controlled by NATO member countries' planes: Italy and Greece. Montenegro expects this radar to be installed by 2021.

Americans not only sell weapons to their partners in the Balkans but also offer donations. The Balkan Security Network portal has published data, according to which the US has allocated aid to four Western Balkan countries worth $110m. The money is earmarked for the armies of Croatia, Northern Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania.

Money separated from the Montenegrin budget, however, is very low compared to other countries in the region. Media and analysts say the main arms race is under way between Serbia and Croatia, which invest hundreds of millions of euros in military needs. Serbia has also received military aid from Russia.

Interestingly, Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vuciq, has recently mentioned in the context of weapons as well as Montenegro: „Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Croatia and other countries in the region are arming themselves. We're seeing Kosovo and Metohija Albanians arm up, as well as Montenegro we're all watching”, Vuciq stressed. Montenegrin authorities do not want to comment on this Vuciki statement, but suggest that “everybody is looking carefully at the current global trends when it comes to weapons and equipment”.

The modernisation of the Montenegrin Army is being done not only in the framework of meeting NATO's conditions, but also in protecting national interests. The arms decision is taken after detailed reviews”, the Defence Ministry says.

Military Budget Growing

Due to NATO accession, Montenegro's budget for military needs has increased. For 2018, 54m euros have been allocated, while 61.6 million will be separated this year. It is expected that the budget in the following years will be added. “Montenegro will arrive in 2024 to share the required 2% level of gross product for military needs”, authorities say.

Part of the Montenegrin opposition stated before joining NATO that Montenegro will have major problems with the required financing. They feel that it would be better for money spent on military needs to be given for education, health, and other needs. But authorities say, that Montenegro would be forced to split even more money, if it were not part of NATO. The number of Montenegrin soldiers has not increased since joining NATO. Now, there's been an opportunity to volunteer us. The Montenegrin Army currently has 2,368 soldiers.

Missions Abroad

Montenegrin soldiers have also gone to many missions abroad in recent years mostly Afghanistan. Serbia has protested sharply following Montenegro's decision to send an officer to Kosovo within KFOR units. Next year Montenegro will send two soldiers to Iraq, but mostly attention has awakened the Montenegrin authorities' decision to send the military mission to Latvia, within NATO units for defence from Russia. Montenegrin authorities say this country is small but determined to make its contribution to collective protection. / FE