The Myth of Rising Defence Spending in Balkans Needs Unpacking

Reports of soaring defence expenditures and even ‘arms races’ in the Balkans need to be treated with caution given the chronic lack of transparency surrounding this issue.

Rising defence expenditure trends in the Balkans have drawn a lot of attention in recent years. Frequent announcements by local politicians about large military procurements have contributed to the impression of an “arms race” in the region.

Strong geopolitical currents buffeting the region due to the war in Ukraine, coupled with ever-present tensions and nationalist rhetoric in the region, keep the eye of the public on the defence sectors.

Given that defence is traditionally one of the highest spending but least transparent government sectors, the central question is how Balkan countries actually spend their budgets on defence.

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