Defense Ministers of Western Balkans Meet in Austrian Wachau
The Defense Ministers of the Western Balkan States met today with the Austrian minister of Defense Klaudia Tanner. The meeting was about the global security challenges which include the Westbalkan states.
Central Eastern Defense Ministers meeting in Krems, Austria. / Picture: © Austrian Armed Forces Photograph/Laura Heinschink
Upon the invitation of the Central European Defence Cooperation (CEDC), the ministers of the Western Balkan states came to Krems to discuss important global security issues. The conference was attended by the minister of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland.
Austria has the chairmanship of the CEDC for this year and the Austrian ministry said that they won't lose focus on the Westbalkan. As Austria is holding the chairmanship, they planned several projects which include the Westbalkan e.g the "Western Balkan Defence College", according to Austria's Ministry of Defence.
The Austrian defense minister Klaudia Tanner noted the importance of the West Balkan states regarding Russia's challenge to global security and migration. Czech Deputy Defense Minister Daniel Blazkovec said at a joint press conference in Krems University's main auditorium on Friday that the Western Balkans are "a guarantor of our security". With regard to the war in Ukraine, too, it is evident that Russia wants to use hybrid warfare to cause discord in this region as well, according to ORF.
The CEDC is a cooperation of the Central European countries Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Slovenia and Croatia. Poland, which also sent a representative to Krems, has observer status. The presidency rotates annually and next year it will be the Czech Republic's turn. Austria takes over the CEDC presidency again in 2028.