OSCE supports regional debate in South-Eastern Europe on the continued relevance of the Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security
A four-day conference, organized by the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre, on the role of armed and security forces in democratic societies started on 15 May 2017 in the coastal town of Budva, Montenegro.
Over 50 participants from South-Eastern Europe and beyond participated in discussions about the democratic control of armed and security forces, security sector reform, parliamentary oversight and respect for international humanitarian and human rights law for armed forces personnel.
Opening the event, Maryse Daviet Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, emphasized that “the OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security has set the tone for the efforts and commitments made in the region in pursuing democratic governance of the security sector.”
Senior officers from the armed forces, senior government officials, representatives of academia and civil society, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) are making use of this regional conference as a platform to discuss the continued relevance of the Code of Conduct and to share experiences and best practices in applying its principles and commitments in today’s security context.
Ivica Ivanović, Director General for Defence Policy of Montenegro’s Defence Ministry, underlined that “the Code of Conduct establishes clear guidelines for the behaviour of armed and security forces” and stressed that “Montenegro is committed to exercising democratic control over its military and internal security forces.”
Obrad Mišo Stanišić, President of the Committee of Security and Defence of the Parliament of Montenegro, said that monitoring the implementation of the Code of Conduct is “an integral part of the work of the parliamentary committee on security and defence.”
The OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security, adopted in 1994, is a landmark document for the governance of the security sector and the role of armed and security forces in democratic societies. It contains key principles and commitments for the 57 OSCE participating States related to security relations between States and to the control of all armed and security forces within a state. This regional seminar is held in line with a decision of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC), according to which the OSCE Secretariat is requested to organize at least one specialized seminar or workshop annually in order to facilitate better implementation and promote awareness of the Code of Conduct and support outreach in its regard.
The event was organized in co-operation with the Ministry of Defence of Montenegro and supported by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, with donor support from Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany and Switzerland.