The Concept of Resilience and Protection of Critical Infrastructure against Natural and Man-made Disasters in Republic of Macedonia

The paper argues that if Macedonia is about to enhance resilience to natural and man made disasters it must consider effective critical infrastructure protection. Identifying critical infrastructures that need to be protected, among others, will enable Macedonian society to withstand, absorb, adapt to the new situation and to bounce back effectively. During the research we have identified two problems. First there is no national consensus of what resilience means. Second there is no identified list of critical infrastructures that need protection through the concept of “all hazards approach” embedded in the national disaster risk and reduction concept. Therefore the paper first discusses the concept of resilience as seen by different branches of science in order to establish a framework for further examination in Macedonian context. In the second part we examine how the concept of critical infrastructure protection against all types of hazards could be placed in Macedonia. In the third part of the paper we argue that without coherent state strategy for critical infrastructure protection Macedonia risks to endanger disaster/crisis management system’s resilience. Finally we provide some recommendation

Comparative Analysis of CT/CVE Policies: USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Sweden, and North Macedonia

The article record may be found at https://www.hsaj.org/articles/19378We conducted a comparative analysis of five countries’ CT/CVE policies—USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Sweden and North Macedonia—to identify common values and themes.Sponsored the U. S. Department of Homeland Security’s National Preparedness Directorate, FEMA, CHDS is part of the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS)

The Use of a Scenario-Based Nominal Group Technique to Assess P/CVE Programs: Development and Pilot Testing of a Toolkit

Preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE) requires coordination among multiple agencies, stakeholders and systems. The complexity of this task (compounded by the variety of P/CVE programming around the world) creates a  challenge for those hoping to develop these initiatives. The purpose of this project was to develop a replicable process and corresponding toolkit to engage multiple stakeholders in consensus building around the efficacy and improvement of nascent, developing or mature systems-level P/CVE programs. As a method, we adapted the process of nominal group technique (NGT), a structured-brainstorming tool that provides an orderly procedure for obtaining qualitative and ranked information from heterogenous participant pools. The technique we developed is based on a case-study approach (“scenario”) which we then tested in three countries (USA, Sweden, and North Macedonia) with existing P/CVE initiatives at different stages of development. We conducted scenario-based NGT sessions in each location and then systematically analyzed the results using iterative qualitative coding based on a common framework. Results were analyzed to achieve consensus on the most common system-level challenges and system-level functions, necessary to overcome those challenges, in each location. Practitioners in each local jurisdiction were then able to utilize the results derived from the NGT for their own purposes, such as advocacy to policy makers, strategic regional P/CVE planning, and ongoing stakeholder engagement. Acknowledgments: This project was funded by the NATO Science for Peace and Security Programme under the award entitled "Evaluation Support for CVE at the Local Level" SPS.MYPG5556, the Swedish Contingency Agency (MSB), and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Science and Technology Directorate (Cooperative Agreement Number: 2015-ST-108-FRG005). The content of this manuscript as well as the views and discussions expressed are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of any of the above institutions, nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. government

NOTIONES - iNteracting netwOrk of inTelligence and securIty practitiOners with iNdustry and acadEmia actorS

With cyberattacks becoming more and more dangerous in the current, connected digital landscape, it is necessary to develop methods and technologies to tackle them. The EU funded NOTIONES project will address the danger by building a network of practitioners from security and intelligence services. It will bring together 30 partners, practitioners from military, civil, financial, judiciary, local, national and international security and intelligence services from 9 EU Member States and 6 Associated Countries. Together they will monitor the results of academic research and industrial innovation and suggest actions. NOTIONES will organise and participate in workshops and conferences to present its findings to the broad intelligence community

Social Engineering vs. Democratic Reform: The Search for Appropriate Platform to the Upcoming Earthquake in the Gulf Cooperation Council's Region

Arab spring, “global political awakening” will be written as one of the most significant moments of the beginning of this century. Starting in Tunisia the revolution has swept across the Arab World. However, once that these wave of political, economic and social demands reached the complex Gulf Region things have changed. Countries from the Gulf Cooperation Council-(GCC) have applied unique double standard reaction to the Arab protests. On one hand they have supported Arab Spring elsewhere including in Yemen. On the other hand domestically GCC’ countries have employed Shia-Sunni rift and threat from Iran’s hegemonic regional ambition to justify not just military intervention and support to Bahrain’s monarchy but also domestic interventions. Complex securities, religious, economic and social relationship in the Gulf accompanied by the U.S. strategic interests give small chances for democratic transformation in the near future. Nevertheless recent U.S. concerns about GCC’s countries domestic reaction to the people’s demands is clear message that something needs to be done. The article suggests that social stability is the platform that needs to be build if the GCC and U.S. are about to prevent upcoming earthquakes in the region

Интерна скрипта за предавања Римско право, први дел

Овој материјал е наменет за изучување на предметот Римско право, поточно се работи за првиот дел од материјалот што студентите го изучуваат во рамки на наставната програма по Римско право. Тој содржи теоретски осврт на изворите, римското лично право и еден дел од римското имотно право. Во него се обработени најзначајните институти на римското право кои се од значење за запознавање и изучување на римското право, но и негово ставање во служба на изучување на правната наука од денешен аспект

Threats to the Critical Infrastructure in South-East Europe posed by Al Qaeda and its Associated Movements: the case of Macedonia

None-state actors like Al Qaeda and its associated movements have given new dimension to the international terrorism and security after the Cold War. The 11 September 2001 attacks, attacks in Bali (2002), London (2004), Madrid (2005), Mumbai (2009) and Moscow (2010) attest that these non-state actors’ agenda has become global, apocalyptic and critical infrastructure focused. Connections to Al Qaeda by some Muslim groups and individuals from South-East Europe in an age of globalization, corrupt transitions, violent Yugoslavia conflicts and active support to the Global war on terror, rise serious concerns to the safety of the critical infrastructure in the region of South-East Europe (SEE). Like the rest of the South-East European’s countries, Macedonia misses effective strategy that will reduce the risks to critical infrastructure posed by Al Qaeda and its associated movements. Centralized planning and decentralized execution focused not just on immediate threats, but also on preventive measures could ensure effective critical infrastructure protection form Al Qaeda and its associated movements. To be fully effective Macedonia and South-East European’s governments need to coordinate, facilitate and stimulate all stakeholders involved in critical infrastructure protection

Balkan's Perspectives in the middle of NATO Emerging Security Challenges

Security challenges have proven that NATO cannot longer rely on sole Military Power. Ranging from Cyber attacks to failed states, from energy security to “Arab Spring’s” democratic transition and from fragile security in Afghanistan to the severe financial crisis NATO have realized that in order to be able effectively to cope with security threats it needs active civilian component. Strategic shift over the past years from geographical to functional security have tasted NATO legitimacy in several occasions. Starting from Bosnia through Kosovo and now in Afghanistan the necessity of effective civilian component that could increase preventive approach and improve resilience is more than evident. Euro-Atlantic integration has so far proven to be the key for stability in the region. However, open issues like “Macedonia-Greece name issue”, “Kosovo status issue”, Challenges for Bosnian functional Government, are challenges that influence remaining Balkan states to effectively flow in to the Euro-Atlantic pool. We argue that although bilateral issues prevent NATO “open door policy” to become fully effective in Balkan, the New NATO 2010 Strategic Concept offers great opportunities for Balkan states. Bold proposals that will offer solutions for NATO emerging security challenges and come out with functional actions that could nest under NATO interest would likely if not undermine “chill” the hot bilateral issues. The article will expand on how active projects relying on pulling and sharing could serve as effective social engineering that could then potentially used as a platform for either solve existing issues or improve regional stability

Contemporary challenges in military education – Macedonian Military Academy in the context

This paper evaluates latest reforms in the Macedonian military education system. Both, contemporary challenges in military education and Euro-Atlantic commitment have shaped transformation of military education and training system in the Republic of Macedonia. Hence, these dynamics urged the redefinition of the role and responsibilities of the Military Academy “General Mihailo Apostolski” – Skopje. As a result, today, the Military Academy educates, trains and produces young military and civilian leaders ready to meet contemporary security challenges that affect the defence system, crisis management and disaster risk reduction sector, not only in Macedonia, but in the region of South East Europe as well. The paper explains how the education curricula at the Military Academy reconcile with the European credit transfer system’s requirements on the one hand, and the principles of modern warfare and security challenges on the other. In addition, the paper touches on gender issues in military education, and implementation of information technology in military education

Employing forgotten profession: Macedonian military diplomacy as a mean to the strategic ends

Dynamics in international relations after the Cold War have clearly confirmed that the connection between diplomacy and use of force should not be seen as two ends of a spectrum. To address current security threats after the Cold War victorious Western powers have introduced a range of new missions for military forces. These missions have unequivocally imposed necessity for global change in military culture. It is clear now that to effectively transfer political guidance in to tasks on terrain, among others, midlevel and junior officers along with noncommissioned officers must demonstrate diplomatic skills. Republic of Macedonia is active partner in the War on terror since 2002. In addition harmonization of defense law in accordance with the Euro-Atlantic aspirations is not just the argument about Macedonian political elite’s dedication to these values, but also an argument that supports pledged efforts for active contribution toward World’s peace and security. Nevertheless despite success of our military forces during recent deployments it could be argued that we have not fully exploited it and gain broader social domestic achievements as our Western Allies do. Therefore the article argues that Macedonia must reconsider its rusty defense and military diplomacy and profit from military deployment