The perception of declarative threats of national security in Slovenian society

Abstract

Namen prispevka: V članku predstavljamo deklarativne vire ogrožanja nacionalne varnosti RS v obdobju zadnjih dveh desetletij, kot so jih obravnavali strateški dokumenti RS in kot so jih zaznavali prebivalci RS. Metode: Opravljena je bila analiza deklarativnih virov ogrožanja ter predstavitev in interpretacija rezultatov že izvedenih raziskav o zaznavi virov ogrožanja v Sloveniji. V najnovejši raziskavi o zaznavi deklarativnih virov ogrožanja je bil uporabljen vprašalnik na reprezentativnem vzorcu polnoletnih prebivalcev Republike Slovenije iz 24 občin (N = 961). Ugotovitve: Kot najbolj ogrožajoč vir ogrožanja in tveganja nacionalni varnosti RS na globalni ravni prebivalci izpostavljajo globalna finančna, gospodarska in socialna tveganja (npr. zmanjšana stopnja zaposlenosti prebivalstva ter obsežnejša ali celo splošna socialna kriza zaradi globalnih finančnih in gospodarskih tveganj ter zmanjševanje blaginje Republike Slovenije). Med viri nadnacionalnega porekla so prebivalci kot najbolj ogrožajoč dejavnik izpostavili organizirano kriminaliteto (npr. pranje denarja, tihotapstvo prepovedanih drog). Viri ogrožanja in tveganja na nacionalni ravni so pri prebivalcih zaznani kot bolj ogrožajoči kot nadnacionalni ali globalni viri, saj je prav zagotavljanje varnosti na tej ravni najbolj konkretno in povezano z zagotavljanjem varnosti posameznika in družbe. Rezultati kažejo, da dejavniki negotovosti (npr. brezposelnost, slabo delovanje države in javnih služb, revščina) ter ogrožanje javne varnosti (npr. finančne prevare, korupcija, gospodarska kriminaliteta, ponarejanje listin) najbolj ogrožajo Slovenijo in njeno nacionalno varnost. Omejitve: Ugotovitve se nanašajo na Slovenijo. Praktična uporabnost: Oblikovalci varnostne politike in pisci strateških dokumentov bodo lahko dobili vpogled v to, kako laična javnost (prebivalstvo) zaznava uradne, politično definirane vire ogrožanja nacionalne varnosti, kar jim bo lahko v pomoč za načrtovanje varnostne politike in strategij v prihodnje. Izvirnost: Prvič so bili v raziskavi uporabljeni novo definirani deklarativni viri ogrožanja in tveganja slovenske nacionalne varnosti.Purpose: This paper presents declarative sources of threats to the national security of the RS over the past two decades, as they are discussed in strategic documents and as they are perceived by the inhabitants of Slovenia. Design/Methods/Approach: An analysis of potential declarative threats and the presentation and interpretation of the results of previous researches on the perception of potential threats in Slovenia were made. In the latest survey on perception of declarative sources of threats a questionnaire among representative sample of adult residents (N = 961) from 24 municipalities of the Republic of Slovenia was used. Findings: As most threatening factor among global threats, population exposed the financial, economic and social risks (a reduction in the employment rate of citizens and major or even general social crisis as a consequence of global financial and economic risks, and reducing the welfare of the Republic of Slovenia. Among the transnational threats, organised crime (money laundering, the smuggling of narcotics) as the most threatening factor is exposed. Threats and risks at the national level are perceived as more threatening than transnational or global threats, because the providing of safety/security at this level is the most concrete and most associated with the provision of security of the individual and society. Factors of uncertainty (unemployment, poverty) and threats to public safety (financial frauds, corruption, falsification of documents, and, economic crimes) are perceived as most threatening to Slovene national security. Research limitations/implications: Findings are related to Slovenia. Practical implications: Security policy makers and writers of strategic documents will be able to get an insight into how the lay public (residents) percept the official, politically-defined sources of threat to national security. This could help them in designing security policies and strategies in the future. Originality/Value: Newly defined declarative sources of threats and risks to Slovenian national security were used in the study for the first time