Vujinovic: There is an arms race in the region, Kosovo depends on Turkey and others

Security studies researcher Nikola Vujinovic told Kosovo Online that there is currently a mini arms race taking place across the region, with Serbia, Croatia, Albania and Bulgaria competing over who can acquire more new weaponry.

Regarding the announced construction of an ammunition factory in Djakovica, Vujinovic believes that it depends primarily on Turkish partners.

“We are currently seeing criticism from the opposition directed at Kurti, saying that even the initial steps have not yet been taken. In other words, there has been no expropriation of the land where the ammunition factory is supposed to be built, so we will see what kind of timeline the Turkish partner will want,” Vujinovic says, adding:

“On the other hand, we have the drone factory in Simanovci, which is being prepared. This is a good investment for two reasons. First, it will help us bridge the technological gap that, for example, our Military Technical Institute has compared with modern drone technology. On the other hand, we will have the opportunity to develop new types of drones, and I hope these will be interceptor drones, because they are showing us in Eastern Europe that they are a new dimension of air defense. In other words, expensive missiles and expensive systems will become obsolete when it comes to countering drones. Drones that destroy drones, as well as other aircraft, will be the future of air defense,” he says.

Vujinovic also believes that, in addition to Turkey, the United Kingdom, Germany and the United States have expressed interest in building similar capacities in Kosovo.

“When a foreign investor wants to invest in your country, they expect you to be the main buyer of what they produce. Kosovo, this independent Kosovo, however you choose to call that state-like entity, does not have the capacity for that. We are now seeing this latest news that the Americans will donate equipment for Gaza and for Kosovo’s mission in Gaza, so I think it is pointless. I will even venture to say that the Turkish investment is more political than genuinely military in purpose, because Turkey wants to say in this way: ‘This is our territory,’” Vujinovic said.