Security Risks and Threats - Handling, Phenomenology, Mapping -
Date Issued
2020
Author(s)
GJurovski, Marjan
Nikolovski, Marjan
Gerasimoski, Saše
Abstract
The script at hand is a result of a pilot research project, presenting some of the
preliminary findings on security risks that the Macedonian society and state are facing
today.
It represents a first step in creating a model for thorough monitoring and mapping
of security risks and threats by the Faculty of Security in Skopje which the authors intend
to establish. The text adds to the publications and studies by the Faculty of Security, such
as the Security Index 1 and 2 published by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and the
Opinion of Citizens on Security and Security Threats in the Republic of North Macedonia.
With the aim to increase the number of published texts on security risks and threats, this
time, we decided to carry out a preliminary research on security risks in the Republic of
North Macedonia: mapping, etiology, phenomenology and handling security risks. Four
years ago, the Faculty of Security carried out a scientific research on the opinion of citizens
on security and security threats. The present script complements that study and revisits
some of the security risks and threats. Particularly, the text published by the Konrad
Adenauer Foundation aims at establishing a scientific approach to clarifying the process
of mapping the elements of a risk, i.e., gaining information on identified dangers, on the
exposition to potential risk elements, on their vulnerability, as well as on the capacity
(resources) of the system to manage crises. This information could be used to prevent
and manage potential risks and to cope with evoked consequences.
The first assessment of risks and threats to national security in the Republic
of North Macedonia was the Defence Strategy of the Republic of North Macedonia
published in 1998. The terms used in that document were "danger" and "source of
threat", while the National Conception on Security and Defence as of 2003 referred to the
terms "risks and threats to national security". Threats had been assessed for the needs
of the defence sector even before those two strategic documents were published, but
those assessments were not available to the public. Thenceforth, the Republic of North
Macedonia had publicly assessed risks and threats. The Law on Crisis Management as
of 2004 defined "risks and dangers" to national security and the term "threats to the
security of the Republic". A detailed assessment of risks and threats to national security
was published in the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) in 2004.
The first part of the text at hand contains a detailed analysis and explanation
of the risks and threats to national security that resulted from the pilot research. Some
of them are defined within the above-mentioned strategic documents of the Republic of
North Macedonia.
10
SECURITY RISKS AND THREATS - HANDLING, PHENOMENOLOGY, MAPPING -
Assuming that we are living in a very risky society with a growing number of
increasingly fluid and diverse security risks, we base our study on a contemporary
theoretical framework in which today's risks are considered as a societal and security
problem. Above all, we were determined to assess whether we encounter the basic
features of security risks typical of globalised and postmodern societies in the context
of the conditions of today's society and the setup of the state and its security agencies.
Today, security risks represent the predominant topic in our discussions on security.
However, we are lacking scientific and research results which would determine
the threats from today's types of security risks concerning, above all, the vital interests
and the safety of our citizens. While the number of scientific studies on security risks in
the Republic of North Macedonia is very low, the existing ones also lack solid theoretical
elaboration regarding their subject. In the present study, we refer to the results from
the research on the expert community "The Study of Security Risks in the Republic of North
Macedonia", which was based on a theoretical study of the different approaches to
defining security risks. The study deals with the expert community, i.e. representatives of
institutions with direct responsibilities in dealing with security risks and threats.
The fast development of science, technology, new global processes and types of
international cooperation has set new standards and values. The fast pace of changes has
led to international security – and, as a consequence, national security – being exposed to
new types of serious threats. Discussing the dangers and risks of the new millennium, we
can state that, today, we are facing fewer risks which were typical of the last century, such
as war, aggression, etc. The threats to national security, values and interest are becoming
more complex and multiple and less predictable, coming from different directions, which
makes them harder to analyse and control. The state community has always been exposed
to threats, however, their form and intensity have changed. The severity of the threats of
the 21st century lies in the use of the information infrastructure for attacking values.
These threats make it impossible to guarantee citizens' life and health, seriously affecting
their values and interests. The threats of the new millennium can only be addressed and
responded to by means of an internationally devised security policy which the national
security policies are based upon.1
The aim of the Republic of North Macedonia's security policy is to provide
protection and security to its citizens regarding many kinds of external as well as internal
influences and threats, including the area of security, economy, politics, environment,
culture, etc. The main threats to security are the tensions and antagonisms that
result from inter-ethnic conflicts, extreme nationalism, faulty reforms and economic
1 National security policy is understood as a complex and interdependent system of measures, plans and
programmes which the Republic of North Macedonia will undertake for the protection, maintenance and
improvement of the state's and its citizens' security in accordance with political, economic, defence, interior,
security, social, ecological and other resources.
11
Marjan Gjurovski Marjan Nikolovski Saše Gerasimoski
inefficiency, huge and frequent environmental and/or technological disasters which
have a great impact on society. Besides the weak economy and the political, social and
ethnic situation, we would like to point out the new types of threats, such as international
terrorism, organised crime (human, drugs and arms trafficking, money laundering, illegal
migration), militant nationalism, fundamentalism, etc.
These threats can directly or indirectly affect the state and its security, as well
as undermine a society's security and its democratic and economic foundations by
weakening the state authorities and thus making people loose their trust in the rule of
law.
Notwithstanding the authorities' attempts to detect and manage potential
threats to the state's security in time, today, we are facing a serious political, economic
and security crisis, which is likely to pose a risk to the very existence of the state.
Unfortunately, this situation has been lasting for too long, starting from the request of
the then opposition for the government to resign, to form a transitional government and
to call parliamentary snap elections. The inoperability of the institutions turned out to
be a fertile ground for organised crime and corruption, while foreign investments and
the economy decreased. Additionally, the migration crisis had a direct impact on the
economic, political and security system of the Republic of North Macedonia.
Against this background, and having in mind the pressing issue of research on
security risks, the Faculty of Security, being a science and research institution of higher
education, trains professionals whose basic task is to detect, prevent and avert risks in
time, in order for them not to become larger-scale threats. Based on its professional
potential, long-lasting practical experience and scientific and research potential, the main
task of the Faculty of Security is to reflect on and analyse societal phenomena, including
security risks that can threaten national as well as regional security.
preliminary findings on security risks that the Macedonian society and state are facing
today.
It represents a first step in creating a model for thorough monitoring and mapping
of security risks and threats by the Faculty of Security in Skopje which the authors intend
to establish. The text adds to the publications and studies by the Faculty of Security, such
as the Security Index 1 and 2 published by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and the
Opinion of Citizens on Security and Security Threats in the Republic of North Macedonia.
With the aim to increase the number of published texts on security risks and threats, this
time, we decided to carry out a preliminary research on security risks in the Republic of
North Macedonia: mapping, etiology, phenomenology and handling security risks. Four
years ago, the Faculty of Security carried out a scientific research on the opinion of citizens
on security and security threats. The present script complements that study and revisits
some of the security risks and threats. Particularly, the text published by the Konrad
Adenauer Foundation aims at establishing a scientific approach to clarifying the process
of mapping the elements of a risk, i.e., gaining information on identified dangers, on the
exposition to potential risk elements, on their vulnerability, as well as on the capacity
(resources) of the system to manage crises. This information could be used to prevent
and manage potential risks and to cope with evoked consequences.
The first assessment of risks and threats to national security in the Republic
of North Macedonia was the Defence Strategy of the Republic of North Macedonia
published in 1998. The terms used in that document were "danger" and "source of
threat", while the National Conception on Security and Defence as of 2003 referred to the
terms "risks and threats to national security". Threats had been assessed for the needs
of the defence sector even before those two strategic documents were published, but
those assessments were not available to the public. Thenceforth, the Republic of North
Macedonia had publicly assessed risks and threats. The Law on Crisis Management as
of 2004 defined "risks and dangers" to national security and the term "threats to the
security of the Republic". A detailed assessment of risks and threats to national security
was published in the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) in 2004.
The first part of the text at hand contains a detailed analysis and explanation
of the risks and threats to national security that resulted from the pilot research. Some
of them are defined within the above-mentioned strategic documents of the Republic of
North Macedonia.
10
SECURITY RISKS AND THREATS - HANDLING, PHENOMENOLOGY, MAPPING -
Assuming that we are living in a very risky society with a growing number of
increasingly fluid and diverse security risks, we base our study on a contemporary
theoretical framework in which today's risks are considered as a societal and security
problem. Above all, we were determined to assess whether we encounter the basic
features of security risks typical of globalised and postmodern societies in the context
of the conditions of today's society and the setup of the state and its security agencies.
Today, security risks represent the predominant topic in our discussions on security.
However, we are lacking scientific and research results which would determine
the threats from today's types of security risks concerning, above all, the vital interests
and the safety of our citizens. While the number of scientific studies on security risks in
the Republic of North Macedonia is very low, the existing ones also lack solid theoretical
elaboration regarding their subject. In the present study, we refer to the results from
the research on the expert community "The Study of Security Risks in the Republic of North
Macedonia", which was based on a theoretical study of the different approaches to
defining security risks. The study deals with the expert community, i.e. representatives of
institutions with direct responsibilities in dealing with security risks and threats.
The fast development of science, technology, new global processes and types of
international cooperation has set new standards and values. The fast pace of changes has
led to international security – and, as a consequence, national security – being exposed to
new types of serious threats. Discussing the dangers and risks of the new millennium, we
can state that, today, we are facing fewer risks which were typical of the last century, such
as war, aggression, etc. The threats to national security, values and interest are becoming
more complex and multiple and less predictable, coming from different directions, which
makes them harder to analyse and control. The state community has always been exposed
to threats, however, their form and intensity have changed. The severity of the threats of
the 21st century lies in the use of the information infrastructure for attacking values.
These threats make it impossible to guarantee citizens' life and health, seriously affecting
their values and interests. The threats of the new millennium can only be addressed and
responded to by means of an internationally devised security policy which the national
security policies are based upon.1
The aim of the Republic of North Macedonia's security policy is to provide
protection and security to its citizens regarding many kinds of external as well as internal
influences and threats, including the area of security, economy, politics, environment,
culture, etc. The main threats to security are the tensions and antagonisms that
result from inter-ethnic conflicts, extreme nationalism, faulty reforms and economic
1 National security policy is understood as a complex and interdependent system of measures, plans and
programmes which the Republic of North Macedonia will undertake for the protection, maintenance and
improvement of the state's and its citizens' security in accordance with political, economic, defence, interior,
security, social, ecological and other resources.
11
Marjan Gjurovski Marjan Nikolovski Saše Gerasimoski
inefficiency, huge and frequent environmental and/or technological disasters which
have a great impact on society. Besides the weak economy and the political, social and
ethnic situation, we would like to point out the new types of threats, such as international
terrorism, organised crime (human, drugs and arms trafficking, money laundering, illegal
migration), militant nationalism, fundamentalism, etc.
These threats can directly or indirectly affect the state and its security, as well
as undermine a society's security and its democratic and economic foundations by
weakening the state authorities and thus making people loose their trust in the rule of
law.
Notwithstanding the authorities' attempts to detect and manage potential
threats to the state's security in time, today, we are facing a serious political, economic
and security crisis, which is likely to pose a risk to the very existence of the state.
Unfortunately, this situation has been lasting for too long, starting from the request of
the then opposition for the government to resign, to form a transitional government and
to call parliamentary snap elections. The inoperability of the institutions turned out to
be a fertile ground for organised crime and corruption, while foreign investments and
the economy decreased. Additionally, the migration crisis had a direct impact on the
economic, political and security system of the Republic of North Macedonia.
Against this background, and having in mind the pressing issue of research on
security risks, the Faculty of Security, being a science and research institution of higher
education, trains professionals whose basic task is to detect, prevent and avert risks in
time, in order for them not to become larger-scale threats. Based on its professional
potential, long-lasting practical experience and scientific and research potential, the main
task of the Faculty of Security is to reflect on and analyse societal phenomena, including
security risks that can threaten national as well as regional security.
Subjects
File(s)![Thumbnail Image]()
Loading...
Name
Monografija Securiy-Risks-and-Threats-ENG.pdf
Description
SECURITY RISKS AND THREATS - HANDLING, PHENOMENOLOGY, MAPPING
Size
1.58 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum
(MD5):1a8f2df5284350a209cfc704920f24c6