Serbia will be spending over half a billion euros on its military this year. Modern weapons like the Russian anti-tank system known as Kornet were presented recently by the Serbian president as Balkan countries brace for war.

Serbian defence minister Nebojsa Stefanovic, declared that spending will continue as the  defence sector is only being updated to fit current standards.

‘Serbia doesn’t pose a risk to anyone. It is only gearing up to fulfil a country’s need to possess an army that is able to defend itself,” – said the Serbian foreign minister.

Many countries in the Western Balkans are following in Serbia’s tracks by upgrading their own armies as well. Military expert Igor Tabak explained that these new measures are being undertaken due to the new geopolitical context currently playing out in the region.

“Hungary is securing more military devices than all of former Yugoslavia put together. Bulgaria and Rumania are modernizing both of their armies as well. These are facts and they should be taken into consideration,” – said Tabak.

Even Croatia is currently digging into its pockets so that it can get ready to spend 1.2 billion euros for aircraft and other military vehicles. Bosnia and Hercegovina and Kosovo will also be spending in this direction, but not quite at the same scale as these other Balkan countries.

Under the current circumstances, is the region facing a military race, almost three decades after the Balkan Wars?