Military Privatization and Slovenia
Purpose:
In this paper, authors analyse the phenomenon of privatization of military activities and outsourcing of military services to private companies in the world and in Slovenia.
Design/Methods/Approach:
For this purpose, qualitative methods, such as analysis of primary and secondary sources, descriptive method, content analysis, and case studies are used.
Findings:
Private military and security companies are increasingly taking over military duties, such as training, intelligence and security operations, logistic and engineering support (de-mining), thereby allowing the armed forces to deal with their core business - combat. Although some private military companies also show an increasing desire to participate in combat operations, there is no need for such services yet. There is no doubt that in Slovenia, like previously in many other countries, a proper initiative for the entering of private capital in the area of national defence will mature, sooner or later. For such an initiative to be successful, an expert independent cost analysis of what is worth keeping inside the Slovenian Armed Forces and what to outsource needs to be done. At the same time, an analysis of the supply taking into account quality of the benefits of private interests needs to be done. This process will have to be followed by a political will to allow the necessary changes and amendments to Slovene legislation in this field.
Research Limitations / Implications:
The theoretical part of the analysis is limited primarily to the economic aspects of military privatization in general. On the other hand, our empirical analysis is limited to the legal and experiential aspects of military privatization in Slovenia; therefore, the question of cost-effectiveness and efficiency of this kind of action in Slovenia remains open
Practical Implications:
The paper provides an overview of the process of privatization of the military in general. Analysing the legislation and taking into account relevant case studies, it indicates what has to be done that different kinds of private military companies could be established and operate successfully in Slovenia.
Originality/Value:
The paper examines the phenomenon of military privatization and outsourcing of military activities in the world. At the same time, it tries to give a slightly different classification of diversified types of activities that are subject to military privatization. In addition to outsourcing military services of national armed forces, it also includes the outsourcing in international (security) organizations. The article is also among the first to examine legal and experiential opportunities and obstacles in establishing private military companies in Slovenia.
UDC: 355/359(497.4)
Keywords: military privatization, outsourcing of military services, private military companies
Full article
In Slovene