Thewesternbalkans
Bosnia and Herzegovina allocates only 0.9% of its GDP for defense. Additionally, the Armed Forces of Bosnia are currently lacking about 1 500 professional military personnel, along with equipment meeting NATO standards, which would enhance land and air mobility.
The Ministry of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina emphasizes that the Armed Forces have developed 16 projects that clearly define their future modernization needs and expects that the planned financial resources for the implementation of these modernization projects will be available. They add that the previous budget allocations and implementation levels did not align with the pace and requirements for the development and equipment of the Armed Forces.
Given that some equipment has become outdated, inherited from the former entity armies, some equipment and supplies for the Armed Forces’ commands and units were obtained through donations. Donations and financial aid for the Armed Forces are made through international agreements, contracts, and other means, signed by the Ministry of Defense or the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
This includes donations of motor vehicles, equipment for the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit and demining, where new vehicles were obtained for transporting EOD team equipment and the latest protective robotic gear for EOD team members, along with equipment for air forces, military police, and the Light Infantry Battalion.
Regarding the military personnel, due to the natural cycle (retirement, contract expiration, etc.), the Armed Forces currently lack about 1 500 professional military personnel. In 2024, they plan to recruit around 1 300 new personnel.
Comment: Bosnia and Herzegovina has the lowest military expenditure in the region, maintaining it below 1% of GDP. Among the Balkan countries, Serbia still has the highest defence spending as the share of GDP – 2,0%. None of the NATO member states in the region has reached the 2% GDP defence spending threshold in 2023. Although Albania and North Macedonia initially planned the budget for 2023 to reach the 2% GDP threshold, the actual expenditure in both countries appears to be below 2% of their GDP – North Macedonia with 1.7% and Albania with 1.6%. Montenegro also is lagging behind the rest of the Balkans countries, with only 1% projected defence expenditure in 2023.
Bosnia and Herzegovina allocates the majority of its defence budget on personnel costs. The Ministry of Defense has the largest number of employees among state institutions in the country and the highest share in the total amount of gross salaries.
Increasing defense spending from the current 0.9% to the projected 2% would create positive conditions for the overall progress of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, enhancing their effectiveness, readiness, interoperability and compatibility with NATO and EU member forces.
