About Western Balkans SecuriMeter
The Western Balkans SecuriMeter is the first-ever Public Opinion Survey on Security issues conducted among the citizens of the Western Balkans as a venture of the Regional Cooperation Council in cooperation with IISG, UNDP/SEESAC, MARRI, DPPI-SEE and OBCT.
The SecuriMeter represents the next chapter in the steady evolution of the region’s foremost survey of public opinions Balkan Barometer.
As security has become a priority both for the region and its partners, SecuriMeter represents an attempt to elaborate on the state of play of the rapidly changing regional security landscape. It is portraying attitudes towards current security challenges and trends in the Western Balkans, both at the regional and individual level, helping to inform the work of policymakers and other interested regional stakeholders, and provide better understanding of the overall regional security.
This survey strives to become a valuable resource in developing fact-based policies and observing their effects on the region and individual economies – all with the unique goal of promoting peace and security in the region.
The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) is proud to introduce the third iteration of the SecuriMeter report, an annual exploration of Security Perceptions in the Western Balkans.
The 2023 edition, carried out between 14 May and 2 June across Western Balkan economies, successfully engaged with 6,023 respondents. It delves into a plethora of themes, ranging from general security perceptions (Chapter A), the fight against terrorism, organized crime, and border security (Chapter B), to more nuanced topics like the sentiments surrounding gun ownership (Chapter C), irregular immigration and asylum-seeking (Chapter D), emigration intentions influenced by the quality of life and the prevailing political situation (Chapter E). Furthermore, it addresses disaster prevention and preparedness (Chapter F), challenges posed by disinformation and cyber threats (Chapter G), pervasive issues of corruption (Chapter H), and ongoing aggression by Russia against Ukraine (Chapter I). The repercussions of the latter have cast a long shadow over our region, manifesting in cyber-attacks, disinformation campaigns, and "weaponization of energy," all of which have tangible impacts on the economic development and well-being of Western Balkans citizens.
Since the inaugural edition in 2021, our journey with the SecuriMeter has been measuring public sentiment on various security-related challenges in the Western Balkans. Each edition, including this one, builds on the previous, introducing new themes that mirror the changing global scenario and highlighting external and internal factors shaping our security landscape. Our goal is to equip practitioners and governments with insights that can shape informed decisions and evidence-based policies to address emerging challenges.
As we look ahead, our aspirations for SecuriMeter involve expanding its dimensions and scope, integrating questions related to the EU integration process, and possibly broadening the survey to the SEE level.
SecuriMeter 2023 is funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence