RACVIAC - Centre for Security Cooperation is a international, independent, non-profit, regionally owned, academic organization, accountable to its political decision making body, the Multinational Advisory Group (MAG).
The MAG, as the steering committee to RACVIAC, is composed of the representatives from Members, Associate Members and Observers. The MAG provides direction to ensure the operation and development of RACVIAC, in accordance with the guidelines, principles and decisions adopted.
There are currently thirty nations involved in RACVIAC and divided into:
Members - 10 countries of the SEECP - Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria*, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia**, Greece, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Turkey
Associate members - all other countries wishing to support and contribute to security dialogue and cooperation in SEE - Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Observers - other countries, institutions or organizations, which may participate in RACVIAC activities as Observers after approval by the MAG - Canada, Moldova, Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine and the USA.
In addition, Belgium, Ireland, Latvia and Switzerland have expressed their interest in RACVIAC’s work. Military and civilian members from 10 of the above-mentioned nations staff this multinational body. In these eleven years RACVIAC hosted over 8400 participants from all over Europe and beyond, in more then 270 activities. Tailored for the needs of the region, situated in the region and comprised of personnel from the countries of the region, RACVIAC perfectly embodies the expression "Regional ownership".
The composition, tasks, responsibilities and procedures of the MAG and its financing are specified by Terms of Reference (TOR). The Members and the Associate Members participate on an equal footing in the discussions of the MAG, which takes its decisions on the basis of consensus.
The Chairperson of the MAG is elected by the MAG members for a period of a year, and BrigGen Zyber Dushku, Deputy Chief of Staff of Albanian Armed Forces, is the acting MAG Chairperson. The MAG meets twice a year. The Spring Meeting is usually held in one of the Member Countries.
RACVIAC materializes the principle of "Regional ownership"
The current legal basis of RACVIAC is still the bilateral Agreement originally signed by Croatia and Germany in March 2001, later on acceded to by Italy and Turkey. Since political situation, developments and changes in the security environment in SEE, as well as the needs of SEE countries, urged RACVIAC to take a decision on its future status, in October 2007 it was transformed into the “Centre for Security Cooperation”. This transformation was concluded with the new organization in the year 2009 and the new legal status in 2010.
New Agreement on RACVIAC was signed on 14th April 2010 in Bečići, Budva, Montenegro, by 8 SEECP Countries, with Romania following suit on 18 February 2011. For the time being, the Agreement has been ratified by the Parliament of Albania, Croatia, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia* and Montenegro and Serbia while in other member countries the process of ratification is still under way. The Republic of Serbia deposited its instrument of ratification of the Agreement on RACVIAC on 15 November 2011 with the Depositary, Republic of Croatia. With this act the Republic of Serbia has become the fifth signatory State to ratify the document, which was the prerequisite for the Agreement to enter into force. Agreement entered into force on 01 December 2011. This marked the end of the transformation process of the Centre, started in 2007, whereby RACVIAC – Centre for Security Cooperation became legally and formally a very unique international organization promoting enhanced regional security and cooperation through the concept of regional ownership.
* Bulgaria has not signed the new Agreement on RACVIAC yet.
** Turkey recognizes the Republic of Macedonia with its constitutional name.
Left:
MAG Secretary Ms Gloria Ivković, MAG Chairperson Mr Zoran Šajinović, Director of RACVIAC Ambassador Nikola Todorčevski and RACVIAC Deputy Director Col Željko Cepanec
Right:
MAG Meeting in Budva, Montenegro, 14 April 2010
Left:
The MAG Chairperson is elected for the period of one year, while the Director of RACVIAC is elected for a period of two to three years. MAG Chairperson, Brig Gen Zyber Dushku, Deputy Chief of Staff of Albanian Armed Forces
Right:
MAG is composed of representatives of the Member countries, the Associate member countries and the Observers, and it holds meetings twice a year.