Boštjan Skalar, Director of GIZ-GOIS, participated as a panelist in the international conference Balkan SAYS 2026, held at Hotel M in Ljubljana. During Panel II—”From Pledges to Capability: Are We Delivering on Defence Commitments?”—he presented the Slovenian defense industry’s perspective on one of the most pressing issues in European security: how to translate pledges to increase defense investment into actual capabilities.

About the panel

Together with distinguished interlocutors—Mateo Osterhagen-Zalles, Deputy Director of NATO’s Defence Planning Division, and Uroš Lampret, Defence Advisor at Slovenia’s Permanent Representation to NATO—Skalar discussed:

• challenges in meeting Allied capability targets and the new defence investment pledge,
• the ability of the European defence industry to translate increased funding into concrete capabilities,
• the EU’s role in strengthening the European pillar within the Alliance,
• and—what was particularly important for GOIS—how smaller allied nations like Slovenia can contribute to collective security through defense investments while simultaneously strengthening their own national capabilities.

The 90-minute discussion, held in English, was dynamically moderated by Maša Omahen (YATA Slovenia) before an audience of 50 young professionals from 23 countries across the Euro-Atlantic region and the Western Balkans who are active in the fields of international security, diplomacy, and regional cooperation.

Response from the organizers

Following the event, the conference organizers emphasized the particular relevance of the panel’s topic—defense capabilities, readiness, and responding to the changing security environment—and expressed their appreciation for the candid and expert insights that significantly enriched the content and dynamics of the discussion.

For GOIS, participation in such a high-profile international event represented a significant opportunity to ensure the voice of the Slovenian defense industry was heard by the broader Euro-Atlantic professional community—and to highlight the important role smaller nations play in strengthening European security.