The Chief of the General Staff of the Army, Major General Sashko Lafchiski, participated in the 19th Balkan Countries Chiefs of Defence Conference (BCHOD Conference), held in Thessaloniki, The Hellenic Republic, from 2 to 4 June 2026.
This year’s conference was held under the theme “Challenges and Innovations in Civil Protection: Adapting to the New Realities of Warfare.” The event was opened by the host, the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff, General Dimitrios Choupis, who emphasized in his opening remarks the need to enhance regional cooperation and strengthen societal resilience in the face of contemporary security challenges.
In his address, General Lafchiski stated: “As military leaders, we must adapt our doctrines, training, and strategic culture to contemporary realities,” adding: “The future of warfare will continue to evolve rapidly, however, regardless of how technology transforms the character of conflict, one principle must remain unchanged: the protection of civilians must remain at the core of every military and political decision.”
In his remarks, Major General Lafchiski reaffirmed the country’s firm commitment to regional cooperation in the Balkans, stating: “Dialogue, partnership, and collective preparedness remain the cornerstones of crisis prevention and the protection of our population.”
The conference also addressed challenges related to civil protection, societal resilience, the application of emerging technologies and innovations, as well as mechanisms for regional cooperation in responding to crises and emergency situations.
On the margines of the conference, Major General Lafchiski conducted a series of bilateral meetings with several Balkan Chiefs of Defence, as well as with NATO command representatives.
In addition to the Chiefs of Defence of the Balkan countries, the conference was attended by the Minister of National Defence of the Hellenic Republic, Athanasios Davakis; the Director of Innovation, Hybrid and Cyber Division at NATO HQ, Dr. Nikos Loutas, and the Operational Commander of the European Union military operation ASPIDES (EUNAVFOR ASPIDES), Rear Admiral Vasileios Gryparis.
The “BCHOD” Forum was established in 2006 at the initiative of Greece and Türkiye. The initiative was formally established through the signing of the “Terms of Reference of the Balkan Countries’ CHODs Conference on Military Cooperation” by the Chiefs of Defence of the Balkan countries on 10 May 2007 in Brussels. The primary objective of this initiative is to promote regional stability, cooperation, and good-neighborly relations among the countries of the Balkans.
The Republic of Serbia will host the 20th Balkan Countries Chiefs of Defence Conference (BCHOD Conference) next year.
