Strategic communication means not only a systematic supply of information, but also a well-considered tool that countries and armed forces use to protect their interests and values in the modern information-driven world. Today, we face hybrid threats and competition between the great forces, the information is no longer just accompanying conflicts; they have become a weapon in itself. Events in Ukraine, from the annexation of the Crimea in 2014 to the full invasion in 2022, have clearly shown that it depends on a successful communication, how the people understand legitimacy of military operations and how resistant are our democratic institutions. The master’s thesis researches how the Slovenian Armed Forces faced the challenge of incorporating the NATO’s concept of strategic communication after 2022. The purpose of the research was to investigate the existing condition on a normative-doctrinaire level, to compare it to the actual condition in practice, and to identify the key factors which hinder the congruence between both levels. For the purposes of gaining complete insight, the analysis of key normative and doctrinaire documents, and the series of structured interviews with experts who operate in the field of strategic communication on the highest level of the expertise within the defence system, were carried out. The findings show that Slovenia gives importance to the strategic communication, but the challenge of implementing the concept remains. The main obstacles are not only the personnel and money shortages, but also the rigid organisational culture and unsettled protocols. The thesis offers an insight into the challenges which the smaller NATO member states are facing, as they are trying to follow the current trends of military communication within modern conditions.
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