On April 1, 2026, the European Parliament Liaison Office in Croatia hosted a memorial lecture entitled “The Transformation of the International Order – What Comes After Unipolarity?”, organized by the Foreign Policy Forum. The lecture was delivered by Prof. Dr. Dejan Jović, a professor at the Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb, and President of the Management Board of the Foreign Policy Forum. The event was organized in honor of Budimir Lončar, with the aim of initiating a discussion on contemporary shifts in the international order and their implications for global and regional actors.
Budimir Lončar was one of the most prominent diplomats of the SFR Yugoslavia, possessing extensive experience as an ambassador to Indonesia, the United States, and Germany, as well as serving as the Federal Secretary of Foreign Affairs. He was particularly involved in the development of the Non-Aligned Movement. Later, in Croatia, he served as the Foreign Policy Advisor to the President of the Republic, Stjepan Mesić, and as the President of the Advisory Council for Foreign Policy and International Relations to President Ivo Josipović.
Prof. Dr. Tvrtko Jakovina delivered the introductory remarks on the significance and enduring relevance of Lončar’s work, while Ambassador Božo Kovačević opened the discussion following the lecture. In his address, Professor Jović focused on analyzing contemporary shifts in the international order, emphasizing that today’s world is not undergoing a classical transition from one stable system to another, but rather a protracted and uncertain process of transformation. Unlike a transition, which has a clearer onset and framework, a transformation denotes continuous changes wherein the old order weakens, yet the new one has not been definitively established or institutionalized.
The lecture placed particular emphasis on the post-Cold War era, which was dominated by a unipolar order led by the United States. However, as noted, this “unipolar moment” was of limited duration. Over recent decades, we have witnessed the ascendance of other global and regional actors, alongside a series of political, security, and economic crises that have called into question the stability of the liberal international order. Professor Jović presented several potential scenarios for the evolution of the future global order: from the continuation of unipolarity, through a possible bipolar system (primarily concerning the US-China relationship), to a multipolar or even non-polar world. In this context, it was emphasized that contemporary international relations increasingly resemble a “disorder”—a state wherein rules are weakened, alliances are fluid, and global security is precarious.
Under such circumstances, the position of small and medium-sized states was particularly highlighted. These states lack the capacity to independently shape the international order but are profoundly impacted by its shifts. Therefore, their participation in international organizations and security networks—which can provide them with stability and political protection—becomes crucial. A significant portion of the lecture was dedicated to the role of the European Union, which was presented as one of the most robust political and institutional frameworks in the contemporary world. Despite numerous challenges, the EU continues to maintain a certain degree of democratic standards and political relevance. It was pointed out that precisely within a multipolar world, the European Union could further consolidate its role, albeit contingent upon the necessary enhancement of its security capacities and economic partnerships. The lecture also addressed the Western Balkans, a region that remains strongly tethered to the European Union while simultaneously exposed to diverse geopolitical influences. It was stressed that prolonged waiting for membership could have adverse consequences for the political and social development of these countries, underscoring the importance of continuing and accelerating the enlargement process.
In conclusion, the lecture underscored that contemporary international relations are undergoing a period of profound transformation marked by uncertainty and unpredictability, but also by the imperative for active participation in shaping the future order. States that remain on the sidelines risk marginalization, further accentuating the importance of political engagement. The memorial lecture in honor of Budimir Lončar thus not only commemorated his exceptional contribution to diplomacy but also provided a highly relevant framework for understanding contemporary global processes, stimulating discourse on the role of Europe and smaller states in a rapidly changing world.
Report compiled by: Paula Milka Djaković (3rd-year undergraduate student of political science, FPZG), Foreign Policy Forum intern, Academic Year 2025/2026.