ship for Peace program. Ten years later, relations with NATO elevated to a higher level, but more on that in the subsequent chapter. It is also important to mention that after the conclusion of the conflict (NATO aggression), marking the end of the 20th century, the so-called“Oc­tober 5 Revolution” took place in 2000, leading to the overthrow of Slo­bodan Miloshevic and the beginning of democratic changes in Serbia. Mi­loshevic was charged with crimes committed during the war, and in 2001, he was arrested and extradited to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia(ICTY). Other high-ranking war leaders, such as Ra­dovan Karadžić and Ratko Mladić, were also convicted, with sentences for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. 36 This period was char­acterized by Serbia’s pursuit of stability and integration into European and international structures, but open questions and challenges remain in con­fronting the period of conflict and crimes. Further analysis aims to emphasize the socio-political and security issues, as well as the framework in which the Republic of Serbia has existed over the past decades, from the disintegration of SFRY, through the transition phase, to full independence and the building of an independent national security system as much as possible for a small country. This system has been shaped by national culture and numerous security factors, providing a solid basis for analysis from the perspective of security culture as well. Transformation of Security Structures and the Beginning of the Process of International and Regional Integration Serbia’s position after the breakup of the former SFRY was quite challeng­ing and went through various phases. At times, it seemed that Serbia was “catching up” with modern states, but then NATO’s aggression on FRY halt­ed that process. Only after the events of 5 October 2000, which marked the end of Slobodan Milošević’s rule and the start of democratization in Serbia, did hope emerge that reforms were moving in a positive direction. One of the key policies that gained momentum was the transformation and 36 The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia( ICTY) has today convicted Radovan Karadžić, the former president of Republika Srpska(RS) and its Supreme Commander of armed forces, for genocide, crimes against humanity, and violations of the laws or customs of war committed by Serbian forces during the armed conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) from 1992 to 1995. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison. See: https://www.icty.org/bcs/press/medjunarodni-sud-osu­dio-radovana-karadzica-za-zlocine-u-bosni-i-hercegovini Ratko Mladić the former Commander of the Army of Republika Srpska was convicted on appeal of life imprisonment for genocide, crimes against humanity, and violations of the laws or customs of war during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1992 to 1995. See: https://www.icty.org/bcs/case/mladic#tjug. Chapter 2 – Case Of The Republic Of Serbia 95