On the Role of the Individual in History
K PITANJU O ULOZI LIČNOSTI U ISTORIJI
Foreword and translation from Russian by Veljko Ribar. Published in Yugoslavia by KULTURA in 1959
More...Foreword and translation from Russian by Veljko Ribar. Published in Yugoslavia by KULTURA in 1959
More...During the Cold War, the structure of the bipolar international system, which was based on static polarization, prevented Central Asian countries from exerting their remarkable historical and geographical influences on international politics. However, the dissolution of the bipolar world-system and the collapse of the Soviet Union have radically changed the geopolitical structure of Central Asia in respect of the distribution of power in the international as well as the Eurasian geopolitical systems. To assess the period since the independence of the Turkic republics, one must consider three great transformations at three different levels. These are the geo-political, geo-cultural and geo-economic transformations that have been taking place within the region. Geopolitical transformation concerns the changes in the region’s status in world poli-tics after the Cold War. e geo-cultural transformation is tied to the historical transformation and cultural awakening, while the geo-economic transformation has been dependent on the changing demographic as well as economic dynamics of the region. Within the context of these three important parameters influx, Central Asia has emerged as a new strategic space in the international system, undergoing a serious transformation. These transformations have had a severe impact on three major geographical regions, namely, the Balkans, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia and the Caucasus. Taking the historical systemic transfor-mations into consideration, Turkish policymakers have closely followed the developments in the sur-rounding regions, to which they have attached special importance, since they are likely to have a lasting impact on Turkey and its future orientation. Turkey’s involvement in the region seeks to ensure that there will be a smooth transition and that the developments will move in the right direction.
More...Published in 1924 by HRV. ŠTAMPARSKI ZAVOD D.D., ZAGREB. Translated from Czech to Croatian with permission of the author by Dr. Milan Prelog
More...This working paper is an output of the European Commission’s FP7 "Marie Curie Industry-Academia Partnerships and Pathways" (IAPP) project entitled "GREY - Out of the shadows: developing capacities and capabilities for tackling undeclared work in Bulgaria, Croatia and FYR Macedonia". Mr. Josip Franic and Pfof. Colin C. Williams, GREY-IAPP Sheffield University Management School, University of Sheffield elaborated the report in April 2014. The aim of this report is to evaluate the extent and nature of undeclared work in Croatia and the policy approaches and measures currently employed to tackle this sphere. The authors note that firms in agriculture and related industries are the most likely to recognise competition from unregistered or informal firms as a serious obstacle to their business. In addition, small and medium-sized firms are far more likely to identify the existence of the unregistered units in their sector than are large firms. Finally, domestic owned and non-exporting businesses more often witness the presence of unregistered firms and the constraints caused by them in comparison with exporters and firms in foreign ownership. A key problem is the weak coordination among ministries and various government departments when pursuing the fight against undeclared work. Each of them defines their own separate targets and this often results in an overlapping and/or awkward division of responsibilities. This raises a need for reorganisation of the existing institutional system in order to achieve better efficiency. One viable option is the establishment of a central coordination body, which would harmonise activities in this field. In that regard, one might argue whether a recent reform in the inspection system was indeed a move in a positive direction, or whether it will result in the deteriorated effectiveness of enforcement. A further problem is the weak social dialogue in Croatia in this context characterised by numerous disputes between the government and trade unions. As such, tripartite social dialogue currently has a limited role in tackling undeclared work, therefore representing a further area for the achievement of a significant improvement.
More...In the context of the escalation of extremist Islamist violence in many EC countries today, the issue of the risks of home grown Islamist radicalization in Bulgaria is the subject of heated public debates. Preventing and studying (Islamist) radicalization has become a priority in Europe, giving rise to wealth of publications that explore its motives and causes as well as the processes whereby individuals and groups come to espouse extremist ideas and engage in violent actions. Such studies are lacking in Bulgaria while worries about the potential influence that international terrorist organisations and the related Islamist extremist ideologies could exert in the country are rising. This working paper presents the results from a qualitative study aiming to attain understanding about the vulnerabilities to Islamist radicalisation among a group of inhabitants of the “Iztok” neighborhood of the city of Pazardjik who are considered at risk. The study explores the root causes and the social meaning of the adoption of Salafi interpretations of Islam on the part of sub group local Roma and the root causes and the social meaning of certain manifestations of sympathy with radical Islamist ideas and organisations among some members of the group. Careful attention is paid to the factors and channels through which the two processes are fostered. A discussion is provided to the issue of the vulnerabilities to potential radicalisation among members of the group of Roma professing Salafi interpretation of Islam.
More...Keywords: Public law; constitution; Constitutional Court; Administrative Court; specialization; judges; asylum; specialized council; efficiency; Republic of Serbia;
Poseban značaj u razvoju standarda azila imaju sudovi. O tome svedoči kako bogata praksa ESLjP-a i ESP-a, tako i praksa nacionalnih sudova evropskih država, koja predstavlja pravu riznicu pravnih principa kojima se tražiocima azila jemče fundamentalne garantije pravičnog suđenja i adekvatne pravne zaštite. U prilog ovoj konstataciji govore i iskustva Upravnog suda Srbije, čija praksa se pokazala kao značajan faktor uticaja na rad prvostepenog (Kancelarija za azil) i drugostepenog (Komisija za azil) organa u postupcima azila. Pri tome, uloga Upravnog suda i njegove dosadašnje prakse u materiji azila umnogome je zavisila od načina na koji su relevantni propisi i pojedini instituti tumačeni, od upotrebljenih formulacija, minucioznosti obrazloženja i sveobuhvatnog kvaliteta sudskih odluka. Zbog toga neuporedivo veći doprinos razvoju sistema azila u Srbiji ima novija sudska praksa u kojoj se odustalo od dugogodišnjeg potvrđivanja uglavnom loše prakse nadležnih upravnih organa. Međutim, potencijal koji odluke Upravnog suda imaju u ovoj materiji nedovoljno je iskorišćen. Glavni problemi uključuju trend neodržavanja usmene rasprave – krucijalne za pravilno i potpuno utvrđivanje individualne situacije tražilaca azila, kao bitnog prerogativa međunarodne izbegličke zaštite. Osim toga, Upravni sud svoju kontrolu ograničava na ispitivanje samo formalno-procesnih pitanja u osporenim drugostepenim odlukama, izbegavajući da rešava u punoj jurisdikciji, čak i u slučajevima u kojima se Komisija za azil već jednom oglušila o pravna shvatanja Suda izražena u presudi. Zbog svega navedenog, mišljenja sam da je neophodno uvesti specijalizaciju sudija u materiji azila, kao što je to učinjeno u mnogim državama u Evropi. Pre svega, ovo bi obezbedilo neophodan nivo ekspertskog znanja u oblasti prava koja je veoma složena, promenljiva i iziskuje konstantno usavršavanje i praćenje izveštaja međunarodnih organizacija, kao i kretanja sudske prakse ESLjP-a i ESP-a. Osim toga, koncentrisanje na ovu pravnu oblast bi omogućilo sudijama da s punom pažnjom pristupe svakom pojedinačnom slučaju, pa čak i da zauzmu odvažnije pravne stavove koji bi predstavljali smernice ostale državne organe u postupcima azila. To bi svakako poboljšalo kvalitet sudske prakse i doprinelo njenom ujednačavanju. Očekivani efekti specijalizacije bi, bez sumnje, unapredili domaći sistem azila i omogućili da se nadležni organi lakše izbore sa zahtevima za usaglašavanjem sa standardima EU koji se pred Srbiju postavljaju u procesu evropskih integracija, a koji bi se dodatno intenzivirali sa članstvom u ovoj organizaciji. Što se tiče samog oblika te specijalizacije, čini mi se da bi trenutno najpodesnije bilo poveravanje azilnih sporova u nadležnost nekom od sudskih veća Upravnog suda, koje bi se odredilo na osnovu preferencija samih sudija i/ili dosadašnjih iskustava u ovoj vrsti sporova. Pored toga što je ovaj oblik specijalizacije najzastupljeniji u uporednom pravu i ima i najviše pristalica u teoriji, njega opravdavaju i faktori kao što su sadašnji broj sudija i učestalost predmeta iz ove materije. Na posletku, mišljenja sam da treba razmotriti uvođenje specijalizovanih veća i u drugim upravnim materijama. Iako specijalizacija sama po sebi nije panacea za sve probleme koji opterećuju rad Upravnog suda, na duže staze bi mogla značajno da doprinese njihovom rešavanju i unapređenju efikasnosti u radu Suda.
More...Keywords: Russia; Ukraine; conflict; strategic communications; social media; PSYOPS; cyber attacks; security;
Elina Lange-Ionatamishvili and Sanda Svetoka of the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence in Latvia, in Chapter 12, discuss the role of social media in this conflict. In the Internet era, the battle for hearts and minds has never been more important. Social media is a trust-based network that provides fertile soil for intelligence collection, propaganda dissemination, and psychological operations (PSYOPS) to influence public opinion – or to lead adversaries into harm’s way. ‘Soft’ cyber attacks can be as severe as any attack on critical infrastructure. In Ukraine, they have generated fear, uncertainty, and doubt about the economic, cultural, and national security of Ukraine, while promoting positive messages about Russia’s role in Crimea and eastern Ukraine. The authors provide recommendations for defence against such attacks, including how to identify them, challenge them, and how to develop a resilient political narrative to withstand false propaganda.
More...Keywords: Vladimir Putin; Russia
The Western sanctions have proved painful for the Russian elite not only in terms of finance, but also of image and prestige. However, thanks to the EU's much softer sanctions policy compared to the US, the Russian oligarchs have still been able to conduct their business in Europe, either directly or through intermediaries. Since March 2014, the Kremlin has tried to compensate selected businessmen for at least some of the losses they have suffered. The activities of the Russian state apparatus are a coordinated policy aimed at supporting oligarchs in the immediate vicinity of the president, the costs of which have been borne by Russian society. The flow of assets among individual persons belonging to the Russian elite (both among private businessmen and state-owned companies) which has occurred as a result of the sanctions and the attempts to minimise losses, has revealed the close symbiosis and the blurring of boundaries between private and state capital in Russia.
More...Keywords: European Union; EU membership; accession process; financing programmes and projects; pre-accession funds; Structural Funds; gender; gender audit; gender roles; social development; financial support;
Looking back into the closed period of the past could be rewarding and important for future decisions. Obviously, the decisions cannot be taken back but their outcomes may be, and often are, relevant in the following years. When it comes to finances and their division among programmes and projects, it is always interesting to assess the priorities and budgets after a certain distance in time to understand the processes and channels they passed through. The EU membership has opened a lot of new challenges for each of the accession countries. During the accession process, the countries had the possibility to finance institutional building or infrastructure development from the EU pre-accession instruments. After entering the EU, pre-accession instruments were replaced by Structural Funds. Economic impacts of the projects financed by all available instruments were relatively well documented and monitored. The projects had significant positive and negative social impact at national and regional level. Because of existing gender roles and stereotypes, the social “impacts” were not distributed equally between women and men. Moreover, the missing gender dimension on the project level helped conservation and strengthening of gender roles. That is briefly the first intent why the joint Czech and Slovak project was initiated in mid-2004. It focuses on analyses of programming documents, and a selected number of foundations re-granting European funds to local projects in both countries. In our analyses, we tried to follow the whole link from adoption of the EU directive, through preparation of national guidelines, to approved projects at national and regional level. [...]
More...In light of the ambitious targets for long term decarbonisation set by the European Green Deal, a critical question for decision-makers is how to sustain a coal phase-out that is as swift as possible while also ensuring security of supply, affordable electricity, and a just transition in regions dependent on coal. The aim of this report is to support decision makers in Bulgaria, Greece and Romania to implement a timely phase-out of coal by analysing the impact on electricity systems as well as the local economy, and highlighting policy recommendations to deal with potential issues related to compensation, system security and local economic impacts.
More...Keywords: Kosova state-building; Kosova and Serbia; Kosova and EU; Western Balkans;
Through their single-minded focus on the Dialogue, driven by tactical, short-term and short-sighted considerations, the EU and the US have directly and consistently contributed to worrying trends in Kosovar politics. Less than a year after the EU supported the coalition deal designed to get the Belgrade-Prishtina Dialogue back on track, Kosovo is again in the throes of an institutional crisis with recent opposition protests and blockage of the parliament’s work. The irony is that the damage inflicted on Kosovo’s already-fragile democracy by the EU and the US now threatens the very progress achieved in the Dialogue. In order to prevent a further deterioration of the situation and strengthen democracy and rule of law in Kosovo, the EU and the US must undertake a number of policy adjustments.
More...Keywords: ehtnic separation in schools;
The focus of the work are the so-called "Two schools under one roof", currently 34 such in two cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (hereinafter FBiH), Herzegovina-Neretva (HNK) and Central Bosnia (SBK), according to which students attend classes in two schools within one school building, separated by ethno-national affiliation, often with a ban on "mixing". Here, segregation and even discrimination in schools are more clearly seen, but in areas of BiH with a dominant ethnic majority, although it should be noted that the latter are not immune to them either. Because, as simplistic as it may sound, Bosnia and Herzegovina essentially has three types of schools3 and three school systems or “three schools under one roof”. // The aim of this analysis is to map current practices in education in BiH from the perspective of language and identity, as well as to identify dominant concepts and models for solving the problem of divided education operated in political and expert platforms and initiatives in this area, and critically evaluate them. in accordance with the principles, values and goals of education established by the international human rights framework and the state legal framework. About this practice, with emphasis on the attitudes of teachers, parents and students, several major studies have been done so far, the conclusions of which are the starting point and basis for the analysis of proposed models of education.5 Relevant international standards and laws were used as primary sources. and strategic documents in BiH. From secondary sources, books, academic and media articles and reports, as well as media appearances of relevant actors and experts in the field of education were consulted. Through interviews with experts and decision-makers at various levels, primarily representatives of the OSCE and relevant ministries of education, but also through a number of sources on shared education, the currently dominant model proposals for overcoming identified problems and achieving fairer, inclusive and intercultural education were identified and analyzed.
More...Following the increase in the number of incidents in North Mitrovica/Mitrovicë which occurred at the end of December 2008, and throughout January 2009, HLC-Kosovo conducted research to systematically monitor the implementation of minority rights in practice, in particular the extent of the implementation of point 31 of article 58 (state responsibilities) of chapter III of the Kosovo constitution and points 3.2 and 3.52 of article 3 of the Law on the Protection and Promotion of the rights of Communities and their Members in Kosovo. The research also sought to identify the level of security in North Mitrovica/Mitrovicë, as well as the causes, consequences and impact that the incidents have had on the overall security situation and everyday life of citizens living in this region. For this purpose, HLC-Kosovo conducted 40 interviews with representatives of local municipal authorities, the judiciary, police, civil society and citizens of all ethnic backgrounds.
More...Keywords: Local councils; national minorities; Romanian electoral legislation; 2004 and 2008 local elections; "small" minorities;
The paper assesses Romanian legislation regarding the representation of national minorities (except the Hungarians) in local councils. Most minorities are still seriously underrepresented in the local decisional fora, despite the existence of a special provision in the electoral law of 2004, that grants some sort of affirmative action for minority organizations. In order to evaluate the utility of this special provision, I re-analyzed the results of the last two local elections, comparing the actual results of the minority organizations to the hypothetical results they would have obtained in the absence of the special rule, that is, if they had been treated alike to the mainstream political parties. This allowed the identification of those cases when the minorities indeed benefited from the affirmative action provided by the law. Unfortunately, the scope of applicability of the special rule proved to be very limited, the minority organizations would have obtained most of their seats also without the application of the special provision. Moreover, the provision may have even adverse effects, as it may prevent some organizations from obtaining seats even if they obtained a number of votes that would have been sufficient for getting represented if they had been treated alike to the political parties. This is due to the logic behind the special provision, which advantages a single minority organization, often to the expense of the others. The net gain of seats due to the regulation is so small that one can conclude that there is no point for retaining the regulation in its present shape. The minorities have realized this too, and they initiated a bill in order to replace the current system with something very similar to the regulations in force at the level of the Chamber of Deputies. The paper briefly assesses this proposal too, however, the conclusions are not very optimistic in this regard either.
More...Keywords: The Marian Apparition; Seuca/Szőkefalva; Religious and Ethnical Interferences; Inter-ethnic and Denominational co-existence;
Situated on the border of Latin and Orthodox Christianity, in a region where the infrastructural and the economical possibilities were limited, the Romanian village Seuca became an internationally known place for pilgrimage due to a blind Gypsy women's public visions about Virgin Mary in the first years of the new millennium. The author presents both the history of the ethnical and confessional co-existence in the village and the economical and social problems which affected the whole community. Then, the attitudes towards the apparition of the different denominations will be highlighted by presenting also the way the seer attempts to question the different denominational opinions. The legitimating strategies of a gypsy woman influenced very much the aspects of Virgin Mary vision from Seuca.
More...Keywords: BiH; corruption; prosecution; percieved weaknesses; legal aspects;
Vijeće ministara BiH je 7. maja 2015. godine usvojilo Strategiju za borbu protiv korupcije 2015-2019. i Akcijski plan za provedbu Strategije za borbu protiv korupcije 2015-2019. U tom dokumentu upozorava se na već poznate i mnogo puta spomenute i opisane posljedice koruptivnih krivičnih djela, na konstantno širenje korupcije u ekonomskoj i političkoj sferi (naročito u tranzicijskim zemljama), na njene pogubne posljedice po razvoj ekonomije “...time što uzrokuje nepredvidive troškove za investitore koji su obeshrabreni za buduća ulaganja, uzrokujući rast sive ekonomije i smanjenje prihoda države temeljem neplaćenih poreza, carina i drugih dažbina....”. Predstavnici Vijeća Evrope i Evropske unije zaduženi za zemlje zapadnog Balkana također vrlo često ističu da od država članica Evropske unije, zatim država koje se nalaze na putu pridruživanja, kao i onih koje tek trebaju otvoriti pregovore sa Evropskom unijom, treba tražiti konkretne dokaze o napretku u krivičnom pravosuđu, suzbijanju kriminaliteta i zaštiti ljudskih prava. Smatra se da postupak pregovaranja sa “zemljama kandidatima” treba otpočeti upravo tim pitanjima jer su za nacionalni pravni i pravosudni sistem i najveći izazov. Posebno su bitna, u tom smislu, pregovaračka poglavlja 23 i 24, koja se, podsjećanja radi, između ostalog, odnose na funkcionisanje pravne države, zaštitu ljudskih prava, reformu pravosuđa, saradnju pravosudnih, policijskih i carinskih organa u borbi protiv organizovanog kriminaliteta, zatim, na borbu protiv korupcije, oduzimanje imovine stečene krivičnim djelom, formiranje zajedničkih istražnih timova. Zato se u Strategiji za borbu protiv korupcije navodi da je borba protiv korupcije jedan od ključnih izazova vladavine prava u većini država koje su uključene u proces proširenja Evropske unije te da je ta borba povezana sa zaštitom osnovnih ljudskih prava i radom krivičnog pravosuđa. U tom smislu, dalje se u ovom dokumentu navodi: “Budući da se borbi protiv korupcije pridaje pozornost već u ranoj fazi procesa pristupanja Europskoj uniji, a da se otvaranje odgovarajućih poglavlja temelji na uvjerljivim rezultatima, BiH bi trebala pokazati odlučnost u poduzimanju konkretnih, sveobuhvatnih i održivih aktivnosti na suzbijanju koruptivnih praksi.”
More...Keywords: Montenegro; media; public service broadcasting; politics; public finances; policy; 2015; report;
The project “Equal chances for all media” aims to contribute to the creation of clear oversight mechanisms for the public finances and for the allocation of state aid to the media, as required by the European Union regulations and the international standards and best practice. The general objective of project is to raise awareness among the interested public about responsible management of the public budget, and analyse the relationship between the state institutions and the media in Montenegro as reflected in the financial allocations of public funds to the media on various grounds. The study focuses on the public sector as defined by the Law on the Budget of Montenegro, which encompasses public institutions, municipalities (local self-government units), independent regulatory bodies, agencies and enterprises in which the state or the municipalities hold a controlling stake, the judiciary (courts and the prosecution), Ombudsman, and others. Centre for Civic Education (CCE) first flagged this issue five years ago, and has been monitoring it ever since. The result of our efforts so far have been four national and one international report, which serve as the go-to reference on media financing in the country for various international actors. For the purpose of continuous monitoring of this problematic area, this year we again conducted another comprehensive study to collect information on the size and distribution of financial resources allocated by public sector bodies to the media in 2015 on grounds on service provision contracts, specialised services or other. The recipients included the media, PR agencies, production houses and public opinion polls. The analysis provides up-to-date and comprehensive review of the allocation of public funds to the media in 2015, at the national as well as the local level. We also compiled an illustrative overview of three-year trends in the allocation of public money for the financing of media in Montenegro.
More...Keywords: Sudeten-Germans; Sudeten-Crisis; Konrad Henlein;
During the budget debate in the Czechoslovak Parliament, the Sudeten-German Party of Konrad Henlein brought-up numerous complaints about alleged incorrect treatment of the German minority by the Czechoslovak State. ORBIS-Publisher, with this booklet, offered in German, English and French languages a collection of the answers delivered in the debates by the leading ministers oft he government.
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