The issue of imprisonment vs. alternative penalties has been debated in various European countries during the last decades, and ambulant sanctions have been heavily on the rise. Community sentences and other alternatives to imprisonment are regarded as modern instruments for the rehabilitation of offenders. The objective of the present study is to examine the scope of application of penalties without deprivation of liberty as compared to imprisonment as well as to identify promising practices of alternative criminal sanctioning in Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Spain and Lithuania. As this study covers several European countries, the comparative perspective suggests itself nearly as a matter of course. In this connection, it seems reasonable to describe the existing ambulant sanctions of the different member states involved, taking into account their legal arrangement and their relation within the system of penal sanctions including their relation to the deprivation of liberty. It in addition appears sensible to describe and compare these ambulant sanctions with reference to their contribution to the re-socialisation or rehabilitation of those subjected to them as well as with special attention to the involvement of civil society in their execution. In a further step, promising practices in connection with ambulant sanctions could be highlighted which may be recommended for imitation by other member states. Such an approach proves to be impossible for multiple reasons, though, and it would be inadequate just to make such an attempt. There are exemplary references to ambulant sanctions in Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Lithuania and Spain. This is due to the fact that scientists from these countries have taken part in the realisation of this project but not necessarily because of specific outstanding features of their sanction systems in comparison with other member states.
More...Keywords: Balkans; historiographic revisionism; post-socialist regimes; Yugoslavia; patriotism; nationalism; Serbia;
The author presents the main and general characteristics of historiographic revisionism in Europe in the 1990s, drawing attention to the various features of revisionism in former socialist countries (Russia, the German Democratic Republic, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Bulgaria) and their attitude to Socialism. The necessary scientific re-examination of the past is separated from its ideological reinterpretation inspired by revived nationalism. The attention focuses on Serb and Croat revisionism, that is, on its moderate versions (‘medium compass’ revisionism), as found in the works of the Yugoslavia historians Branko Petranović and Dušan Bilandžić. Digest: Contemporary historiographic revisionism exhibits a number of components: a critical attitude to historiography on the part of the winner (the communists); a clearer understanding of the essence of past events owing to greater distance from them and to the availability of new sources; a pragmatic reinterpretation of the past inspired by narrow or broad party or national motives. Revisionists in former socialist countries find their principal source in revived nationalism which seeks to play down one’s own fascist past by uncritically attacking anti-Communism and anti-totalitarianism. Instead of being confronted, the dark shadows from one’s own past are being shown in a new light. This paper draws attention to state-sponsored and academic revisionism, and lays bare its chief motives and rhetoric in several European countries. The object of this comparative study is to show up the triviality of domestic revisionism. The revisionism in the works of B. Petranović and D. Bilandžić written in the 1990s is discussed at some length to show up the contradictions characterizing their writings before and after the collapse of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the pattern of their revision fired by awakened concern for their respective ‘endangered’ nations. Selective memory and orchestrated forgetfulness were major catalysts of the civil war in Yugoslavia, with revisionist historiography enlisted to justify the new national objectives. The author believes that one can master one’s past only by confronting its dark aspects and hopes that a critical appraisal by domestic scholars of own nationalism will not be overly delayed by customary tardiness. Is contemporary historiography in former Yugoslav republics under the prevalent influence of any of the following components: a) an inevitably maturer scientific outlook on the past brought about by sounder theory and improved methods, and made possible by the discovery of hitherto unknown archival material of prime importance; b) a rather understandable shift of accent in interpreting key historical events, that is, a fuller and broader understanding of their historical function resulting from changes in the epochal consciousness and from the disappearance of the authoritarian patterns of the one-party socialist regime, or; c) a pragmatic revision of the past prompted by broader or narrower ideological, party or personal interests or motives? Which of the above components are discernible in the leading historians and can they be differentiated in more detail? In trying to answer these questions we shall take a look at: a) some general characteristics of historiographic revisionism in Europe and in former socialist regimes at the end of the twentieth century as an important aspect of reinterpreting the recent past; b) narrower regional characteristics, that is, the chief nationalistic motives of revisionism in the contemporary historiography of former Yugoslav republics, and; c) concrete revisionist components in the works of the Yugoslavia historians D. Bilandžić and B. Petranović.
More...Centar za evroatlantske studije iz Beograda (CEAS) ima zadovoljstvo da Vam predstavi završnu, integralnu verziju naše obimne studije Širom zatvorenih očiju: Jačanje ruske meke moći u Srbiji - ciljevi, instrumenti i efekti, sa zaključcima i preporukama koji su izvedeni na osnovu naše procene rezultata vanrednih parlamentarnih izbora u Srbiji u aprilu 2016. Odlučili smo se da finalnu verziju Studije objavimo sa zakašnjenjem smatrajući da su rezultati izbora odličan kontrolni mehanizam za proveru naših nalaza.Sasvim ukratko, smatramo da Srbija klizi ka autokratiji i to ispred nosa političkog Zapada koji na to ne reaguje adekvatno. U interesu demokratski orijentisanih građana Srbije je da se gore opisanoj politici, koja se vodi samo interesom aktuelnog Beograda da ostane na vlasti, stane na put. I on, ali i šira javnost u Srbiji kao i politički Zapad moraju se isterati na čistac u proceni da li se Srbija kreće ka demokratiji ili autokratiji i kakva je uloga sve jače nedemokratske ruske meke moći u tome.Imajući u vidu da se Studija bavi pitanjima meke moći, njene zapadne i ruske verzije, kao i da se Studija objavljuje 9. maja, kada se obeležava i Dan pobede nad fašizmom u Drugom svetskom ratu, CEAS je posvećuje legendarnom muzičaru i majoru američke vojske Glenu Mileru. Njegov umetnički opus i životna priča su za nas pravi primer istinske moći privlačenja vrednosti, politika i metoda koje i sami zagovaramo.
More...Keywords: democratic deficit; autocratic power; illiberal state; culture; education; science; media; Autonomy; civil society, intellectuals; European values
This report has been prepared by independent Hungarian intellectuals who wish to inform the Hungarian and international public as well as European institutions about the severe harm that the Orbán regime governing Hungary since 2010 has caused in the fields of education, science, culture, and the media. The reason for preparing the present report is that the acts of the successive Orbán governments consistently run counter to and consciously violate the fundamental principles, values, and norms of the European Union, not only as regards the rule of law and political and social rights, but also in the case of the cultural areas discussed here. In Hungary, important European values are being jeopardised, including cultural diversity, scientific and artistic autonomy, the respect for human dignity, access to education and culture, conditions for social mobility, the integration of disadvantaged social groups, the protection of cultural heritage, and the right to balanced information, as well as democratic norms like ensuring social dialogue, transparency and subsidiarity. By presenting the activities of the Orbán regime in the fields of culture, education, research, and the media, we provide information about areas little known to the international public. With our report, we wish to draw attention to the fact that an autocratic system has been constructed and consolidated in Hungary with the money of EU taxpayers and with the financial and political support of EU institutions. This system creates a worrying democratic deficit and severe social problems, while it also causes irreparable harm in the fields of education, science, and culture. The authors of the report are leading researchers, lecturers, and acknowledged experts, including several academicians, professors, heads of departments, and a former Minister of Culture. The undertaking was initiated and coordinated by the Hungarian Network of Academics
More...Keywords: steel-embargo; Saarland-problem; National Front;
Destructive criticism of West German economic policy // The steel barrier (embargo) // Elimination of German steel competition (China order) // The Stuttgart information trip to Saxony // Readiness of the GDR to help West Germany // The GDR's 1950 Economic Plan // The Youth Act (February 8, 1950) // The tearing away of the Saar area (I.) // The program of the National Front // Conference of the German Society for Documentation // Struggles for unity in the history of Germany // Destruction of the Ruhr and Saar areas (Quebec 1944)
More...Current affairs: Disarmament negotiations in the XII. UN General Assembly. Chronicle (September 7 to October 31, 1957) // Memorandum of the Soviet Government (September 20, 1957) // The Foreign Minister of the GDR, Dr. Bolz, to UN President Dr. Munro // From the conversation N. S. Khrushchev with the chief diplomatic correspondent of the “New York Times”, James Reston // 1st General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Chronicle (October 1 to October 23, 1957) // Declaration by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the GDR // Syria conflict. Chronicle (3 January to 2 November 1957) // Letter from the CPSU to the Labor Party // Nazi lawyers in the Bonn judicial service. Alphabetical list of names // 3rd Bonn Bundestag // Presidium and parliamentary groups // MPs from West Berlin // Biographies: Eugen Gerstenmaier - President of the Bonn Bundestag // Chronicle of the present October 15 to 31, 1957 // Special register: The politics of the USA — — — — Aus dem Zeitgeschehen: Abrüstungsverhandlungen in der XII. UNO-Vollversammlung. Chronik (7. September bis 31. Oktober 1957) // Memorandum der Sowjetregierung (20. September 1957) // Der Außenminister der DDR, Dr. Bolz, an UNO-Präsident Dr. Munro // Aus der Unterredung N. S. Chruschtschows mit dem diplomatischen Chefkorrespondenten der „New York Times“, James Reston // 1. Generalkonferenz der Internationalen Atomenergiebehörde (IAEA). Chronik (1. Oktober bis 23. Oktober 1957) // Erklärung des Ministeriums für Auswärtige Angelegenheiten der DDR // Syrienkonflikt. Chronik (3. Januar bis 2. November 1957) // Schreiben der KPdSU an die Labour Party // Nazijuristen im Bonner Justizdienst. Alphabetische Namensliste // 3. Bonner Bundestag // Präsidium und Fraktionen // Abgeordnete von Westberlin // Biographien: Eugen Gerstenmaier — Präsident des Bonner Bundestages // Chronik der Gegenwart 15. bis 31. Oktober 1957 // Spezialregister: Die Politik der USA
More...Published 1928 by: EDITION DU BUREAU DE POALE-SION, BERLIN, N. 24, AUGUSTSTRASSE, 17 // The booklet provides an analysis of the way how immigrants from Europe to Palestine get engaged into the regional economy. Wealthy Jewish immigrants (mainly from Western Europe) , developing enterprises in agriculture, industry, or trade-business are providing employment rather to Arab workers (for lower wages) than to poor Jewish immigrants (mainly from Eastern Europe). So, in their socialist approach the authors come to the result that equal pay for Jewish and for Arab emploees should be obligatory for the "Capitalist immigrants".
More...Keywords: the German question; Berlin as occupied city; NATO in Berlin-West; German re-unification;
Chronicle, December 16 to 31, 1958. German Democratic Republic // Chronicle, December 16 to 31, 1958. German Federal Republic // Chronicle, December 16 to 31, 1958. International events // Letter from the Central Committee of the SED to the SPD with the proposal for an exchange of views on the peaceful solution of the German question (December 5, 1958) // Communiqué on discussions between the party and government delegations of the GDR and the People's Republic of Poland (December 14, 1958) // Resolutions of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on the question of ending the occupation regime in West Berlin (December 25, 1958) // On the question of the termination of experiments with nuclear and hydrogen weapons (December 25, 1958) // Manifesto of the Central Committee of the KPD on the 40th anniversary of the founding of the party (published at the end of December 1958) // Declaration by the Council of Ministers of the GDR against the “legal claims” of NATO in West Berlin (December 20, 1958) // Call for competition in honor of the XXI. Party congress of the CPSU // Call of the workers, chemists and engineers in the VEB Elektrochemisches Kombinat Bitterfeld (published on December 13, 1958) // Call of the general assembly of shop stewards of the VEB Chema Rudisleben to all mechanical engineers in the GDR (published on December 13, 1958) // Call of the conference of young agricultural activists to the rural youth competition 1959 in honor of the 10th anniversary of the founding of the GDR (published on December 18, 1958) // Interview on questions of the demands of rural youth (published on December 5, 1958) // Declaration on a consultation of the representatives of the cooperative organizations (December 3 to 4, 1958 in Warsaw) // Resolution of the SPD sub-district Frankfurt (Main) against the defense policy of the SPD parliamentary group (published December 20, 1958) // Obituary of the Central Committee the SED for the writer Lion Feuchtwanger (published on December 23, 1958) // The way to the reunification of Germany via a confederation eration // On the course and results of the NATO Council meeting in Paris on February 20, 1959, brief biographies of the members of the People's Chamber of the GDR (II) // Hellmut Kalbitzer (SPD) - foreign trade expert in the SPD parliamentary group
More...Keywords: Geneva Converence, May 1959; Soviet proposals for the status of Berlin; Lothar Bolz; COMECON and China; Nikita Chruščëv; Walter Hagemann;
Geneva Foreign Ministers Conference (I) // Chronicle (May 11-15, 1959) // 5th session of the National Council of the National Front of Democratic Germany (May 3, 1959 in Berlin) // Conference of authors of the Mitteldeutscher Verlag (April 24, 1959 in Bitterfeld) // The response to the Soviet Berlin proposals // Theodor Blank (CDU) - Federal Minister for Labor and Social Affairs // Brief biographies of the members of the People's Chamber of the GDR (VI) // Jesuit Father Gundlach preaches nuclear war. Foreign Legionnaires tortured to death. // Series of articles in "Combat" on the GDR (III) // Documents from the Geneva Foreign Ministers' Conference // Statement of Principles by the Foreign Minister of the USSR, A. A. Gromyko (May 13, 1959) // Statement by the Foreign Minister of the GDR, Dr. Lothar Bolz (May 14, 1959) // Communiqué on the Conference of Foreign Ministers of the Member States of the Warsaw Treaty and the PR China (April 28, 1959) // Appeal of the National Council of the NF to the citizens of the GDR and West Germany (May 3, 1959 ) // “Call of the 3000” to the Geneva Conference (April 21, 1959) / 7 Communiqué of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the SED on the implementation of the resolutions of the Fifth Party Congress // Protest note by the government of the USSR against the Bonn nuclear armament April 1959) // NS Khrushchev's response to a letter from American personalities (March 20, 1959) // Solidarity telegram from the Rectors' Conference of the GDR to Prof. Hagemann (April 22, 1959) // Declaration by the Peace Committee in West Germany to prohibit its activities (April 17, 1959) March 1959) // CHRONICLE May 1st to 15th, 1959
More...Keywords: 1st Workers' Festival; Social security in West and East Germany; The Bonn State in Crisis; Walter Hallstein; Heinrich Luebke; prominent Christians for consistent Policy of Peace;
The GDR delegation - representative of the national interests of the whole of Germany. People in Geneva // 1st Workers' Festival in the GDR (from June 13 to 21, 1959 in the Halle district - I) // 10 years of the GDR - ten years of economic growth (IV) // On the organization and benefits of social insurance in two German states // On the Bonn State Crisis // Prof. Dr. Hallstein - advocate of the “new order in Europe” in the service of American monopoly capital // Dr. H. c. Heinrich Lübke - newly elected CDU Federal President // Communists in the factories. // West German communities in need. // Hollywood opens its chambers of horror. // Young refugees from the republic become criminals in the West // Adenauer wants to conquer the GDR and Poland with nuclear weapons // Resolutions of the government of the GDR to increase pensions and wages (July 8, 1959) // Documents of the Geneva Foreign Ministers Conference: Speech of the Foreign Minister of the USSR, AA Gromyko, at the meeting on June 10, 1959 (extract) // Declaration by Christian personalities for consistent peace policy (June 24, 1959) // CHRONICLE July 1 to July 15, 1959
More...The Seven Year Plan of the capital of the German Democratic Republic // The anti-Semitic outrages in the Federal Republic — Result of the Fascist Restoration // West German Employers extort DGB by means of Kassel Verdict // Shorter biographies of Members of People’s Chamber of GDR (XII) // March of Events: First Academy of Culture of GDR // Actual quotations: Others about GDR. // A secret Circular of Minister Schröder on the employment of SS. // Church backs up Schlamm // Documents of the National Front of the democratic Germany against the Fascist practices in the State of Bonn (January 11, 1960) // Appeal by VEB Messgeräte- und Armaturenwerk „Karl Marx“ Magdeburg, to all operatives of GDR on the occasion of the socialist competition in the planning year 1960 (December 18, 1959) // Resolution of the Commission of Historians of GDR and of USSR on the results of the scientific conference on the theme: „The German Imperialism and the second World War“ (December 19, 1959) Otto Grotewohl’s interview for ADN on the question of the urgency of a solution of the West Berlin problem (January 8, 1960) // Message of the Soviet Prime Minister N. S. Khrushchev to Federal Chancellor Adenauer (transmitted on October 15, 1959) // Statement of the government of USSR th the member states of WEU with protest against the agreement to Bonn’s atom armament (delivered on December 14, 1959) // Statement of the communist parties of the capitalist countries of Europe at an international meeting for studying the problems of the capitalistic development in Europe (November 21— 24, 1959 in Rome) // Communiqué on the Twelfth meeting of the Council for Mutual Economic Aid of the socialist countries (December 10—14, 1959) // Source materials // Chronicle: January 1—15, 1960 // Special Register: Materials concerning the progress of restoration of Fascism in the State of Bonn
More...On Walter Ulbricht’s letter to Konrad Adenauer // Atlantic Council Meeting in the days of crisis // On the ideological preparations for War at West // German Schools // March of Events: Cameroon — Eleventh sovereign state in Africa // Letter of the First Secretary of the Central Committee of SED, Walter Ulbricht, to the Chairman of the West German CDU/CSU, Konrad Adenauer (presented on January 25, 1960) // Note of the Government of GDR to the Western Powers against the Bonn provocations in West Berlin (February, 1960) // Documents of the 7th Session of the National Council of the National Front of the democratic Germany // Appeal to all Germans for a plebiscite against atomic arming and for armament stop (January 22, 1960) // Appeal: “The beautiful socialistic village (January 23, 1960) // Resolution of the international conference of FIR “ The resistance movement and the Rising Generation ” (November 20—23, 1959 in Florence) // Chronicle: February 1—15, 1960
More...Keywords: German Democratic Republic; History of GDR; Cold War History; German division;
CONTENTS: INFORMATION Markkleeberg — a show of instruction and efficiency in agriculture, 1960 // The new protective statute for juvenile work — a social set-back // IN REVIEW: The German Democratic Republic and the Olympic Games // MARCH OF EVENTS: I. a.: On the evolution of education in GDR // Actual quotations: Others about GDR // “Bonn’s criminal statistics — statistics of crimes and social insecurity” // Caricatures on temporary events // DOCUMENTS Documents of the Third Baltic Week 1960 at Rostock // Appeal of the 3rd Workers’ Conference (July 5/6, 1960) // Resolution of the 3rd International Women’s Conference (July 8, 1960) // Note of the Government of GDR to the neighbouring states in the Baltic area (delivered early in July 1960) // Resolution of the culture conference 1960 on the principles of socialistic cultural work // Declaration of the news agency of the ČSSR, ČTK, on the equipment of West Germany with atomic rockets (July 19, 1960) // Source materials // CHRONICLE July 16-31, 1960 // Special Register: The development of agriculture in GDR
More...Keywords: German Democratic Republic; History of GDR; Cold War History; German division;
CONTENTS: INFORMATION Baltic Week 1960 from July 4—10, 1960 Peaceful co-existence in the Baltic area imperative // The „Lücke-plan“ — an unparalleled predatory incursion by sacking the West German population // IN REVIEW: Giant constructions of socialism in the GDR — the combine „Schwarze Pumpe“ // The Bonn ideology of master race towards the African peoples fighting for liberty // MARCH OF EVENTS: The acquittal of the SS-general Simon // Caricatures on contemporary events // On somebody, who wanted to set on foot an additional newspaper // DOCUMENTS: Documents on the ninth meeting of the Central Committee of SED (July 20-23, 1960 in Berlin) Communiqué // Resolution of the Central Committee on the results of the Bucharest deliberations of representatives of the communist and workers parties // Memorandum of the Government of GDR on the occasion of the fifteenth anniversary of the Potsdam Agreement (published on August 2, 1960) // Resolution of the culture conference 1960 on the principles of the socialistic cultural work (II) // CHRONICLE: August 1-15, 1960 // SPECIAL REGISTER: Materials concerning the deterioration of the standard of living of the West German population
More...Please download the Introduction-PDF which you find below to see en détail what you can find in this issue Thank you.
More...Keywords: energy security of Ukraine;
The analytical report examines the problems of assessing and strategizing the level of energy security. A model for assessing the state of energy security in the national security system is proposed, a set of indicators for assessing energy security is formalized, calculations of the state and threats to energy security of Ukraine are performed according to the modern methodology of integrated assessment. Strategic scenarios of energy security development in the context of sustainable development are substantiated. Recommendations for legislative regulation of the activities of entities in the field of energy security have been developed. // Designed for experts, scientists, specialists in the fields of energy, economics, national security, government entities, energy market actors, representatives of public organizations, as well as anyone interested in energy security. The study will be useful in the formulation of energy policy, strategic planning in the field of economic and energy development, energy security, the formation of energy and national security assessments, development and adoption of regulations governing legal relations in this area.
More...Keywords: culture; education; science; media; Hungary; Orbán-regime; government; corruption
With this volume, we continue our "Hungary turns its back on Europe" report, which was finalised in autumn 2019 and published in January 2020, "prepared by independent Hungarian intellectuals who wish to inform the Hungarian and international public as well as European institutions about the severe harm that the Orbán regime governing Hungary since 2010 has caused in the fields of education, science, culture, and the media." The reason for carrying on with our work is that, in the meantime, the situation in Hungary has exacerbated: the authoritarian features of the Orbán regime have been further strengthened, dismantling of the rule of law has continued, and the government's "cultural warfare" has moved up a gear and is increasingly destructive in the domain of culture. It is our common experience that Hungary, using European Union funds, has built an openly anti‐European, 21st century autocracy, which has taken the state captive, dismantled the checks and balances essential to the rule of law, turned democratic institutions into an empty shell, invaded the media and made corruption systemic.
More...