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There exists a body of evidence suggesting that Russia's energy sector-based interests are not monolithic. On the contrary, and quite intuitively, Russia’s political economy is fractured along institutional, temporal, and informational lines not just at the various levels of the country’s federal system, but also along the economic value chains that define the Russian energy sector. In order to tease these political, economic and social nuances out from the context in which they are embedded, it is felt that current research needs to move away from the shadow of neo-Kremlinology and expand its scope to reconsider the existence of fissures among political and economic interests, identify competing elite groups within the federal institutional structure, and understand the structural conditions that contribute to strategic decision-making process of the Russian Federation. Based upon several years of research conducted at the Aleksanteri Institute, four separate deficiencies concerning the nature of the structure of Russia’s political economy have been identified and will be discussed in turn below.
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Keywords: Social World; symbolic interactionism; hatha‑yoga; legitimization process; arenas
The goal of the paper is analysis of the current situation of the practice of hatha‑yoga in the Western countries with the use of the sociological perspective of social worlds (the concept of Anselm Strauss). The social world is a form of social association basedon shared interests and some primery activity that is performed by individuals, and theprimary activity defines their attachment to the world. The social world of hatha‑yoga isdescribed on the basis of studies and analyzes carried out in 2008–2012. The paper deals also with the issue of influence of traditional Hindu culture on the present form of yoga and controversies related to the “dogmatic” interpretation of the direct transmission of hatha yoga from India to the Western world (the paradox of “mutual influence” presented by Mark Singleton). One part of the article describes the intersection of the social world of yoga with other worlds and sub‑words: mass culture, sports, the world of mountain climbing, business, medicine, etc.
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Keywords: Kingdom of Hungary: aristocracy; economic activity; modern age; Thurz family;
Bádanie o aristokracii Uhorského kráľovstva nepatrilo v Maďarsku v druhej polovici 20. storočia medzi preferované témy. S výnimkou Rakúska však to nebolo inak ani na Slovensku, dokonca ani v Chorvátsku či v Rumunsku, kde sa dodnes uchovávajú časti rodových archívov viacerých rodov, ktoré zohrali rozhodujúcu úlohu v dejinách krajiny. Kým za necelých sto rokov od druhej polovice 19. storočia bola o najznámejších rodoch vydaná celá rada monografi í a pramenných edícií (predovšetkým v maďarskom jazyku o rodoch Balassi, Batthyány, Csáky, Esterházy, Forgách, Illésházy, Nádasdy, Pálffy, Rákóczi, Thurzo a Zrínyi), od konca 40. rokov 20. storočia sa pozornosť bádateľov zamerala predovšetkým na hospodársku činnosť príslušníkov magnátskych rodov. V súvislosti s Thurzovcami treba spomenúť zásadné hospodársko-historické práce Petra Ratkoša a Mariána Skladaného zo Slovenska a Karen Lambrecht z Nemecka.
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Keywords: Bitcoin; criptocurrency; digital currency; transaction; banking institution;
The Bitcoin „phenomenon” has spread its wings especially over the past two years, experiencing an unprecedented growth and being supported by several companies from the international scene. The result is the possibility of buying goods and services using the Bitcoin currency. But the most important thing is the state support which, at the present time, either does not exist, or is in the moment of granting, requiring time. Bitcoinis a cryptocurrency created and given to users (located in front of a computer connected to the Internet) who solve a special category of mathematical problems. Computers around the world „extract” Bitcoin, competing with each other. This extraction can become quite competitive among users because new Bitcoins are created at a predictable and fixed rate. The more users join the network, the more difficult it becomes to make a profit for each of them. Bitcoin is mainly used in the Hidden Internet - that portion of the Internet that is not accessible to the general public through a regular browser - in purchasing illegal goods and services.
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Keywords: weapons of mass destruction (WMD); nuclear weapons; radiological weapons; biological weapons; chemical weapons; assessment; current status; reduction of WMD; international treaties; diplomatic negotia
The assessment of the current status of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) is particularly important for the existence of the human race. Regardless of the agreements reached among the peoples on the reduction of WMD, tendencies have emerged in recent decades in the disregard of international treaties. Real signs have emerged about the return of the Cold War years. In order to avoid local and larger conflicts using WMD, serious diplomatic negotiations are needed to ensure that problems are solved without the use of these weapons.
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Keywords: Easter Europe; Poland; economy; franchising; legislation; marketing; business model; evaluation;
The current franchise model of enterprise development has evolved for centuries. Franchising in its contemporary form was initially developed in the American market, but owing to its universality, this model has gained supporters among entrepreneurs all over the world. Today, it is successfully applied in Poland, where nearly 1,2000 networks, both in the trade and services sectors, follow this model of development. This is so even though franchising is not regulated in detail by law in Poland, and the franchise agreement operates as an innominate contract in the legal order. The legal framework underlying franchise relationships is anchored in various regulations, in particular, those devoted to combating unfair competition.
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Keywords: Germany’s air defence
As NATO has returned its focus to collective defence since 2014, very short, short-range and medium-range surface-based air defence has become a desirable capability. Germany, which has been recalibrating the Bundeswehr to resume participation in conventional military conflicts, is in the process of re-creating air defence capabilities. In 2018–2019, the German Defence Ministry is expected to take decisions regarding two crucial air defence programmes: the NNbS and the TLVS. || The very short and short-range air defence capabilities have effectively been dismantled within the German Army over the last decade. The Bundeswehr plans to rebuild them in the NNbS programme in order to meet its commitments within the NATO Defence Planning Process (NDPP). The contract for the NNbS is expected to be signed in 2019. However, the plans to quickly rebuild capabilities in this area may stumble on technical, financial and personnel challenges. || As Germany has committed to deploy a fully modernised brigade for NATO Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) duty in 2023, Berlin is also seeking alternative solutions, such as co-operation with The Netherlands, or smaller purchases outside the NNbS programme. In late 2018 or early 2019, the German Defence Ministry is also planning to sign the contract for the medium-range air defence programme, TLVS, three years after it decided to use the results of the MEADS programme that was completed in 2014. The TLVS system will replace the Patriot batteries that have been in use since the late 1980s and have been successively upgraded. Time will tell as to whether the lengthy negotiations will enable the Defence Ministry to avoid delays and financial and technical problems in the complex TLVS programme, of which Germany is going to be the sole user for now.
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Keywords: neologism; lexical creativity; Twitter; Brexit; neologisme; creativite lexicale
This article will focus on Internet communication, more precisely on the neologisms which have proliferated in the political comments on Twitter as a result of the Brexit crisis. A corpus of tweets will be analysed with the aim of both underlining the lexical creativity of the French and Polish Internet users and studying the lexical borrowing and the adaptation of Anglicisms that spring from the political crises of the European Union. Some of the newly created terms circulate only at national level and serve to describe a local political situation; such is the case of the neologisms generated from the patronyms of the political leaders (Hollandexit, Vallsexit, Dudaexit). // Dans notre contribution nous nous interesserons a la communication sur Internet et, en particulier, au cas des neologismes crees autour de Brexit dans les commentaires politiques proliferant sur Twitter. L’analyse d’un corpus de tweets aura pour but d’examiner la creativite lexicale des internautes francais et polonais afin d’etudier les emprunts et l’adaptation des anglicismes qui naissent a propos des problemes affrontes par l’Union Europeenne. Certains termes forges restent nationaux et servent a decrire la situation politique locale, comme c’est le cas des neologismes qui exploitent les patronymes des hommes politiques (Hollandexit, Vallsexit, Dudaexit).
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Keywords: economic developement;supply chains;Poland;Europe;
Since Polish accession to the European Union, the primary objective aiming at an increase in cohesion among the member countries has been to increase the pace of economic development as expressed primarily through an increase in investments in our country. Accession to the Union structures has allowed a gradual increase in the participation of Polish entities in the structure of supply chains on a European scale.
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Keywords: Measurement; Budget organizations; IPSAS
The aim of the paper is to present the main concepts laid down into the draft accounting standard Measurement of the Public Sector Accounting Standards Package, as well as the peculiarities of some the assets and liabilities of the budget organizations measurement bases, namely measurement base for assets Replacement costs and measurement base for liabilities Cost of fulfilment.
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Keywords: Slovakia; Security and defense policy; Geopolitics; Iran Nuclear Treaty; USA; Military policy; NATO;
The year 2018 was not a calm one in world affairs. The post-Cold War international order is becoming more unstable, potentially threatening global peace and security, perhaps irreversibly. Geopolitics has become relevant once again, having adopted a new face. The great powers now compete and use hybrid warfare and political interference to achieve their political goals.
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Keywords: fundusze unijne;Unia Europejska;projekt hybrydowy;związek metropolitalny;praworządność;kontrola wykorzystania funduszy unijnych;perspektywa finansowa 2007-2013;perspektywa finansowa 2014-2020;
Obecny stan systemu kontroli wykorzystania funduszy unijnych w Polsce nie uwzględnia ewolucji, jakiej są poddawane mechanizmy wsparcia unijnego na rzecz rozwoju państwa członkowskiego. Zmiany te są warunkowane zarówno czynnikami o charakterze geopolitycznym, jak i społecznym. Celem artykułu jest zatem zaproponowanie rozszerzenia zakresu przedmiotu kontroli wykorzystania funduszy unijnych w Polsce z uwzględnieniem trzech aspektów: 1) zastosowania montaży finansowych z udziałem środków unijnych w projektach hybrydowych, 2) uwzględnienia w katalogu podmiotów uprawnionych do absorpcji unijnej nowej struktury samorządowej w Polsce – związku metropolitalnego, 3) wdrożenia przestrzegania zasady praworządności w kontekście wypłaty funduszy unijnych. W artykule zastosowano metodę krytycznej analizy dokumentów obejmujących zarówno źródła o charakterze legislacyjnym, jak i komentarzowym. Dotyczy ona okresu programowania unijnego 2007–2013 i 2014–2020. Wyniki analiz są zaprezentowane w normatywnym ujęciu ekonomii.
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Keywords: Free Trade Area;Economic integration of Ukraine with the EU;
The EU-Ukraine Association Agreement with the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) was developed with the aim of supporting crucial internal changes in Ukraine’s economy. DCFTA formally came into force on September 1st, 2017, however, it started to be provisionally applied as from January 1st, 2016. Development of trade with a large EU market and improvement of the investment environment in line with European standards should increase the competitiveness of Ukraine’s economy, and, thus, strengthen its positions in the world economy.
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Keywords: social memory; cultural landscape; cultural dissonance;local identity;
Polish inhabitants of Masuria are trying to deal with tensions caused by the presence of the German, Masurian, and Jewish cultural heritage in the well-known cultural landscape of Masuria. The collapse of the myth of Ziemie Odzyskane [Regained Territories] has prompted an interest in the history of East Prussia. Within the last few years, there have appeared a number of works presenting the past from various perspectives. People are discovering what has been wiped out of the cultural landscape over the years. Social memory in Masuria reveals elements unknown or displaced from the collective memory of its new residents (i.e. the Great War 1914–1915). The presence of cultural dissonances requires seeking new justifications and reinterpreting historical narratives. Cultural dissonances force critical reflection in order to redefine the local identity. The local memory can be reconciled with the national memory by referring to the cultural borderland and the supranational European identity.
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Keywords: Slovakia; NATO; security; defense policy; 2019; EU; foreign policy;
When 2019 started, there were several defense and security issues to be resolved. The EU was preparing for its parliamentary election and Brexit day was still in the pipeline. It had been almost three years since the referendum, so desperation on both sides had turned into a tiresome wait for the United Kingdom to finally leave the EU. There were a couple of related questions, such as what kind of relationship would the EU and UK agree in relation to Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). In addition, with the United Kingdom leaving the EU, the member states felt the urge to address third party participation in Permanent Structure Cooperation (PESCO). In NATO the leadership and members were starting to get along with the U.S. administration and were able to distinguish words from actions. After reassurance from some U.S. government representatives, although not its head, NATO continued going forward, expanding rapid deployment, securing the Eastern and Southern Flanks by military and non-military means and keeping the door open for possible accessions. The Eastern Flank of Europe, particularly the ongoing frozen conflict in Ukraine led Slovakia to follow NATO’s policy of improving readiness through military exercises and by building security capacities, such as the NATO Force Integration Unit.
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Keywords: Srebrenica; genocide; victims; Dayton Agreement; Bosnia and Herzegovina; USA; ICTY/MICT; ICJ; UN; EU; NATO;
From a time distance of 25 years since the genocide in Srebrenica, it is possible to additionally look at the events of that time and give a look at international politics and law. Srebrenica is a symbol of the inaction of the international community, especially the UN, which was later admitted. Developments are directly related to international politics and law as well as the work of the ICTY/ MICT. Undoubtedly, the genocide in Srebrenica marked international politics, but it also influenced the development of international law, especially criminal and humanitarian law.
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The scholars of the Renaissance and Baroque shared the Hugh of St. Victor’s view that “there aretwo main ways of gaining knowledge: reading and reflection, with reading being the primary in theprocess of acquiring knowledge” („Duae praecipue res sunt, quibus quisque ad scientiam instruitur:videlicet lectio et meditatio, e quibus lectio priorem in doctrina obtinet locum”). Thus, one of themost important questions concerning the humanist culture in the early modern period refers to readingpatterns recommended and practised within the respublica litteraria of that time. These models canbe reconstructed among others on the basis of the instruction texts, among which one of the mostwidely-read was a repeatedly published treatise by Francesco Sacchini (1570—1625), an Italian Jesuit,entitled De ratione libros cum profectu legendi (1613). The article presents the contents of this workand the pattern of intensive reading propagated in it, according to which the decisive role was playedby learning precisely, sometimes even by heart, a relatively small collection of model texts treated asthe object of imitation and a source of information (copia rerum et verborum).
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Keywords: public procurement; revitalization; tasks of the commune
Although the regulations in force indicate a whole range of the revitalization stakeholders, the commune plays a key role in this process, and it is responsible for the preparation, coordination and creation of conditions for revitalization. In practice, this task is most often carried out on the basis of the Public Procurement Law, which is associated with the need of following extremely formalized procedures, which sometimes constitutes a significant obstacle for municipalities. However, the Public Procurement Law provides for the possibility of excluding the application of its provisions, provided that the revitalization projects meet the conditions indicated therein. The presented text describes and analyzes the revitalization issues in the above-mentioned context, in particular focusing on the specific rules of public procurement in the Special Revitalization Zone.
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