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2021 Elections in Bulgaria: Boyko Borisov's “Russian roulette”

Author(s): Not Specified Author / Language(s): English

Regular parliamentary elections in the Republic of Bulgaria are due to take place on 4 April 2021. At the elections, 240 representatives/deputies in the Bulgarian National Assembly will be elected according to the proportional system with closed lists. The total number of electoral units is 31. Depending on the size of the electoral unit between four and 16 representatives/deputies get elected from it. The election threshold is 4%.

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Vienna process 2021: In times of crisis in Europe the Rule of Law needed more than ever

Author(s): Ivana Lima / Language(s): English

On the historic date of March 08th 2021 (International Women’s Day), a large number of international affairs specialists gathered for the second consecutive summit in Vienna, Austria.[2] Along with the two acting State Presidents, the event wasendorsed by the keynote of the EU Commissioner for European Neighborhood and Enlargement, Excellency Olivér Várhelyi.

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2021 Elections in Bulgaria: Bulgarian “assault” on North Macedonia

Author(s): Not Specified Author / Language(s): English

In Bulgaria regular parliamentary elections are due to take place on 4 April 2021. At the elections 240 representatives/deputies in the Bulgarian National Assembly will be elected according to the proportional system with closed lists. In each of a total of 31 election units, between four and 16 representatives/ deputies depending on the size of the election unit will be elected. The election threshold is 4%. Previous elections in Bulgaria saw numerous cases of tampering with electoral rolls, election fraud, massive purchase of votes, unregistered voter ballots, extortion of votes from employees in (public) companies and public administration, modifications of voting protocols, declaring the ballots invalid, etc. However, the most renowned form of election fraud “patented” in Bulgaria is the so-called “Bulgarian train.”

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2021 Montenegro: Exporter of Crime to the Region

Author(s): Not Specified Author / Language(s): English

The parliamentary elections in Montenegro, which were held on 30 August 2020, marked the defeat of the 31-year long regime headed by Milo Đukanović and his Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS). The new government was established on 4 December 2020 and it comprised three coalitions: “For the Future of Montenegro”/Koalicija za budućnost Crne Gore/ 32.55% (133,267), “Peace is Our Nation”/Mir je naša nacija/ 12.53% (51,297) and “Black and White”/Crno na bijelo/ 5.53 (22,649).

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Taking for granted… be wary

Author(s): Donald Johnston / Language(s): English

The title of these comments is inspired by my personal experience in important areas of public policy both as a politician beginning in the 1970s and more recently as Secretary General of the OECD from 1996 until 2006. That was a very important decade as it ushered in the period which some day we thought would be known as the beginning of globalization on a grand scale. When I took up my responsibilities in Paris at the end of May 1996 it was a time brimming with optimism about the great future ahead for our children and generations to follow! We were about to say goodbye to one of the most brutal and bloody centuries in human history. Physical human suffering was compounded by poverty and misery of hundreds of millions, especially in the developing world.

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Perceiving corruption: Rethinking accountability, revolution and challenging the status quo in Lebanon

Author(s): Marie-Christine Ghreichi / Language(s): English

Political corruption in Lebanon traces its roots to the re-assembling in the post-civil war era, which entrenched a realm of politics dominated by war lords and militia-like mentalities operating through a sectarian discourse. The waste resulting from “confessional governance” costs Lebanon 9% of GDP each year. 1 In the early 1990s, “Lebanese political bosses either coopted or gutted institutions such as unions, professional associations and opposition parties. Public schools and hospitals were defunded.” Today, many Lebanese do not send their children to public schools or hospitals. Sukleen, the company contracted by the government to collect waste in Beirut and Mount Lebanon charges 4x more per ton of waste disposed in landfills compared to providers in the UK. 2 Nearly 40% of electricity is produced by private generators established during the civil war and partially owned by various politicians today, profiting close to $1 billion a year. Electricite du Liban, the public electricity company collects payments for only half of the power it produces.

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Netizens Alliance over the cup of Milk Tea - Thailand, Taiwan and Hong Kong supporting each other’s democracy quest

Author(s): Gabriela Bernal / Language(s): English

Although Hong Kong has been the main face of democracy movements in Asia over the past few years, it is not alone in its fight for political reform and fair rights. Together with Hong Kong stand its fellow Asian partners Taiwan and Thailand; both also engaging in a battle to ensure democracy not only survives, but thrives. The link between the three has reached new heights recently under a new name: the Milk Tea Alliance. The name represents a shared passion for sweet tea drinks in Thailand, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The hashtag #MilkTeaAlliance first became popular in April but the simple hashtag has now grown into a much bigger movement uniting like-minded political activists in Asia. Although the name might sound cute, the message is clear and serious: Those in power will not be allowed to overrule the will of the people and continue committing gross human rights abuses and abusing political authority.

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2020 Local Elections in BiH: Wave of political changes moves from Montenegro to Bosnia and Herzegovina

Author(s): Not Specified Author / Language(s): English

Local elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina are to take place on 15 November 2020. The total number of eligible voters in 3,283,194. The number of voters by mail at the upcoming elections has significantly increased and amounts to 101,771. At the 2020 local elections, 30,809 candidates will compete for positions in the future local authorities. There are 543 political entities participating in the local elections. Specifically, 129 political parties, 262 independent candidates, 72 coalitions, nine lists of independent candidates and 71 independent candidates from ethnic minorities.

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The death of the Second Republic: Understanding the spark for social mobilization in contemporary Lebanon

Author(s): Marie-Christine Ghreichi / Language(s): English

Felt across the Mediterranean on August 4th, 2020, some 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stored in the port of Beirut exploded, killing at least 190 people and injuring at least 6,500, resulting in an estimated $10–15 billion USD in property damage, and leaving an approximately 300,000 people homeless. The ammonium nitrate gas had been stored in a warehouse without proper safety measures in place for the previous six years, after having been confiscated by the Lebanese authorities from the cargo ship MV Rhosus that had docked in Beirut and been declared unseaworthy. The official cause of the detonation is under investigation. Yet the ruling elites’ failure to address the presence of the material in the port and the subsequent explosion perhaps signifies the apex of political corruption and public negligence.

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Slovenian Foreign Policy – Way ahead

Author(s): Jožef Kunič / Language(s): English

The political balance within the EU at the time of the Covid-19 pandemic has clearly indicated a direction of significant changes. Initially it seemed that solidarity of some seemingly very friendly countries is simply not to be counted on. However, the common problem of all European countries triggered even bigger solidarity, which led to adoption of decisions on joint assistance to member countries. As the pandemic also highlighted the importance of cooperation among countries at the region level in light of their exceedingly obvious interdependence, Brussels clearly signaled that such cooperation should not undermine the common goals and values of the European Union. Although the European assistance for mitigation of consequences of the Covid19 pandemic implies new debts for member countries, for many countries it will be an important source of recovery from severe economic consequences of the corona crisis. However, some strongly advocate that the assistance should be conditioned with compliance with European values. This means that the Slovenian foreign policy should not leave a shred of doubt about its respect of EU values. The benefit of supporting the stances of specific Visegrad Group (V4) countries, which are contrary to the stances of the founding nations of the EU, is questionable. At the same time, Slovenia should develop closer relations and resolve some important issues with Croatia. This would be sensible as, in a way, Croatia would then be a regional ally of Slovenia and we could also count on each other within the framework of the EU. Resolution of the open issues is an objective interest of both countries, Slovenia and Croatia, and the time has come to resolve them.

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Lebanon 2020: From “The Pearl of the Orient” to failed state?

Author(s): Corneliu Pivariu / Language(s): English

Before the explosion of the Port of Beirut (the biggest one in an urban area in the last decades), on August 4, 2020, the situation in Lebanon was circumscribed to the regional focus only while the disaster caused by the blast (around 200 dead, more than 6,000 wounded and damages estimated to 11/15 billion-dollar) brought again the small country of the cedars to the international focus as it happens in fact with any other country where an event of such proportions takes place. Yet Lebanon is in a peculiar situation since the developments in this country represent, as I presented on numerous occasions, a signal concerning possible future evolutions in the Middle East and even in a more extended area.

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2020 Azerbaijan – Armenia conflict: Historical conflict or conflict with geostrategic dimensions

Author(s): Not Specified Author / Language(s): English

The strong conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, in the autonomous Azerbaijani region of Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh, which is under the control of Armenia, was renewed recently. The latest conflict between the two countries has escalated and there are no indications that it will calm down, at least not in the foreseeable future. The question being imposed is why is this old conflict, which was at a standstill (frozen conflict) after the serious fights between 1988 and 1994 and in April 2016, being renewed now. Armenia, which controls the disputed region, is satisfied with the status quo, while Azerbaijan, which is rich in energy resources and whose defense expenditures exceed the entire Armenian budget, now threatens to use military force to regain control over the lost region.

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2020 Bulgaria: Bulgaria exports its problems to North Macedonia

Author(s): Not Specified Author / Language(s): English

In early 2020 Bulgaria entered a deep political crisis. The protests organized in the capital of Sofia and several other cities have been going on since July this year. They began after the prosecutor raided the building of the president of the state and Hristo Ivanov's spectacular action on the coast of the Black Sea in which together with two supporters he motored up to a luxurious residence of Ahmed Dogan (DPS), one of the most influential persons in Bulgaria. The goal was to draw attention to the illegal fencing of public facilities and unlawful engagement of security guards from civil service at the residence. The action triggered mass protests in Bulgaria against corruption, oligarchs and the government. After the arrest of two of his aids (presidential commissioner for fight against corruption and security advisor), Bulgarian President Rumen Radev (independent) accused the state prosecutor of being linked with the mafia. The conflict between the Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov (GERB – Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria) and the Bulgarian President Rumen Radev intensified.

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How to Spend it: An Austro-Franco-German Proposal for a European Covid-19 Recovery Programme

Author(s): Tereza Neuwirthová / Language(s): English

The conference named “75 years of Europe’s Collective Security and Human Rights System”, which took place on the 1st of July at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, brought together experts related to the reality of the Old Continent and its Union over the course of the past 75 years of its post-WWII anti-fascist existence. It was jointly organized by four different entities (the International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies IFIMES, Media Platform Modern Diplomacy, International Scientific Journal European Perspectives, and Action Platform Culture for Peace) with the support of the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, numerous academia supporting and media partners).

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China and Nuclear Arms Control Possible Implications of China’s Involvement in Nuclear Arms Talks

Author(s): Alexander G. Savelyev / Language(s): English

In December 2019, the United States officially invited China to enter into a strategic security dialogue. The White House said it hoped Beijing’s consent to this proposal might become the first step towards an international agreement encompassing all nuclear weapons of the United States, Russia, and China. As expected, this proposal was rejected. China said its nuclear arsenal was much smaller than those of the United States and Russia, and it would be able to participate in such talks only when their nuclear potentials were brought to parity with its own.

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2020 US-Serbia-Kosovo agreement: New era of Serbia-US political and economic relations

Author(s): Not Specified Author / Language(s): English

In Washington, on 4 September 2020, Serbia and Kosovo signed separate agreements with the United States on “economic normalization”. The agreements have no bearing on the existing dialogue that is underway between official Belgrade and Priština and mediated by the European Union. The Washington agreement is a new political reality not just for Kosovo and Serbia but also for the entire West Balkans region, and even the EU itself. It is a product of long and hard work, which included strong engagement of the US special envoy for the dialogue between official Belgrade and Priština, Ambassador Richard Grenell. The agreement envisages, inter alia, establishment of direct air and rail connections between Belgrade and Priština, construction of the Niš–Priština highway and a number of other economic and energy projects. The signatories to the agreement undertook to suspend for a year the campaign for recognition, that is withdrawal of recognition of Kosovo.

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Political will is needed to foster multilateralism in Europe – Dr. Franz Fischler says

Author(s): Guidoneth Lanfranchi / Language(s): English

On July 1st 2020, a large number of international affairs specialists gathered in Vienna, Austria, for the conference “From Victory Day to Corona Disarray: 75 Years of Europe’s Collective Security and Human Rights System”. The conference, jointly organized by four different entities (the International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies IFIMES, Media Platform Modern Diplomacy, International Scientific Journal European Perspectives, and Action Platform Culture for Peace) with the support of the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, was aimed at discussing the future of Europe in the wake of its old and new challenges.

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Belt and Road in the Central and Eastern EU and non-EU Europe: Obstacles, Sentiments, Challenges

Author(s): Maria Smotrytska / Language(s): English

Today at a broader diplomatic and strategic level, the BRI has become a symbol of China's growing importance in international affairs, changing regional dynamics in geographical areas close to or even within Europe. At the most basic level, the strategic implications of expanding China's policy in the EU stem not so much from a set of projects with a single link, but from its comprehensive nature. China-related initiatives, such as the AIIB and the BRI, – it is ample clear – have already changed the global financial development landscape. Similarly, in the sphere of security relations, there is a need to protect assets and citizens abroad leading to the “securitization” of Chinese BRI participation abroad, which is likely to significantly change China's role in the regions of European interests. Within Europe, and in conjunction with sub–regional “mini-initiatives” in China, such as CEE 16 + 1, the BRI also contributes to changes in the policymaking landscape in Europe and China.

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Morocco’s relentless diplomacy in the Libyan crisis

Author(s): Faiza Koubi / Language(s): English

The outbreak of the Libyan crisis in 2011 prompted earlier attempts of Morocco to help lull this storm, as Morocco, a country of the Maghreb that shares common interests with Tripoli. Indeed, Morocco advanced steps towards settling the conflict was sided by its positive neutral stance in contrast with its neighbours which were in the situation of wait and see. Presumably, Morocco seems the right track as unlike the numerous meeting to solve the dispute, it may boast it edge-cutting achievements with Skhirat agreement and later on.

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Human Rights 75 years After: Privacy respect in the EU

Author(s): Nora Wolf / Language(s): English

Early summer days of 2020 in Vienna sow marking the anniversary of Nuremberg Trials with the conference “From the Victory Day to Corona Disarray: 75 years of Europe’s Collective Security and Human Rights System – Legacy of Antifascism for the Common Pan-European Future”. This was the first public and probably the largest conference in Europe past the early spring lockdown. It gathered numerous speakers and audience physically in the venue while many others attended online.

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