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Evolution of EU Travel Rules During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author(s): Jolanta Szymańska / Language(s): English

The new variants of SARS-CoV-2 and the development of the vaccination process in the EU are changing the rules of travel within the territory of the Community. New guidelines on this matter adopted by the Council of the EU in January focus not so much on the country of departure of the traveller as on his/her personal health situation. This more individualised approach is to make it possible to dispense with additional ad hoc travel restrictions imposed by Member States. At the same time, it promotes vaccination, recognising it as essential in fighting the pandemic.

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Digitisation in Romania accelerates during the pandemic

Author(s): Kamil Całus / Language(s): English

Romania stands out as having one of the EU’s least developed systems of online public services, which contrasts with its extensive telecommunications infrastructure offering very fast and cheap access to the network. This is due both to the policy of the governments, which until 2019 did not show much interest in the digitisation process of the country or failed to propose a comprehensive programme for its implementation, and to the resistance of the public, who were distrustful of the e-government solutions offered. However, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic led to a breakthrough: on one hand, it spurred the authorities to introduce legal changes and deploy new technological solutions that had hitherto been postponed, and on the other, it forced Romanian society to use public digital services.

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The cost of a police state: Belarus’s economic problems

Author(s): Kamil Kłysiński / Language(s): English

Although the COVID-19 pandemic did trigger a recession in Belarus, the greatest blow to the country’s economy has been its deep political crisis. This was caused by the authorities rigging the results of the presidential election, which in turn provoked mass opposition from the citizens. Alyaksandr Lukashenka, focused on remaining in power, resorted to unprecedented repression, which over the following months completely shattered many years of efforts to improve the investment climate and to achieve a partial liberalization of the economy. These efforts included a flagship initiative to develop the Belarusian IT sector. 2020 revealed the Belarusian economy’s great sensitivity to the global economic slump and the regime’s inability to launch free-market reforms. As a consequence, although in 2020 Belarus’s GDP fell just0.9%, the country found itself in an extremely difficult situation due to the magnitude of other threats to its economic stability. Belarus’s inability to effectively refinance its foreign debt using funds offered by Western institutions, its significant budget deficit (approximating the level recorded in the crisis years of the 1990s) and the state sector’s largely unpayable debt to the local banks will all result in continued aggravation of the economic crisis. Alongside this, they will provoke a rise in Russia’s importance as the only ally and lender to an internationally isolated Belarus. Without Russia’s assistance, the risk of the Belarusian economy collapsing will increase significantly in 2021.

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Sputnik over Europe

Author(s): Iwona Wiśniewska,Jadwiga Rogoża / Language(s): English

Since Sputnik V was registered in Russia in August 2020, a major global promotional campaign for the vaccine has been under way with the involvement of the state authorities, led by President Vladimir Putin. Recent weeks have seen the intensification of such a campaign in the European Union, which has been backed up by disinformation activities targeting Western vaccines. However, Sputnik V production levels have been low so far, and they do not meet the needs of either Russia or the countries that have signed up for it. Russian announcements that its production would soon begin outside the country, including in Europe, have also failed to come true. Available information shows that about a third of all Sputnik V doses delivered to the market are exported. However, an analysis of the contracts signed and the volume of deliveries made places Russia at the bottom of the global list of producers and suppliers. Like other manufacturers, it has to keep choosing who to send vaccines to first (and in what quantities). In effect, Europe and Latin America have been the priority destinations for shipments abroad, although even those contracts are not being fulfilled on time. Bulk quantities of Sputnik V are unlikely to arrive in Europe before autumn 2021.

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Tightening the screws. Putin’s repressive laws

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

In December 2020, President Vladimir Putin signed a package of laws tightening regulations on non-governmental organisations, public gatherings and media censorship. It is one of the elements marking a new quality in the Kremlin’s domestic policy: Russian authoritarianism has de facto abandoned the pretence of democratic procedures in favour of increased control and repression.

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The Israeli Political Scene and the Next Parliamentary Elections

Author(s): Michał Wojnarowicz / Language(s): English

The continuing crisis in government has led to the dissolution of the Knesset and early parliamentary elections in Israel, the fourth in the last two years. Polls do not reveal any possible coalition variants, which increases the possibility for further elections in autumn. This scenario favours Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose position is strengthened by the effective vaccination campaign against COVID-19 and the normalisation of relations with Gulf states.

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Vaccine Passports and Freedom of Movement in the EU

Author(s): Jolanta Szymańska / Language(s): English

Together with the beginning of the COVID-19 vaccination process in the European Union, the preparations of a common Community-wide immunity certificate began. The guidelines adopted at the end of January cover the medical requirements for this health certificate, however, many countries would like to extend their use for travel within the EU/Schengen area. This could contribute to the revival of tourism in Europe, although it is difficult to implement without affecting the freedom of movement.

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Schengen After the Crises: New Strategy and Challenges

Author(s): Jolanta Szymańska / Language(s): English

After the shocks caused by the migration-management crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Commission (EC) initiated reforms in Schengen. The new strategy aims at rebuilding trust between states and gradually lifting border restrictions. This process will be hampered by the continued public health threat, as well as the deadlock in the discussion on reform of migration policy, in particular the asylum system.

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The Biden Administration’s Vaccine Diplomacy

Author(s): Andrzej Dąbrowski / Language(s): English

The United States has begun redistributing procured SARS-CoV-2 vaccines to countries affected by a shortage of doses. The U.S. joined the international COVAX initiative and declared it would provide 500 million doses to it by the end of 2022. The goal of U.S. diplomacy is to improve the country’s image on the international stage and compete with China, which uses vaccines to strengthen its relations with African and Latin American countries.

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Italian Economic Recovery Plan

Author(s): Maciej Pawłowski / Language(s): English

Italy has started to rebuild its economy, which has fallen into deep recession because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The government wants to achieve this goal through infrastructure investments, export and tourism support, and temporary legalisation of stay and employment of migrants. Part of these activities will be financed with funds from the new EU budget. The government’s economic recovery plan also presents an opportunity to reform the country, which increases the potential of an agreement on the shape of the EU budget, the multiannual financial framework (MFF) 2021-2027.

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Ukraine’s Foreign Policy in President Zelensky’s First Year

Author(s): Maciej Zaniewicz / Language(s): English

The foreign policy of Ukraine during the presidency of Volodymyr Zelensky is characterised by the continuation of integration with NATO and the EU and the aim to end the conflict in Donbas. Compared to his predecessor, Petro Poroshenko, Zelensky takes a more pragmatic stance, confirmed by greater flexibility during talks with Russia. However, Ukraine’s concessions to Russia have not resulted in progress in resolving the conflict. Sectoral integration with the EU may, in turn, be delayed by the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Central Asia

Author(s): Arkadiusz Legieć / Language(s): English

The economic crisis in Central Asia resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic will degrade the security situation in the region. Among the consequences of the recession will be the intensification of anti-government protests and increased ethnic tensions, added migration pressure from the region and greater activity of terrorist organisations. By using Russia’s passivity towards the pandemic, China will seek to increase its influence in the sphere of security in Central Asia.

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Political and Economic Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Romania

Author(s): Jakub Pieńkowski / Language(s): English

On 16 June, a Romania’s “state of alarm” was prolonged for a month by the Ludovic Orban minority government. The pandemic has prevented his National Liberal Party (PNL) from holding early parliamentary elections, which, given the popularity of the formation, would be expected to allow it majority rule. The largest opposition force, the Social Democratic Party (PSD), could build a coalition in the current parliament but refuses to take power during the crisis. The government has provided temporary support for Romanian companies and announced an economic reconstruction programme that may incorporate aspects of the European Commission’s Next Generation EU initiative. The consequences of the pandemic will hamper Romania’s adoption of the euro.

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The Pandemic as an Impulse for the Development of New Technologies in Sub-Saharan Africa

Author(s): Jędrzej Czerep / Language(s): English

A deep recession is projected for Sub-Saharan Africa in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the market for new technologies providing solutions helpful during the health crisis, is developing dynamically. In the medium term, the research and development sector will gain importance and become attractive for investments, also for Polish companies.

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The Impact of COVID-19 on the Terrorist Threat in the EU

Author(s): Arkadiusz Legieć / Language(s): English

According to Europol data, in 2019 the decline in the number of attacks and the activity of terrorist organisations continued in the EU, with the exception of extreme right-wing groups. The COVID-19 pandemic has limited the possibilities for terrorist organisations to operate. In the short term, the terrorist threat to the EU will continue to decline. However, terrorists will adapt to the new conditions. As a result of the pandemic, structural problems in Europe’s neighbourhood will worsen and an economic crisis is expected within the EU itself. Such conditions may favuor the activity of extremists (both Islamic and farright), increasing the threat of terrorism for the EU in the long term.

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The Main Challenges for China’s Internal Situation after the First Phase of the Pandemic

Author(s): Marcin Przychodniak / Language(s): English

China faces rising debt and unemployment problems worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic and U.S. restrictions. The economic difficulties spur dissatisfaction in society and the party apparatus. The solution to the problems includes increasing the share of the internal market in GDP growth. At the same time, the Chinese authorities are strengthening their rhetoric of rivalry with the West, which they blame for the difficulties. The central authorities also have tightened control over party officials. The anti-Western attitude along with the continual centralisation of power will make it impossible to compromise with the EU, for example, on increasing access to the Chinese market.

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Devolution in the UK and the Combined Challenges of Pandemic and Brexit

Author(s): Przemysław Biskup / Language(s): English

Brexit and the pandemic pose the two most important challenges for UK domestic politics today. While Brexit policy has been controlled by central-government institutions, the response to the pandemic has been formulated by a number of mutually independent central, national, and regional institutions. Consequently, the national and regional elections in May 2021 have been increasingly concentrating on devolved health and education policies as well as on partly decentralised economic and fiscal ones. In the pandemic context, these policies have become the most important catalysts for separatism in Britain in the last 30 years. In Scotland, the election may open the way to its independence and the destabilisation of Britain as an important ally of Poland.

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French Authorities Playing a Risky Game with Security

Author(s): Łukasz Maślanka / Language(s): English

The sense of insecurity among the French public amid the pandemic and terrorist threat improves the electoral chances of the right-wing opposition. As President Emmanuel Macron is seeking re-election in 2022, he has responded with laws aiming at defending the secularism of the state and boosting the role of law enforcement. Some of the proposed solutions, such as an interdiction on disseminating images of police officers, have provoked controversy. The government’s narrative may also have a negative impact on France’s foreign policy

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Legal Changes in Hungary Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic

Author(s): Veronika Jóźwiak / Language(s): English

In connection with the coronavirus pandemic, the Hungarian government intends to extend indefinitely regulations adopted under a “state of danger” declared on 11 March. The bill authorising it to do so would give the government unprecedented powers, including limiting constitutional freedoms. The vote on the bill is scheduled for 31 March. Adoption requires a two-thirds majority, which means that the ruling party can adopt it alone.

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Vodič za institucionalizaciju inkluzivne i afirmativne zdravstvene zaštite transrodnih i rodno varijantnih osoba u Bosni i Hercegovini

Author(s): Delila Hasanbegović Vukas / Language(s): Bosnian

Rodni identitet vezuje se za individualno iskustvo i shvatanje vlastitog spola/roda, što može ali ne mora odgovarati spolu dodijeljenom pri rođenju. Rodni identitet se, između ostalog, odnosi na lični doživljaj roda, tijela, odijevanje i način govora. Osobe čiji je rodni identitet u skladu sa spolom koji mu_joj je dodijeljen pri rođenju nazivaju se cisrodnim osobama, a osobe čiji rodni identitet nije u skladu sa spolom koji mu_joj je dodijeljen pri rođenju nazivaju se trans(rodne) osobe. Transrodni muškarac je osoba kojoj je pri rođenju dodijeljen ženski spol, ali je njegov rodni identitet muški ili se nalazi negdje na spektru maskulinih rodnih identiteta. Transrodna žena je osoba kojoj je pri rođenju dodijeljen muški spol, ali je njen rodni identitet ženski ili se nalazi negdje na spektru ženskih rodnih identiteta.

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