Instead of an Abstract/Summary here, please refer to the Introduction PDF-file which includes the Executive Summary
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Labour migration and economic interaction with the Kosovan Diaspora abroad have a profound impact on the economic opportunities and livelihoods of many individuals in Kosovo. This is not just limited to the household level. Economic interactions with the Kosovan Diaspora are so pervasive that they strongly influence Kosovo’s macroeconomic devel¬opment and, hence, all Kosovans. // In this 2014 Kosovo Human Development Report, we take a close look at how labour migration and interactions with the Diaspora affect human development in Kosovo. While human development has many different dimensions, this report concentrates on opportunities for productive employment (whether in Kosovo or abroad), material wellbeing and poverty reduction. Focus is also placed on access to education and healthcare (through higher income or access to services abroad), the circumstances of women migrants and women-headed households, and the impact of international mobility on social involvement and political participation. On this basis, we draw out the implications for policy interventions that seek to promote human development and especially, to engage the Diaspora in Kosovo’s future.
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Keywords: Involuntary Sterilisation; coercive Sterilisation;
The present report examines one of the most serious human rights violations against women – the practice of coercive sterilisation that was aimed at and programmatically performed on Romani women and women with disabilities starting from the 1970s until the 1990s. In Communist Czechoslovakia this practice was legally sanctioned by the 1971 Decree on Sterilisation. This Decree gave public authorities a more or less free rein to systematically sterilise Romani women and women with disabilities without their full and informed consent as a means of birth control. In 1979, Czechoslovakia also initiated a programme of financial incentives for Romani women to undergo sterilisations motivated by the need “to control the highly unhealthy Roma population through family planning and contraception”. An investigation into the practices of involuntary sterilisation of Romani women by the Czech Ombudsperson in 2005 estimated that, since 1972, thousands of women may have been involuntarily sterilised throughout the former Czechoslovakia. Female sterilisation was a state policy in Czechoslovakia until 1993 when the Sterilisations Directive was abolished. However, the practice of sterilising Romani women and women with disabilities against their will did not end with the abolition of the legislation which allowed it, but continued throughout the 1990s and 2000s, with the last known case occurring as recently as 2007.
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Keywords: Nepotism in Kosovo; Kosovo 2002;
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Keywords: Trepča Mining;
I initiated research on this report in July 2002, mainly using materials in the public domain in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. In particular, use was made of Trepča, the Combine’s internal newspaper, for 1989-1999. This preliminary research familiarised me with the central issues regarding the business of RMHK “Trepča” in the recent past, and identified issues likely to bear on the problems of the enterprise. It provided a basis for further research carried out October-December 2002 on documents held at RMHK “Trepča”s head office at Zvečan, files at the offices of EU in Priština, and Trepča documents also held by UNMIK/EU and stored on 25 CD-Rom disks.
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Keywords: Ecology in Albania;
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The Independent Think-Tank Expert-Grup in partnership with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung is launching today, the 30th of September, in the framework of the 4th Edition of the Annual International Conference MACRO 2016, the State of the Country Report 2016.The experts ascertain that the Republic of Moldova, at her early age of 25th years of independence, is confronting one of the most acute crises in its short history. After the economic, currency and banking shocks of 2015–2016, Moldova has become more vulnerable than ever, entering a period of anemic economic growth, which could last for at least five years. Besides the external constraints, the fundamental cause aggravating Moldova’s economic condition is related to major governance failures in the recent years, intensified by the “brain-drain” phenomenon.
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What is the nature and the causes of economic development in the Republic of Moldova? As shown in this 2009 State of the Country Report, Moldova's geographic and natural endowment is not conducive to an effortless long term development. At the same time, poor and extremely scarce human capital congruent with the real economic needs, remains the key constraint undermining labor productivity. Within this context, it is crucial for Moldova to strengthen its market institutions so that to become the most attractive country for investors in the Eastern Europe. And because the institutional framework is also influenced by the political process and social order, it is important that various political parties and social groups, although holding divergent preferences, engage in peaceful discussions and go beyond one's boundaries regarding the alternatives that oppose them. Finally, Moldova's European aspirations still divide citizens in, at least two divergent camps, on the one side of the spectrum are those who favour the European option over the Eastern one and alternatively, on the other side are those that identify with the latter space rather than with the EU. All in all, this analysis points out to the need of a balanced and cautious approach both with regard to the foreign and domestic public policies, bearing in mind the overarching goal of European integration.
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LAW ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM IN UKRAINE: STATUS, PROBLEMS, PROSPECTS FOR REFORM // CHAPTER 1. INTERNAL AFFAIRS AGENCIES OF UKRAINE: GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS // CHAPTER 2. ACTIVITY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS AGENCIES: SOCIAL ALIENATION AND LEGITIMACY CRISIS // CHAPTER 3. REFORM OF UKRAINIAN LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES: CURRENT STAGE // International technical assistance projects and programmes implemented in Ukraine and funded by international financial organisations, the EU,and donor countries // Preparation of the law enforcement reform in the framework of a comprehensive review of the security and defence sector // CHAPTER 4. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS // CONCEPTUAL APPROACHES TO REFORMING THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE NATIONAL REFORM PLAN // UKRAINIAN POLICE IN THE EYES OF CITIZENS: ASSESSMENT OF STATUS, PROBLEMS AND REFORM PROSPECTS // REFORM OF UKRAINIAN IAA: ASSESSMENTS AND IDEAS BY POLICE STAFF // POLICE REFORM IN UKRAINE: EXPERT ASSESSMENT // VIEWS OF IAA REFORM PARTICIPANTS // POSSIBILITIES AND LIMITATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT REFORM IMPLEMENTATION IN UKRAINE // REFORM OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS AGENCIES AND HUMAN RIGHTS // UKRAINIAN POLICE ON THE EVE OF MAIDAN AND AT THE OUTSET OF REFORMS // COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN THE REFORM PROCESS THROUGH THE EXAMPLE OF A PILOT PROJECT MARTYNENKO //
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Keywords: Roma minorities in Romania; Interaction with the local authorities; Rural Romania; Socal exclusion;
This Working Paper is summarizing the main empirical findings presented in the Author’s MA thesis. She defended her thesis at the Centre for International Development Issues Nijmegen (CIDIN), Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands, in June 2006. Looking at the relationship between the Roma and the local authorities, we see that several issues are politicized and discussed in the public sphere. The objectives of this research can be formulated as follows: with this study it aims to make a contribution to the knowledge about social exclusion of the Roma - by describing social processes and explaining how social and political processes shape the relationship between the Roma and local authorities - and to make a contribution to the knowledge on the interaction between formal and informal institutions.
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Keywords: Rural farming; Transylvanian settlement; Pluriactivity and diversification; Agricultural activities; Small farms; Sheep farms;
The article analyzes the changes occurred in a Transylvanian village farming. First part of the paper focuses on the economic and social frameworks and context of the rural farming. The main part of the analysis based on the theoretical concepts of pluriactivity, diversification and food self-provisioning and the conceptualization of the special literature analyzes the economic strategies of a Romanian village, seeking to present a typology based on nature of economic strategies. The author argues that the main strategy is pluriactivity, however the limited forms of diversification are also present in the farming patterns of the village, which mark a shift toward a more specialized, profit-oriented farming. Near this strategies the food self-provisioning is also present, what is more there has appeared new ideologies and meanings regarding to food very well known mostly from the western countries' alternative food networks.
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REFORM OF UKRAINE'S INSURANCE SYSTEM: CONCEPTUAL BACKGROUND // 1. THE INSURANCE MARKET SITUATION // 2. FACTORS THAT IMPEDE THE INSURANCE MARKET'S DEVELOPMENT // 3. DIRECTIONS OF INSURANCE MARKET REFORM // 4. CONCLUSIONS AND PROPOSALS // ROUND TABLE BY CORRESPONDENCE: PROBLEMS OF INSURANCE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT IN UKRAINE // MODELS OF STATE REGULATION OF THE INSURANCE BUSINESS: EXPERIENCE OF WESTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES // PERSONNEL AND SCIENTIFIC SUPPORT FOR THE INSURANCE BUSINESS // IS THE STATE CAPABLE OF GUARANTEEING THE SOCIAL PROTECTION OF ITS DEFENDERS? // INSURANCE IN UKRAINE: REGULATORY AND LEGAL BACKGROUND // PEOPLE OF THE HAPPY MEDIUM? SKETCH OF A SOCIO-PSYCHOLOGICAL SELF-PORTRAIT // LIST OF PUBLICATIONS BY UCEPS' EXPERTS IN 2000
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EU ENLARGEMENT AND UKRAINE // 1. EU ENLARGEMENT: APPROACHES AND ASSESSMENTS // 2. THE IMPACT OF EU ENLARGEMENT ON UKRAINE // EU ENLARGEMENT: POSITIONS OF STATE OFFICIALS OF UKRAINE // 3. CONCLUSIONS AND PROPOSALS // EU ENLARGEMENT AND UKRAINE: VIEWS OF THE CENTRAL EUROPEAN CANDIDATE COUNTRIES // EU ENLARGEMENT: A FORECAST OF THE UKRAINIAN GEOPOLITICAL SITUATION // RUSSIA-UKRAINE-EUROPEAN UNION // UKRAINE AND THE EU: BETWEEN INTEGRATION AND EXCLUSION
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UKRAINE AND THE EURASIAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY: INTEGRATION OR CO-OPERATION? // 1. EURASIAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY: THE PRINCIPLES OF ACTIVITY AND PROSPECTS OF DEVELOPMENT // 2. THE STATE AND PROSPECTS OF UKRAINE’S RELATIONS WITH THE EurAsEC // 3. CONCLUSIONS AND PROPOSALS // EXPERT POLL OF THE RAZUMKOV CENTRE SOCIOLOGICAL SERVICE // DIPLOMATS OF FOREIGN COUNTRIES ON THE EurAsEC // UKRAINE AND THE EURASIAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY // EURASEC AS A MEANS OF PRESERVING THE OUTSIDER STATUS // UNION OF THE EurAsEC AND UKRAINE: EXPEDIENCY AND POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES
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SALARIES IN UKRAINE: STATE AND PROSPECTS FOR REFORMS // 1. SALARIES IN UKRAINE: FORMATION OF THE POLICY OF CHEAP LABOUR // 2. THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF CHEAP LABOUR POLICY // 3. ACTION PLAN // REFORMING THE SALARY PAYMENT SYSTEM IN UKRAINE: A JUMP ACROSS THE SOCIAL ABYSS? // SOCIAL INSURANCE CONTRIBUTIONS ARE NOT A FISCAL TAX BUT THE COST OF PROTECTING THE LABOUR FORCE AND ENSURING SOCIAL PEACE // THE MAIN TASK IS TO DO AWAY WITH DUAL MORALITY AND IMPLEMENT A NORMAL REGULATORY POLICY // RAISING WAGES WOULD BE THE MOST PROFITABLE INVESTMENT INTO THE UKRAINIAN ECONOMY // DECENT WORK MEANS FREELY CHOSEN, PRODUCTIVE, AND HIGHLY PAID EMPLOYMENT // THE PROBLEM OF LABOUR REMUNERATION REQUIRES A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH // PRACTICAL SUPPORT FOR SMALL BUSINESS IS A WAY TO OVERCOME UNEMPLOYMENT AND POVERTY // LOW WAGES IN THE SOCIAL SPHERE IS A THREAT FOR THE FUTURE // BRING ORDER TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE MECHANISM CHARGED WITH PROVIDING SERVICES TO BUSINESS // BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN LABOUR REMUNERATION AND CONSUMPTION OF SOCIAL FUNDS AND THEN TALK ABOUT RAISING LABOUR PRODUCTIVITY
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UKRAINIAN POLITICAL PARTIES AND THE 2006 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS: THE FUTURE BEGINS TODAY // PARTIES: OPINION SURVEY // POLITICAL LEADERS ON THE PARTY SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT AND 2006 ELECTIONS // I DO NOT FORESEE ANY THREATS FOR UKRAINE IN THE RESULTS OF THE FUTURE ELECTION CAMPAIGN // THE 2010 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN UKRAINE MAY SEE A TRIUMPH OF THE TWO-PARTY SYSTEM // IDEOLOGICALLY KINDRED DEMOCRATIC PARTIES SHOULD UNITE // SO FAR, THERE ARE MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS // THE CURRENT SITUATION IS AN EXTENSION OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN // THE PARTY SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT AND ELECTIONS2006: EXPERT OPINIONS // THE ELECTION BARRIER LIFT WILL PRESERVE THE CURRENT PARTY SYSTEM // “THE EFFECTIVE NUMBER OF PARTIES” FOR UKRAINE WILL BE NOT LESS THAN 5-6 THE MAIN CONFRONTATION WILL BE OBSERVED BETWEEN THE AUTHORITIES AND THE OPPOSITION // WILL THERE BE A “BIG GOVERNMENTAL COALITION”? // SYNTHETIC PARTY IDEOLOGIES ARE BECOMING POPULAR
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THE NEW GOVERNMENT’S ECONOMIC POLICY: FIRST STEPS AND THEIR EFFECTS // SECTION 1. ECONOMIC POLICIES OF THE NEW GOVERNMENT: GAINS AND MISCALCULATIONS // SECTION 2. THE NEW GOVERNMENT’S SOCIAL POLICY: MIXED RESULTS // SECTION 3.THE DYNAMICS OF PUBLIC ASSESSMENTS AND EXPECTATIONS OF THE NEW GOVERNMENT // FULFILLMENT OF PRESIDENT YUSHCHENKO’S ELECTORAL COMMITMENTS // CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS // AFTER A HOLIDAY: THE STATE OF ACCOUNTS
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KYIV: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS OF DEVELOPMENT // 1. KYIV: PROFILE AND CONCEPTUAL APPROACHES TO DEVELOPMENT // 2. CITY RESIDENTS: GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS, STANDARD OF LIVING, AND QUALITY OF LIFE // 3. ORGANISATION OF LIFE IN THE CITY: GOVERNANCE, BUDGET, AUTHORITY, AND RESIDENTS // 4. CONCLUSIONS: KYIV’S ADVANTAGES AND PROBLEMS OF DEVELOPMENT // KYIV AND ITS RESIDENTS: PROBLEMS AND EXPECTATIONS // ASSESSING MUNICIPAL AMALGAMATION IN TORONTO, CANADA: WHAT HAS IT ACHIEVED? // ANNEX 1. SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROBLEMS OF KYIV: SURVEY OF EXPERTS // ANNEX 2. SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROBLEMS OF KYIV’S SATELLITE TOWNS: SURVEYS OF RESIDENTS AND EXPERTS
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Keywords: Montenegro; media; politics; regulation; public broadcasting service; RTCG; political parties;
The most important factors at the root of the long-lasting and serious problems in Montenegrin media are the persistent attempts of the authorities to put media under their control. Overall, we can observe serious problems arising out of all three forms of censorship - hard, soft and self-censorship, compounded by deficiencies in the existing framework and practice of self-regulation and public regulation, and by political ‘subjugation’ of public broadcaster RTCG.
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