We kindly inform you that, as long as the subject affiliation of our 300.000+ articles is in progress, you might get unsufficient or no results on your third level or second level search. In this case, please broaden your search criteria.
Foreign Policy of the Slovak Republic: the impact of socio-cultural and institutional factors By Juraj Marušiak, Zuzana Poláčková et al., Bratislava: VEDA, 2013. 240 p. ISBN 978-80-224-1305-3
More...
The hybrid war plan was implemented on August 14, 2013, when Russia started discriminating against Ukrainian exports, causing economic damage. In 2014 the Kremlin launched the military component of the hybrid aggression and ratcheted up the energy component. The authors analyze the non-military dimension of Russia’s external behavior and conclude that it has been using its energy resources and supply infrastructure to exert pressure on energy dependent countries. The worst scenario was used against Ukraine, and there is information to prove Russia’s intention to block the supply and transit of gas in 2009 in order to annex eastern and southern Ukraine. Events in 2014 are clear signs of the improved energy weaponry used by the Kremlin to achieve its geopolitical goals. The EU and world leaders must adopt a single and united position to counteract Russian hegemony as an energy superpower and bring the aggressor to within acceptable international frameworks. NATO, the European Commission, the IEA, and the Energy Community Treaty Secretariat have to strengthen cooperation in the sphere of energy security, considering it from a security rather than from an economic point of view.
More...
Gas market integration has become an important area of cooperation for the Visegrad Group in recent years. Two integration initiatives have been launched since the 2009 gas crisis: the North–South Gas Corridor and a Roadmap for a Regional Gas Market. In this paper I briefly examine the history of the Visegrad Group’s gas cooperation and the results of its integration efforts. The general conclusion is that integration has certainly progressed, albeit at a slow pace. The important achievements so far are well-established political cooperation and improved interconnectivity. However, different regulatory regimes, the slow liberalization process and the predominance of Russian gas supplies are hampering genuine market integration. All in all, Visegrad gas market integration is just at the “take-off” stage and there is still a long road ahead to achieving a truly integrated region.
More...
The aim of this article is to outline the consequences of the current Russian–Ukrainian crisis for the future of the Eastern Partnership as a policy framework for the EU and its relations with its six eastern neighbors. Specifically, this article focuses on the consequences the current crisis might have on EU policy towards Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, the only partner countries that have the capacity to engage with the EU in implementing an Association Agreement with a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area component (AA/DCFTA). The AA/DCFTA represents the core of what the Eastern Partnership has to offer since implementation means the partner country becomes economically integrated into the EU single market.
More...
For many years, Slovakia (Czechoslovakia) was a privileged transporter of Russian (Soviet) gas to Europe. However, times are changing and Eustream, the Slovak gas network operator, now has more competitors (Yamal–Europe and Nord Stream). The article analyzes the consequences of this for Eustream especially in terms of transit volumes and revenues. The author admits that its position could become worse if South Stream is commissioned. Another threat has emerged in relation to the Russian–Ukrainian gas conflict in which Eustream plays a focal role. Hence, the article also assesses Eustream’s response and the steps proposed to keep it on the European gas transit map.
More...
Representations of global poverty: aid, development and international NGOs By Nandita Dogra, London and New York: I.B. Tauris, 2014, 233 p, ISBN 978-1-78076-773-4
More...
Slovakia took over the presidency of the Visegrad group during a period marked by significant energy security challenges particularly due to the Russian–Ukrainian crisis which resulted in the disruption of the gas supply from Russia to Ukraine and reduced gas flows to several EU countries. Furthermore, tough negotiations on the climate and energy framework up to 2030 within the EU were finalized and resulted in ambitious targets on reducing greenhouse gases, developing renewable energy sources and improving energy efficiency. The long term fruitful and mutually beneficial cooperation among Central European countries has again proved that the V4 is a guarantee of stability in the region, due to its ability to speak in one voice within the EU and on world platforms in many areas of the energy sector. The main goals, projects and achievements of the Ministry of Economy within the Slovak presidency are described in detail in the context of both regional and EU energy strategies relating to national energy sector features of the individual V4 countries.
More...
This article is intended to investigate the manner in which a late antique text composed for religious purposes could be appropiated and studied as literature per se . This happens, we argue, due to the richness of its symbolism, dating back to classical antiquity and melting together Hellenistic and Christian influences. Moreover, as it narrates a religious conversion imbedded into a love story. Joseph and Aseneth plays on the Aristotelian topic of recognition, which imposes on it the appearance of a romance.
More...