„…wyłączyć z Polonii temat Polaków w ZSRR” – posiedzenie kolegium MSZ z 8 kwietnia 1978 r.

Author(s): Piotr Długołęcki / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 5-6/2010

The document presented below contains the minutes of a session of MoFA College of Senior Officials of 8 April 1978, and an appendix thereto, drawn up in March of that year under the title Information on the present state of, and prospects for, cooperation with the Polish diaspora. Produced by MoFA’s Consular Department and Polonia Association for Contacts with Polish Diaspora, the Information was to be submitted to the Politburo of the Polish United Workers Party.

„Странният случай на Бенджамин Бътън“ – време и пространство в политическия анализ

Author(s): Evgeniya Vasileva / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 2/2019

The political analysis does not describe; it transforms and rearranges the meaning of the world. The political analysis is a practice of thinking, concerned about the current state and prosperity of communities and their relations. Within the framework of this understanding, the article analyses time and space as political categories since every political system can be completely defined through them. Time and space are variables and can be in a condition of crisis, urgency, importance or necessity. They could be disarranged, and could affect positively or negatively the collective existence and action in the political communities.To interpret time and space as political categories, first, we explore the temporal-spatial frames of political analysis. Second, we study the history of political time and space as ideas and facts. Third, we analyze the metaphorical use of the concepts in a political context, and we draw analogy to the physical notions of time and space. Finally, we present the various manifestations and understandings of the political time and space nowadays.

„Терроризм в мировой системе (world system): гипотезы о центре и периферии”

Author(s): Robert A. Denemark / Language(s): Russian / Issue: 1 (2)/2002

„ТРЕТИЯТ СЕКТОР” И МЕСТНОТО САМОУПРАВЛЕНИЕ (ЗА РЕЗУЛТАТИТЕ ОТ ЕДНО ИЗСЛЕДВАНЕ)

Author(s): Zhelka Genova,Vesselina Zhekova / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 1/2017

The civil structures stand closer to the social groups in local communities, they are better aware of their real needs and can help to find a more adequate and acceptable solutions. They are able to define the problem (of the target group or community) and involve citizens in solving it. In civil society and its structures there isa resourcefor participation in the development and implementation of local policies and solving problems of the local community, but this resource is not completely and efficiently utilized.

„ТРЯБВА” ИЛИ „МОЖЕ”: РОЛЯТА НА ИДЕАЛНАТА ТЕОРИЯ ПРИ ПОЛИТИЧЕСКОТО ТЕОРЕТИЗИРАНЕ

Author(s): Maria Popkovacheva-Terzieva / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 1/2016

"SHOULD" OR "CAN": THE ROLE OF IDEAL THEORY INPOLITICAL THEORY

„Хомосексуалност или смрт!”

Author(s): Mario Kalik / Language(s): Serbian / Issue: 03+04/2011

… TO BE CONTINUED? CHALLENGING THE CULTURAL LEGACY ARGUMENT IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

Author(s): Tobias Spöri / Language(s): English / Issue: 01-02/2015

According to Nations in Transit 2016, many countries in Central and Eastern Europe are still not consideredfully ’consolidateddemocraties’ One of their features is that political participation is weaker and less developed than in established democraties. Int he literature, the ’post-communist heritage’ is treated as one of the most important explanations for the lack of political participation in the region. In a first step, the paper disentangles the post-communist heritage. In contrast to the widely held beliefs in large parts of the literature, the post-communist heritage is not as monolithic as it is portrayed. With respect to the variety across countries and over time, this paper breaks down positive and negative facets of the postcommunist heritage. Secondly, it is argued that the effects of the transformation are still underplayed in research on political participation in Central and Eastern Europe. By mainly focusing on cultural explanations, scholars therefore tend to lose sight of present explanations for weak political participation in the region.

• Балканите в новата енергийна архитектура: политическа динамика и стопански предизвикателства

Author(s): Elizabet Joneva / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 3/2019

In the last decades, the subject of the development of the energy sector in the Balkan countries provokes special attention due to its relevance in the context of the changing geopolitical and geoeconomic landscape in Eurasia, as well as the transformations on a global level. The aim of the study is to discuss the main dimensions of the significance of this region and the ambitions of the Balkans to act as a bridge between key energy zones.

№067: Ripping into TTIP? Debates Surrounding the Upcoming EU–U.S. Negotiations

Author(s): Maya Rostowska / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 2013

The outcome of negotiations for a transatlantic trade deal depends largely on the stance of politicians and stakeholders in the EU and the U.S. An overview of the debate on either side of the Atlantic reveals both sides’ respective interests and suggests which areas will prove particularly difficult to negotiate. These include public procurement provisions, data privacy, agricultural issues, and the financial services sector.

№081. Parties of Power as Roadblocks to Democracy: The Cases of Ukraine and Egypt

Author(s): Madalena Resende,Hendrik Kraetzschmar / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 2005

As typified by Ukraine and Egypt, most of the semi- or non-democratic countries in the EU’s neighbourhood pretend to offer a degree of political pluralism. The standard is for a plurality of parties to run in national elections and participate in parliamentary sessions. In contrast to fully fledged democracies, however, these electoral rituals have little bearing on the composition of government and its policy output, which remains entirely dominated by the executive institutions and parties of power. This paper argues that the trademarks of these types of parties are a serious stumbling block for the development of a multi-party system based on competing ideological currents. For democracy to take hold in the EU’s eastern and southern neighbourhood of the EU, it is crucial that the logic of parties of power be replaced by one structured around autonomous and ideologically cohesive parties. Thus, both ideological and organisational party-building should be an integral part of the EU’s policy agenda to promote the spread of democracy in these regions. Date of Publishing: August 1, 2005

№098. What should the Community of Democratic Choice do?

Author(s): Michael Emerson / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 2006

In August 2005, President Saakashvili of Georgia and President Yushchenko of Ukraine met at Borjomi, Georgia, and decided to launch an initiative to promote democracy among a community of like-minded states of Central and Eastern Europe. This led to a meeting in Kyiv on 2 December 2005, of a wider group of countries of the Baltic-Black-Caspian Sea region, which adopted a declaration announcing the creation of a Community of Democratic Choice (CDC) as a governmental and non-governmental forum to promote the strengthening of democracy, human rights and civil society. The next meeting of the CDC will take place as a Baltic and Black Sea Summit in Vilnius in May 2006.

№101: Can You Spare Some Food? An Assessment of Russia’s Search for Replacements of Embargoed States

Author(s): Patryk Toporowski / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 2014

By introducing a one-year embargo on the import of some food and agricultural products, Russia will have to substitute old channels for new ones on an unprecedented scale. With the exception of Belarus, there are few options to increase imports from suppliers close to Russia’s biggest cities. Within the country’s broader neighbourhood, China and Turkey offer some potential, whereas Latin America would be considered a more distant source for food. However, the change in trade patterns would have its price. Not only will Russia risk growing inflation but also it will increase its dependency on China, which can settle for good Moscow’s role as a minor partner of Beijing.

№114: Russia’s Use of History as a Political Weapon

Author(s): Justyna Prus / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 2015

Russia’s use of history as a political weapon may have long term negative consequences. Themanipulated narrative will be difficult to reverse and, could lead to an even more confrontationalattitude towards immediate neighbours and the West. Western countries cannot remain passive. Tocounter Russian historical propaganda, they will have to adopt and effectively use the narrative basedon truth and common values.

№115: Prospects for Polish–U.S. Defence Industrial Cooperation

Author(s): Anna Pochylska,Marcin Terlikowski / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 2015

With the decision to select Patriot as its next medium-range air and missile defence system, Poland is launching a programme considered the most important one out of the $35 billion Armed Forces Technical Modernisation Plan for the years 2013–2022. The sheer value of the contract ($4–6 bln), its strategic and operational significance, and the technologies involved, are all enough to make it a hot topic in popular debates. But this programme is special also because it involves a U.S. contractor, which will be responsible for providing key technologies. While Poland has long been gravitating towards closer defence political ties with the United States, it has also been particularly anxious with regards to defence cooperation with Washington, even despite the fact that the U.S. became the top importer of Polish defence materiel. To make the most out of the AMD selection, and any other possible programmes that may be won by a U.S. contractor, Poland should drop unrealistic or simply false assumptions regarding defence industrial cooperation with the U.S. and push the envelope of collaboration, wherever it is possible, while limiting its ambitions where they are exaggerated.

№116: Turkey’s Rise as a Reluctant Ally Faced with the Russian Threat

Author(s): Pinar Elman / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 2015

While actively contributing to NATO exercises and operations that confirm Turkey’s commitmentto the Alliance, Ankara has also actively avoided cooperating with the Western political andeconomic efforts to curb Russian aggression in Ukraine. Turkey’s low-level involvement, shaped bysecurity concerns, economic needs, yet at the same time its consolidating dependence on Moscow,and its optimistic opportunism, increasingly raise concerns about possible prospects of a Turkish pivotaway from the Euro-Atlantic community. But even while distancing itself from NATO, it may be inTurkey’s interests to rebalance its policy by supporting the stability of Ukraine and closer cooperationwith the EU.

№117: How the Crimean Tatars Spoil Putin’s Annexation Myth

Author(s): Justyna Prus,Konrad Zasztowt / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 2015

The annexation of Crimea has been a propaganda gain for the Kremlin, helping to augment supportfor the ruling elites. However, the protests of minorities opposing the annexation—Crimean Tatars andUkrainians—has prompted Russians to begin harsh repressions. On May 18, the Crimean Tatarscommemorate the anniversary of the Stalinist deportation of their nation in 1944, which led to massdeaths among the deported population. Although the Crimean Tatars are a relatively small minority atthe peninsula, they are politically well organised and will not accept the Kremlin’s praise of the Soviet(including Stalinist) era, or the current authoritarian system based on neo-imperial and neo-Sovietideology.

№118: Back to the Difficult Past: Central and Eastern Europe’s Relationship with Russia

Author(s): Anna Maria Dyner / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 2015

The revolution in Ukraine has shown that the difficult history of Central and Eastern Europe ended neither with the collapse of the Soviet Union, nor with the enlargement of the European Union to the east. Moreover, Russia’s violent reaction in the form annexing Crimea and supporting separatists in Donbas has set in motion a number of political processes, which have not only shaken international relations in Central and Eastern Europe, but have also shown the countries in the region that stability in this part of Europe is not a given. Thus, these countries, the vast majority of which are members of the European Union and NATO, face a serious problem regarding the further evolution of relations with Russia, not only in the political or economic dimension, but also in the military sphere.

№119: Georgia after the Riga Eastern Partnership Summit

Author(s): Teona Turashvili,Konrad Zasztowt / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 2015

With the Eastern Partnership summit in Riga set for 21–22 May, Georgia is seen as one of the mostadvanced EaP members in terms of adoption of European standards. The country is quite successful interms of building a democratic and transparent state, which is both rare and sets an importantprecedent in the post-Soviet region. Still, such positive changes in Georgia are not irreversible, andmany reforms are only at the initial stage. The EU should offer more support, and encourage thegovernment in Tbilisi in reforming state institutions. Priority should be given to the justice sector, publicadministration, and local government in order to secure democratic governance and a fair politicalenvironment for further transformation. Moreover, the EU should also increase support for Georgia’scivil society, which is the most efficient “whistle-blower” in the event of bad practices such ascorruption, cronyism or use of prosecutors and the judiciary against political opponents.

№120: Financing Climate Actions: Key to a Paris Agreement?

Author(s): Marek Jan Wasiński / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 2015

The Paris Climate Conference to be held in December may be the last chance to deliver a globalagreement on tackling climate change. One issue that could be a game-changer for the negotiationsand one that is inevitable to achieve global climate goals is so-called climate finance. The existingframework does not provide enough predictability and capacity to limit global warming to a maximumof 2°C. A clear mechanism for gathering public funds from developed countries and the inclusion ofprivate investments is needed to secure reliable post-2020 climate actions.

№121: Ready to Go? ISIS and Its Presumed Expansion into Central Asia

Author(s): Anna Maria Dyner,Arkadiusz Legieć,Kacper Rękawek / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 2015

Although Central Asian states are vulnerable to the activities of radical Islamic organisations due to theweaknesses of their political and social systems—marked by authoritarianism, corruption, nepotism,and ethnic and religious tension, as well as their poor economic circumstances—interest in ISIS amongtheir citizens remains low. These states so far also have not become an area of interest for ISIS,although that may change. When some people in these countries do leave for Syria and Iraq, theirdecision is not rooted just in poverty but also in social exclusion and poor religious education. At thesame time, citizens of far more affluent and often far less authoritarian European and Middle Easterncountries travel in higher numbers to Syria to join ISIS. Nonetheless, a potential increase in thepopularity of radical Islamist factions will not only be a problem for the five countries of the region,where the authorities will try to use the phenomenon to strengthen their special services and raisefunds for border protection, but also for Russia, especially since people from Central Asia are mainlyrecruited to ISIS on Russian territory and traverse it to reach the battlefields. Russia, therefore, willcontinue to support its neighbours in the fight against such organisations by helping to strengthenborder control, support for local special services and by CSTO Rapid Reaction Forces. The EuropeanUnion and the United States should offer not only intelligence support and assistance in protectingthese borders against this threat but also economic programmes and development assistance that canbe used to decrease the factors that may contribute to the radicalisation of those living in Central Asia.