Kritika vatrene moći

Author(s): Teofil Pančić / Language(s): Serbian

Something old died slowly without ever maturing, and nothing new was on the horizon and probably will not be for the foreseeable future; in that constellation of events, on the horizon appeared (it could be said without exaggeration, like a vampire) something older than old, and it tried to present itself as something completely new and completely good – even more, as something we have always been waiting for. But probably we did not know that we were waiting for just that, and that it would look just like that. It is disconcerting to see how much people believed in that, and even more who believed in it… Critique of Firepower principally tries to “capture” the moment at which things had not completely come together (or come apart) in that direction, but they were clearly rushing that way. In that regard it probably makes sense to regard this book as the last in the series I have called “Life and death in Serbian post-Communism.” Why the last? Because one epochal circle has been closed. Urban Bushmen followed the “proud stumble” across the 1990s and the slow, painful birth of the “October 5 Revolution,” as the first twelve year of the 21st century in Serbia might be called. The following books Keepers of the Bengal Fire, Through the Cliffs and Refitting the Time Machine (also Karmacoma, as a stand-alone “project”) chronicle the various meanderings of that revolutionary order, which was undertaken with more hope than reason, power or, especially, moral or any other kind of constancy. This book traces, by looking at the three-year period from 2010 to 2012, something that could be called without exaggeration the death and departure of the “Republic of 5th October.” This republic begins its life on the basis of a (declarative) break and discontinuity with the Serbian 1990s, and, it is understood, with the period that preceded. And it ends with the resurrection of the people we remember from our dark(est) past, as its creators and enablers, to come to power again ostensibly to do us the favour of lifting us out of that very past. With that, a new era has arrived. My job remains to announce its arrival and to trace its development. It will definitely not be dull, and you will have more to read – if we have the chance. Teofil Pančić September 2013

Understanding Radicalisation: Review of Literature

Author(s): Rositsa Dzhekova,Nadya Stoyanova,Anton Kojouharov,Mila Mancheva,Dia Anagnostou,Emil Tsenkov / Language(s): English

The phenomena of radicalisation today develop and change at high speed, with their extreme forms manifested globally. The destructive dimensions of (violent) Islamist or right-wing radicalisation have become dramatically visible in Europe posing serious challenges to European societies. This literature review presents key academic conceptualisations and debates on the phenomena оf radicalisation that might lead to violence. It deals with three different forms of radicalisation, including Islamist radicalisation, right-wing as well as left-wing radicalisation. In addition, an overview is provided of current academic debates regarding the role of the internet in radicalisation processes. The review is intended to help social scientists who are entering the field of radicalisation studies navigate through the complexity of underlying processes and factors that lead different individuals or groups to adopt radical ideas and commit acts of violence. The review is particularly relevant for countries of Central and Eastern Europe where radicalisation remains understudied, although most countries in the region share histories of extremism and political radicalism

Untying the Kosovo Knot

Author(s): Ivana Damnjanović,Dragan Novaković / Language(s): English

Polityka wyrównywania szans edukacyjnych w III RP

Author(s): Natalia Stępień-Lampa / Language(s): Polish

This book is concerned with the problem of offering equal educational opportunities. The first part deals with terminological issues. The author attempts to define the policy of offering equal educational opportunities and places this area of social life in the system of social policy. Next, she describes actions aimed at giving equal educational opportunities undertaken in Poland since 1989. Finally, she discusses the goals and assumptions of the educational reform of 1999 and its continuation – the change in the Basis of General Education Programme, introduced to schools ten years later. The second part discusses the instruments of public social policy for levelling out educational opportunities for children and young people coming from poverty-stricken families. These instruments are divided into two groups (those targeted at the student and at his or her family) and thoroughly analysed, taking into account the legal situation. The book closes with issues of the multisector approach to active policy of offering equal educational opportunities. Because actions introduced by the public sector do not produce expected effects, the author suggests that steps should also be taken by non-governmental organisations and the private sector to alleviate differences in educational opportunities. This book is targeted at people interested in social policy, politicians, representatives of local authorities and regional councils, business sector institutions and non-governmental organisations.

№ 04 AFGHANISTAN: EUROPE’S FORGOTTEN WAR

Author(s): Daniel Korski / Language(s): English

The international community has a second chance in Afghanistan. The appointment of a new UN special envoy and the upcoming NATO summit in Bucharest offer a chance for the coalition partners to adopt a new strategy and avert disaster. The problems are well known. The rule of Hamid Karzai’s government extends only weakly outside of Kabul. The Taliban insurgency will continue to grow stronger as winter ends. Despite the billions of euros spent, most ordinary Afghans have yet to see the benefits in terms of security, access to justice and delivery of basic services. All these difficulties have been exacerbated by European and American policy disagreements. In their key criticisms of each other Europeans and Americans each have a valid point. While Americans tend to treat a political problem as a military one, Europeans have lagged behind the US in terms of financial and military commitments, and have even failed to co-ordinate their own activities. In the run-up to Bucharest there will be an opportunity for both partners to strike a new ‘grand bargain’ where Europeans agree to increase their investment in exchange for a change in American strategy. A new common approach should be based around a strategy for political inclusion, increased resources, and stronger international leadership. This new strategy should be cemented in a new Bonn-type conference, which would bring together heads of states from the US, UN, EU and all of Afghanistan’s regional partners.

№ 06 RE-ENERGISING EUROPE’S SECURITY AND DEFENCE POLICY

Author(s): Nick Witney / Language(s): English

Ten years after the launch of the EU’s defence effort at a Franco-British summit in St Malo, the European Security and Defence Policy badly needs a shot in the arm. Procrastination, weak coordination, and persistent absenteeism by some Member States have hobbled the Union’s ability to tackle the real threats to its citizens’ security, and to make a significant contribution to maintaining international peace. Europe’s leaders have agreed what is needed, in the 2003 European Security Strategy. They have acknowledged that security for Europeans today lies not in manning the ramparts or preparing to resist invasion, but in tackling crises abroad before they become breeding-grounds for terrorism, international trafficking, and unmanageable immigration flows. As this report will argue, this situation demands a concerted effort to revitalise the European Union’s Security and Defence Policy (ESDP). The EU’s individual Member States, even France and Britain, have lost and will never regain the ability to finance all the necessary new capabilities by themselves. Today, only cooperation amongst Europeans can eliminate the massive waste associated with the duplication of resources by Member States, and help transform Europe’s armed forces into modern militaries capable of contributing to global security.

№ 14 THE LIMITS OF ENLARGEMENT-LITE: EUROPEAN AND RUSSIAN POWER IN THE TROUBLED NEIGHBOURHOOD

Author(s): Nicu Popescu,Andrew Wilson / Language(s): English

Over the past year, war in Georgia, the Ukrainian gas crisis and the burning of the Moldovan parliament have all dominated the front pages of European newspapers. But behind the headlines the story is just as bleak: politics in the “neighbourhood” is a toxic mixture of authoritarianism and stalled democracy, ongoing secessionist tensions continue to stoke fears of violent conflict, and the economic crisis is wreaking havoc throughout the region. The implications for the EU are profound. Renewed hostilities or economic collapse could see an influx of immigrants into eastern Member States. Several banks in western Member States are exposed to the imploding economies in the east. But beyond these immediate dangers, there is an emerging contest between the EU and Russia over the political rules that are to govern the neighbourhood. Since the 2004 Orange revolution in Ukraine, Russia has been working tirelessly to draw the countries of the region into its sphere of influence while the EU has continued to pursue a technocratic strategy best described as “enlargement-lite” – offering the neighbourhood states the prospect of eventual political and economic alignment with the EU while dampening down any hopes of actual accession.

№ 18 CAN THE EU REBUILD FAILING STATES? A REVIEW OF EUROPE’S CIVILIAN CAPACiTIES

Author(s): Daniel Korski,Richard Gowan,Jean-Marie Guéhenno / Language(s): English

In the next two decades, the persistent weakness of some states and regions may well prove a greater strategic challenge to the international community than the emergence of new powers like China. Having been in charge of UN peacekeeping for eight years, I believe we are not prepared to meet this challenge. We have been used to balancing power with power, but we are ill-equipped to deal with weakness: fragile states may require military deployments of peacekeepers, but strengthening them or managing their collapse requires much more complex strategies, drawing heavily on civilian capacities. One would expect the European Union, supposedly the civilian power par excellence, to be at the forefront of this effort, and certainly well ahead of the US, which has often been criticised for a Pentagon-dominated approach. Yet the Americans are fast learning the lessons of their difficulties in Iraq and Afghanistan, and energetically building their civilian capacities. The Europeans, despite having set themselves ambitious “civilian headline goals” in 2004, are at risk of being left behind. This report is severe on the performance of the EU as a “civilian power”. Tough love, perhaps. But the good news is that no group of countries in the world has more civilian capacity potential than the EU, and that opinion polls conducted across more than 50 countries find more support for a rise in the EU’s global influence than for any other major power. This is an extraordinary vote of confidence. Can Europe live up to it?

INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE STRATEGIES XXI. The Complex and Dynamic Nature of the Security Environment

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

Индекс на безбедност

Author(s): Cane Mojanoski,Marjan Gjurovski / Language(s): Macedonian

Security Index

Author(s): Cane Mojanoski,Marjan Gjurovski / Language(s): English

Współczesne partie i systemy partyjne państw Grupy Wyszehradzkiej w procesie demokratyzacji

Author(s): / Language(s): Polish

Problematyka partii politycznych i systemów partyjnych jest jednym z podstawowych elementów analizy systemu politycznego. Współczesny reżim demokratyczny opiera się na rządach partii politycznej1. Partie stanowią pomost pomiędzy społeczeństwem a władzą publiczną. W tym dualnym układzie z jednej strony reprezentują interesy obywateli, a z drugiej wpływają na realne decyzje polityczne. Wśród wielu sposobów definiowania partii warto zwrócić uwagę na ten, który ukazuje wzajemne relacje pomiędzy jej reprezentatywnym charakterem (w znaczeniu agregacji i prezentacji interesów społecznych) a możliwością zdobycia i sprawowania przez nią władzy. Pozwala to na ukazanie specyficznej roli, jaką partia odgrywa w procesie wyborczym2.

INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE STRATEGIES XXI. The Complex and Dynamic Nature of the Security Environment

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

INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE STRATEGIES XXI. The Complex and Dynamic Nature of the Security Environment

Administrative law in Romania

Author(s): Catalin-Silviu Sararu / Language(s): English

This book aims to provide an overview of the administrative law in Romania, emphasizing its particularities in comparative law and the changes that have occurred, as a result of integration into the European Union. Administrative law is the branch of law that includes the legal norms that regulate the social relations regarding the organization, activity, control and responsibility of the public administration, based on and in the application of the law. The book analyzes the organization and functioning of the institutions that make up the public administration in Romania, the means of action (the administrative act, the administrative contract, the administrative operations), the material means (the goods in the public domain) and the personnel (public function) at its disposal. This volume is aimed at practitioners, researchers, students and PhD candidates in juridical and administrative sciences, who are interested in recent developments and prospects for development in the field of administrative law and public administration at international and national level.

Słowiańskie formuły nowoczesności – ideały i iluzje przemiany. Studia dedykowane Profesor Barbarze Czapik-Lityńskiej

Author(s): / Language(s): Polish

OD RZĄDÓW SIŁY DO RZĄDÓW PRAWA

Author(s): Piotr Grzebyk / Language(s): Polish

Poddając analizie prawo do strajków w świetle prawa i praktyki organów i instytucji międzynarodowych, dr Grzebyk dochodzi do ciekawych wniosków dotyczących zarówno oceny polskich uregulowań w tym przedmiocie, jak również zagrożeń dla zbiorowych praw pracowniczych płynących z globalizacji. Jestem przekonany, że doniosłość społeczna podjętej w recenzowanej monografii problematyki, jak również wysoki poziom merytoryczny zawartych w niej rozważań, sprawią, że książka będzie cenną pomocą dla przedstawicieli doktryny prawa pracy i prawa międzynarodowego, studentów kierunków społecznych, ale także dla prawników-praktyków, wykonujących obsługę prawną przedsiębiorstw, w których działają związki zawodowe.Z recenzji prof. dr. hab. Jakuba StelinyNiewątpliwym walorem opracowania jest ukazanie szerszego tła, w jakim funkcjonują polskie przepisy o rozwiązywaniu sporów zbiorowych. Autor wykazuje się bardzo dobrą orientacją w zakresie międzynarodowych i unijnych standardów ochronnych. Wykorzystuje przy tym bogaty materiał źródłowy. Rozważania wpisują się w trwającą obecnie dyskusję na temat prerogatyw Unii Europejskiej w zakresie zbiorowego prawa pracy (wobec wyłączenia pewnych praw zbiorowych z kompetencji prawotwórczych Unii, przy jednoczesnym objęciu tych praw gwarancjami w Karcie Praw Podstawowych). Bardzo ważne są rozważania dotyczące relacji zachodzących między rożnymi standardami (w tym standardami międzynarodowymi a prawem Unii Europejskiej).Z recenzji dr. hab. Łukasza Pisarczyka, prof. UWPiotr Grzebyk – adiunkt na Wydziale Prawa i Administracji Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego). Absolwent British Law Centre University of Cambridge (2006). Autor opracowań z prawa pracy, m.in. monografii Jurysdykcja krajowa w sprawach z zakresu prawa pracy w świetle rozporządzenia rady (WE) nr 44/2001 (2011) i współautor Komentarza do ustawy o związkach zawodowych (2018). Stypendysta Fundacji na rzecz Nauki Polskiej (Mentoring), Ministerstwa Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego (2014–2017), w tym w programie Mobilność V. Profesor wizytujący na wydziałach prawa w Ljubljanie, Zagrzebiu, Sofii, Pekinie, Chengdu i Szanghaju. Research fellow w Institut für Arbeitsrecht und Arbeitsbeziehungen in der Europäischen Union (2018). Kierownik Polskiego Centrum Studiów nad Prawem i Gospodarką Chin UW华沙大学中国法律与经济波兰研究中心oraz Szkoły Prawa i Gospodarki Chin UW 华沙大学中国法律与经济学院.Ojciec Zosi, Łucji, Kazika i Władka.

OSWAJANIE NIEPEWNOŚCI. Studia społeczno-ekonomiczne nad młodymi pracownikami sprekaryzowanymi

Author(s): Adam Mrozowicki ,Jan Czarzasty / Language(s): Polish

Prezentowana książka wypełnia ważną lukę w polskiej literaturze poświęconej problematyce pracy i prekaryzacji zatrudnienia młodych. Jest to pierwsza polskojęzyczna monografia poświęcona w całości temu zagadnieniu […]. Na uznanie zasługuje bogactwo podjętych wątków badawczych, zarówno jeśli chodzi o metodologię (połączenie analiz jakościowych, ilościowych i badań porównawczych), jak i analizowane aspekty sytuacji życiowej badanych (proces wchodzenia w dorosłość, partycypacja polityczna, migracje, doświadczenie płciowości, autoidentyfikacja klasowa i inne) […]. Cenna poznawczo jest również podjęta przez Autorów konceptualizacja prekaryjności dokonana na użytek prezentowanych badań, zwłaszcza z uwagi na trudności związane z definiowaniem i operacjonalizacją tego zjawiska.z recenzji dr hab. Anny Kiersztyn Na polskim rynku naukowym książka Oswajanie niepewności z pewnością ma charakter unikatowy, należy bowiem do nielicznych, które w tak pogłębiony sposób podejmują problem radzenia sobie przez młodych prekariuszy w Polsce i w Niemczech ze złożoną sytuacją permanentnej niepewności nie tylko zresztą na rynku pracy […]. Bardzo bogate i różnorodne źródła empiryczne oraz zaawansowane sposoby opracowywania danych jakościowych i ilościowych, głównie w oparciu o realizowany projekt badawczy o charakterze międzynarodowym, dowodzą wysokiej skuteczności i zasadności łączenia studiów literaturowych ze studiami empirycznymi prowadzącymi do udanej realizacji celu pracy.z recenzji prof. dr hab. Danuty Walczak-Duraj

BANKING FRAGILITY ROOTED IN JUSTICE FAILURES. Evidence from Ukraine

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

This paper investigates the links between the rule of law and sustainable economic growth, focusing on a specific aspect – namely how corruption and lack of the rule of law affect the functioning of the banking sector. It draws on the experience of Ukraine amid the crises in the banking sector (which is most of the financial sector). The burst of a bubble in the banking sector after the 2008–09 crisis was never followed by a robust recovery, and the 2014–15 crisis1 deepened the problem. It highlighted serious dysfunctions in the justice system, with issues of corruption and political interference. Much of the banking system’s fragility and poor credit utilisation could be explained by a lack of the rule of law on different levels. When the losses materialised, flaws in the rule of law impeded a response and resulted in a massive burden falling on the state and on the economy at large. // At the same time, reforms to the rule of law and the financial sector are going along separate tracks – being implemented by different teams that contact each other randomly at best. If these efforts are combined, a strong synergistic effect might be achieved.

RULE OF LAW INFRINGEMENT PROCEDURES. A proposal to extend the EU’s rule of law toolbox

Author(s): Petra Bárd,Anna Śledzińska-Simon / Language(s): English

In this contribution, we propose that the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) introduce ‘rule of law infringement procedures’, having both a fast-track and a freezing component, as part of a wider ‘EU rule of law toolbox’. We show rule of law infringement procedures’ great potential in tackling rule of law backsliding in the Member States, provided that the following rules are applied. First, the European Commission should identify the rule of law problem explicitly. Second, it should not waste time and postpone its legal actions, while a Member State openly violates the rule of law. Third, the CJEU should automatically prioritise and accelerate infringement cases with a rule of law element to avoid more harm being done by those in power. Fourth, interim measures should be used to put an immediate halt to rule of law violations that can culminate in grave and irreversible harm. Fifth, EU institutions should establish a periodic rule of law review. It should help them to determine if there is a systemic threat to the rule of law in a given Member State, and provide additional legitimacy to the European Commission for initiating rule of law infringement actions and to the CJEU for ruling on such matters.

Arhitectura securităţii în Vecinătatea estică a UE: Provocări și Realităţi

Author(s): / Language(s): Romanian

The round table in Chisinau involved in discussions experts from Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Norway, Poland, Romania, Switzerland and Ukraine, the discussions being preceded by several meetings with people with decision-making power and relevant personalities / representatives of NGOs from the Republic of Moldova. // The main purpose of the discussions was to raise public awareness and facilitate public debate on issues related to the reform of the security system of our country and to develop a unique approach between decision makers and civil society representatives on the future of security of the Republic of Moldova. existing in the new EU Member States. Another aim was to learn from the knowledge gained by European countries in the field of various security models.