Corruption and Organized Crime Threat Monitoring Report

Author(s): Emilija Tudzarovska-Gjorgjievska / Language(s): English

The Corruption and Organized Crime Threat Monitoring Report is an overview of the state and dynamics of corruption and organized crime in the Republic of Macedonia. The basis of this report is the Corruption Monitoring System (CMS) developed by the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD). The CMS relies on diverse sources of information and combines quantitative and qualitative methods for monitoring and the assessment of corruption and organized crime. The CMS has gained acknowledgement from the United Nations (UN) as a best practice system for monitoring corruption at the national level. The report is divided into seven chapters and it provides an overview of the legal and institutional framework for the fight against corruption and organized crime in the country, provides an overview of the macroeconomic situation and the emergence of the link between corruption and organized crime, risk assessment of threats and corruption of organized crime, as well as levels of connection between these two phenomena: infiltration (general) in the political arena, infiltration in the government (elected officials), infiltration in public administration and institutions, bribery, etc. Through these levels indirect critical review of corruption in politics is offered, but also to other areas and levels of government such as the judiciary; administration, police and customs. The last section deals with the private sector and corruption with a general review and review of public procurement, money laundering and VAT fraud.

Civil Society Involvement in Drafting, Implementing and Assessing Anticorruption Policies

Author(s): Willeke Slingerland,Johan Wempe,Michel van Hulten,Maurits Beltgens,Stefan Karaboev,Septimius Parvu / Language(s): English

Cooperation between public institutions and civil society organizations (CSOs) is essential for any successful anticorruption strategy. Strengthening the role of CSOs with regard to anticorruption means thinking in terms of a system - how can a corruption system be broken and how is it possible to develop and improve national and local integrity systems (LIS). Transparency and access to information is widely seen as the key to promote greater public sector efficiency and reducing corruption because the information can be monitored by citizens and watchdog organizations. This Best Practices Manual is specifically aimed at strengthening the cooperation between civil society organizations and public institutions with regard to preventing and fighting corruption. It provides a comprehensive account of the selected best practices of cooperation, including their structure, impact, sustainability and lessons learned in countries such as Romania, Bulgaria, The Netherlands and other European Union (EU) and non-EU states. The applicability of these practices is context specific, nevertheless, it is possible to draw a number of valuable generic lessons.

Ka ostvarivanju ravnopravnosti polova u kantonima Federacije BiH. Pravila, institucije, politike

Author(s): Saša Savičić / Language(s): Bosnian

Ravnopravnost polova je dio korpusa ljudskih prava, kako u svijetu, tako i kod nas. Ravnopravnost žena i muškaraca je ustavna kategorija. Ustavom BiH, ustavima entiteta i kantona kao i Statutom Brčko distrikta BiH zagarantovano je uživanje prava i sloboda, predviđenih ustavom ili međunarodnim sporazumima o ljudskim pravima, svim licima u BiH bez diskriminacije po bilo kojem osnovu, uklju- čujući i pol. Za efikasnije ostvarivanje pojedinih ljudskih prava donose se zakoni. BiH je u oblasti ravnopravnosti polova donijela Zakon o ravnopravnosti polova u BiH (2003) kojim se uređuje, promoviše i štiti ravnopravnost polova, garantuju jednake mogućnosti i ravnopravan tretman svih osoba bez obzira na pol, u javnoj i privatnoj sferi društva, te uređuje zaštita od diskriminacije po osnovu pola i seksualne orijentacije. Ovim zakonom se eksplicitno propisuje da su osobe muškog i ženskog pola ravnopravne i to u svim oblastima društva.

Uticaj EU integracija na poštivanje i zaštitu ljudskih prava LGBT osoba u Sloveniji, Hrvatskoj i Crnoj Gori

Author(s): / Language(s): Bosnian

Na konferenciji Uticaj EU integracija na poštivanje i zaštitu ljudskih prava LGBT osoba, održanoj u Banja Luci u decembru 2014. godine, LGBT aktivisti i aktivistkinje iz Hrvatske, BiH, Srbije i Crne Gore raspravljali su o unapređenju ljudskih prava LGBT osoba u kontekstu procesa EU integracija koji ima značajan uticaj na sve zemlje u regionu. Iako je svaka od ovih država u različitim fazama EU integracija, činjenica je da je Europska unija politički subjekt sa najvećim mogućnostima motiviranja zakonodavnih promjena u ovim zemljama.

Prava LGBT osoba u Bosni i Hercegovini: Unutrašnji poslovi

Author(s): / Language(s): Bosnian

Glavni rezultati istraživanja ukazuju da LGBT osobe još uvijek predstavljaju nedovoljno vidljivu kategoriju kada je o načinima policijskog djelovanja riječ. Iako se to jednim dijelom može tumačiti pozitivno – tako nam je jedna osoba, zaposlenik_ca, izjavila da nikad nisu imali problema sa ovom populacijom – glavni uzrok ove nevidljivosti nije u navedenoj neproblematičnosti već u malom broju outovanih LGBT osoba, nedovoljnoj senzibiliranosti zaposlenika_ca prema specifičnim problemima i potrebama ove grupe, stalnom strahu kojem je ova populacija izložena usljed čega, nerijetko, izbjegava da se obrati policiji za pomoć u slučaju nužde. Takođe, mali broj slučajeva procesuiranih na sudovima koji uz to nisu bili riješeni pozitivno i podsticajno po LGBT populaciju, demotiviše ih da se policiji obrate za pomoć. Iz tih razloga čiji je ključ nevidljivost, veliki broj intervjuisanih zaposlenika_ca navodi da je položaj ove grupe ili ravnopravan u društvu ili da je oni_e tretiraju ravnopravno. Ovo posljednje može značiti grešku u zaključivanju pars pro toto. Posljedica je to nedovoljnog poznavanja same tematike, malog broja registrovanih napada i nasilja, ali i nerazlučivanja između stvarnog stanja u društvu i percepcije tog stanja. No, zaposlenici_e koji su odgovarali da je položaj ove grupe neravnopravan, ovu neravnopravnost dovodili su u vezu sa generalijama kao što su opšte i nepovoljno stanje u društvu, patrijarhalna svijest, balkanski mentalitet kao i situacijom u drugim sektorima, a izuzetno rijetko su to stavljali u kontekst svog (ne)dovoljnog angažmana i načina tretiranja ove populacije. Kroz faktički sve intervjue sa zaposlenicima_ama je provejavao stav da se oni_e rukovode etikom dužnosti i profesionalnosti, što su ilustrovali sankcijama koje su neki zaposlenici_e trpjeli poslije nasilja na Queer Sarajevo Festivalu. Uprkos tome su, kada je o javnim okupljanjima ove populacije riječ, nerijetko napuštali diskurs ljudskih prava i svoje profesionalne dužnosti. Najčešće su izražavali skepticizam, čak i u slučajevima kada su isticali da svako ima pravo na slobodno okupljanje, pravdajući to svojevrsnim pragmatizmom – visok stepen rizika, mogućnost eskalacije nasilja, bespotrebna ugroženost policije na terenu i sl. Iako rjeđe, mogli su se čuti i kategorički stavovi da takva okupljanja jednostavno treba zabraniti. Iako je velika većina ispitanika_ca izjavljivala da su LGBT osobe građani_ke kao i svi drugi, u jednom navratu se čuo izrazito homofoban stav da su to bolesni ljudi, odnosno u drugom slučaju, u nešto blažem obliku, da su agresivni. Navodna agresivnost je posljedica prisutnih ste , da su agresivni. Navodna agresivnost je posljedica prisutnih stereotipija da LGBT osobe traže posebna prava i da teže da nametnu svoje stavove odnosno orijentaciju “normalnom“ dijelu populacije. Posebno značajan segment koji se tiče LGBT osoba u kontekstu istraživanog sektora je coming out. Naime, dok je većina ispitanika_ca tvrdila da svako ima pravo da radi šta hoće unutar četiri zida, a nezanemarljiv dio da je outovanje stvar svakog pojedinca_ke, iz ovakvih odgovara se ne vide društveno-političke implikacije koje outovanje ima. Jer, kako biti out u društvu u kome je biti LGBT praćeno stalnim strahom od stvarnih odnosno potencijalnih napada i prijetnji? Kao što je duhovito primijetio slovenački istraživač Roman Kuhar, kao da se čitav život može provesti unutar četiri zida!? Takođe je značajno da su zaposlenici_e prepoznali značaj doedukacije i dalje senzibilizacije i doprinos civilnog društva u ovom segmentu. Međutim, ostaje upitno koliko je ovo izrečeno više deklarativno budući da je velika većina navela da ne poznaje nijedno udruženje koje se bavi ovom tematikom.

Neko je rekao feminizam? Kako je feminizam uticao na Žene XXI veka?

Author(s): / Language(s): Bosnian,Serbian

Pred sobom imate iznimno vrijedno štivo koje je konačno doživjelo i svoje bosanskohercegovačko izdanje. Zahvaljujući Adriani Zaharijević i njenom predanom radu na priređivanju ove knjige dobili/e smo mogućnost da čitamo novu i mlađu generaciju teoretičarki i aktivistkinja, te tako uspostavljamo nove veze i suradnje, i dobijamo priliku komparirati vlastita iskustva sa onima u zemljama našeg okruženja. Ovu novu generaciju treba pratiti, prevoditi, povezivati i sa njima tražiti zajednička mjesta sa kojih možemo oblikovati novu generaciju feministkinja.

Anti-Corruption Reforms in Bulgaria: Key Results and Risks

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

This is the eighth Corruption Assessment Report providing an overview of the state and dynamics of corruption in Bulgaria and Bulgarian anticorruption policy. It analyzes the main results and risks of the anticorruption process from the period immediately preceding Bulgaria’s accession to the EU through to the first months of EU membership. The report builds on regular monitoring of the spread of corruption, its trends, evaluations of the anti-corruption efforts and initiatives implemented by government institutions and by civil society, as well as a number of suggestions and recommendations on anti-corruption measures, including considerations related to the administration of EU’s structural funds. In addition to the main corruption indexes which have consistently displayed lower values throughout 2006 and early 2007, the report draws on authoritative international surveys to assess corruption levels in Bulgaria in comparison to EU member states. Furthermore, Bulgaria’s EU member status demands that national anti-corruption initiatives are implemented in close coordination with EU and international efforts in this area. Therefore, corruption would be most appropriately measured and assessed by a common EU benchmarking methodology as the most reliable yardstick for international comparisons.

Мониторинг на антикорупционните реформи в България

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

The assessment of the effectiveness of anticorruption policies and trends in the spread of corruption is a key element of the Strategy for Transparent Governance and Counteraction of Corruption for the period 2006-2008 adopted by the Bulgarian Government. The Bulgarian Government’s 2006 Program for the implementation of this Strategy envisions the development of a system of indicators to monitor progress and actual impact. The System of Indicators was developed by the Center for the Study of Democracy based on the best European and world practices and primarily draws on the experience gained in Bulgaria in the period between 1997 and 2006 from the implementation of the Corruption Monitoring System developed by the CSD within the Coalition 2000 anticorruption initiative. The indicators for the evaluation of the results from the measures to counteract corruption and to enhance the transparency of government differ by type and methods of data collection and analysis: The first set of indicators reflects the adequacy, effectiveness, timeliness, implementation progress, etc., of the measures outlined in the Strategy and the Program. Another group of indicators aims to evaluate the social environment factors directly affecting the level of corruption and governance transparency. A third group of indicators show the effect of the implemented programs and measures by monitoring their outcomes and impact. These are of greatest value in assessing the effectiveness of anticorruption policies and the prevention and counteraction of corruption. As a follow up, CSD has published a policy brief on the need for a Europe-wide initiative to develop a corruption benchmarking instrument for the EU. Its purpose is to suggest ways of utilizing the experience with corruption monitoring and measuring during Bulgaria’s accession to the Union.

Anticorruption Reforms in Bulgaria

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

The report makes an overview of the conducted anticorruption reforms in Bulgaria since 1997 and analyses the spheres of penetration, as well as the levels and dynamics of corruption in the Bulgarian society and presents the major achievements and problems of anticorruption reforms. It also defines the challenges for the conducting of anticorruption reforms, which ensue from the pending accession of Bulgaria to the European Union: i.e. overcoming of structural and institutional barriers in counteracting corruption; effective functioning of judiciary and law enforcement systems; restriction of corruption-generating practices of the organized crime and grey economy. // Coalition 2000 is an initiative of Bulgarian non-governmental organizations launched in the spring of 1997, which aims at counteracting corruption in th Bulgarian society through a partnership between state institutions, non-governmental organizations and individuals, who developed and have been implementing an Anti-Corruption Action Plan, a Corruption Monitoring System, and an anti-corruption public awareness campaign.

Anti-Corruption in Southeast Europe: First Steps and Policies

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

The main goal of the Report is to sensitize politicians and civil society to the specific set of sources of corruption in the region. The first part analyzes the origins of cross border corruption in the region which is seen as a result of the rise of transnational crime caused by the violent break-up of former Yugoslavia. It intends to show that regional factors significantly contribute to national-level corruption and could undermine national anti-corruption efforts. In the second part, the report evaluates the national circumstances in which the regional factors develop. It compares the national legislation and institutional practice in a number of areas critical to anti-corruption efforts: regulatory and legal framework, institutional prerequisites, corruption in the economy, the role of civil society and media and international cooperation. The second part is ultimately a collection of contributions from watchdog organizations in the countries in Southeast Europe. In fact, the nature of regional concerns about corruption is evident in the limitations of this report – namely that the level of institutional development, policy implementation practice and international affiliations of the countries in SEE are varying to such a degree that only a “bird’s eye view” could reveal the source of common problem. This was very much in line with the USAID approach that there is a strong conceptual distinction between law enforcement approaches to corruption, which try to strengthen crime-fighting efforts, and a more holistic approach that addresses poor governance systems more broadly. The countries covered by the RCAR included Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Romania and Serbia.

Background Document on Corruption in Southeast Europe

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

Political Parties and the Human Rights of LGBT People: Monitoring of the General Election 2014

Author(s): Darko Pandurević,Emina Bošnjak,Naida Kučukalić / Language(s): English

During the election campaign for the 2014 general election there have been very few promises made in regards to human rights. The entire field of respect and protection of the human rights was either ignored or overshadowed by the ethno-national slogans and nationalist rhetoric. The parties, as expected, devoted the maximum attention to the growing economic and social issues, which is justified, but, on the other hand, human rights were mentioned only superficially, without clear objectives or as an issue almost exclusively related to the conditions for European integration. In line with that, it has been almost impossible to find references to terms such as LGBT people, protection from discrimination based on sex, gender identity or sexual orientation.

Human Rights do not Recognize Political Ideology: Political Parties and the Human Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People

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

Our many years of experience in advocating human rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexual and transgender people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, one of the most complicated European countries, has taught us one thing: without significant support from political parties, the state of LGBT human rights will not improve. We have decided to create this guidebook in order to enhance the relationship between civil society organizations and political parties. This way, we hope to strengthen this relationship and create new collaborative relationships, as well as to remove any ungrounded fears.

Women Documented. Women and Public Life in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 20th Century

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

The book you are holding attempts to represent the world of women in the times when life became extremely accelerated – ideologised, industrialised, psychoanalysed, technologised, mobilised, commercialised, relativised. Our book has many a limitation. Methodologically, its chapters are not fully harmonised; it lacks the analysis of the construction of woman in different ideologies. It was written quickly, but with passion, love and regret that not all archives, museums or libraries across Bosnia and Herzegovina and abroad were visited (a lot of the relevant material is not located in BiH). The driving force behind this endeavour of a group of people was the exclusion of women from the main trends, loss of continuity and their deletion from the cultural, scientific and all other memories. Therefore, this book primarily serves as the activist response to the systematic neglect of the contribution of women to BiH culture and it is an attempt to provide a foundation to the study of the history of women in BiH.

Policies for an Ageing Workforce

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

We are all growing older. On average, life expectancy increases by three months every year. Seen over the span of the last century, this is a testament to enormous social progress. But since we are living longer, we also need to work longer so that the proportion of life spent in employment remains more or less constant. This is the basic premise for maintaining not only our pension systems but also the welfare state, solidarity between generations, and the social fabric.

Cijena protesta: Prakse nadležnih institucija u oblasti slobode okupljanja u BiH

Author(s): Ajla Škrbić / Language(s): Bosnian

Ovim izvještajem se analizira pravo na slobodu okupljanja, s fokusom na praksi nadležnih organa: ministarstava unutrašnjih poslova u kantonima Federacije Bosne i Hercegovine i Republici Srpskoj te Policije Brčko distrikta. Istražena je i praksa drugih aktera koji u Bosni i Hercegovini mogu odlučivati o ostvarivanju prava na okupljanje (ministarstva saobraćaja, općinska tijela, privatne osobe). Iako je fokus na praksi, analizirani su i pozitivni propisi koji se odnose na prijavu i mogućnosti zabrane okupljanja, pri čemu je ispitana njihova usklađenost s međunarodnim standardima. Glavni cilj istraživanja je utvrditi da li je praksa institucija u Bosni i Hercegovini u pogledu prava na slobodu okupljanja restriktivna i koji su izazovi s kojima se susreću organizatori/organizatorice javnih okupljanja. Istraživanje je obuhvatilo cijeli teritorij Bosne i Hercegovine u vremenskom okviru od 1. 1. 2017. do 31.12.2019. godine. Rezultati istraživanja ukazuju da broj javnih okupljanja u Bosni i Hercegovini raste, kao i broj učesnika/učesnica okupljanja. Zakonski propisi, međutim , razlikuju se u različitim dijelovim a Bosne i Hercegovine, sa zajedničkom karakteristikom da nisu usklađeni s međunarodnim standardima. Loša zakonska regulativa, loša primjena te regulative u praksi i veliko diskreciono pravo koje je ostavljeno akterima u ovoj oblasti dovode do ograničavanja i diskriminacije u ostvarivanju prava na javno okupljanje u Bosni i Hercegovini. Praksa organa zavisi od cilja okupljanja, odnosno restriktivna je ukoliko su u pitanju okupljanja usmjerena na kritiku lokalne vlasti ili imaju u svom središtu prava žena i LGBTI osoba. Stoga je neophodno domaće zakone uskladiti u cijeloj državi, harmonizirati ih s međunarodnim standardima te kontinuirano obučavati državne organe u pogledu sadržaja i primjene međunarodnih standarda u ovoj oblasti. Imajući u vidu prethodno navedeno, ovaj izvještaj daje preporuke za razvoj kvalitetnog okvira za ostvarivanje prava na slobodu okupljanja u Bosni i Hercegovini, usklađenog s međunarodnim standardima.

Patriotyzm konsumencki Polaków

Author(s): Mirosława Kaczmarek,Magdalena Wieja / Language(s): Polish

Kraj pochodzenia produktu należy obok jakości i ceny do najważniejszych kryteriów wyboru przy podejmowaniu przez konsumenta decyzji zakupowych artykułów spożywczych, a w kontekście negatywnych skutków pandemii COVID-19 kupowanie żywności made in Poland zyskuje na znaczeniu, stając się praktycznym działaniem na rzecz wspierania rodzimych producentów. W monografii usystematyzowano stan wiedzy na temat zjawiska patriotyzmu konsumenckiego oraz zidentyfikowano postawy i czynniki determinujące nabywanie przez konsumentów polskich produktów żywnościowych. Ponadto na podstawie wyników badań empirycznych dokonano typologii konsumentów z trzech generacji wiekowych – X, Y i Z – w kontekście postaw wobec tych produktów, a zwłaszcza triady ich cech, tj. pochodzenia, ceny i jakości. W konsekwencji stwierdzono występowanie znaczących różnic międzypokoleniowych i odmienne, nie zawsze pozytywne podejście do zakupu polskiej żywności.

The Polish Vernacular Culture. A Comparative Perspective

Author(s): Paweł Dobrosielski,Marcin Napiórkowski / Language(s): English

The book is solidly grounded in theory and methodology, but at the same time takes into account the most contemporary factual settings. Professional scientists are used to dry and uninteresting volumes, this one should give them a much needed variety. Thanks to its language the book can also acquire readers outside the strictly scientific academia, the humanities and the social sciences it should reach students and doctoral researchers, who could greatly benefit from it, as well as to the general public. Dr Piotr Majewski SWPS University

Samorząd gminy jako podmiot lokalnej polityki społecznej. Przypadek małych gmin województwa śląskiego

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

The presented publication is an attempt to present the image of social policy implemented by local governments, with particular emphasis on the problems of small municipalities, including mining municipalities in the Silesian Voivodeship. The author presents problems related to the implementation of social policy goals and tasks of local communities on the background of the conceptual and legal determinants of the functioning of the commune self-government. Various conditions and difficulties in solving social problems, as well as cooperation with the third sector are the main subject of the analysis. The considerations contained in the publication are a result of the author's many years of experience, a result of confronting theoretical concepts with the realities and practice of the Polish social policy system on the local scale.

Slawistyka integralna – naukowy kanon i erozja systemu (kontrapunkty południowo- i zachodniosłowiańskie)

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

The book describes in the chronological order – with the attention focused mainly on the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century – key elements of the evolution of the European Slavic studies in the context of integrative and disintegrative processes. These tendencies are situated within the framework of diverse Slavic studies and their sociopolitical and cultural surroundings. The illustration of this issue is provided by the comparison of the extensive factography from the history of the polymorphous discipline, discussed in the methodological, socio-environmental and ethnopolitical dimensions. The oppositions “centralism – particularisms” or “collective norm – individual norm” have been designed for the ordering of rich material from all regions of Slavdom – in the perspective of creating and breaking the canon of the scholarly discoveries and the representations of the essence of Slavic studies as such.