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Working Paper: A Revanchist Russia versus an Uncertain West: An Appreciation of the Situation since the 2014 Ukrainian Crisis

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

An aggressive Russia, a divided and unsettled Europe, and a distracted and unpredictable United States have created an unprecedented and perilous confluence of events that could undermine the European security architecture and the liberal-democratic order. Ultimately, it is conceivable that the Western allies and Russia could achieve through dialogue some kind of constructive modus vivendi whereby Russia becomes a less paranoid power that respects the independence of its former empire. A long shot to begin with, such a rapprochement is less achievable if Europe and the United States appear disorganized and vulnerable.

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Background report: Drug Users in Prison – the Norwegian Experience

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

This report is the preliminary research work under the Punishment vs. Treatment: the Situation of Drug Users in Prison initiative which main output is a forthcoming comparative analysis of the treatment of drug users in Bulgarian and Norwegian prisons. The study was prepared by the University of Oslo and it overviews the general context on Norway – general information on the country and its criminal justice system, policy and legislation on drugs explaining what are the perimeters of drug restriction and what are the national policies towards drug use. This information is illustrated with statistics on crime rates and drug crime in particular. It also presents the alternative sanctions available for drug users. Furthermore, the reports looks at prison population using drugs and sentenced to drug-related crimes – what are the principles by which prison authorities are guided in their attitude towards this group of inmates and what programs are available for them in Norwegian prisons.

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Trends in Radicalisation that May Lead to Violence: National Background Study, Greece

Author(s): Dia Anagnostou,Dimitris Skleparis / Language(s): English

This report focusses on the case of Greece, where the phenomenon of radicalisation has been present throughout the period from the mid-1970s. Greece displays one of the most persistent problems of terrorism in Europe, raising anew the question of why extremist and revolutionary organisations continue to emerge and be active in democracies. Since the 2010, right wing and left wing extremism and radicalisation have intensified, especially in the context of a deepening social and economic crisis. The report provides a background study on radicalisation in Greece and the various forms that it takes, as a basis to bridge existing knowledge gaps on the subject. It provides and overview of past and current radicalisation trends. The national background study aims to first, identify and assess the legal and institutional responses to the processes of radicalisation that may lead to acts of violence and second, to review and analyse trends (ideas, actors, actions, motivations and root causes) in three strands of radicalisation (right and left wing, Islamist radicalisation and football hooliganism).

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Социологически и демографски анализ на избрани уязвими групи

Author(s): Mila Mancheva,Miryana Ilcheva,Maria Doichinova,Lyubomira Derelieva / Language(s): Bulgarian

Within the framework of the initiative Civic organizations: a Guarantee for Equal Rights of Vulnerable Groups before the State of the Center for the Study of Democracy the socio-demographic analysis of four selected vulnerable groups – prisoners, refugees and migrants, victims of trafficking and domestic violence – outlines the profile of each of those groups and its components, putting it in particular vulnerability in its relations with institutions. Special attention is given to children from each group as having their specifics, requiring special attention by state agencies. The analysis is based on information by institutions and NGOs and points to lack of unified criteria and low level of comparability of data.

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The Energy Sector in Bulgaria: Major Governance Issues

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

The report analyses the major governance issues of the energy sector in Bulgaria, as well as the common energy crimes. It makes an overview of the 2020 Strategy and presents a recommended governance approach. The Bulgarian energy sector is key for the future development of the country’s economy. For the past decade energy exports and imports formed on average 12% (16% in 2008) and 21% (22% in 2008) of the value of the country’s outgoing and incoming trade flows respectively. Every fourth public procurement contract is concluded in the energy sector, making it one of the biggest taxpayers’ money spenders in the country. In 2008, in a single year, the Bulgarian government committed to energy projects, requiring budgetary investments equal in value to the whole EU funds support for the country for the current European seven year budget period 2007 – 2013.

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Copenhagen 2009: Outliers among CO2 emitters: choose your pick

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

Reaching an agreement at the Copenhagen conference on climate change starting on 7 December 2009 will be tough. Everyone is a sinner in a way: (1) the main advocates of binding agreement on climate change such as the European countries (EU plus Norway) and Japan are big emitters, taken together; (2) the main suspects - US and China are the biggest emitters, each in its own different way and are seen as dragging their feet over target agreements; (3) the rest are falling in between with less access to novel technologies and gaping inefficiencies in their economies. Bulgaria has evidently fulfilled its target commitments under Kyoto and it is a small emitter. Nevertheless, Bulgaria remains more carbon-intensive than China as per capita and than US as per GDP. Its inefficient economy, however, holds considerable potential for a greener future. This is particularly true for its industry. Bulgaria needs to take decisive actions in improving the energy efficiency of its industrial and energy production and in introducing green technologies and further measures for sustainable consumer behavior. But how much is it willing to pay for it?

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Democracy that Delivers: Unlocking the Potential of Transition

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

This publication contains the materials from an international conference, “Democracy that Delivers”, held on May 21, 2008, in Sofia. The construction of democracy has never been an easy undertaking. The constant trade-offs between openness and security, oversight and efficiency, between pluralism and the need for consensus on strategic reforms make sure that democracy is never taken for granted. Its advancement becomes all the more difficult when– in times of transition from repressive regimes – it is associated with great expectations that have to be met within short periods of time. The massive transformation from authoritarian regimes to open access societies that was prompted by the fall of communism required the unbundling of the concept of democracy. Reforms had to be sequenced, the provisions of public goods prioritized, the need for various institutions demonstrated. Post-communist transition became a giant laboratory for the engineering of democratic governance.

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Nato Transformation - Facing New Security Frontiers

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

The present publication summarizes the discussions at the International Security Conference “NATO Transformation – Facing New Security Frontiers” held on April 28-29, 2006 in Sofia, Bulgaria. The conference’s discussions benefited from the participation of the Bulgarian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Ivailo Kalfin, Assistant Secretary General of NATO Ambassador Adam Kobieracki, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Mr. Borys Tarasyuk, Prime Minister, PISK, Kosovo Mr. Agim Çeku, senior offcials from Southeast European and EU countries, Ukraine, USA, Japan, representatives of international organizations and aid agencies, diplomatic missions, academic institutions and non-governmental organizations.

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NATO, EU and the New Risks: A Southeast Europe Perspective

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

The present publication summarizes the discussions at the international conference NATO, EU and the New Risks: A Southeast Europe Perspective held on October 29-30, 2004 in Sofia. The conference’s discussions benefited from the participation of NATO’s Deputy Secretary General, Ambassador Alessandro Minuto Rizzo, Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister Plamen Panayotov, Bulgaria’s Minister of Defense, Nikolai Svinarov, senior government officialsfromSoutheastEurope(SEE)andWestEuropean countries - representatives of international organizations and aid agencies, diplomatic missions, academic institutions, and non-governmental organizations.

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Shaping a Common Security Agenda for Southeast Europe. New Approaches and Shared Responsibilities

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

The document summarizes the speeches that were delivered and the discussions that took place during the international conference Shaping a Common Security for Southeast Europe - New Approaches and Shared Responsibilities held on 5-6 September, 2003 in Sofia.

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Organised Crime and the Fight Against Crime in the Western Balkans: a Comparison with the Italian Modelsand Practices. General overview and perspectives for the future

Author(s): Natale Argiro,Mauro Baldascino,Mario Battello,Atanas Rusev,Luigi Gay,Dafne Papandrea,Domenico Zinzi / Language(s): English

The policy paper (ed. Forte, R., Sapucca, 2013) offers a description of the situation of organized crime in the Western Balkans in general and in individual countries - Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro - as well as a focus on the recent legislation on the recovery and management of criminal assets in Bulgaria, used as a term of confrontation with the consolidated approach applied in Italy to such issues. It offers as well a feasibility analysis on the extension of the model to the Western Balkans. Author of the chapter on the management and disposal of confiscated criminal assets in Bulgaria is Atanas Rusev, Research Fellow at the Center for the Study of Democracy. It examines the Bulgarian Asset Recovery System and the problems with the management of the seized real estate property following court orders and with the sale of confiscated property. On this basis, recommendations are made to improve the safeguarding of confiscated estates, the sales procedures and the transferring of confiscated real estate property for social re-use.

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Медиите между гражданското общество и държавата

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

The present sociological analysis is based on empirical data from a survey of public opinion conducted by Vitosha Research in May 1998. It aims to determine the extent of the mass media impact on Bulgarian society. The focus is on the way in which relations between the Fourth Power and the State are being built and regulated.

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Развитието на отношенията между Европейския съюз и Либия и влиянието им върху българо-либийския диалог

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

The expert report, developed within the framework of the Communication Strategy for the Accession of Bulgaria to the European Union, follows the evolution of the relations between Libya and the EU countries, as well as the development of the Bulgarian-Libyan relations. The report outlines the main concerns about the impact of the normalization of Libya's relations with leading Western nations on the development of the Bulgarian-Libyan dialogue in the context of the case of the Bulgarian medics and their Palestinian colleague.

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Доклад върху резултатите от социологическо проучване сред журналисти на тема: "Корпоративно управление и медии"

Author(s): Plamen Chipev / Language(s): Bulgarian

The survey was conducted among a wide range of journalists (77), electronic, print and internet editions, including a wide range of media from the capital and about 20% of provincial publications. More than 70% of respondents are from specialized economic publications with a very high level of education, predominantly humanitarian, but not a small part - more than 1/3 are economically educated, with an even larger proportion (43%) attending economic courses and specializations.

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Държавното управление: Нагласи на общественото мнение и политическия елит

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

Since the end of 1999 Vitosha Research with the Center for the Study of Democracy and Freedom House foundation, has been working on an international project entitled Accountable Government: Self and Public Perception. Activities under this initiative included the conducting of sociological surveys in Romania, Slovakia, and Bulgaria. Fieldwork was conducted in the period March 23 - April 15, 2000. The present paper outlines the findings of the surveys conducted in Bulgaria among the general population and MPs from the 38th National Assembly.

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Европейските стандарти и институцията омбудсман в Югоизточна Европа

Author(s): / Language(s): Bulgarian

The publication European Standards and Ombudsman Institutions in Southeast Europe presents a summary of the discussion at the International Conference European Standards and Ombudsman Institutions in Southeast Europe held on June 6-8, 2002, in Sofia. The conference was organized jointly by the Center for the Study of Democracy and Friedrich Ebert Foundation and was attended by ombudsmen and representatives of the institution from Sweden, Belgium, Greece, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia and Kosovo as well as experts and representatives of institutions and organizations from Bulgaria actively involved in the process of introducing Ombudsman institution in Bulgaria.

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Защо се увеличават сметките за електроенергия в България. Медийна записка

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

The so-called “green” premium - a market entry subsidy for renewable energy sources - was used as a convenient explanation for recent increases to the electricity bills in 2012. However, as time went by, consumers realized that a substantial part of their bills has been determined by another expense - the ”bad governance premium”, which, together with the forthcoming parliamentary elections and the increase of energy consumption during the winter, led to the ascent of social discontent and a search for new culprits for the surge in prices.

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Медийна записка: Зелена енергетика в България?

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

Bulgaria’s energy sector suffers from deep governance and security challenges, which hold the first pages of the mainstream media in the past year with stories of fraud, nepotism and political corruption. The urge for action to transform the sector’s governance and open up markets for competition has been growing louder in the face of shrinking resources and increasing demands from different lobbies. The EU green policies and funding have been one of the precious few anchors, which the Bulgarian government should use to diversify its energy sources and liberalize its markets. Can the Bulgarian government really deliver for the benefit of its citizens?

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Ще приберем ли „на тъмно“ цените на “светлото”? Медийна записка

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

The decision to decrease by 5% the retail electricity prices as of 1 August 2013 is among the topics at the heart of political debates in Bulgaria this autumn. A similar move in 2010 clearly showed that such a politically mandated price decrease was not sustainable in the long run. It ended in the sharp increase (13% y-o-y) of electricity prices in 2012, and subsequent social unrest, which brought down the Bulgarian government in February 2013. The focus on the final consumer bill reduction in the public debate overshadows some of the other structural effects of the decision, which are worth mentioning.

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Препоръки за укрепване на правосъдието и правоприлагането в граничните райони: статус и предприети мерки

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

The publication presents measures – legislative, organizational and technical – taken for enhancing justice and law enforcement in the districts close to the Bulgarian-Turkish, Bulgarian-Macedonian and the Southern Black Sea borders.

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