"Vy máte iného ducha!" Žilinská deklarácia - národno-politický aspekt slovenského evanjelického reformného hnutia

Author(s): László Matus / Language(s): Slovak / Issue: 1/2015

The constitution of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Kingdom of Hungary was established by the 1891-94 synod. This constitution had a tendency towards centralization and greatly restricted the autonomy of the church. The centralized administration rendered it possible for the leaders of the church to reduce the autonomy of Slovak Lutherans, who had majority in the Cis-Danubian district, by redrawing the borders of the districts. In the new districts the Slovak Lutherans found themselves in minority everywhere, losing their influence on decision making.This lead to the Žilina Declaration, which was signed by 68 north-west Hungarian Slovak congregations at the end of 1912 and the beginning of 1913. The declaration criticised the centralization and the concomitant tendencies towards Hungarian linguistic and the ideological nationalization of the church, and it even raised the issue of forming autonomous Slovak districts.The present study analyses the political context of the above mentioned document. The author uses primary sources because the topic lacks historiographical literature. The first research question of the study is whether the co-operation of the Slovak congregations was as an ad-hoc association or, rather, the result of the mobilisation of an institutionalized group. The second research question discusses the various representations of the relevance of the aforementioned congregational co-operation in the Slovak national narrative. In order to answer these questions the author relies on both political science theories and secularisation theories.

21. YÜZYILIN İDEOLOJİK GÜÇ MÜCADELESİ: ULUSLARARASI SİSTEMİN DEĞİŞEN DOĞASINI ANLAMAK

Author(s): Kaan Yigenoglu / Language(s): Turkish / Issue: 1/2018

The basic ideological conflict of the 20th century was between capitalism and socialism. This conflict occurred between the supporters of the capitalist ideology and those opposing the capitalist ideology. In the 21st century, this ideological clash is witnessed to be evolved. The basic ideological conflict of the 21st century is between globalists and capitalists. The conflict between globalists and capitalists is developing between different factions of capitalist ideology, not between oppositionists of capitalist ideology and their opponents. These developments need to be evaluated in the context of this new ideological conflict. In this work, the development of the international system is evaluated within the framework of different ideologies, and then the analysis of change in the ideological power struggle is being conducted in the 21st century. Finally, the conflict of ideologies and the process of unification are explained.

A European Democracy: Why and How?

Author(s): Phillipe C. Schmitter / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 0

While democracy in Europe took a very long time to emerge and consolidate itself, the democratization of Europe has only just begun and remains a rather remote prospect. The competing national states that composed this part of the world were originally autocratic – with the historical exception of Switzerland, which somehow continuously managed to practice its peculiar form of democracy. Indeed, Western Europe became uniformly democratic only in the mid-1970s with the regime changes in Portugal, Spain, and Greece. And parts of the former Soviet Union have still to institutionalize the accountability of its rulers by way of competitive processes of representation.

A microeconomic perspective on net working capital

Author(s): Lumini?a Gabriela Istrate / Language(s): Romanian / Issue: 36/2016

The financial resources consist of components which are characterized by common features, but also have traits regarding their formation and use, generating social and economic effects which differ considerably from one of their parts to the other. The financing made by banks of some activities in industry, construction, agriculture, services and trade enables the companies to increase the quality and volume of their products and of the services offered. Also, there is a better orientation of these companies towards the requirements of the internal and foreign markets with beneficial effects on reducing the macroeconomic imbalances inherent in an economy in full process of catching-up with the standards of the developed countries.

A new paradigm for sharing transition experience within the EU’s contested democracy support?

Author(s): Miriam Lexmann / Language(s): English / Issue: 3-4/2016

More than a decade after the completion of the democratic transition of the Visegrad Four countries, crowned by their membership of the EU, it is legitimate to ask whether the concept of “transition experience sharing” is still relevant to either the EU’s democracy support programs or the Visegrad Four ODA1 programs. This paper seeks to provide a basic empirical account of some of the fundamental processes of transition sharing while describing its core trends. It also makes recommendations, addressed partly at the V4 governments, but mainly at the respective EU institutions, on how features of “transition experience sharing” could be incorporated into democracy support schemes, thereby tailoring them in response to actual needs.

A PROPOSAL FOCUSED ON A METHOD FOR THE CALCULATION OF THE CONVERGENCE OF THE TWO BANKS OF THE DNIESTR

Author(s): Eugen Strautiu / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2018

Following the armed conflict in 1992, the Moldovan society, on the left bank of the Dniester broke, from a political and administrative point of view, proclaiming itself a separate state under the name "The Moldovan Dniester Republic" – which is unrecognized until today at an international level.The negotiation process, started in 1992, did not produce significant convergence effects - although issues related to the everyday life of the population are resolved today at a faster pace than ever before.The present article aims at investigating, principally and (as much as possible) quantitatively, to what extent the political divergence has evolved over two decades and a half, and to what extent it finds itself in economic, military and civil society divergences. In conclusion, we will try to evaluate the chances of a convergence process between the two banks of the Dniester in the near future.

ACCESS TO INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE IN KOSOVO – LESSONS LEARNT

Author(s): Gamurari Loredana / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2018

Since 1999, the accountability for human rights violations committed in Kosovo during and after the war was addressed by ICTY, UNMIK and EULEX. However, a whole set of crimes committed in the aftermath of the war were not properly addressed. The research aims to understand whether international judicial mechanisms intervening in Kosovo until today, successfully planted the seeds for the blooming of post-conflict justice. The paper adopts a qualitative approach, including analyses of cases, reports and interviews. The findings show that both international and local actors in many cases could not ensure justice for war crimes committed in the country, which brought to the conceiving of the Specialist Chambers, an extraterritorial court with no local personnel, but under Kosovo national legislation. The paper focuses on previous experiences to understand if the lessons have been learnt, showing the challenges that the new Specialist Chambers will have to overcome to bring justice.

AFRICA IN QUEST OF STABILITY? REFLECTIONS INSPIRED BY THE CURRENT PROBLEMS OF HUMANITY

Author(s): Alphonse Zozime Tamekamta / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2018

This study proposes to analyze the determinants of the volatile situation of Africa and its capacity of adaptation or appropriation of the global stakes, with regard to the current problems of the humanity, described in the work coordinated by the Professor Dumitru Otovescu. Africa is considered here as a field of application since this continent is subject to all attention eye, all anxieties and all hopes. To lead this reflection, three methods of data collection were favoured: First, the ethnographic method which involved neutral direct observation. Observation provides information about social and political actors. Then, the interviews (unstructured, semi-structured and standardized) that gave rise to conversations, formal and informal, conducted on the basis of an interview guide, a questionnaire or a survey, structured around from subject. Finally, the exploitation of newspaper articles, magazines and periodicals, various reports, books, etc. At the end of this work, it is observed that Africa suffers as much as the other continents the volatility of the banking and economic system due to the practice of capitalism. Although sector-specific (developed-country) and global responses have been taken following several global economic and financial crises, Africa has remained isolated and compartmentalized. Today, its galloping demography and the extreme youth of its population as well as the natural wealth at its disposal are the basis of the hope of Africa. In contrast, the segmentation of its economic recovery programs, the tribulations of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), the faculties of its political governance and the recurrence of crises and complex escapes.

Aktywność NGO i FBO na Bliskim Wschodzie na tle innych obszarów Południa

Author(s): Anna Mrozek-Dumanowska / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 3/2014

The NGOs or the Independent Citizen’s Organizations are the third – after the state and neo-liberal market structure – oficial sector distinguished by a formal organization. On the positive side of NGOs we could mention the numerous civil initiatives which advance public education and public debate on global affairs. Most NGOs undertook also projects to fight for more equitable distribution of planetary resources. In a postcolonial era some Western observers were of opinion that the sustainable development and the process of democratisation in Developing Countries, could be achieved mainly with the help of NGOs. But in the same time the models of NGOs activities, growing and shaped by the western patterns of economy and culture, were not properly understood and realized in the differentiated cultures of Developing Countries. The end of cold war and growing disappointment with globalization expanded the space for religious renewal. Alongside with the erosion of traditional identities and sources of authority, religion was able to furnish the empty space of people’s sence of security. In comparison with NGOs the religious social organizations, FBOs, have something qualitatively different to offer, particularly in terms of empowering people, e.g. giving them personal dignity and selfworthiness.

AL-QAEDA – A MILLENARY ORGANIZATION

Author(s): Alexandru Stoica / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 0

The terrorist organizations as the Islamic state, Al-Qaeda and theiraffiliated groups are the protagonists of the deepest current crises, which complicates theprocess of halting them. The Al-Qaeda network with all its branches in various geographicalareas exploits conflicting outbreaks, the critical situation in some states, and geopoliticaldisturbances in the Middle East, continuing to pose a constantly evolving threat.Challenged by an aggressive international campaign, the threat from Al-Qaedapersists, contrary to opinions expressed in public space. In the present study, based on datamade public by competent structures, I have tried to outline some possible perspectives of Al-Qaeda evolution built around the same analytical starting points to help better understand them. The central hypothesis would be that the network will evolve depending on the external environment and its nature. In the course of the study, this hypothesis focuses on three points of interest: the external environment of Al-Qaeda, the characteristics and nature of the network.

ALTERNATIVE NATIONAL DEFENCE AND SECURITY STRUCTURES DURING THE COLD WAR PERIOD. CASE STUDY – ROMANIA AND THE BALKANS

Author(s): Diana Cristina Lupu,Gligor Vaidean / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 0

The paper presents the alternative national defence and security structures,be they considered public security organisations, official governmental paramilitary structures or militias, existing in some countries during the Cold War period, focusing on the situation in Romania and the Balkans. The presentation is contextualised, taking into account the tensions between the Eastern Bloc (the Soviet Union and its satellite states) and the Western Bloc (the United States of America and its allies), divided along ideological lines after the end of the World War II, the existence of the two main political-military alliances(the Warsaw Pact and NATO), as well as the main crises and phases in the Cold War, in general, and in the Warsaw Pact, in particular. In the mentioned context, in some countries,certain structures other than the regular military were established to provide additional defence in the event of outside attack, the emergence, organisation and role of the ones related to the Eastern Bloc, especially those in Romania and the Balkans, being presented in the paper.

Analiza conceptuală şi teoretică a cooperării pentru dezvoltare

Author(s): Victor Negrescu / Language(s): Romanian / Issue: 24/2009

By entering in the European Union, Romania has assumed EU’s development cooperation objectives and has to allocate 0.17% of its GDP to international aid policies. This article aims to initiate the debate on this subject ignored by the academic literature in Romania and start by doing a theoretical presentation of the different perspectives on development cooperation in international relations and economic development. The study aims to conceptualize the development cooperation and to determine several empirical study indices.

ANALYSIS OF WEAKNESSES OF COASTAL COMMUNITY ECONOMY EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM (PEMP) AND NATIONAL PROGRAM OF COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT OF INDEPENDENT MARINE AND FISHERIES (PNPM-MKP) ON TRADITIONAL FISHERMEN IN INDONESIA

Author(s): Bengkel Ginting,M. Arif Nasution,. Subhilhar,R. Hamdani Harahap / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2018

Indonesia has an abundant fisheries resource. The potential has not been well this is marked by the smallcontribution of marine and fishery sector to the national income of only 14.7% of the total gross domesticproduct (GDP), compared to other countries. The dramatic phenomenon between the potential andutilization of marine resources implies to the predominant level of coastal communities who mostly workas fishermen at sea. In order to go to sea with a simple technology also with low human resources makethe living standard of traditional fishermen may be categorized as poor. When compared to other farminggroups in the agricultural sector, traditional fishermen are among the poorest. With an already manygovernment empowerment programs, yet it has not managed to raise the standard of living for thetraditional fishermen. The research is aimed to describe the implementation and weakness of CoastalCommunity Economy Empowerment Program (PEMP) and National Program of CommunityEmpowerment of Independent Marine and Fisheries (PNPM-MKP) on the traditional fishermen of PercutVillage, Percut Sei Tuan in North Sumatra, Indonesia. Type of research is descriptive with 10 traditionalfishermen, the fishermen group committee and the marine and fisheries department’s officials. Data werecollected by observation, in-depth interview and focus group discussion (FGD). The result of the study ofsocio-economic condition of traditional fishermen of Percut Village is badly seen from the indicators ofhousing and sanitation that are not suitable for healthy living, limited fishing equipment and over fishingcatching areas.

ANALYZING THE EFFECT OF THE 500 BIGGEST CENTRAL EUROPEAN COMPANIES ON SPATIAL STRUCTURE

Author(s): Zoltán Nagy,Géza Tóth,Tekla Sebestyén Szép / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2018

Many theoretical and practical works deal with the spatial structure of Europe. This article gives an overview of these papers focusing on Central and Eastern Europe. Our goal is to contribute to understanding the Central and Eastern European spatial structure through a new methodological approach. The research question is how the biggest companies and cities which host the biggest corporate headquarters affect the economic spatial structure of Central and Eastern Europe. Is there any overlap with the former spatial structure models? To study these research questions many methods are applied, such as the Eastern European Command and Control Index, a kindly novel approach to measure the competitiveness of cities and the spatial cluster analysis as well. This research draws the attention to the increasing importance of the capital cities and to the fact that the New Banana model covers the largest area in the region.

Arab Spring Countries Two Years After the Revolution: Economic Aspects, Background, Consequences, Forecasts

Author(s): Adriana Lukaszewicz / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2013

Around the bloc: 200,000 Kosovans Sign Petition Against Serbia Deals

Author(s): TOL TOL / Language(s): English / Issue: 12/01/2015

Kosovo's constitution obliges the authorities to consider an initiative against giving ethnic Serb population greater autonomy.

Around the Bloc: Albania 'War' with Greece Nearly Over

Author(s): TOL TOL / Language(s): English / Issue: 03/29/2016

Greeks accept olive branch over WWII, but rights of ethnic minorities, handling of current migrant crisis, remain heated.

Around the Bloc: Baltics Tallying Cost of Soviet Occupation Premium

Author(s): TOL TOL / Language(s): English / Issue: 11/10/2015

Justice ministers want Russia to pay for losses incurred under 50 years of rule by the USSR.

Around the Bloc: Belarus Experiments With New Kind of Money: Coins

Author(s): TOL TOL / Language(s): English / Issue: 07/05/2016

Banknotes to shed four zeroes in leader Lukashenka’s latest bid to slow inflation.

Around the Bloc: Bill Clinton Likens Polish, Hungarian Leaders to Putin

Author(s): TOL TOL / Language(s): English / Issue: 05/24/2016

Poland’s Kaczynski suggests the former U.S. president have his head examined over campaign comments.