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Chińskie inwestycje w regionie Bałkanów Zachodnich. Szansa czy zagrożenie?

Author(s): Przemysław Jagodziński,Jacek Szałas / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2/2021

For almost a decade, there has been an increase in the investments of the People's Republic of China in the Western Balkans. Capital from the Middle Kingdom has a direct impact on the development of transport infrastructure or the energy sector. According to the authors, Chinese investments within the countries of the former Yugoslavia are a strategic element of the PRC's foreign policy, which is part of the implementation of the project initiated in 2013 under the name One Belt One Road. The article indicates the declared goals and structure of Chinese direct investment. In addition, the impact of the activities of the PRC on the economy and political processes in the region was determined. According to the authors, Chinese investments are the element of influence within the framework of sharp power, the overarching goal of which is to make the Balkan states dependent on Chinese capital, which at the same time will weaken the influence of other world powers in the region. In order to verify hypotheses and answer research questions, the authors used methodological tools such as content analysis, system analysis, or critical analysis.

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The new advanced Cities

Author(s): Stefano CARBONI / Language(s): English Issue: 03/2022

The city has always brought within itself the characteristics of the historical period in which it existed and of the population that inhabited it. In the last years new kind of cities were born, some of them are called green, some others digital and then some are the Smart Cities. The latter has the same features of the first two cities, but them are also committed into satisfying the expectations of its population and caring about citizens’ welfare first. The Smart Cities are the result of technological progress and the search for environmental sustainability. The city was born as a consequence, almost obvious, of the improvement of human skills: many nearby houses represented a possibility of bringing together resources and abilities in an almost uninhabited land.Small villages have become towns, cities and metropolitan cities in which all the technological discoveries were applied and made concrete in the services that these cities could then offer to their inhabitants. The cities, and its various existing types, up to the green cities and digital cities and finally the Smart Cities will be described, as the apex of the discoveries of the digital and sustainable people, who respects the environment in which they live, indeed, which regenerates the environment from past pollution. In these cities, people live within a virtual environment too.These cities are in continuous evolution, extremely rapid, in a competition to each other, made up of skills and technological discoveries, which contain within their borders innovative services for all of its inhabitants, and all its stakeholders. This paper discovers the way of the first inhabited centers towards Smart Cities.

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MACEDONIAN ELECTION RULES: CITIZENS VIS-À-VIS POLITICAL PARTIES

Author(s): Bojana Naumovska,Milka Dimitrovska / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2022

The Macedonian election rules, i.e. the setting of the electoral system, produce a double effect, an effect on the voter, and an effect on the party system. Therefore, each change in the electoral regulations would not only alter the voters’ comportment but also impact the political parties. Considering these effects, the paper aimed to compare the attitudes of the citizens and political parties regarding the electoral legislature (both for the parliamentary and local elections); and produce adequate electoral solutions as a corrective for the detected shortcomings of the current regulations. The paper relied on content analysis of theoretical literature and research, empirical qualitative research based on citizens’ focus groups from each region in Macedonia, questioned political parties, and additional data analysis. The ultimate findings propose a way to promote the equal value of each vote, proportional regional representation, and MPs' accountability at the parliamentary elections. For the local elections, the proposed solution referred to reducing the election cost, the possibility of political bargaining, and preserving the legitimacy of elected mayors.

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THE INCLUSION AND EXCLUSION OF CITIZENS IN THE EUROINTEGRATION PROCESS OF ALBANIA

Author(s): Joana Kosho,Elda Zotaj / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2022

Albania’s national interest is the integration into the European Union. To fulfill this objective, every state component, public institutions, civil society, the media, and the citizens, play a very important role. The main focus of this paper is the public sphere, the attitudes of Albanian citizens toward the EU membership, and their role in the process. By applying qualitative and quantitative methods, the main theories of the field, global and regional indexes, studies, surveys, interviews, and personal observations, we aim to focus on the citizens' attitudes toward the EU membership process. Our in-depth analyses have shown that the Albanian institutions, CSOs, and media to inform and include the citizens in the Europeanization process have not been effective enough. Thus, there is a knowledge gap between sensitive groups and the other part of society.

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THE UNITED NATIONS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: UNDP IN THE FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY IN MONTENEGRO

Author(s): Danilo Djikanovic / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2022

The paper analyzed the challenges of poverty in Montenegro. It provided an overview of the structure and scope of UN action in Montenegro and general sustainable development policies and their national implementation. The objective was to research the contributions of the UN system to the sustainable development of Montenegro while focusing on the role of the UNDP in eradicating poverty. The methodology consisted of the literature overview and the case scenario analysis of integrated social protection and employment policies. In addition, secondary data analysis has been employed to complement the research findings. The paper has identified the national socio-economic situation and the contributions of the UNDP in eradicating poverty through the design and implementation of integrative policies. The research proved the importance of the UNDP in fighting poverty in Montenegro and the effective role of the UN in achieving sustainable development.

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INTERNATIONAL LEGAL REGULATION OF THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM IN FRAMEWORK OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES

Author(s): Cristina Ejova / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2022

Fight against international terrorism is also led by a regional organization such as the Commonwealth of Independent States, which demonstrates the experience of effective counter-terrorism in the format of cooperation between CIS member states. This is done on the basis of the Treaty on Cooperation in Combating Terrorism (1999) drawn up in the provisions of the Protocol on the procedure and implementation of joint counter-terrorism measures on the territories of the CIS member states. Programs to combat international terrorism and other manifestations of extremism, for example, developed for the period 2020-2022, come to coordinate the efforts of the CIS states. With the understanding of the extent of the real threat of terrorism, the idea of creating a coordination center arose in the CIS, which later materialized through the creation of the CIS Anti-Terrorism Center (2000). The CIS is in a state of constructive dialogue with various international organizations to find effective ways to combat terrorism.The article will highlight the activities, the political and legal framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States as a regional security organization in the field of combating and preventing terrorism. The priority areas of cooperation between the CIS and other international organizations in the field of combating terrorism will be also analyzed.

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THE IMPACT OF ILLEGAL TRAFFICKING OF MIGRANTS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION

Author(s): Costin David,Andreea Dragomir / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2022

The article aims to investigate the impact of the migration phenomenon in the European Union (EU). It briefly examines the concept of smuggling of migrants and the main routes of illegal migration as well as the measures adopted by the EU institutions, in view of the priorities set by the EU institutions and the Member States, to step up efforts to establish an effective, humanitarian, and safe European migration policy. The article also pays particular attention to the illegal nature of this phenomenon and highlights the multiple and far-reaching implications of the activities surrounding illegal migration which generate and reinforce numerous other criminal activities.

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LIMITATIONS ON THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS IN THE FACE OF CORRUPTION SCANDALS AS INSTRUMENTS OF QUASI-MILITANT DEMOCRACY IN MALTA

Author(s): Maciej Skrzypek / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2022

In this paper analyses the problem of limiting the freedom of the press in Malta after published leaks about corruption in public administration. A turning point was murdering Daphne Caruana Galizia in 2017, which drew the international community's attention. The study verifies the following hypothesis: after disclosing corruption scandals, the ruling elite decided to use the means characteristic of quasi-militant democracy to limit the freedom of the press against journalists who reported that issue and recognized them as enemies of the state. This measure was used in practice, despite the legal framework that guarantees the protection of this freedom. The level of using quasi-militant democracy means to limit independent media did not decrease after Galicia’s murder, despite pressure made by international opinion. On the one hand, this phenomenon is the effect of solid foundations for legitimizing corruption in domestic policy. Therefore, public opinion did not seek to disclose abusing power by journalists. On the other hand, NGOs' failed efforts to increase the protection of the freedom of the press result from a lack of efficient measures to improve media freedom. Therefore, ruling elites only declared changes to calm down international opinion but, in practice, adopted other, more personal, non-direct restrictions on independent media. I decided to use quasi-militant democracy as a theoretical category to explore the motivations and consequences of limiting the freedom of the press. The paper’s conclusions will be useful in analyzing restrictions against independent media in the name of protecting democratic regimes in semi-consolidated democracy and explaining the reasons behind this phenomenon.

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SLIDING INTO ANARCHY: AN APPRAISAL OF LAWLESSNESS IN NIGERIA AND THE QUEST FOR HUMAN SECURITY

Author(s): Olagoke Oluwafemi Awotayo,Olawale Olufemi Akinrinde,Ewube John Mbeng / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2022

The notion of human security has become a dominant theme in international political discussions. This is partly explained by the fact that the production of arms and ammunition does guarantee security. Economic, food, health, environmental, and personal safety are all components of human security. In Nigeria, the country is grappling with security hitches cutting across the six geo-political regions. Kidnapping, banditry, robbery, murder, and wanton killings are common items in the daily news. More worrying is that, despite huge resources being injected into the defense sector, the Nigerian government seems unable to curb this menace that has been troubling the nation's well-being. The government, security agencies, and intelligence organizations, on the other hand, appear to be caught off guard by the atrocities committed by terrorists, herders, and instances of interethnic violence pointing to the fact that Nigeria is prone to anarchy. Against this background, this paper contextualized the lawlessness in Nigeria with specific reference to human security. The paper employs the qualitative method of data collection that utilizes secondary sources such as newspapers, the internet, and extant scholarly works. Based on findings, the rate at which schools are closing, frequent jailbreaks, rising food prices, citizen apathy toward the government, the obvious inability of the government to uphold its own end of the social contract it made with its subjects, and failure of all security containment strategies are all overt signs of a failing state. It is submitted that there is a need for government to be conscious of its primary goals, which include welfare and the protection of people's lives and property. The article suggests that Nigeria should employ artificial intelligence to combat the threat to the nation's status as a sovereign republic, which is being posed by groups that have taken over the numerous ungoverned spaces that dot the country's territory. Nigeria should also invest in digital learning methods and coordinate its numerous security agencies. The political order, authority, law, and structures must all be rebuilt because they have all fallen apart.

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SOME CONSIDERATIONS ON HOW HUMAN SECURITY HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, WHICH HAS BROKEN HUMAN LIFE, FREEDOM, AND DIGNITY (PART I)

Author(s): Valentin-Stelian Bădescu / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2022

Today we are experiencing a deep crisis in society, accentuated by the pandemic with this Coronavirus, but chronicled and accentuated by the gloomy prospects after the end of the plague. What is happening is not at all proof of the lucidity of the world, no testimony of solidarity, and no proof of vigilance in the service of universal values. What is happening is simply evidence of gross manipulation, produced against the background of the lack of education and culture of the population. Everyone who goes to a serious school and accumulates enough knowledge of general culture - not necessarily historical - knows that each historical epoch has its own values and prejudices. Many times, what had been perfectly moral and legal in the past had become immoral and illegal in newer times. Of course, over time things have changed gradually, in stages and now the pandemic, artificially created and premeditated, has profoundly affected human security with the immediate consequence of altering life, dignity, rights, and fundamental freedoms, the rule of law being on the verge of dissolution. How did you get here and what to do, here are the questions that this study is trying to answer.

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Zanim na Syberii nastąpi odwilż, jeszcze spadnie śnieg. Przed czy po imperium? Jędrzej Morawiecki: „Szuga. Krajobraz po imperium”. Czytelnik, Warszawa 2022, 280 s.

Author(s): Paweł Rogalski / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1/2023

Through a critical analysis of J. Morawiecki’s Szuga. Krajobraz po imperium [Szuga. Landscape after the Empire], Paweł Rogalski ponders a number of questions: Does Russia still exist in the 21st century in the imperial discourse? Has the superpower paradigm, as a certain manifestation of anarchy and a fallen myth, not already been ruined or exhausted? Is the empire an episode necessary historically to balance forces in a global crisis? Is the war in Ukraine (2014 and 2022) perhaps the “new-old” founding murder of the Eastern civilization, incorporating the model of the Russian empire? Does ideology as a glue, instead of positively constructing the subjectivity of the community, contribute to building a new, dangerous phantasm of the empire? In this context, the travel narrative authenticates the message by reaching abandoned and blurry places, where the encountered human subject generates not only events and adventures, but is a record of ideological traces left on the body and the psyche. As Czesław Niedzielski wrote: “In all varieties of reportage prose, the identity of the speaking subject and the author (regardless of the form of the reporting) is one of the basic premises determining the documentary and, most of all, the authentic qualities of the genre”.

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UNPACKING GENDER DYNAMICS IN ALBANIAN JOURNALISM: A POST-COMMUNIST PERSPECTIVE

Author(s): Jonila Godole / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2023

This study provides evidence of the challenges faced by women journalists in Albania after the fall of communism based on a nationwide survey of 295 journalists. Despite an increase in the number of women journalists, their emancipation in journalism is not necessarily implied. Women journalists tend to be confined to reporting on “soft news” sections or cultural and social topics, reinforcing traditional gender roles. Many women journalists conform to societal expectations and adopt gender stereotypes to exert influence while facing obstacles such as a male-dominated hierarchy, self-censorship, and pressures from family and editorial supervisors. Female journalists who make a name for themselves often cover male-dominated topics, following a masculine logic to gain respect and struggling to maintain their femininity. The study sheds light on the challenges and complexities women journalists face in Albania, providing insights into the gender dynamics within the media industry.

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THE RISKS TO SOCIETY GENERATED BY "SOVEREIGN CITIZENS" BASED ON THE ATTITUDE INFLUENCED BY RELIGIOUS BELIEFS

Author(s): Iulian Dinulescu / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2023

The Sovereign Citizen Movement is one formed by people who interpret the political, legal, and social reality through the prism of their own religious beliefs. The man was created freely by God, meaning "sovereign". Consequently, individuals are free from the legal norms imposed by other people. This is a movement without an organizational structure, which is replaced by its system of beliefs and values held by leaders and clearly defined organizations. Gordon Kahl's manifesto undoubtedly highlights the religious side of the sovereign citizen movement. The individual said in 1983 that the Kingdom of Christ was under siege by the forces of Satan who control the governments of the states, which is why people should no longer submit to them. Followers of the Sovereign Citizen Movement believe that their actions and attitudes are approved by God. They issued their own IDs, passports, and vehicle registration numbers, some with the phrase "Kingdom of God" emblazoned on them. Some of the "sovereign citizens" took their beliefs to extremes and became violent, killing those who opposed them. For this reason, the Federal Bureau of Investigation labeled the most extreme among them as terrorists.

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INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION AND WORK-RELATED SECURITY. A CASE STUDY FROM THE ALBANIAN CONTEXT

Author(s): Brunilda Zenelaga / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2023

The concept of work-related security is associated with seven forms of security, as described in ILO’s Socio-Economic Security Program . This paper aims to analyze how the lack of seven forms of work-related security influences the decision to migrate, focusing on the case of Albanian citizens who have migrated to different Western European countries. The migration of people in work active age from the Republic of Albania to Western countries, associated with a frenetic population decline, is the biggest concern nowadays in Albanian society. The present paper shows the results of a qualitative study. The study highlighted that the lack of one or more forms of work-related security plays a very important role in motivating people to emigrate. The present study results can orient other quantitative studies that lead to measuring the impact of work-related security forms in the decision to emigrate. This study also sheds light on the way policies should consider work-related security to normalize the phenomenon of migration from Albania to Western countries.

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ILLEGAL MIGRATION FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF ROMANIAN STRATEGIES FOR PUBLIC ORDER AND SECURITY

Author(s): Iulia Bulea / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2023

In this paper, we have chosen to discuss the topic of illegal migration from the perspective of the authorities responsible for maintaining law and public safety in Romania. Specifically, we will explore their approach to this threat and propose solutions within national strategies for law and public safety.Following an extensive analysis of the current social context, the evolution of criminality, the effects of antisocial acts, as well as the prevention and combat methods employed by other entities within the country and the European Union, the Ministry of Internal Affairs is seeking solutions to reduce the negative impact of these threats on public order. The objectives of national public order strategies vary from country to country, but they all share the common goal of ensuring a safe and secure environment for citizens. Considering factors such as increased mobility (including policies that promote it), legal and illegal migration, the dynamics of the international security environment, interstate relations, and cross-border criminality, cooperation in ensuring public order becomes imperative.National public order strategies are essential tools for preventing and managing events that may disrupt the harmony and stability of nations. They contribute to maintaining the safety of citizens, protecting individual rights and freedoms, and promoting social cohesion. A well-developed and implemented national strategy has a significant impact on the quality of life for citizens, creates opportunities, attracts foreign investments, and thus fosters economic development and social progress.This article provides an overview of the most important aspects considered relevant for the analysis and planning of illegal migration. It aims to review previously developed public order and security strategies, identifying parallels to assess the dynamics of the related criminal phenomenon and the evolution of preventive and counteraction procedures.

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The Changing Conceptual Landscape of the Russian War in Ukraine (2014-Present) and Syria (2011-Present)

Author(s): Piotr Pietrzak / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2024

The main goal of this paper is to present and compare the main developments in the Russian wars in Ukraine and Syria by considering the main patterns, parallels, and changing trajectories that could shed more light onto both of these war zones, which are highly interlinked due to Russia’s leading role in both. It analytically, comparatively, and contemplatively approaches those developments by highlighting multiple similarities and the main differences in global responses to these conflicts. Both conflicts should be seen as highly unpredictable, dynamic, and unnecessarily extended asymmetric proxy wars in which global powers test their new military doctrines and their competitors' responses to their unconventional actions and other unsolicited and indirect interferences in the local dynamism of both wars. Unlike in Syria, the Ukrainian war zone is wholly transformative and ready for the adoption of partial hybridization and the utilization of the new software-defined warfare in combination with conventional weapons.

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Bezpieczeństwo medyczne w czasie konfliktów prowadzonych na wodach śródlądowych z wykorzystaniem jednostek szpitalnych w XX i XXI wieku

Author(s): Krzysztof Rokiciński / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2/2024

The paper presents an insight into the issues related to the specifics of using hospital vessels in inland waters. It provides a conceptual basis in terms of inland waters as a field of operation, as well as the legal framework for the use of hospital vessels, which are characterised by their organisation and function. Experiences resulting from the use of hospital vessels on inland waters from the First World War to the present day are discussed, primarily in the context of specific events illustrating the various dimensions of their activities. On this basis, postulates relating to their future use were formulated.

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ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE IN ALBANIA IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE EU INTEGRATION

Author(s): Meljana Bregu / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2024

Albania is an EU candidate country that, in the framework of the integration process, is trying to align its policies within the EU’s framework of the Green Agenda part of the European Green Deal. Albania has been part of the European Green Agenda for the Western Balkans since 2020, which enhances the goals of the European Green Deal. This Agenda promotes sustainability, green economy initiatives, and decarbonization in line with the EU’s environmental and climate goals. Addressing climate change issues by strengthening green transition policies constitutes a fundamental priority for economic integration within the region and with the European Union.In this context, Albania has adopted the national climate change strategy, which is compatible with the goals of the European Union’s climate and energy package, specifically the National Strategy for Climate Change and Action Plan (NSCCAC) 2020-2030. This policy prioritizes climate change mitigation, adaptation, a clean environment, and clean energy, following EU goals.While the country is progressing toward alignment with EU climate goals and policies, has adopted numerous strategies and plans, and has a sound legislative framework, it still lacks the implementation of the legal framework due to national and regional challenges. The paper analyzes the challenges and obstacles of implementing the national and European legal framework and EU directives. Methodologically, we will analyze and compare progress reports, public speeches, declarations, and national integration strategies.

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ANALYSIS OF THE CONCEPT OF CYBERTERRORISM IN THE CONTEXT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

Author(s): Cristina Ejova / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2024

This paper examines the concept of cyberterrorism through the lens of political science, focusing on its origins, development, and impact on global security. With the exponential growth of information technology, cyberterrorism has emerged as a significant threat, utilizing advanced technological means to destabilize political and social frameworks. The rapid increase in internet access has introduced new opportunities for both communication and crime, including the use of digital platforms for extremist and terrorist activities. The study emphasizes the complex methodologies required for analyzing cyberterrorism, including systemic, institutional, and comparative approaches, each contributing to a nuanced understanding of this phenomenon. Based on a systemic approach, the specifics of various definitions of the phenomenon of “cyberterrorism” will be revealed. It is argued that modern cyberterrorism, aimed at creating threats to international and national security, serves as one of the effective tools for achieving political goals on the global stage. Utilizing theories such as the information society and network society, the article underscores the importance of international cooperation in combating cyberterrorism.

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MEDICAL POPULISM AS A MEANS OF BUILDING A POLITICAL COMMUNITY DURING PANDEMIC-INDUCED CIVIL DISORDER

Author(s): Joanna Rak,Karolina Owczarek / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2024

This case study, embedded in the theoretical framework of medical populism, investigates how the TVP Info news portal, a public media entity controlled by the ruling party, strategically employed medical populism to cultivate a political community and concurrently legitimize Polish governmental actions amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The research relies on a source analysis of a population of news articles about the pandemic disseminated on TVP Info. The timeframe captures the pandemic during a transition from stringent pandemic measures to a period of eased restrictions, reduced infection rates, and a perceptible shift in focus towards the unfolding war in Ukraine. The study aims to unpack dimensions of medical populism existing in the narratives throughout this critical period. The analysis reveals the strategic deployment of dramatization, common-sense solutions, expertise invocation, and the dichotomy of “us” versus “them”. It underscores the media’s actions to shape public perception and consolidate support for the government’s response to the pandemic. The conclusions drawn from this analysis contribute to enriching the understanding of how medical populism was wielded as a tool for community-building and justification of government actions during a pivotal juncture in recent history of civil disorder.

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