Suchergebnisse

Rad razmatra problem zastoja u procesu pridruživanja, odnosno pristupanja zemalja Zapadnog Balkana Evropskoj uniji. Osnovne uzroke ovog problema autorka vidi u samoj prirodi asimetričnog odnosa Evropske unije i pomenutih zemalja u čijem središtu se nalazi Proces stabilizacije i pridruživanja, odnosno pristupanja. Njemu su doprinele obe strane: Evropska unija preambiciozno postavljenom politikom prema regionu, nedovoljno definisanim i stalno promenljivim kriterijumima, ali i zemlje u procesu svojim nekritičkim odnosom prema mogućem članstvu, nejasno definisanim interesima i ciljevima, sporim reformama i slabom demokratskom tradicijom. Kako bi proces mogao uspešno da se nastavi, autorka tvrdi da je potrebno njegovo suštinsko preoblikovanje ka fleksibilnom procesu. U svetlu sve češćih rasprava o mogućem kretanju evropske integracije ka većoj diferencijaciji, proces fleksibilnog pristupanja bi omogućio članstvo samo u odabranim oblastima delovanja Evropske unije, koje bi bile odabrane shodno prethodno jasno definisanim i analiziranim interesima i mogućnostima zemalja kandidata i potencijalnih kandidata. Autorka zaključuje da je potrebno proces što više odvojiti od uslovljavanja u političkim oblastima kako bi se umanjila mogućnost arbitrarnog odlučivanja o napretku ovih zemalja u procesu. Osim što bi za države kandidate i potencijalne kandidate ovakav manje zahtevan proces bio jednostavniji i omogućio veću autonomiju u izboru oblasti integracije i tempu prilagođavanja, za države članice EU bi predstavljao način da se vrati kredibilitet jednoj od svojih nekada najuspešnijih spoljopolitičkih aktivnosti. Ključne reči: pristupanje, zastoj, Evropska unija, Zapadni Balkan, fleksibilnost, diferencirana integracija. ; The article deals with the problem of the Western Balkans countries' accession and association process impasse. The author finds the key causes of this problem in the very nature of an asymmetric relationship between the EU and these countries with the Stabilization and Association Process laying in its core. ...

Most Croatian Serb organisations were established between 1883 and 1903. In that period Serbs created the Serbian Bank, 56 various financial institutions, the Association of Serb Agricultural Societies, and the economic organisation Privrednik (Economist). The Serbian Bank was the strongest financial institution in the Monarchy, which backed the economic and cultural development of Serbs inside and outside of it. On the other hand, Serbs had not created significant cultural institutions, but did establish numerous literary and singing societies and reading halls, which were instrumental in promoting national identity. Culture was a framework for political activity. It should be noted that all those organisations were identified as Serb, had their statues written in Cyrillic alphabet and in Serbian language, which testifies that they organised quite freely and without obstruction. (SOI : CSP: S. 509)

The author thinks that the American political and military initiative in Bosnia and Herzegovina has stopped the four year war and enhanced the American influence in the region. European Union has reacted to the latest developments by adopting a new regional approach towards the countries of southeastern Europe. This approach has been employed in relation to other European and Mediterranean regions outside EU as well (central and eastern Europe, the Baltic states, the Mediterranean countries, the Union of Independent States). EU's policy towards Croatia is extremely reserved. It has insisted on a set of preconditions being fulfilled by Croatia before the negotiations about Croatia's membership in this organization may even commence. Croatia wants to forge links with the EU and is willing to comply with its demands, but is highly sceptical of regional associations. (SOI: PM: S. 161)

The Sarajevo Convention, on which the Sarajevo Declaration and the Pact on Stability were adopted, is a kind of a finale to the ten-year contlict in the Balkan region. The most important pioneers in that dynamic process of Europe's preparation for accepting the countries of Europe's South-East have been the Brussels study by the Center for political analyses, the German "new politics" and the US support. The analyses of the goals and mechanisms of the Pact show that it is a major political instrument, though hailed as a mixed blessing. If all the actors - states, nongovernmental organizations, associations, and individuals - are provided with long-term conditions for creating affiliations, joint views and projects, the process of building better relations may be initiated. The Europeisation of South-East Europe is going to be a lengthy and complex process, and the Pact on Stability may become an important form of building new relations in this region. (SOI : PM: S. 22)

Mediterranean cooperation is dealt with in the context of the creation of the Euromediterranean zone. The European Union has been developing various modes of cooperation with non-member Mediterranean countries by signing association agreements or cooperation agreements. The new European states, created after the disintegration of former socialist federations demonstrate interest for the Mediterranean cooperation, though they tend to have different attitudes towards it. Their interest is solely based on the fact that the Mediterranean cooperation has not been standardized and that it has a poorly developed institutional framework. To these countries this enables and facilitates to tune in from time to time, when it suits their purposes. Regarding the role of the new states, the author distinguishes between two types of cooperation: (a) autonomous regional cooperation, which is not beneficial for the new states (e.g. those on the Balkans) and (b) occasional, specialized and dispersed cooperation which might attract the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. (SOI : PM: S. 176)

In June 2010 the European Council adopted the Commission's proposal on the Strategy for employment and growth 'Europe 2020'. Responding to criticism that the previous Lisbon strategy did not succeed, among other reasons, because of its one-sided focus on economic growth and employment, the Commission lays out three mutually reinforcing priorities: smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. The text focuses on new strategic directions, priorities, sector initiatives and Integrated Guidelines in the area of economic end employment policies. Special attention was given to the dynamics of implementation, the tasks of the Union and obligations of the member states in the realisation of the Headline Targets. The importance of ecological and social components was stressed as having an important role in overcoming discovered difficulties and fulfillment of the envisioned goals during the next decade. 'Europe 2020' is the basis for national reform programs which will contain concrete measures to implement the strategy. The Commission has a control function, while the Council will once a year present an assessment of the progress the member states and the Union have achieved. The strategy has a special place in the process of association of new member states and in the assessment of the accomplished progress.

Shanghai Cooperation Organization was founded in 2001 under a Declaration signed by the leaders of five independent states from the territory of former Soviet Union and the President of the People's Republic of China. The Charter, adopted by the organization's member states as their basic document, emphasizes their commitment to strengthen their mutual trust and good-neighborliness and friendly cooperation; to keep and maintain the peace, stability and security of the region; as well as to fight together against all forms of terrorism, separatism and extremism. Although there are significant differences between the member states in almost all matters of social and governmental organization, over its ten-year existence the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has proved its vitality and has become respectable entity not only of the regional but also of international cooperation on the whole. In recent years all main actors of contemporary international relations have tried to establish and develop the cooperation with this important intergovernmental association. What the further development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization will be like and where the organization will be positioned within the future world order is difficult to be definitely determined. Apart from the role of the two leading states of this organization - Russia and China, its eventual position will be greatly influenced by other major international factors as well, which, in the era of unstable energy and other forms of security, find the area of Central Asia ever more significant and attractive.

In EU countries, it is possible to distinguish between the two forms of volunteeringdepending on whether the volunteer is or is not a member of the organization inwhich volunteers. The first form is called a "mutually beneficial volunteering" asopposed to the other, which is called the "publicly useful volunteering." Situationin each Member State is different and all forms of volunteering, the term "voluntaryactivities" refers to all types of voluntary activities, whether formal, non-formal orinformal which are undertaken of a person's own free will, choice and motivation,and is without concern for financial gain. They benefit the individual volunteer,communities and society as a whole. They are also an instrument for individualsand associations to address human, social, intergenerational or environmental needsand concerns, and are often carried out in support of a non-profit organization orcommunity-based initiative. The European Year of Volunteering, 2011, which aimedat promoting the social and economic impact of volunteering by creating a favorableenvironment and conditions conducive to volunteering in the EU. The Europeansports model would be unable to exist and could not be justified without the supportof millions of volunteers. Difficulties faced by the European Union in trying toharmonize this sector: sporting matters still fall within the competence of MemberStates and the European volunteer scene remains extremely varied because of thehistorical, political and cultural attitudes of each European country. EU Sport Directors Meeting in Prague, on April 28-29, 2009 emphasized that the specificcharacteristics of sport mentioned in the Lisbon Treaty should be defined in moredetail and also concentrates on the specificity of the voluntary non-profit sportsmovement.

What are today's mass media like? Are they objective enough or are consumers too fatidious? How topical the issues of the freedom of the media, truth, and objectivity are? The author has tried to provide the answers by looking into the norms and regulations in Croatia and abroad, beginning with the Code of Honour of the Croatian Association of Journalists, the documents of the Council of Europe and the famous First Amendment to the US Constitution. + A probe into the freedoms of American journalism shows that there are no all-inclusive recipes and that these freedoms must be fought for and won. The best way to secure the right to the freedom of speech is to consistently respect the standards of professional journalism. However, our experience and practice show that this aspect is most lacking. Particularly interesting is how these problems were noticed by Croatian journalists Frano Folnegovic and Bogoslav Sulek more than a century ago. Apart from the political restrictions and pressures, Croatian journalists do not pay enough attention to this respect for the standards of professional journalism, which can best be illustrated by the example of the catastrophe of that American plane near Dubrovnik, when some media reported not only that the plane had safely landed but published the late Secretary's statement. Only by strictly respecting professional standards, which may be achieved through constant improvement, study and research, the preconditions for objective and authentic reporting may be realised. (SOI : PM: S. 165) + Civil society has set up many commissions, councils and committees with the aim of controlling mass media so that they would not only be a profit-amassing industry but would also conform to the fundamental demands that are put on journalism