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The author describes historical & contemporary geopolitical position of the Black Sea region. Up to the present times the primary significance of the region has lain in its trade routes & other transit communications that connect Europe, the Middle East & Asia. Having such geografic position the region has been an interest sphere of great powers & regional states & conquerors. Today most of states of the Black Sea region are economically poor, have unstable political systems & burdened with constant & potential explosive problems. References. Adapted from the source document.

The author explores the evolution, functioning, similarities & differences between the original Bretton Woods international monetary system that operated from 1945 to 1973 & the present modified institution, which is symbolically called Bretton Woods 2 System. The existing international financial architecture keeps on being based on the hegemony of the US dollar, as a dominant reserve currency. However, in spite of the fact that in most cases the present international monetary system implies the regime of flexible foreign exchanges rates, a characteristic of this system is that many countries in different degrees refuse to accept the appreciation of their national currencies to the US dollar. At the same time, the domination of the USA, the most indebted country in the world, is becoming a very serious threat to its sustainability. However, as the author concludes, the creators of the international monetary system, being aware how serious could be the consequences of its cessation, endeavor to extend its operation accepting less expensive consequences of keeping it alive. Tables, References. Adapted from the source document.

On its road to ED membership Serbia faces numerous challenges. Among important ones are how to solve the problems of environmental protection & sustainable management of natural resources. After defining sustainable development & its postulates, the author gives an overview of natural resources, this including land, water, air, as well as biodiversity, discussing their inter-dependence. She points to the relatedness between cultural & natural resources for sustainable development giving the "Derdap" National Park as an example. In the author's opinion, a very effective instrument for coping with these challenges is international co-operation in the field of sustainable use of natural & cultural-historical resources, from global connections & worldwide actions, to regional interconnections & co-operation including cross-border co-operation of neighboring countries in this area. References. Adapted from the source document.

In analyzing regional economic integration in Europe the authors pay special attention to the development in the European Union, for other forms of regional or subregional integration at the continent are in fact mostly transitional & provisional, & directly connected with ED. The authors argue that in spite of considerable success & high level of integration of the EU, several important open issues remain in that process. They are results of mixed character of European integration: political & economic. Too many kinds of interests are of opposed character, & it is very hard to harmonize them in real politics. The main problems in the EU have their cause in the nature of European integration: international competitiveness of European economy, social character of European states, national productivity, challenges of enlargement. References. Adapted from the source document.

Mirovinski sustav ima različite zadaće koje su ponekad i međusobno suprotstavljene. Usprkos očitom poboljšanju materijalnog položaja starijih osoba, sustav međugeneracijske solidarnosti ima i neke neželjene učinke − izobličuje ponudu rada i oblike naknade, povećava gubitke mrtvog tereta doprinosa, uvjetuje pretjeranu preraspodjelu i stvara dugoročno neodrživ pritisak na javne financije. Stoga je u Hrvatskoj provedena mirovinska reforma i uveden sustav osobnih računa. Njegovo moguće zamrzavanje ili ukidanje imalo bi vrlo nepovoljne gospodarske učinke, a dovelo bi i do razbijanja povjerenja u taj sustav štednje. Ono bi samo nakratko ublažilo proračunski deficit, a državi bi stvorilo velike dugotrajne poteškoće u ispunjavanju obveza prema osobama koje su ostvarile mirovinska prava. Cilj ovog rada je pojasniti važnost očuvanja obveznog kapitaliziranog mirovinskog osiguranja (drugog stupa) u Hrvatskoj. U radu se pojašnjavaju njegova najznačajnija obilježja te navode mogućnosti poboljšanja i unapređenja. ; The pension system has different demanding tasks that may sometimes be mutually in conflict. Despite the apparent improvement in the financial position of older people, the intergenerational solidarity system also has some adverse effects. It could distort labour supply and forms of compensation, increase the loss of dead weight effect of social insurance contributions, exaggerate redistribution in the system and create long-term unsustainable pressure on public finances. Therefore, a pension reform was implemented in Croatia and a funded system with personal accounts was introduced. Possible freezing or cancellation of the funded system would have highly unfavourable economic effects and would lead to a breakdown of trust in this savings system. It would only briefly mitigate the budget deficit, while simultaneously it would create great long-lasting difficulties for the government in meeting the obligations towards persons who had acquired pension rights. The purpose of this text is to clarify the importance of preserving compulsory funded (capitalized) pension insurance (the second pillar) in Croatia. The paper explains the most significant features of the funded pension insurance and offers possibilities for improvements.

Određivanje granica u Istri je stari pothvat. Ustvari, nije prestao čak ni danas. U posljednjih nekoliko stoljeća granice na istarskom poluotoku doživjele su značajne promjene (posebice nakon propasti Mletačke Republike 1797. godine). No Istra je također zbog prijepora oko teritorija Trsta nadaleko poznata kao jedno od problematičnijih graničnih područja u Europi u poslijeratnom razdoblju. Prema mišljenju autora, ovaj problem je jedan od četiriju glavnih suvremenih graničnih problema između Slovenije i Hrvatske. Ostala tri su Kozlerova granica oko rijeke Dragonje (Rokave), nejasni pojmovi u austrijskim popisima u Istri, te priče o partizanskim naseljima pod vojnom upravom. No postoje i drugi važni aspekti koji su značajno utjecali na razvoj ovoga spora, ali u ovom radu pozornost će biti usmjerena na prije navedene probleme. U skladu s time analiziraju se učinci ishoda spora oko tršćanskog teritorija i njihov utjecaj na suvremene granične probleme. Upozoravanjem na materijalne i psihološke učinke ovoga spora na suvremene bilateralne odnose te njegovom analizom također se otkriva pozadina nikad odgovorenog pitanja – zašto je lingvistička granica oko Rijeke Dragonje (Rokave) koju je predložio Kozler postala granica od nacionalnog značenja. Iako je danas navedena granica često osporavana, teško je očekivati da će obje strane odustati od granice koju je jednom odredio laik. Unatoč snažnim prijeporima u slovenskim javnim medijima vezanim uz pitanje treba li međudržavna granica biti na rijekama Mirni i Dragonji, u radu je utvrđeno da je izbor granice u dolini rijeke Dragonje zapravo slovenski. Argumenti se temelje na opsežnoj analizi kartografskih materijala, relevantne literature, dokumenata i statističkih podataka. ; Boundary-making in Istria is an old undertaking. It has actually never ceasesed, not even today. Istrian peninsula has thus undergone substantial boundary shifts during the last couple of centuries (especially after the Venetian demise in 1797). But Istria carries its worldwide fame also due to one of probably the harshest disputes on the post-war European grounds – the Trieste territory dispute. In author's perspective, this dispute is one of the four main corner-stones of the current Slovenian-Croatian boundary dispute. The remaining three include the Kozler's boundary around Dragonja (Rokava) River, the ungraspable notions of Austrian censuses in Istria, and the narratives of partisan settlements on military jurisdiction. However, there are other very important aspects which significantly shaped the development of the dispute, but we will focus at assessing the importance of the aforementioned ones. In this sense, the analysis of the effects of the outcome of the Trieste dispute and its implications to the contemporary interstate dispute is set forth. By unveiling its material and consequently its psychological effects upon the contemporary bilateral relations, its analyses simultaneously reveals backgrounds of never answered question, why Kozler's proposed linguistic boundary around Dragonja (Rokava) River turned out to become a boundary of national character. Though nowadays disputed, there is absolutely no chance for both involved parties to substantially draw away from once decisively drawn line of a layman. Despite the fierce battle of words in Slovenian public media on whether should the interstate boundary be placed on Mirna (Quieto) or Dragonja Rivers, it will be argued here that the actual choice of the Valley of Dragonja as a boundary is by all means Slovenian. The arguments are based on extensive analyses of cartographic materials, relevant literature, documents, and statistical data.

Autori se u tekstu bave usporedbom dvaju istraživanja iz 2010. i 2015. godine o funkcioniranju vijeća i predstavnika nacionalnih manjina, koje je kao savjetodavna tijela inaugurirao Ustavni zakon o pravima nacionalnih manjina iz 2002. godine, koji čini temelj hrvatskog modela zaštite prava nacionalnih manjina. Oba istraživanja provedena su na Fakultetu političkih znanosti Sveučilišta u Zagrebu (Centar za međunarodne i sigurnosne studije), i to provedbom anketnog upitnika elektroničkim putem među svim dostupnim vijećima i predstavnicima koji su se u dva ciklusa nalazili u Registru vijeća, koordinacija vijeća i predstavnika nacionalnih manjina. Stavljajući analizu istraživanja u širi kontekst razvoja manjinskih prava u Hrvatskoj, s posebnim osvrtom na oblike političkog predstavništva na različitim razinama, autori odgovaraju na pitanje postoji li i kakav je napredak u funkcioniranju vijeća i predstavnika nacionalnih manjina, tijela koja se po svojoj funkciji, ulozi i opsegu nadležnosti mogu smatrati neteritorijalnim oblikom autonomije. ; In this article, the authors are comparing two studies from 2010 and 2015 on the functioning of councils and representatives of national minorities, which are advisory bodies inaugurated by the Constitutional Law on the Rights of National Minorities (2002), that represents the basis of the Croatian model of minority rights protection. Both studies were conducted at the Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb (Center for International and Security Studies), through the questionnaire distributed via e-mail to all the available councils and representatives which were listed within two cycles in the Register of councils, coordination of councils and representatives of national minorities. By putting the analysis of the research in the broader context of development of minority rights in Croatia, with special emphasis on forms of political representation at various levels, authors are providing an answer whether there is any and what kind of progress in the functioning of councils and representatives of national minorities, namely the bodies that may be considered a form of non-territorial autonomy, according to their function, role and scope of jurisdiction.

The article is devoted to the doctrine & practice of the Law of Treaties. The author focuses his attention on the following four topics: (l) the Treaties & third States or third international organizations; (2) the Treaties that provide rights for third States or third international organizations; (3) the Treaties that set out obligations for third States or third international organizations. He pays special attention to the most-favored-nation clause. The author gives interpretations of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties 1969 & the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties between States & International Organizations or between International Organizations 1986. References. Adapted from the source document.

The author explores the genesis & development of electoral systems in the states created in the territory of the former Yugoslavia. The paper does a comparative analysis of the most significant components & characteristics of the electoral systems in the South Slavic states -- the highest averages methods, forms of candidature, modes of voting, levels of electoral constituency, methods of translating votes into seats & levels of a qualified suffrage. It also deals with the effects of implementation of the majority, mixed & proportional electoral systems in the mentioned group of countries during the last decade, particularly considering the representation of minority ethnic communities in their supreme legislative bodies. Tables, References. Adapted from the source document.

The author explores some fundamental aspects of international cooperation, its functional incentives & structural limitations, by describing the discussion between two most influential approaches in international relations theory: neorealism & neoliberalism, or to be more precise, between defensive neorealism & neoliberal institutionalism. During the discussion on possibilities & limitations of international co-operation neorealism & neoliberalism showed their differences, but also similarities of views that resulted in their approach, which is called the neo-neo synthesis in international relations theory. The discussion, that has been going on for three decades in USA also reflects on the practical foreign policy decision-making in this country. The discussion contains the ideas that can serve as means to explain some foreign policy approaches in our country as well. References. Adapted from the source document.

The author analyses the major changes to the political ideology & policy platform of the stateless nation's movement in Western European postindustrial states, taking the Scottish National Party as an special example. The analysis starts with the evolution of the Anglo-Scottish relations beginning from the creation of Union of English & Scottish kingdoms by the Act of Union in 1707. Author then presents the contemporary relationship between these two provinces of the United Kingdom. He stresses that since 1990s, the Scottish national movement have been pursuing the 'silent constitutional revolution' of this multinational community, which means using the most of globalization, the European integration process, & the so called devolution, to maximize the autonomy of Scotland within the United Kingdom. References. Adapted from the source document.

Endeavoring to establish the essence & the basic structural characteristics of the contemporary forms of terrorism the author firstly analyses different attempts to define the phenomenon itself as one of the most significant forms of the non-unconventional security threats. The paper points to different motives & objectives (political, social & other) of some actors that belong to various terrorist groups & organizations acting in the world today. In that regard, the approach of the states & international factors to this challenge should be different. As the author concludes that the results that have been achieved so far in the 'war on terror," as well as the consequences resulting from solely applying repression & the principle of non negotiation with terrorists, are such that should be critically reconsidered. References. Adapted from the source document.

This paper considers the role of money, particularly the role of monetary analysis in monetary policy-making. During the last three decades, many central banks changed their monetary policy considerably. In the late 1970s, money & the long-run effects of its movements on inflation were in the center-stage of economic policy. Given the breakdown of the relationship between monetary aggregates & goal variables such as inflation, many countries in the world have recently adopted inflation targeting as their monetary policy regime. The direct control of money supply lost importance. Central bankers operate in an environment of high uncertainty regarding the functioning of the economy. In such a complex environment, a single model or a limited set of indicators is not a sufficient guide for monetary policy. Monetary aggregates continue to be an important indicator variable, concludes the author. References. Adapted from the source document.

It had undoubtedly been the inadequate political & legal structure of the ethnic status & relations in the Socialist Republic of Bosnia & Herzegovina as well the unwillingness of the political elites to make a compromise that created a rather favourable potential for destructive shaping of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian social conditions. Immediately before the outbreak of war in BH (1992-1995) the preconditions had been created for a comparatively peaceful settlement of the unresolved political issues within the republic. Taking into consideration that the international community had assumed to act as a mediator its role could have been very important. However, with its "pre-war" position to BH it did not take advantage of the opportunities that were offered to settle or simplify the internal Bosnian & Herzegovinian political disputes, but, on the contrary, it contributed to the outbreak of war, its destructiveness & long duration, getting itself into a rather awkward position. Map, References. Adapted from the source document.

Ethnic minorities & minorities-related conflicts have always been one of the most important security issues for the international community. The durability of ethnic conflicts in certain regions & the difficulties in their resolution, have resulted in the outbreak of many armed conflicts, the collapse of multi-ethnic states, the changes of borders & of demographic relations. Despite the increasing number of security challenges & needs, it is still not possible to talk about a certain uniform & universally accepted model of solving the problems among ethnic minorities. It is obvious that in the post-Cold War period this is going to be an increasingly pressing need of international community. The paper deals with most basic security problems that are caused by the unsettled relationships between ethnic minorities & majority; it also covers the policies of their resolution. By analyzing the model of resolving ethnic conflicts in South Tyrol, two groups of ethnic conflicts' resolution policies are looked into: the policy of the elimination of differences & the policy of managing differences. 20 References. Adapted from the source document.