Suchergebnisse

This paper argues that various EU policy initiatives towards the Western Balkans in the period of 1990-1999 did not in fact encourage the Western Balkans to move on and secure quicker integration into the European Union. They also failed to support reforms in the political, economic and social spheres. In addition, EU initiatives were too ineffective in terms of development of regional cooperation among countries of the region. Thus, new models were -- and still are -- needed if the EU remains committed to further enlargement in the Western Balkans. The author proposes development of a euro-region in the Western Balkans. In this way, countries of the Western Balkans would be encouraged to collaborate in applying for EU funding, which would support other forms of cooperation. However, since the funds are now restricted, it is more likely that even this approach would have only limited success. Adapted from the source document.

The author aims to present the etymology and history of the laicity principle as an important part of the political history of the West, particularly of France. The laicity idea has a very important place in the context of church-state relations, of separation of the two, and of their cooperation in certain areas (in models of cooperation). Since the concepts of laicity, secularism, secularisation and laicisation are often used in such a way as to make clear distinction impossible, an outline of their fundamental distinctions and an elucidation of possible ways of their use in political science seem to be fully justified. With regard to their etymological origins (Greek, Latin and French sources), the above-mentioned concepts are part of the common European tradition of establishing relations between the church and the state, relying on foundations which have demonstrated, in the course of history, their importance and various political applications. Adapted from the source document.

This paper argues that various EU policy initiatives towards the Western Balkans in the period of 1990-1999 did not in fact encourage the Western Balkans to move on and secure quicker integration into the European Union. They also failed to support reforms in the political, economic and social spheres. In addition, EU initiatives were too ineffective in terms of development of regional cooperation among countries of the region. Thus, new models were -- and still are -- needed if the EU remains committed to further enlargement in the Western Balkans. The author proposes development of a euro-region in the Western Balkans. In this way, countries of the Western Balkans would be encouraged to collaborate in applying for EU funding, which would support other forms of cooperation. However, since the funds are now restricted, it is more likely that even this approach would have only limited success. Adapted from the source document.

This study deals with the phenomenon of paradiplomacy, or parallel diplomacy. Paradiplomacy refers to international activities of cities and regions and includes marketing and public diplomacy, cross-border cooperation, functional trans-border cooperation, cultural and educational cooperation, and other activities. Paradiplomacy developed in the last third of the 20th century as a result of economic globalization, state decentralization, nationalism and the strengthening of regional identity, European integration, and the internationalization of cultural, educational, environmental, transport and other topics labelled as "low politics". Thus, we can identify both economic and political foundations of paradiplomacy. The first part of the study presents a review of literature on paradiplomacy; the second part is a case study of foreign policy instituted by the City of Prague in the electoral term 2006-2010. This case study confirmed initial hypotheses: first, that paradiplomacy is influenced by three supra-national factors: economic globalization (a), regional and global political and economic regimes (b), and transnational networks, mainly based in the EU (c); second, that paradiplomacy is influenced by institutional and constitutional relations between the centre and regions; third, that paradiplomacy is influenced by the antagonistic nature of these relations. Adapted from the source document.

The fight against illegal migration has become one of the key issues in EU politics in recent years. The author of this publication deals profoundly with the way how EU protects its borders and with the role that the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders, generally known as FRONTEX, plays in border protection. This young agency, which was established only in 2005, has gained a position in the area of border protection in the EU. The aim of this book is to analyse the space FRONTEX has for autonomous action vis-a-vis the positions of the member states which perceive border protection to be one of their important competences

»Proizlazi da je teološka dimenzija nužna bilo da se protumače bilo da se riješe aktualni problemi ljudskoga suživota« (Ivan Pavao II., Centesimus annus, br. 55) Nove okolnosti donose i nove izazove na koje je potrebno odgovoriti. Kako bi odgovor bio primjeren i polučio željeni uspjeh važno je pri tome razriješiti sve relevantne nepoznanice. Početkom 90-ih godina prošlog stoljeća demokracija, pluralizam mišljenja, parlamentarizam, višestranačje i izbori, prava i slobode prodrli su u hrvatsko društvo. Zbog nedostatka demokratske tradicije i njezine praktične primjene društvo je u to vrijeme karakteriziralo stanje nesnalaženja i neupućenosti. Važnost poznavanja svakoga pojedinog subjekta od posebnog je značaja u pluralističkom društvu. Te činjenice osobito je bio svjestan kardinal Franjo Kuharić. Budući da je zbog ateizma u prošlom društvenom sustavu za većinu stanovnika u Hrvatskoj Crkva bila nepoznata, on je držao bitnim predstaviti je vjernicima i široj javnosti. U prvom se dijelu članka, stoga, prikazuju naglasci njegove misli o porijeklu, naravi, poslanju i službi Crkve i to u svjetlu službenog nauka Drugoga vatikanskog koncila. Drugi dio članka pokazuje Kuharićev istančan smisao za uočavanje i isticanje bitnoga kao i lakoću i jednostavnost u prenošenju poruke. Polazeći s kršćanskog kuta motrenja on u središte postavlja teme koje su izuzetno važne za razumijevanje, ali i daljnje usmjerenje pojedinca, društva i države. Uz društveno-politički vid govora o demokraciji, zajedničkom dobru, političkim strankama i slobodnom izboru Kuharić naročito stavlja naglasak na njihovu etičku dimenziju. U trećem se dijelu članka prikazuje Kuharićevo stajalište o suodnosu Crkve i države u novim okolnostima, njihovi prostori autonomije i suradnje oko zajedničkog dobra pojedinca i zajednice. Iako bi se prikazano moglo nazvati općenitim i poznatim, konkretne okolnosti kao i mentalitet određenog naroda čine da ono općenito i poznato bude prepoznato i vezuje se upravo uz pojedini narod. Kardinal Franjo Kuharić je tom nimalo lakom zahtjevu nedvosmisleno dao svoj doprinos. ; New circumstances bring new challenges that need to be addressed. In order to reach an adequate response and sought-out success, it is important to disentangle all the relevant unknowns. At the beginning of the nineties of the past century democracy, pluralism of thought, numerous political parties and elections, rights and freedoms all found their place in the Croatian society. However, since this society had no democratic tradition and no tradition of practical implementation of democracy, it was, at that time, characterised by the state of confusion and ignorance. The importance of knowing each and every subject is especially needed in a pluralistic society. Cardinal Franjo Kuharić was well aware of this fact. Since the atheism of the former social system made the Church unknown to the most of the citizens of Croatia, he considered of utmost importance the task of introducing the Church to the faithful and to public. Therefore, the first section of this article presents the highlights of his thought on the origins, the nature, the mission, and the service of the Church in light of the official teaching of the Second Vatican Council. The second section of the article proceeds by showing Kuharic's nuanced sense for noticing and pointing out what is important as well as the levity and simplicity with which he was able to convey a message. Starting from a Christian point of view, the Cardinal emphasises the issues which are extremely important for understanding and a further guidance of an individual, society, and state. Beside the social-political part of his discourse, which treats issues like democracy, common good, political parties, and free elections, the Cardinal also emphasises the ethical dimension of these issues. The third section of this article shows Kuharic's position on the Church-state relation in the new circumstances, their respected areas of autonomy and their cooperation on those matters that constitute the common good of individuals and community. Although the article shows the matters which might be considered quite general and well-known, the concrete circumstances and the mentality of a certain nation have a capacity to transform what is general and well-known into what is specific for a certain nation. Without doubt, Cardinal Franjo Kuharić managed to give his contribution to this uneasy task.

U radu su analizirani zakonski i normativno-pravni akti o sudjelovanju građana u procesu donošenja odluka u jedinicama lokalne samouprave. Sudjelovanje građana u procesu odlučivanja jeste građansko pravo koje građani konzumiraju na svim razinama vlasti, kako na lokalnim tako i na višim razinama vlasti, što čini temelj razvoja demokratskog društva. S obzirom na složenost ustroja i funkcioniranja Bosne i Hercegovine, postoji velik broj normativno-pravnih akata koji reguliraju navedeno područje. Može se očekivati da će ova tema biti zanimljiva ne samo znanstvenicima čije je polje zanimanja javna uprava nego i široj javnosti iz razloga što građani većinu svojih interesa, potreba i očekivanja (prema provedenim istraživanjima preko 70%) upravo ostvaruju na lokalnoj razini. ; Citizens' participation in decision-making process is a civil right that citizens consume at all government levels, either directly or indirectly. Citizens' participation is regulated by the Constitutions (at the state, entity, and cantonal levels), as well as by the laws on local self-government and by the statute, which is the basic normative legal act of local self-government units. Although legal regulation of citizens' participation has been harmonised with the European Charter of Local Self-Government, an analysis of legislation concerning citizens' participation has shown numerous differences, deficiencies, and unfinished solutions in the regulations at the municipal and sub-municipal levels, as well as at the entity and cantonal levels of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, primarily due to the complex organisation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. What is necessary is to adopt the Law of Referendum at the entity (and state) level, and to amend and harmonise other regulations related to citizens' participation – entity and cantonal Constitutions, the Law on Local Self-Government at the entity and cantonal levels, and municipal and sub-municipal statutes. It is also necessary to adopt the Regulation of the Rules of Citizens' participation at the Local Level. Local self-government units must develop and adopt their partnership strategies for cooperation with local citizens.

The EU Marine Strategy Directive (2008/56/EC) proposes four marine regions as a political geographic framework for implementation of the Community's environmental policy. This study critically analyzes the state-based approach, which the Directive uses to outline the regions' boundaries. It suggests that environmental sustainability of marine odies strongly depends on the geographic congruence between their watersheds and the borders of the respective environmental management system, i.e., marine regions have to be environmentally managed within their watersheds. The proposed watershed-based approach also takes into consideration all elements – water, land, and air – of marine regions, which is a conditio sine qua non for their integrated and sustainable management. In the case of the Black Sea region in particular, the borders of a watershed-based environmental management system include a much wider set of stakeholder countries and enable a higher level of environmental cooperation among them. ; Direktiva marinske strategije Europske unije (2008/56/EC) predlaže četiri marinska područja kao političko geografski okvir za primjenu politike o zaštiti okoliša u Europskoj uniji. Ovaj rad kritički analizira pristup koji se temelji na državnim granicama, a kojim se Direktiva koristi za određivanje granica regija. Autor također smatra da održivost okoliša u marinskim područjima uvelike ovisi o geografskom podudaranju između pojedinih sljevova i granicama njihovih sustava upravljanja okolišem, tj. okolišem u marinskim područjima treba upravljati unutar njihovih sljevova. Predloženi pristup koji se temelji na granicama sljevova također u obzir uzima sve elemente marinskih sustava (voda, zemlja i zrak), koji su conditio sine qua non za integralno i održivo upravljanje. Crno more je dobar primjer u kojem sustav upravljanja okolišem koji je određen granicama slijeva uključuje puno veći broj zemalja dionika te omogućuje višu razinu suradnje među zemljama vezano uz upravljanje okolišem.