scholarly journals EU Policy Initiatives in the Mediterranean Region

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 130-134
Author(s):  
Mariya Hadzhipetrova-Lachova

Abstract The article traces the various stages in the development of EU - the Mediterranean region as well as the EU policy initiatives in the Mediterranean region. The very history of the European unification gives hope that by gaining experience in overcoming the difficulties of diverse nature, the Union will be able to “reset” relations with its Mediterranean partners, basing them on new principles and values.

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-58
Author(s):  
Mohamed Chamekh

This article explores illegal migration through Tunisian rap. It considers this music an aspect of resistance and protest against the socio-economic and political conditions obliging thousands of Tunisians to cross the Mediterranean in makeshift boats in search of better prospects and challenging the increasing security and legislative measures crippling mobility imposed by the EU and Tunisian authorities. This article contends that harga songs document the history of the working class in Tunisia and carve the identity of harraga as people who have been marginalised for generations. It concludes that EU-Tunisia security talks and dialogues remain ineffective as long as the root causes of illegal migration have not been addressed. Keywords: illegal migration, Tunisian rap, resistance, marginalization, security, immobility, identity


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 441-458
Author(s):  
Ivan Alexandrovich Chikharev

The relevance of the issues raised in the article is related to the active return of Russia to the Mediterranean region, as well as the international political transformations taking place in it. The purpose of the article is to identify the historical foundations, current state and strategic prospects of Russias presence and international influence in the Greater Mediterranean region. The article is based on the methodology of critical geopolitics, historical and comparative approaches, which critically analyze the geopolitical structures of the region, built in the interests of various regional and extra-regional political forces. The historical material of the ancient, medieval, new and modern periods in the history of the macro-region is used, including the poorly studied times of the Mongol presence on the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Scientific works on the history, geography and international relations in the region, written in the 18th - 19th centuries, as well as modern scientific information on the trends of technological, infrastructural and political development of the Mediterranean region are introduced into scientific circulation. An important element of the article is the thesis about the special role of Russia in the Pacific-European (Eurasian) transit. From the authors point of view, it includes not only the full implementation of Russias transport and logistics potential in the macro-region, but also the transfer of modern technologies, as well as the promotion of the formation of sustainable political regimes. As a result, a conclusion is made about the deep historical foundations of Russias presence and influence in the region, its strategic prospects are justified, and the main directions of our countrys international activities in the Mediterranean region are highlighted. An important conclusion of the article is the thesis about the need for a multilateral balanced approach to solving macro-regional problems.


Author(s):  
John D. Thompson

The Mediterranean region has had a long and complex history. The phasing of three main historical elements forms a Mediterranean triptych: geology, climate, and human activities. The geological fragmentation of the Mediterranean into distinct microregions and tectonic movement of its different microplates has continually reshaped the configuration of the terrestrial landscapes, islands, and mountains. Many areas have been land bridge connections across the sea. The Mediterranean region has a characteristic climate, the essential element of which is the occurrence of a summer drought. Although initial trends towards aridity are ancient, the Mediterranean climate only dates to the Pliocene. Climatic oscillations since its onset have caused sea level changes, influencing the appearance and disappearance of land bridge connections across different parts of the Mediterranean Sea, causing species’ range sizes to expand and contract in repeated phases. Finally, nowhere else in Europe has had such a long history of human presence and activity. In the last three millennia, the impact of human activities on the landscape has been dramatic in terms of the evolution of the mosaic landscape we now observe. The phased history of these three factors is at the heart of plant evolution in the Mediterranean.


2021 ◽  
pp. 100-107
Author(s):  
S. O. Kuznetsov

Globalization, imbalance in development of states, economic and political crises, search for a better life and military action often force people to leave their usual places of residence. A significant component of migration processes is illegal migration, which is especially dangerous when carried out by sea. The fragmentary nature of modern legal research in this area has led to the choice of the article to describe modern organizational and legal mechanisms to counteraction illegal migration by sea in the ongoing pandemic and develop proposals for their improvement. Based on the application of research methodology, which combines a number of general scientific (dialectical, historical) and special legal (formal legal, scientific forecasting) methods of scientific research, the article clarifies the dynamics of migration processes in the modern world. With the Mediterranean region serving as the example, their illegal component is characterized. Political, legal and organizational directions of cooperation of states in the counteraction against illegal migration are singled out, with the description of their relationship provided. It is noted that the availability of modern legal instruments has not helped to cope with the increasing number of migration flows and the consequences of illegal migration in the mid‑2010s in the EU. The impact of border restrictions due to the spread of the COVID‑19 pandemic was not significant. The decline in illegal migration in the Mediterranean region is due to other organizational measures. It is concluded that it is currently necessary to ensure high-quality implementation of international law, IMO and other international institutions’ recommendations. There is the need to develop and improve bylaws directly related to counteraction illegal migration at sea. The responsibility of states, their vessels and rescue services and migrants on board vessels that do not meet maritime safety requirements should also be addressed.


Author(s):  
John D. Thompson

Plant Evolution in the Mediterranean: Insights for conservation brings together a diverse literature on the Mediterranean flora in a detailed but synthetic account of plant evolutionary ecology. The central themes of ecological dynamics and evolutionary differentiation are developed at two spatial scales: habitat variation across the landscape and biogeographic processes across the Mediterranean. The history of the Mediterranean region is at the heart of this account and is described within a triptych that links geological and climatic history to the advent and history of human activities. The Mediterranean region is a hotspot of plant biodiversity, a key ingredient of which is its richness in endemic species. A primary question motivating this book concerns the role of historical factors and spatial environmental variation in the evolution of endemism. The Mediterranean landscape is a mosaic of ecological conditions, often with variation over short distances. A second focus is on the ecological and historical factors that mediate dispersal, reproduction, and adaptive trait variation in this mosaic landscape. With an ever-growing human footprint on the Mediterranean region, this book addresses a third major theme concerning the vulnerability and conservation of the flora. Alongside a traditional approach to rare species and protected area management, the book argues for the integration of the loss of evolutionary potential as a priority in conservation policy and practice. This accessible text is aimed at students and researchers in plant evolution, ecology, biogeography, and conservation science. It will be of interest to scientists and natural history societies worldwide.


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