Political processes in the post-Soviet space: new trends and old problems

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
International Relations ◽  
International Organizations ◽  
Political Institutions ◽  
The Political ◽  
Political Systems ◽  
South Caucasus ◽  
Political Processes ◽  
Political Forces ◽  
Soviet Space ◽  
Post Soviet Space

The authors of the book analyze domestic political processes and international relations in the post-Soviet space. They examine the balance of political forces in Belarus after the presidential elections in August 2020, and transformations of political systems in Ukraine and Moldova. The main features of formation of the political institutions in the countries of South Caucasus and Central Asia and the latest trends in their devel-opment are analyzed. Attention is paid to the Karabakh and Donbass conflicts. The book examines the policy of major non-regional actors (USA, EU, China, Turkey) in the post-Soviet space. The results of develop-ment of the EAEU have been summed up. The role in the political processes in the post-Soviet space of a number of international organizations and associations (the CIS, the Union State of Russia and Belarus, the CSTO etc.) is revealed.

scholarly journals Ukrainian-Georgian Relations at the present Stage

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-73
Author(s):  
E. I. Zyabkina
Keyword(s):  
The United States ◽  
The Political ◽  
Interstate Relations ◽  
Western Countries ◽  
Political Processes ◽  
Multilateral Cooperation ◽  
Political Forces ◽  
Soviet Space ◽  
The Eu ◽  
Post Soviet Space

After the collapse of the USSR Ukraine and Georgia began to develop their interstate relations actively. This development was facilitated by the political processes in each of the states, as well as the foreign policy pursued by Kiev and Tbilisi. Initially, countries focused on expanding interaction with Western countries, which were considered to be potential partners. Ukraine and Georgia were eager to develop the relations with the EU and NATO. In turn, European countries and the United States paid increased attention to Ukraine and Georgia.The alignment of forces in each of the states contributed to the rapprochement of Kiev and Tbilisi. The political forces of both countries pursued a course of distancing from Russia and rapprochement with Western countries. As a result, Ukrainian-Georgian relations relied on similar political positions, which allowed countries to expand cooperation on a bilateral basis and within the framework of multilateral cooperation mechanisms.In recent years Ukrainian-Georgian relations have been developing dynamically. Two states are pursuing a policy of joining NATO, expanding cooperation with the EU. Ukraine is interested in deepening cooperation with Tbilisi due to strained relations with Russia. In addition, Ukraine seeks to use the Western sanctions policy towards Russia to solve domestic political and socio-economic problems. Whereas, Western countries are interested in strengthening the Ukrainian-Georgian tandem hoping to use it in promotion of their interests in the post-Soviet space and in implementing policies towards Russia.This article explores the prospects for the development of interstate Ukrainian-Georgian relations, which will reflect the political processes in the post-Soviet countries.

In the mirror of transitology: The politics of power alternation in the Caucasus and Central Asia

2022 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 7-42
Author(s):  
S. A. Pritchin
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
The Political ◽  
The South ◽  
South Caucasus ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Political Processes ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Ruling Elites ◽  
Soviet Space ◽  
Post Soviet Space

In 2021 the countries of Central Asia and the South Caucasus celebrate the 30th anniversary of independence. According to the paradigm of transitology, the political development of a state since the departure from the authoritarian regime entails progressive liberalization and democratization of political processes. And, in accordance with the predominant theoretical approaches, the post-Soviet states were expected to follow this path. However, a closer look at the specifi c scenarios of power alternation in the Central Asia and the South Caucasus provides a much more mixed picture: here the change of ruling elites took very diff erent forms and shapes. The choice of scenario for the transfer of power was always determined by a complex combination of internal and external factors, including the nature and characteristics of the political system of a particular state, its ethnic com-position, the socio-economic situation and external environment. Nevertheless, it is possible to discern several key scenarios: a ‘revolutionary’ scenario, which implies a violent change of power; an intra-elite consensus; transition of power to a successor; a hereditary transmission of power; democratic elections; a resigna-tion of a president. A comparative analysis of the political processes unfolding in the region over the past 30 years shows that even institutionally the countries of Central Asia and the South Caucasus are not ready yet for a competition policy. Moreover, the latter is generally viewed by their leaders as a threat to both the stability of the state and to the interests of the ruling elites. To this may be added the expansion of diff erent informal, archaic political practices across the post-Soviet space. The latter include the sacralization of power, when national interests are equated with the interests of the ruling clan and the whole national identity is built up around this nexus. All this shows the limits of classical transitology theory when it comes to political transformations in the post-Soviet space, which it is unable to explain, yet alone to predict their possible future development. Thus, there is a strong need to develop new theoretical frameworks that would better accommodate particularities of the regional political systems.

RUSSIAN-UZBEKISTAN RELATIONS IN THE LAST YEARS OF THE PRESIDENCY OF ISLAM KARIMOV

2021 ◽  
pp. 10-52
Author(s):  
Konstantin E. Meshcheryakov ◽  
Keyword(s):  
International Organizations ◽  
Legal Status ◽  
The Political ◽  
Political Condition ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Soviet Space ◽  
Bilateral Cooperation ◽  
Official Sources ◽  
Post Soviet Space

The article investigates the evolution of the Russian-Uzbekistani relations in the last years of the presidency of Islam Karimov (2012–2016). Based on a wide range of official sources and periodicals, it identifies the main trends, achievements and issues of bilateral cooperation in the political, trade, economic and humanitarian spheres. It determines the factors that influenced the interaction between Moscow and Tashkent, and pays a particular attention to the role of the presidents of the two states in the development and strength- ening of their cooperation. The author concludes that throughout the period under review the Rus- sian-Uzbekistani relations faced serious challenges. They were remarkably conflicting, unpredictable, inconsistent, and quite turbulent, what provoked the discussions about the correspondence of their real political condition to their high legal status (in 2004, Russia and Uzbekistan became strategic part- ners, and in 2005, allied states). Nevertheless, the two countries overcame most of their differences and took a course towards the further expansion and deep- ening, as well as modernization of their relations. As a result, at present Uzbeki- stan remains one of the most important Russia’s partners not only in Central Asia, but throughout the post-Soviet space, as well as within the framework of the leading international organizations.

scholarly journals The Colour Revolutions in the Post-Soviet Space: Illusion and Reality of the Post-Soviet Civil Disobedience

2016 ◽  
pp. 135-151
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Kozłowski
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Civil Disobedience ◽  
The Political ◽  
Political Systems ◽  
Political Events ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Important Challenge ◽  
Criminal Charges ◽  
Soviet Space ◽  
Post Soviet Space

The political events that took place at the end of 2003 in Georgia, in 2004 in Ukraine and in 2005 in Kyrgyzstan are popularly called the Rose, Orange and Tulip Revolution or collectively: the Colour Revolutions in the post-Soviet space. At first glance the term “revolution” may seem appropriate. The Colour Revolutions have resulted in the regime change in all the three states. However, from a decade-long perspective one may notice that the revolutionary changes in the political systems of Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan did not actually take place. The post-revolutionary reality: the Russian-Georgian war and criminal charges against the revolutionary Georgian President Micheil Saakashvili, theinfamous ending to the political career of the revolutionary leader Victor Yushchenko just four year after the Orange Revolution and the spectacular collapse of the Victor Yanukovych regime, which led to a hybrid warfare with Russia, or Kyrgyzstan’s permanent political instability following the revolutionary events of 2005 require yet another insight into what has happened in Tbilisi, Kiev, and Bishkek. Without an in-depth analysis of the events, it is impossible to understand the fundamental social and political dynamics of the ongoing and future changes in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus or Central Asia. The re-evaluation of the Colour Revolutions is not only of historical importance, though. It is also a universal lesson concerning the most important challenge that all the democratic social movements active in the authoritarian or post-authoritarian states have to face: how to manage large-scale civil disobedience protests of a disappointed society while the ruling governments do not follow democratic rules and the international community does not fully comprehend the significance of the ongoing changes.

scholarly journals Ukrainian-Moldovan Relations in 1991-2014: Review of Domestic and Foreign Historiography

2017 ◽  
pp. 97-124
Author(s):  
Iryna Vyshnia
Keyword(s):  
International Relations ◽  
Political Development ◽  
Huge Number ◽  
Political Processes ◽  
Bilateral Relations ◽  
Soviet Space ◽  
Object Of Study ◽  
The Eu ◽  
Post Soviet Space

The article analyses the main groups of scientific works in Ukrainian and foreign historiography. The main focus was made on dividing the existing historical researches into groups by their main object of study. Among them, one can distinguish the following ones: works reviewing the global and European political processes and the role of Ukraine and Moldova therein; the Ukrainian-Moldovan cooperation with the EU and NATO; Ukraine’s and Moldova’s participation in the integration processes on the post-Soviet space; the bilateral Ukrainian-Moldovan cooperation; the course and settlement of the Transnistrian conflict; political development of Ukraine and Moldova. Special attention is focused on the comparative analysis of the different perspectives of the Ukrainian, Moldovan (including Transnistrian), Russian and other authors on such issues as Transnistrian conflict, rapprochement of Ukraine and Moldova with the EU and NATO, the role of Russia in the Transnistrian conflict. The author underlines that the changes in political development of both countries, as well as those in the international relations greatly influenced the activity of researches surrounding bilateral relations of Ukraine and Moldova, so did they on such issues as Transnistrian conflict and the conflict in Donbas (Ukraine). It is concluded that even with numerous publications focused on Ukrainian-Moldovan relations existing, there is a huge number of unexplored issues in this category.

scholarly journals Development of Innovative Technologies in Education

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 5947-5951
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
International Relations ◽  
International Organizations ◽  
Technological Development ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Common Space ◽  
Soviet Space ◽  
The Common ◽  
European University ◽  
Post Soviet Space

The problems of interaction between international organizations and universities correlate with a set of key problems in the theory of international relations because they are associated with the phenomena of globalization, regionalism, and multiculturalism. They also relate to the prospects for the influence of universal humanitarian and technological development ideas on the policies of individual countries and consolidated groups of states. The authors claim that the successful promotion of the European Union in harmonizing the common space of higher education and the demand for the European university model in other regions of the world, including in the post-Soviet space, is ruled by the combination of its universalism and tolerance with the concept of the diversity value in higher education.

scholarly journals Features of the Transit of Power in Kyrgyzstan and Georgia in the Context of Emerging Political Institutions

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 14-23
Author(s):  
S. Pritchin
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Central Asia ◽  
Political Institutions ◽  
Political Processes ◽  
Soviet Space ◽  
The Government ◽  
Post Soviet Space

Kyrgyzstan and Georgia are two states of the post-Soviet space where political processes take place in atypical scenarios for the region. In both countries, since independence in 1991, the change and transit of power has occurred more often than in their neighbors, and under different scenarios. Both republics are recognized as leaders in the post-Soviet region for liberalization and democratization, both are de-jure parliamentary republics, while Kyrgyzstan is the only parliamentary republic in Central Asia. At the same time, the peculiarity of the transit of power in the republics is the fact that after the change of power each time passed into the hands of either the opposition, or covertly or clearly conflicting with the government counter-elite. The article provides a comparative analysis of the historical, ideological, and geographical features of the formation of socio-political models of societies in countries that could be the causes of the phenomenon of cardinal change of power in any transit scenario.

scholarly journals Modern Vectors of Russian Diplomacy in the Post-Soviet Space

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 315-330
Author(s):  
O. G. Karpovich ◽  
A. V. Davydova
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Central Asia ◽  
The Political ◽  
The South ◽  
South Caucasus ◽  
Soviet Space ◽  
Post Soviet Space ◽  
Forward Looking

The countries of the post-Soviet space are of particular importance for Russia’s geopolitical interests. This primarily concerns the political and economic processes taking place in them. Moreover, of great importance are the approaches of the post-Soviet countries to cooperation with Russia and integration processes in the post-Soviet space. In view of significant negative trends in the international arena, the consolidation of the post-Soviet space is acquiring paramount significance. Numerous challenges and complexity of the tasks that Russia is facing in the present region underscore the need for a balanced, pragmatic and forward-looking approach in bilateral and multilateral relations with the states. The focus of Russian diplomacy is still on Ukraine, the countries of the South Caucasus and Central Asia, Moldova and Belarus. These countries are the priority partners of Russia, the priority of its foreign policy.

scholarly journals Ojective and subjective factors of the development of a model of states management in Ukraine

2008 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 142-152
Author(s):  
V. I. Melnychenko ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Political Processes ◽  
Soviet Space ◽  
Post Soviet Space

The author’s view of peculiarities of both the models of state’s management in the post-Soviet space and the reasons underlying their formation is presented. The specificity of the strengthening of the president-centrism in Ukraine is shown. It is emphasized that the president-centric model is mainly oriented to the interests of the bureaucracy and is not adequate to the increasing influence of the great business on political processes.

scholarly journals THE CONCEPTS «CHIEFDOM» AND «STATE» IN THE EVALUATION OF THE POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS IN THE EARLY MEDIEVAL EMPIRES OF CENTRAL ASIA

2016 ◽  
pp. 22-27
Author(s):  
S. A. Vasyutin
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Political Institutions ◽  
Political Organization ◽  
The Political ◽  
Political Systems ◽  
Early Medieval ◽  
Complexity Level ◽  
Total Compliance

The article deals with the evaluation of the political institutions in early medievalCentral Asia. The existing approaches to defining the governing systems of the imperial nomad unions focus on the concepts "chiefdom" and "state", but in both cases researchers have to state an absence of total compliance of the nomadic empires' governing structures to the classical attributes of chiefdom and state, thus constantly making reservations, which blur these concepts. The purpose of the work is to consider the possibility of solving this problem by using a broader "net" of terms determining different political systems and stages in their development in relation to early medieval nomadic empires. The methodological base of the article is the modern conceptions of multilinearity and diversity of the political genesis. The research has resulted in determination of a range of concepts which could better reflect the specificity of political institutions of different nomadic empires or make this evaluation more neutral but providing a clearer understanding of the complexity level of the political organization. 

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