scholarly journals AFTER TEN YEARS IN THE ALLIANCE

2014 ◽  
pp. 9-10
Keyword(s):  
Armed Forces ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Learning From Experience ◽  
The Road ◽  
The Future ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Republic ◽  
On The Road ◽  
Professional Fields

At the beginning of the year, we announced that the third issue of the Contemporary Military Challenges would be dedicated to the tenth anniversary of the accession of the Republic of Slovenia to NATO. However, we did not expect such a good response. We received articles from authors who are very familiar with the history of Slovenia's efforts to join the Alliance; most of them were also personally involved in the process. Since they are still present and active in their professional fields, their views of the past events have a special personal character, while their views of the future are enriched by the theoretical knowledge and personal experience. Unfortunately, we cannot publish all the articles we have received. The guiding principle in the selection was the focus on the defence and military contents, since we mainly wanted to pay attention to the contents to which this publication is dedicated and which are defined in its acts as its basic mission. In 2009, we marked the fifth anniversary of Slovenia’s membership in the Alliance and the sixtieth anniversary of the Alliance with a special thematic issue.The themes covered were very interesting for the countries of the South Eastern Europe which were treading the path that Slovenia had already travelled. We expect this issue to be of interest to people who like the defence and military themes, to younger generations and to all those who might still be on the road of approximating to or entering the Alliance. By reading the contents below, you can discover how successful we were in ensuring this interest. The article titled NATO after 2014 – Back to the Roots or Forward towards the Future? by Uros Lampret and Staša Novak presents the Alliance today, the current security trends that are emerging in the world, and the responses to them. The authors claim that back to the roots or forward towards the future does not mean two different directions, but something completely different. In theoretical and practical terms, Milan Jazbec gives an overview of the Slovenian experiences at the time which constitutes the central theme of this issue. He uses the term “learning from experience”, and the title of his article Slovenia and NATO: the Long and Winding Road is not merely symbolic. Andrej Osterman prepared an overview of the operation of the Slovenian Armed Forces and its experiences within the Alliance. In the article titled Republic of Slovenia in NATO – Slovenian Armed Forces Ten Years Later, he presented the key changes and progress of the Slovenian military. Damir Črnčec and Janez Urbanc focused on the intelligence and security area. In the article titled Streamlining the Intelligence and Security Structures in NATO and the European Union, the authors describe in detail the changes in the organization and the functioning of the intelligence and security community in the international environment, and also the role of Slovenia in it. In his article titled Slovenia's Contribution to Afghanistan Peace and Reintegration Programme (APRP) – Policy Advisor’s Perspective, Aljosa Selan presents the activities in Afghanistan after the gradual withdrawal of the Allied Forces, aimed at the best possible preparation of the country’s residents for an independent and quality everyday life. The Normative Role of the Alliance in Non-Conventional Security Threats – Cyber Defence of the Member States is the title of the article written by Adriana Dvoršak. The author raises topical issues which are changing so rapidly that the security structures are already aware of possible threats. There is much that still needs to be done in order to achieve effective protection. We would like to thank all the authors for their work and efforts, especially for their willingness to share with us their knowledge, experiences and views. We invite all those who might be thinking about preparing an article, but have not yet decided to do so, to send us their contributions.

Wyzwanie dla tożsamości międzynarodowej Macedonii – grecko macedoński spór o nazwę państwa

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 333-350
Author(s):  
Artur Adamczyk ◽  
Mladen Karadzoski
Keyword(s):  
The European Union ◽  
Small Country ◽  
Main Obstacle ◽  
The Road ◽  
Republic Of Macedonia ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Government ◽  
On The Road ◽  
International Identity ◽  
Of Greece

The main purpose of the article is to present how the Greek- -Macedonian naming dispute influenced the problem of implementation the international identity of Macedonia. Despite the initial problems of the government in Skopje related to determining their international identity, Macedonians managed to define the principles regarding the identification of a new state on the international stage. As a small country with limited attributes to shape its international position, Macedonia has basically been determined to seek guarantees for its existence and security in stable and predictable European international structures such as NATO and the European Union. The main obstacle for Macedonians on the road to Euro-Atlantic structures was the veto of Greece, a member of these organizations, resulting from Athens’ refusal to accept the name the Republic of Macedonia. The Prespa Agreement of 2018 gave a new impetus to the realization of the international identity of North Macedonia.

scholarly journals Cycling Pathways

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henk-Jan Dekker
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Political Struggle ◽  
The Road ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The World ◽  
Road Space ◽  
History Of ◽  
On The Road

In an effort to fight climate change, many cities try to boost their cycling levels. They often look towards the Dutch for guidance. However, historians have only begun to uncover how and why the Netherlands became the premier cycling country of the world. Why were Dutch cyclists so successful in their fight for a place on the road? Cycling Pathways: The Politics and Governance of Dutch Cycling Infrastructure, 1920-2020 explores the long political struggle that culminated in today’s high cycling levels. Delving into the archives, it uncovers the important role of social movements and shows in detail how these interacted with national, provincial, and urban engineers and policymakers to govern the distribution of road space and construction of cycling infrastructure. It discusses a wide range of topics, ranging from activists to engineering committees, from urban commuters to recreational cyclists and from the early 1900s to today in order to uncover the long and all-but-forgotten history of Dutch cycling governance.

9. Maastricht and Amsterdam (the Late 1980s to the Late 1990s)

2020 ◽  
pp. 154-171
Author(s):  
Simon Bulmer ◽  
Owen Parker ◽  
Ian Bache ◽  
Stephen George ◽  
Charlotte Burns
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Monetary Union ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Major Step ◽  
The Road ◽  
European Citizenship ◽  
History Of ◽  
On The Road ◽  
Commission President ◽  
Treaty Of Amsterdam

This chapter examines two important developments in the history of the European Union (EU): the signing of the Maastricht and Amsterdam Treaties. In June 1989, the European Council agreed to European Commission President Jacques Delors’s three-stage plan for monetary union by 1999, despite British opposition. In 1991, intergovernmental conferences (IGCs) were held on both monetary union and political union. The proposals of these IGCs were incorporated into the Treaty on European Union (TEU), agreed at Maastricht in December 1991. The TEU marked a major step on the road to European integration. It committed most of the member states to adopting a single currency and introduced the concept of European citizenship, among others. This chapter considers the events leading up to the signing of the TEU, from the Maastricht negotiations to the issue of enlargement, the 1996 IGC, and the Treaty of Amsterdam.

scholarly journals Transitions from temporary employment to permanent employment among young adults: The role of labour law and education systems

2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 689-707
Author(s):  
Björn Högberg ◽  
Mattias Strandh ◽  
Anna Baranowska-Rataj
Keyword(s):  
Temporary Employment ◽  
Employment Protection ◽  
Transition Rates ◽  
Temporary Workers ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Education Systems ◽  
Permanent Employment ◽  
The Road ◽  
On The Road

Temporary work is common across Europe, especially among young people. Whether temporary employment is a transitory stage on the road to standard employment, and whether this varies depending on institutional contexts, is controversial. This article investigates variability in transition rates from temporary to permanent employment across Europe, and how this is related to employment protection legislation (EPL) and the vocational specificity of education systems. We utilize harmonized panel data from the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions, covering 18 European countries and including 34,088 temporary workers aged 18–30. The results show that stricter EPL is associated with lower rates of transitions to permanent employment, while partial deregulation, with strict EPL for permanent contracts but weaker EPL for temporary contracts, is associated with higher transition rates. Vocationally specific education systems have higher transition rates, on average. Moreover, the role of EPL is conditional on the degree of vocational specificity.

Socialist Neighborhoods after Socialism

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 486-509 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly Elman Zarecor
Keyword(s):  
Construction Technology ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Architectural Style ◽  
Architectural Practice ◽  
Grant Programs ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Future ◽  
History Of ◽  
Physical Degradation

The Czech Republic’s socialist-era neighborhoods are largely intact twenty years after the end of Communist Party rule. These buildings will be rehabilitated, but not replaced, because of financial and logistical constraints. In the context of the country’s accession to the European Union in 2004 and the recent global economic crisis, this essay questions what can and should be done in an effort to make these neighborhoods better places to live in the present and the future. It starts with a brief history of postwar housing construction and socialist-era design methodologies, exploring postwar architectural practice and innovations in construction technology that were connected to the industrialization of housing production. The role of the Baťa Company in the development of panelák technology is described. In the context of post-socialist rehabilitation efforts, the discussion addresses current housing policy including regulated rents and the shift in emphasis from renting to ownership. Government subsidies and grant programs are considered, as well as problems such as physical degradation and social segregation. The essay proposes that for the future the social and spatial ideas that were part of the original designs may be more important than the architectural style of individual buildings.

scholarly journals The Role of Political Leadership in Macedonia in Function of EU Integration

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 98
Author(s):  
Mirvan Xhemaili
Keyword(s):  
Transition Period ◽  
Political Leadership ◽  
The Political ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
The Road ◽  
Eu Integration ◽  
On The Road ◽  
The Eu

The dissolution of the former Yugoslavia was associated by destructive interethnic conflicts, by local and regional wars. Macedonia is also closely related to Europe politically and economically. The paper analyzes the role of political leadership on the road to EU integration. The research is one of many efforts that have been undertaken lately on the European Union development, its enlargement policy and the integration of Macedonia in EU. Specifically, this type of research is very important for the Macedonia, having in mind that the country has experienced the worst and the longest transition after the Cold War. The aim of the paper is to identify the main difficulties and challenges that make this process less successful. Macedonia started this journey in 2001 by signing the PSA/MSA. Right after its independence the country has faced many internal and external challenges. The country id undergoing a 25 years’ transition period of democratization and consolidation. The road to EU Integration has made the country undergo many reforms in many fields. The country views the process of integration as a strategic objective. The EU union has shown its interest to include the aspiring countries from the Western Balkans in its family. There is a high percentage of citizens for this process. The political leadership has not been responsible for the reforms in the country that have been addressed by EU. The political leadership uses the EU membership as a rhetoric in political campaign rather than doing more for the process, the paper analyzes the rhetoric and the reality by different methodologies. Political leaders should do more for the EU Integration and consider themselves as the only responsible party.

scholarly journals EDITORIAL

2012 ◽  
pp. 9-10
Keyword(s):  
National Security ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Security System ◽  
Security Environment ◽  
Defence Budget ◽  
Imple Mentation ◽  
The Future ◽  
Defence Strategy ◽  
The Republic

You are looking at this year’s second issue which is dedicated to the Slovenian national security system, the role of the armed forces within it, and their future. The authors of this issue primarily come from the areas of the military and defence. It may be a coincidence, but the Slovenian national security system, the Slovenian Armed Forces and their future seem to play a less important role in times of solving other more challenging issues and situations. The need for rationality, economy, innovativeness and the achievement of maximum possible impact with minimum resources used is understandable, yet the national security system, as an integral part of international security, may thus become very fragile and vulnerable. The French economist and statesman of the 17th century, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, believed that trade was the source of finance, while finance was the vital nerve of war. Is it possible to assume that the lack of trade, and thus finance, may lead to social unrest and, consequently, the destabilisation of the national security system? Constant cuts in the defence budget should not hinder thinking and writing about the future of the Slovenian national security system and its individual elements which include the defence system and the Slovenian Armed Forces. What are the challen- ges and opportunities? In the introduction, Lieutenant-General Ştefan Dănilă, Chief of the General Staff of the Romanian Armed Forces expresses his views on the Role and use of the armed forces in the future. His thoughts are published at the beginning of this issue to give readers the impression of how the future of the armed forces is viewed in the country about ten times larger than Slovenia. Pavel Vuk, Sašo Nacevski and Renata Vrtovšek address the Defence strategy in the hierarchy of strategic documents on national security of the Republic of Slovenia by carrying out a comparative analysis of defence strategies of six countries and pre- senting guidelines for the preparation of a new defence strategy of the Republic of Slovenia. Gregor Garb devotes his attention to the Role of financial resources in the imple- mentation of a modern security paradigm regarding defence in selected countries. He describes and compares guidelines for the funding of defence systems in five countries – the Republic of Slovenia and its neighbours. Ivan Žnidar acquaints readers with Transformation challenges to safety and security at Slovenian sea. He states that comprehensive approach, cooperation, coordination and integration of various services for safety at sea present some of the answers to the question of the rationalisation of the modern security environment. Boris Rutar presents the Human Terrain System in the case of Afghanistan. He informs readers of achievements and applicability as well as new opportunities for NATO members. Blažka Erznožnik writes about the Importance of security forces training for the stabilisation of Afghanistan: NATO literacy project and the role of the Slovenian Armed Forces. She believes that the elimination of illiteracy presents a perfectly obvious means of support that significantly contributes to the long-term stability of Afghanistan and exposes the social usefulness of the armed forces. To conclude, a country’s stability depends on its financial situation, which in turn affects its defence capability.

9. Maastricht and Amsterdam (the Late 1980s to the Late 1990s)

2014 ◽  
pp. 150-167
Author(s):  
Ian Bache ◽  
Simon Bulmer ◽  
Stephen George ◽  
Owen Parker
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Monetary Union ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Major Step ◽  
The Road ◽  
European Citizenship ◽  
History Of ◽  
On The Road ◽  
Commission President ◽  
Treaty Of Amsterdam

This chapter examines two important developments in the history of the European Union: the signing of the Maastricht and Amsterdam treaties. In June 1989, the European Council agreed to European Commission president Jacques Delors’s three-stage plan for monetary union by 1999, despite British opposition. In 1991, intergovernmental conferences (IGCs) were held on both monetary union and political union. The proposals of these IGCs were incorporated into the Treaty on European Union (TEU), agreed at Maastricht in December 1991. The TEU marked a major step on the road to European integration. It committed most of the member states to adopting a single currency and introduced the concept of European citizenship, among others. The chapter considers the events leading up to the signing of the TEU, from the Maastricht negotiations to the issue of enlargement, the 1996 IGC, and the Treaty of Amsterdam.

Curriculum Development in the United Arab Emirates

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natasha Ridge ◽  
Susan Kippels ◽  
Samar Farah
Keyword(s):  
Curriculum Development ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
The Road ◽  
Policy Paper ◽  
History Of ◽  
On The Road ◽  
Curriculum Reforms ◽  
Substantial Effort

With an increasing emphasis on youth development and employability in the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has made a substantial effort to re- imagine and reform its public education sector. Local education authorities have implemented many reforms to try to shift education from rote memorization toward a skills-based system that prepares students to thrive in the 21st century. This policy paper explores the history of curriculum development in the UAE, the role of various agencies, ministries, and current initiatives as well as the challenges and possibilities that lie ahead on the road of reform. It concludes with recommendations for policymakers relating to the implementation of sustainable curriculum reforms.

scholarly journals The Foundation of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia in 1991

2017 ◽  
pp. 107-119
Author(s):  
Anatolii Demeshchuk
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Structure ◽  
National Guard ◽  
Decisive Role ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Territorial Defense ◽  
Main Attention ◽  
Logical Sequence ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Republic

In this article the author regards a history of creating and organizing the regular Armed Forces of Croatian Republic in 1991. The main attention is focused on a land army – the Croatian Army, which was formed in September 1991 on the basis of the National Guard, Territorial defense and different volunteer formations united. The focus has been made on a decisive role of the land forces during the war in Croatia in 1991-1995. The warfare spectrum has been almost entirely overland. However, creating the Croatian navy and air forces has also been shortly described in the article, although the role thereof has been rather insignificant, especially in 1991. Also the article deals with the issue of the Croatian special police forces which played an important role in all the periods of war in Croatia (1991-1995). The issues of Croatian forces’ material provision, ways of armament, their organizational structure and military quality have been analyzed. The course of the Croatian regular army’s forming has been overviewed in chronological and logical sequence. It is concluded that the matter and outcomes of own armed forces’ building by Croatia during its war for independence has been crucial. It is argued that the effective Croatian government’s decisions in a domain of the armed forces in 1991 significantly assisted Croatia to win the war in 1995. The article is based mostly on the Croatian and English academiic and op-ed literature and sources.

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