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282. The Miniskirt and the Veil: Aid and Islam in Bulgaria
- Author:
- Dana Steinberg (ed)
- Publication Date:
- 02-2006
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Wilson Center
- Abstract:
- In 1989, while traveling through Spain, Kristen Ghodsee stared in disbelief at the television in the bus station in Barcelona as images appeared of the Berlin Wall crumbling. A year later, she backpacked through Eastern Europe to witness the unprecedented changes in the region. But these countries that held such promise soon suffered economic collapse, and Ghodsee wondered what went wrong.
- Topic:
- Economics, Gender Issues, Islam, and Religion
- Political Geography:
- Eastern Europe and Bulgaria
283. Twinning Projects: Analyzing the Experience of "Old" EU Member States and Evaluating Benefits of Twinning Out for the Czech Republic
- Author:
- Elsa Tulmets, Lucie Konigova, and Eliska Tomalova
- Publication Date:
- 11-2006
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Institute of International Relations Prague
- Abstract:
- Twinning has become the cornerstone of the European Union's assistance to Acceding, Candidate or Potential Candidate Countries. Recently, Twinning has also started benefiting countries included in the programme of enhanced co-operation (European Neighbourhood Policy countries). The original aim of Twinning was and largely remains to be the building of capacity of these countries to adopt, implement and enforce the full acquis communautaire before joining the European Union (EU).
- Topic:
- Conflict Resolution and Treaties and Agreements
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Eastern Europe
284. Relics of Cold War: Defence Transformation in the Czech Republic
- Author:
- Miroslav Tuma
- Publication Date:
- 09-2006
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
- Abstract:
- On 28 October 1918, the newly created Czechoslovak Republic—incorporating the historic Czech lands (Bohemia, Moravia and Czech Silesia) and Slovakia— declared its independence after three centuries under Austrian and then Austro- Hungarian rule. This First Republic, initially led by its popular first president, Tomá G. Masaryk, lasted until the resignation of his successor, Edvard Bene, in October 1938. This followed an agreement between France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom forcing Czechoslovakia to cede the Sudetenland to Germany. From March 1939 until the end of World War II Czechoslovakia was split into the German Protectorate of Bohemia-Moravia and the nominally independent Slovakian State, which was also under de facto German control. Czechoslovakia regained its independence in 1945. The Communist Party took over government in 1948 and in 1955 Czechoslovakia signed the Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation and Mutual Assistance (the Warsaw Treaty) along with Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and the Soviet Union and, from 1956, the German Democratic Republic. A period of hardline communist rule followed. Attempts at democratic transformation in 1968, the so-called Prague Spring, were ended by a Soviet-led invasion by the forces of fellow Warsaw Treaty Organization members in August 1968, after which the leading reformists were replaced with orthodox Communists. Czechoslovakia's Communist regime relinquished its monopoly on power in November 1989 following more than a week of popular demonstrations, a series of events known as the Velvet Revolution. A former dissident, Václav Havel, was elected president of the renamed Czech and Slovak Federal Republic. On 1 January 1993, the federation was peacefully dissolved and the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic (Slovakia) became independent democratic states. In 1999 the Czech Republic joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and in 2004 it joined the European Union.
- Topic:
- NATO and Cold War
- Political Geography:
- United Kingdom, Eastern Europe, France, Germany, Italy, Czech Republic, and Slovakia
285. Further Towards Post-Communism? From 'Left' to Regions in Ukraine
- Author:
- Geir Flikke and Sergey O. Kisselyov
- Publication Date:
- 12-2006
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Norwegian Institute of International Affairs
- Abstract:
- This paper is based on an analysis of electoral support to left-wing movements of parties and blocs in Ukraine from 1998 to 2006. It argues that traditional left-wing ideologies and thereby the position of the left-wing parties have eroded in the political landscape of Ukraine. The authors hold that this is due not only to the decline of traditional left-wing ideologies in Ukraine's electorate, but also to the return of a strong managed party for the Eastern regions of the country.
- Topic:
- Development and Government
- Political Geography:
- Ukraine and Eastern Europe
286. Sub-regional SALW Collection Seminar
- Publication Date:
- 07-2006
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- South Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons
- Abstract:
- Government, NGO and International Organisation representatives from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the UN Administered Territory of Kosovo, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Montenegro participated in a sub-regional SALW (Weapons) Collection Seminar in Budva, Montenegro from 12 - 13 July 2006. The objective of the seminar was to discuss 'best practices' and share operational experience of SALW Collection activities within South Eastern Europe, in order to assist the Government of Montenegro in planning a possible SALW Collection process later this year.
- Topic:
- Government, Non-Governmental Organization, and United Nations
- Political Geography:
- Bosnia, Herzegovina, Eastern Europe, Kosovo, Yugoslavia, Macedonia, Albania, and Croatia
287. The 'Sarajevo Process Code of Conduct' for Private Security Companies
- Publication Date:
- 08-2006
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- South Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons
- Abstract:
- A range of writers and observers have monitored the increase in private security provision across the world during the last decade. Increasingly, the private security industry is taking on roles that have traditionally been the preserve of state security providers, including: escorting and transporting high-risk commodities; providing rapid response services attached to alarm systems; stewarding large public events; operating prisons; securing courts; providing surveillance services, risk analysis and providing protective security to a wide range of facilities such as banks, ports and embassies.
- Topic:
- Security, Arms Control and Proliferation, and Development
- Political Geography:
- Eastern Europe
288. SALW Survey of Kosovo
- Publication Date:
- 08-2006
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- South Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons
- Abstract:
- The London based Arms Control NGO Saferworld has been conducting a comprehensive survey of the SALW situation in the Entity of Kosovo over the last six months. The survey was based on the SALW Survey Protocols, and was researched jointly with the Pristina based NGO Forum for Civic Initiatives (FIQ). A consultation process began in April 2006 allowing officials of the Kosovo Provisional Institutions of Self Government (PISG) and United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) to review and contribute to research findings. The comments received as a result of these processes are reflected in the relevant sections of the Survey and in an accompanying recommendations document.
- Topic:
- Arms Control and Proliferation, Development, and Non-Governmental Organization
- Political Geography:
- Eastern Europe, Kosovo, and Pristina
289. Monitoring Country Progress in Eastern Europe and Eurasia
- Author:
- Robyn Murphy and Ron Sprout
- Publication Date:
- 09-2006
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- United States Agency for International Development
- Abstract:
- This paper presents an abridged version of USAID/E's 10th edition of its annual report which monitors country progress in the twenty-nine transition country region. The salient findings include: (1) 2005 progress in economic reforms in the transition region was comparable to the good pace of economic reforms in recent years. (2) 2005 data show a continuation of the growing democratization gap between CEE and Eurasia that has been evident since the early transition years. (3) The twenty nine transition countries generally fall into four fairly distinct reform groups: (a) Northern Tier CEE; (b) Southern Tier CEE; (c) Eurasian reformers; and (d) Eurasian non-reformers (Turkmenistan, Belarus, and Uzbekistan). (4) Economic growth rates in the region continue to exceed global norms, and within Eastern Europe and Eurasia, continue to be highest in Eurasia in large part due to favorable primary product trends. (5) Many social indicators continue to recover, apparently at least partly in response to improving economic conditions, including falling poverty and infant mortality rates, and rising real wages and education enrollment rates. (6) Yet many countries are (still) experiencing increasing unemployment rates and the life expectancy gap between CEE and Eurasia continues to grow. (7) And some of the transition countries have among the highest crude death rates worldwide along with among the lowest fertility rates (and birth rates) worldwide.
- Topic:
- Development, Economics, and Health
- Political Geography:
- Eurasia, Eastern Europe, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Belarus
290. Recent Commentary: Viktor's Choice - Who Will Form Ukraine's Parliamentary Majority?
- Author:
- Steve Pifer
- Publication Date:
- 04-2006
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Center for Strategic and International Studies
- Abstract:
- What a difference a year makes. The 2004 Ukrainian presidential election entailed massive fraud, sent hundreds of thousands of protesters into the streets, and sparked a revolution. The March 26 parliamentary elections, by contrast, were strikingly calm and ordinary. The Orange Revolution's main hero, President Viktor Yushchenko, saw his party, Our Ukraine, come in a disappointing third. He nevertheless remains in the driver's seat in deciding who will make up the ruling coalition in the next Rada (parliament).
- Topic:
- Civil Society and Government
- Political Geography:
- Russia, Europe, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, and Asia