TRADE UNIONS AS AN ACTOR OF REGIONAL CITIZENSHIP AND EUROPEAN SOCIAL INTEGRATION OF THE SOUTH CAUCASUS

Ashot Aleksanyan

EUCACIS Online Paper

No. 5 February 2019

PhD Support Programme The EU, Central Asia and the Caucasus in the International System About EUCACIS “The EU, Central Asia and the Caucasus in the International System” (EUCACIS) is a PhD Support Programme for Postgraduates and Doctoral Researchers in Central Asia and the Southern Caucasus, organized by the Institut für Europäische Politik (IEP) and the Centre international de formation européenne (CIFE). Funded by the Volkswagen Foundation and the programme Erasmus+, it offers scholarships for three years to excellent postgraduates who are working on a doctoral thesis in political science, contemporary history or economics on a topic related to its thematic focus at a university or academy of sciences in the Southern Caucasus or Central Asia (including Afghanistan, the Kashmir region in India and the autonomous region Xinjiang in China). It is the objective of the EUCACIS programme to provide EUCACIS.eu intensive PhD research training for its participants to bring them closer to international standards, to support them until they submit their doctoral theses, and to help them establish their own networks with other young researchers in the target regions and in Europe. This will be achieved through four international conferences, four PhD schools, two research training stays and continuous online coaching.

About IEP Since 1959, the Institut für Europäische Politik (IEP) has been active in the field of European integration as a non-profit organisation. It is one of Germany’s leading research institutes on foreign and European policy. IEP works at the interface of academia, politics, administration, and civic education. In doing so, IEP’s task include scientific analyses of problems surrounding European politics and integration. www.iep-berlin.de

About CIFE The Centre international de formation européenne (CIFE) is a private institution of higher education and research, founded in 1954 with its head office in Nice and branch offices in Berlin, Brussels and Istanbul. It receives special funding in the framework of the Jean Monnet Programme of the European Union. Students from all continents enroll in its programmes and work as senior officials, consultants and academic experts after graduation. www.cife.eu

About the Series EUCACIS Online Paper comprise research and policy papers on topics related to the thematic focus of the programme, written by fellows of the EUCACIS PhD Support Programme and members of the wider EUCACIS network. It aims at making the debates within the network, notably during the EUCACIS conferences and PhD schools, accessible to a wider public. The papers are available on the programme website: www.eucacis.eu About the Author Ashot Aleksanyan is a Doctor of Political Sciences, Professor at the Chair of Theory and History of Political Science of the Faculty of International Relations, as well as a lecturer and expert of the Center for European Studies of Yerevan State University, Armenia. His main research interests are civil society, social partnership, and human political rights and freedoms. He has been a DAAD visiting scholar at the Institute of Political Science of Leibniz University Hannover (2002, 2003, 2008, and 2009), at the Geschwister Scholl Institute of Political Science of Ludwig- Maximilian University Munich (2013), and at the Institute for East European Studies of Freie Universität Berlin (2016), as well as EU Erasmus Mundus visiting scholar at the Faculty of Social Sciences of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (2012) and at the Institute of Political Science of the Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena (2016-2017).

Editorial team

Publishers: Prof. Dr Mathias Jopp, Head of International Programmes, IEP PD Dr Matthias Waechter, Director General, CIFE

Editors: Dr Susann Heinecke, Programme Manager EUCACIS, CIFE Janny Schulz, Programme Manager EUCACIS, IEP

Layout: Fabian Weber, IEP

Place of publication: Berlin

ISSN: 2627-7204

Internet: www.eucacis.eu

Email: [email protected]

Hashtag: #EUCACIS

published in February 2019 4 EUCACIS Online Paper No. 5 - Trade unions as an actor of regional citizenship andEuropean social integration of the South Caucasus Introduction an equal social partner andisconsidered asafully an equalsocialpartner trade unionisnotrecognized by theemployer as and complete administrative dependence. The Caucasus are theirfinanciallackofindependence the main issues of the trade unions of the South Unfortunately,of thelabourmarket. at present characteristics areactivities, themostimportant enterprises andorganisations oftrade union of workers, oppositionto many newowners of legislation, includingunreasonable dismissal violations by theadministration oflabour conditions andsafety,working andnumerous of theworkers, payment, delays bad insalary various problems. Unemployment, low salaries areaconflicting of “neither peace nor war”, with Georgiasocial issuesinArmenia, and Azerbaijan. formation ofprerequisites for thejoint solutionof rapprochement and the of national social actors main goalofEuropean socialintegration isthe business at bothnational andregional levels. The organizationauthorities, civilsociety (CSOs) and amongpublic of socialdialogueandpartnership social dimension, which shows the consistency European integration Caucasus oftheSouth isa countries. At this stage, oneof the indicators of of thesocialsystem Caucasus oftheSouth rules, aswell asfor thequalitative functioning implementation ofEuropean and socialnorms andmovement,(NGOs), socialnetworks for the and socialnon-governmental organizations actors, trade unions,the unification ofsocialpolicy Caucasus.South regional dialogueandregional citizenship inthe social integration contributes to theformation of and restructure their activities. The European systems, thetrade unionswere forced to rethink reforms and thetransformation ofthepolitical of economic andsocial relations. thelight of In economymarket changedtheentire system for socialjustice. The oftransition period to a be involved andthestruggle ofconflict incycles Caucasusunions intheSouth region continue to 1

“European Dialogue,” Social accessed 10,2018,https://www.etuc.org/en/theme/european-social-dialogue October ). define European socialstandards, ofthe European social model.” andisafundamental part (European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), the ETUC: “European of European social dialogue is Union atgovernance. the heart to enables the European help to It social partners the European andnational levels. Oneexample ofthisisthedialoguemechanismsfor the protection ofsocialrights andfreedoms by in decisive situations to determine the real ofpoliticalinstitutions and processes socialorientation of thetrajectories and character at that theyhaveMeaning an influence on European socialpolicy. The European Trade involved Union isactively Confederation (ETUC) At thebeginning ofthe21stcentury, trade The Caucasus South isadifficultand The term “European socialintegration” refers to regime, CSOs, anddemographic composition, among thethree countries interms ofpolitical Caucasus.the South There are hugedifferences the European socialmodelinthecountries of non-governmental organisations to implement difficult forvery European governmental and itis stage ofdemocratic consolidation.fact, In democratization processes, especiallyat the the and liberalism. This confirms the hypothesis of reproducing newforms ofauthoritarianism deficit,obligations thereby led to a democracy Obviously, non-fulfilment of European the formation ofconsolidated democracies. political, economic andcultural conditions for CaucasusSouth have themostfavourable social, integration shows that thecountries ofthe The accumulated experience ofEuropean development modelintheera ofglobalisation. stability, aswell asto protect theirnational in order to politicaland economic preserve the Council ofEurope, theOSCEandEU socially integrated withintheframework of countries Caucasus oftheSouth shouldbe between public institutionsandcitizens. The and employees, butalsosocialresponsibilities social andlabourrelations between employers the EU’s political system which regulates not only European trade unionsare aciviliarchic actor in European countries.and their activity the experience ofthetrade unionmovement to studyandapply thiscontext, itisimportant In organisations Caucasus inthe South countries. andcivilsociety ruling elites, politicalparties ofthe in thebehaviour anddecision-making phenomenon bothinthesocialsciences, and about European social integration are a new CaucasusSouth is relevant. Even ideas modern of citizenship andsocialintegration ofthe study ofthedynamics, trends andfeatures andinnovation,of knowledge acomparative regulationof thelabourmarket mechanism. contributing tofactor the effective functioning employer. Thus, trade unionsshouldbecome a dependent organization for thegoodwillof At thepresent stageoftheEuropean society civiliarchic role ofEuropean institutionsin 1 of EUCACIS Online Paper No . 5 - Trade unions as an actor of regional citizenship andEuropean social integration of the South Caucasus 5 . 3 Trade unions are especially important unions are for Trade The transformation of the political system of the political system transformation The of the labour potential of employees, and social and of employees, potential of the labour develop unions need to trade Regional stability. and tactics reflect the changes to strategies social integration. European about by brought projects of integration implementation The associated is inevitably and commitments with certain the task of the trade and costs, unions of Armenia, Azerbaijan is to and Georgia the social becoming from employees prevent of burden on whose shoulders the main group unions should use the trade this, For change lies. dialogue and partnership, mechanisms of social social of regulation contractual and collective macro-,the meso- at and relations labour and micro-levels. where Souththe of Caucasus, countries the and unemployed the majority of the employed some extent as victims to because of feel the and order economic and social new the the global economy into integration country’s The current legislation of Armenia, Azerbaijan legislation current The social dialogue and on labour, and Georgia market realities, to responding partnership, only a minimum of social and labour provides employers influencing thereby guarantees, a on relations labour build to workers and of Inrole the this context, basis. contractual of representative unions as a legitimate trade substantially increases of workers the interests the and by directly affected are workers since trade between decisions and negotiations unions and the employers. in they take shape as and market relations, create of the Souththe countries Caucasus, Under these unions. for trade conflict situations leaders and active members many conditions, democratic for waiting not unions are of trade changes in their work. they decide to Instead, don’t and their membership in protest resign anymore, participatemovements social in the capabilities of their they weaken whereby the Respecting unions. recognising and trade choose the membership of to individual right . 2 The trade union movement of Armenia, movement union trade The Since the 1990s, the trade unions of the South the trade the 1990s, Since Lourdes Benería, “Shifting the Risk: New Employment Patterns, Informalization, and Women’s Work.” International Journal of Politics, International Journal of Politics, Work.” Women’s and Informalization, “Shifting the Risk: Patterns, New Employment Benería, Lourdes and Economic The “Rethinking as transition.” unionism: Union renewal trade Fairbrother, and Society 15 (1) (2001): 27-53; Peter Culture Labour Relations Review (2015): 561-576; Magdalena 26 (4) Bernaciak, Hyman, and Richard European Gumbrell-McCormick Rebecca ETUI renewal? Report crisis to unionism: from trade 133 (Brussels: ETUI, 2014), 90. European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), “The European Social Model,” accessed October10, 2018, https://www.etuc.org/en/ accessed “The Social Model,” European (ETUC), Union Confederation Trade European european-social-model

Caucasus are in the process of transformation transformation of in the process are Caucasus democratic unions to trade totalitarian from European this stage of At unions. trade union the crisis the trade of integration, in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia movement with which is associated apparent, has become in and influence status the loss of the previous as the helplessness as well the political system, of state in front of the worker and isolation the of unions trade The business. and power prosperous can be considered South Caucasus active social economic is no isolated if there of isolation levels low since in the society, groups of the an importantare of the success indicator efforts unions and social NGOs. of trade a serious test Azerbaijan will face and Georgia of its viability in connection with modernisation economy the only change not will which and the labour market, but also social and with other factors, Along labour relations. course the will influence processes integration since of political systems, of modernisation of affairs in the the state determine they largely and realisation labour market, the development 3 2 Trade unions must be experienced Trade size of the public sector and the shadow sectorpublic the of shadow the and size flexibility markets labour of and economy, But an indicators. and economic other social important factoridentified is and common that is the struggle social model “European” with the It is state. welfare equality and a strong for in the differences important despite that note to the of the EU member states, the social models ETUC main elements nevertheless five identified characteristics of the European common are that 2) social rights; fundamental social model: 1) 3) social dialogue; 4) social and social protection; responsibility 5) state regulation; employment services providing of for full employment, for and social economic and for interest, general cohesion. 6 EUCACIS Online Paper No. 5 - Trade unions as an actor of regional citizenship andEuropean social integration of the South Caucasus 4 Wins? Trade Unionsvs. Shadow Economy: Who people ofworking opportunities force, competently usingtheir rightsand organisations have become areal organisational of theirmembers, andmany trade union protecting theinterestsexperience inactually trade unions have accumulated considerable the years ofreforms Caucasus, intheSouth the shouldbenotedtheir members. that over It of thetrade unionsshould beexplained to a trade unionat all, however, theorientation meets theirinterests, in ornotto participate the trade unionofthe organization that best but at thelevel ofcivicculture andsocialvalues. not onlyat thelevel ofresolving labourconflicts, CaucasusSouth stillhave alotofshortcomings that thetradehas ledto unionsofthe thefact from thelabourrightsandinterests ofworkers The isolation of the former Soviet trade unions implemented thedecisionsmadeinadvance. control oftheCommunist whichformally Party Soviet times, trade unionswere under the oriented instead ofemployee oriented. During tradeof theSoviet-type unionswere party- of Western European countries, since theduties different ofthetrade from unions thefunction tradeSoviet-type unions were completely pointed of the out that the main functions mustbe union oftheformer Soviet Union.It trends since thetimesoftotalitarian trade continue thenegativeunions, whichpartially andunderdevelopmentin theweakness of trade countries Caucasus oftheSouth are manifested transformation Caucasus intheSouth is asteady of thenotableinstitutionaleffectsmarket corrupt officialsand oligarchic monopolies. One regulation mechanismswas blockedby thestate, Soviet Union,whentheintroduction ofmarket which were intensified withthe collapse ofthe general negative trends theSoviet times during countries Caucasus the oftheSouth reflects

Europe.” Working Papers ontheReconciliation of Work and Welfare inEurope 7(2010):1-28. Clegg, Paolo Graziano van and Christa Wijnbergen, and revitalisation: sectionalism “Between Trade policies in unions and activation Richard Hyman, strategically?”“How cantrade unionsact Transfer: European ofLabour and Research Review 13(2)(2007): 193-210; Daniel The democratic transformations ofthe The formation ofashadow economy inthe 4 . increasingly apparent intheunemployment however, challengesare structural becoming be dueto problems inthefinancialsector; thereby fixingseveral situations. crisis This may 1991-2017 wasperiod unstableandfluctuating, by registered unemployment, whichfor the andGeorgia,Armenia someconcerns are caused Analysing the situation in on the labour market Azerbaijan’s independence was 4.91%in2014. of 11%. The lowest unemployment rate since rate hasfallenbelow thelevel inAzerbaijan andsince 2001theunemploymentAzerbaijan, grows, thesituation continues to improve in above 5%, and in Georgia 11.6%. As the economy unemployment rate was slightly inAzerbaijan more thesameyear, than18.2%in2017.In the Caucasusthe South with ishighestinArmenia region (seefigure 1). The unemployment rate in new ways andapproaches to itssolutioninthe inunemploymentand therise level requires fromperiod 1991 to 2017, the problem of growth the shadow economy ofthesecountries. For the and ofthelabourmarket main characteristics unemployment for individuallabourers are the Periods ofemployment, followed by of periods economic difficultiesofastabilising economy. Caucasus countries that are general experiencing and leadsto migration. pursuestheoutflow ofqualifiedwork, workers, weakensin labouractivation, themotivation to social tensions andsocialdifferentiation, drops economic andsocialconsequences. increases It andGeorgia ithasnegative isvarying, Azerbaijan obvious. is population, thedangerofsocialinstability the unfairdifferentiation ofincomes ofthe of moneycapitalabroad, andby predetermining on the economy, by contributing to the outflow reducing thefinancialmeansofstate influence the economic andsocialpotential ofreforms by substantially limits shadow economic activity called a criminalisation of economic life. Since of the shadow economy that could also be increase inthescaleanddiversity oftheforms Cyclic unemployment is inherent in the South Even iftheunemployment rate inArmenia, EUCACIS Online Paper No . 5 - Trade unions as an actor of regional citizenship andEuropean social integration of the South Caucasus 7 5 covers shadow economic economic shadow covers 6 In order to achieve stabilisation in the stabilisation achieve In to order economic sphere, it is necessary to have a it is necessary have to sphere, economic the evaluate which makes it possible to feedback identify and to productivity policy, of economic entrepreneurial for gaps in the legal framework minimize it is possible to means that This activity. functioning effects of the of a the negative ensuring sufficient thereby market economy, of social and civilization freedom economic market is one regulated civilized The relations. when of the factors of society, of humanization social partnership through with trade the state, mitigate somehow to seeks and business, unions market. of the shadow In the the influence of Armenia, economy structurethe shadow of and Azerbaijan unorganised and Georgia, not or may may This crime stands out. organised officials. government with corrupt be associated economy Shadow activities which are also carried out, as a rule, activities also carried as a rule, out, which are . 1) It the rejection of important leads to and, tax revenues 2) It decreasing leads to 3) It limits the investment significantly The essence of the shadow economy in the in economy shadow of the essence The ”Unemployment, total”, The World Bank Group, 2018, accessed October 10, 2018, https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL. 2018, accessed Bank Group, World The total”, ”Unemployment, NE.ZS?locations=AM-AZ-GE Regulatory Environment.” and the Formal “Rethinking Economy the Informal Economy: Linkages with the Formal Martha Chen, Alter Working WIEGO Policies.” Theories and “The Informal Economy: Definitions, 46 (2007): 1-14; Martha Chen, Paper Alter Working DESA 1 (2012): 1-26. Paper

. Unemployment in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia (% of total labour force) (1991-2017) force) labour in Armenia, Azerbaijan (% of total 1. Unemployment and Georgia Figure 5 6 countries of the South Caucasus is revealed in revealed is Souththe of Caucasus countries its function of delimiting social development the of role destabilising The destabilisation. and primarily in the is manifested economy shadow following: which makes it indicators, macroeconomic economy; the regulate to manage and difficult a and to revenues, government accordingly, undermining of the tax system; general accordingly, and, of the legal economy, resources the conservation of its for is one of the reasons base. technical rates. At the same time, the unemployment rate rate the unemployment the same time, At rates. of the South Caucasus residents among rural rate the unemployment exceeds countries among urban residents. 8 EUCACIS Online Paper No. 5 - Trade unions as an actor of regional citizenship andEuropean social integration of the South Caucasus Caucasus for 1995-2017(%ofGDP). theperiod the size oftheshadow economy oftheSouth improve oftheratings theaccuracy andto reveal of theshadow economy madeitpossibleto legislation Caucasus oftheSouth countries. by unlawful methods, inviolation ofthecurrent index oftheIMF. thereby ensures oftheintegral theconsistency increase intheshare oftheshadow economy, the variations ofthemodifiedestimates ofthe ofweights,condition ofequality multipliedby Caucasusin theGDPofSouth countries. The oftheshare oftheshadowtendency economy indicated that there isalong-term downwards According to the integral index of the IMF, itis in terms oftheshare oftheshadow economy, ofcountriesto intheregion singleoutthetypes 9 8 7

The IMF’s method of estimating the dynamics World-What-Did-We-Learn-Over-the-Last-20-Years-45583. Papers (2018),accessed 10,2018,https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WP/Issues/2018/01/25/Shadow-Economies-Around-the- October Leandro and Friedrich Medina Schneider “Shadow Economies Around the World: What Did We Learn the Last 20 Over Years?”, IMF Working See ibid.See ibid.See 8 These results makeitpossible Figure 2.Shadow economy andGeorgia (%ofGDP)(1991-2015) Azerbaijan inArmenia, 7

fluctuations inthe range.fluctuations growthfall, a post-crisis and its subsequent and Georgia from 1991to 2017 recorded a of theshadow economy Azerbaijan inArmenia, Estimates oftheshare andAzerbaijan. Armenia of theshadow economy for ischaracteristic given region by year, thenadeclineintheshare acomparisonin ismadefor2). If eachcountry butgenerallyperiod remained high(seeFigure share oftheshadow economy declinedover the and inGeorgia 53.07%(seeFigure 2). 43.66%, reachesArmenia 35.96%,inAzerbaijan the share oftheshadow economy in2015 in Georgia (seeFigure 2).According to theIMF, value in and Armenia, the most significant one that is, the shadow economy has the lowest Analysing theresults, onecanseethat the 9

EUCACIS Online Paper No . 5 - Trade unions as an actor of regional citizenship andEuropean social integration of the South Caucasus 9 11 In the crisis of political leadership Georgia, and internal political disintegration processes processes political disintegration and internal conflicts in South Ossetia has exacerbated political leadership of the The and Abkhazia. of South Ossetia sought region autonomous through of the region status the raise to North the with reunification its Ossetia part which was Republic, of the Autonomous In Abkhazia, the leaders Russian Federation. refused of the Abkhaz movement national the authority of the Georgian recognize to before and even Tbilisi, political leadership in to attempts were of the USSR there the collapse of Abkhazia. the political and legal status raise of the USSR, the new Abkhaz the collapse After in Georgia from demanded a new status elite escalation The federation. of a free the format of the political and legal status over of tensions In this in the 1992-1993 war. Abkhazia resulted of the UN, the Council the assistance with case, of and the OSCE under the mandate of Europe in Independentof States, Commonwealth the on deployed was force a peacekeeping 1994 the opposing sides. line between the ceasefire It on the the negotiations that should be noted did not lead to issue of political and legal status role coordinating and the result, significant any resolution the influenced of Russia negatively the was of this Evidence of the conflict. of conflict declaration the and 2008 of August Southof Abkhaziaand Ossetia independence with the support of Russia. began in 1988 afterbegan in reportsof reunification national a of creation the Armenia and with of freedoms the rights and protect to movement and the fighting The the Armenian population. a cease-fire and stopped agreement were war - OSCE engagement thanks to signed was Europe of Council the and UN by the flanked process the time, same the At 1994. May in - Armeniaand between negotiations peace of through continues and Azerbaijaninitiated was Since MinskOSCE the of mediation the Group. settlement on the peaceful 1992, negotiations of the Nagorno-Karabakh been conflict have conductedfull participation with the of all parties and with full supportinvolved of the UN, the EU and NATO. of Europe, the Council . 10 Social stability is also a relevant factor for factorSocial for stability is also a relevant In the process of the collapse of the of the collapse In the process Anna Cornelia Beyer, “Abolishing the Security Dilemma: Why we need to integrate the militaries.” Cambridge Journal of Eurasian Studies 2 Studies Journal Cambridge of Eurasian the militaries.” integrate need to we Why the Security Dilemma: “Abolishing Beyer, Cornelia Anna 12 (1) (2010): 3-23. Societies, European of informalization.” economy “Political Slavnic, (2018): 1-20; Zoran the Co-Chairmen for “Mandate of the Minsk ; OSCE, October 19, 2018. https://www.osce.org/mg accessed Minsk Group”, “OSCE OSCE, . October 21, 2018. https://www.osce.org/mg/70125 accessed 1995)”, 23 March the Hungarian OSCE Chairmanship, (Issued by Process

national security as trade unions have to be to securitynational unions have as trade that phenomenon integral an as understood military political, and includes economic, dynamics and The components. informational tensions and social contradictions of the nature the anthropocentric show of the South Caucasus UN, The importance these issues. of resolving of and the Council the OSCE the NATO, the EU, and armedwars trying are prevent to Europe political, to preference giving while conflicts, and other non-military economic diplomatic, the same time, At means in the South Caucasus. of Armenia, Azerbaijan interests the national of military the presence require and Georgia of The dynamics for its defence. sufficient power unions in the South of trade the development of growth the economic that show Caucasus has years recent in region of the countries the of of the social status a strengthening not led to of social Neither the improvement the worker. nor the new Labour Code, of workers, welfare and Georgia’s Azerbaijan’s Armenia’s, nor even set new to capable were membership in the ILO or relations labour for frameworks institutional changes qualitative fundamental, introduced The of the social sphere. in the humanisation politicised, quite unions are issues of the trade connectedinevitably not only they are since opposition and labour conflicts, with cohesive military-politicalalso with the but in situation of this politicised In the research the region. the EU vector topic, sensitive and ideologically directionin the of supporting integration social particular acquires of the South Caucasus importance 10 11 totalitarian system of the former USSR, ethnic of the former system totalitarian in the South increased and political violence and territorial religious ethnic, where Caucasus, The the USSR. before even existed problems enmity Azerbaijanisbetween and Armenians in the Nagorno-Karabakh Oblast Autonomous current the However, centuries. for lasted (NKAO) phase of armed conflictwar in the NKAO and Trade unions as part unions the societal of Trade or security Pacification dilemma: Securitisation? 10 EUCACIS Online Paper No. 5 - Trade unions as an actor of regional citizenship andEuropean social integration of the South Caucasus 12 significant role inensuring regional peace and regard, the EU integration plays a policy this in themediumandlongterm. In sustainable development Caucasus intheSouth European integration, to resolve issuesof security. This willmakepossible, through a joint mechanismofsocialandeconomic CaucasusSouth countries, aswell asat creating at ofthestrategy unifyingthepeculiarities ofthe integration oftheEUaims processes onthepart Georgia. At thisstage, theconsensus ofthe systemsand Azerbaijan ofArmenia, security tensions ofthenational minimising themilitary social integration processes for are keyaspects situation, itcanbeargued that European Considering thecomplexity oftheregional well ofregional asthepreservation stability. to thephased integration andcooperation, as whole have madeaconstructive contribution Council ofEurope, theOSCEandEUasa European integration.further any In case, the there for areAzerbaijan few opportunities Caucasus. particular, In for and Armenia pose athreat to thesocialmodelofSouth . Military expenditure andGeorgiaFigure by (inconstant Azerbaijan Armenia, (2016)US$m.)(2000-2017) 3.Military

org/databases/milex. Expenditure Database, International Peace Stockholm Military Research (SIPRI), accessed 10,2018, Institute October More importantly, the “frozen conflicts” South Caucasus, a necessary andforced Caucasus,South anecessary state concerns inthe been oneofthemostimportant of itsweapons, food anduniforms hasalways Eastcountries). Middle countries neighbouring (Iran, Turkey, Russia, of also dueto thegeopoliticalinstability since thesituation candrastically change Caucasus remains to beanexplosive region, regional security. thiscontext, theSouth In lack acommon approach to theproblem of strategy, thecountriesCaucasus oftheSouth Unfortunately, dueto themilitary-political the army, spending. and an increase in military closely linked to militarisation, modernisation of future development Caucasus of the South is The andthe discourse onissuesofstability the differences between thembecome clear. strategies andGeorgia, Azerbaijan ofArmenia, andsecurity doctrines ofmilitary aspects crises. tensions, ofinterests butalsoconflicts andnew can deter and notonlytheviolation ofstability stability, ontheonehand, and, ontheother, The maintenance ofthearmy, theprovision When comparing themainconceptual https://www.sipri. 12

EUCACIS Online Paper No . 5 - Trade unions as an actor of regional citizenship andEuropean social integration of the South Caucasus 11 https://www.sipri. https://www.bicc.de/ cooperation with the ETUC with cooperation and the standards of European implementation and of social rights protection the for trade of the the role If assess we freedoms. these from the Southunions of Caucasus as a rule, they, it turns out that positions, responsibilities and duties specific no have assuming the Therefore, employers. to labour increase to work to responsibility of union organisations trade productivity, the improve to orient employers companies of workers, the interests of protecting work the social responsibility increasing thereby of business. level increasing an market requires The in business relations, of responsibility of social responsibility the sphere expanding of the SouthCaucasus. in the countries of the level as practice shows, However, in Southsocial responsibility Caucasian but - on the societies does not increase, in felt is acutely This contrary - decreases. medium in especially sphere, economic the an insufficiently With businesses. and large a part even of the responsibility, developed structures of the business entrepreneurial be able to as a whole will not be civilised nor of a in the development take a worthy place in the formation economy socially oriented of a civil society in the region. rights and freedoms Social aspects of labour, changes and positive undeveloped, remain only associated were in social well-being activity with insignificant unions, of trade with periods mainly associated which were of resources economic of improved union trade Unfortunately, governments. membership in Armenia, Azerbaijan and when the trust is still problematic, Georgia unions of of membership in trade and level is much active population the economically unions must trade means that This lower. and freedoms the rights uphold and protect social as guarantee as well of workers, dialogue and social partnership. • • . 14 13 There are two necessary two are conditions There of social integration a European for Armenia, Azerbaijan first, and Georgia: partnershipseffective trade between in the European unions and their interest active social dialogue issue; and second, The successful implementation of the new implementation successful The According to the Global Militarization the Global to According “Military Expenditure Database,” Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), accessed October 2018, Institute 10, accessed (SIPRI), Research Stockholm Peace International “MilitaryDatabase,” Expenditure . org/databases/milex October2018, 10, accessed (BICC), Conversion for MilitarizationGlobal Bonn Center International Index(GMI), . research-clusters/project/project/global-militarization-index-gmi-43

• 13 14 design of European security the is crucial for of European design in Armenia, of social integration strength the most Azerbaijan In and Georgia. this regard, of the for social integration measure effective “functional redistribution” is the South Caucasus of the institutions existing between of roles the EU and the the OSCE, Europe, of Council directions with the main of in accordance NATO security: and economic European social security, security within external security, security, energy legal and international region, the European restart unsuccessful The humanitarian security. of the escalation of the Russia – US relations, the unsettled Armenian- the sanctions policy, and Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, Turkish are Russian-Georgian relations and the tense factors of instabilitythe main negative in the difficult it will be much more Moreover, region. factors of the these negative confront to the and individually, countries SouthCaucasus painful than in the will be more consequences effortscase of joint of the parties. Index for the period 1990-2016, Armenia and Index for a high level Azerbaijan by distinguished are the due to which is Europe, of militarisation in Nagorno-Karabakhunresolved conflict and the of its armed forces strengthening Conclusion need, expressed, as a rule, in significant amounts amounts in significant as a rule, expressed, need, growth of constant trend The of expenditures. defence spending on national of government South in the Caucasus. universal is becoming It is observed both in conflict and in situations the GDP of most in which period, post-war the In of the army. on meeting the needs is spent military2017, the total of GDP in expenditures Azerbaijan 4%, in and in 3.9%, Armenia were 2.2%. Georgia 12 EUCACIS Online Paper No. 5 - Trade unions as an actor of regional citizenship andEuropean social integration of the South Caucasus • • • • foreign decisions in Azerbaijan. policy andimplementingthe process ofmaking administrative regime andoligarchies in reason for thisistheincreasing role ofthe continue to intensify.in social policy The contradictions in Azerbaijan, direction, situation began to changeinapositive theArmenian after Velvet Revolution, the the ruleoflaw andcivilsociety. in2018, If rights,and theEUinfieldofhuman to the UN, the Council of Europe, the OSCE that is, the failure to fulfil social obligations contradiction ofdemocratization, so-called reveal andAzerbaijan ofArmenia the policy The features characteristic ofthesocial countries, theUSandNATO. processes with the EU, Western European development anddeepeningofintegration pro-European vector, whichisdueto the mainly in the from and Azerbaijan Armenia The current foreign of Georgia differs policy social partnership. the movement and its place in the system of no uniform approaches to understanding union movement, unfortunately, there were on therightsofworkers inthenational trade reformunderwent processes withanattack social integration, when thesecountries determined inthemodelofEuropean andGeorgia was Azerbaijan of Armenia, whentheplace theperiod androleIn world and regional powers were involved. resources,important inwhichthemain the socialsignificance ofstrategically of sustainabledevelopment andincreasing Georgia shouldbeviewed inthecontext and Azerbaijan modernisation inArmenia, that theprocesses ofdemocratisation and special attention shouldbepaidto thefact point ofviewEuropean integration, for sustainabledevelopment. From the relations. improvement Its isaprerequisite economic, political, cultural andother ofsocialand become theleadingquality Caucasian societies, responsibility should European socialintegration ofSouth and theirresults. With theevolution and torise theneedto exchange activities with thedivisionoflabour, whichgave social responsibility shouldbestrengthened context, asaregulator ofsocialrelations, of theEUtrade union movement. this In responsibility isanintegralSocial element • • leads to undesirable effects. countries Caucasus, oftheSouth which inthe of behaviour ofsocialpartners ofcivilized rulesandnorms the observance oftrade unionsdonotensure participation of free competition withouttheactive standard of living, and others. The principles injustice, non-provision ofaminimum groups of the population,of certain social unemployment, inhumanattitudes, poverty lowof thelabourmarket: real wages, cannot influence thesocial consequences suchsituation tradepopulation. unions In does notprovide socialprotection for the tough and indifferent to poorpeople, and standard oflivingthepopulation, is economy leads to differentiation inthe agreements, andothers. The shadow agreements,and tripartite collective reducing theanthropocentricity ofbilateral of socialandlabourrelations, thereby effectivelyto inthe participate regulation economy limits andhinderstrade unions andtrade unions.society The informal contains for asocialrisk thewelfare of high share of the shadow economy which Caucasus ischaracterized by arelatively The transition economy oftheSouth of boththenational andregional levels. integration inthedevelopment andstability of their political course of European Georgia isacondition for theeffectiveness and foreign Azerbaijan ofArmenia, policy isobvious inthe that multi-vectorIt policy EUCACIS Online Paper No . 5 - Trade unions as an actor of regional citizenship andEuropean social integration of the South Caucasus 13 https:// . https://www.sipri. . European Review of Review European . 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