Bigger EU, Wider CFSP, Stronger ESDP? the View from Central Europe
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Bulgaria – the Difficult “Return to Europe”
European Democracy in Action BULGARIA – THE DIFFICULT “RETURN TO EUROPE” TAMARA BUSCHEK Against the background of the EU accession of Bulgaria on 1st January 2007 and the first Bulgarian elections for the European Parliament on 20th May 2007, Tamara Buschek takes a closer look at Bulgaria’s uneven political and economic transition – at its difficult “return to Europe”. Graduated from Graz University (Austria) in 2003 with a Masters in Law [magistra juris] after finishing her studies in European and international law. After gaining a grant from the Chamber of Commerce in 2000 to complete an internship at the Austrian Embassy in London, she carried out research for her dissertation in criminal law – “The Prevention of Sexual Child Abuse – Austria/Great Britain” - in 2001 at the London School of Economics. She studied European and administrative law in Paris from 2001 to 2002 as part of an Erasmus year. She is quadrilingual (German, Bulgarian, English and French). « BULGARIA – THE DIFFICULT RETURN TO EUROPE » MAY 2007 Table of Contents Introduction P. 1 2.3 The current governmental coalition, 2005-2007 and the P. 21 presidential election in 2006 I – Background Information P. 3 III - The first European Parliament elections, 20 May 2007 P. 25 1.1 Hopes and Fears P. 3 Conclusion P. 30 1.2 Ethnic Minorities P. 5 1.3 Economic Facts P. 7 Annex P. 32 II – Political Situation- a difficult path towards stability P. 9 Annex 1: Key facts P. 32 2.1 The transition from 1989 till 2001 P. 9 Annex 2: Economic Profile P. 33 2.1.1 The legislative elections of 1990 and the first P. -
There Has Been No Bulgarian Tradition of Any Long-Standing Resistance to the Communist Regime
There has been no Bulgarian tradition of any long-standing resistance to the communist regime. There was neither any political opposition, nor any other kind of an influential dissident movement. Bulgaria never went through the purgatory of the Hungarian uprising of 1956, or the “Prague spring” of 1968. It is indeed difficult to find any counter arguments whatsoever against the cliché that Bul- garia was the closest satellite of the Soviet Union. The fundamental contradictions within the Union of Democratic Forces (SDS) coalition were present from the very first day of its inception. There were Marxists who were longing for “socialism with a human face”, intellectuals with liberal ideas, social democrats and Christian democrats, conservatives and radical demo- crats, monarchists and republicans. The members of the center-right coalition did not delude themselves about their differences; they rather shared the clear un- derstanding that only a painful compromise could stand some chances against the Goliath of the totalitarian Bulgarian Communist Party (BKP). It was this unani- mous opposition to the communist regime and its legacy that made the coalition possible. But only for a limited period of time. The United Democratic Forces (ODS) government under Prime Minister Ivan Kostov (1997-2001) completed the reformist agenda of anti-communism. At the end of the ODS term of office, Bulgaria was a country with a functioning market economy, stable democracy, and a clearly outlined foreign policy course towards the country’s accession to the European Union and NATO, which was accepted by all significant political formations, the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) included. -
Zornitsa Markova the KTB STATE
Zornitsa Markova THE KTB STATE Sofia, 2017 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or express written consent from Iztok-Zapad Publishing House. transmitted in any form or by any means without first obtaining © Zornitsa Markova, 2017 © Iztok-Zapad Publishing House, 2017 ISBN 978-619-01-0094-2 zornitsa markova THE KTB STATE CHRONICLE OF THE LARGEST BANK FAILURE IN BULGARIA — THE WORKINGS OF A CAPTURED STATE THAT SOLD OUT THE PUBLIC INTEREST FOR PRIVATE EXPEDIENCY CONTENTS LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS / 12 EDITOR’S FOREWORD / 13 SUMMARY / 15 READER’S GUIDE TO THE INVESTIGATION / 21 1. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND / 23 DEVELOPMENTS IN THE BULGARIAN BANKING SECTOR THAT PRE-DATE KTB ..........................................................25 Headed for a Banking Crisis .................................................................................................. 26 Scores of Banks Close Their Doors................................................................................... 29 First Private Bank — Backed by the Powerful, Favoured by the Government ......................................................... 33 Criminal Syndicates and Their Banks — the Birth of a State within the State ...........................................................................35 A Post-Crisis Change of Players ..........................................................................................37 A FRESH START FOR THE FLEDGLING KTB ..................................................... 40 KTB SALE ..........................................................................................................................................42 -
Anti-Communism, Neoliberalisation, Fascism by Bozhin Stiliyanov
Post-Socialist Blues Within Real Existing Capitalism: Anti-Communism, Neoliberalisation, Fascism by Bozhin Stiliyanov Traykov A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Sociology University of Alberta © Bozhin Stiliyanov Traykov, 2020 Abstract This project draws on Alex William’s (2020) contribution to Gramscian studies with the concept of complex hegemony as an emergent, dynamic and fragile process of acquiring power in socio- political economic systems. It examines anti-communism as an ideological element of neoliberal complex hegemony in Bulgaria. By employing a Gramcian politico-historical analysis I explore examples of material and discursive ideological practices of anti-communism. I show that in Bulgaria, anti-communism strives to operate as hegemonic, common-sensual ideology through legislative acts, production of historiography, cultural and educational texts, and newly invented traditions. The project examines the process of rehabilitation of fascist figures and rise of extreme nationalism, together with discrediting of the anti-fascist struggle and demonizing of the welfare state within the totalitarian framework of anti-communism. Historians Enzo Traverso (2016, 2019), Domenico Losurdo (2011) and Ishay Landa (2010, 2016) have traced the undemocratic roots of economic liberalism and its (now silenced) support of fascism against the “Bolshevik threat.” They have shown that, whether enunciated by fascist regimes or by (neo)liberal intellectuals, anti-communism is deeply undemocratic and shares deep mass-phobic disdain for political organizing of the majority. In this dissertation I argue that, in Bulgaria, anti- communism has not only opened the ideological space for extreme right and fascist politics, it has demoralized left political organizing by attacking any attempts for a politics of socio- economic justice as tyrannical. -
Bulgaria Country Report BTI 2003
Bulgaria Status Index 7.7 Management Index 6.4 (Democracy: 4.0 / Market Economy: 3.7) System of Government Parliamentary Population 8.0 Mio. Democracy GDP p. c. ($, PPP) 6,890 Voter turnout 67.03 (2002) Unemployment rate 19.5 % Women in Parliament 26.3 % HDI 0.795 Population growth -0.3 % UN-Education Index 0.91 Largest ethnic minority 9.4 % (1992) Gini-Index 31.9 Figures for 2001 – if not indicated otherwise. a) Annual growth between 1975 and 2001. Source: UNDP: Human Development Report 2003. 1. Introduction The beginning of the period under study coincided roughly with the formation of the Union of Democratic Forces (SDS) government under Ivan Kostov in early 1997. The previous Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) government under Zhan Videnov had run Bulgaria’s economy to ruin during its short mandate from January 25, 1995 to December 28, 1996, and was forced out by popular demand. Ivan Kostov’s SDS-led government, in power from May 23, 1997 to July 24, 2001, is, to date, the only government since 1990 to have completed a full term of office. Although it was able to bring stability to the country and its macroeconomic situation, the SDS-led government was ousted in the June 17, 2001 elections by former czar Simeon II Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and his three-month- old party the National Movement for Simeon II (NDSV). The SDS lost the election because it had been unable to improve economic conditions for the average person and because voters had placed unrealistic hopes in the former czar. This report concludes that, despite all apparent political and macroeconomic stabilization since the 1997 crisis, severe deficiencies remain in regard to the rule of law; administrative efficiency; and the fight against organized crime, corruption and mafia structures (Bulgaria ranks 45th in the Corruption Perception Index with a score of 4.0). -
Variances Conceptuelles, Positionnements Politico-Stratégiques Et
o SÉCURITÉ & STRATÉGIE N 121 VEILIGHEID & STRATEGIE Août 2015 Opérations militaires : entre prise de risque, solidarité, souveraineté et « entrée en premier » André Dumoulin Chercheur au Centre d’études de sécurité et défense Institut royal supérieur de défense de royalsupérieur Institut ii Une version électronique du présent document est disponible et peut être téléchargée gratuitement sur notre site internet : www.irsd.be Les vues exprimées dans ce document sont celles de son auteur et ne reflètent pas nécessairement celles de l’Institut royal supérieur de défense, de la Défense ou du gouvernement belge. Vous pouvez adresser vos questions, commentaires ou remarques quant à ce document à l’adresse suivante : Directeur du Centre d’études de sécurité et défense Institut royal supérieur de défense Avenue de la Renaissance, 30 1000 Bruxelles Ou par courriel : [email protected] ISSN : 0770-9005 Opérations militaires : entre prise de risque, solidarité, souveraineté et « entrée en premier » André Dumoulin Chercheur au Centre d’études de sécurité et défense Institut royal supérieur de défense Centre d’études de sécurité et défense Avenue de la Renaissance 30 1000 Bruxelles Image de couverture Exercice Hot Blade 2014 Source : Agence européenne de défense (http://www.eda.europa.eu) – image extraite de la médiathèque Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos /eudefenceagency/14537791699/in/album-72157645720175065). Executive Summary Les opérations militaires en général et les opérations associées à la Politique européenne de sécurité et de défense (PESD/PSDC) de l’Union européenne ou dans le cadre de l’OTAN ne peuvent être étudiées si on ne prend pas en compte, très en amont, quatre critères : la solidarité entre États participants et leurs forces multinationalisées, le poids de la souveraineté et des restrictions associées à la prise de risque militaire et politique, la question de la prise de risque et, au final, la capacité d’entrer en premier dans les zones d’intervention. -
Bulgaria: Country Background Report
Order Code 98-627 F Updated July 13, 2001 CRS Report for Congress Received through the CRS Web Bulgaria: Country Background Report -name redacted- Specialist in International Relations Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division Summary In June 2001, the party of Simeon II, Bulgaria’s former King from the pre- communist era, won just short of a majority of the vote in parliamentary elections. Simeon, who founded his party three months earlier, did not run for a seat in parliament, but nevertheless was nominated by his party on July 12 to become Prime Minister. Simeon II is the first ex-monarch to return to power in eastern Europe since World War II. The Simeon II National Movement party replaces a center-right government that achieved many significant economic reforms and consolidated Bulgaria’s pro-Western orientation. Primary goals for Bulgaria remain full membership in NATO and the European Union. U.S. Administrations and Congress have noted Bulgaria’s positive role in promoting peace and stability in the Balkan region. This report will be updated as events warrant. Background From the 14th to the 19th century, Bulgaria was part of the Ottoman empire. It gained independence in the late 19th century. Bulgaria was on the losing side of three wars in the 20th century and came under communist rule in 1944. During the Cold War, Bulgaria had the reputation of being the Soviet Union’s most stalwart ally in the Warsaw Pact. Todor Zhivkov, head of the Bulgarian Communist Party, led a repressive regime in Bulgaria for 35 years. Beginning in 1989, Bulgaria began a gradual process of transformation to a democratic and market economic state that progressed more slowly than in other central European countries (such as Poland or Hungary), but with no violent changes in power as in Romania or Yugoslavia. -
Conditions of Military Multinationality the Multinational Corps Northeast in Szczecin
SOZIALWISSENSCHAFTLICHES INSTITUT DER BUNDESWEHR Band FORUM International Cahier 24 Volume Sven Bernhard Gareis Ulrich vom Hagen Sozialwissenschaftliches Institut der Bundeswehr Per Bach Torben Andreasen Ivan Doulgerof Institut for Miltœrpsykologi, Forsvarsakademiet Adam Kolodziejczyk Mariusz Wachowicz Wojskowe Biuro Badan Socjologicznych Conditions of Military Multinationality The Multinational Corps Northeast in Szczecin Report of the Trinational Research Team Strausberg Copenhagen Warsaw July 2003 Opinions expressed are solely those of the authors. Die Verantwortung für den Inhalt liegt bei den Autoren. Copyright by Sozialwissenschaftliches SOWI 2003 Institut der Bundeswehr All rights reserved Prötzeler Chaussee 20 Alle Rechte vorbehalten 15344 Strausberg ISSN 0177-7599 Tel.: 03341/58-1801 English Lector: Lindsay Cohn Fax: 03341/58-1802 Printed by: www.sowi-bundeswehr.de Wehrbereichsverwaltung Ost Contents Preface 7 1 The Multinational Corps Northeast as a Research 9 Subject 1.1 The Background of the Establishment of the Corps 10 and the Motives of the Participating Nations 1.2 Organisational Principles and Structure of the 15 MNC NE 1.3 Tasks of the Multinational Corps Northeast 22 2 Research on Military Multinationality 25 2.1 Military Co-operation 25 2.2 Horizontal Multinational Co-operation 26 2.3 Integrated Military Multinationality 28 2.3.1 The German-French Brigade 29 2.3.2 The German-Netherlands Corps 31 2.4 Current Research Situation 35 3 The MNC NE Project: Research Design, 37 Hypotheses and Guiding Questions 3.1 Research -
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DOI: 10.17573/cepar.2020.1.05 1.01 Original scientific article Public Administration Reform in Bulgaria: Top-down and Externally-driven Approach Emilia Zankina Temple University, USA [email protected] https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0312-4095 Received: 17. 10. 2019 Accepted: 11. 3. 2020 ABSTRACT The article examines public administration reform (PAR) in Bulgaria and the main factors that shaped the reform agenda and dynamics. PAR is ex- amined along five key dimensions – transparency and accountability, civil service and human resources management (HRM), public service deliv- ery and digitalisation, organisation and management of government, and policy-making coordination and implementation. The article argues that there are four main factors influencing reform dynamics and determining policy outcomes in the Bulgarian case: the specific political choices made by government elites, external influence of the EU and of past national legacies, and the importance of institutions and reform mechanisms. To illustrate these factors at work, the article examines three policy initia- tives, i.e. e-government, the reduction of administrative burden, and civil service reform. The article presents a longitudinal analysis and a qualita- tive case-study approach, utilising Annual Reports on the Status of the Public Administration 2001–2018, mapping European Semester Docu- ments 2011–2017, an inventory of PAR initiatives 2005–2018, and in- terviews of public officials. The pushes for reform have been top-down, externally-driven, and stop-and-go in nature. The results confirm previ- ous findings that Bulgaria is among the EU countries with the poorest record in PAR, struggling to overcome communist legacies and high lev- els of corruption and politicisation. -
The Struggle for Access to Healthcare in Eastern and Southern Europe
The Struggle for Access to Healthcare in Eastern and Southern Europe Partisanship and Party Responsiveness by Alexandru Daniel Moise Submitted to The Doctoral School of Political Science, Public Policy, and International Relations Central European University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy CEU eTD Collection Supervisor: Associate Professor Evelyne H¨ubscher Budapest, Hungary June 2019 Declaration I, the undersigned Alexandru Daniel Moise, candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the Central European University Doctoral School of Political Science, Public Policy and International Relations, declare herewith that the present thesis is exclusively my own work, based on my research and only such external information as properly credited in notes and bibliography. I declare that no unidentified and illegitimate use was made of work of others, and no part the thesis infringes on any person's or institution's copyright. I also declare that no part the thesis has been submitted in this form to any other institution of higher education for an academic degree. Budapest, June 11, 2019 ||||||||||||||||| Signature CEU eTD Collection c by Alexandru Daniel Moise, 2019 All Rights Reserved. Word count: ∼ 62,000 ii pentru mama s, i uri CEU eTD Collection Acknowledgments \You don't get it", she said. \Don't get what?" \We are one." \We are one?" Tengo asked with a shock. \We wrote the book together." ... \That's true. We wrote Air Crysalis together. And when we are eaten by the tiger, we'll be eaten together." |Haruki Murakami, 1Q84 If academia were a running club, the PhD would be the marathon. -
The Bulgarian Army – from the Warsaw Pact to Nato (Some Problems of the Military Reform)
Doykov, Yordan. El Ejército Búlgaro –del Pacto de Varsovia a la OTAN (algunos problemas de la Reforma Militar) THE BULGARIAN ARMY – FROM THE WARSAW PACT TO NATO (SOME PROBLEMS OF THE MILITARY REFORM) YORDAN DOYKOV∗ ABSTRACT The reform of the Bulgarian has progressed with difficulties, following the logic of the political process and looks for the foundation of national understanding of state’s priorities, including in the field of defence. The significance of the problems in the process of reformation of the Bulgarian armed forces is getting a more outlined form through following its historical importance and development. In the process of building stated democratic institutions the society needs the implementation of this military reform for the creation of a new army. Shaping the military reform concept is a result of a dispute between BSP and UDF. The transition period was accompanied by a waste of the military human potential. ∗ Departamento de Ciencia Política en la Universidad de Sofía “St Kliment Ohridski”. Papeles del Este. 1 8(2004): 1-23 Doykov, Yordan. El Ejército Búlgaro –del Pacto de Varsovia a la OTAN (algunos problemas de la Reforma Militar) EL EJÉRCITO BÚLGARO – DEL PACTO DE VARSOVIA A LA OTAN (ALGUNOS PROBLEMAS DE LA REFORMA MILITAR) YORDAN DOYKOV∗ RESUMEN El proceso de reforma búlgaro ha ido progresando con dificultades, ha seguido la lógica del proceso político y con el objetivo de conseguir una lista de prioridades nacionales que incluyen el área de defensa. La importancia de los problemas acontecidos durante el proceso de reforma de las Fuerzas Armadas búlgaras está tomando una mayor importancia debido a su importancia histórica y desarrollo. -
Univerza V Ljubljani Fakulteta Za Družbene Vede
UNIVERZA V LJUBLJANI FAKULTETA ZA DRUŽBENE VEDE Pavel Jereb Lahka bataljonska bojna skupina v funkciji transformacije Slovenske vojske Magistrsko delo Ljubljana, 2012 UNIVERZA V LJUBLJANI FAKULTETA ZA DRUŽBENE VEDE Pavel Jereb Mentor: doc. dr. Vinko Vegič Lahka bataljonska bojna skupina v funkciji transformacije Slovenske vojske Magistrsko delo Ljubljana, 2012 Zahvala Zahvaljujem se mentorju in brigadirju Branimiru Furlanu za podporo in strokovne usmeritve pri izdelavi magistrske naloge. Lahka bataljonska bojna skupina (LBBSk) v funkciji transformacije Slovenske vojske S prehodom večine evropskih držav iz naborniške v poklicno vojsko so se vojske številčno zmanjšale, dosegle pa višjo in kvalitetnejšo raven usposobljenosti, opremljenosti in izurjenosti. Istočasno so z branjenjem varnosti izven svojih nacionalnih meja morale postati hitro in lahko premestljive ter logistično samozadostne. Nove naloge, ki jih opravljajo vojske po 90-tih letih tega stoletja, zahtevajo širok spekter izurjenosti in kompleksnosti, kar pa s klasičnimi enorodovskimi enotami ne moremo doseči. Zato prihaja do združevanja specialističnih enot in oblikovanja tako imenovanih bojnih skupin znotraj nacionalnih vojska, v primeru večjih zahtev ali pomanjkanja določenih zmogljivosti znotraj ene nacionalne vojske pa se takšne enote formirajo in oblikujejo tudi znotraj dveh ali več držav. LBBSk je prvi poskus Slovenske vojske pri modularnem oblikovanju enote, ki bi zagotavljala zmogljivosti različnih specialističnih enot bodisi za potrebe lastne glavne manevrske enote, ali pa bi se uporabile za podporo delovanja enot v večnacionalnih sestavih v okviru multilateralnih organizacij. Delovanje vojska v večnacionalnem okolju pa ima svoje zahteve. Predvsem gre za poenotenje postopkov načrtovanja in izvajanja delovanja, za kompatibilnost opreme in oborožitvenih sistemov in poenotenje linije vodenja in poveljevanja. Pri izvajanju skupnih nalog pa za razumevanje konceptov delovanja, visoke koordiniranosti, pa tudi visokega nivoja strpnosti in medsebojnega spoštovanja.