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Promoting Liberal Democracy in the Eastern Mediterranean

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Promoting Liberal Democracy in the Eastern Mediterranean Promoting Liberal Democracy in the Eastern Mediterranean Table of Contents Preface – S. Daniel Abraham Center for Strategic Dialogue Elie Friedman .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................2 Preface – Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Israel Judith Stelmach ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................3 Joint Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................4 Challenges to Liberal Democracy in the Eastern Mediterranean Marta Murzanska & George Chr. Pelaghias .......................................................................................................................8 This publication was made Cypriot Liberal Democracy and its Challenges possible through the generous support of the Marta Murzanska & George Chr. Pelaghias .......................................................................................................................18 Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Israel. We thank FES for its The Future of Democracies in the Eastern Mediterranean continued cooperation. Region: A Greek Perspective John M. Nomikos and A. Th. Symeonides ............................................................................................................................26 The opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the Advancing Democracy in the Eastern Mediterranean opinions of the Friedrich- Region: An Israeli Perspective Ebert-Stiftung and/or of Netanya Academic College. Ehud Eiran ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................38 The commercial use of the Joint Recommendations ...............................................................................................................................................................................48 publications of Friedrich- Ebert-Stiftung or of Netanya About the Authors ................................................................................................................................. 54 Academic College without written approval is strictly prohibited. November, 2018 © All rights reserved ISBN Number: 978-965-92408-8-3 Scientific Editing: Elie Friedman, Yair Hirschfeld, Judith Stelmach Photography: depositphotos 1 Promoting Liberal Democracy in the Eastern Mediterranean Preface – S. Daniel Abraham Center for Strategic Dialogue Elie Friedman In late 2017, we met with our partners at the Friedrich-Ebert- Greek-Israeli-Cypriote alliance can be expanded to include Stiftung, Israel office, Dr. Werner Purschra, director at the time, a normative element, which would complement the power- and Ms. Judith Stelmach, project manager. We engaged in a based considerations that drive it now. Specifically, our research fruitful discussion about the importance of Israel's developing project attempts to: cooperation with Greece and Cyprus, and thought about how such cooperation could be beneficial to Israel's status 1. Develop the conceptual framework that can justify the vis-à-vis the European Union. We came to the conclusion need to add a normative layer to the alliance. that the three states have taken great strides to advance 2. Identify possible avenues of trilateral cooperation – on relations in the security and economic spheres, particularly the governmental level as well as that would advance in the field of energy, however, an element was missing from liberal democracy in all three countries including issues this developing partnership: the normative element. Through such as: defending against radical political parties, our discussions, we came to the understanding that Greece, strengthening checks and balances, dealing with the Cyprus, and Israel are liberal democracies that face various rise of non-democratic actors in the region, fighting internal and external challenges to their identity as such. corruption, and defending basic freedoms. Israel, Cyprus, and Greece, from both a geographical and The project involves the cooperation of a number of cultural perspective, have traditionally served as a kind of researchers. The Cypriot perspective was studied by the bridge between Europe and the Middle East. With various Cypriot think tank European Rim Policy and Investment Council social, political, and economic upheavals across the Middle East over the past decade, the role of these countries, vis-a- (ERPIC), represented by Mr. George Chr. Pelaghias, Executive vis European interests, has become all the more essential. Director and Ms. Marta Murzanska, Researcher and Assistant Furthermore, the influence of autocratic dictatorships, or Project Coordinator, and Dr. Christodoulos G. Pelaghias, Chair. countries with non-democratic tendencies, has become The Greek perspective was studied by the Research Institute emboldened in the East Mediterranean region. There are for European and American Studies (RIEAS), represented by Dr. numerous ongoing inter- and intra-state conflicts, with many John Nomikos, Director and by A.Th. Symeonides, Academic regional and world actors involved. The growing influence of Advisor. The Israeli perspective was studied by Dr. Ehud (Udi) authoritarian powers in the region is the result of a number of Eiran, School of Political Science, University of Haifa. We thank processes, including the lack of the rule of law, the gnawing each of the researchers for their ongoing cooperation and away at democratic institutions and concepts, in favor of significant investment in this project. tribalism, corruption, clientalism, and clan-based affiliations. We would like to express our deep thanks to the Friedrich- These trends, in addition to being prominent in authoritarian Ebert-Stiftung, Israel office, in particular to Ms. Judith Stelmach, powers impacting the East Mediterranean, also threaten democracy and the rule of law in the democracies in the project manager, who has been the most cooperative and region – Greece, Cyprus, and Israel. In addition, in these intelligent partner one could hope for. In addition, we countries, there is a need to promote judicial independence, would like to thank former director, Dr. Werner Puschra, and respect for judicial decisions, good governance, procedurally new director, Dr. Paul Pasch for their initiative an ongoing fair decision-making processes, and ethics in both the public cooperation and support. as well as private sectors. We hope that this volume will create an impetus for ongoing We decided to engage in a trilateral research project whose cooperation both at the civil society and governmental level purpose is to identify the ways in which the emerging in the Eastern Mediterranean region. 2 Preface – Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Israel Judith Stelmach Common economic and security interests shared by the Ehud (Udi) Eiran (School of Political Science, University of State of Israel, the Republic of Cyprus, and the Hellenic Haifa, Israel), Dr. Christodoulos G. Pelaghias, Mr. George Chr. Republic have contributed in recent years to the formation Pelaghias and Ms. Marta Murzanska (European Rim Policy and of a trilateral relationship among the three countries. The Investment Council, Cyprus) and Dr. John Nomikos and A.Th. established collaboration between them covers a broad variety Symeonides (Research Institute for European and American of issues: the development of offshore natural resources such Studies, Greece) was how the trilateral cooperation can as hydrocarbon and natural gas, environmental initiatives, contribute to the promotion of liberal democratic values in research, communications, as well as the strengthening of the three countries as well as in the Eastern Mediterranean across-the-board economic and trade relations. at large. We felt that this question has to be openly asked The relationship also has a security component: The Eastern and put on the table along with all other considerations. Mediterranean is – as the saying goes – a problematic In addition, according to our understanding, promoting neighborhood. Constant conflicts, terrorism, and wars as well liberal democracy cannot be just a byproduct of the Israeli- as radical Islam coupled with weak to non-existent democratic Cypriot-Greek collaboration, but must be one of its declared structures in many countries in the region threaten Israel, goals. We believe that keeping the common values of liberal Cyprus, and Greece, and make a strong argument for closer democracy in mind and explicitly seeking to protect them military cooperation between the three countries. will not only add a normative dimension to the relationship but will strengthen it and open possibilities for development All these facts are known and have been broadly analyzed and collaboration with the European Community as well as and discussed in the media as well as in scientific publications. on a regional level. However, it seems that
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