DOCSLIB.ORG

Democracy in the South Caucasus

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Democracy in the South Caucasus /P +BOVBSZ Abkhazia South Ossetia caucasus Adjara analytical digest Nagorno- Karabakh XXXKFñFSTPOJOTUPSH XXXMBFOEFSBOBMZTFOEF XXXSFTFUI[DI XXXCPFMMHF %&.0$3"$:*/5)&4065)$"6$"464 ȮANALYSIS Oil Wealth, Patrimonialism, and the Failure of Democracy in Azerbaijan 2 By Farid Guliyev, Bremen ȮOPINION POLLS Trust in Institutions of State and Society in the Countries of the South Caucasus 6 ȮDOCUMENTATION Interest in Politics and Civic Engagement in the Countries of the South Caucasus 7 ȮOPINION Lost in Democratization and Modernization: What Next in Georgia? 9 By David Aprasidze, Tbilisi ȮOPINION POLLS Attitude of the Georgian Population towards Politics 12 ȮCHRONICLE From 16 December 2008 to 13 January 2009 15 Jefferson 3FTFBSDI$FOUSFGPS&BTU $FOUFSGPS4FDVSJUZ )&*/3*$)#®--45*'56/( DGO &VSPQFBO4UVEJFT #SFNFO Institute 4UVEJFT &5);VSJDI 4065)$"6$"464 caucasus analytical DBVDBTVTBOBMZUJDBMEJHFTU digest "OBMZTJT Oil Wealth, Patrimonialism, and the Failure of Democracy in Azerbaijan By Farid Guliyev, Bremen Abstract Azerbaijan’s democratization attempts failed, not least because for those in power, control over the political process was essential in order to gain and maintain control over the country’s petroleum riches. Organiza- tion of power along patrimonial lines defines the system that Azerbaijan’s late president Heydar Aliyev cre- ated during his long rule and which his son, Ilham Aliyev, continued. !is system distributes rents from oil exports through a patronage network in order to ensure the support of allies and various clientelist groups. !e high oil-price environment of 2003–2008 brought an enormous increase in revenues from oil exports. Since about 2005–06, the government did not even care to maintain the façade of democracy as it did dur- ing the 1990s. !e drop in oil prices will probably make the government pursue a more careful policy, but political change is unlikely as long as the system remains based on sharing the spoils from oil exports and keeping the public marginalized and powerless. An Authoritarian and Corrupt Regime support and loyalty. More visibly, political clientelism On December 30, 2008, Azerbaijani authorities turned manifests itself in the wide-reaching spread of graft and off BBC, Radio Liberty and Voice of America broadcast- rent-seeking. In fact, Azerbaijan figures today among the ing services, effectively denying their citizens access to most corrupt countries of the world: Transparency Inter- independent sources of information and the few remain- national’s 2008 Corruption Perception Index ranked ing venues of debate on issues of public concern. Only a Azerbaijan 158th among 180 countries. !e country few days earlier, on December 26, the majority of Azer- appears in the same group as Burundi, the Republic of baijani parliament members called for a referendum, set Congo, Sierra Leone and Angola. to be held on 18 March 2009, to amend the country’s If in the 1990s the form of government in Azerbai- constitution from 1995. !e proposed constitutional jan was duly described as semi-authoritarian, i.e. neither reform would abolish the rule that the same person can- democratic nor outright authoritarian, by the early 2000s not be re-elected as president after serving two terms in the regime moved in the authoritarian direction. In fact, office. If adopted, this amendment would enable incum- democracy never took root in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan falls bent Ilham Aliyev to run for a third term after his second into a group of countries from the southern belt of the term expires in 2013; and then to remain president for former USSR, which after 1991 did not see a movement an indefinite period of time. Aliyev, now 47, was elected towards democracy and freedom as in the Baltic States, president in 2003 for a five-year term, succeeding his but the rise of repressive regimes and odious dictators (the ailing father Heydar Aliyev. In the controversial Octo- most notorious example being the late president of Turk- ber 2008 election, which the main opposition Azadliq menistan, Saparmurat Niyazov) or the establishment of (Freedom) party bloc boycotted, he won a landslide 89 hybrid regimes which blend democratic and non-demo- percent of the vote, a slight gain compared to his 76.8 cratic features (such as the one in Armenia). percent showing in 2003. It thus comes as little surprise that Azerbaijan does !e latest attacks on democracy and free media are not fare well in international rankings on democracy and not surprising; in effect, they mark the culmination of press freedom: !e Polity project which provides an inde- nearly 15 years devoted to forming an authoritarian polit- pendent assessment of authority trends in all indepen- ical regime whose entire support mechanism rests on the dent states has kept Azerbaijan’s score at “-7” since 1998 availability of energy resources and the division of spoils (after Heydar Aliyev’s re-election for a second term) on from the export of petroleum. Petroleum revenues pro- a 21-point scale ranging from “-10” (hereditary monar- vide the vital resource to be exchanged through the web chy) to “+10” (consolidated democracy). On the Report- of patron-client relationships spanning the patrimonial ers Without Borders’ annual Press Freedom Index, in system of authority, which is tantamount to a “personal 2008 Azerbaijan ranked 150 out of 173 countries. IREX, fiefdom” of the ruler. !e state works along clientelistic another media audit organization, in its 2008 Media Sus- lines: the governing elite (patron) supplies benefits and tainability Index assigned a score of 1.84 to Azerbaijan favors to its supporters (clients) in exchange for political on a scale from “0” representing unsustainable, anti-free 2 caucasus analytical DBVDBTVTBOBMZUJDBMEJHFTU digest press to “4” representing free and sustainable media. !e civil society) effect: oil revenues provide an authoritar- ban on foreign broadcasts starting January 2009 com- ian state with resources to prevent independent social pletes the tide of restrictions on free media. groups from forming. Fourth, an overabundance of oil revenues stimulates greater repression as it allows the oil- Oil and Democracy abundant state to spend excessively on the armed forces, !ere are multiple reasons for the failure to democratize, police and security agencies that can be used to silence but a country’s abundance in natural resources tends to pro-democracy forces. As a result, the state demobilizes hinder the establishment of democracy and freedom. society and deprives it of the ability and means to coun- Political scientists, notably Terry Lynn Karl and Michael terbalance state policy. L. Ross, write widely about the “resource curse,” identi- fying several negative effects of a country’s dependence Towards the Formation of a Petro-State on a single resource, especially petroleum. In countries At the time of Azerbaijan’s independence from the Soviet afflicted with the curse, natural resources are regarded Union, the political leaders knew full-well that the only as the only chance to develop. !e state is thus eager to viable option to quickly restore a shattered economy was control the oil and gas industry via a national monop- to revitalize the petroleum industry, which declined olist, such as a state oil company. With the influx of during the late Soviet period. Petroleum shaped much foreign capital into the enlarged public sector of the of the modern history of this country, which was home economy, the state grows and becomes stronger (in its to the world’s first drilled oil well in 1848 near Baku, capacities), whereas private businesses largely depend then part of the Russian Empire. By the early 20th cen- on government contracts, which are usually distributed tury, Azerbaijan produced almost half of the world’s oil. to regime collaborators in return for political support After a short-lived independence in 1918–1920, Azerbai- or loyalty. Crony capitalism, understood as the system jan was incorporated into the Soviet Union to serve as in which members of the government distribute eco- a hydrocarbon supplier for the Soviet economy. In the nomic favors to their personal connections, thus flour- early 1990s the Azerbaijani Popular Front-led national ishes. !is system allows the oil-rich government to con- independence movement took an anti-Russian position trol the rest of the economy and to gain autonomy from and sought sovereignty over its resources. Yet, a shortage the public by implementing its decisions without rely- of capital and the lack of modern technologies to extract ing on public taxes. technologically-complicated offshore reserves prevented Since petroleum-rich countries are located mainly in Azerbaijan from developing its resources independently the developing world where weak political institutions and forced Heydar Aliyev’s government to attract for- prevail, they must usually build their political systems eign investments into its oil industry. at the same time as they develop the petroleum industry, !e desire to stay in office provided another motive with the industry exerting a negative effect on the institu- for securing foreign investments. Typically, the leaders tions. In conditions with few restraints, high petroleum of oil-abundant states use their mineral riches to prolong income creates an incentive structure for the political their tenure as chief executive. After years of political tur- and economic elites to grab their part of the oil revenue moil and the military defeats against Armenian-backed “pie.” Hence, petroleum revenues foster rent-seeking
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Puzzles of State Transformation : the Cases of Armenia and Georgia
    PUZZLES OF STATE TRANSFORMATION : THE CASES OF ARMENIA AND GEORGIA Nicole Gallina ∗∗∗ Abstract The problems of weak state structures, including state territoriality, in the South Caucasus has highly influenced political developments and the building of a democratic state. This paper explains the difficulty of recovering statehood in the cases of Armenia and Georgia, both in the context of post–Soviet state transformation and post–conflict state-rebuilding. It argues that recovering statehood in the South Caucasus meant at once maintaining the status quo within the state structures and managing the highly volatile political and ethnic relations (culminating in armed conflict). In the cases of conflict, elite management impeded conflict solution. In this context, this paper finds that elite power slowed the construction of a democratic and effective state. In particular, elite fragmentation has led to serious impediments for state development and the consolidation of territoriality. In sum, elite-led state development and conflict management hindered the successful consolidation of state territoriality. Keywords: Armenia, Georgia, state-building, frozen conflicts, elite fragmentation Introduction In the South Caucasus, questions of state reform and state territoriality have dominated the post- Soviet situation. In particular, the insufficient consolidation of state territoriality has had a great impact on the overall state capacities, often characterized by large military budgets and low social spending. Instable territoriality and separatist tendencies led to military conflicts in both Armenia and Georgia – most recently in Georgia in August 2008. The example of Georgia has clearly shown the importance of territorial questions in post-Soviet political development. The first hot conflict phase in the early 1990s resulted in the heavy destruction of infrastructure and in the degradation of living conditions .
    [Show full text]
  • Country of Origin Information Report Republic of Georgia 25 November
    REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION (COI) REPORT Country of Origin Information Service 25 November 2010 GEORGIA 25 NOVEMBER 2010 Contents Preface Paragraphs Background Information 1. GEOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................ 1.01 Maps ...................................................................................................................... 1.05 2. ECONOMY ................................................................................................................ 2.01 3. HISTORY .................................................................................................................. 3.01 Post-communist Georgia, 1990-2003.................................................................. 3.02 Political developments, 2003-2007...................................................................... 3.03 Elections of 2008 .................................................................................................. 3.05 Presidential election, January 2008 ................................................................... 3.05 Parliamentary election, May 2008 ...................................................................... 3.06 Armed conflict with Russia, August 2008 .......................................................... 3.09 Developments following the 2008 armed conflict.............................................. 3.10 4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS ..........................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Chronicle: the Caucasus in the Year 2009
    Chronicle: The Caucasus in the year 2009 January 2 January 2009 Greece, which takes over the OSCE chairmanship from Finland, declares diplomatic efforts will continue to reach a consensus on the extension of the OSCE mission in Georgia 4 January 2009 Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs says Georgian police post was attacked in the village of Ganmukhuri at the Abkhaz administrative border 6 January 2009 Azerbaijan Democratic Party condemns the closure of foreign radio stations in Azerbaijan 6 January 2009 Georgian public TV announces Georgia’s participation in the Eurovision song contest in Moscow in May 8 January 2009 An inter-agency anti-corruption council is set up in Georgia to upgrade the national anti-corruption strategy and action plan 9 January 2009 US and Georgian officials sign a bilateral charter on strategic partnership 9 January 2009 Transit of Russian gas to Armenia is halted after a gas pipeline is damaged in Southern Georgia 10 January 2009 Russian state-controlled electricity trader Inter RAO signs a memorandum of understanding with Georgia on the exploitation of the Enguri hydro power plant (HPP) 12 January 2009 Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava rules out early elections 12 January 2009 Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey visits Georgia to sign agreement with Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze on the protection of Georgia’s interests in Russia by Switzerland 12 January 2009 Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves visits Azerbaijan 13 January 2009 Opposition parties in Georgia criticize the government for striking
    [Show full text]
  • Adlib Express Watermark
    IHS Global Insight Report: Georgia (Country Intelligence) Report printed on 14 January 2009 CONTENTS Country Reports AdlibCopyright ©2008 Express Global Insight Inc. All rights reserved. WatermarkPage 1 of 36 Nature of Risk Rating Summary Political: Risks 2.75 The situation in Georgia is uncertain in the aftermath of the military conflict with Russia, but it is clear that the state will remain functioning, even if the separatist republics claim chunks of its territory (highly unlikely). The economy will pay the price of military damage, although most importantly, crucial elements of the country's infrastructure such as bridges and mountain tunnels have remained intact. President Mikhail Saakashvili, who essentially triggered the hostilities by ordering a Georgian offensive on South Ossetia, will have to fight to retain his seat, which he only won for the second term in January 2008. Given the popular consensus in the face of the Russian offensive, however, Saakashvili may well rely on his charismatic turns to actually elevate and strengthen his domestic position. The government will also remain committed to its economic reform policy, although most of the legislation and regulation is already in place. Economic: Risks 3.50 Georgia is a poor country with weak external financial and trade links outside Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States. The collapse in growth associated with post-Soviet economic management during the early 1990s was heightened in Georgia's case by a brief civil war on its borders. The economy finally began to recover strongly from its collapsed base in the second half of the 1990s. Although Georgian GDP rose steadily in 1995-2006, growth rates have been highly variable, from lows of about 2% to highs of arou nd 11%.
    [Show full text]
  • Russia, NATO, and Black Sea Security for More Information on This Publication, Visit
    Russia, NATO, and Black Sea Security Russia, NATO, C O R P O R A T I O N STEPHEN J. FLANAGAN, ANIKA BINNENDIJK, IRINA A. CHINDEA, KATHERINE COSTELLO, GEOFFREY KIRKWOOD, DARA MASSICOT, CLINT REACH Russia, NATO, and Black Sea Security For more information on this publication, visit www.rand.org/t/RRA357-1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available for this publication. ISBN: 978-1-9774-0568-5 Published by the RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, Calif. © Copyright 2020 RAND Corporation R® is a registered trademark. Cover: Cover graphic by Dori Walker, adapted from a photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Weston Jones. Limited Print and Electronic Distribution Rights This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law. This representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for noncommercial use only. Unauthorized posting of this publication online is prohibited. Permission is given to duplicate this document for personal use only, as long as it is unaltered and complete. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of its research documents for commercial use. For information on reprint and linking permissions, please visit www.rand.org/pubs/permissions. The RAND Corporation is a research organization that develops solutions to public policy challenges to help make communities throughout the world safer and more secure, healthier and more prosperous. RAND is nonprofit, nonpartisan, and committed to the public interest. RAND’s publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors. Support RAND Make a tax-deductible charitable contribution at www.rand.org/giving/contribute www.rand.org Preface The Black Sea region is a central locus of the competition between Russia and the West for the future of Europe.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Tonoyan.Indd
    Rising Armenian–Georgian Tensions and the Possibility of a New Ethnic Conflict in the South Caucasus Artyom Tonoyan Abstract: This article analyzes the recent geopolitical developments in Georgian and Armenian societies and the possibility of a new interstate conflict between the two nations. The article focuses on the role of internal and external political factors, such as the the integration of the Armenian minority in Georgia’s Javakheti region into the political processes and economic projects in that country; unresolved issues concerning the ownership of Armenian churches in Georgia; third-party geopolitical overtures in the region; and the role of new information technologies in social mobilization and political activism. The article finds that despite a centu- ries-old relationship between these two countries, the possibility of new con- flicts in the South Caucasus is, though small, not entirely out-of-the-question. Keywords: Armenia, Georgia, ethnic conflict, South Caucasus he South Caucasus region is in the news again, and not for good reasons. There have T been occasional bursts of headline-grabbing events in the Caucasus since the heyday of Gorbachev-era political reforms and following the collapse of the Soviet Union, many of them having to do with military confrontation between the region’s various ethnoreli- gious inhabitants. Considered the traditional domain of Russian economic, political and military influence, the South Caucasus has generally been absent from Western political and media analysis, but with the recent engagement of the United States and the Euro- Artyom Tonoyan is a doctoral candidate in Religion, Politics & Society in the J.M. Dawson Institute of Church-State Studies at Baylor University, where he also lectures on nationalism, ethnic conflict, and international human rights.
    [Show full text]
  • 081210Cover (Skrivskyddat)
    Central Asia-Caucasus Analyst BI-WEEKLY BRIEFING VOL. 10 NO. 24 10 DECEMBER 2008 Searchable Archives with over 1,500 articles at http://www.cacianalyst.org ANALYTICAL ARTICLES: FIELD REPORTS: RUSSIA’S STRATEGIC CHALLENGES IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS: AZERBAIJAN WORLD’S FAMOUS SANTA CLAUSES UNITE IN MOVES CENTER STAGE KYRGYZSTAN Roger N McDermott Erica Marat GOVERNMENT RESHUFFLE IN GEORGIA CHINA’S RECENT ADVANCES Johanna Popjanevski IN CENTRAL ASIA Sébastien Peyrouse TAJIK LABOR MIGRATION AND ITS CONSE- QUENCES FOR WOMEN RECONCILING SHARIA WITH Sergey Medrea REALPOLITIK: THE INTERNATIONAL OUTLOOK OF THE CAUCASUS EMIRATE TURKMENISTAN BOOSTS ITS ROLE IN RE- Kevin Daniel Leahy GIONAL ENERGY COOPERATION Roman Muzalevsky CURRENCY CHANGES IN TURKMENISTAN: NEWS DIGEST ECONOMIC REFORMS ON THE WAY? Rafis Abazov Central Asia-Caucasus Analyst BI-WEEKLY BRIEFING VOL. 10 NO. 24 10 DECEMBER 2008 Contents Analytical Articles RUSSIA’S STRATEGIC CHALLENGES IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS: 3 AZERBAIJAN MOVES CENTER STAGE Roger N McDermott CHINA’S RECENT ADVANCES IN CENTRAL ASIA 6 Sébastien Peyrouse RECONCILING SHARIA WITH REALPOLITIK: 9 THE INTERNATIONAL OUTLOOK OF THE CAUCASUS EMIRATE Kevin Daniel Leahy CURRENCY CHANGES IN TURKMENISTAN: 12 ECONOMIC REFORMS ON THE WAY? Rafis Abazov Field Reports WORLD’S FAMOUS SANTA CLAUSES UNITE IN KYRGYZSTAN 15 Erica Marat GOVERNMENT RESHUFFLE IN GEORGIA 16 Johanna Popjanevski TAJIK LABOR MIGRATION AND ITS CONSEQUENCES FOR WOMEN 18 Sergey Medrea TURKMENISTAN BOOSTS ITS ROLE IN REGIONAL ENERGY COOPERATION 19 Roman Muzalevsky News Digest 21 THE CENTRAL ASIA-CAUCASUS ANALYST Editor: Svante E. Cornell Assistant Editor: Niklas Nilsson Assistant Editor, News Digest: Alima Bissenova Chairman, Editorial Board: S. Frederick Starr The Central Asia-Caucasus Analyst is an English-language journal devoted to analysis of the current issues facing Central Asia and the Caucasus.
    [Show full text]
  • Turqay Ceferov. Gürcistan'da Siyasal Sistem: Tarihsel Gelişimi Ve Anayasal
    AZERBAYCAN CUMHURİYETİ EĞİTİM BAKANLIĞI AZERBAYCAN DEVLET İKTİSAT ÜNİVERSİTESİ TÜRK DÜNYASI İŞLETME FAKÜLTESİ LİSANS BİTİRME TEZİ Gürcistan’da siyasal sistem: tarihsel gelişimi ve anayasal sistemi Hazırlayan Turqay Ceferov 1417.02002 BAKÜ-2018 AZERBAYCAN DEVLET İKTİSAT ÜNİVERSİTESİ TÜRK DÜNYASI İŞLETME FAKÜLTESİ LİSANS BİTİRME TEZİ GÜRCİSTAN’DA SİYASAL SİSTEM: TARİHSEL GELİŞİMİ VE ANAYASAL SİSTEMİ Danışman Dr. Nazim Ceferov Hazırlayan Turqay CEFEROV 1417.02002 BAKÜ-2018 AZƏRBAYCAN RESPUBLİKASI TƏHSİL NAZİRLİYİ AZƏRBAYCAN DÖVLƏT İQTİSAD UNİVERSİTETİ Kafedra “İqtisadiyyat və İşlətmə” TƏSDİQ EDİRƏM “___” _________ 2018 BURAXILIŞ İŞİ ÜZRƏ VERİLMİŞ TAPŞIRIQ “Türk Dünyası İşlətmə” fakültəsinin Beynəlxalq Münasibətlər (Uluslararası İlişkiler) ixtisası üzrə təhsil alan tələbəsi Cəfərov Turqay Şahin (adı, soyadı, atasının adı) Diplom işinin rəhbəri Dr. Nazim Cəfərov Kamil (adı, soyadı, atasının adı, elmi adı və dərəcəsi) 1. İşin mövzusu: Gürcistan’da Siyasal Sistem: Tarihsel Gelişimi ve Anayasal Sistemi Azərbaycan Dövlət İqtisad Universiteti tərəfindən təsdiqlənsin “____” __________________ 2018 il No i 2. Tələbənin sona yetirdiyi işin kafedraya təhvil müddəti: 6 ay 3. İşin məzmunu və həcmi (izahı, hesabı və eksperimental hissəsi, yeni təhlilə ehtiyacı olan müəssisələr) Özet, Giriş, Birinci bölüm, İkinci bölüm, Sonuç, Kaynakça 4. Buraxılış işi üçün lazımi materiallar: ANÇABADZE, Giorgi; GAMKRELİZDE, Gela; KİKNADZE, Zurab; SURGULUDZE, Mziya ve ŞVELİDZE, Dimitri (2009), Gürcistan Tarihi, Logos press, Tbilisi. APRASİDZE, David (2011), Electoral System and Process in Georgia: Possible Means for İmprovement, Caucasus İnstitute for Peace, Democracy and Development, Tbilisi. Avrupa Birliği Gürcistan’a vizeyi kaldırdı , http://www.sozcu.com.tr/2017/dunya/avrupa-birligi-gurcistana-vizeyi- kaldirdi-1703466/ , (07.02.2018). BERUÇAŞVİLİ, Niko; DAVİTAŞVİLİ, Zurab ve ELİZBARAŞVİLİ, Nodar (1999), Gürcistan Coğrafyası, İNTELLEKT Yayın Evi, Tbilisi. CNN, Bush: Georgia 's beacon of liberty http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/05/10/bush.tuesday/ , (26.01.2018).
    [Show full text]
  • Caucasian Review of International Affairs (CRIA) Is a Quarterly Peer-Reviewed Free, Non-Profit and Only-Online Academic Journal Based in Germany
    CCCAUCASIAN REVIEW OF IIINTERNATIONAL AAAFFAIRS Vol. 4 (((1(111)))) winter 2020201020 101010 RUSSIA ’S PRAGMATIC REIMPERIALIZATION JANUSZ BUGAJSKI PUZZLES OF STATE TRANSFORMATION : THE CASE OF ARMENIA AND GEORGIA NICOLE GALLINA RUSSIA ’S NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY TO 2020: A GREAT POWER IN THE MAKING ? SOPHIA DIMITRAKOPOULOU & ANDREW LIAROPOULOS INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE RIGHTS NORMS IN THE DISPUTE OVER LATINIZATION REFORM IN THE REPUBLIC OF TATARSTAN DILYARA SULEYMANOVA EUROPEAN FOREIGN POLICY AFTER LISBON : STRENGTHENING THE EU AS AN INTERNATIONAL ACTOR KATERYNA KOEHLER THE FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL : TWENTY YEARS OF REFORM ALEKSANDR SHKOLNIKOV & ANNA NADGRODKIEWICZ KAZAN : THE RELIGIOUSLY UNDIVIDED FRONTIER CITY MATTHEW DERRICK “THE CURRENT TREND OF THE KREMLIN IS TO RATHER FORMALLY DISTANCE ITSELF FROM THE NORTH CAUCASUS ” INTERVIEW WITH DR. EMIL SOULEIMANOV , CHARLES UNIVERSITY , PRAGUE ISSN: 1865-6773 www.cria -online.org EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Nasimi Aghayev, LL.M.Eur. EDITORIAL BOARD: Dr. Tracey German (King’s College Dr. Robin van der Hout (Europa-Institute, London, United Kingdom) University of Saarland, Germany) Dr. Andrew Liaropoulos (Institute for Dr. Jason Strakes (Analyst, Research European and American Studies, Greece) Reachback Center East, USA) Dr. Martin Malek (National Defence Dr. Cory Welt (Georgetown University, Academy, Austria) USA) INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD: Prof. Hüseyin Bagci , Middle East Prof. Werner Münch , former Prime Technical University, Ankara, Turkey Minister of Saxony-Anhalt, former Member of the European Parliament, Germany Prof. Hans-Georg Heinrich, University of Vienna, Austria Prof. Elkhan Nuriyev , Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies under the Prof. Edmund Herzig , Oxford University, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan UK Dr. Roy Allison, London School of Prof.
    [Show full text]
  • Georgia's Democracy “New Wave”
    Reform or Retouch? Georgia's New Wave of Democracy 1 www.transparency.gewww.transparency.ge In his address to the Georgian parliament this summer, Joe Biden pointed to fundamental flaws within the Georgian political system and called for action to be taken. The Rose Revolution will only be complete when... issues are debated inside this chamber, not only out on the street; when you fully address key constitutional issues regarding the balance of power between the parliament and executive branch and levelling your electoral playing field; when the media is totally independent and professional... when the courts are free from outside influence and rule of law is firmly established and when the transfer of power occurs through peaceful, constitutional and democratic processes... Vice President Joe Biden, Tbilisi, July 23 2009 In a speech to Parliament before Bidens arrival and in a number of other keynote addresses through- out the last several years President Saakashvili promised to address these very concerns, and vowed a new wave of democratisation. This New Wave promised changes in the structure of government, the inclusion of the opposition, and changes in the electoral system, the media and the judiciary. This report seeks to analyse whether those promised changes are being realized and to what extent they will impact the Georgian political and social landscape. Structure of Government: Broad-reaching constitutional changes are currently being considered that offer an enormous potential for long-term strengthening of checks and balances in Georgia. However, because of the overwhelming majority of the ruling party in the current parliament, where it holds 2/3 of seats, any efforts to increase parliaments powers are unlikely to have impact until the next presiden- tial and parliamentary elections.
    [Show full text]
  • “Building a Modern State in 21St Century - Georgia”
    3 September Wednesday (Day 3) Close Session only for CDDRL Fellows and Faculty 9:30-12:30 Close Session only for CDDRL Fellows and Faculty towards Building an Alumni Network and Community 12:30-14:00 Lunch 14:00-15:30 Sight visit to the Public Service Hall 16:00-17:30 Lecture at Free University Agenda of the Conference: 20:00 Graduation Dinner at Funicular Restaurant hosted by the Bank of Georgia University. By invitation only. ON Leadership Forum “Building a Modern State in 21st Century - Georgia” September 1-3, 2014 September 1-3, 2014 Conference Participants: Mr.Giorgi Kadagidze, President of the National Bank of Georgia; Mr. Venue: Courtyard Marriott Hotel Kakha Bendukidze, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Free University and Agricultural Working Language: English with a simultaneous interpretation into Georgian University of Georgia; Mr. Lasha Dolidze, Board Member, Economic Policy Research Center (EPRC); Mr. George Chirakadze, Head of Supervisory Board, President of Business Association of Georgia. 1 September Monday (Day 1) 20:00 Gala Reception hosted by H.E. Giorgi Margvelashvili, President of Georgia at the 08:30-09:00 Welcome Coffee and Registration Presidential Palace. By invitation only. 09:00-09:30 Opening Remarks by H.E. Giorgi Margvelashvili, President of Georgia; H.E. Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia; Mr. David Usupashvili, Chairman of the 2 September Tuesday (Day 2) Parliament of Georgia; H.E. Richard Norland, Ambassador of the U.S. to Georgia; Ms. Keti Khutsishvili, Director of the Open Society Georgia Foundation; Stanford 09:00-10:45 Panel Discussion I – Regional confl ict and instability: The Situation in Ukraine / Faculty.
    [Show full text]
  • The Covid-19 Pandemic Its Impact on Georgia and Beyond to Our Readers
    THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ITS IMPACT ON GEORGIA AND BEYOND TO OUR READERS We are pleased to present you the first issue of The Journal of Frontline Democracy, published by Economic Policy Research Center and Fukuyama Democracy Frontline Center. We decided to create this journal to offer our readers a selection of the best articles written within the framework of the research and analysis work of our centers. In this journal, you will have the opportunity to get acquainted with the views and opinions of Georgian as well as foreign experts and decision- makers on both global and regional issues. THE PUBLICATION WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE BLACK SEA TRUST, A PROJECT OF THE GERMAN MARSHALL FUND OF THE UNITED STATES. OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS PUBLICATION DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THOSE OF THE BLACK SEA TRUST OR ITS PARTNERS. © ECONOMIC POLICY RESEARCH CENTER 2020 CONTENT 5 Introduction VIEWS FROM GEORGIA: 11 The Pandemic Outlook: Economic Impact and Implications for Georgia – Irina Guruli 33 Lessons from Pandemic for Social Protection System of Georgia – Andrew Urushadaze 43 Post-Pandemic: Rethinking and Rearranging the Critical Infrastructure in Georgia – Batu Kutelia 55 The Post-Pandemic Characteristics of Global Order: A Georgian Perspective – Grigol Mgaloblishvili 65 Contemporary security environment and future trends in the times of pandemics – Shota Gvineria FROM MOSCOW: 81 Russia’s Corona Challenge: Domestic and Foreign Policy Implications; Russia-Georgia Relationship in the Pandemic Context – Lilia Shevtsova 95 Russia as The Global Challenge – Lilia Shevtsova FROM THE STATES: 117 The Pandemic, Democracy and the United States: Implications for the Black Sea Region – David J.Kramer 125 Transatlantic Relations: From Bad To Worse To What Next? – David J.Kramer INTRODUCTION As this publication goes to print, there are more than 43 million cases of COVID-19 in the world, including more than 1.1 million deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
    [Show full text]