Challenges for Trade Liberalization and WTO Rules: The Case of Macedonia

The collapse of communist systems in the Former Soviet Union and former Yugoslavia led the way for the states of these systems to the democratic systems of governance and market liberalization. Membership of the former communist bloc countries in the Euro-Atlantic alliances and international organizations of various characters has been accompanied by political, economic and social challenges. The reforms which should be realized by the governments, aimed at meeting the standards that are imposed as conditions for membership, these reforms in the field of economy and trade, accompanied by the cost that the state, domestic companies, and the population had paid to the membership process. Through this research, we aim to highlight the challenges with which it was faced the Macedonian State and Government during the process of market liberalization, with emphasis on the costs associated with and during the World Trade Organization (WTO) membership process. Following the analysis of the official reports of the WTO and the Macedonian Statistical Office, as well as the interviews with Macedonian officials, we conclude that the WTO rules and principles have had an impact on the reduction of revenues from customs, domestic businesses and legislative changes in terms of foreign trade

Scientific revolution and God: compatibility gap analysis from the non-religious perspective

For some time now and at several levels, various debates have been taking place, on whether the God factor, is, or can be made compatible with the contemporary science. This study attempts to explore the nature of this debate, by delving in two critical concerns; origin and evolution of life and universe. In line with meticulous endeavor to comprehend the matter of the concern, the theories pertaining to subjects of the debates, such as, the theory of evolution, theory of relativity and quantum physics are explored and analyzed. The exclusivity of this study is the omission of the religion (or respective religious point of view) from the debate itself. The paper also attempts to define God and additionally offers numerous prominent scientists’ views in relation to God. Moreover, the study also delves into the inside focus of the science camp and the burden of responsibility they have to the outside world. A number of significant points to the study, diverse in shape and composition, are put forward to elucidate the issues concerned. The paper, however, concludes that modern science, in relation to origin and evolution of life and universe, is unreliable, in disarray, filled, above all, with gaps, inconsistencies and paradoxes that scientists themselves admit. This challenging state has, ultimately, induced even modern prominent scientists to shift their belief and acknowledge that God, or, an undetected, but a crafted universal intelligence, is responsible for the creation, origin and evolution of life and universe, and not chance or spontaneity

Longitudinal online survey in well-being research: first experiences from CRO-WELL project

The aim of this report was to analyse positive and negative aspects of online administration of longitudinal well-being survey and to provide suggestions and guidelines for future research. The aim of CRO-WELL (Croatian Longitudinal Well-being Study) research was to follow well-being indicators longitudinally, on a large sample (N>5 000).For the purpose of the research we developed online platform with integrated questionnaire to assess various variables related to well-being. Participants could assess the application via various browsers, and it was also adjusted for smart phones.  “Friendly use” of the online application, understanding of questions and answering method, as well as ethical concerns, was tested using focus groups and individual trials. To enable matching the participants from two waves, every participant had to log in to the web page using his/her e-mail address. While e-mail address was protected by data-base, special computer-programme created token associated with each participant. A year after completing the initial questionnaire, participants were automatically invited to complete the follow-up. This paper brings review of designing and conducting a longitudinal research having in mind advantages and disadvantages of online survey

China's One Belt and One Road Initiative: The Response to Western Globalization?"

Since the opening reforms of 1978, China has made a remarkable and outstanding advance in all the fields of life. Forty years ago China's leaders after the death of Mao Zedong found the courage and the strength to put no limits to their country in order to find the proper place in the international arena. China was not going to be anymore a taboo to the world. My paper is focused on a comparative study, for understanding better the differences and the common things between Western globalization and the new China's initiative. One of the main question I have raised in compiling this paper is that if one of the two initiatives of strategies will rule the world or will they be cooperating together? This paper will basically rely in politics, economics, social and diplomacy fields. These four topics are in my opinion the key to understand China's success within the country and abroad and the true challenge of the Western globalization. The XXI century is said that it will be the Chinese century in every aspect. But to prove this, there are required a lot of efforts and above all a lot of good understanding if China will take on the world, not forcefully but peacefully

The Long Path to European Union: A Historical-Institutional Analysis of Proposals for European Integration from 800 to 1938

From the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the fifth century CE, until the establishment of the first truly supranational European institutions after the Second World War, many attempts were made to unify and bring peace to Europe. While the first attempts were for hegemonic unification, from the fourteenth century on, several plans were put forth for a civil unification. Each of these plans proposed specific institutions which were to bring together the sovereigns and (later) the nations of Europe for a peaceful coexistence. This study describes these numerous proposals, identifying the values and goals underlying the institutional structures each proposal set up. We argue that institutional structures have normative content, in that they embody specific ideologies of the European integration. Our analysis shows that the various proposals embody three distinct ideologies: integration through, and for the purpose of enhancing national sovereignty, integration through federation which limits national sovereignty, and integration through arrangements for free commerce that bypasses national sovereignty

Examination of Finland Integrated Water Management Sample of EU’s Hydro Political Approach for Sustainable Ecological Planning

First rule of sustainable ecological planning is to maintain continuously the balance between available amount and demand of ecological resources. A water resource, which is one of the most important ecological resources, is one of the resources that must be protected with priority since it is one of the most initial conditions of continuity of life. Upon this perspective, EU countries are developing various water policies and calling attention to the effects of insensibly usage of water on the ecology. Among EU countries, Finland is a very rich country in terms of water resources. According to water quality charts, Finland is at the top of the list among 122 countries within the scope of UN World Water Evaluation Report of World Water development reports issued in 2003. Additionally, it is one of the richest of 147 countries evaluated according to the water poverty index which was conducted by World Water Council and British Center for Ecology and Hydrology. Finland has developed many policies for sustainable use of this ecological value of its, and has made progress on many aspects from resource preservation to wastewater reclamation. Purpose of this study is to reveal AB hydro politic approaches and to examine water policies of Finland which conducts integrated water management. This study subject has been presented verbally at the International Conference on Civil and Environmental Engineering in 2015

Differences in efficiency of innovation performance among EU candidate countries and EU 28 countries

The aim of this paper is to identify if there are differences in the efficiency of innovation performance between the two groups of countries: EU candidate countries such as Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey and the average level of innovation performance in EU-28 countries from 2010 - 2017. The further paper’s analysis aims to identify the most crucial factors and indicator that contribute to the efficiency of innovation performance in both groups of countries.In that sense, the comparative analyses of the two observed groups of countries has been done, using   the European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS) data as well as 12 EIS indicators for the period 2010 - 2017. For benchmarking of the countries three indicators are created: sub-index Input Innovation (II), sub-index Output Innovation (OI) and the Innovation Efficiency Performance Index (IEPI).The findings show that there is a difference in efficiency of innovation performance indicators between the observed two groups of countries, but as well as among each the EU candidate country. In fact, Macedonia (IEPI=2.33) has twice higher efficiency of transforming innovation inputs into innovation output unlike the EU28 countries (IEPI=1.17), Serbia (IEPI=1.06) and Turkey (IEPI=.24).It can be noted as well that Macedonia managed to use its limited resources to input (sub-index II= 0.13) in much more efficient/productive way (IEPI= 2.33) and to obtain most output innovation (sub-index OI= 0.29). This paper’s findings can be used for designing better innovation policy in the observed EU candidate countries

Overview of Slovenian Legal Regulation for Possible Transformation of Public Institutions into Commercial Companies

In the present article, the author defines and analyses the legal framework of the transformation of public institutions into commercial companies with an emphasis on the procedures for transforming public institutions into limited liability companies (ltd.). The author first presents the Slovenian legal framework and the new legislation on public-private partnerships (PPP), which was adopted last year. In the second part of the article, the author analyses the new rules, which primarily refer to public companies. These rules apply, mutatis mutandis, to public institutions. The procedures for transforming public institutions into limited liability companies are particularly demanding, as not only the transitional provisions of public-private-partnership legislation regarding public companies apply mutatis mutandis, but also the procedures for the corporate transformation of public limited companies into limited liability companies. The author concludes the article with some open issues regarding such procedures in the Slovenian legal system and the consequences of such transformations for the founders and employees of such transformed public institutions

How Can the International Community Best Respond to the Problem of Child Soldiers?

The child soldier phenomenon is not recent and has been manifested throughout centuries; as such the use of children in armed conflicts receives universal condemnation.Currently child soldiers of different age groups are forced to kill and commit other violent acts in many wars and other conflicts around the world; however it is impossible to know their exact numbers.In 1998 The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has criminalized the use of children in armed conflicts, nevertheless to this day minors are being abused indiscriminately in many armed conflicts around the world. This article argues for the creation, use and application of a single universal definition of what constitutes child soldiering, recognition and protection of children as a vulnerable group in armed conflicts, as well as  attempts to put forward ideas how can international community best respond to the problem of the child soldiers

The Montessori philosophy is a good foundation to education of new generation

The purpose of the paper is to present the philosophy of reform of education in Albania during the post-communist transition.Reforming education is a priority, but has been neglected by governments over the last 25 years.Over the last five years, the new curriculum and the new textbook system are being implemented according to the European standards. The core of reform is "have human beings learnt" (E. Ultarur, 2012).The constructivist philosophy of learning is a sure foundation that guarantees the new quality of the educational process.The Montessori's philosophy guarantees high quality and safety for the future because:First, this philosophy serves as a theoretical basis and serves as a method. Montessori has discovered the stages of natural development of the thinking human beings from childhood to adolescence, basing on scientific evidence, from childhood to adolescence.Secondly, Montessori’s constructivism moved the knowledge from the product into the process.Montessori illuminates the way of building human values during educational teaching process at school and in the community by the falling down of the classic wall that separates school from the community (public).Our research is based on the study of curricular experiences and on data from consultations with students, parents and specialists. The search method is holistic. By the holistic education the children need not only to develop academically, but to develop the ability as well in order to survive in the real world. The real world in our era is in front of the virtual world. In this contexts, we must teach children to learn not what?, but how? (How does it work/learn?). The teacher must learn his/her students how they construct the values by their immediate relationships with their friends and family as well as social development, health, and intellectual development