Moldova - Key Challenges and Political Developments

This report gives an overview of discussion in the realm of the Southeast Europe Association’s Workshop on current political developments and challenges in Moldova on the 13th and 14th December 2019 in Berlin. The workshop gathered 50 politicians and experts from Moldova, as well as experts from Germany and other EU countries to discuss key challenges Moldova faced in 2019 and to give an outlook on what lies ahead in 2020. Besides taking stock of the country’s turbulent political year 2019, the panels addressed more specific issues such as reforms, the economy, migration, energy as well as foreign policy with a specific focus on the two main external actors Russia and the EU

The challenges facing the republic of moldova as an aspirant country for the European Union membership

The article will examine the challenges and threats: internal and external faced by the Republic of Moldova, as a candidate country in the process of joining the European Union. The actions of the Republic of Moldova to fulfill the pre-conditions for the start of accession negotiations will be highlighted, which are: justice reform, the fight against corruption, organized crime, deoligarchization, increasing administrative capacities, managing public finances and increasing the involvement of civil society in decision-making processes. Threats coming from outside will be exemplified by describing the activities aimed at undermining the state, causing mass disorder, buying voters, corrupting Moldovan politicians by the forces directed by the Russian Federation and the structures affiliated and financed by i

The concept of oligarchy in the Ukrainian Economy in the context of Postmodernism

The Concept of Oligarchy in the Ukrainian Economy in the Context of Postmodernism / Nataliya Pavlenko, Tetiana Larina, Natalia Bobro, Viktoriia Fursa and Ganna Pliekhova // Postmodern Openings. - 2022. - Vol. 13, Issue 1, Sup. 1. - P. 317-330. - DOI: https://doi.org10.18662/po/13.1Sup1/429.Pavlenko, N., Larina, T., Bobro, N, Fursa, V., & Pliekhova, G. (2022). The Concept of Oligarchy in the Ukrainian Economy in the Context of Postmodernism. Postmodern Openings, 13 (1 Sup1), 317-330. https://doi.org10.18662/po/13.1Sup1/429.Метою статті є визначення соціально-економічних причин виникнення олігархії та її функцій в українській економіці в умовах постмодернізму.The article aims to determine socio-economic causes of the emergence of an oligarchy and its functions in the Ukrainian economy in the context of postmodernism. The essence of postmodernism is worldview-philosophical, economic and political systems collapse. This is a kind of opposition to modernism. As for the economy during postmodernism, namely its formation, the changes relate to the view of social relations and human activity. So, oligarchic Ukraine is trying to solve its problems personally. However, a holistic view on the concept of oligarchy is falling apart, since the dominance of financial and industrial groups in the economy of Ukraine monopolizes entire economic sectors, and authorities of different levels in different ways protect not so much the interest of the Ukrainian people, but the interest of its richest layer. Most Ukrainian oligarchs were able to earn their capital in the 1990s, using any opportunity. It was quite cheap redistribution of state property, friendship with the authorities, seizure of someone else’s property (raiding). At the same time, oligarchs successfully used imperfect legislation. They simply rewritten it “for themselves”, repeatedly using “substitute” politicians. It is concluded that at the present stage of Ukraine’s development, the oligarchy has not only ceased to fulfill its stabilizing function, but also turned into the main obstacle to modernization processes. Therefore, the current civilization choice of Ukraine, in particular, is important paradigm of comprehension and strategy of action.Целью статьи является определение социально-экономических причин возникновения олигархии и ее функций в экономике в условиях постмодернизма

Ukraine's Political Elites: Composition and Changes from 1992 to 2023

Based on the international comparative dataset "Characteristics of Political Elites: Long-term Trends in Post-Socialist Central and Eastern Europe", this article describes the composition of Ukraine's political elites. After a short introduction to elite studies, the socialist past of Ukraine's political elites, age, gender and further socioeconomic characteristics are analysed. Finally, a brief overview of the changes in political elites under President Volodymyr Zelensky since 2019 is given

Characteristics of Reforming the Institutions of Power in Ukraine in the Transition to Democracy

The author proves, that in Ukraine the level of political consolidation, when it would be possible to clearly define, whether a transition is completed or not, and what regime is firmly established in the state, is not achieved yet. Political players are far from confessing the inviolability of democratic rules of political game; there is a considerable threat of authoritarianism. Freedom House considers the Ukrainian state a free electoral state, not a liberal democracy. The judicial features of Ukraine in the democratization process are as follows: lack of fulfillment of one of the first tasks of the transition: replacement of elites; lack of legal culture of the authorities, their inability to realize the rules of governance; formal institutionalization; relative weakness of the basic opposition; slowness of the reformation and sustainable failure to perform the tasks of every stage of the transition; weakness and low legitimacy of democratic institutions, conjuncture reformation for party-group interests; gradual replacement of bits and pieces of the post-communist authoritarianism with the new oligarchic authoritarianism on the behavior level of some elite groups.The author proves, that in Ukraine the level of political consolidation, when it would be possible to clearly define, whether a transition is completed or not, and what regime is firmly established in the state, is not achieved yet. Political players are far from confessing the inviolability of democratic rules of political game; there is a considerable threat of authoritarianism. Freedom House considers the Ukrainian state a free electoral state, not a liberal democracy. The judicial features of Ukraine in the democratization process are as follows: lack of fulfillment of one of the first tasks of the transition: replacement of elites; lack of legal culture of the authorities, their inability to realize the rules of governance; formal institutionalization; relative weakness of the basic opposition; slowness of the reformation and sustainable failure to perform the tasks of every stage of the transition; weakness and low legitimacy of democratic institutions, conjuncture reformation for party-group interests; gradual replacement of bits and pieces of the post-communist authoritarianism with the new oligarchic authoritarianism on the behavior level of some elite groups

How Zelensky Has Leveraged Oligarchs for the War Without Dismantling Ukraine’s Patronal System

The optimistic expectations for President Volodymyr Zelensky’s deoligarchization campaign remain largely unmet today. Neither his efforts nor the war have brought about the demise of oligarchy or the patronal system, where the president strives to be the chief patron. This chapter engages with a recent work on the prospects of anti-patronal transformation in Ukraine, arguing that Zelensky’s objective has not been to dismantle the system but to coerce oligarchs into cooperation to achieve his goals

LEGISLATIVE POWERS, GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EUROPEAN INTEGRATION POLICY BY THE PARLIAMENT OF GEORGIA

National parliaments play an important role in the European integration process. Parliaments are the main law-making bodies in defining European integration policies, and on the other hand, the parliament oversights the implementation of these policies by the government. This article discusses the practice of the Georgian Parliament's legislative activity on EU issues, the main forms of government oversight on the European integration policy, the powers of the European Integration Committee of the Parliament, and the forms of reaching a multi-party consensus on the European integration affairs. The article shows that the Parliament of Georgia focuses more on legislative activities and is weak in the field of government oversight on the European integration issues. These findings increase our understanding of the role of parliaments in the EU candidate countries where often the executive power dominates the process of policy implementation on European affairs. Keywords: European Union, Parliament, Oversight, Government, Committee, Georgia&nbsp

Paradise Lost. Ukraine in 1991-2012

The article discusses the major theses of the authors of the book Ukraine Twenty Years After Independence. The author analyzes the ways scholars and intellectuals assessed Ukraine’s perspectives right before the Euromaidan. The author argues that the book represents a valuable sample of scholarly wisdom and miscalculation.The article discusses the major theses of the authors of the book Ukraine Twenty Years After Independence. The author analyzes the ways scholars and intellectuals assessed Ukraine’s perspectives right before the Euromaidan. The author argues that the book represents a valuable sample of scholarly wisdom and miscalculation

Пріоритетні напрями конституційного, політико-правового оновлення публічної влади, врядування в Україні

The article explores the current problems of the state of constitutional regulation and priority areas ofconstitutional, political and legal renewal of public power, governance in Ukraine. It is emphasized that the politicalsystem of Ukraine, the system of public authority, the social component of the society remain unbalanced, do notcorrespond to the main constitutional principle of a democratic, social, rule of law, until now the updating of theConstitution, the constitutional regulation of social relations is not of conceptual and systemic character. In thisconnection, the defects of implementation of the norms of certain constitutional and legal institutions are traced.Proposals for new approaches to the transformation of public power are justified, based on the new paradigm ofgovernance in Ukraine - the paradigm of good governance. It gives a description of the priority directions of publicauthority renewal, governance in the areas of: modernization of the Constitution of Ukraine; democratization ofsocial relations; solving war and peace, defense and national security; economic development; deoligarchization;a real guarantee of the enjoyment of the fundamental rights, freedoms and obligations of the individual and thecitizen; reviewing the basics of Parliament's organization and activities; development of legislation on the statusof the President of Ukraine; political and legal innovations in the sphere of executive power; constitutional andlegal registration of the reform of the administrative-territorial structure of Ukraine, transformation of local selfgovernment;continuation and clarification of judicial reform, etc.It is concluded that the implementation of priority areas of constitutional, political and legal renewalof public power, governance in Ukraine should involve a comprehensive transformation of the systemdomination of the State power. For this purpose it is advisable: to elaborate and to discuss widely at the publiclevel the conceptual foundations of the organization and implementation of governance in Ukraine, based onthe principles of "good governance"; to determine the concept of systematic renewal, modernization of theConstitution of Ukraine, without which attempts to reform the Basic Law will be futile; Introduce a systemof public monitoring and control over the functioning of public authority to modernize it using traditional andadvanced electronic forms of direct democracy.В статье исследуются современные проблемы состояния конституционно-правовогорегулирования и приоритетные направления конституционного, политико-правового обновленияпубличной власти, публичного управления в Украине. Акцентировано на том, что политическаясистема Украины, система публичной власти, социальная составляющая общества остаютсяразбалансированными, не соответствуют главному конституционному принципу о демократическом,социальном, правовом государстве, до сих пор обновление Конституции, конституционногорегулирования общественных отношений не носит концептуально-системного характера. Всвязи с этим прослеживаются недостатки реализации норм отдельных конституционно-правовыхинститутов.Обосновываются предложения по новым подходам к трансформации публичной власти,исходя из новой парадигмы властвования в Украине – парадигмы надлежащего публичногоуправления. Дается характеристика приоритетных направлений обновления публичной власти,публичного управления в сферах: модернизации Конституции Украины; демократизацииобщественных отношений; решения проблем войны и мира, обеспечения обороны и национальнойбезопасности; экономического развития; деолигархизации; реального обеспечения осуществленияосновных прав, свобод и обязанностей человека и гражданина; пересмотра основ организации идеятельности парламента; развития законодательства о статусе Президента Украины; политико-правовых инноваций в сфере исполнительной власти; конституционно-правового оформленияреформирования административно-территориального устройства Украины, трансформацииместного самоуправления; продолжение и уточнение реформирования судебной власти и томуподобное.Делается вывод о том, что реализация приоритетных направлений конституционного,политико-правового обновления публичной власти, публичного управления в Украине должнапредусматривать комплексную трансформацию системы властвования. Для этого целесообразно:разработать и на общественном уровне широко обсудить концептуальные основы организациии осуществления публичного управления в Украине, опираясь на постулаты «надлежащегоуправления»; определиться с концепцией системного обновления, модернизации КонституцииУкраины, без которой всякие попытки реформирования Основного Закона будут напрасными; ввестисистему общественного мониторинга и контроля за функционированием публичной власти по еемодернизации с использованием традиционных и новейших электронных форм непосредственнойдемократии.У статті досліджуються сучасні проблеми стану конституційно-правового регулюваннята пріоритетні напрями конституційного, політико-правового оновлення публічної влади,врядування в Україні. Акцентовано на тому, що політична система України, система публічноївлади, соціальна складова суспільства залишаються розбалансованими, не відповідаютьголовному конституційному принципу про демократичну, соціальну, правову державу, до цьогочасу оновлення Конституції, конституційного регулювання суспільних відносин не носитьконцептуально-системного характеру. У зв’язку з цим прослідковуються вади реалізації нормокремих конституційно-правових інститутів.Обгрунтовуються пропозиції щодо нових підходів до трансформації публічної влади,виходячи з нової парадигми владарювання в Україні – парадигми належного врядування.Дається характеристика пріоритетних напрямів оновлення публічної влади, врядування усферах: модернізації Конституції України; демократизації суспільних відносин; розв’язанняпроблем війни і миру, забезпечення оборони та національної безпеки; економічного розвитку;деолігархізації; реального гарантування здійснення основних прав, свобод та обов’язків людиниі громадянина; перегляду основ організації та діяльності Парламенту; розвитку законодавстващодо статусу Президента України; політико-правових інновацій у сфері виконавчої влади;конституційно-правового оформлення реформування адміністративно-територіального устроюУкраїни, трансформації місцевого самоврядування; продовження та уточнення реформуваннясудової влади, тощо.Робиться висновок про те, що реалізація пріоритетних напрямів конституційного, політико-правового оновлення публічної влади, врядування в Україні має передбачати комплекснутрансформацію системи владарювання. Для цього доцільно: розробити і на громадськомурівні широко обговорити концептуальні засади організації та здійснення врядування в Україні,спираючись на постулати «належного врядування»; визначитись із концепцією системногооновлення, модернізації Конституції України, без якої спроби реформування Основного Законубудуть марними; запровадити систему громадського моніторингу та контролю за функціонуваннямпублічної влади щодо її модернізації з використанням традиційних і новітніх електронних формбезпосередньої демократії