Programming EU funds in Bulgaria: Challenges, Opportunities and the Role of Civil Society

While expectations were high for Bulgaria’s EU membership, it has been marked by numerous domestic challenges. This article explores the application of the principle of partnership in Bulgaria in programming EU funds for 2007-2013 as a litmus test for the capacity of the civil society and the preparedness of the state’s institutions for full-fledged membership. The article displays evidence that unsuitable adaptation and the remnants of the previous institutional establishment filter the EU leverage in the country. Furthermore, the article maps the role of civil society organisations in the process and identifies the main challenges and opportunities for their inclusion

Ideology and Politics of Dimitrije Ljotić and the ZBOR Movement

The main focus of this thesis focuses on deconstructing and analysing the evolution of the different aspects of Dimitrije Ljotić’s ideological formation to show its relationship to his ZBOR movement and its development until his death in 1945. Ljotić’s ideological development and expression would show a marked syncretic and contradictory nature. This contradiction and incoherence stymies any definitive classification and categorisation of his politics. This creates difficulties in attempting to place ZBOR as a specific mono-ideological movement. This problem of categorisation will be reinforced through identifying and deconstructing the ideology of Ljotić and his ZBOR movement. It also will look at pre-existing ideological discourses that contributed to Ljotić’s ideas, including those of a wider European context of existing anti-democratic, anti-modernist, monarchist, and nationalist currents. The ideological and intellectual course of Ljotić, personified through the existence of ZBOR will be discussed in order to analyse the evolution of his ideology, and to understand the different influences contributing to his ideology as a basis for evaluating ZBOR as a movement. This analysis raises a number of questions. What contextual trends, if any, does the man, his philosophy, and movement represent, and how did they impact political life in interwar Yugoslavia? Where was ZBOR in relation to similar radical right, and fascist movements throughout interwar Europe, and to what extent are they parallel with each other? What was the nature of ZBOR’s ideology and what were its major influences? A more thorough approach to answer these questions, and indeed to ZBOR, is needed (a) because the subject has not been particularly well-explored among historians (especially in English language historiography) and (b) because of the rise of nationalist ideology and rhetoric in post-socialist Serbia. Through this thesis, the gap in literature regarding the evolution of Ljotić’s ideology, in relation to both the non-fascist radical right and the various definitions of fascism will be explored. This will show that Ljotić’s ideological and intellectual base, while possessing similarities to fascism, also showed differences, allowing for greater ambiguity in interpretation, as evidenced through among others, the terminology of ‘generic fascism’, as defined by Roger Griffin and Stanley Payne. The main contribution of this study to literature is the detailed deconstruction and analysis of the evolution of Ljotić’s ideology and its relevance or relationship to his ZBOR movement. ZBOR will be shown as syncretic, incoherent, and at times contradictory. This thesis provides in-depth discussion of both the political development of Ljotić as a personality, and the development of ZBOR as a movement in relation to Ljotić’s ideology and European trends. Thus, providing an analysis on the ideology of Ljotić and ZBOR with the use of the elements of both political biography and intellectual historical analysis, as represented by Ljotić and ZBOR. The study will show that Ljotić’s ideologies and ZBOR are inevitably interrelated with each other, and linked with a wider pre-fascist ideological and intellectual current. While focusing on Ljotić and ZBOR, this thesis places him and his movement in the wider context of interwar Yugoslavia and interwar Europe with discussions of a wider context of relevant theories. In contrast to other studies that included ZBOR and/or Ljotić, this thesis is different in the sense that the ideological evolution of Ljotić is discussed and analysed, with a focus on the interwar life of ZBOR, rather than relying on ZBOR’s collaborationist stance during the Second World War, as a means of explaining its ideological evolution

First-Principles Prediction of Structures and Properties in Crystals

The term “first-principles calculations” is a synonym for the numerical determination of the electronic structure of atoms, molecules, clusters, or materials from ‘first principles’, i.e., without any approximations to the underlying quantum-mechanical equations. Although numerous approximate approaches have been developed for small molecular systems since the late 1920s, it was not until the advent of the density functional theory (DFT) in the 1960s that accurate “first-principles” calculations could be conducted for crystalline materials. The rapid development of this method over the past two decades allowed it to evolve from an explanatory to a truly predictive tool. Yet, challenges remain: complex chemical compositions, variable external conditions (such as pressure), defects, or properties that rely on collective excitations—all represent computational and/or methodological bottlenecks. This Special Issue comprises a collection of papers that use DFT to tackle some of these challenges and thus highlight what can (and cannot yet) be achieved using first-principles calculations of crystals

Post mortem analysis of a tungsten coated tile from the outer divertor strike point region of ASDEX upgrade

AbstractIn the present study, the structure and the composition of co-deposited layers developed at the outer divertor strike point tile 1 in ASDEX Upgrade during three campaigns from 2009 to 2013 were examined. The samples were cut from representative locations which differed in received flux: private flux, strike point, the highest plasma fluence and “moderate" flux regions. High resolution scanning (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (HRSTEM) combined with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and optical profilometry have been used to identify deposits composition and morphology as well as to assess coating degradation. The aim of the post-mortem analyses was the evaluation of materials mixing and evidence of plasma-induced damage.Our results confirm that the outer divertor of AUG is generally a net erosion region for tungsten, however, the strong deposition of eroded tungsten takes place close to the outer strike point (private flux region). The observations on cross-sections of the tungsten coatings revealed micro-cracks around the strike point region. These cracks are caused by thermal stresses due to periodic heating and cooling of the layer during ELMs

Influence of vibratory stress relief on residual stresses in weldments and mechanical properties of struktural steel joint

The welding process can join two similar materials with a bond that has mechanical properties comparable to the original material. Unfortunately, this process induces residual stresses in the weldment, which, if left untreated, can cause distortion of the part, premature fatigue failure or cracking along the weld. A post-weld heat treatment is the traditional method of relieving these stresses, but is costly and a time consuming process. Heat treatment is required for weldments, which have heavy fatigue loading since the post-weld heat treatment reduces the residual stresses in the weldment and generates more uniform mechanical properties. Vibratory stress relief (VSR) techniques could be used to substitute the heat treatment for these types of weldments and save time and money. The purpose of this paper is to provide a brief overview of the generation, measurement, and reduction of residual stresses. Residual stresses in the weld bead were measured by means of X-ray diffraction, ultrasonic technique and hole drilling methods. In addition, welded specimens were subjected to mechanical testing with purpose of determination of VSR effect on weld and heat-affected zone meta