Island in the neoliberal stream: energy security and soft re-nationalisation in Hungary

Since 2010, the Hungarian Government has increased its stake in the country’s energy sector at the expense of foreign-owned energy companies. This ‘soft re-nationalisation’ is driven by both exogenous and endogenous factors, especially the country’s external dependence on gas imports, its previous commitment to a European model of energy liberalisation, public dissatisfaction with high energy prices and the emergence of an ‘illiberal state’. The case of Hungary’s ‘soft re-nationalisation’ yields two central findings. Firstly, conceptually, there is a need to move away from just focusing on the radical re-nationalisation of energy in the form of resource nationalism, and instead understand re-nationalisation as consisting of a broad spectrum of state interventions into the energy market. Secondly, Hungary’s recent ‘statist turn’ in the energy sector highlights inherent tensions within EU energy policy as it threatens attempts to establish a fully liberalised and marketised energy market across the continen

Referendums in Russia, the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe

No abstract available

Obstacles to Peace in Chechnya: what scope for international involvement?

NoRecognising the failure of both internal and external parties to achieve a peaceful resolution of the Russo - Chechen war, this article seeks to establish what scope remains for international involvement to end the violence in Chechnya. By applying theories from the disciplines of conflict resolution and counterinsurgency to the confrontation, distinctions are drawn between opportunities of peacekeeping, peacemaking and peacebuilding, as well as between legitimate 'need' and exploitative 'greed' at a time of 'violent' politics. Key findings include the scope for international assistance in addressing the root contradictions of the conflict and for curtailing the influence of the 'entrepreneurs of violence'

Whose resilience? Resilience and regime strength in EU-Azerbaijan relations

The EU has deepened its resilience-building policy substantially in recent years, expanding the scope of the concept and applying it to its external relations. However, as with many policies, the actual implementation may face difficulties. This chapter reflects on the challenges posed to resilience-building in states with authoritarian regimes, due to the inevitable contradictions between elite interests and interests of society as a whole. Using the case study of Azerbaijan, the chapter argues that the EU will have to be cautious to avoid strengthening the resilience of this regime, rather than the intended inclusive resilience of society at large. The chapter addresses societal, political, and economic resilience as dimensions that would benefit citizens of Azerbaijan. For each of these dimensions, the potential pitfalls are discussed, followed by some conclusions about how societal interests can be secured