Foreign direct investment in Bosna and Herzegovina: lingua franca or perplexity of original sin

The aim of this paper is to investigate the nature and impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). In stark contrast with theoretical predictions found in previous literature on FDI/MNE in small underdeveloped transition economies, even after controlling for Serbian M:TS’s investment in Republic of Srpska’s M:Tel, horizontal inbound FDI have been predominant in relation to vertical ones. However, in spite of diminishing tariffs and other international trade costs, as well as abundant natural resources and comparatively cheaper labour, all typically favourable for attracting vertical FDI, dominance of horizontal FDI recorded by available data for Bosnia and Herzegovina does not seem to go hand in hand with decrease of imports, once again contradicting the standard theoretical paradigm. After reviewing recent scientific background relevant for the topic, we analyse empirical data on FDI in BiH in recent years. The main contribution of the paper is in trying to reconcile a posteriori empirical findings with a priori theoretical expectations regarding the case of BiH

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EASE OF DOING BUSINESS INDICATORS AND THE FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT INFLOWS IN THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

Significance of easy of doing business indicators as determinants of FDI inflows has attracted attention in establishing their connections. The aim of the research is to examine the relationship between the ease of doing business indicators and foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows. Dynamic and correlation analysis are applied in the consideration of the interdependence of doing business indicators: Starting Business, Construction Permits, Getting Electricity, Registering Property, Getting credit, Paying taxes, Trading across borders, Enforcing contracts, and Resolving insolvency with FDI inflows. The obtained results show that Resolving insolvency and Construction Permits have the highest degree of agreement with FDI, while the negative agreement with FDI trends is shown by Getting Electricity, Registering Property, Getting Credit, and Enforcing contracts. The main results of this research are useful for economic policy makers because they provide a good basis for formulating the strategy of improving the business environment in the Republic of Serbia

Sustainable Tourism as a Part of Comprehensive Environmental Monitoring. A Study of Serbia

The sustainable tourism comprises the freedom of tourist travelling, satisfying the economic, social and aesthetic needs, with the preservation of the characteristics of the natural and social environment and the cultural and historical heritage. It should optimize the usage of environmental resources that make the key element of tourism development, maintaining the essential ecologic processes and helping in heritage preservation, and providing the sustainable long-term business.As the consequences of the anthropogenic activities are obvious in the deterioration of the environment quality, the analysis of the status and influence on the environment and humans, as well as on the flora and fauna, must be under constant monitoring. The aim is to detect the corresponding influences and changes and to establish their cause. The paper approaches the structure, the processes and the application of the comprehensive monitoring of the environment with the aim of creating a database for the development of sustainable tourism in Serbia. The risk of the anthropogenic pollution of the environment, as a result of tourist activities, and monitoring of these activities in order to create a database for a planned and coordinated activity of tourism development will be considered in detail

A non-targeted high-resolution mass spectrometry data analysis of dissolved organic matter in wastewater treatment

The dissolved organic matter (DOM) in wastewater is typically described by a limited number of concentration measurements of select DOM fractions or micro-contaminants, which determine the removal efficiency in a wastewater treatment. Current methods do not necessarily reflect the true performance of the treatment with regard to environmental and public health risk. Herein we describe the development and application of a non-targeted liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) data analysis for the evaluation of wastewater treatment processes. Our data analysis approach was applied to a real wastewater system with secondary biological treatment and tertiary treatment consisting of sand filtration, UV-treatment, and chlorination. We identified significant changes in DOM during wastewater treatment. The secondary treatment removed 1617 of 2409 (67%) detected molecular features (grouped isotopologues belonging to the same molecule) from the influent while 255 of 1047 (24%) new molecular features appeared in the secondary effluent. A reduction in the number of large molecules (>450 Da) and an increase in unsaturated molecular features of the effluent organic matter was observed. Van Krevelen plots revealed the distribution of unsaturation and heteroatoms and Kendrick mass defect plots uncovered single bondCH2- homologous series implying a removal of heavy constituents in that fraction. The demonstrated approach is a step towards a more comprehensive monitoring of DOM in wastewater and contributes to the understanding of current treatment technologies

Yugoslavs and Europeans compared: supranational polities and supranational identification

IN ENGLISH: Drawing on Sekulić, Massey and Hodson’s seminal article ‘Who were the‎ Yugoslavs?’, this paper compares the share and determinants of identifying as‎ Yugoslavs during socialism with the panorama of primary European identification.‎ Eurobarometer surveys containing data on European identification are‎ utilized to that end. The study takes in consideration social and political contexts ‎that shaped supranational identification in particular Yugoslav socialist‎ republics and EU member states. Our findings show low levels of Europeans‎ and Yugoslavs in both polities. The results also show that nationally specific‎ contexts affect both the prevalence of European identification and its determinants.‎ There are considerable differences in the level of European identification‎ among EU countries, and statistical analyses of the Belgian, French and‎ German cases further showed that different factors shape it. Of all the variables,‎ non-exclusive nationalities have been the strongest predictors of supranational ‎identification in both Socialist Yugoslavia and the EU.‎ --------------- IN CROATIAN: Oslanjajući se na utjecajni članak Sekulića, Masseya i Hodsona 'Tko su bili Jugoslaveni?', ovaj rad uspoređuje udio i odrednice izjašnjavanja kao‎ Jugoslavena tijekom socijalizma s primarnom europskom identifikacijom.‎ Korištena su Eurobarometrova istraživanja koja sadrže podatke o europskoj identifikaciji. Studija uzima u obzir društvene i političke kontekste ‎koji su utjecali na nadnacionalnu identifikaciju u pojedinim jugoslavenskim socijalističkim‎ republikama i državama članicama EU. Podaci pokazuju male udjele Europljana i Jugoslavena u obje zajednice. Rezultati također pokazuju da specifični‎ nacionalni konteksti utječu i na prisutnost europske identifikacije i na njezine odrednice.‎ Postoje značajne razlike u razini europske identifikacije‎ među zemljama EU-a, a dodatne statističke analize belgijskog, francuskog i njemačkog slučaja pokazuju da ih oblikuju različiti faktori. Od svih varijabli, neisključiva nacionalnost bila je najjači prediktor nadnacionalne ‎identifikacije i u socijalističkoj Jugoslaviji i u EU.

Anti-EU backlash from below or above?: public opinion in Central and Eastern Europe prior to the 2015 migration crisis

IN ENGLISH: Relations between Brussels and Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) worsened during and after the 2015 migration crisis. In order to see to what extent CEE citizens contributed to and/or resonated with this new state of affairs, this paper investigates public opinion before the migration crisis in seven CEE EU Member States. We inquire whether the main issues of the rift (CEE political elites’ opposition to following EU decisions and immigration and their emphasis on sovereignism, nationalism, Christian Europe and historical traumas) could also be traced to public stances towards these issues before the migration crisis. We used the ISSP National Identity module conducted in 2013 and 2014 in the Czech Republic, Estonia, Croatia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia and Slovenia. The results show that opposition to EU supranationalism was not linked to ethnic nationalism and religious identity (except in Hungary). Contrary to political elites, who emphasised the cultural threat posed by migration, public opinion was more concerned with the economic threat. Moreover, the perception of cultural threat was not linked to opposing EU supranationalism in any of the countries. However, particularly support for sovereignism (in almost all the countries), but also pride in national history (in some countries) correlated negatively with support for EU supranationalism. The results suggest that political elites can bypass public opinion to construct an anti-EU climate, however not out of thin air. The conditions for such a process were present in Hungary with its emerging transnational cleavage, which shows the importance of cleavages in studying Euroscepticism. --------------- IN CROATIAN: Odnosi između Bruxellesa i država Srednje i Istočne Europe pogoršali su se tijekom i nakon migracijske krize iz 2015. godine. Kako bi se ustanovilo koliko su stavovi građana Srednje i Istočne Europe pridonijeli i/ili odgovarali tom novom stanju, ovaj rad istražuje javno mnijenje prije migracijske krize u sedam srednje i istočnoeuropskih članica EU-a. Propitujemo mogu li se glavni problemi rascjepa (otpor srednje i istočnoeuropskih političkih elita spram slijeđenja odluka EU-a i spram imigracije te njihov naglasak na suverenizmu, nacionalizmu, kršćanskoj Europi i povijesnim traumama) dovesti u vezu sa stavovima javnosti prema tim problemima prije migracijske krize. Koristili smo National Identity modul ISSP-a koji je proveden 2013. i 2014. u Češkoj, Estoniji, Hrvatskoj, Mađarskoj, Litvi, Latviji i Sloveniji. Rezultati pokazuju da otpor spram EU supranacionalizma nije bio povezan s etničkim nacionalizmom, a ni religijskim identitetom (osim u Mađarskoj). Suprotno naglasku političkih elita na kulturalnu prijetnju od migracija, javno mnijenje bilo je više zaokupljeno pitanjem ekonomske prijetnje. Štoviše, percepcija kulturne prijetnje nije bila povezana s otporom EU supranacionalizmu ni u jednoj od država. No, potpora suverenizmu (gotovo u svim državama) i ponos nacionalnom poviješću (u nekim državama) osobito su bile negativno povezane s potporom EU supranacionalizmu. Rezultati sugeriraju da su političke elite mogle zaobići javno mnijenje i konstruirati anti-EU atmosferu, iako ne ni iz čega. Uvjeti za takav proces postojali su u Mađarskoj s ondje nastajućim transnacionalnim rascjepom, a to upućuje na važnost proučavanja rascjepa u istraživanju euroskepticizma

Quality of agritourism in Vojvodina and its impact on residents’ attitudes

Агротуризам  редставља  осебни,  селективни  вид  туризма  који  обједињује  скуп  активности  на сеоским  туристичким  домаћинствима  и  у  објектима  у  домаћој  радиности.  У  раду  је  дат  преглед  владајуће литературе  о  агротуризму  у AП  Војводини (Србији)  и  иностраним  државама  и  дефинисане  су  основне карактеристике  овог  вида  туризма.  Приказане  су  туристичко-географске  карактеристике  истраживаног ростора,  описана  је  студија  случаја  стања  и  развоја  агротуризма  у  Војводини  и  упоређена  са  осталим деловима  Србије  и  са  примерима  из  иностранства.  У  методолошком  делу  приказани  су  инструменти, процедура  и  узорак  истраживања,  а  остављене  су  и  хипотезе  рада.  Кроз  резултате  и  дискусију,  хипотезе су  потврђене,  делимично  потврђене  или  оповргнуте,  уз  помоћ  статистичких  прорачуна  и  других  метода провере,  док  су  у  закључку  рада  представљени  научни  и  практични  допринос  теоријског  и   теренског истраживања,  као  и  ограничења  истраживања.  У  овом  сегменту  наведени  су  и  основни  проблеми администрације,  праксе  и  теорије  о  аспектима  квалитета  агротуризма  у  Војводини.  Такође,  изложене  су идеје  и  предлози  за  будућа  истраживања  и  практични  савети  који  имају  за  циљ  да  сугеришу  и  мотивишу окретање  промена  које  могу  довести  до  побољшања  квалитeта  агротуристичке  понуде  у  Војводини  и читавој Србији.Agroturizam  redstavlja  osebni,  selektivni  vid  turizma  koji  objedinjuje  skup  aktivnosti  na seoskim  turističkim  domaćinstvima  i  u  objektima  u  domaćoj  radinosti.  U  radu  je  dat  pregled  vladajuće literature  o  agroturizmu  u AP  Vojvodini (Srbiji)  i  inostranim  državama  i  definisane  su  osnovne karakteristike  ovog  vida  turizma.  Prikazane  su  turističko-geografske  karakteristike  istraživanog rostora,  opisana  je  studija  slučaja  stanja  i  razvoja  agroturizma  u  Vojvodini  i  upoređena  sa  ostalim delovima  Srbije  i  sa  primerima  iz  inostranstva.  U  metodološkom  delu  prikazani  su  instrumenti, procedura  i  uzorak  istraživanja,  a  ostavljene  su  i  hipoteze  rada.  Kroz  rezultate  i  diskusiju,  hipoteze su  potvrđene,  delimično  potvrđene  ili  opovrgnute,  uz  pomoć  statističkih  proračuna  i  drugih  metoda provere,  dok  su  u  zaključku  rada  predstavljeni  naučni  i  praktični  doprinos  teorijskog  i   terenskog istraživanja,  kao  i  ograničenja  istraživanja.  U  ovom  segmentu  navedeni  su  i  osnovni  problemi administracije,  prakse  i  teorije  o  aspektima  kvaliteta  agroturizma  u  Vojvodini.  Takođe,  izložene  su ideje  i  predlozi  za  buduća  istraživanja  i  praktični  saveti  koji  imaju  za  cilj  da  sugerišu  i  motivišu okretanje  promena  koje  mogu  dovesti  do  poboljšanja  kvaliteta  agroturističke  ponude  u  Vojvodini  i čitavoj Srbiji.Agritourism is a specific, selective type of tourism that combines a set of activities on farms and in self-service  beds  (accomodation  type)  in  rural  areas.  This  paper  presents  a  literature  review  of  agritourism  in Vojvodina  Province  (Serbia)  and  foreign  countries  and  defines  the  basic  characteristics  of  this  type  of  tourism.  A tourist-geographical  characteristics  of  the  study  area  are  presented,  the  case  study  situation  and  development  of agritourism in Vojvodina are described and comparedwith other parts of Serbia and with examples from abroad. In the methodological  part,  the  tools,  procedures,  and  sample  surveys,  together  with  working  hypotheses  are  presented. Throughout the results and discussion, the hypotheses are confirmed, partially confirmed or refuted, using statistical calculations and other methods of testing. On the other hand, in the conclusion of the paper, a scientific and practical contribution to the theory and field studies, as well as the limitations of the research are shown. Inthis segment of paper, the main problems of administration, practices, and theories on quality’ aspects of agritourismin Vojvodina are listed. Together with these, the ideas and suggestions for future research and practical advices aimedto motivate the initiation of changes in the quality of agritourismin Vojvodina Province and in the Republic Serbia are expressed