The dinamics of reforms developement in Macedonia and its approach towards European Union

Democracy is a form of governing of today's modern state, while democratization is a process of regime change from authoritarian ortotalitarian to establishment of liberal democracy. As a political phenomenonit is a transformation that lasts long period of time. Democratic consolidation is longer than the democratic transition and it can last several decades by encompassing the cultivation of democratic values for the eliteand the wider population, as well as the legitimating and fully institutionalizing the new democracy. The process ends with the competition of this consolidation. The democracy in Macedonia is young, unformed and non-stabilized; therefore it is still fragile and unsustainable

Visa liberalisation and economic implication for the Western Balkans

When in April, 2007, western Balkan countries started the facilitation of the visa agreement that will allow them extremely simplified procedures for visa application in order to enter EU countries, many of the citizens of this region that historically has been isolated were skeptical this will really happen. This article analyses in detail the process of visa liberalization for the western Balkan countries and argues that visa facilitation is shown to be very useful despite the fact that only one country – known as “ghettoized” – the Republic of Kosovo. This state that is recognized internationally by 75 nations, of which 22 are EU, has remained the last Balkan country whose citizens still cannot travel freely in the EU. An important role in visa liberalization are the agreements of re-acceptance which are signed between the countries of the region and the European Commission that asks said countries to turn back all their citizens which are found illegally in the EU. Among others, this article provides an objective analysis in terms of the political implications of visa liberalization and free movement inside the European Union. The authors argue that traveling facilitations have become useful for citizens of particular countries whose aims are for positive achievements and growth along with the EU

European Perspective of Kosovo

Kosovo's relations with the EU continued to intensify the darting steps, especially fromJune 1999, when Kosovo came under the supervision and administration of UNMIK,where the mission of the United Nations Interim in Kosovo was based on Resolution1244 Security Council of the United Nations. As of this moment, the European Unionhas been an integral part of the effort to build new relations with Kosovo.1 The EU as aunited terse as its motto is "united in diversity" has given a great contribution toinstitution building and support economic, political, and this reinforces the continuityis increasingly in the years ongoing. European Union, together with member states,especially triggered by the European Commission played a role in the construction andpermanent development of Kosovo, and this fact becomes more bested that offermore constructive and help Kosovo.2 Over 2 billion euros in aid, are provided to assistthe processes in Kosovo by the European Commission from 1999 until the declarationof independence, it initially focused on support actions for emergency assistance andreconstruction in Kosovo, after stabilization of the EU, Concentrate on encouragingthe development of stable institutions and sustainable economic development toensure a European future for Kosovo

The right to use the Albanian language as an official language in Macedonia: the new draft law, its content, advancement and comparison

The use of Albanian language as official language in Macedonia has been a challenge especially after the Ohrid Framework Agreement (OFA) in 2001. Before 2001, Albanian language was defined as an official language and was used only in private matters as well in primary and secondary education. With the OFA and Constitutional changes in 2002, the language that is spoken by 20% of the population in the country was defined as an official language, but it’s application in practice was left to be regulated by e specific law. The law was adopted in 2008, 6 years after the constitutional changes. Now there is a new law proposed, which is supposed to regulate in more efficient way the use of Albanian language as official language in Macedonia. With this paper the authors are trying to answer some legal questions that has been debated in the country: firstly, is Albanian language official language and whether it is of a same level of application as Macedonian language; secondly, what are the novelties of the new draft law, and how the use of Albanian language is improved and advanced; thirdly, what are the practical challenges for the implementation of the new draft law. The authors of the paper will refer to international standards on use of languages as well as to relevant national legislation, as a tool to compare the new draft law in Macedonia

The right of use of Albanian language as official language in Macedonia: The new draft law, its content, advancement and comparison

The use of Albanian language as official language in Macedonia has been a challenge especially after the Ohrid Framework Agreement (OFA) in 2001. Before 2001, Albanian language was defined as an official language and was used only in private matters as well in primary and secondary education. With the OFA and Constitutional changes in 2002, the language that is spoken by 20% of the population in the country was defined as an official language, but it’s application in practice was left to be regulated by e specific law. The law was adopted in 2008, 6 years after the constitutional changes. Now there is a new law proposed, which is supposed to regulate in more efficient way the use of Albanian language as official language in Macedonia. With this paper the authors are trying to answer some legal questions that has been debated in the country: firstly, is Albanian language official language and whether it is of a same level of application as Macedonian language; secondly, what are the novelties of the new draft law, and how the use of Albanian language is improved and advanced; thirdly, what are the practical challenges for the implementation of the new draft law. The authors of the paper will refer to international standards on use of languages as well as to relevant national legislation, as a tool to compare the new draft law in Macedonia

Lisbon Treaty

Rejection of Constitutional treaty and enlargement of EU to 27 member states drew highlights for the need of institutional reform of the Union. These reforms were important for the functioning of the EU. So, leaders of member states prepared a new treaty which will fulfill needed reforms in order to achieve the goals. Thus, in order to avoid the referendums, they decided to take out those parts of the rejected treaty and to continue forward with reformation of European Union. Lisbon treaty is designed to achieve these institutional reforms and to be more close to the citizens of EU member states. There are some institutional changes and other provisions that leads toward this goal. Also, it makes the Union more accountable and transparent. All these purposes are achieved through involvement of National Parliament, strengthening of European Parliament, giving to the citizens more involvement in EU decision-making through citizen’s initiative. Now, we expect the positive results in practicing all these reforms that are included in the Lisbon Treaty

Challenge of the European Union’s Energy Security Approach

The diversification of energy supplies is a fundamental principle in the planning process of the energy security, and it implies ensuring access to diverse sources of supply, so it is evident that the activities related to energy security in Europe and the world in future will gain momentum and will be a challenge plus for western community. The main political and economic efforts of the European Union are canalized towards the creation of functional sustainability which in future could be provided only through the energy stability and timely delivery and cost-efficient supply of energy and resources to its economy. That is why the European Union is intensively improving its own energy security, the production, the transport and the development of alternative energy sources at the expense of fossil fuels. The main determinants of the European energy policy actually relate to reducing energy dependence, better utilization and regular supply of natural gas and other fuels and find alternative solutions

Economic overview of the international state-building of Kosovo in the light of liberal peace thesis: Development trends of the economic system of Kosovo, through UNMIK administration, actuality and the future.

In the aftermath of Cold War, the system of United Nations (UN) Peace Missions assumed new proportions, by adjusting the nature of political developments, which characterized the international relations stage in this period. In the peace-keeping agenda of these missions, special focus was given to issues related to “international state-building” in the post-conflict situations, as well as attempts to prevent and manage consequences of the state’s failure. In pursuit of these goals and as part of this agenda, it is believed that liberal western values, especially as part of the “liberal peace thesis”, have become ever more widespread and commonplace. The models of state-building, according to this thesis, include combination of values of liberal democracy and principles of the market economy, as precondition to overall social development, which would contribute to long-term peace. According to this conception According to this conception, it is clear that the transitional process from war to peace and that of state-building, in addition to the political dimensions, also has significant economic dimensions. Therefore, the authors of this study are focused on and aim to analyze and explain the role the economic sector plays in the construction and functioning of the state system in a post-conflict society, as is the case of Kosovo. At the contextual level, the study consists of understanding the role played by UNMIK, as international administration, in the direction of this sector. One part of the study is dedicated to analysing immediate and long-term strategies and approaches of the peacekeeping mission, aimed at reconstruction, i.e. the development of the economic sector from scratch, which would impact directly and indirectly on the creation of an enabling socio-political environment for a lasting peace. But the rest of the study focuses on macroeconomic indicators such as GDP level, monetary policy, as well as import and export situation (trade balance, which realistically reflects the current status of economic development in Kosovo, as well as for measuring the gap between the expected targets and achieved concrete results. This means that these indicators reflect the degree of success or failure of the mission in relation to the fulfillment of this objective. Finally, by analysing the previous and current results, we will try to explain development trends of Kosovo’s economy in the short-term

Kosovar Society through Secularism and Religion

This paper will analyze the importance and the effects of religion, in Kosovar society. A great part of the paper, will analyze the social and the political relations in Post-War Kosovo. Initially it will elaborate religion and secularism, especially in theoreticall aspect, what impact have these definitions in modern societies.In order to explain what the importance of the religion in Kosovo is, we will focus on analyzing ethnical, social and political relations within Kosovo society. A considerable component of the paper is also, the elaboration of secularism in Kosovo conditions. This implies that the formulation of the problem and the objective of this research, are the substance of the paper’s theme, which is, religion in Kosovo; its definition and the outlook of the Kosovar society on religion. Is Kosovo post-war society more or less religious? That means the elements of Religions and Secularism will be part of the analysis of developments in post-war Kosovo

A Comparative Study of Albanian Customary Law with the Code of the West and the Common Law of England Lex Scripta vs. Lex Non Scripta

In this study we are going to compare some of the most important aspects of social life among the three customary laws. Customs that are going to be mentioned and compared here are: family, hospitality and honor, blood feud, and the solemn oath (spoken word), etc. Also, the differences between unwritten and written laws communicated from the former ages are going to be explained, extensively. The purpose of this study was to identify if there is a match among the three codes (canons), and to determine the main differences that exist among the selected customs taken for our study. These canons were bodies of customary law and they were either written (lex scripta) or unwritten (lex non scripta). For centuries, they had existed in an unwritten form, and thus it is impossible to be too definite about their origins. For example, Kanun of Lek Dukagjini among Albanians written by Shtjefën Gjeçovi, a Franciscan priest, who began collecting the works that first appeared in printed form in 1913, and the completed Kanun was published in 1931 after his death. Then, The History of the Common Law of England among English written by Sir Matthew Hale in 1739. And, the Code of the West which was first chronicled by the famous western writers like Ned Buntline, Prentis Ingraham, Owen Wister, Max Brand and Zane Grey. The latter states in his 1934 novel The Code of the West that no ‘written’ code ever actually existed. Lack of written law made it necessary for Grey to frame some of his own, thus developing a rule of behavior which became known as the ‘Code of the West.’ Keywords: customary law, Kanun of Lekë Dukagjini, Code of the West, Common Law of England, Shtjefën Gjeçovi, Sir Matthew Hale, Zane Grey, family, hospitality and honor, blood feud, and the solemn oath, etc