When the carrot is not sweet enough: conditionality versus norms as modes of EU influence on Serbia's foreign policy

In the last two decades the EU has exercised significant influence on the whole European continent including countries in transition of Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe. The countries of the Western Balkans are among the last countries to join the EU. With every enlargement the EU has shaped and revisited its approach to enlargement and the countries seeking EU membership. While the literature on European enlargement has focused on conditionality and the 'stick and carrot‘ metaphor, there are authors that stress other modes of influence of the EU on third countries. One of these modes of influence is the normative potential of the EU. This paper will elaborate on how and if norms and conditionality fit together, identify the norms and conditions of the EU in international relations and assess the influence of the EU on countries of Western Balkans and their foreign policy decisions. The paper will focus on regional cooperation, which is both a norm in the relationships between these countries, as well as a de facto condition of EU accession. The paper will present the developments of foreign policy in Serbia, in particular related to regional cooperation and analyze the EU input in Serbia‘s foreign policy decisions. The paper concludes with the observation that conditionality as a mode of influence has limited success and is less effective than the power of norms, as illustrated by the position of Serbia towards Kosovo. For conditionality to be successful, the promised reward needs to be greater than the cost of fulfilling the conditions of the reward (the ‗carrot‘ needs to be sweet enough). In the case of Serbia and Kosovo, the current government (and the majority of Serbia‘s politicians) value preserving Kosovo within Serbia‘s borders more than EU membership, making any such conditionality ineffective. Norms on the other hand are more subtle and long-lasting due to the passive nature of influence. Proof of the effectiveness of European norms in international relations is the mere fact that Serbia has opted for peaceful regional and international political and legal means of settling the Kosovo dispute

Recent succession of the pedunculate oak and narrow-leaved ash forest in the unflooded part of Gornji Srem

In the unflooded part of the river Sava, Bosut and Studva bottom lands in Gornji Srem (forest sections Moroviæ and Višnjiæevo), the following succession series are clearly differentiated on large areas: forests of narrow-leaved ash (Fraxinetum angustifoliae Jov. et Tom.1979. s.l) on ((/(-(/(-gley ( forests of pedunculate oak and narrow-leaved ash (Fraxino-Quercetum roboris Jov. et Tom.1979. s.l) on humogley, humosemigley and semigley ( forests of pedunculate oak, hornbeam and ash (Carpino-Fraxino-Quercetum roboris Jov. et Tom. 1979, s.l) on semigley, brown forest soil and soil lessive Forest of pedunculate oak and narrow-leaved ash, which is an intermediary stage of the ecological succession series, is also differentiated into three ecological units (subassociations), which are the developmental phases of the association - primary, optimal and terminal – Forest of pedunculate oak and ash with hygrophilic accessories (Fraxino-Quercetum roboris hygrophyllum) on moderately moist hydromorphic black soils (humogley, ecological (-gley) is the primary phase, ecologically and syn-dynamically related to the terminal phase of the previous stage – forest of narrow-leaved ash with sedge (Fraxinetum angustifoliae caricetosum remotae) on (/(-gley. The dominant edificator is narrow-leaved ash, while pedunculate oak is in the subdominant position Moister meadow black soils are characterised by intensive moisture, because already at the depth of 20/30-50 cm, the process of gleying occurs. Underground water stagnates at the depth of 80-120 cm – Typical forest of pedunculate oak and ash (Fraxino-Quercetum roboris typicum) on the drier varieties of humosemigley is the optimal phase in the development of the association, with a slowed down dynamism. Both edificators are in their ecological and coenological optima, i.e. the conditions of their development are excellent In the drier hygromorphic black soils the level of underground water is about 40 cm lower than the moister variety, so that the stagnating underground water occurs at the depth of 120-160 cm. However, thanks to capillary rise, the tree root system has abundant moisture. Simultaneously, the physical properties of the soil are more favourable, so the ecological productivity potential is very high – Forest of pedunculate oak and ash with field maple and Tartar maple (Fraxino-Quercetum roboris aceretosom) on semigleys is the terminal phase, syn-dynamically and spatially related to the following phase – forest of pedunculate oak, hornbeam and ash with sedge (Carpino-Fraxino-Quercetum roboris caricetosum remotae) on semigleys to semigleys lessive in the unflooded zone. Pedunculate oak undertakes the role of the dominant edificator, while ash is retreating The depth of the stagnating ground water is 150/160-200 cm and the soils are significantly lighter, so that capillary rise is twice as difficult. This is not unfavourable to pedunculate oak, which reaches its ecological optimum even in the less moist communities with hornbeam in the terrestrial conditions, but it hinders the development of the more hygrophilic narrow-leaved ash and thus accelerates the syn-dynamic processes of the transition to the following, drier stage The study of the dynamism of pedunculate oak and narrow-leaved ash forests, one of the most widely distributed and most productive ecosystems in Gornji Srem, should direct, advance and facilitate the carrying out of all operations on its enhancement

Pregled pučinskih obnovljivih izvora energije

Smanjenje rezervi fosilnih goriva u svijetu, kao i rastuća svijest o ljudskom utjecaju na klimatske promjene značajno su doprinjeli razvoju različitih tehnologija obnovljivih izvora energije. Iznimno veliki i gotovo neupotrebljeni energetski potencijali energije vjetra, valova, mjenskih i oceanskih struja, termalne energije i gradijenta saliniteta mogu se uspješno koristiti pomoću različitih uređaja pučinskih obnovljivih izvora energije. Primjenom najnovijih saznanja u razvoju pučinske tehnologije može se uspješno i ekološki zadovoljiti rastuća potreba za energetskim resursima. Ovaj rad predstavlja pregled potencijala pučinskih obnovljivih izvora energije, različitih tehnologija, trenutačne primjene, troškova izgradnje i glavnih društvenih utjecajnih faktora

An analytical solution to free rectangular plate natural vibrations by beam modes – ordinary and missing plate modes

Relatively simple analytical procedures for the estimation of natural frequencies of free thin rectangular plates, based on the Rayleigh quotient and the Rayleigh-Ritz method, are presented. First, natural modes are assumed in the usual form as products of beam natural modes in the longitudinal and transverse directions, satisfying the grillage boundary conditions. Based on a detailed FEM analysis, the missing of some natural modes, defined as a sum and a difference of the cross products of beam modes, is noted. The frequencies of these modes are very similar and identical in some special cases, manifesting in such a way a double frequency phenomenon. These families of natural mode shapes form a complete natural frequency spectrum of a free rectangular plate as a novelty. The reliable approximation of natural modes enables the application of the Rayleigh quotient for the estimation of higher natural frequencies. The application of the developed procedure is illustrated by the case of a free thin square plate. The obtained results are compared with those determined by FEM and also with rigorous ones from the relevant literature based on the Rayleigh-Ritz method. The achieved accuracy is acceptable from the engineering point of view. Furthermore, the same problem is solved by the Rayleigh-Ritz method using approximate natural modes as mathematical ones. Direct and iterative procedures are presented. A small number of mathematical modes and iteration steps are sufficient to achieve reliable results

Some Aspects of Mega-Floating Airport Design and Production

Mega-Floating Airports (MFA) are unique and complex offshore transport system components that emerged as a consequence of tremendous land price increase in the vicinity of very large coastal cities. An overview of MFAs design and production aspects is presented within this paper including design concept, model tests and full scale measurement, air transport analysis, infrastructure, main particulars and structure, wave breaker, hydroelastic analysis due to wave load and airplane moving mass, mooring analysis, production technology and environmental aspects. MFA dynamic response due to airplane load is emphasized as the most challenging problem. Theoretical outline as well as a realistic illustrative numerical example are presented

Neki aspekti projektiranja i gradnje velikih plutajućih aerodroma

Iznimno veliko povećanje cijene zemlje u blizini velikih obalnih gradova rezultiralo je pojavom velikih plutajućih aerodroma koji predstavljaju jedinstvenu i složenu pučinsku komponentu transportnog sustava. Pregled projektnih i proizvodnih aspekata velikih plutajućih aerodroma u ovom radu uključuje projektni koncept, modelska ispitivanja i mjerenja u naravi, valobran, hidroelastičnu analizu uslijed valnog opterećenja te uzlijetanja i slijetanja zrakoplova, analizu sidrenja, tehnologiju gradnje i utjecaj na okoliš. Dinamički odziv strukture na opterećenje uslijed gibanja zrakoplova je istaknut kao iznimno zahtjevan problem. Teorijski pregled ilustriran je jednim numeričkim primjerom iz prakse

Hidroelastični odziv velikog kontejnerskog broda

Veliki kontejnerski brodovi su relativno elastični i brzi, pa su njihove prirodne frekvencije bliske susretnim frekvencijama. Za pouzdanije projektiranje takvih brodova potrebno je koristiti hidroelastične proračunske modele koji omogućuju vjerodostojnije modeliranje distribucije opterećenja i istovremeno uzimanje u obzir gibanja i elastičnih deformacija brodske konstrukcije. U ovom radu prikazane su teorijske osnove strukturnog, hidrodinamičkog i hidrostatičkog modela čijim spajanjem nastaje hidroelastični model. Razvijeni postupak temelji se na kombiniranju strukturnog 1D grednog modela konačnih elemenata i 3D hidrodinamičkog modela, što ga čini iznimno pogodnim za preliminarnu fazu osnivanja. Ukratko su opisani računalni programi izrađeni za potrebe hidroelastične analize, te je provedena analiza hidroelastičnog odziva velikog kontejnerskog broda nosivosti 7800 TEU. Valjanost 1D MKE modela provjerena je koreliranjem prirodnih frekvencija i oblika vibriranja s rezultatima 3D MKE analize. Rezultati su uspoređeni s rezultatima analize odziva krutog broda na valovima

Static and dynamic rectangular finite elements for plate vibration analysis

Nowadays dynamic finite elements with frequency dependent unified stiffness matrix are considered in order to reduce finite element mesh density, and, consequently, system of algebraic equations in eigenvalue formulation. In this paper, an attempt to develop a 4-noded rectangular finite element for thin plate bending is presented. Since there is no simple general analytical solution of plate vibrations for arbitrary boundary conditions, dynamic shape functions are assumed as products of beam shape functions in longitudinal and transverse direction. Dynamic finite element with frequency dependent stiffness and mass matrix is derived by energy approach. Convergence of results is checked and it is found that such finite element formulation is not suitable for wider use. Therefore, strip finite element for vibration analysis of rectangular plate with simply supported two opposite edges is developed, which gives exact results. Application of both finite elements is illustrated by several numerical examples