The Only Continuity is ChangeThe Only Continuity is ChangeFindings and Conclusions of the Workshop „Revolutionary Changes and their Political Impacts on Europe“

Budapest, July 2009

Karol Decsi, Ioana Veronica Ionescu, Karol Decsi, Ioana Veronica Ionescu, Tamara Scheer, Driton Tahiri, Tamara Scheer, Driton Tahiri,

Fatbardh VeseliFatbardh Veseli

First of all...

Thank you from all of us to the organizers for an exciting opportunity. We enjoyed to get

to know each other and the fruitful discussions.

Participants

1 Austrian, 2 Kosovars, 1 Romanian, 1 Slovak

***1 Historian, 1 Diplomat, 1 Political Scientist , 1 Economist, 1 Computer

Scientist

Mapping

> Before> Change / Transition> After

Media – Security Policy – Gender/Generations – Education/Science – Images on Europe and

Neighbours

Fatbardh Veseli, Driton Tahiri

A bit historyPosition in YugoslaviaAutonomyChanging situation “1989-1999”

Education, rights, travelling, minority rightLiving together

Introduction• Area: Total 10,908 km²• Population: 2 126 708

(estimate)• Ethnical Groups: Albanians

92 %, Serbs 5.3 %, Others 2.7 %

• Currency: Euro (€) (EUR)Government

Type: Parliamentary Democracy

A newborn stateThe 1974 Yugoslav Constitution - Kosovo status nearly

equivalent to a republic.Serbia’s 1989 constitution significantly limited Kosovo's

autonomy In 1991, Kosovo’s Albanian leaders attempted to break free

from Serbia using non-violent resistance In Feb. 1998, the Yugoslav army and Serbian police began

fighting against the Kosovo Liberation Army, but their scorched-earth tactics were concentrated on ethnic Albanian civilians

On March 24, 1999, NATO began launching air strikes. June 1999 – UN Administration took place17 February 2008 – Declaration of IndependenceRecognition by countries individually

Facts and statistics

Member of CEFTA since 1 May, 2007Member of IMF, WB (recently)

61 out of 192 United Nations (UN) Member States (31.77%)

22 out of 27 European Union (EU) Member States (81.48%)

Geopolitical situation of Kosova/o

Current situationPolitical situation

RecognitionPoliceArmyLiving together (Internationals, Serbs and

Albanians)Economic development

Issues to deal withInternational representation

Formal relations with the EUInternational Cooperation

Traveling (passport recognition)InterpolRegional cooperation Country code

International LawIntegration of the Region (How?)

Further informationGovernment of Kosovo www.rks-gov.netWho recognized Kosovo

www.kosovothanksyou.com Kosovo: What Everyone Needs to Know

by Tim Judah

Karol Decsi

Administration ResearchAdministration ResearchPurpose to consider:

functions of the E-Government the change of the administration applications and its process the improve of the administrationimpact of public opinion

E-GovernmentE-Governmenta key to the modernization of the public

administration the administration of government by

means of electronic technology

enables participation via online application complete businesses on PCsimplification of work routines and processes

between state institutions the government and citizens or businesses

E-GovernmentE-GovernmentAustria

in Europe an e-Government forerunner

country of the "bureaucratic" tradition

historical rooted with Slovakia

SlovakiaTendency:

Adaptation of directions and politics of the EU

tries to approach the Austrian strategy

long transformation process

Impact of Public OpinionImpact of Public Opinionpublic opinion influences public policythe more salient an issue to the public, the

stronger the relationship is likely to bethe relationship is threatened by the power of

interest organizations, political parties, and economic elites

E-Government in SlovakiaE-Government in Slovakiaafter accession to EU: pushing Slovak

government towards formulating clearer policies

fulfilling European policy (eEurope)GOAL: providing modern and effective online

public servicesSTATUS quoSTATUS quo: low internet access, legal

environment does not meet EU standards (or very slowly implementation)

E-Government Benchmarking 2007E-Government Benchmarking 2007

Quelle: Cap Gemini

e-Governancee-Governancechanging structures in the system of the

governing:New Public ManagementUse of Information andCommunication technology

participation possibilities through electronic procedures

modern public authorities administrate transparently, democratically and electronically

Citizen CardCitizen Card

Ioana Veronica Ionescu

History lessons 1856 -Treaty of Paris– ending of Crimea War

resulting into the arrangements over the Danube legal regime between Russia on the one hand, and Ottomans, France and UK an the other, providing the neutrality of the Black Sea and the international free navigation on the Danube River - European Danube Commission, Galati, Moldova.

1948 – the “new” Danube Commission was set up in order to provide rules for the navigation on the Danube River – Belgrade Convention, signed on 18th of August, still in force, must be revised.

Current format of cooperation2002 - Danube Cooperation Process (common

initiative of AT, RO, COM and the Stability Pact) was set up in order to enhance the economic cooperation in the region and to develop the dialog between its 13 members politically.

The future of the Danube Region Territorial cohesion – a new debate proposed by

the European Commission in October 2008, when the Green Paper on Territorial Cohesion was published.

Europe of the macro-regions:1. Baltic Sea Strategy – initiative of Nordic States

around the Baltic Sea (2005). 2. Union for Mediterranean (Union pour la

Méditerranée) initially proposed by France (2008).3. EU Strategy for the Danube Region, a very young

proposal of Austria and Romania (2008) that was welcomed by the European Council of 18-19 June 2009.

EU Strategy for the Danube Region Presidency Conclusions of the

European Council, 18-19 June 2009:

III. Climate change and sustainable development

34. “(…) It also invites the Commission to present an EU strategy for the Danube

region before the end of 2010”. www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/

docs/pressdata/en/ec/108622.pdf

EU Strategy for the Danube Region

The EU Strategy of the Danube Region will be an European one and every

Danube country is invited to contribute.

The future of the Danube Region

Why do we need a Strategy of the Danube Region in the future?

What’s new?How can this Strategy support the

equilibrated and harmonious development of our countries?

To be continued …

Resume> More than one important „break point“ after

1989

> Policy has to take into consideration public opinion

> More heterogenous interests to find a solution since 1989

The Only Continuity is ChangeThe Only Continuity is ChangeFindings of the Workshop „Revolutionary Changes and their Political Impacts on Europe“

Budapest, July 2009

Karol Decsi, Ioana Veronica Ionescu, Karol Decsi, Ioana Veronica Ionescu, Tamara Scheer, Driton Tahiri, Tamara Scheer, Driton Tahiri,

Fatbardh VeseliFatbardh Veseli