04.03.2022
Partial local elections are a kind of a battle between the opposition coalition “House of Freedom” and the drug-cartel, which has been ruling Albania for years already. The elections have to be transparent, free and fair, with no bribing of voters and purchases of votes from “black funds” made of dirty money from the drug-business.
28.02.2022
The Ukrainian people, who have to be applauded for their stand, are giving a strong resistance, something that Putin didn’t really expect. He is someone who likes to get his way and will be upset at rejection, which the Ukrainians are bound to do. What will Putin then do? He will be upset and lose his cool. Watch this space.
21.02.2022
According to the public opinion polls the list of the Serb Progressive Party “Aleksandar Vučić–Together we can do everything” stands by far the biggest chances at the parliamentary elections. Due to the lowering of the election threshold to 3%, smaller political parties and parties of ethnic minorities also stand a chance to win mandates in the Parliament. As for the presidential elections, the favorite is the current President Vučić.
19.02.2022
With the Ukraine crisis increasingly acute, there is growing danger of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, involving a significant possibility of escalating into a full-scale war between Russian and the NATO. At the core of the crisis is how to strike an agreement on durable geopolitical order to which Ukraine is central as a crucial strategic buffer between Europe and the Eurasia, or between a peninsula and a landmass. Thus, prescribing a geopolitical settlement is more necessary than ever.
16.02.2022
Discussing issues after Merkel means discussing Angela Merkel herself. Not enigmatic, as it might look like, but still not fully comprehended and understood in all aspects of her zoon politikon. And what a politician she has been. The modest daughter of the humble German pastor managed to achieve what an old Roman saying advices: leave the party at its best and you would keep it in the best memory. And – sic – she will also be remembered by her best.
14.02.2022
The Middle East strategy of China is gradually progressing. Recently, an official agreement between the governments of Iran and China brought the 25-year comprehensive cooperation treaty into effect, while Syria signed an understanding to join the Belt and Road Initiative. Massive trade and investment initiatives have helped China establish itself as a significant player in the Middle East.
10.02.2022
Events of the first decade of new 2022 year in Kazakhstan clearly showed not only that the power of systemic social and political destabilizing has not extinguished yet, but also that such destructive processes got new features tailored to the country, where they have been launched. It should be noted that the insurrection in Kazakhstan was triggered, like in some countries before, by actions of the public authorities, which doubled the prices for gas being a popular fuel in Kazakhstan.
03.02.2022
The power of writing is that the dialogue is not only held with the contemporaries. Writing can reach future generations, too. Great poet Mak says: “when nobody listens, write”. How will we reflect on events of 2020-21 in about 5 or 10 years? How will we explain our indifference, silence and retreat? What will we say to our children?
29.01.2022
This is a major topic beyond the scope of this article, which could, however, be said for most of the topics covered. Architects and planners are going to have to think about climate and how (renewable) energy can be used more efficiently for buildings more than they had to in the past, depending on region. A study of the main materials used in construction – concrete steel, timber – indicated that timber was the only material that could be affected by a changing climate in any significant way.
24.01.2022
As history is the teacher of life, it should not be forgotten that World War I actually started in the capital of BiH, Sarajevo. If the destructive activities are not stopped, BiH will quickly move from “non-papers” to a “crawling war “, and all the involved, if their responsibility is established, could be sanctioned.
21.01.2022
It must be said that the commodification of water is one of the modern trends that has proven its presence in the contemporary world, and it is one of the aspects of urbanization that combined the primary need for a safe and clean resource, with a sophisticated, improved and practical product available in all conditions and climates, while remaining a relatively accessible commodity.
18.01.2022
Following the Glasgow Climate summit (COP 26), the International Institute for Middle Est and Balkan Studies (IFIMES) conducts series of research papers and reports that aim at revisiting and rethinking the trans-Oceanic transport and pan-Eurasian (existing and possible) corridors, as a way to de-carbonise our planet for the universal betterment.
