This article examines the development of geomorpho-logical and hydrological research on karst landscapes in Central and Southeast Europe in the period before 1914.It provides novel insights into the introduction of th...This article examines the development of geomorpho-logical and hydrological research on karst landscapes in Central and Southeast Europe in the period before 1914.It provides novel insights into the introduction of the term“karst,”originally the name of a cavernous limestone plateau east of the Adriatic city of Trieste,as a universal model for comparing and understanding dissolutional features in soluble rocks.Based on a critical reappraisal of the sem-inal work“The Karst Phenomenon”(1893)by the Serbian geoscientist Jovan Cvijić(1865-1928),submitted as a Ph.D.thesis at the University of Vienna,my essay argues for a reassessment of the beginnings of karst sciences.It gives more attention to research as a cooperative enterprise and to the interplay between the internationalization of geosci-entific knowledge and the emerging national claims to the Balkan Peninsula and its inhabitants.Approaching the topic from a history of science perspective,I will analyze the epistemic,political,and social dimensions of early karst research at three different stages,namely,its emergence as an imperial undertaking in the Habsburg Monarchy,its synthesis and systematization through Cvijić’s“Karst Phenomenon,”and the final establishment of the Dinarides’northwestern part as the“Classical”Karst.展开更多
Since its description,the taxon Ophrys sphegodes subsp.grammica has been considered endemic to Greece.The morphological and chorological data of this taxon have been overlooked because the name has been used as a syno...Since its description,the taxon Ophrys sphegodes subsp.grammica has been considered endemic to Greece.The morphological and chorological data of this taxon have been overlooked because the name has been used as a synonym for O.sphegodes subsp.taurica in most publications and online databases.Recently discovered Ophrys populations in Serbia were identified as O.sphegodes subsp.grammica.As these populations represent the northernmost point of distribution of this taxon,we provided data on the morphology,flowering season,and ecology.To determine the taxonomic status of this taxon,we performed comparative morphological analyses,comparing them to other populations of affined taxa(O.sphegodes subsp.grammica,O.sphegodes subsp.taurica,and O.sphegodes subsp.sphegodes).The analysis included 23 morphometric characters,performed on a total of 120 individuals.Examined populations of O.sphegodes subsp.grammica are closely associated with populations of O.sphegodes subsp.sphegodes,with near overlap in the values of the characteristics evaluated,indicating that this subspecies is more morphologically similar to the typical one than to O.sphegodes subsp.taurica.Although O.sphegodes subsp.grammica and O.sphegodes subsp.sphegodes are morphologically similar,the flowers of the first taxon are smaller,as evidenced by the length and width of the stigmatic cavity,as well as the length of the petals and labellum.The labellum of O.sphegodes subsp.grammica is shorter than the dorsal sepal,and this feature distinguishes it from both the typical subspecies and O.sphegodes subsp.taurica,where it is longer.The results of this study clearly show that the name O.sphegodes subsp.grammica should not be equated with O.sphegodes subsp.taurica,since it is a morphologically distinct and well-defined taxon.展开更多
As two major Great Powers in the geopolitics of the Balkans,the relationship between Austria-Hungary and Russia directly affected the stability of the political situation in Europe and the Balkans.At the beginning of ...As two major Great Powers in the geopolitics of the Balkans,the relationship between Austria-Hungary and Russia directly affected the stability of the political situation in Europe and the Balkans.At the beginning of the 20th century,the Austro-Russian cooperation dominated the Macedonian reforms,but with the deepening of the reforms,the structural contradictions between the two countries were fully exposed,and the original cooperative relationship went to a rupture.This drastically changed relationship became an important factor in the restructuring of relations between the Great Powers and the Balkan states before the First World War.展开更多
Sea Level Pressure（SLP） data for the period 1950–2012 at 61 stations located in or around the Balkan Peninsula was used. The main concept is that intra-annual course of SLP represents the best different air masses ...Sea Level Pressure（SLP） data for the period 1950–2012 at 61 stations located in or around the Balkan Peninsula was used. The main concept is that intra-annual course of SLP represents the best different air masses that are situated over the Balkan Peninsula during the year. The method for differentiation of climatic zones is cluster analysis. A hierarchical clustering technique–average linkage between groups with Pearson correlation for measurement of intervals was employed in the research. The climate of the Balkan Peninsula is transitional between oceanic and continental and also between subtropical and temperate climates. Several major changes in atmospheric circulation over the Balkan Peninsula have happened over the period 1950–2012. There is a serious increase of the influence of the Azores High in the period January–Marchwhich leads to an increase of SLP and enhances oceanic influence. There is an increase of the influence of the north-west extension of the monsoonal low in the period June–September. This leads to more continental climatebut also to more tropical air masses over the Balkan Peninsula. Accordinglythe extent of subtropical climate widens in northern direction. There is an increase of the influence of the Siberian High in the period October–December. This influence covers central and eastern part of the peninsula in October and Novemberand it reaches western parts in December. Thusthe climate becomes more continental.展开更多
Republic of Kosovo has 1,304 settlements from which only 37 are urban and 1,267 are rural. Shown in percentage, only 39.2% （765,125） of inhabitants live in urban areas. The focus is to work and find the best and che...Republic of Kosovo has 1,304 settlements from which only 37 are urban and 1,267 are rural. Shown in percentage, only 39.2% （765,125） of inhabitants live in urban areas. The focus is to work and find the best and cheap solutions for the 60.8% （1,173,370） of inhabitants of the country which live in rural areas. From this number only 42% of them have access to the sewage network while 60.8% of them have implemented individual solutions （latrines） without any treatment, leading to a large pollution of the water bodies. The existing rural sewage networks are built only with septic tanks, poorly designed and do not fulfill the wastewater treatment criteria. Regarding this issue, the Kosovan legislation concerns only urban areas （settlements of more than 2,000 inhabitants） and is expected to be completed in 2014 for rural areas according to the EU （European Union） directive for wastewater discharge. As a pilot project, the CDI （community development initiatives） started with WWTP （waste water treatment plants） based on the Vertical Constructed Wetland option （french model） as it appears to be the most adapted option in this rolling, rural, and temperate climate context, implementing this kind of treatment in 3 villages for the first time in Kosovo. Through this, it is interesting to take a perspective on all the phases of these projects starting from feasibility reports, project design to concept and modalities of implementation and options for operation and maintenance, in order to assess how this technical option is feasible and replicable in the country at a large scale. It finally appears that the potential for constructed wetland in the Balkan region is promising as it provides a simple solution for most of the regional constraints, but requires skills to be developed locally for designing and building as well as a deeper consideration in the national regulation.展开更多
The territory of the Balkan Peninsula in SE Europe is reviewed, from the point of gemmology, as the cradle of gem and decorative minerals and metals in European prehistory. During the local Neolithic period (end of 7 ...The territory of the Balkan Peninsula in SE Europe is reviewed, from the point of gemmology, as the cradle of gem and decorative minerals and metals in European prehistory. During the local Neolithic period (end of 7 th -6 th millennium BC), as material for tools or for beads, nephrite (with the earliest known Balkan nephrite culture), jadeite-omphacite and quartz (different varieties) were introduced to make pendants and idols. Large quantities of copper and gold artifacts are known since the Chalcolithic period (5 th millennium BC)(unique for the region;the largest in number of gold artifacts is the Varna I Chalcolithic necropolis in Bulgaria). The gemmological materials in the Balkans are known for malachite, antigorite serpentinite, turquoise, rock crystal, carnelian, jasper, jet and obsidian. In the Varna I necropolis (mid 5 th millennium BC) are recorded the first known complex faceted carnelian beads with 32 facets, as well as some of the most important gemmological techniques and procedures such as faceting, tumbling, annealing, miniaturization and standardization. As pigments for pottery, cinnabar, graphite and gold were used in different prehistoric sites. The earliest salt production in the Balkans is known from sites in Romania and Bulgaria, and because of its trade, salt is positively linked to a population rich with prestigious goods. The introduced possible Chalcolithic weight unit “van”(2 carats) is supposed to be the earliest known in prehistoric times.展开更多
The history of the Albanian national movement is closely connected with two key factors： internal development in the Albanian-populated areas in the Balkans as well as politics of the Great Powers. Berlin Congress of...The history of the Albanian national movement is closely connected with two key factors： internal development in the Albanian-populated areas in the Balkans as well as politics of the Great Powers. Berlin Congress of 1878 totally neglected interests of the Albanians. Subsequently, Treaty of Berlin became the starting point for creation of the Albanian League of Prizren （1878-1881） as well as future development of the Albanian national movement. Russia as well as other Great Powers played a controversial role in that context.展开更多
Floods have always had and will continue to have significant consequences for society. In May 2014, there was widespread flooding in the Balkans affecting Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia. The aim of this ar...Floods have always had and will continue to have significant consequences for society. In May 2014, there was widespread flooding in the Balkans affecting Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia. The aim of this article is to show that resilient and proactive health systems that anticipate needs and challenges are more likely to reduce risks and respond effectively during emergencies, saving lives and alleviating human suffering. The method draws on multiple sources of information, including a Balkan case study questionnaire survey with public health professionals involved in response to floods (n = 18) from three affected countries, and focus group discussion results (n = 43) presented at the meeting on “Prevention, preparedness and response to reduce or avoid health effects of flood events”, held in Bonn, Germany, in October 2015. The proposed range of measures to protect population health, organized around flood prevention, preparedness, response and recovery listed issues and considerations largely corresponds to the identified needs by Member State requests, following the Balkan country experiences. The consideration of lessons for early warning, preparedness and response and the integration of research results would lead to improved preparedness measures to better prevent flooding risks. Experiences in the WHO European Region point to a need to shift the emphasis from disaster response to long-term risk management.展开更多
The last enlargement of the European Union put Western Balkans countries into focus of integration, and thus the countries became an area where future integration is expected. Future enlargement of the European Union ...The last enlargement of the European Union put Western Balkans countries into focus of integration, and thus the countries became an area where future integration is expected. Future enlargement of the European Union depends on the success of the previous EU accession, as well as on the achieved results of the transition process in the Western Balkans, since these countries are not on the same level as the developed European countries or new member states. The region contains small countries that are at different stages on their road towards membership. Transition is a comprehensive process of economic and political reforms that creates many shocks in the economy, and when this process occurs in a politically unstable and war environment, as the case being with the Western Balkans, the results may be very unfavorable. Formal agreements improved the relations between these countries and the European Union, thereby had an influence on risk reduction and increased business transparency, resulting in a growing interest of foreign investors for the region. Despite increased investments in the region and rapid economic growth, Western Balkan countries have only 21 (Albania) and 52% (Croatia) of the average European Union Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, indicating the need for faster implementation of reforms and individual involvement of countries into the process of European integration. There is a significant development gap between Western Balkan countries, so observing the region as a whole and applying a singular strategy in the sense of its economic leveling and the process of EU accession would have a negative impact on Croatia, as the most developed country of the region.展开更多
Assessment of harmful impacts and risks of air pollution in case of accidents as well as of long lasting exposition is an important challenge of chemical transport modeling. Sad confirmation of this statement unexpect...Assessment of harmful impacts and risks of air pollution in case of accidents as well as of long lasting exposition is an important challenge of chemical transport modeling. Sad confirmation of this statement unexpectedly has come from the nuclear power plant accident in Fukushima which occurred while this paper was finalized. Two strategies to comply with the task of impact and risk assessment in extended regions like Central Europe or the Balkans are described. The first one is characterized by application of a single model system to an extended domain. The other one is based on the combined application of several chemical transport models designed for the use in various sub-domains in the region under consideration. Advantages and disadvantages exist for both approaches. For instance, the single model strategy allows unified and harmonized assessment of risks in a larger region, whereas the combined model strategy may pro-vide faster and locally more specific response in emergency cases. The single model approach is treated exploiting applications of the EURAD model system. The combined model approach is a novel way of joint use of chemical transport model systems developed for the Balkans. The models are described and the accuracy of simulations carried out with them is briefly demonstrated by comparison of simulated and observed concentrations of air pollutants. Applications regarding the search of sources for high pollution events and the assessment of risks through known sources are exem-plarily discussed.展开更多
This paper is about the results of the project, ＂The Music in Uludag University from Asia to Balkans＂. In this project, cultures and traditional music of foreign students who are educated in Uludag University were s...This paper is about the results of the project, ＂The Music in Uludag University from Asia to Balkans＂. In this project, cultures and traditional music of foreign students who are educated in Uludag University were searched. The students who also play or sing their music were chosen from Indonesia, Republic of Bashkortostan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt, Morocco, Ethiopia, Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo, and Bosnia Herzegovina. They had studied and practiced music for six weeks. In May 2015, they introduced their music with big organization host in campus concert hall organized by Uludag University, Turkish State and Relatives Community Applications and Research Center. These chosen students introduced their countries with their music and at the end of the concert in this research the outcomes and results of multicultural activity were examined. This paper was presented at 2015 West East Institute Academic Conference and the full paper was published at proceeding book.展开更多
The aim of the study is to examine Serbia as a consolidated democracy, with special attention paid to the political changes in the past 25 years. In the first chapter I will present the stability of the political inst...The aim of the study is to examine Serbia as a consolidated democracy, with special attention paid to the political changes in the past 25 years. In the first chapter I will present the stability of the political institutions, the importance and the need to change the current constitution, and furthermore I will analyze the parliamentary characteristics and the legislative process. In my thorough examination I will write about the instability and liability relations connected to the coalition government, the counterweight role of the head of state, the political influence of the judiciary and the constitutional courts, the ombudsman system, and lastly the exploration of local government practices. The second chapter will study the political cleavages. It will also discuss the possibilities of resolving the ethnic conflicts, the prominence of the previous political areas, and the divisive issue of the integration process. This chapter will be followed by the introduction of the concentration of the party system, which leads to the reduction of political parties, and to the dominance of the right wing. The last chapter will present the lack of elite consensus, as well as the general public＇s distrust of the political institutions.展开更多
States cannot be considered as such,if lacking these two elements:their population and their territory.The territory of a state consists of what is called the opportunity for development,advancement,and well-being of ...States cannot be considered as such,if lacking these two elements:their population and their territory.The territory of a state consists of what is called the opportunity for development,advancement,and well-being of its citizens.But territories cannot be considered occupied or not,unless people live in them.Thus,people,not territories,are the object and subject of conquests and rulers,of governance and self-governance.All Balkan conflicts are caused by disputes over territories.They are often referred to as ethnic or religious conflicts,but,in fact,they were and they still remain conflicts over territories.These conflicts neither were nor appeared as civil wars for social or religious reasons,but they were ethnic wars.Therefore,the establishment and continuation of the peace process depends both on mutual respect of the Balkan states for their territorial integrity,as well as on respect for minorities.The current discussion on the modification of the Kosovo borders,as well as the tendency that Serbia gains territories from Kosovo in exchange for resolving the Albanian-Serbian conflict,is a precedent for a new chain of conflicts in the Balkans.The reasons why there can be no such solution to the conflict between Kosovo and Serbia are numerous.But the main one is that all states would gain the right to change borders in favor of creating ethnically purified societies.Any change of borders in Europe,but also elsewhere sets a precedent for further changes.The aim of this paper is to lay the argument why the modification of borders between Kosovo and Serbia has no ground in the international law and,to make clear the danger that such modification produces for the peace,stability,and security in the Balkans and beyond.展开更多
The urban consciousness under foreign domination is a complex issue, especially when the reporting period is the 19th century, the century of great social, ethnic, and economic changes in Europe. The issue is further ...The urban consciousness under foreign domination is a complex issue, especially when the reporting period is the 19th century, the century of great social, ethnic, and economic changes in Europe. The issue is further complicated in the case of the Balkans, during the latter period of Ottoman rule. But how did certain cities manage to emerge from rural or suburban enslaved routine and develop a European urbanity？ An urbanity expressed itself as lifestyle （habits, costumes, entertainment）, as art and as formation of the urban environment and architecture. The State pushed for modernization by the Great Powers, ethnic communities with parent countries seeking to differentiate themselves from their “backward” conquerors, economic opportunities through trade and new visual observations by penetration of European countries and companies： all this would create suitable conditions for an unprecedented urbanization. This shift in the quality of life was clearly expressed in the new architecture, which always continued, as ever, to reflect the cultural activity. The transition from vernacular architecture to historicism and eclectism would capture the most characteristic moment of the beginning of urbanization in northern Greece.展开更多
Mimis Souliotis, who was a poet, belongs to the lyrical generation of the 70＇s, a typically ＂urban＂, literary period in the sense that poetry is part of a neo-realist framework along the lines of its great ancestor...Mimis Souliotis, who was a poet, belongs to the lyrical generation of the 70＇s, a typically ＂urban＂, literary period in the sense that poetry is part of a neo-realist framework along the lines of its great ancestors, Cavafy and Karyotakis. M. Souliotis deviates from the ＂urban poetry＂ of his prominent fellow-craftsmen. Despite of his having been brought up and nurtured in big cities （Athens, Thessaloniki）, his poetry has northwestern coordinates and focuses on Florina, his long-term domicile. As part of the northwest region of the Balkanian Macedonia, Florina is the main spacial work stream of his poetry, a reference field that is not only geographical but also deeply historical and existential. The provincial heartland of the Balkanian Macedonia enlarges upon his work repeatedly＇either as a geophysical landscape and as a river network, or as a climatic reality, as a historical reference and cultural tradition at times and, more often than not, as a linguistic impact, provided that there are several Slavic place names in his poetry. The Balkanian province is neither M. Soulioti＇s nostalgic reminiscence nor a painful flashback and, simultaneously, a redeeming feature in the past. It is nothing but his vividly experienced era, across his whole space-time fluidity. The ubiquitous use of rural area in M. Soulioti＇s poetry is not either a sightseeing ＂aspect＂ or a self- governed geographic entity but pure History and Language. He is interwoven with historical experiences and linguistic idioms from The Dust of Time＇an ontology and existence, not bound to national geographical lines. It is a perpetual and indissoluble Balkan anthropology experienced as part of an everyday reality展开更多
As the world stage evolves,the EU has faced multiple security challenges in terms of instability and geostrategic competition starting in its back yard.Since the end of the Cold War,the security model of Europe has be...As the world stage evolves,the EU has faced multiple security challenges in terms of instability and geostrategic competition starting in its back yard.Since the end of the Cold War,the security model of Europe has been evolving as a response to internal as well as to external challenges.The Balkans has since played a key role in the European security system and governance.However,the Western Balkans remains fragile,and the external pressures and internal divisions could deliver fresh instability to the region.Thus,this scenario forms a fit-for-purpose case study to test the EU‟s future security model.It can be argued that the EU has the power of adaptation and growth,although its internal malfunctions have scrutinised its influence in the region and beyond,while other great powers urge to fill the power vacuum.As a result,a quantum leap forward in EU leadership appears to be critical.This article first outlines the EU‟s deepening and widening security sector.Second,it examines the weaknesses and strengths of the EU‟s current security model.It then observes the role and perspectives of the region's key strategic allies and competitors:the United States,Russia,and China.Finally,it discusses the EU‟s future model.展开更多
The Plio-Quaternary deformation pattern of the northern Aegean and south Balkan regions is interpreted as an effect of the interaction between the Anatolian-Aegean-Pelagonian system (Tethyan belt), undergoing westward...The Plio-Quaternary deformation pattern of the northern Aegean and south Balkan regions is interpreted as an effect of the interaction between the Anatolian-Aegean-Pelagonian system (Tethyan belt), undergoing westward extrusion and strong deformation, and the surrounding plates (Nubia, Europe and Adriatic). Since the middle-late Miocene, the collision of the Tethyan belt with the continental Adriatic domain has caused strong E-W shortening in the outer Hellenides and Albanides, also involving the southward extrusion of the Peloponnesus wedge, at the expense of the Ionian oceanic domain. The roughly E-W extension recognized in the western South Balkan zones (Macedonia and eastern Albania) is related to the divergence between the Pelagonian belt (Albanides and Hellenides) and the Rhodope-Moesia domain. Stressed by the westward displacement of the central Anatolian plateau and by the southward bowing of the Cycladic Arc, the northern Aegean zone has contemporaneously undergone E-W compression and N-S extension, which has generated a series of dextral shear faults, delimiting a number of slats. The westward displacement and deformation of such slats can explain the morphological features of the northern Aegean zone. During this phase, the push of the central Anatolian plateau also caused the separation of the Rhodope massif from the Moesian European domain, with the consequent formation of the upper Thrace basin. This hypothesis can explain the Plio-Quaternary compressional deformations recognized in a sector of the North Anatolian fault system, the Ganos-Gelibolu zone. The proposed geodynamic/tectonic interpretation may help to explain some features of the time-space distribution of major earthquakes in the study area.展开更多
The twentieth century features numerous phenomena remarkable for Turkish history. Such wars as the Trablusgarp （Turco-ltalian） War （1911）, the Balkan War （1912-1913）, World War I （1914-1918）, and National War ...The twentieth century features numerous phenomena remarkable for Turkish history. Such wars as the Trablusgarp （Turco-ltalian） War （1911）, the Balkan War （1912-1913）, World War I （1914-1918）, and National War of Independence （1919-1922） caused traumas that remain vivid in the minds of Turkish people and at the time devastated their psychological well-being and social lives. However, military and social disappointment caused by the Balkan War played an important part in invigorating and motivating soldiers to fight in the Battle of Gallipoli, which cleansed the taint caused by the Balkan defeat and reminded Turkish soldiers of their glorious past. The current study attempts to reveal how the shame caused by the Balkan defeat disappeared in the trenches at the Battle of Gallipoli. To this end, wartime writings, memoirs, and diaries were analyzed and evaluated. The primary concern of this study is comparison of how these two battles featured in the memoirs and/or reports or columns written by officers, soldiers, and intellectuals who participated in and witnessed the two wars.展开更多
文摘This article examines the development of geomorpho-logical and hydrological research on karst landscapes in Central and Southeast Europe in the period before 1914.It provides novel insights into the introduction of the term“karst,”originally the name of a cavernous limestone plateau east of the Adriatic city of Trieste,as a universal model for comparing and understanding dissolutional features in soluble rocks.Based on a critical reappraisal of the sem-inal work“The Karst Phenomenon”(1893)by the Serbian geoscientist Jovan Cvijić(1865-1928),submitted as a Ph.D.thesis at the University of Vienna,my essay argues for a reassessment of the beginnings of karst sciences.It gives more attention to research as a cooperative enterprise and to the interplay between the internationalization of geosci-entific knowledge and the emerging national claims to the Balkan Peninsula and its inhabitants.Approaching the topic from a history of science perspective,I will analyze the epistemic,political,and social dimensions of early karst research at three different stages,namely,its emergence as an imperial undertaking in the Habsburg Monarchy,its synthesis and systematization through Cvijić’s“Karst Phenomenon,”and the final establishment of the Dinarides’northwestern part as the“Classical”Karst.
基金Funding Statement:This research was funded by Ministry of Science,Technological Development and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia(Grants Nos.451-03-137/2025-03/200125&451-03-136/2025-03/200125).
文摘Since its description,the taxon Ophrys sphegodes subsp.grammica has been considered endemic to Greece.The morphological and chorological data of this taxon have been overlooked because the name has been used as a synonym for O.sphegodes subsp.taurica in most publications and online databases.Recently discovered Ophrys populations in Serbia were identified as O.sphegodes subsp.grammica.As these populations represent the northernmost point of distribution of this taxon,we provided data on the morphology,flowering season,and ecology.To determine the taxonomic status of this taxon,we performed comparative morphological analyses,comparing them to other populations of affined taxa(O.sphegodes subsp.grammica,O.sphegodes subsp.taurica,and O.sphegodes subsp.sphegodes).The analysis included 23 morphometric characters,performed on a total of 120 individuals.Examined populations of O.sphegodes subsp.grammica are closely associated with populations of O.sphegodes subsp.sphegodes,with near overlap in the values of the characteristics evaluated,indicating that this subspecies is more morphologically similar to the typical one than to O.sphegodes subsp.taurica.Although O.sphegodes subsp.grammica and O.sphegodes subsp.sphegodes are morphologically similar,the flowers of the first taxon are smaller,as evidenced by the length and width of the stigmatic cavity,as well as the length of the petals and labellum.The labellum of O.sphegodes subsp.grammica is shorter than the dorsal sepal,and this feature distinguishes it from both the typical subspecies and O.sphegodes subsp.taurica,where it is longer.The results of this study clearly show that the name O.sphegodes subsp.grammica should not be equated with O.sphegodes subsp.taurica,since it is a morphologically distinct and well-defined taxon.
文摘As two major Great Powers in the geopolitics of the Balkans,the relationship between Austria-Hungary and Russia directly affected the stability of the political situation in Europe and the Balkans.At the beginning of the 20th century,the Austro-Russian cooperation dominated the Macedonian reforms,but with the deepening of the reforms,the structural contradictions between the two countries were fully exposed,and the original cooperative relationship went to a rupture.This drastically changed relationship became an important factor in the restructuring of relations between the Great Powers and the Balkan states before the First World War.
文摘Sea Level Pressure（SLP） data for the period 1950–2012 at 61 stations located in or around the Balkan Peninsula was used. The main concept is that intra-annual course of SLP represents the best different air masses that are situated over the Balkan Peninsula during the year. The method for differentiation of climatic zones is cluster analysis. A hierarchical clustering technique–average linkage between groups with Pearson correlation for measurement of intervals was employed in the research. The climate of the Balkan Peninsula is transitional between oceanic and continental and also between subtropical and temperate climates. Several major changes in atmospheric circulation over the Balkan Peninsula have happened over the period 1950–2012. There is a serious increase of the influence of the Azores High in the period January–Marchwhich leads to an increase of SLP and enhances oceanic influence. There is an increase of the influence of the north-west extension of the monsoonal low in the period June–September. This leads to more continental climatebut also to more tropical air masses over the Balkan Peninsula. Accordinglythe extent of subtropical climate widens in northern direction. There is an increase of the influence of the Siberian High in the period October–December. This influence covers central and eastern part of the peninsula in October and Novemberand it reaches western parts in December. Thusthe climate becomes more continental.
文摘Republic of Kosovo has 1,304 settlements from which only 37 are urban and 1,267 are rural. Shown in percentage, only 39.2% （765,125） of inhabitants live in urban areas. The focus is to work and find the best and cheap solutions for the 60.8% （1,173,370） of inhabitants of the country which live in rural areas. From this number only 42% of them have access to the sewage network while 60.8% of them have implemented individual solutions （latrines） without any treatment, leading to a large pollution of the water bodies. The existing rural sewage networks are built only with septic tanks, poorly designed and do not fulfill the wastewater treatment criteria. Regarding this issue, the Kosovan legislation concerns only urban areas （settlements of more than 2,000 inhabitants） and is expected to be completed in 2014 for rural areas according to the EU （European Union） directive for wastewater discharge. As a pilot project, the CDI （community development initiatives） started with WWTP （waste water treatment plants） based on the Vertical Constructed Wetland option （french model） as it appears to be the most adapted option in this rolling, rural, and temperate climate context, implementing this kind of treatment in 3 villages for the first time in Kosovo. Through this, it is interesting to take a perspective on all the phases of these projects starting from feasibility reports, project design to concept and modalities of implementation and options for operation and maintenance, in order to assess how this technical option is feasible and replicable in the country at a large scale. It finally appears that the potential for constructed wetland in the Balkan region is promising as it provides a simple solution for most of the regional constraints, but requires skills to be developed locally for designing and building as well as a deeper consideration in the national regulation.
文摘The territory of the Balkan Peninsula in SE Europe is reviewed, from the point of gemmology, as the cradle of gem and decorative minerals and metals in European prehistory. During the local Neolithic period (end of 7 th -6 th millennium BC), as material for tools or for beads, nephrite (with the earliest known Balkan nephrite culture), jadeite-omphacite and quartz (different varieties) were introduced to make pendants and idols. Large quantities of copper and gold artifacts are known since the Chalcolithic period (5 th millennium BC)(unique for the region;the largest in number of gold artifacts is the Varna I Chalcolithic necropolis in Bulgaria). The gemmological materials in the Balkans are known for malachite, antigorite serpentinite, turquoise, rock crystal, carnelian, jasper, jet and obsidian. In the Varna I necropolis (mid 5 th millennium BC) are recorded the first known complex faceted carnelian beads with 32 facets, as well as some of the most important gemmological techniques and procedures such as faceting, tumbling, annealing, miniaturization and standardization. As pigments for pottery, cinnabar, graphite and gold were used in different prehistoric sites. The earliest salt production in the Balkans is known from sites in Romania and Bulgaria, and because of its trade, salt is positively linked to a population rich with prestigious goods. The introduced possible Chalcolithic weight unit “van”(2 carats) is supposed to be the earliest known in prehistoric times.
文摘The history of the Albanian national movement is closely connected with two key factors： internal development in the Albanian-populated areas in the Balkans as well as politics of the Great Powers. Berlin Congress of 1878 totally neglected interests of the Albanians. Subsequently, Treaty of Berlin became the starting point for creation of the Albanian League of Prizren （1878-1881） as well as future development of the Albanian national movement. Russia as well as other Great Powers played a controversial role in that context.
文摘Floods have always had and will continue to have significant consequences for society. In May 2014, there was widespread flooding in the Balkans affecting Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia. The aim of this article is to show that resilient and proactive health systems that anticipate needs and challenges are more likely to reduce risks and respond effectively during emergencies, saving lives and alleviating human suffering. The method draws on multiple sources of information, including a Balkan case study questionnaire survey with public health professionals involved in response to floods (n = 18) from three affected countries, and focus group discussion results (n = 43) presented at the meeting on “Prevention, preparedness and response to reduce or avoid health effects of flood events”, held in Bonn, Germany, in October 2015. The proposed range of measures to protect population health, organized around flood prevention, preparedness, response and recovery listed issues and considerations largely corresponds to the identified needs by Member State requests, following the Balkan country experiences. The consideration of lessons for early warning, preparedness and response and the integration of research results would lead to improved preparedness measures to better prevent flooding risks. Experiences in the WHO European Region point to a need to shift the emphasis from disaster response to long-term risk management.
文摘The last enlargement of the European Union put Western Balkans countries into focus of integration, and thus the countries became an area where future integration is expected. Future enlargement of the European Union depends on the success of the previous EU accession, as well as on the achieved results of the transition process in the Western Balkans, since these countries are not on the same level as the developed European countries or new member states. The region contains small countries that are at different stages on their road towards membership. Transition is a comprehensive process of economic and political reforms that creates many shocks in the economy, and when this process occurs in a politically unstable and war environment, as the case being with the Western Balkans, the results may be very unfavorable. Formal agreements improved the relations between these countries and the European Union, thereby had an influence on risk reduction and increased business transparency, resulting in a growing interest of foreign investors for the region. Despite increased investments in the region and rapid economic growth, Western Balkan countries have only 21 (Albania) and 52% (Croatia) of the average European Union Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, indicating the need for faster implementation of reforms and individual involvement of countries into the process of European integration. There is a significant development gap between Western Balkan countries, so observing the region as a whole and applying a singular strategy in the sense of its economic leveling and the process of EU accession would have a negative impact on Croatia, as the most developed country of the region.
文摘Assessment of harmful impacts and risks of air pollution in case of accidents as well as of long lasting exposition is an important challenge of chemical transport modeling. Sad confirmation of this statement unexpectedly has come from the nuclear power plant accident in Fukushima which occurred while this paper was finalized. Two strategies to comply with the task of impact and risk assessment in extended regions like Central Europe or the Balkans are described. The first one is characterized by application of a single model system to an extended domain. The other one is based on the combined application of several chemical transport models designed for the use in various sub-domains in the region under consideration. Advantages and disadvantages exist for both approaches. For instance, the single model strategy allows unified and harmonized assessment of risks in a larger region, whereas the combined model strategy may pro-vide faster and locally more specific response in emergency cases. The single model approach is treated exploiting applications of the EURAD model system. The combined model approach is a novel way of joint use of chemical transport model systems developed for the Balkans. The models are described and the accuracy of simulations carried out with them is briefly demonstrated by comparison of simulated and observed concentrations of air pollutants. Applications regarding the search of sources for high pollution events and the assessment of risks through known sources are exem-plarily discussed.
文摘This paper is about the results of the project, ＂The Music in Uludag University from Asia to Balkans＂. In this project, cultures and traditional music of foreign students who are educated in Uludag University were searched. The students who also play or sing their music were chosen from Indonesia, Republic of Bashkortostan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt, Morocco, Ethiopia, Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo, and Bosnia Herzegovina. They had studied and practiced music for six weeks. In May 2015, they introduced their music with big organization host in campus concert hall organized by Uludag University, Turkish State and Relatives Community Applications and Research Center. These chosen students introduced their countries with their music and at the end of the concert in this research the outcomes and results of multicultural activity were examined. This paper was presented at 2015 West East Institute Academic Conference and the full paper was published at proceeding book.
文摘The aim of the study is to examine Serbia as a consolidated democracy, with special attention paid to the political changes in the past 25 years. In the first chapter I will present the stability of the political institutions, the importance and the need to change the current constitution, and furthermore I will analyze the parliamentary characteristics and the legislative process. In my thorough examination I will write about the instability and liability relations connected to the coalition government, the counterweight role of the head of state, the political influence of the judiciary and the constitutional courts, the ombudsman system, and lastly the exploration of local government practices. The second chapter will study the political cleavages. It will also discuss the possibilities of resolving the ethnic conflicts, the prominence of the previous political areas, and the divisive issue of the integration process. This chapter will be followed by the introduction of the concentration of the party system, which leads to the reduction of political parties, and to the dominance of the right wing. The last chapter will present the lack of elite consensus, as well as the general public＇s distrust of the political institutions.
文摘States cannot be considered as such,if lacking these two elements:their population and their territory.The territory of a state consists of what is called the opportunity for development,advancement,and well-being of its citizens.But territories cannot be considered occupied or not,unless people live in them.Thus,people,not territories,are the object and subject of conquests and rulers,of governance and self-governance.All Balkan conflicts are caused by disputes over territories.They are often referred to as ethnic or religious conflicts,but,in fact,they were and they still remain conflicts over territories.These conflicts neither were nor appeared as civil wars for social or religious reasons,but they were ethnic wars.Therefore,the establishment and continuation of the peace process depends both on mutual respect of the Balkan states for their territorial integrity,as well as on respect for minorities.The current discussion on the modification of the Kosovo borders,as well as the tendency that Serbia gains territories from Kosovo in exchange for resolving the Albanian-Serbian conflict,is a precedent for a new chain of conflicts in the Balkans.The reasons why there can be no such solution to the conflict between Kosovo and Serbia are numerous.But the main one is that all states would gain the right to change borders in favor of creating ethnically purified societies.Any change of borders in Europe,but also elsewhere sets a precedent for further changes.The aim of this paper is to lay the argument why the modification of borders between Kosovo and Serbia has no ground in the international law and,to make clear the danger that such modification produces for the peace,stability,and security in the Balkans and beyond.
文摘The urban consciousness under foreign domination is a complex issue, especially when the reporting period is the 19th century, the century of great social, ethnic, and economic changes in Europe. The issue is further complicated in the case of the Balkans, during the latter period of Ottoman rule. But how did certain cities manage to emerge from rural or suburban enslaved routine and develop a European urbanity？ An urbanity expressed itself as lifestyle （habits, costumes, entertainment）, as art and as formation of the urban environment and architecture. The State pushed for modernization by the Great Powers, ethnic communities with parent countries seeking to differentiate themselves from their “backward” conquerors, economic opportunities through trade and new visual observations by penetration of European countries and companies： all this would create suitable conditions for an unprecedented urbanization. This shift in the quality of life was clearly expressed in the new architecture, which always continued, as ever, to reflect the cultural activity. The transition from vernacular architecture to historicism and eclectism would capture the most characteristic moment of the beginning of urbanization in northern Greece.
文摘Mimis Souliotis, who was a poet, belongs to the lyrical generation of the 70＇s, a typically ＂urban＂, literary period in the sense that poetry is part of a neo-realist framework along the lines of its great ancestors, Cavafy and Karyotakis. M. Souliotis deviates from the ＂urban poetry＂ of his prominent fellow-craftsmen. Despite of his having been brought up and nurtured in big cities （Athens, Thessaloniki）, his poetry has northwestern coordinates and focuses on Florina, his long-term domicile. As part of the northwest region of the Balkanian Macedonia, Florina is the main spacial work stream of his poetry, a reference field that is not only geographical but also deeply historical and existential. The provincial heartland of the Balkanian Macedonia enlarges upon his work repeatedly＇either as a geophysical landscape and as a river network, or as a climatic reality, as a historical reference and cultural tradition at times and, more often than not, as a linguistic impact, provided that there are several Slavic place names in his poetry. The Balkanian province is neither M. Soulioti＇s nostalgic reminiscence nor a painful flashback and, simultaneously, a redeeming feature in the past. It is nothing but his vividly experienced era, across his whole space-time fluidity. The ubiquitous use of rural area in M. Soulioti＇s poetry is not either a sightseeing ＂aspect＂ or a self- governed geographic entity but pure History and Language. He is interwoven with historical experiences and linguistic idioms from The Dust of Time＇an ontology and existence, not bound to national geographical lines. It is a perpetual and indissoluble Balkan anthropology experienced as part of an everyday reality
文摘As the world stage evolves,the EU has faced multiple security challenges in terms of instability and geostrategic competition starting in its back yard.Since the end of the Cold War,the security model of Europe has been evolving as a response to internal as well as to external challenges.The Balkans has since played a key role in the European security system and governance.However,the Western Balkans remains fragile,and the external pressures and internal divisions could deliver fresh instability to the region.Thus,this scenario forms a fit-for-purpose case study to test the EU‟s future security model.It can be argued that the EU has the power of adaptation and growth,although its internal malfunctions have scrutinised its influence in the region and beyond,while other great powers urge to fill the power vacuum.As a result,a quantum leap forward in EU leadership appears to be critical.This article first outlines the EU‟s deepening and widening security sector.Second,it examines the weaknesses and strengths of the EU‟s current security model.It then observes the role and perspectives of the region's key strategic allies and competitors:the United States,Russia,and China.Finally,it discusses the EU‟s future model.
文摘The Plio-Quaternary deformation pattern of the northern Aegean and south Balkan regions is interpreted as an effect of the interaction between the Anatolian-Aegean-Pelagonian system (Tethyan belt), undergoing westward extrusion and strong deformation, and the surrounding plates (Nubia, Europe and Adriatic). Since the middle-late Miocene, the collision of the Tethyan belt with the continental Adriatic domain has caused strong E-W shortening in the outer Hellenides and Albanides, also involving the southward extrusion of the Peloponnesus wedge, at the expense of the Ionian oceanic domain. The roughly E-W extension recognized in the western South Balkan zones (Macedonia and eastern Albania) is related to the divergence between the Pelagonian belt (Albanides and Hellenides) and the Rhodope-Moesia domain. Stressed by the westward displacement of the central Anatolian plateau and by the southward bowing of the Cycladic Arc, the northern Aegean zone has contemporaneously undergone E-W compression and N-S extension, which has generated a series of dextral shear faults, delimiting a number of slats. The westward displacement and deformation of such slats can explain the morphological features of the northern Aegean zone. During this phase, the push of the central Anatolian plateau also caused the separation of the Rhodope massif from the Moesian European domain, with the consequent formation of the upper Thrace basin. This hypothesis can explain the Plio-Quaternary compressional deformations recognized in a sector of the North Anatolian fault system, the Ganos-Gelibolu zone. The proposed geodynamic/tectonic interpretation may help to explain some features of the time-space distribution of major earthquakes in the study area.
文摘The twentieth century features numerous phenomena remarkable for Turkish history. Such wars as the Trablusgarp （Turco-ltalian） War （1911）, the Balkan War （1912-1913）, World War I （1914-1918）, and National War of Independence （1919-1922） caused traumas that remain vivid in the minds of Turkish people and at the time devastated their psychological well-being and social lives. However, military and social disappointment caused by the Balkan War played an important part in invigorating and motivating soldiers to fight in the Battle of Gallipoli, which cleansed the taint caused by the Balkan defeat and reminded Turkish soldiers of their glorious past. The current study attempts to reveal how the shame caused by the Balkan defeat disappeared in the trenches at the Battle of Gallipoli. To this end, wartime writings, memoirs, and diaries were analyzed and evaluated. The primary concern of this study is comparison of how these two battles featured in the memoirs and/or reports or columns written by officers, soldiers, and intellectuals who participated in and witnessed the two wars.
