THE EU AT A CROSSROADS (by Andreas Theophanous). There is no doubt that the EU is facing the greatest challenge in its history.  The Eurozone Crisis is creating tensions both in the member states themselves and within the EU.  Moreover, recent reports indicating that more than 133 million Europeans are now below the poverty line and that about 33 million are unemployed, explain to a great … MORE

AS THE GOING GETS TOUGH, EUROPE NEEDS TO GET GOING (by Anna Koukkides-Procopiou). An institution usually ceases to exist once it is perceived to have outlived its usefulness. As the European Union currently finds itself at an existential crossroads, frustration of friend and foe alike is further exacerbated by the ambivalence of EU leadership on a common definition of such … MORE

ENERGY AND GEOPOLITICS: THE RISE OF ASIA AND THE DECLINE OF EUROPE (by Aristos Aristotelous). Energy resources have played a decisive role over the years in shaping the international environment and determining the geopolitical significance of regions in world affairs. In this article, we refer to several developments in the energy and strategic context that can transform the .… MORE

THE CHALLENGES PRESENTED IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE 2014 EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ELECTION (by Odysseas Christou). The recent elections for the European Parliament in May of 2014 have raised, or rather served as confirmation of, serious issues with respect to the European Union’s democratic legitimacy and accountability as a direct reflection of the shifting perceptions of the … MORE

THE UNLIKELY EUROPEAN SECURITY ACTOR: EVIDENCE FROM THE UKRAINIAN CRISIS (by Constantinos Adamides). Kaunert’s and Zwolski’s (2013) book “The EU as a Global Security Actor: A Comprehensive Analysis Beyond CFSP and JHA” presents a noteworthy argument stating that the EU’s ability to play a role as a global security actor depends on three criteria: scope of … MORE

SOCIAL REGULARITY AS AN ESSENTIAL DETERMINANT OF ATTITUDE TOWARDS A SOLUTION OF THE CYPRUS ISSUE (by Soteris Kattos). Often times social inquiry runs the risk of incorporating structural limitations by confusing social scientific theory with philosophy and belief. As Babbie (1983) points out social scientific inquiry “has to do with what is, not with what should be”.  Social … MORE
 
 

VANISHING CYPRUS WHITE VOTE – POLITICAL TSUNAMI (by Andreas C. Chrysafis). This year’s EU Parliamentary elections have certainly triggered a political tsunami; a tsunami that has swept right across the Eurozone to shake up the basic foundations of the entire political establishment. Over sixty percent of the electorate has turned its back on the EU institution while … MORE
 
 

THE EU CRISIS – REFLECTION ON IDENTITY AND EQUALITY (by Aleksandar Plavšin). The debt of the state is a relative thing. State debt is usually viewed as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) because the ability of the country to repay the debt depends on its gross domestic product. One of the ways to avoid the consequences of different fiscal policies of the … MORE
 
 

AN ASSESSMENT OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ELECTION RESULTS (by Kyriakos Antoniou). Of a total of 606.916 registered voters only 266.891 (43,97%) voted with absenteeism rising to 340.025 (56,03%). The table below presents the aggregated election results. Valid ballots amounted to 97,01%, the remaining 3% were invalid and blank ballots. … MORE