BALKAN STUDIES

By Alexis Giannoulis
(Research Associate, RIEAS & Independent Analyst)

Copyright: www.rieas.gr

Historical background

There are a number of common misconceptions when it comes to analysing and scrutinising the issue and the relevant statistics of Organised Crime (OC) in a country or region. Those are usually linked to the overall economic situation of that country or region with special attention given to indicators such as unemployment, street and serious crime rates, GDP per capita and whether the country and/or region under examination is a “failed” one, as in a failed state in terms of upholding the democratic and economic principles of a liberal democratic country. ....Read more

Ioannis Syrigos, PhD
(Interactive Media Consultant)

Copyright: www.diasporacouncil.com

Social Media remains a hot topic nowadays. It is expanding exponentially, connecting more and more people together from all over the world.  Its power to unite has the potential to bring radical changes to the current climate of economic despair facing Greece by drawing together the Greeks of Diaspora as a powerful force.

The Power of Social Media

If we try to define social media, we would say that it is a group of Internet based applications that allow users to interact and communicate using multiple forms of media (text, voice, images, videos and more). At the same time it is constantly evolving and shifting to adjust more to people’s needs and activities.  But just as social media adjusts to our needs, so too do we need to adjust to social media – it is taking the world by storm whether we are ready for it or not. 

CHENG, Yu-Chin

(Lecturer, Institute of Political Studies, Charles University in Prague
Director of European Office, Defense Technology Monthly Taiwan)

Copyright: www.rieas.gr

Introduction
After collapse of Soviet Union, the communist regimes of the satellite countries in the CEECs (Central and Eastern European Countries) have been thrown away as well, and that matters both the change of political and economic systems as well as security sectors. Among the CEECs, Czech Republic is the unique case while facing political and economic revision, and so is its security service. In this article, the BIS (Counter-Intelligence Service) is the subject to study, and it is very meaningful to observe what change will come up after the new bill into enforcement in 2012.

Dr. Nikos Deniozos
(Commodore, Hellenic Coast Guard (ret.)

Copyright: www.rieas.gr

 When in 2004 Greece was living the “triumph” of Olympic Games, nobody was believing, or in the worst case was less optimist, that the wave of clandestine immigrants which was grown to gigantic dimensions with increasing rate, would constitute the triggering of a series of problems creation which would converse the country in a multicultural caricature. The temporary “disappearance” of illegal immigrants crowd during the Games as it was quite natural didn’t solve the problem in question but on the contrary it was escalated. The numerous political leaderships were proved due the time, unable to perceive that the incubation of snake’s egg under the form of tolerance of the concrete situation, created not only questions concerning the destruction of social fabric as well as the social cohesion, for example the Athens down town’s ghetto establishment, but furthermore, was the cause in order to be come up matters regarding the criminality increase and security deficit as well. Of course the words of an ex minister of Public Order will be unforgettable, who via TV broadcasting, was thanking clandestine immigrants because they preferred Greece. Thus the country was been drawn in the maelstrom of the matter in question, unable to face it with, effectively.

Thalia Tzanetti
(RIEAS Senior Analyst)

Copyright: www.rieas.gr

Yet one more impressive terrorist attack shook Athens today. The target this time was a court building, and, although the attack claimed no victims, the damage was widespread and publicly very visible, sufficient to create the terrorising effect that the perpetrators intended and to serve as a warning of possible future terrorist capabilities.

Thalia Tzanetti
(RIEAS Senior Analyst)

Copyright: www.rieas.gr

Yet one more impressive terrorist attack shook Athens today. The target this time was a court building, and, although the attack claimed no victims, the damage was widespread and publicly very visible, sufficient to create the terrorising effect that the perpetrators intended and to serve as a warning of possible future terrorist capabilities.