2024 Issue No. 45 / September
1. Adrian-Gabriel CORPĂDEAN, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Ana Gabriela PANTEA, Ph.D. Associate Professor THE VIRTUE OF DIVERSITY: PERCEPTIONS FROM THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA OF YOUNG PEOPLE INVOLVED IN CIVIL SOCIETY REGARDING SELF-IDENTIFICATION AND THE ROLE OF THE INTERNATIONAL ACTORS IN THE CONTEXT OF EU ACCESSION
Abstract: The military aggression of Russia against Ukraine has provoked collective anxiety within the population of the Republic of Moldova around a potential targeting of the country, while increasing collective efficacy and nationhood. The article explores the construction of identity among young Moldovans in civil society, particularly in the context of EU accession. Moldova, as a multiethnic state, has been grappling with identity disputes since its first multiparty elections in 1994. The authors investigate ethnic identification and positioning towards international actors, aiming to understand how internal and external loyalties overlap and can emerge in building a new civic identity beyond the post-Soviet legacy. The study shows a revaluation of ethnic components and the connection with geopolitics. Before the Ukrainian war, the prolonged economic and political crises in the country, as well as the great power politics, had prompted the younger generations to be disconnected from the political, economic, and social aspects of public life. As such, they maintain a sense of social integration within their familial and friendship networks, which contributes to their sense of belonging within Moldovan society. The article examines the connection between self-identification and the geopolitical structures within the Republic of Moldova. The empirical part of the research involves 18 semi-structured interviews with Moldovan youth involved in civil society organizations, focusing on patterns of self-identification, including Pan-Romanianism, Moldovianism, Transnistrian ideology, and Gagauzian regional identity. The study also highlights the importance of pluralistic identification in which economic development is crucial in building up a consistent identification narrative. 2. Andreea DINCA, Ph.D. THE MUTLISTAKEHOLDER INITIATIVE APPROACH TO EUROPEAN CRISIS MANAGEMENT. CIVILIAN CSDP AND ENGAGEMENT WITH LOCAL NON-STATE ACTORS Abstract: The Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions are deployed in complex operational environments, where a plethora of national, regional and international actors are present. These present circumstances enable the existence of an – either direct or indirect – but inexorable engagement between all stakeholders involved in similar activities. While the vast majority of current debates and research focus solely on the cooperative dimension of the CSDP in the framework of multilateralism and regionalism, the topic of the EU’s engagement with local stakeholders is scarcely explored. Therefore, drawing on the multistakeholder initiative approach (MSI) in economic theory, this paper assesses the engagement of CSDP missions with civil societies and private sector entities in theatres of operations. Employing a single case study approach of inquiry, consisting of the EUCAP Somalia mission this paper aims at answering the research questions: how does EUCAP Somalia engage with local non-state actors, what are the opportunities associated with this engagement and to what extent can a MSI approach be implemented by EUCAP Somalia?By deploying a qualitative research design, this paper uses document analysis within a single case study approach of inquiry. The results of this approach show two distinct tendencies. While EUCAP Somalia informally engages with local non-state actors, this engagement is rather insufficient. Results of this research further show that CSDP missions represent an important tool of EU diplomacy and their engagement with local non-state actors positively impacts the implementation of two of their core principles: local ownership and human security. 3. Dmytro DZVINCHUK, Doctor of Science in Philosophy, Professor, Mykola KOLISNYK, PhD student, Iryna OZMINSKA, PhDin Philosophy, Ass.Professor, Viktor PETRENKO, Doctor of Science in Economics, Professor, Hryhorii KHAMCHUK, PhD student ON THE METHOD AND TOOL OF INTELLECTUALIZATION OF PUBLIC MANAGEMENT OF ENERGY SUPPLY SECTOR IN UKRAINE Abstract: By analyzing the strategic documents on the development of the energy sector of the national economy of Ukraine, the article states that one of the key problems of the development in the context of the energy transition is that these documents lack goals and objectives to change the mentality of the population of the country and the human resources of the industry, as well as of public authorities and the administration of their activities. The article outlines the practical lack of conscious consideration of behavioural factors of human resources in the energy sector of national market economy, which is defined as one of the most difficult components to change given the energy transition of global national economies. To theoretically substantiate the possibilities of improving the public management of the energy transition strategy of the national energy supply system through the intellectualization of its managerial and executive personnel, the article proposes the use of technology of change management in the intellectual orientation and mentality of human resources involved in energy generation, distribution and consumption by intellectualizing and changing their mentality. For this, the article uses an original method and algorithm to create personal and group intellectual portraits based on the graph-analytical model of a person’s economic temperament. Ideal, desired and real portraits of a person were formalized, and recommendations were made on their possible participation in the energy supply processes. The article demonstrates that new mechanisms for using the intelligence of each employee and the collective intelligence of the system can be formed in the country’s energy management system through selecting human resources for the public management and administration system according to the reasonable and recommended intellectual dominants of the individual. These mechanisms are directed towards accomplishing tasks and ensuring the achievement of the goals of energy transition and sustainable development of the country, as outlined in the government document “Energy Strategy of Ukraine until 2050. 4. Serhii FEDONIUK, Ph.D., Nataliia KARPCHUK, Doctor of Political Science DYNAMICS OF THE EU STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS REGARDING THE EUROPEAN INTEGRATION OF UKRAINE Abstract: This research covers the analysis of changes in the strategic communications of the European Union regarding the European integration of Ukraine during 2000-2023. Specifically, it pays attention to the reactions of key EU officials to significant political events and foreign policy challenges. Having used the semantic analysis of official documents and speeches, the study presents the evolution of approaches and perspectives, revealing the hidden strategies, intentions, and ideological influences that shape the EU policy. The analysis emphasizes the growing importance of Ukraine in the strategic plans of the EU, while the geopolitical context significantly affects the European integration process. Examining the communication activity of the main EU institutions since 2022, the study has revealed specific messages regarding Ukraine’s prospects for becoming a member of the EU, recognizing the successes in carrying out reforms and the country’s efforts to achieve the goals underlying its status as a candidate for membership. 5. Ákos HOLÁNYI REGIONAL COOPERATION IN CENTRAL EUROPE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW Abstract: The paper systematically reviews ten years of academic literature published from 2014 to 2023 and indexed in the Scopus database to establish the current state-of-the-art on how Central European regional groups operate. The review includes 52 publications on six regional cooperation formats: the Central European Defence Cooperation, the Slavkov/Austerlitz Triangle, the Salzburg Forum, the Three Seas Initiative, the Visegrád Group and the Bucharest Nine. The paper finds that regional cooperation research is very concentrated on selected aspects of Visegrád cooperation and follows poor methodological reporting practices. The majority of studies analyse the V4 in relation to migration and foreign policy issues, whereas research on cooperation dynamics in other policy areas and within other active regional groups is marginal. After identifying promising future research directions, the paper calls for greater methodological and topical diversity in Central European regional cooperation research. 6. Nataliia PANASENKO, PhD THE IMPACT OF DIGITALIZATION ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AGRO-FOOD SPHERE Abstract: The agro-food sphere is one of the key industries in the country’s economy and plays a major role in ensuring food security. The development of the agro-food sphere requires the development and implementation of innovative projects in this field. The creation and implementation of such innovative projects require the availability of information support, which includes complete and up-to-date information about the objects and processes related to the project. It has been proven that the innovative development of the agro-food sphere is closely related to the digitalization process in this field. It is noted that digitalization in the management of agriculture and the agro-food sphere opens up new opportunities for increasing the efficiency, transparency, and sustainability of this industry. The main directions of implementing digitalization in the agro-food sphere have been studied, including the creation of electronic registers and databases, and the development of decision support systems. The integration of e-government services in the agro-food sphere offers significant opportunities for improving the efficiency of public administration, enhancing service delivery, improving interaction between public authorities and agricultural market entities, and ensuring sustainable agricultural development. The author has developed a methodology for the integral assessment of the level of e-government development in the country. The integral assessment is based on initial indicators, including those defined by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The method of the modified principal component was used to determine the weighting coefficients of these indicators in the integral assessment. Integral assessments of the components of the agro-food sphere have been determined: the food industry, retail trade in food products, and indicators related to the protection and preservation of the environment associated with the agro-food sphere. A significant correlation has been found between these integral assessments and the integral assessment of digitalization.