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No. 35, June 2017

Looking ahead in regard to the Presidency. Eiki Nestor

History of Presidency of European Union – Attention shifted from administration to politics. Paavo Palk

How to digitalise European corridors? Margus Mägi, Valdek Laur

Sociological approach and core conflicts shaping competition between political parties in Estonia and elsewhere in Europe. Tõnis Saarts

Summaries of articles are in English.

Full articles in Estonian

Editor-in-Chief’s Column

  • The twelve stars shining

    The overarching theme of this issue is the Presidency of Estonia in the Council of the European Union. Lithuania and Latvia have already had the opportunity to try this role. Their presidencies have been rather successful. So there will probably not be any prejudices towards Estonia as a former Soviet republic. We get the task of leading (and waiting is not a possibility in the current situation) the European Union, as it finds itself in a very difficult situation and faces many challenges.

RiTo conversation circle

Focus

  • Looking ahead in regard to the Presidency

    08 June 2017

    Focus

    RiTo No. 35, 2017

    Essentially the problems of the European Union are not different from the problems faced by each democratic state. There are people who enjoy the open world and also get material benefit from it. And there are people who have lost the foothold that used to seem secure, and ask – what will become of me? The European Union should help the second category of people to cope better with their lives. But unfortunately they think that this union is the cause of all their problems.

  • History of Presidency of European Union – Attention shifted from administration to politics *

    08 June 2017

    Focus

    RiTo No. 35, 2017

    Organization of meetings and events in the Presidency country as well as laying out of the agenda and facilitating the agreements have always been the main tasks of the Presidency country of the EU. The increased number of Member-States and discussion topics has also increased the importance of the Presidency country in influencing politics throughout the EU’s history. As the number of Member-States has increased, their interests have also become more diverse. And when the European Parliament received more rights to participate in the decision-making processes the Presidency country was forced to work more actively towards finding compromises in the EU legislation. From that point onwards it went beyond merely organizing meetings.

    * Responsibility for the views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.

  • How to digitalise European corridors?

    08 June 2017

    Focus

    RiTo No. 35, 2017

    Before the coming Estonian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, we would like to shed light on the digital issues that will be spoken about during the next six months and the events that deserve attention, and discuss what kind of inheritance Estonia plans to leave to the following presidencies.

Politics

  • The youth on the competence of the youth in elections

    The study argues that 16 and 17 year old adolescents have minimal skills and knowledge required for a competent electoral choice. This study is based on a 10-week e-course “Basics of an Active Citizen”, which was conducted from 9 January until 20 March 2017. It involved 29 students from 24 secondary schools in Estonia taking tests on required course materials and answering two reflective questions weekly. The reflection questions were designed so that it was possible to offer different answers in a personal way without contradicting the information in weekly study materials.

  • Russia’s new imperial patterns in relations with neighbouring states 2008‒2016

    Based on the current experiences – on the examples of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova – it can be concluded that Russia has got a systemic approach and long-term programme for drawing “near-abroad” countries into a dependency relationship and then politically realising this dependency relationship. To this is often added the advantage in terms of distance and history over other regional great powers in the realisation of its plans. Taking into account the rise of oil and gas prices in 2016, and Russia’s strategic ambitions, it is fairly rational to expect an improvement and wider use of Russia’s imperial pattern in 2017–2018, while for many target countries the situation is already complicated as it is and offers few ways for exit. Russia’s ambitions in the development of dependent partnership and achievement of political control concern in particular Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Kazakhstan and Belarus, but they have implications also on the Baltic states in so far as these patterns can be applied also to us, should favourable conditions arise.

  • Little notes (1917–1920)

  • Skalbe and his Little Notes

    Like Estonia, Latvia will soon be celebrating its centenary. The notes of Kārlis Skalbe, a Latvian writer and activist from the time when the Republic of Latvia was founded, continue to be relevant to this day.

Studies

  • Sociological approach and core conflicts shaping competition between political parties in Estonia and elsewhere in Europe *

    08 June 2017

    Studies

    RiTo No. 35, 2017

    This article discusses the impact of social cleavages on the party system and its formation in the Baltic States, including Estonia. Dealing with social cleavages is the main issue in the sociological approach to party systems.

  • Drivers of productivity growth in European regions

    08 June 2017

    Studies

    RiTo No. 35, 2017

    The objective of this analysis is to investigate research and development (R&D) and human capital as drivers of productivity growth in European regions. Productivity levels across countries and regions vary to a large degree and the discrepancies tend to persist over time. Moreover, differences in productivity account for a major part of per capita income disparities. Despite extensive economic and policy measures, substantial productivity gaps are still prevalent in the European Union (EU). The crucial challenge for researchers and policy-makers is to understand the causes of productivity gaps and to determine ways to escape low productivity.

  • The Estonian health policy vision needs new goals

    08 June 2017

    Studies

    RiTo No. 35, 2017

    In 2008, the Government of the Republic adopted the National Health Plan 2009–2020 (NHP), which has become the key document on health policy, integrating independent strategies for different fields. In 2016, the performance of the NHP was reviewed.

  • Protests and their political consequences in Sweden

    08 June 2017

    Studies

    RiTo No. 35, 2017

    Sweden is well-known for its negotiations-focused political culture, but recent media coverage of the country often focuses on riots and disruptive protests. Does this mean that the country has changed? What are the political consequences of all these protests? This article uses data of the Swedish Protest Database and describes protest trends in Sweden during the last three decades. It also describes the consequences of one specific type of protest events – protests against school closures in Swedish municipalities.

  • Movements and protest in Estonia after regaining independence

    08 June 2017

    Studies

    RiTo No. 35, 2017

    Two main layers can be clearly defined in the participation of citizens in the public politics of Estonia. In the 1990s, the citizens’ initiatives in Estonia were structured by the post-colonial context that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union. The main source of motivation was the division of a significant part of the society into “winners” and “losers” as a result of the restoration of the nation state, and the property reform.

  • A criticism of the collection of public claims: An economic theory approach

    08 June 2017

    Studies

    RiTo No. 35, 2017

    Involving the public sector in the performance of public sector functions is a widespread practice. For example, in Estonia, there have been attempts to make use of the efficiency of the private sector in the collection of outstanding public claims (taxes, fines, environmental charges, claims arising from court judgments, penalty payments and interests). Generally, arrears are collected in enforcement procedure by bailiffs who are freelance as of 2001 and finance their activities from the fees collected from debtors.

  • Role concept of academic worker from the perspective of stat, organisation and individual *

    08 June 2017

    Studies

    RiTo No. 35, 2017

    The effectiveness and development of a university, but also an academic worker himself or herself depend on the interpretation of their role. The research conducted among the lecturers of the Estonian universities gave interesting results, on the basis of which the following recommendations can be given.

    * The article is based on a study conducted at the University of Tartu: Vadi, M., Reino, A., Aidla, A. (2014). Student and Lecturer: Role Concept View. Data gathered with the support of Archimedes Foundation Primus Programme, financed by the European Social Fund.

Varia

  • Views of future can influence decisions today

    08 June 2017

    Varia

    RiTo No. 35, 2017

    The article provides an overview of the main principles of foresight. These are: focus on actions, involvement of interested parties, a range of future scenarios, as well as disciplinary and methodologic variety. The authors stress that foresight differs from forecasts, as it is impossible to predict the future and the future is not predetermined, but can be shaped by the combined influence of today’s actions and decisions. Consequently, the aim of foresight is not to propose a single outcome, but to create different future scenarios together with the decision-makers and experts. Taking those into account, the decision-makers can influence future developments.

  • The importance and influence of science

    08 June 2017

    Varia

    RiTo No. 35, 2017

    In the world that is changing at an increasing speed and due to ever more complex problems, the importance of science is growing.

  • What do we know of the databases of local governments?

    08 June 2017

    Varia

    RiTo No. 35, 2017

    When collecting data, the following principles must be kept in mind: an authority may collect data only for the performance of its functions and only to the extent minimally necessary; once data has been collected, it may not be asked in duplication; data must be protected, and they must be used securely. When an authority collects, systematises, processes and preserves data for the performance of a public function, this is maintenance of a database. The National Audit Office found that local governments collect data into hundreds of databases, the majority of which have not passed even the primary control and do not use the technical possibilities to exchange data securely. Databases must be registered in the Information System Authority (databases are registered in the Administration System for the State Information System, hereinafter “RIHA”). The aim of the registration with RIHA is to support the co-capability of databases and to monitor their compliance with the requirements.

  • The Sagrada Familia or a glass house: What is the future of international family law?

    08 June 2017

    Varia

    RiTo No. 35, 2017

    The legislation must take into account the changing nature of the society.

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