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Rebalancing Serbia’s budget in anticipation of real austerity
Two months after a public debt crisis was declared and with various anti-crisis scenarios in circulation, the budget of Serbia was rebalanced in early June. If the balancing act had been a play, “Much Ado about Nothing” would have been a very fitting title for a great deal of windy […]
Read all posts for ‘accountability’
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The Western Balkans: A social contract in transition
In the middle of March in Brussels about 40 representatives of civil society from European Union candidate countries (South-East Europe, Turkey and Iceland) attended the European Commission study tour “Direct democracy and e-democracy as a means for fostering transparency, civic engagement and participation” as part of People 2 People program. […]
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Eastern Europe: What’s a Normal Relationship with our Governments?
The Future Challenges question of the month asks what citizens can expect from their governments in the future. In all honesty, I think they can only expect as much as they demand. My proposition, and a lesson I’ve learnt from living in Eastern Europe, Western Europe and the United States, […]
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A New Step for Brazilian Democracy?
The ongoing trial of several high-ranking public officials in Brazil involved in the mensalão scandal – a widespread corruption scheme – has caught the attention of the Brazilian and international media. In particular, The Economist has covered this issue in pieces that provide a balanced background for the non-Brazilian reader, while […]
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Australia’s fireproof democracy
One week before the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires the state of Victoria cooked like never before. On three consecutive days in late January the temperature exceeded 43 °C / 109 °F, scorching an already desiccated land and laying the foundations for the worst bushfires in Australian history. On the fateful day […]