Contents of International Sudies
Journal
Pact on Stability in Europe: Romania's
Interests Gabriel Andreescu, Valentin Stan, Renate Weber This study evinces the political developments which led to European
Union's initiative regarding a Pact on Stability in Europe and Romanian
interests in the context of Euro-Atlanticintegration. The authors lay emphasis
on the necessity, for the Romanian authorities, to follow the proper procedures
in the process of integration, fulfilling their commitments in the general
framework of Euro-Atlantic interlocking institutions Solutions to problems
pertaining to borders and minorities, under the aegis of EU, could be the
most beneficial political achievement for Romania. Romania's Relations with the Republic
of Moldova Gabriel Andreescu, Valentin Stan, Renate Weber The authors embarked upon the most debated aspect of international
relations in Romania, trying to avoid the common emotional involvement
of the Romanian political discourse and keeping up with the requirement
to adjust old points of view to new realities. Matching the scientific
rigour with the national interests is an objective to achieve. The authors
identified the obstacles to be overcome in the process of building up a
new relationship between Romania and the Republic of Moldova, devoid of
the old historical taboos and based on the international norms that govern
the political behaviour of sovereign and independent states. The concluding
idea of this research points out the necessity of deciding on Romania's
priorities in international affairs, a task which the ruling political
elite of the country is no longer in position to ignore. As specified in
the study, priority number one for Romania is not unification with the
Republic of Moldova, but Euro-Atlantic integration, an obvious outcome
of the new European and national developments still very difficult to accept
by many Romanians. Nationalism and European Security:
Romania's Euro-Atlantic Integration Valentin Stan European security is threatened by the upsurge of aggressive nationalism
with its malign forms. In those multiethnic countries behind the former
"Iron Curtain", where ethnic hatred and exclusivism were only "tamed" by
dictatorial regimes it re-emerged vigorously after the collapse of communism.
In Romania, the political development is circumscribed by ethnic nationalism,
contradicting the authorities' interest at least that one expressed
on a declarative level - for the Euro-Atlantic integration. The association
to political governance of parties that cherish a tradition of hatred against
other ethnic components of the Romanian civic nation, and whose discourse
have apparent Nazi doctrinal accents is, thus, a threat to Romanian interests.
This is a sufficient reason to block the process of Romania's Euro-Atlantic
integration: there is no possibility to go European when still thinking,
at the level of political ruling elites, in terms of ethnic nationalism. Nationalism and its Impact upon
the Rule of Law in Romania Gabriel Andreescu, Renate Weber Romania's Euro-Atlantic integration depends not only on the readiness
of Romanian society to integrate, but also on the compatibility of state
structures with the coherent system of values and principles which laid
a sound foundation for the Western democracy. The rule of law and protection
of human rights became the landmark of a civilization that acquired universality
through its appeal to personal self-realization and the protection of the
individual against abuses by the state. That is why important state structures
in Romania, like the Supreme Council of National Defence and Romanian Intelligence
Service, have to abide also by the general Western norms of regulating
the relationship between state and citizen and ensure an impartial protection
to all Romanians irrespective of their ethnic descent. State structures
in Romania are still to be freed of ethnic nationalism and prone to be
overcome by undemocratic practices which seriously encumber Romania's Euro-Atlantic
integration.
