BALKAN STUDIES

By Cecile Abi Tayeh
(RIEAS Research Associate)

The article is edited by Antonia Dimou (RIEAS Senior Advisor)

Copyright: Research Institute for European and American Studies (www.rieas.gr) Publication date: 13th September 2015

Millions of people have fled their homes because of the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Libya. The biggest crisis is centered on Syria, where the number of those fleeing to other countries has currently exceeded four million. Many who are able seek refuge in Europe. This often involves a perilous journey across the Mediterranean, a journey that has cost the lives of thousands of men, women and children. One of the deadliest events was the loss of around 800 people according to the UN in the Mediterranean Sea coming from Libya to Italy. Another event happened in August 2015 where bodies of 49 migrants were found in the hold of a fishing boat - most of them died because of smoke inhalation. This has raised the total number of human losses in 2015 to more than 2,300 dead migrants in the Mediterranean Sea...Read more

By Andy and Mike Manatos*

Copyright: Kathimerini Daily (originally appeared in Greek) Publication Date on RIEAS (www.rieas.gr): 6th September 2015

In light of the United States' past record, the people of Greece have every right to be wary of American officials becoming deeply involved in Greek matters. As members of a Greek-American family that has been fighting in Washington, DC for Hellenic and Orthodox issues at the highest levels of the American government for over 80 years, no one has witnessed more of these bad policies up close than we.

However, we write this piece to let you know that today is different. The stars seem to be aligning. Most encouraging, the #2 person in the White House, Vice President Joe Biden, framed and proudly displayed on his wall the headline of my publically referring to him as Joe "Bidenopoulos" immediately following his election in 2008. Biden remains a lifetime loyal friend. And our President, Barack Obama, together with his Secretary of Treasury, Jack Lew, may be referred to as Greece's best friends in recent negotiations to keep Greece in the EU...Read more

Antonia Dimou
(Senior Advisor, Research Institute for European and American Studies, Greece, and Associate at the Center for Strategic Studies, University of Jordan)

Copyright: http://www.cceia.unic.ac.cy (Cyprus Centre for European and International Affairs) – Publication Date on RIEAS web site: 21 June 2015

The discovery of natural gas resources in the East Mediterranean promise important benefits of energy security and economic gains. A 2010 US geological survey showed that the Levantine basin - offshore Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Cyprus - could hold as much as 120 trillion cubic feet, thus securing supply of energy not only for the countries of the region but also for Europe.

Regional countries are currently at various stages of exploration and development which are however fraught by political risks and policy dilemmas. Thus cooperation, conflict resolution and the creation of interdependency structures are prerequisites to unlock the potential of the region and safeguard the unimpeded flow of future gas production... Read more

Claudiu-Nicolae Sonda
(Postgraduate student in the M.A. Program - the International and European Relations-in the Linkoping University, Sweden)

Copyright: Research Institute for European and American Studies (www.rieas.gr) Publication date: 4 April 2015

No discussion over the Black Sea region can be complete without referring to the energy field, more specifically oil and gas resources, pipelines, and transit routes. The energy sector is crucial not only in economic terms, but also for security. By security we mean energy security, defined as 'the uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price'. Furthermore, we are talking about security in traditional terms, mainly the danger of inter-state conflict over the control /access to natural resources...Read more

The criminal group was suspected of facilitating the illegal entry into the EU of migrants mainly Syrian via maritime routes from Turkey to Greece

Copyright: www.europol.europa.eu – Publication Date on RIEAS (www.rieas.gr) 23 March 2015

On 10-11 March 2015, Greek law enforcement authorities, with the support of Europol, dismantled an organized criminal group suspected of facilitating the entry of irregular migrants - mainly Syrian nationals - into Greece from Turkey via maritime routes. The group also smuggled victims from Greece to other EU Member States through a range of methods, and was involved in the production and distribution of forged travel documents and their trading to other organized criminal groups. The criminal network operated in Greece and was formed of members from several countries including Syria, Iraq, Egypt and Romania...Read more

Antonia Dimou
(Senior Advisor, Research Institute for European and American Studies, Greece and Associate at the Center for Strategic Studies, University of Jordan)

Copyright: www.cceia.unic.ac.cy Publication Date on RIEAS web site: 15 February 2015

The national parliamentary elections in Greece highlighted the victory for the first time ever of left-wing Syriza party which gained 36.3 percent of the voter turnout securing 149 seats out of 300, short of an absolute majority. The election outcome prompted the formation of a coalition government with The Independent Greeks far-right party that supports an end to austerity. On the other side of the political spectrum, until recently ruling conservative New Democracy lost 2.1 percent of its vote share as compared to the 2012 national elections, a percentage that when converted into numbers represents a loss of 53 seats. Social democratic party Pasok continued to shrink and became the last political force that surpassed the 3 percent threshold with seats being reduced to merely 13 from 33 in 2012... Read more