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Political and Economic Reasons for Energy Cooperation between the EU and Russia
Evgrafova, Elena ; Svoboda, Karel (advisor) ; Romancov, Michael (referee)
In this paper I investigate the energy cooperation between the EU and Russia from the political and economic points of view. The relevance of the issue is due to the growing role of energy sector, the need for security of energy supply and demand and for political and economic balance of power in the region, and closer economic integration. Two theoretical approaches, geopolitical and bureaucratic, guiding the research, explain the behavior of protagonists. To better understand the present level of cooperation I analyze the background and dynamics of EU - Russia energy trade relations. As a case study, I investigate the Nord Stream project as an example of successful cooperation of Germany as an EU member state and Russia in this field. I discuss challenges for the healthy mutual partnership in the energy sector, namely, high politicization of the issue, monopolization of Russian energy sector and low sustainability of Russian economic development, and mistrust between the protagonists. I attempt to identify possible policy changes aimed to improve this cooperation and achieve fruitful partnership, security and stability. Key words: Russia, EU, energy, cooperation, Realpolitik, international relations, oil, gas, energy dialogue, ECT, security, balance of power, geopolitics, interest groups,...
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The return of Poland and Czechoslovakia and the entry of Hungary to International Monetary Fund.
Veverka, Jan ; Svoboda, Karel (advisor) ; Mlsna, Petr (referee)
Bachelor thesis "The Return of Poland and Czechoslovakia and the Entry of Hungary to International Monetary Fund" deals with the early membership of these three central European countries - Czechoslovakia, Poland and Hungary - in the International Monetary Fund. First the thesis deals with how both Czechoslovakia and Poland were involved in the process of setting up the IMF and how they both terminated their membership in the beginning of the fifties, later the thesis deals with the circumstances leading to the Hungarian membership in the International Monetary Fund in 1982, to Polish membership renewal in 1986 as well as to Czechoslovak membership renewal talks in the 1980s. There has been a substantial change in economic and political setting in Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Poland after thirty years of disparate economic evolution and political separation via "iron curtain". At the same time, the character of IFM changed as well, and it was this coincidence that lead to the change in the attitude towards the IMF membership on the side of all above mentioned states as well as of the international organization itself.
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The impact of the first oil crisis on the United States of America
Nováková, Markéta ; Bečka, Jan (advisor) ; Svoboda, Karel (referee)
The Bachelor's thesis investigates the impact of the first oil crisis, which meant an end of era of cheap oil. Because of the energy crisis at the beginning of the 1970s, when oil supply almost did not suffice to high demand, producing countries associated in Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries had for the first time a favorable position in negotiating with oil companies. In October 1973 representatives of the producing countries reduced drilling of oil and imposed embargo on the United States of America as retaliation for american support to Israel during Jom Kippur war. Thus they abused dangerous situation to cause shortage in oil market. Rising prize of oil should have compensated growing inflation and compel the United States to change its policy toward Israel. Other argument of OPEC countries was that until oil is cheap, this non-renewable source will be wasted. The aim of this thesis is to find an answer to the question, how much the first oil crisis influenced the United States and compare whether the greatest changes happened in the field of oil trade and oil market, politics or in economy. After brief introduction of the first oil crisis, the thesis is subdivided into three main chapters, which deal with changes in oil trade and oil market, politics and in economy In the...
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Collapse of the USSR - Russsian national tragedy? Analysis of the Russian public opinion on the dissolution of the Soviet Union
Lelek, Jakub ; Svoboda, Karel (advisor) ; Kolenovská, Daniela (referee)
Bachelor thesis Collapse of the USSR - Russian national tragedy? Analysis of the Russian public opinion on the dissolution of the Soviet Union discusses the Russian public opinion development about the end of the Soviet Union during the presidency of Boris Yeltsin (1991 - 1999) and Vladimir Putin (2000 - 2008). The first chapter illustrates the situation in Russia after the collapse of the USSR; afterwards it describes the social, political and economic situation of the country during mentioned periods. Based on the available opinion polls and academic works the second part of the thesis examines the shift in Russian understanding of the collapse of the Soviet Union. The fundamental premise of this thesis is the idea that the end of the USSR was Russian national tragedy. After the analysis author concludes that in Russian society during the presidency of both Yeltsin and Putin remained a basic level of post- Soviet nostalgia, yet it wasn't a national tragedy. The regretting was presented within the older generation, for which the Soviet Union symbolized not only a major global player in international politics, but also their own (often idealized) youth, as well as within the younger generation, that has never had direct experience with the USSR. Furthermore author concludes that due to the...
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Gazprom and the Economic Crisis in Europe
Mészáros, Peter ; Svoboda, Karel (advisor) ; Horák, Slavomír (referee)
Year 2008 marked a breakthrough in the development of the European gas market. The financial and economic crisis that spilled over from the United States caused a sharp decline in demand for natural gas. Supplies of liquefied natural gas destined for U.S. were diverted to Europe after the U.S. experienced an upsurge of shale gas extraction using the new hydraulic fracturing technology which allowed for natural gas self-sufficiency. During the same period the so-called Third Energy Package in the European Union was adopted in 2009. EU continued liberalization of its gas market and increased pressure on ownership unbundling in the gas industry. Gazprom's response to this new situation and its efforts to adapt are the research subject of this thesis. It is trying to figure out how successful Gazprom was between years 2008-2012 in applying its strategies. It also stands to verify hypothesis that Gazprom had underestimated the depth of the changes occurring and based its response on false assumptions. Hence it also evaluates whether its economic position deteriorated in the period examined. Included in the research is the fact that in these years the situation has also evolved in the domestic market in Russia. Gazprom has made efforts to build a stable profit base in Russia, but has struggled to do so.
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Building Belarusian "economic miracle": analysis of economic policy under A. Lukashenka in 1994-1998
Baljajev, Arsenij ; Zilynskyj, Bohdan (advisor) ; Svoboda, Karel (referee)
Bachelor thesis focuses in particular on the development of the economic transformation in the post-Soviet Belarus and the relative success of the Lukashenka's economic model since his inauguration to the presidential office until the Russian financial crisis of 1998. The thesis summarizes the most important aspects of the robust influence of the Soviet legacy on the Belarusian economy and describes political and economic changes in the newly established state and soaring aspirations of the first Belarusian President for the creation of the fully autocratic political regime. Further on, there are clarified the causes of positive economic results in the second part of the 1990s. On the other hand, there are stressed the risks interweaved with this sort of economy as well. In the conclusion, it is assumed that the atypical way of transformation was a direct consequence of several interconnected and specific factors.
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Collapse of the USSR - Russsian national tragedy? Analysis of the Russian public opinion on the dissolution of the Soviet Union
Lelek, Jakub ; Svoboda, Karel (advisor) ; Kolenovská, Daniela (referee)
Bachelor thesis Collapse of the USSR - Russian national tragedy? Analysis of the Russian public opinion on the dissolution of the Soviet Union discusses the Russian public opinion development about the end of the Soviet Union during the presidency of Boris Yeltsin (1991 - 1999) and Vladimir Putin (2000 - 2008). The first chapter illustrates the situation in Russia after the collapse of the USSR; afterwards it describes the social, political and economic situation of the country during mentioned periods. Based on the available opinion polls and academic works the second part of the thesis examines the shift in Russian understanding of the collapse of the Soviet Union. The fundamental premise of this thesis is the idea that the end of the USSR was Russian national tragedy. After the analysis author concludes that in Russian society during the presidency of both Yeltsin and Putin remained a basic level of post- Soviet nostalgia, yet it wasn't a national tragedy. The regretting was presented within the older generation, for which the Soviet Union symbolized not only a major global player in international politics, but also their own (often idealized) youth, as well as within the younger generation, that has never had direct experience with the USSR. Furthermore author concludes that due to the...
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Iran in Putin's foreign policy: Is Russian approach towards Iran part of broader Russian foreign policy strategy?
Typoltová, Johana ; Svoboda, Karel (advisor) ; Horák, Slavomír (referee)
Bachelor's thesis is concerned with Iran's position in Russian foreign policy from 2000 to 2011. Iran has been highly debated by international community in last decade, due to his controversial nuclear energy program. Russia supported sanctions imposed on Iran by UN Security Council. However, Russia refused to bolster any other kind of sanctions and maintained commercial and strategic cooperation with Iran. Main purpose of the thesis is to find out if Russia maintains its relations with Iran due to broader Russian interests, which were declared in Russian foreign policy concepts, or if Russian actions towards Iran are simply a response to Iranian behaviour and development in international affairs.
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Hungary - EU - Russia : multilaterally versus bilaterally defined interests in Hungarian natural gas policy
Csoka, Zita ; Cibulková, Petra (advisor) ; Svoboda, Karel (referee)
The master thesis analyzes the natural gas policy of Hungary in light of the duality in its international context. Hungarian decisions regarding energy policy are directly influenced by the EU through the country's membership and subscription to the Union's multilateral framework, but are simultaneously affected by the bilateral relationship with the key supplier of natural gas, Russia. This duality is analyzed as embodied in two natural gas pipelines projects, Nabucco and South Steam, both including Hungary as a transit country, but serving different interests. The study finds that the multilaterally defined community interests - although of increasing importance - do not prevail over bilaterally articulated interests with Russia in the field of energy.
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M. S. Gorbachev's concept of Common European Home
Stejskalová, Jana ; Svoboda, Karel (advisor) ; Litera, Bohuslav (referee)
The bachelor study "M. S. Gorbachev's concept of Common European Home" highlights the pro-European oriented idea of Soviet Foreign Policy, which became popular in the middle 80's. The concept was a peaceful vision and a new Soviet openness towards the policy of the United States and the West in an era of the Cold War. This period was characterized by mutual distrust of two ideologically different blocks and by the real threat of nuclear conflict. There were many politicians who engaged with the European Policy in the past. The expansion of European ideas has a considerable historical background. And the expression of the Common European Home was already part of the external policy of Leonid I. Brezhnev. The Soviet concept, however, was first actively promoted by Mikhail S. Gorbachev, who is also attributed with its authorship. This bachelor study presents the origin, development and disappearance of this Soviet Policy. The work analyses the content of the idea in detail and also discusses its territorial legacy; including accompanying events and the attitude of Western countries. In addition to other key aspects, Gorbachev's Common European Home is associated with the fall of the Iron Curtain and the disintegration of the Soviet Union.
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