Certainly, this crisis sends a message of utmost urgency to a country still groggy from the oil-boom intoxication of the past eight years: go back to the decentralization and democratization reforms of the 1990s and early 2000s — or face the political, economic and social calamity of the monotowns on a national scale.
This European membership process is the sticking "glue", the strongest soft power incentive for democratization, reforms and solution of open issues and conflicts involving the candidates.
From the late 1980s through 1991 the period of Mikhail Gorbachev's perestroika ("restructuring"), glasnost ("openness"), and demokratizatsiya ("democratization") reform policies fundamental changes took place in the political system and government structures of the Soviet Union that altered both the nature of the Soviet federal state and the status and powers of the individual republics.
I believe three elements are essential for this purpose: to consolidate the democratic reform in Georgia, to establish good neighbourhood relations in the region and Russia's constructive involvement in this process and, finally, the EU's profound and more active involvement in the actual stabilization and democratization of Georgia and, in general, of the Black Sea region.
No Eurasian country has come so far as Georgia in recent years in terms of democratization and reform.
Turkey boasts the fastest growing and largest economy in the region, and as a result of its own democratization and reform process undertaken, it is uniquely placed to play a decisive role in providing critical assistance and encouragement for the newly emerging governments of the region.
In contrast to the strong socialist views he had held decades earlier, Jagan now advocated policies more conducive to democratization and economic reform.
After three decades of authoritarian rule, Indonesia ushered in a new phase of reform, democratization, and increasing integration into the global marketplace.
A graduate of the University of Virginia, the Hopkins-Nanjing Program, and Oberlin College, Dr. Richardson is the author of numerous articles on domestic Chinese political reform, democratization, and human rights in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
They also played active roles in the national movement toward democratization and political reform as well as a watchdog role to counteract corruption and inappropriate administrative behaviour.
