International influence in democratic transitions: a case comparison of Spain and Greece

Examining the impact of the international system on the domestic system in countries in the process of democratisation, the article seeks to account for the relation between regime-initiated democratic transitions and the international factor, taking two case studies of the way the international factor interacted with the decisions and tactics of regime and opposition elites. The first is the Spanish exemplary reforma pactada of 1977; the second is the much less studied case of the short-lived and aborted “Markezinis experiment” in Greece in 1973, the failure of which has been blamed by its protagonist on external- mainly American- opposition.     

Death by compaction in a robotic dumpster

Robotic waste management automation systems are increasingly utilized around the globe as a user-friendly, ecological and hygienic alternative to waste disposal, simultaneously reducing the volume and frequency of waste collection. The present paper aims to report a case of death by compaction in an automated robotic waste management system and review relevant literature on compactor-related fatalities. The unusual fatal accident involved a 37-year-old male citizen who deliberately entered the robotic dumpster to retrieve his accidentally discarded medication. Upon entering the robotic chamber, the compaction system was automatically activated, although all safety measures were in full operation. This paper highlights the lack of standardized reporting on compactor-related mortality, which however is of importance both in terms of its social impact and public safety. These deaths occur rarely, in scattered areas of the globe, associated with various situations (e.g., occupational fatalities, homeless people, infanticide) and trash compactors of different types, technology, age, maintenance quality, warning signage and safety interlocks. In all previously reported fatalities, the technology involved was considerably older (as in conventional waste containers, garbage compaction trucks, chute-fed compactors in buildings, etc.). The case described in the present report is a rare event in both literature and international news coverage as it encompasses a fully automated technology intended for unsupervised, direct use by the public being located in public spaces where all citizens can interact with it. The aim of this report is to raise awareness and improve knowledge about safety parameters so that similar incidents can be avoided in the future.     

Government or governance? The case of the French local political system

The structure of the local political system has completely changed since decentralisation. However, the presentation of peripheral power made by Pierre Grémion before decentralisation has not really been updated. Most academic research concentrates on either rural or urban issues. From the analysis of the current attempt of the French state to enhance co‐operation between communes, it is possible to make a general presentation of the current decentralised political system. Local authorities are increasingly part of a multi‐actor system combining many public and private institutions. However, they also are developing a specific political mode of organisation and relationship with one another. Local governments are the political cores of the multi‐actor system, in charge of local management.     

Russia’s role in UNFCCC negotiations since the exit of the United States in 2001

The unexpected exit of the United States from the Kyoto Protocol in 2001 signaled the exponential increase in the importance of the Russian Federation as a key player in international climate change politics. Until then a relatively minor player, Russia’s active participation in the evolution of the climate change regime is now considered a paramount and immediate necessity. A longitudinal study of Russian climate policy over the years is therefore a highly useful exercise as it allows for the better understanding of current developments and provides some basis for prediction of its future actions. The primary aim of this article is threefold: First, to offer a comprehensive account of Russian involvement in international climate negotiations. Secondly, to clarify the actual reasons behind Russia’s decision to delay its ratification of the Protocol for almost three long years, and finally, to try and map out the post-2012 positions of Russia on the road to the 2009 Copenhagen Conference of the Parties.     

Whistleblowers as regulatory intermediaries: Instrumental and reflexive considerations in decentralizing regulation

This article frames whistleblowers as regulatory intermediaries who provide a response to the problem posed by the fragmentation of knowledge in a complex society and market economy. I identify two ways in which whistleblowers become regulatory intermediaries: The first is by remedying informational asymmetries between the regulator and the target (instrumental approach). Both in the United States and in the European Union, whistleblowers are protected on the basis of the value of the disclosed information for the advancement of regulatory objectives. The second way in which whistleblowers become regulatory intermediaries is by contributing to the development of “communities of compliance” and by enhancing the internal self-regulatory capacities of regulatory targets (reflexive approach). Creating internal channels of reporting and monitoring is perceived as a way to change the organizational culture of targets. Through the instrumentalism – reflexivity dipole, competing rationales and normative visions of regulatory intermediation become apparent: It could, on the one hand, facilitate state intervention and legal sanctions or, on the other hand, signal the aspiration to embed public and social values in private actors.     

Development and validation of a simple GC-MS method for the simultaneous determination of 11 anticholinesterase pesticides in blood--clinical and forensic toxicology applications

Anticholinesterase pesticides are widely used, and as a result they are involved in numerous acute and even fatal poisonings. The aim of this study was the development, optimization, and validation of a simple, rapid, specific, and sensitive gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method for the determination of 11 anticholinesterase pesticides (aldicarb, azinphos methyl, carbofuran, chlorpyrifos, dialifos, diazinon, malathion, methamidophos, methidathion, methomyl, and terbufos) in blood. Only 500 μL of blood was used, and the recoveries after liquid-liquid extraction (toluene/chloroform, 4:1, v/v) were more than 65.6%. The calibration curves were linear (R(2) ≥ 0.996). Limit of detections and limit of quantifications were found to be between 1.00-10.0 and 3.00-30.0 μg/L, respectively. Accuracy expressed as the %E(r) was found to be between -11.0 and 7.8%. Precision expressed as the percent relative standard deviation was found to be <9.4%. The developed method can be applied for the investigation of both forensic and clinical cases of accidental or suicidal poisoning with these pesticides.     

Driving under the influence in Greece: a 7-year survey (1998-2004)

Alcohol is one of the main causes of traffic accidents worldwide. Its use decreases significantly the driving ability of an individual increasing in this way the possibilities of their involvement in motor-vehicle accidents. The above possibilities are increased when a psychoactive substance has been taken in combination with alcohol due to their synergistic effect. The Laboratory of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology of the University of Athens is authorized to perform the toxicological investigation of traffic accidents that happen in the southern part of Greece. The objective of the present study was to identify the prevalence of alcohol and other psychoactive substances among drivers involved in road traffic accidents in Greece during the period 1998-2004. Alcohol was detected in the blood of about 37% of the drivers involved in traffic accident during the years 1998-2000. The detection of alcohol was lower (29%) in the years 2001-2004. Cannabis, benzodiazepines, opiates, and cocaine were found in 4%, 4%, 4% and 1% of the total number of cases, respectively. The above values were compared with those of a previous study concerning the period 1995-1997 and the reasons for the reduction of the number of alcohol-related traffic accidents during the last years are discussed.     

Hype,disillusionment and capacity problems: Turkish Cypriot media and the European Union

Since the failed 2004 Annan Plan referendum, a special relationship between the Turkish Cypriot community and the EU institutions has been established. Increased unofficial contacts have paved the way for a reinforced role of sub-state actors, including Turkish Cypriot media. The role of the Turkish Cypriot media in shaping public opinion towards the EU has been largely correlated with the course of the Cyprus negotiations. Weak institutionalisation has negatively affected the influence of the local media on advancing the sui generis relationship between the Turkish Cypriot community and the European Union, as well as Europeanisation in the northern part of Cyprus. This article applies the theoretical framework of horizontal and vertical Europeanisation to explore the impact of local media on the relations between the European Union and the Turkish Cypriot community.     

Absolute politics and judicious pragmatism: political culture in democratization by reforma

Comparing the political cultures of Spain and Greece before and during the dictatorships, the article seeks to explain the different outcomes of the regimes’ self-transformation attempts, the one that succeeded (Spain) and the other that failed (Greece, the little-known “Markezinis experiment”). Its position is that the abandoning of hard-line ideological stances that have been called “absolute politics”, which was the main contributor to the Spanish Reforma’s success, did not work in Greece due to the persistence of the post-civil war and pre-dictatorial cleavages in both elites and civil society, thus rendering the mellowing of confrontation lines and the consensual politics necessary for the negotiations and mutual concessions between elites and counter-elites unfeasible. The result was, in contrast to the Spanish reforma Pactada, a reverse to authoritarianism perpetrated by the hard-line officers, prolonging the regime for eight crucial months.