Read more about the article Democracy in Question: Georgia’s Foreign Agents Law
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Democracy in Question: Georgia’s Foreign Agents Law

The adoption of the “foreign agents” law in Georgia has become a critical issue, reflecting broader struggles over democratic governance, the autonomy of civil society and geopolitical direction in the post-Soviet region. Georgia is a parliamentary unitary republic in which the President, the Government, the Parliament, and the judiciary share powers reserved to the national government. In March 2023, two parallel bills have been submitted to the Parliament, namely “Transparency of Foreign Influence’’ and “Registration of Foreign Agents”. These two bills were withdrawn from the Georgian Parliament following protests in response to the legislative process. On 3 April 2024, the leader of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Mamuka Mdinaradze, announced the reintroduction of the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence to the Parliament. The law requires non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and media companies that receive more than 20% of their funding from foreign sources to register as “organisations serving the interests of a foreign power”. Founded in 2012 by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, the Georgian Dream Party, was formed as an alternative to the Georgian National Movement. Georgian Dream quickly gained widespread support and won the parliamentary elections that year, representing a major shift in the country’s political landscape.

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21 August 2024
Read more about the article Navigating Uncharted Waters: Russia’s Potential Exit from the Convention on the Law of the Sea
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Navigating Uncharted Waters: Russia’s Potential Exit from the Convention on the Law of the Sea

In the light of Russia’s recent comments regarding their possible withdrawal from the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the international community must re-think the integrity of the current maritime order, assess the present challenges and examine different perspectives for the governance of the seas. Following decades of negotiations, in 1982, the United Nations adopted UNCLOS, the Convention that sets the modern standards and encapsulates the principles of international maritime law. As one of the most widely ratified international treaties, UNCLOS has enjoyed decades of being unchallenged, yet the current unsteady political landscape — with big countries such as China and Russia claiming to be unsatisfied with the Convention — puts UNCLOS in a precarious position regarding compliance and observance of international maritime norms. After a brief overview of the Convention and the evolution of Russia as a member of UNCLOS, the paper will analyse the relevant legal framework of the Law of Sea, focusing on Russia’s bid for the Arctic and its process with the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS). Finally, the paper will examine Russia’s latest threat to withdraw from the Convention, addressing legal and geopolitical implications, including how rather than following a different ‘maritime strategy’, these threats might reflect a strategic narrative aimed at promoting a multipolar world order.

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13 August 2024
Read more about the article Financial Intelligence Unit Structures Under Scrutiny: Potential for Misuse and Ethical and Legal Considerations
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Financial Intelligence Unit Structures Under Scrutiny: Potential for Misuse and Ethical and Legal Considerations

This paper discusses financial intelligence’s ethical and legal considerations and explores the potential for misuse within Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs). More in detail, it examines the handling of information by FIUs from a legal perspective while also analysing how the structure of FIUs could allow for undue political influence under certain conditions. As a consequence, the structures designated to prevent or detect financial crimes could become part of the adverse circle instead of fighting it. Understanding the extent to which this process could lead to detrimental effects is the primary focus of the present paper. The study begins by outlining the characteristics of FIUs. It then analyses the ethical and legal implications associated with their operations, emphasising the risks of misuse. The paper then shifts its focus to corrupt environments with a detailed examination of Argentina’s case. The final section draws conclusions based on the preceding analysis and discussions.

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12 August 2024
Read more about the article The Development of AI-Enabled Military Equipment in Ukraine and the Implications for Military Interoperability
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The Development of AI-Enabled Military Equipment in Ukraine and the Implications for Military Interoperability

In the past two and a half years, the Russo-Ukrainian War has uncovered how war on the modern battlefield is no longer exclusively waged on the physical domain, and new capabilities can be leveraged instead of conventional approaches to defence. Armed conflict has expanded to encompass new battlefronts that increasingly depend on the virtual domain (Furlong et al, 2022). Cutting-edge technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) are reshaping armed conflict, impacting every aspect of warfare from automated frontline systems to logistics, and enhancing multi-domain situational awareness. According to the Land4Developers platform, a marketplace and network of industrial engineering experts from Ukraine, over a dozen Ukrainian companies offer products and services in predictive analytics (Land 4 Developers, 2022). The partnership between tech firms and the Ukrainian military, which allegedly includes having a software engineer within each battalion, is sparking a new wave of development and testing with military AI (Bergengruen, 2024). In resisting Russia’s invasion, the Ukrainian defence proved to be better equipped than anticipated (Furlong et al., 2022). Ukraine’s military performance has offered valuable lessons for both emerging and already established military powers on the benefits of partnering with tech companies to gain quicker access to the latest innovative technologies. Although the Russo-Ukrainian conflict’s outcome is still uncertain, it has highlighted the critical role of public-private partnerships in rapidly advancing military technology. The integration of AI-enabled tools in Ukraine’s defence demonstrates that collaboration between governmental bodies and private tech firms is essential for the swift development and deployment of cutting-edge military technologies. This paper explores how the partnership between the public and private sectors has shaped Ukraine’s defence strategies and examines the implications for enhancing military interoperability across Europe.

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9 August 2024
Read more about the article The Evolution of Neutrality in Europe
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The Evolution of Neutrality in Europe

Neutrality is not a static concept but has evolved significantly, reflecting changes in political, military, and economic contexts over time. This paper argues how neutrality has changed in Switzerland, Sweden, and Finland, particularly in response to the invasion of Ukraine. These European case studies highlight neutrality as a complex, dynamic and multifaceted concept, which has transitioned from a rigid principle to a dynamic and adaptable practice across military and political realms that evolves in response to shifting geopolitical contexts, public opinion and growing alliances. This paper reveals how increased spending, expanding alliances and shifting public opinion have redefined the concept and practice of neutrality in Europe By redefining the territorial boundaries of NATO’s Article 5, which commits members to collective defence measures, new borders with potential adversaries are introduced, creating new vulnerabilities and opportunities for defence.  The paper will begin by giving a brief account of the historical development of neutrality in Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries to contextualised the following discussions. For each case study, the dynamic nature of neutrality will be revealed, with a particular focus on developments following the invasion of Ukraine.

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6 August 2024