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While apparently preserving general course and framework of Japan’s post-war foreign and security order, Prime Minister Abe has actually initiated complex and controversial changes in their context that have caused simultaneous support, uneasiness and strong criticism at home and abroad. His concept of ‘active contributor to peace’ has added to growing dynamism of on going rebalancing of power in Asia-Pacific and on the other hand, emphasized regional and global role of Japan.

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The paper defines the concept of energy security and outlines the role of energy security for national economies. The energy sector in Bulgaria has been analyzed as well as the energy dependence from foreign energy supplies that secure/ensure internal energy consumption. The paper gives information for the dynamics and trends of development of energy consumption in Bulgaria for the period 1990–2013. The prognoses for the future energy consumption trends are presented. The method of trend extrapolation of energy consumption development is used. The energy balance of Bulgaria is analyzed regarding the usage of local and imported primary energy sources (coal, petrol, natural gas, nuclear energy, renewable energy sources) for ensuring final domestic energy consumption (for all industrial sectors and households). A detailed analysis of each of the primary energy sources used for electricity production is elaborated; the advantages and disadvantages of each of them have been explained. Special attention has been paid to the engagement of Bulgaria concerning the implementation of Europe 2020 strategy and the future energy policy of the country that includes not only enhancing energy security but also increasing the share of renewable energy sources in final energy consumption, building of a new energy infrastructure, development of a highly competitive energy market, finding the right balance between the interests of energy consumers and energy producers and suppliers. The article also points out the dependence of major energy projects upon the changes in political situation.

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Countries/governments tend to use sport to promote their political, social and economic agendas. Decision-makers looked for ways to shift legitimacy from the sport ground because sport results could be easily measured and transmitted to the general population, especially considering that sport is positioned between politics and international relations on the one hand and politics and culture on the other. For domestic policy strategy analysts, the work should serve as a supplement to the future policy documents with attempt to trigger for adequate positioning of the sport in the prism of overall country’s development. It is an attempt to realistically as possible discloses position of sport within IR with an example from the socialist Yugoslavia.

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This article addresses the issue of maintaining international order, peace and security in the changed international security environment, particularly since 2001, when a new concept called the responsibility to protect has taken shape in the international community. The concept of the responsibility to protect stems from criticism of humanitarian intervention that, especially in the 1990s, represented the international community’s mechanism for intervening in grave internal conflicts of states with the aim of protecting civilian populations. In the new security environment, the international community is seeking to achieve the same aim through the concept of the responsibility to protect, which is on its way to become a new norm of international common customary law. The central research question to which this article has answered is: is the military intervention in Libya in 2011 under the responsibility to protect (R2P) an example of good practice the international community will also be able to use in the future when reacting to the most serious crimes? The analysis has shown that since the R2P concept was used in Libya, the international community has been facing a new challenge, namely to ensure a moral and political support for the adoption of a more integrated definition of the R2P concept that can provide the international community’s timely and efficient response including the responsibility to protect, react and rebuild.

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Due to the specific resources, available to all armies of the world within their stipulated missions, such armies play an important role in the fight against biological threats, especially the potentially most dangerous, bioterrorism. The real threat of misuse of biological agents and the possible consequences of asymmetric threats to public health, society, agriculture, economy and political stability has clearly been recognized in recent years. The Republic of Serbia is committed to giving its contribution to the global fight against this danger, given the experience it has in the care and treatment of infectious diseases, primarily of a zoonotic character that are present in our geographic area, as well as the response to crisis situations which create favorable conditions for the spread of infectious diseases. The Serbian Armed Forces and its capacities in the field of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear services, and its medical and veterinary services which have a long tradition and experience is ready to actively participate in the implementation of the measures of prevention and response in the case of biological threats contributing to the civilian community, medical services, and society as a whole in order to protect the life and health of the population.

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This paper aims at outlining the principles, mechanisms, strategies and instruments that form the core of Brussels’ democratisation policy, as well as its potential and limits. In a first step, the paper briefly discusses the main theoretical approaches to external democracy promotion as well as its characteristics as a policy area. It further outlines the EU’s legal basis and institutional foundations for its democracy promotion policy, as well as its implementation in practice, and finally sums up the main findings.

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The world is characterised by dynamic changes which intensify interdependence of states, what is especially reflected in the field of economy. In spite of numerous crises and bigger risks in international relations it is clear that the world convergence of systems and institutions is carrying on, what points to the fact that globalisation keeps on going its way. Taking into consideration the current position of the Republic of Serbia on the international scene as well as its economic position it is obvious that big challenges and hard work is before us in order to keep up with developed countries and to take a position after EU accession and in the global order which is being established. In order to achieve such significant economic progress competitiveness of our economy should be constantly strengthened, what is the only efficient way towards achieving increase in exports. The experiences of developed countries show that their highly professional and first-rate economic diplomacy is to a great extent responsible for the success of their export potentials. Therefore, by doing an analysis the paper has attempted to point not to the need, because in an indirect way it can be consider a rhetorical question, but to the possibilities for the promotion of the Serbian economic diplomacy in practice.

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Tourism plays a significant role in the economic growth of any country. Its contribution is primarily reflected in the increase of foreign exchange inflow, employment opportunities, return on investment and conservation of resources. Serbia has a huge potential for development of rural tourism, due to its natural characteristics, abundant historical-cultural and ethnographic heritage, local values, entertainment opportunities etc. The purpose of this paper is to identify the key factors and values affecting tourist satisfaction in rural areas of Serbia, in order to develop the strategy for attracting international (foreign) and domestic tourists. Research results show that international tourists were most satisfied with cordiality and hospitality, gastronomy and quality of services, and least satisfied with organized activities, local events and diversity of attractions. The overall impression of respondents regarding their stay at the rural destinations in Serbia was quite positive, which will undoubtedly encourage them to revisit those destinations as well as to recommend them to their friends.