AALEP which has entered into a Protocol of Co-operation with the Croatia’s Society of Lobbyists extends a heartfelt welcome to Croatia on  becoming the 28th Member State of the European Union. Croatia brings to Europe its undisputable natural beauty and historic heritage, but, most important of all, Croatia brings its people.

Since colonial times, both political access and influence in Latin America have been restricted to a few groups. Firstly, political elites mainly white, wealthy upper class families and individuals have always enjoyed major political access with no broad based political legitimacy. Secondly, the bureaucracy which historically has not been chosen through a meritocratic and open process, shared those privileges. Finally access has been afforded to unofficial power groups that obtained access to the decision-making process through influence-trafficking and other forms of corruption.

During the past decades, the United States of America has had a mixed relationship with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Most recently, decisions by some UNESCO member states have led to increased congressional interest in U.S. funding of and participation in the organization. Established in 1946 in the aftermath of World War II, UNESCO aims to contribute to peace and security by promoting collaboration among member states in the fields of education, science, and culture.

Croatia has launched the first edition of a magazine called the Art of Lobbying 'LOBIRANJA' created as a voluntary project by the Croatian Society of Lobbyists in cooperation with the students of the Faculty of Economics, the Faculty of Political Science and the Faculty of Law of the University of Zagreb with professional support of the executive operating company Taraban Lobi.

Relations between Japan and Africa have become geostrategic again. For a long time they were limited to trade, investment and aid, with Tokyo wanting to maintain a presence in certain markets and to have access to local commodity resources. In terms of investments and trade with Africa, Japan is much behind countries like the United States, France, India and China. But watch for Japan! Japan wants to transform its relationship with Africa from one of fonor-recipient to that of a business partnership and Tokyo is intent on tapping a burgeoning market.

Turkey will not beg anyone to join the 27-nation bloc if it faces new rejection. Germany appears to lead efforts to block the Turkish accession process. Germany and the Netherlands have opposed the opening of accession talks between Turkey and the EU on a negotiating chapters. Both the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Christian Social Union (CSU) oppose Turkey’s membership and want cooperation between the EU and Turkey and strategic collaboration on foreign and security policies instead.

Policy preferences across the EU member states are not homogeneous, on the contrary, enlargement has contributed to even larger distance among them . Consequently, it has become more difficult to reach negotiation agreement. Member states search for solutions to push their policy positions through. This results in increased tendency to search for allies during the preparatory phase of negotiations and to build coalitions in the Council negotiations in order to maximize the member states influence. Larger countries have more bargaining power in the EU Council negotiations, i.e.

For many ordinary people in Europe, the balance between giving and receiving, between debt and liability, responsibility and a place at the table no longer seems fair. Add to that the litany of criticism we have been hearing about for a long time: annoyance with so-called Brussels technocrats and their mania for regulation; complaints that decisions are not transparent enough; distrust of an impenetrably complex network of institutions; and, not least, resistance to the growing significance of the European Council.

The role Zagreb wants to play as a new member of the EU is still unclear. The Croatian elite has not yet begun to seriously discuss what the country wants to do in the Union. There are some ideas, but still poorly defined. Certainly, Croatia can provide Brussels with knowledge and advice on the Western Balkans, but the country refuses to claim the role of 'protector' of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the process of rapprochement.

If we are to re-engage people with politics, our democracy has to be participatory. It is about people participating and having the opportunity to influence various aspects of their lives. It is understandable that people are frustrated as society evolves and becomes more globalised and life becomes more complex (and harder for many), because it seems that voting at the ballot does not necessarily change circumstances significantly.