European Values Research Articles

Representing Geospatial Knowledge in Narratives

This paper explores the representation of geospatial knowledge within narratives through a Semantic Web approach. We introduce the NOnt+Space (NOnt+S) model, an extension of the CIDOC CRM-based Narrative Ontology, which allows the representation of narratives and their geospatial aspects. By leveraging standards such as CRMgeo and GeoSPARQL, NOnt+S ensures systematic and interoperable geospatial representation in narratives, enabling geospatial queries on knowledge graphs. We present an assessment of NOnt+S utilising data from the H2020 MOVING European project (2021-2024), which collected knowledge about European mountain value chains intended as Cultural Heritage. We have represented this knowledge as geospatial narratives using NOnt+S. GeoSPARQL queries and semantic reasoning applied to the created KG reveal the ontology ability to infer new geospatial knowledge. Our work contributes to the ongoing efforts in the Semantic Web community to integrate and represent geospatial information within narratives, promoting collaboration and interoperability across various scientific domains.

Metal Contamination and Human Health Risk Assessment of Soils from Parks of Industrialized Town (Galati, Romania)

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the contamination state of the surface soil from 10 parks from Galati, Romania, and the health hazards of the soil. The soil samples, collected in each site from the playing ground and from the edge of the park, were analyzed by using combined Wavelength- (WDXRF) and Energy-Dispersive (EDXRF) X-ray fluorescence techniques. A total number of 27 chemical elements (Ag, Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sn, Sr, Ti, V, Zn and Zr) were quantified in the urban soils, and the results were compared to the normal and alert values from Romanian legislation for toxic trace elements, as well as with European and world average values of element concentrations. The mineralogical analyses were performed by Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy-Dispersive X-ray Analysis (SEM-EDX) and the Attenuated Total Reflectance–Fourier Transform Infrared technique (ATR-FTIR). To assess the soil contamination and the impact on human health of the presence of potential toxic elements and heavy metals in the soil, a series of pollution and health risk indices were used. All the results indicated an unpolluted to moderately polluted soil. The soil samples collected from the edge of the parks presented higher values for the specific pollutants, which originated from heavy traffic, such as Cu, Cr, Zn and Pb. The non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk to children was assessed using estimated daily intake (EDI) in relation to the pathways whereby pollutants can enter the human body, such as ingestion, dermal contact, inhalation and vaporization. Using the obtained values for EDI, the hazard quotient and hazard index were determined, which strengthen the formerly issued presumption that soil pollution is moderate and, by itself, does not present any threat to children’s health.

Nietzsche on Socrates, Jesus, and the slave revolt in morality

ABSTRACT This article shows how the triumph of Socratic optimism in Nietzsche’s first book, The Birth of Tragedy, is due to a slave revolt in morality that promulgates a religious faith in the value of scientific truth. This early argument parallels his critique of the ascetic ideal that infects science in The Genealogy of Morality. I draw out the resemblance between Socrates’s martyrdom in The Birth and Jesus’s crucifixion in the Genealogy in order to illuminate how ritual human sacrifice mythically immortalizes both figures, together inaugurating the ascetic ideals that Christianity will eventually unite. I discuss Nietzsche’s understanding of religious martyrdom and his explanation for the success of Christian Platonism, whose ascetic ideals ground the European value system that he is known for attacking.

How European consumers value wine credence attributes: a cross-country comparison of France, Greece and Italy

Several attributes can be used to differentiate wine products to meet consumer interest and thus increase producer visibility, attractiveness and revenues. The perception towards the same attribute may depend on various factors that characterise the subjects, such as individual, behavioural and situational characteristics, like their country of origin. This study aims to identify which credence attributes and related levels motivate consumers the most to buying wine, by comparing the results obtained in three different European countries: France, Greece and Italy. A conjoint experiment based on linear assumption was administered using price, production method, geographical indication and wine origin as product attributes. The conjoint data were analysed in three steps: performing a model with the whole sample; performing three models using national data to compare results between the countries; performing a cluster analysis using the Ward method to associate consumer characteristics with product attributes. Results show that origin is the most valued attribute for choosing wine, followed by the production method. Cross-country evaluation reveals several significant differences among the attributes of the production method, geographical indication and origin. The cluster analysis identified three groups named: High price and national wine seekers; Certification seekers and Price-sensitive seekers. This paper provides several implications for both academicians and enterprises. Indeed, it is the first evaluation comparing the role given by consumers to biodynamic certification in a cross-country evaluation. Several indications are also provided for producers who can help differentiate better wine production by earning a higher income.

Female, Deserving, and European? The Changing EUropean Migration Discourse in the Face of the Russia–Ukraine War

AbstractThe initial response of the European Union (EU) to people fleeing Ukraine was unusually univocal and welcoming, culminating in the swift activation of the Temporary Protection Directive. This predominantly humanitarian response represents a special case and an outlier in terms of how the EU and its member states have responded to previous displacements. This paper explores the discursive construction that made this response possible, by looking at how forced migration from Ukraine has been characterised in the EUropean political discourses. Drawing on discourse theory and critical migration studies, we assume that the discourse is marked by differences drawn along the lines of “race,” “gender,” and “distance,” which are linked to ideas about national identity and European values. In order to reflect the multilevel European discourse, we reconstruct the political discourse on the EU level as well as in two diverse cases, Poland and Germany. Our findings suggest that despite national differences and the presence of well-established tropes of deservingness, the EUropean discourse is not only based on ideas surrounding vulnerability of the Ukrainian Other and the European Self but is also influenced by the perception of the threatening Russian Other. Especially in Poland, welcoming refugees from Ukraine is linked to security concerns, while the EU and German discourses stress the role of European values and solidarity. Thus, the acceptance of Ukrainian refugees should be seen as part of the overall European response to Russian aggression and not as a departure from its previous stance on migration.

Evaluating progress towards implementation of the European HTA Regulation: Insights generated from the European Access Academy's multi-stakeholder survey

ObjectivesWe conducted a multi-stakeholder survey to assess stakeholders' perceptions of the progress made towards the implementation of the European Regulation on Health Technology Assessment (EU HTA R) and to identify and prioritize the remaining challenges for implementation. MethodsUsing two iterative Delphi cycles, an exploratory, semi-quantitative survey was developed to identify how stakeholders 1) experienced preparatory activities of the Regulation, and 2) prioritized remaining challenges for successful implementation. The survey was distributed among the network of the European Access Academy and via social media to ensure coverage of key stakeholders. Descriptive analyses were performed on quantitative response items, and relative importance was calculated for ranking items. Free-text responses supplemented participants' answers to quantitative questions. ResultsN = 61 responses were received from N = 15 countries including Global/ EU-wide institutions (Patients and Patients’ representatives: 7; Clinicians’ representatives: 5; Regulators: 3; Health Technology Developers (HTDs): 20; HTA bodies: 10; Payers: 7; Policy Makers: 2; Academic representatives: 7). The majority of respondents were aware of preparatory activities, with 74 % (N = 45) observing the drafting of Guidance Documents and 64 % (N = 39) noting the establishment of the Coordination Group. Respondents ranked the success of preparatory activities neutral with a slight tendency towards a positive ranking. Key challenges were Member States' readiness for Joint Clinical Assessments, HTA capacity/ capability constraints, and the applicability/ feasibility of the methodological framework. ConclusionsThis study identified the key remaining challenges for the successful establishment of the EU HTA process. Key findings emphasize the readiness of national systems and procedures as pivotal factors. Balancing operational efficiency with strategic objectives, including the development of a European Value Framework, is imperative for harnessing the full potential of the joint HTA process and enhancing patient access to innovative technologies on a pan-European scale. Public interest summaryIn January 2022, the European Union (EU) adopted the European Regulation on Health Technology Assessment (HTA). By harmonizing HTA practices and promoting collaboration across Member States, the joint procedure as set out in the regulation aims to improve efficient use of resources and ensure long-term sustainability of EU-wide HTA cooperation. Close to reaching the half-way mark of the preparation phase in mid-2023, we conducted a multi-stakeholder survey to assess perceptions of the progress made towards implementation of a joint procedure and to prioritize remaining challenges. The responses indicated a neutral to positive perception of the preparatory activities (i.e., establishing a coordination group and a stakeholder network, and creating guidance documents). Respondents prioritized challenges related to the readiness of Member States, limitations in HTA capacity and capability, and applicability of the assessment methods. Further research is needed to define targeted strategies for specific stakeholder groups to effectively address the identified challenges.

THE RUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN WAR AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY: MAIN DIRECTIONS, PROBLEMS AND SOME LESSONS OF WESTERN SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE

Despite the heroic resistance of Ukrainians, in particular the Armed Forces of Ukraine, during the current Russian-Ukrainian war, without effective assistance, especially military, from the Western democratic world, Ukraine would hardly have withstood the Russian aggressor's more than two-year-long large-scale armed invasion and would have been able to preserve national statehood and the Ukrainian nation from genocide and destruction in the event of a protracted war of attrition. For such a war, Ukraine will need at least $150 billion a year, which can only be provided by its Western partners. And the World Bank estimates that over the next 10 years, about $500 billion will be needed to rebuild Ukraine's war-torn infrastructure, which is more than Ukraine's GDP, so without investment and financial assistance from our partners, we will not be able to find these resources in the country either. The purpose of the article is to systematise the huge amount of information available in accessible/open sources about the central, fateful event of modern international relations - Russia's war against Ukraine and the international community's attitude to it, in particular, to highlight the main directions, problems and some preliminary lessons of Western support for Ukraine in its resistance to Russian aggression, which can already be outlined in the third year of the large-scale war. Russia's unprovoked and brutal large-scale armed attack on Ukraine in February 2022 left no choice but to recognise this aggression as an attack on European and Euro-Atlantic democratic values and the fundamental principles on which the United Nations is built. This was a manifestation of the next stage of Russia's global hybrid war against the West. Unprecedented international support for Ukraine and powerful pressure on the aggressor country - Russia - is manifested in active political, financial, military, and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine from EU and NATO member states and other countries. In total, more than 50 countries provide such assistance to Ukraine during the war. However, our Western partners do not yet have a common strategic plan for the Russian-Ukrainian war and its victorious conclusion, and in the third year of the war, they are increasingly talking about different options for peace talks with the aggressor, so Ukraine must develop its own grand strategy, which should be based on the fact that war and peace coexist and that Russia poses a long-term threat to it and the entire democratic world.

STATE POLICY AS A FORM OF TARGETED STATE ACTIVITY

The article examines state policy as an organized and purposeful activity of the state, which provides for the protection of public interests, ensures the adoption of balanced and justified state decisions, and contributes to the stable development of Ukrainian society. Issues of state policy formation in the system of planning and implementation of development plans of modern society are considered. It was determined that with the transition from bureaucratic forms to innovative methods of managing the state and society, state policy acquires certain signs of publicity, due to the involvement of both state and non-state public organizations in its implementation. It has been proven that the European integration of Ukraine is accompanied by changes in state policy, which is based on European values ​​and standards for the formation of a legal, social and democratic state. Therefore, it is better to use the term «public policy», as active purposeful actions of the state based on the cooperation of state institutions, civil society institutions, as well as non-state organizations and individual citizens. It is noted that the participatory theory of democracy should become a universal principle of organizing the public policy of the Ukrainian state. Because the basis of the effective functioning of participatory democracy is a developed civil society, as well as public trust in the activities of state and public institutions, that is, citizens' confidence in the correctness of the actions of public authorities to implement the goals announced by the state. It is substantiated that modern state (public) policy, firstly, is designed to ensure public expression of will, expression of interests and needs of the population and their practical implementation at the level of power institutions; secondly, it should be based on the principles of: openness, transparency and democracy; thirdly, in the process of development and implementation of political decisions, civil society institutions should be involved in this work. The specific characteristics of state policy as an active activity are singled out, which distinguish it from a whole array of other types of policies. In further studies, it is suggested to pay attention to the normative and legal regulation of state policy.

Family affairs or Government's duty? The tax morality of a mobile society

PurposeThis paper aims to shed light on the relationship between intergenerational labor mobility and tax morale among European citizens, given the relatively limited evidence on the potential influence of tax compliance behavior on future inequalities.Design/methodology/approachExploiting data from the European Values Study (2008), we show that the larger the intergenerational mobility, i.e. better economic conditions of children respect to their parents, the larger the willingness to pay taxes. In this vein, the subjective tax payment may be meant as an investment which could be rewarded with a more mobile society result by considering different estimation strategies. This evidence remarks the importance to foster intergenerational mobility to build a more tax-compliant society.FindingsThe linkage between mobility and tax morale is stronger and significant across citizens living in high income classes, and in countries where there is a commitment of the Government in guaranteeing more opportunities to citizens regardless of their familiar starting conditions (more defamiliarized countries). We further show that the intergenerational mobility significantly shapes the attitude towards tax payment only among individuals who claim for independence from their family context (i.e. those showing less family ties). This evidence remarks the importance to foster intergenerational mobility to build a more tax-compliant society.Originality/valueWe revisit the linkage between attitude toward tax compliance and inequality, on the light of the intergenerational labor mobility, that may be seen as the dependence between children's and parents' earnings. Given the insights from the existing studies, this paper represents the first empirical work that aims to analyze the potential relationship between intergenerational mobility and personal attitude toward tax payment across European citizens.

Becoming European: Mid- and Short-Term Development of a European Identity Among Adolescents

ABSTRACT European identity formation is a component of political identity and linked to the support of European institutions and values. To understand how it develops, we examined three processes of identity formation (commitment, in-depth exploration, and reconsideration of commitment) on a short- and mid-term time scale, and their interrelations. A total of 371 German adolescents (M age = 14.24, SD age = 0.55, 60.37% females) participated in a longitudinal study and in a ten-day daily diary study. We conducted latent growth curve analysis (LGCM) and assessed rank-order stability and profile similarity for both time scales. Next, conditional LGCMs were run to examine associations of both time scales. We found a significant increase of all identity processes from the beginning to the middle of the school year and a significant decrease from the middle to the end of the school year. Across 10 days, growth curves varied according to the identity process. Stabilities were high for both time scales. Commitment at the beginning of the school year was negatively associated with fluctuations in commitment. Our results highlight the importance of examining different time scales and focusing on specific domains for understanding identity development in adolescence. They further indicate that short-term processes are associated with long-term development.

Data as a Contested Commodity

Abstract Data are undoubtedly a contested commodity. On the one hand, data commodification is largely under way including through the operation of law. This is notably visible with the new EU data policy (Data Strategy notably followed by the Data Act, the Data Governance Act) that aims to establish data markets in keeping with European values. On the other hand, this phenomenon is heavily contested based on a wide range of different arguments, which have not been subjected to a systematic clustering. Data commodification is often understood simplistically as a binary and monolithic phenomenon whereby data would be either ‘commodified’ or not. This leads to misunderstandings of this phenomenon and of the ways in which it manifests. For example, many conceptual misunderstandings surround the relationship between ‘data access’ or ‘data sharing’ and data commodification and markets. This paper clarifies the phenomenon of data commodification, by approaching it as a spectrum with degrees following M. J. Radin (Contested Commodities, 1996). Following Radin, the paper clusters the different data governance arguments – or even paradigms – found in the literature along a data commodification spectrum. A specific attention is paid to the importance of market discourses in commodification dynamics, especially on the law. The paper offers a novel systematic synthesis of the data governance normative arguments, including data commons, data trusts, data sharing, data intermediation, against the background of the data commodification phenomenon. This synthesis brings conceptual clarity and allows to bring together different strands of the data literature (especially welfare economics, law and economics, commons, critical data studies, infrastructure studies) comprehensively, while they have until now remained siloed. Data governance normative arguments would greatly benefit from taking into account (conceptual and/or normative) arguments found in other strands of the literature. The paper can also be used to evaluate how data governance arguments or legislations relate to data commodification and take into account the specificities of data, thus enabling for more systematic analysis. The paper finds that data is actually a very contested commodity: The very conceptualization of data as a commodity is ontologically contestable. The framework in which situations are conceptualized – whether as data market ones or not – can indeed play a powerful but often invisible discursive role on commodification dynamics. Finally, the very identification and regulation of ‘data’ alone necessarily brings about certain commodification affordances.

Prioritization of chemical food safety hazards in the European feed supply chain.

Extensive monitoring programs of chemical hazards in the animal feed chain are in place, both organized by public and private organizations. The objective of this review was to prioritize chemical hazards for monitoring in the European animal feed supply chain. A step-wise approach was designed for the prioritization, based on: historical occurrence of the chemicals in animal feed ingredients and animal feeds (in relation to European guidance values or maximum limits in feed); information on transfer of the chemical to edible animal products, and; the extent of human dietary intake of the products and possible adverse human health effects of the chemical. Possible prioritization outcomes were: high (H), medium (M), or low (L) priority for monitoring, or classification not possible (NC) because of limited available data on the transfer of the chemical to edible animal tissues. The selection of chemicals included (with results in parentheses): dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (H); brominated flame retardants (H); per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (H); the heavy metals arsenic (H) and cadmium (H) as well as lead (M) and mercury (M); aflatoxins (H), ochratoxin A (NC), and other mycotoxins (L); pyrrolizidine alkaloids (H) and other plant toxins (NC); organochlorine pesticides (H) and other pesticides (L); pharmaceutically active substances (M); hormones (NC); polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (L), heat-induced processing contaminants (NC), and mineral oils (NC). Results of this study can be used to support risk-based monitoring by food safety authorities and feed-producing companies in Europe.

Political image of Geert Wilders: Analysis of populist message on social media platform X

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The aim is to analyze Geert Wilders’ activity on platform X (formerly Twitter), with the research aiming to better understand the influence of social media on contemporary politics, the image of political leaders, and the dynamics of relations between politicians and society. THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHODS: The research problem is to understand how populist political leaders, such as Geert Wilders, utilize social media, particularly platform X, to shape their political image, promote their agenda, and build relationships with voters. The research method relies on discourse analysis of selected cases (e.g., controversial posts) to understand the rhetorical strategies used by Geert Wilders. This method enables a deep understanding of the use of emotional and provocative language for mobilizing supporters and building a political image. THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: The first step was an attempt to define the relationship between the development of digital communication tools and the rise of populism. Then, characteristic elements from Geert Wilders’ biography contributing to his public image as a politician were described. The final part concerns selected elements of political narrative published on platform X. RESEARCH RESULTS: The analysis of Geert Wilders’ statements on social media platform X reveals a coherent communication strategy aimed at building his image as a strong leader fighting for national interests and European values. CONCLUSIONS, INNOVATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS: This analysis also underscores the significance of social media in today’s politics and the innovative potential in the realm of online political communication. It is recommended to implement media education to increase public awareness of politicians’ communication strategies and their impact on society.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind? UK–EU Member States Bilateralism as an Enabler of Europeanisation

AbstractWhilst an extensive scholarship has questioned the role of the United Kingdom in multilateral and mini‐lateral venues, less attention has been devoted to the signature of 24 bilateral declarations between the United Kingdom and EU member states from 2021 to 2023. Bilateralism has indeed been one of the preferred UK strategies to achieve foreign policy co‐ordination with EU member states post‐Brexit. Questioning the intentionality of the United Kingdom in initiating and investing these arrangements, we find that despite the clear attempts to deEUise its foreign policy, we are also not witnessing purposes of de‐Europeanisation that would imply a repudiation of European shared values, a divergence from common priorities and an end to social encounters between UK and EU member states' officials. Instead, through a frame analysis of these declarations and interviews, we highlight that bilateralism has enabled continued Europeanisation, even though to a lesser extent in comparison with the pre‐Brexit situation. Closer relations with European capitals are thus enabling Europeanisation of UK foreign policy to persist. In other words, we conclude that whilst there has been, on the side of the United Kingdom, a repudiation of the EU as a political entity, there has been no rejection of common European values and priorities, which remain shared with EU member states.

Правова заборона як метод обмеження політичної влади

The issue of legal prohibitions in national and European law has a pronounced interdisciplinary content. The modern Ukrainian environment, through which the legal values of European (Euro-Atlantic) and universal civilizations – principles, norms, institutions, sources of law, legal procedures, etc. – are “refracted” (“passed through”), is quite heterogeneous and contradictory, and this cannot but affect the peculiarities of Ukrainian law. These problems include, in particular, the absence, unlike in many European countries, of an explicit enshrinement of the principle of proportionality in the Constitution of Ukraine. This refers to the balance, proportionality of public interests and the interests of an individual in case of need to restrict his or her rights; excessive restrictions on human rights; distortion of the essence of the restricted rights; failure to comply with ECHR judgments at the “home level”; examples of risks when both the purpose and the means are inadequate to the specific situation requiring such a restriction, i.e., in an acceptable ratio to the weight and importance of the fundamental right. The author suggests the following areas of legal measures’ effectiveness: bringing regulations in line with international standards; further improvement of legislation; bringing restrictions of different levels (interstate, national, municipal) into the system; social justification and scientific validity of their establishment and use; increasing the legality and effectiveness of restrictions in the exercise of law; creation of real guarantees of lawful implementation of restrictive measures; legal education and legal education for all segments of the population. The prospects opened up for Ukraine in connection with its EU candidate status require not only further adaptation of Ukrainian legislation to the EU legal framework, continuation of reforms of the judicial system, law enforcement agencies, etc., but also a significant change in legal awareness, legal mentality and legal thinking of both ordinary Ukrainian citizens and, above all, public officials, judges, law enforcement officers, etc.Without such a change, these prospects may not be realized. It is stated that Ukraine’s heroic struggle against the Russian military invasion for freedom and independence significantly accelerated the formation of a full-fledged modern political Ukrainian nation. The war proved that an excessive focus on regional differences based on the principle of “what difference does it make” whether certain regions profess Soviet, national Ukrainian, or European values is futile. Of course, we are not talking about forming the same views on historical events or contemporary problems for all people, let alone the same type of thinking, which is what all totalitarian regimes have sought. The point is that, despite all the regional differences that are inherent in almost all states, the basic, fundamental values that define national identity should be common to all regions of the state. Modern history knows of no examples of democratic and legal states being built along different civilizational vectors. This is typical only for empire states, whose fate ultimately ends in the same way – in catastrophe.

European football club market value and sporting performance: the moderating effect of player transfers, fans engagement and coaching changes

PurposeThis paper investigates the relationship between sporting performance and the market value of European football clubs, with a particular focus on the moderating effect of player transfers, fan engagement and coaching changes.Design/methodology/approachUsing a Cross-Sectional Augmented Auto Regressive Distributed Lagged Model (CS-ARDL), we analyze a decade of data (2013–2023) from fourteen prominent clubs across ten European leagues.FindingsOur findings confirm a strong positive correlation between sporting performance and market value in European football clubs. Furthermore, the research reveals that strategic player transfers and high fan engagement significantly amplify the positive impact of on-field success on a club's valuation. Interestingly, coaching changes do not exhibit a significant moderating effect on this relationship.Research limitations/implicationsThese findings carry significant economic implications for the football industry, underscoring sporting success as not only a driver of economic growth and social development but also a vital source of funding for clubs seeking to further invest in talent, infrastructure and fan engagement initiatives.Originality/valueThis study makes a novel contribution to the existing literature by providing a comprehensive analysis of the intricate relationship between sporting performance, market value and the moderating roles of player transfers, fan engagement and coaching changes within the European football landscape. Moreover, the research offers unique insights into investor behavior and the factors influencing investment decisions, enriching our understanding of the complex dynamics driving the football market.

Efficacy and Growth Performance between Two Different Ionophore Coccidiostats (Narasin and Salinomycin) in Broiler Chickens after Challenge with Eimeria spp.

The objective of this study was primarily to assess the different performance impacts of two ionophore coccidiostats (narasin and salinomycin) used to manage coccidiosis. While both products may be efficacious in controlling disease challenges, previous literature has suggested that some ionophores are less well tolerated by the broiler chickens. In this study, we were particularly interested to know how the use of different coccidiostat programs translates into broiler health and performance, as measured by zootechnical parameters such as the feed conversion ratio, average daily gain, and final body weight. A total of 352 male Ross 308 one-day-old broilers were randomly divided into two treatment groups (T1 and T2). Treatment 1 included a basal diet (BD) + nicarbazin/narasin (Maxiban®, Elanco) at 100 ppm 0-24 days, narasin at 70 ppm 25-42 days, and (2) Treatment 2 included basal diet + nicarbazin/narasin at 100 ppm 0-24 days, salinomycin (Sacox®, Huvepharma) at 70 ppm 25-42 days. Efficacy and performance parameters, slaughter analysis, dry matter (DM) in litter, and intestinal integrity (I2) were measured for the broilers from both treatment groups. The findings demonstrated more favorable results for broilers reared in the group diet fed with narasin (in the finisher phase), including higher daily body weight gain, higher final body weight, lower feed conversion ratio value (improved feed efficiency), and higher European Production Efficiency Factor value, compared with the salinomycin-supplemented group.

The Main Security Challenges and Threats in the Western Balkans and Possible Model for Solving Them in the Process of European Integration

In a narrower sense, within the geo-political jargon of the European Union, the term “Western Balkans” is used alongside the term “Southeast Europe”. The Western Balkans encompasses the former Yugoslav countries of Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and Kosovo, excluding Slovenia but including Albania. After the dissolution of the former Yugoslavia, objective reasons emerged that prompted the need for new forms of cooperation between the new and existing countries in order to promote reconciliation and stabilise the Western Balkans. NATO and the EU played a predominant role in this process, along with certain Member States of these international organisations. The aggression by Russia against Ukraine on 24th February 2022, the situation in the Middle East, and the complexity of relations between China and the United States regarding Taiwan have compelled all European countries to recognise that these conflicts pose an immediate threat to European security. Analysing the foreign policy aspects and their impact on regional security, it is essential to highlight that the Western Balkans is characterised by weak governance, a fragile civil society, and geopolitical disputes. These internal and regional factors make the region highly susceptible to local and external disinformation campaigns. On the other hand, China represents a significant global partner for Serbia, and it is important to point out that since 2016, investments from China have been accelerating and also that in the period from 2016 to 2023, about 96% of the total investments were made, a total of 5.3 billion euros, and that in each of those years, China was among the five most important investors in Serbia (Politika, 7th May 2024). As the most influential state economically and politically in the Western Balkans, Serbia has the potential to influence other countries in the region toward alternative centres of power. The latest NATO Strategic Concept, adopted in Madrid in 2022, emphasises the strategic importance of the Western Balkans and the Black Sea region for the Alliance, and NATO has expressed its readiness to continue supporting the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of interested countries in these regions. The Berlin Process (BP) is an intergovernmental initiative aimed at connecting the Western Balkan countries (WB6) with the European Union and facilitating the development of mutual relations based on European values. The focus of the process lies in high-level cooperation between WB6 officials and their EU partners. It also involves EU institutions, international financial institutions, civil society, youth, and businesses in the region. One of the significant advantages of the Berlin Process is the financing of planned and assumed commitments from EU funds, unlike most other initiatives where states finance their participation from their own budgets.

Left–right political orientation fails to explain environmental attitudes of Europeans outside Western Europe: exploring the moderating role of party positions and issue salience

ABSTRACT While conventional wisdom holds that right-wing individuals tend to present more negative attitudes toward environmental protection, McCright and colleagues find no clear relationship between political ideology and environmental attitudes in Central and Eastern Europe. The reason for this finding remains speculative. Our study expands on this phenomenon by exploring how party competition and, thereby, parties’ focus on a specific issue moderate this ideology-environment link at an individual level across 28 European countries. Using individual level-data from the European Value Study and party-level estimates from the Chapel Hill Expert Survey, our findings emphasize that respondents’ political orientation predicts their environmental attitudes more strongly when their preferred party prioritizes environmental issues. Notably, the left-right connection weakens when parties downplay environmental concerns, revealing why such issues have less impact in Central and Eastern, and Southern European political landscapes. This underscores the contextual boundaries of political ideology’s explanatory power in diverse political arrangements.

Potential of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for prediction of acrylamide formation in French fries in the potato breeding process

Breeding goals of potatoes for deep-frying purposes include high starch contents, good suitability for long-term storage, and low tendency to form reducing sugars as acrylamide precursors. Due to the extensive number of samples, an accurate analysis of acrylamide in French fries and its precursors in tubers is difficult to implement in the breeding process. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the suitability of NIRS measurements after minimal sample processing for the prediction of reducing sugar contents in the tubers or acrylamide contents in French fries. An external validation with more than 650 samples consisting of 194 potato genotypes resulted in a prediction accuracy of 51 % for acrylamide and 76 % for reducing sugar content. RPD values of less than 1.5 for acrylamide and between 1.64 and 2.23 for reducing sugar prediction rendered low medium to medium model quality. Nevertheless, acrylamide prediction models based on NIRS measurement of mashed tubers categorised over 80 % of unknown samples correctly as being below or above the European threshold value, indicating suitability as rapid test procedure in the breeding process.