The article is devoted to Professor Ryszard Borowicz, his research and critical analysis of the changes taking place in the Polish higher education. Ryszard Borowicz was their researcher, witness and participant, as well as, in many aspects, also their co-author, fulfilling many political, management and social functions in that period. The article aims to analyze the transformation of the Polish higher education from the point of view of Borowicz’s critical position, whose research interests were centred on revealing hidden forms of inequality in access to education. The analysis presented in this article is concentrated on the three most import_ant processes: (a) massification of higher education, (b) marketisation of higher education and (c) demographic decline as the most import_ant factors influencing the availability and quality of the education offered by the Polish higher education institutions. The text contains references to a large number of disputes and debates that I had with Professor Ryszard Borowicz throughout the past decade, for which unfortunately I did not manage to thank him.

The organized crime in Poland after 1989 – Pruszkow and Wolomin

The collapse of the Eastern Bloc in 1989 has led to meaningful social, political and economic transformations. The destabilization of polish country, during changes in political system, started the development of the organized crime, abusing the authority and investigative authorities’ weakness. The 90’s are the greatest time of two, coming from Warsaw, groups, which managed to subordinate the whole criminal country – Pruszkow and Wolomin. The “mafia decade” of Pruszkow and Wolomin is the time of: earning enormous fortune, spectacular events and extremely bloody war, carrying a huge number of victims. 90’s is also the time of using experience in creating effective system of fighting against organized crime. Introducing in 1997 the term of crown witness – “apologetic criminal” became the decisive moment. Spectacular end of Pruszkow was the effect of the statement of crown witness – gangsters aggravating their cooperatives. It is all mostly about Jaroslaw Sokolowski, nickname “Masa”. His statement appeared crucial during investigations at the most important members of Pruszkow’s group. Sokolowski`s “flawlessness” as a crown witness, is not clear, in spite 20 years lasted from mentioned incident. The case of Pruszkow and Wolomin presents the danger for country`s safety, what comes from the side of organized crime, during political transformation.

Generational Specificity of Socio-Political Transformation in Georgia: Between Tradition and Modernity

The article’s purpose is to analyse the generational transformation and outline the characteristics of individual generations. Moreover, the concept of V. Papava indicating generational trends was juxtaposed. The analysis characterises the young generation of Georgians in relation to other generations. I used research methods to solve this research problem based partly on secondary sources. The basic research methods used in the article are the method of analysing existing data and the comparative method, which allowed for juxtaposing the division into generations proposed by V. Papava with the general characteristics of global generation trends. Secondary statistical data studies from the Caucasus Research Resource Center completed the other methods, allowing for a more in-depth analysis of the generations. This article is a snapshot of studies on the generational transformation of Georgian society and is part of a series of articles on the young generation of Georgians and their opinions about democracy and democratisation.

Problems of the theory and practice of valuation of companies in the Kyrgyz Republic

Since the inception of the Kyrgyz Republic as an independent and sovereign state in 1991 processes of market transformation aimed at reforming the economic mechanisms continue in this country. Started as a result of privatization in the early stages of reforms, playing a key role in the de-monopolization of the Kyrgyz economy the process aiming to create a class of independent business and company owners continues. The author of this article tries to analyze the development of the practice of valuation of companies in Kyrgyzstan and presents suggestions of changes intended to create suitable legal conditions for these purposes.

Polish journalism towards the independence transformations in Ukraine in 1988 – 1994

Ukraine, as a prominent republic of the Soviet Union, and – after disintegration of the USSR – a sovereign country playing a significant role in the geopolitics of the Central Eastern Europe, has been an important object of Polish journalists’ interest. The analysis of the texts and comments in the Polish press between 1988 and 1994 about emancipation transformations in Ukraine and social, political and economic issues of this country in the first period of its independence leads to conclusion that the public discussion participants have had positive and corroborative attitude towards the emancipation of the Ukrainians. Providing opportunities and threats in achieving the actual and solid independence of that republic the commentators express their opinions carefully. As the main obstacles they stress the imperialist ambitions of Russia, the problem of maintaining the territorial integrity of the state, the economic crisis related to the collapse of the Soviet economy and the consequences of exercising power by the post Soviet party apparatus representatives. The publicists claim, the first period of Ukrainian’s independence closed the conversion of Ukraine to the integration with Russia.

Analysis and evaluation of the economic achievements of Polish in the years 1989 – 2015

The article presents a brief overview of the balance of the effects of the economic transformation in Poland, in the last 25 years. The text of the article consists of three parts. Firstly, a brief description of the circumstances of the legislation constituting the foundation for the construction of a capitalist economy in Poland. The second part is to present Polish macroeconomic indicators compared to selected other countries. The third part is the presentation of data on the impact of economic development on the Polish living standards of the country. On the basis of this analysis conclusions were drawn. They concern the Polish economic growth compared to other post-socialist countries, and the material situation of the Polish population

In the past decade, the inventory of concepts from the sphere of educational, social and political writings has been enriched with the new concept of the role of education in the post-communist transformation in Poland and other countries of Middle and Eastern Europe. Polish membership in the European Union has contained a long list of various social, cultural, education and/or political problems related to Polish accession to the European Community. In recent years after the events of 1989, until the Polish accession to the EU, a mismatch between the system of education and the system of market economy has become a universal phenomenon in Poland. Unfortunately, there are also signs indicating that the educational expansion does not mean a superior role of the human factor in the socio-economic development of society. As a result, the young generation manifest dissatisfaction and very often frustration generated by their difficulties in fulfilling their social and professional aspirations. This paper discusses selected social aspects and consequences of increased possibilities of transforming educational and economic reality in Post-communist Poland, at the time of the global asymmetry. Constant search for solutions to the problem of young people’s successful preparation for work and life in the market economy of the 21st century, as well as for their proficiency in maintaining contacts with financial institutions constitutes focal interest of this draft . It includes analyses of the possible development of social infrastructure, which is bound to shape ‘the education for tomorrow’.

From decentralization to (re)centralization. Policies of those in power towards local governments in Poland after 2015

For Poland, the turn of the 1980s and 1990s for Poland was the beginning of a profound systemic change dubbed transformation. As the result of multifaceted alterations, a new political system was shaped based on the patterns, standards and principles on which democratic states and societies base their organization and functioning. The principle of decentralization determined the direction and nature of changes in the construction of the administrative apparatus of the state, so that its bodies and institutions could perform the assigned tasks and functions in a practical manner. Local governments became a significant component of the new structure of public authorities, and they were entrusted with the implementation of the part of public tasks which directly concerned local and regional communities. And although Polish local governments were not free from defects, and the implementation of tasks caused tensions between the state and local governments, until 2015 the principle of decentralization was respected by those in power. However, the elections in 2015 brought a change, and the new ruling party revealed its actual attitude to state governance, including all forms of local government.

The process of settling accounts with the communist past is an answer to the question for countries that are leaving communism through peaceful negotiations with the authorities. In the case of the Polish control system, the first non-communist introduction by Tadeusz Mazowiecki, which is used as the socalled ‘thick line’, it leaked that the problem of lustration and decommunization had been postponed. In the subsequent years of the 1990s, verification tests among people performing the most important functions ended in failure. The most serious consequences occurred in the attempt to implement the lustration resolution by the Sejm in May 1992, which resulted from the failure of Jan Olszewski’s actions. The first lustration act was issued in Poland only in 1997.

The changes that have taken place in Poland since 1989 reveal real problems whose solution depends on civic awareness, i.e. on understanding what a democratic legal state is and what role human rights play in it. Given the threats posed by various populisms, also the manipulation of the concepts of: nation, homeland, citizen, patriot, common good, etc., society may not notice how the normative state is turning into a prerogative state. An important role is played by knowledge and understanding of the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland of 2 April 1997, not only by lawyers, but by the whole of society and, perhaps above all, by the various levels of power, both legislative, executive and judicial. This also applies to local authorities, economic and social entities. Universal civic education and the everyday practice of democracy and human rights are essential. Over the past thirty-five years, there has been a slow change in the mentality of Poles, especially among the younger generation. People born in European Poland support a civil state in which human rights are respected. Paradoxically, the last eight years of PiS rule have contributed to an awareness of the role of law, including human rights, and a willingness to learn about the Constitution of the Republic of Poland. It is also important that the language of a democratic rule of law is back on track.

Learning plays a crucial role in overcoming difficulties and breakdowns caused by climate change. Sustainability which means giving support or relief to the planet is the focal issue of the paper. It is presented from the perspective of the last over 50 years. Several theories set the stage for learning recommendations, including Freire’s Pedagogy of Hope, the critical theory and transformative sustainability learning. The hope for a better understanding of the nature of challenges that lie ahead, stronger involvement and more creative innovations initiated by humanity is expressed in the context of expected changes to be considered in scholarship and beyond.