This book assesses the quality of democracy through the study of organized interests in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) since the collapse of communism in 1989 up to 2017. It offers a much-needed comprehensive look into formal interest representation in CEE countries and compares this with the model in Western democracies. Drawing on democratic theory and comparative analysis, the authors explore the effects of a legal framework, political as well as social contexts. The volume contributes to debates on the performance of young democracies in CEE, where scholars argue that there is a 'democratic crisis' and democratic fatigue while the interest group system is often labelled as weak and, in some cases, underdeveloped. Although great efforts have been made to deepen our understanding of interest organization and lobbying tools, the current literature fails to provide a comprehensive answer on the influence of unsupportive environments on population ecology. The case of CEE countries shows significant effects of political and social contexts on interest representation, stimulating a debate about the quality of democratic institutions following the collapse of communism.

- provides a useful historical overview of rope guidance in Poland and other countries. - discusses research on the conveyance's behavior in shafts with rope guidance. - offers a precise description of the technical solution of the retractable guidance system for engineers and constructors - presents a system that one could buy or construct oneself.

Shaft sinking for underground transportation purposes is a very complex technological process in mining and geotechnology which requires specific and specially designed technological equipment. This technological process is dealt with for a long time, since mining is one of the oldest industries in the world. This book presents the technical papers that were presented at the International Mining Forum 2015. The International Mining Forum (IMF) is a meeting place of scientists and professionals who are engaged in confronting ideas and experience, evaluating solutions implemented, and discussing new ideas that might change the image of the mining industry. The IMF is an international activity of the School of Underground Mining, the major branch event organized both by the Mineral & Energy Economy Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences and AGH-University of Science & Technology of Cracow, which gathering approximately 500 people from Poland and other countries every year. This year's edition of the International Mining Forum was related to specialistic underground construction. Experts presented papers related to the implementation and operation of the vertical and decline shafts. Experience from China, Germany, Serbia, Slovenia and Poland were shared at the meeting. The topics of papers submitted include: Application of TBM for driving declines shafts State-of-the-Art in Blind Shaft Drilling Ground freezing Technology of shaft sinking in low-strength rocks and high natural hazards probabilities Static calculations of the shaft linings Determinants of forecasting deformation in a shaft

Shaft sinking for underground transportation purposes is a very complex technological process in mining and geotechnology which requires specific and specially designed technological equipment. This technological process is dealt with for a long time, since mining is one of the oldest industries in the world. This book presents the technical papers that were presented at the International Mining Forum 2015. The International Mining Forum (IMF) is a meeting place of scientists and professionals who are engaged in confronting ideas and experience, evaluating solutions implemented, and discussing new ideas that might change the image of the mining industry. The IMF is an international activity of the School of Underground Mining, the major branch event organized both by the Mineral & Energy Economy Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences and AGH-University of Science & Technology of Cracow, which gathering approximately 500 people from Poland and other countries every year. This year's edition of the International Mining Forum was related to specialistic underground construction. Experts presented papers related to the implementation and operation of the vertical and decline shafts. Experience from China, Germany, Serbia, Slovenia and Poland were shared at the meeting. The topics of papers submitted include: Application of TBM for driving declines shafts State-of-the-Art in Blind Shaft Drilling Ground freezing Technology of shaft sinking in low-strength rocks and high natural hazards probabilities Static calculations of the shaft linings Determinants of forecasting deformation in a shaft

This book assesses the quality of democracy through the study of organized interests in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) since the collapse of communism in 1989 up to 2017. It offers a much-needed comprehensive look into formal interest representation in CEE countries and compares this with the model in Western democracies. Drawing on democratic theory and comparative analysis, the authors explore the effects of a legal framework, political as well as social contexts. The volume contributes to debates on the performance of young democracies in CEE, where scholars argue that there is a 'democratic crisis' and democratic fatigue while the interest group system is often labelled as weak and, in some cases, underdeveloped. Although great efforts have been made to deepen our understanding of interest organization and lobbying tools, the current literature fails to provide a comprehensive answer on the influence of unsupportive environments on population ecology. The case of CEE countries shows significant effects of political and social contexts on interest representation, stimulating a debate about the quality of democratic institutions following the collapse of communism.