Opening address of editor-in-chief.

Prices slump in the world oil markets in the second half of 2014 significantly damaged Russian economy. It became clear that something should be done. The article formulates the main directions and organizational model of forming the system of the EAEU oil and oil products markets. In fact, given the importance of budget revenues and corporate income from the crude oil and oil products sales (including relationship with the national currency exchange rate), it is a question of ensuring national security of our friendly countries through the joint regulation of the union oil markets by the states — the EAEU members. The EAEU system of oil and oil products markets (in the short term, the common EAEU market of oil and oil products) — is not only a mechanism of a certain commodities turnover management, but also a tool supporting the national currency exchange rate, the volume of gold and currency reserves, social programs realization and, therefore, a guarantee of their sustainability development.

The article examines the possibility of increasing the share of economic entities of the EAEU countries in global value chains (GVC) formation; it indicates that in the form in which the GVC are recommended by OECD and WTO experts, they meet the requirements of exclusively monopolar configuration of the world economy, where the leader is the USA. The paper considers the possibility of introducing GVC onto the territory of the EAEU countries on the basis of the possibility of full resource provision and the aim of realizing national interests of the economic structure optimization under the oil prices fall as a national interest. Attention is focused on the fact that national economies’ participation in GVC should be accompanied by increase of their controllability, by solving their development problems even under stringent conditions of the world economic situation. Permissible dependence on external factors due to participation in the GVC should be calculated and should be levelled by the state regulation possibilities (and sometimes by direct control) and compensated (in an emergency) by internal resource potential in case of foreign counterparties failure to fulfill their obligations. This does not exclude feasibility of regulating business and investment climate in order to increase its attractiveness for both domestic and foreign counterparties. Optimization of foreign direct investment process and international economic cooperation should be aimed at the EAEU real sector development.

The paper examines current state of affairs in Russian-Serbian trade relations, investment and economic ties in order to evaluate the prospects of bilateral and multilateral (within the EEU format) cooperation. On the base of comparative analysis of interim and final indicators of Serbia’s participation in international and regional economic organizations, the article designates priority development trends and directions for the country.

International Strategic Research Organization (USAK) in Ankara — the leading independent analytic center in the region, specializing in such areas as international relations, international energy security, the Middle East, the Eurasian market, the Asia-Pacific region, the USA, the European Union, the Balkans, terrorism and international law. Kerim Khas, the USAK expert on Eurasian policy, revealed his views on the prospects of Eurasian integration processes, noting in particular that “if the major projects of the EAEU strategic development are carried out, the association will become unprecedentedly profitable for its members”.

During the conversation with a French expert on international issues, general director of consulting company “LinkIt Vostok”, author of the book “The New Great Russia”, founder of analytical Internet portal Stratpol.com Xavier Moreau the issues of financial integration within the EAEU, preservation of national identity, and many other questions were discussed.

The present-day crediting is a social technology of fail-free individual involving in the system of imposed consumption. In the basis of technology there is a manipulation based on separation of purchase and payment, which dulls the sense of responsibility and risk perception. Crediting intensifies consumption, contributes to maximize corporate profits, but also simulates the desired social structure. The price of such economic and social upward distortions, sooner or later, is paid in a form of consumer credit crisis and massive social defaults, which happened in Russia in 2015. It’s an illusion to associate these processes only with sanctions and the geopolitical situation in which Russia finds itself today. Persistent symptoms, that the population has gained too much credit and that in the short term it will cause big problems not only for banks but also for the state, appeared in 2013. In 2013 nobody could imagine the sanctions, events in the Ukraine and the Crimea, future attempts of Russia’s geopolitical isolation. But experts were persistently saying that, if crediting continues at the same rate, in 2015 massive defaults on unsecured retail loans may occur.

The article examines the life expectancy dynamics in Russia in its historic perspective. It analyzes its differences in men and women. The main attention is paid to studying the causes of extremely low life span in Russia compared to other countries. The paper substantiates the ways of priority increasing not only common but also healthy life time, which largely determines the retirement age.

This article discusses changes in the institution of family and the birth rate in our country in the context of global trends. With the strengthening of attitudes on one child the family with several children depreciates. It leads to the loss of attractiveness of family-children lifestyle in comparison with single-bachelor existence.

At the next session of the UN General Assembly, Japan will be introducing a new draft resolution on the total elimination of nuclear weapons. This was stated by Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe at the ceremony to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. Along with that this country returns to using nuclear power plants. Fundamental principles of safety of nuclear power plants has been formed for decades, including on the basis of experience of previous accidents. The accident at NPP “Fukushima-1” had an impact on global energy markets. On nuclear safety and other relevant issues of nuclear energy development and the risks in an interview with Alexander Ageev told Vice President Nuclear Energy Marketing Department of Corporation Mitsubishi Electric Shunji Kurita.