<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
This study provides an in-depth examination of the legal bases for current asset freezes in the European Union (EU) and the United States (US), and how these differ from confiscations of Russian state assets. It explores the evolving political deliberations that have led to new goals of making reparations to Ukraine, which has suffered extensive damage estimated at more than 600 billion euros as a result of Russia's invasion. The primary focus of this study is on the potential confiscation of frozen state assets of Russia as a means to achieve reparations. Western governments have initiated comprehensive assessments of avenues to perform permanent asset seizures, with the overarching goal of strengthening the tracing, identification, freezing and management of assets as preliminary steps for potential confiscation. The study discusses the legislative pitfalls associated with sovereign asset confiscation, its challenges and limitations. It highlights how the principle of sovereign equality of states can hinder such actions, protecting the assets of Russia's central bank from court proceedings and execution in another state. Despite Russia's actions contravening the fundamental norms of international law, interpretations of customary international law maintain Russia's immunity from legal proceedings in foreign courts. Therefore, it can be concluded that there are no legal bases for the expropriation of Russian sovereign assets.
</abstract>

Legal Basis of Sanctions against Russia and Asset Confiscation

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
The aim of the study is to describe the criminological framework of crime forecasting based on special literature, practice materials and research. Analytical, synthesis, inductive, deductive and descriptive research methods are used in the article. The authors conclude that the development of full, comprehensive and highly reliable crime forecasts is a laborious and complex process. Predictive measures should be designed in a more urgent manner – this might encompass the reporting of anticipated crimes in advance, as well as the indication of changes in the overall structure of crime and dangerous trends of a specific type of crime. Consequently, there must be a warning effect in order to prevent possible adverse trends.
</abstract>

Crime Forecasting in the Digital Age: A Theoretical Framework

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
International investment law protects investors from unlawful expropriation of investments by the host state. This article focuses on the problems of protection of investors against such unlawful actions by the state and the possible application of the right to property which is established in the European Convention on Human Rights as the possible defence mechanism. The purpose of this study is to assess whether, in cases of expropriation of investments, investors may effectively defend before the national tribunals relying on Article 1 of the Protocol 1 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The authors analyse complicated questions related to this problem, namely, whether investment shall be full under the notion of “property” under the said international convention, what kind of protection may be provided in case of expropriation of investment in the European Union Member States and how investors shall be compensated against the violation of their right to property in such cases. The authors use comparative, systematic analysis of deductive methods for the assessment of the relevant sources and formulation of the conclusions and proposals. The authors found that though the right to property under the European Convention on Human Rights protects foreign investments against expropriation, one of the most problematic issues related to the application of the right to property under this act in investment disputes is the question of fair compensation to investors.
</abstract>

Protection against expropriation of investments under the European Convention on human rights

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
The article is devoted to the study of the notion of provisional measures under Article 35 of the Brussels Ibis Regulation. The purpose of the study is to analyse the jurisdictional grounds for the application of provisional measures by courts of the Member States of the European Union. The authors argue that the Brussels Ibis Regulation establishes a dual-track jurisdictional system for the application of provisional measures in cases where the court is seised of the merits of the case and when the court is not seised of the merits of the case. The application of both bases for provisional measures is consistent with the principle of lis pendens, and therefore if the court that was the first to hear the first application for interim relief has priority to apply such measures.
The analysis was based on the scientific literature on the peculiarities of the application of provisional measures and case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union. The following methods were used to write the article: analysis, systematic, and legal interpretation.
</abstract>

Effective Application of Provisional Measures under the Brussels Ibis Regulation

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
This article discusses the importance of free movement and the coordinating social law of the European Union (EU) in ensuring that people who move between EU Member States are not left without social security coverage. The article explains that the EU does not have a uniform or common social law and that the responsibility for social policy primarily lies with the Member States. The coordinating social law of the EU is limited to the coordination of the various social security systems of the Member States. The article further explains that the coordination of social security systems is essential for the success of European integration and emphasises that the EU Member States are bound by both the basic Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 and the implementing Regulation (EC) No 987/2009. After a primary law derivation of the social law coordination, the article explains the scope of application and the key principles of Regulation (EC) 883/2004. This is followed by a discussion of the Regulation's conflict-of-law rules, which take precedence over national provisions.
</abstract>

Basic Principles of European Social Security Coordination based on Regulation (EC) 883/2004

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
This article's main aims are to explore, consider and analyse various sources of law to identify the essence and importance of the established judicial cooperation system in the European Union (EU) for effective countering of EU threats and crime. During the research, various sources of European Union Law, case law, constitutional law, etc. were explored and considered, by using the analysis method as well as the comparative and synthesis methods. The article reviews the development of the existing system of judicial cooperation in criminal matters in the EU demonstrating the importance of the mutual trust involved in the combating of cross-border crime in the EU. Further, it assesses the effectiveness of the existing institute of judicial cooperation in criminal matters in view of combating cross-border crime, in addition to demonstrating the current normative system in the field of judicial cooperation in criminal matters of the EU and its connective side with national criminal justice systems. The main research results highlight the necessity for supplementing the legal framework of judicial cooperation in criminal matters with a clear definition of the following terms: cross-border crime and offences with a foreign element, as well as the term foreign element in the context of judicial cooperation in criminal matters; the results also shed light on the fact that it is essential to adopt a new legal framework on the transfer of criminal proceedings. Finally, for more effective cooperation among Member States, it is necessary to approach a common way of the interpretation of the legal acts facilitating correct application and implementation of judicial cooperation in criminal matters instruments in the EU.
</abstract>

The importance of judicial cooperation in criminal matters in the European Union with a special focus on countering EU threats and crime more effectively

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
In today’s digital interconnectedness, data regulation in South Asia, particularly in India and Pakistan, is transforming into a state where profound changes are occurring. This article deals with the contrastive analysis of personal data-protection laws in the two countries, with the aim of revealing the points of convergence and divergence and the reasons that either support or reject unification. Different approaches led to the development of these standards, which encompass varying levels of scope, complexity and risk. The methodology prescribes reviewing and assessing the existing laws and proposing their legislative development. The research exposes the inefficiency in the legislative aspect of dealing with the rising demand for an adequate regulatory framework for data-protection measures. The wisdom drawn from this examination bestows priceless advice on Politian’s, legal experts and all involved parties who are concerned about data protection in the context of digital connections. International best practices can be adapted to inform reforms of the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, in India and the proposed <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_socr.28.2024.1.01-08_ref_021">Personal Data Protection Bill, 2023</xref>, in Pakistan to bring enhanced regimes for comprehensive and effective personal data protection in both nations.
</abstract>

Unveiling the tapestry: a comparative investigation into data-protection legislation in India and Pakistan

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
The sources of identity for the state are subjected to a constant process of change dependent upon, but not reduced to the aspect of who is creating the collective consciousness of the state’s self-awareness at the specific point in time. This paper traces and analyses the legal and political changes made in Russia’s legislature and governance model over the course of the past 20 years. This article argues that constitutional and legal changes have promoted and identify the president of Russia as a ‘curator’ of foreign policy—controlling the decisions made and the state identity that supplements them or enables them. As a result, it can be argued that although in the Russian political elite, several key agents can be identified as the ones shaping and influencing Russia’s foreign policy and constructing its identity, President Vladimir Putin, from a legal and political perspective has the most legal power and authority and thus can be considered the main agent of Russia’s identity construction.
</abstract>

The consolidation of putin’s power through legal and political means: implications for identity construction

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
In the Latvian discourse of the theory of law and legal practice, there is a set of influential ideas that constitute a theory of general principles of law. This article aims to offer some critical remarks on the aforementioned theory and to explore some resulting methodological implications. In this article, two main research methods are used: the descriptive and the deductive methods. The examination of the theory resulted in the conclusion that it is self-contradictory to assert that the basic norm (a democratic state based on the Rule of Law) can determine the entire content of the legal system. Following are some methodological implications: First, instead of asserting that all legal methods are general principles of law, one should adopt a more general norm that is flexible enough and avoids contradictions between different obligations to use legal methods, i.e. the principle of reasonable application of legal norms. Second, the interpretation of written legal norms and the concretisation of unwritten ones cannot coexist if the basic norm determines the entire content of the legal system because of the postulate which asserts that writing down unwritten legal norms in a normative act does not change its unwritten nature.
</abstract>

Critical remarks concerning the theory of general principles of law and its methodological implications

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
One of the most frequently used special investigative activities is the control of the means of communication. Hence, the current research was conducted with respect to this special investigative activity. The purpose of the present research is to identify legal and practical problems encountered when conducting the control of special investigation activities—the means of communication and the subsequent use of the information obtained during the criminal process, as well as determining the most important legal problems, defining them and finding the right legal solutions. The material and methods used during the preparation of this publication included an expert survey that was used to obtain all the necessary data for the research. The comparative and logical methods were used for the analysis and description of regulations, court decisions, scientific literature and expert opinions. Methods of interpretation of legal norms have also been used in this research. The specific nature of special investigative activities creates both legal and practical challenges, which can be overcome when conducting criminal proceedings so that the information obtained by the control of means of communication during the special investigative activities can be used as legal evidence during criminal proceedings. As a conclusion of the research, legal solutions to the identified legal problems regarding the issue researched upon are proposed.
</abstract>

Legal and practical issues of special investigative techniques—control of means of communication performance and usage of the obtained information from criminal proceedings

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
Various problems will arise regarding the transfer of the national capital from Jakarta to Kalimantan Province after the passing of Law Number 3 of 2022 concerning the new national capital. The legislative function of the House of Representatives is very minimal regarding the formation of the New National Capital Law. This research analyses the minimal legislative function of the House of Representatives in the policy of relocating the new state capital. This research uses a qualitative approach method. The data-collection technique used in this research is based on a literature review. The results of this research show that the presidential executive body is more dominant in formulating policy rules for relocating the new capital city. The House of Representatives, as a legislative institution, has not yet optimally carried out its role in providing input and monitoring the policy regulations for relocating the archipelago’s capital city. The House of Representatives did not optimally carry out its supervisory function, especially in using the right of inquiry to review the negative impact of the policy on nature conservation. The House of Representatives has also not yet fully investigated the certainty of the projected revenue achievement of the development budget sources for the archipelago’s capital, the total budget of which reaches IDR 466 trillion.
</abstract>

Decrease in the function of the people’s representative council of the republic of Indonesia in the policy of relocating the archipelago’s capital city

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
On 24 February 2022, Russia’s aggression against Ukraine escalated into a broader armed invasion of the Ukrainian territory and a subsequent protracted war. This event significantly impacted various social, political, legal and other processes worldwide. This global upheaval not only influenced international processes but also had an impact on various national-level processes, including the introduction of changes within the spectrum of criminal threats. Upon realising the extent of interests being criminally violated, the author of the research chose to narrow the research focus exclusively to the Latvian level. Moreover, the range of interests violated at the Latvian level can be quite extensive, as the commission of any criminal offence outlined in the Criminal Law can be indirectly linked to the war in Ukraine. With this in mind, the study aims to identify the criminal threats in Latvia stemming from Russia’s aggression in Ukraine by analysing statistical indicators of registered criminal offences, the activities of lawmakers in the development of criminal law norms and case law in situations where Ukraine is mentioned in the description of the alleged criminal offence.
</abstract>

Criminal threats in Latvia raised by Russian aggression in Ukraine

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Socrates. Rīga Stradiņš University Faculty of Law Electronic Scientific Journal of Law.

The scientific journal Socrates was created in 2015. The Journal is published on behalf of the Faculty of Law in the Riga Stradins university. It is designed to contribute to...

The scientific journal Socrates was created in 2015. The Journal is published on behalf of the Faculty of Law in the Riga Stradins university. It...