THE CONGRESS OF BERLIN (1878) STAGE IN THE HISTORY OF THE INTERNATIONAL LAW

Propad Napoleonovega cesarstva in posledičen konec francoske dominacije v Evropi je predstavljal priložnost in hkrati potrebo po vzpostavitvi novega ravnotežja moči med dominantnimi državami stare celine. Sklic kongresa na Dunaju je tako predstavljal implementacijo vsebin zavezniške pogodbe iz Chaumonta in določil Prvega pariškega miru – oblikovanje sistema trajnega ravnotežja moči med veliki silami evropskega kontinenta takratnega časa. Šele tok dogodkov v času trajanja in neposredno po formalnem zaključku kongresa (Napoleonova vrnitev v Francijo in dokončen vojaški obračun) je izpostavil potrebo po oblikovanju mehanizmov, ki bi zagotovili tako realizacijo sklepov Dunajskega kongresa, kakor tudi trajno delovanje sistema dogovorjenega ravnotežja moči. V ta namen sta bila vzpostavljena Sveta aliansa in Evropski koncert. Sveta aliansa (ohranjanje/varovanje zunanjega in notranjega »statusa quo« v Evropi, določenega na Dunajskem kongresu) je predstavljala prvi primer trajnega organiziranja velikih sil za koordiniranje njihovega delovanja glede pomembnih mednarodnih vprašanj. Čeprav brez stalno delujočih organov, je predstavljala predhodnico oziroma zametek tega, kar danes razumemo pod pojmom mednarodna vladna organizacija. Evropski koncert (kolektivno delovanje velikih sil na podlagi skupnega interesa, dogovor med veliki silami o pomembnih evropskih vprašanjih je predpogoj za delovanje sistema ravnotežja moči) je uvedel prakso sklicevanja periodičnih kongresov in konferenc. Sistem (»dunajski sistem«, »kongresni sistem«), ki ga je posredno vzpostavil Dunajski kongres in ki je temeljil na ohranjanju ravnotežja moči med petimi najpomembnejšimi državami Evrope, se je v svojem bistvu ohranil do izbruha prve svetovne vojne. Kongresa, ki sta sledila Dunajskemu kongresu – Pariški kongres leta 1856 in Berlinski kongres leta 1878 – sta predstavljala etapi v delovanju sistema, vzpostavljenega na Dunaju. Kongresni sistem je pospešil razvoj posameznih področij mednarodnega prava. Pravilnik o rangu diplomatskih predstavnikov (prva delna kodifikacija diplomatskega prava), trajna nevtralnost Švice, uveljavitev načela svobodne plovbe po mednarodnih rekah, Pariška pomorska deklaracija (kodifikacija pravil pomorskega vojskovanja) in Londonski protokol iz leta 1871 (mednarodne pogodbe se lahko spremenijo samo ob soglasju vseh pogodbenih strank) predstavljajo le del bogate pravne zapuščine kongresnega sistema.A collapse of Napoleon’s Empire and the subsequent end of the French domination in Europe was an opportunity and a necessity at the same time to establish a new balance of power among dominant countries of the old continent. Convening of the Congress of Vienna has represented an implementation of content from the allied contract from Chaumont and determinations of the First Peace of Paris – formulation of the system of the permanent balance of power among great powers of the European continent at the time. Followed events during the time of the Congress of Vienna and after its formal completion (Napoleon’s return in France and his ultimate defeat) pointed out the necessity of the system which would implement solutions that were established at the Congress of Vienna and which would provide a permanent balance of power. This was the reason to establish Holy Alliance and the Concert of Europe. Holy Alliance (maintenance/protection of external and internal “status quo” in Europe, determined at the Congress of Vienna) represented the very first example of permanent organization of great powers to coordinate their actions on major international issues. Although without permanent functional authorities, Holy Alliance set the foundations for what we call today an international governmental organization. The Concert of Europe (a collective action of great powers on the basis of common interest, an agreement among great powers about important European issues is a precondition for providing the balance of power) has implemented the practice of convening periodic congresses and conferences. System (the Vienna system or the Congress System), which was indirectly established by the Congress of Vienna and has based on maintaining the balance of power among five most important countries in Europe, operated until the outbreak of the First World War. Two congresses that followed the Congress of Vienna (Congress of Paris in 1856 and Congress of Berlin in1878) represented stages of the system that was established in Vienna. The Congress System has encouraged the development of individual areas of international law. Regulation of the rank of diplomatic representatives (first partial codification of diplomatic law), permanent neutrality of Switzerland, implementation of freedom for navigation on the international rivers, the Paris Declaration Respecting Maritime Law (codification of law for maritime warfare) and London Protocol in 1871 (an international treaty may be changed only with the consent of all Parties) are just a small part of the rich legacy of the Congress System