The format of Central European cooperation experienced ups and downs. Recently, in connection with interior political animosities, he was practically dead and at least dormant.
However, there is simply quite a few evidence that, contrary to many pessimistic forecasts, Central European cooperation inactive retains its potential, on respective levels.
Ukraine – a common problem?
The position of individual countries from the Visegrad 4 (Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Czech Republic) on the most current content, namely the conflict in Ukraine, was not and inactive is not uniform. In fresh years Warsaw has clearly blocked the improvement of cooperation in our region. "We gotta admit that Polish governments from 2022 to 2024 were the ones that damaged relations within the Visegrad Group. It was Poland that made the impression that it did not want to cooperate with Hungary or, in a sense, with Slovakia” – the MP tells us Roman Fritz (Confederation of the Polish Crown) from the Sejm Committee on abroad Affairs. However, we have any objective, common interests that connect Warsaw, Bratislava, Budapest and Prague. This nonsubjective business is first to halt further escalation, including the spatial, ongoing war. Inevitably, it is our 4 countries (three of them have a direct border with Ukraine) that are most susceptible to the consequences and risks of continuing the conflict. It is besides us (mostly Poland) who contribute to this unfavorable and risky conflict for us by bringing our territory to a transit function for the spread of weapons to Kiev. A possible cut-off of supplies across our territory, supplemented by a appropriate agreement on this issue with Romania, would, in fact, bring an end to the bloody armed conflict at our borders within a fewer months.
However, after the end of the war, we will again face a common threat to our full European region. This threat will be the geographical neighbourhood with the rationale of crime (arms trafficking, smuggling of people and prohibited substances), which we will gotta face together, without leading to the closure of free border traffic between our countries.
Tradition of number protection
Central Europe is traditionally an area of cultural penetration. At the same time, it is simply a space in which external centres are very easy to spread cultural and national conflicts, leading to divisions and hindering not only integration but all cooperation in the region. The problem of about 100,000 Hungarian populations in Ukrainian Zakarpacie is so not a substance for Budapest alone. It is alternatively a common challenge, although the communities of the another Central European peoples in Ukraine are smaller (the Polish community has succumbed to applicable disappearance due to the russian Union's first and later policies by Kiev). This does not change the fact that it is in the interests of each of the Visegrad Group countries to show solidarity with Hungary.
And there may be serious problems with the implementation of fresh arrangements by Budapest and Kiev on the protection of number rights. “Kiys will not be able to control it. A terrible armed conflict in Ukraine and a de facto progressive decomposition of this country make it clear that we request to wait for peace and to strengthen any future administration" – fears Roman Fritz.
Unacceptable historical appeals
The problem with minorities has late been reinforced by the issue of Kiev's historical policy. Further references to nationalist identity, or ethnocentric one, both in spirit Stiepan Bandery, as well as another streams of Ukrainian nationalism, form the ground for confronting all neighbours, including the Central European ones. It is worth remembering that the victims of the UPA genocide were not only Poles, but besides another number groups, especially Czechs. The choice of political identity by Kiev naturally puts him in opposition to the full Visegrad Group.
The weakness of the central apparatus of power in the war-torn Ukraine, however, will make much dependent on the local government origin of the various levels. "At the minute much will depend on the local governments in Ukraine, in this case the local governments of the cities located in Zakarpacia, or Uzhhorod and so on. How will common relations be viewed and who will manage them? We have, of course, uninterested experiences in Poland regarding Ukrainian self-governments, specified as the cities of Stanisławów, now Ivano-Frankivsk, as if they never cultivate the memory of pseudoheroes by granting honorary citizenship to the people of the city – Bandera and Szuchewycz” – Roman Fritz tells us.
The benefits of dialogue
Three of the 4 Visegrad Group countries (Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary) look more or little pragmatically at relations with Russia, primarily on their economical dimension. Hungary and Slovakia proceed to import Russian energy resources and their authorities openly declare that they do not intend to quit on them as long as it is economically viable. Poland and the Czech Republic could objectively benefit from resuming cooperation with Russia, lowering fuel prices. The imagination to treat Central Europe as hub the import and distribution of hydrocarbons from outside the ocean proved besides optimistic. simply the price of American natural material is besides advanced to be based on the improvement of Central European economies. “Magyar’s actions mainly service to make a better image. Of course, the hard geopolitics axes stay unchanged. Countries lie where they lie, islands lie where they lie, rivers flow, as they flowed and trade routes too. I can only add that it is not at all that Hungary is doomed to the strictest cooperation with Germany or with the European Union" – notes Roman Fritz. However, the multi-vectority of Hungarian policy is not only a pragmatic approach to relations with Russia. It is besides a collaboration with another crucial global players, frequently against the force of the alleged Western. Government Pétera Magyar It's most likely not gonna change much. "Hungary has excellent relations primarily with China. Chinese investments in Hungary are very impressive, hence this country should be considered as a bridgehead of Chinese expansion to the European Union" – assessed the associate of the Confederation of the Polish Crown. He besides adds that in Budapest, considerable emphasis is besides placed on the direction of confederate abroad policy – cooperation with Romania or Croatia.
A common front in Europe?
It is in the interests of all Visegrad countries to make a common position towards Brussels, at least on 2 issues. The first is the Green Deal policy imposed by Brussels, alongside another economically irrational EU agendas. The Visegrad 4 could successfully coordinate their actions towards Brussels, besides occasionally receiving support from another associate States, notably Romania and Bulgaria. However, the fresh Hungarian government besides has another abroad policy priorities. "Péter Magyar announces closer cooperation with German-speaking countries. It is simply a transfer of the centre of gravity; it strengthens relations with Austria and with Germany and invites Germany to be something like the 5th wheel of this car, which we call the Visegrad Group. This is evidenced by his intense abroad trips started in Warsaw, but then there were Austria, Germany and Brussels.” – notes Roman Fritz.
Is there truly a chance of real reactivation of Visegrad format? Mr Fritz notes the function of others, not entirely dependent on us: "I would have looked at it more. This does not even depend on Budapest or Warsaw, Prague and Bratislava. This depends on the condition of the European Union itself, its office and, of course, its main quarterback, Germany. If things have already gone besides far and the European Union is under its own weight, under the burden of overregulation of the economy, this neo-communism, which is manifested in supporting anti-traditional movements, let us call it delicately – there are clearly cracks. To date, the Visegrad Group has been as if specified a tiny cavity in this large EU conglomerate, which has shown that it is possible to cooperate countries with a very akin economical level as well as common, akin historical memories, due to the fact that all 4 countries remembered communism, satellite governance by the russian Union. In this context, natural cooperation took place. The Visegrad Group, however, has been played by others for many years now and these cracks are large”. The associate of the Confederation of the Polish Crown is simply a skeptic about extending the format of cooperation in our region. However, it sees areas of possible activity: "They will most likely let us to work together in the Visegrad Group on an image basis, a tiny border cooperation, or the Via Carpatia project. But this will not consequence in anything more serious” – predicts.
Will the community of interests so step down before external influence? Time will tell, but our region inactive has a chance that it may not completely waste.
Mateusz Piskorski
