The Hungarian Republic and the Western Balkans: A Short Comparison of Perspectives and Opportunities for Hungarian and Slovak Policies
The Hungarian Republic and the Western Balkans: A Short Comparison of Perspectives and Opportunities for Hungarian and Slovak Policies

Summary/Abstract: This study deals in its first part with the approach of Hungarian foreign policy in general to problems of the Western Balkans after 1990. It describes the policy of Budapest at the time of the so-called Yugoslav war and then the participation of the Republic of Hungary in the peace settlement and solutions in the aftermath of the crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This part is followed by a presentation of the relation of Hungarian foreign policy to Kosovo and to the problem of its declaration of independence especially. The next part of the article compares the starting points, goals and perspectives of foreign policies of the Republic of Hungary and the Slovak Republic in the Western Balkans and looks for areas where the positions of both countries find the biggest concurrence. Despite important differences - for example the issue of Kosovo’s independence and collective rights of national communities - Bratislava and Budapest have a lot in common – both countries actively support stabilization of the statehood of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the idea of acceleration of Serbia’s eurointegration process. On the issue of Kosovo there is still a considerable phase shift between the two countries, it can however potentially encourage both countries to participate in a more intense and mutually benefitial cooperation.

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