V4: A Political Tool for Advancing State Interest

Tóth, Bálint (2018) V4: A Political Tool for Advancing State Interest. POLGÁRI SZEMLE: GAZDASÁGI ÉS TÁRSADALMI FOLYÓIRAT, 14 (1-3). pp. 330-341. ISSN 1786-6553

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Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to promote thinking on the nature of the relationship between the Visegrad States (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) and to comprehend the circumstances, interests and motivations of the inter-state political alliances in Central Eastern Europe (“CEE”). The Visegrad Group is a regional political platform without a genuine institutional base. This paper seeks to identify the reason for the absence of an intention on the part of the Visegrad States to broaden, deepen or institutionalize their inter-state cooperation. Perhaps, these countries prefer not to force the harmonization of their political actions if their interests do not necessarily meet. A closer look at the FDI inflows reported by these states and at the CEE regional development cooperation possibilities, and a theoretical overview of intergovernmental cooperation in practice can help reveal how easily countries with similar geopolitical and economic positions may achieve common goals (as they understand each other’s problems better). Such countries, however, may also become competitors in specific fields. The V4 states cooperate multilaterally so long as the synchronization of their political moves generates roughly equal benefits for each. V4 may be interpreted as a political tool for advancing the political interests of its member states and not as a compulsory or permanent negotiating forum.

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