Zoltán HAJDÚ, Research Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Hungary
Between 1991-1993 the break-up of socialist federations (Czechoslovakia, Soviet Union, Yugoslavia) took place in Europe and new, smaller multi-ethnic 'national states (Croatia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine) has been created. The manner in which the former federal states disappeared - the so-called 'Velvet Divorce' in the case of Slovakia, a relatively peaceful solution in the case of Ukraine, a bloody civil war for Croatia, Serbia and partly Slovenia - greatly defined the relations among the individual states with state borders and cross-border connections and relations. These states that were established in this new political situation formulated new state ideas. For decades the new states have destrusted their neighbourhood. Their relations with Hungary were consolidated. Relations between the successor states of Yugoslavia have developed to be the most complicated. The affairs between Croatia and Serbia were especially strained as of the dissolution of Yugoslavia until the first years of 2000', because the memories of the war were not easily forgotten. As a result of the dissolution of the former large states, Slovakia's entirety, a significant part of the three South Slavic States and a smaller portion of the new Ukraine belonged now to the Carpathian Basin's territory. For many reasons, the Carpatian Basin as a unity has not become the primary objective and framework for interstate connections, partly because some countries consider this area to be a 'Hungarian interest category', a 'hidden historical Hungary'.
Mots clés : socialist federations|formind yew states|new states ideas|border connections|Carpathian Basin
A103176ZH