REGIONAL POSITION OF SERBIA IN LIGHT OF FOREIGN POLICY RELATIONS WITH ITS “OLD NEIGHBORS” Cover Image

Regionalni položaj Srbije u svetlosti spoljnopolitičkih odnosa sa „starim” susedima
REGIONAL POSITION OF SERBIA IN LIGHT OF FOREIGN POLICY RELATIONS WITH ITS “OLD NEIGHBORS”

Author(s): Mladen Lišanin
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences
Published by: Институт за међународну политику и привреду
Keywords: Serbia; Hungary; Romania; Bulgaria; foreign policy; foreign policy determinants

Summary/Abstract: Due to turbulent circumstances and controversial heritage in regard to the breakup of ex-Yugoslavia, regional position of Serbia is, within academic as well as wider public, most often observed in the context of its relations with the “new” neighbors – the states that have emerged from the breakup of former common country. This is, in part, because of constant tensions in the relations with ex-Yugoslav states, but also due to political agenda of Western actors, which sets the framework of regional integration processes through the concept of “Western Balkans”. Foreign policy relations of Serbia with its “old” neighbors (most notably, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria, given that Albania has a distinct status as a de facto interested party in the dispute regarding the status of Kosovo and Metohija), nonetheless, remain at least just as important element of Serbia’s regional position. It is the author’s intention to point towards determinants of foreign policy of Serbia, as factors that work, or are visible, through relations with Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria. This will be observed in the context of bilateral and multilateral, formal and unformal foreign policy connections and relations. The conclusion, in the form of a recommendation, is that international political dynamics in the “Western Balkans” should not completely avert research attention away from Serbian relations with its non-Yugoslav neighbors.

  • Issue Year: LXIX/2017
  • Issue No: 4
  • Page Range: 483-505
  • Page Count: 23
  • Language: Serbian
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