OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES AT THE EUROPEAN UNION BORDERS: CASES OF POLAND AND TURKEY AS PIVOTAL ACTORS Cover Image

МОЖНОСТИ И ПРЕДИЗВИЦИ НА ГРАНИЦИТЕ НА ЕВРОПСКАТА УНИЈА: СЛУЧАИТЕ СО ПОЛСКА И ТУРЦИЈА КАКО КЛУЧНИ АКТЕРИ
OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES AT THE EUROPEAN UNION BORDERS: CASES OF POLAND AND TURKEY AS PIVOTAL ACTORS

Author(s): Nergiz ÖZKURAL
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences
Published by: Центар за регионални истражувања и соработка Студиорум
Keywords: Poland; Turkey; east; west; EU borders; EU member; EU candidate

Summary/Abstract: The article aims to analyze the regional role of Poland and Turkey, two middle-size countries, which have common points with their geopolitical locations between east and west. On the one hand both countries are close to unstable and nonintegrated regions and on the other hand they are both in the westernization process. In the context of reconsidered meaning of geopolitics, it is argued that although geopolitical importance could increase the capability of maneuver of the middle-size power, this does not change the level of interdependency. Therefore, Poland and Turkey’s roles as pivot countries with considering the EU’s and US’s political aims in the regions are analyzed. Both Poland and Turkey could be interpreted as ‘benign’ regional powers with their constructive role in their regions. It is also argued that Poland as a newly EU member state, and Turkey, as EU candidate, could have different contributions to the changing and reevaluated foreign policy of EU.

  • Issue Year: 2010
  • Issue No: 13
  • Page Range: 59-77
  • Page Count: 19
  • Language: Macedonian