MEĐUNARODNI PROBLEMI

Serbia’s Positioning in the Central European Context: Between the “Two/Three” Concepts of Central Europe

Đukanović Dragan (University of Belgrade – Faculty of Political Sciences, Belgrade, Serbia), dragan.djukanovic@fpn.bg.ac.rs
Dašić Marko (University of Belgrade – Faculty of Political Sciences, Belgrade, Serbia), marko.dasic@fpn.bg.ac.rs

The authors discuss the unique characteristics of Central Europe, particularly in the last century, and highlight the fundamental differences in the influence vectors within this region of Europe. In this regard, we can distinguish the regions of the Visegrad Group (V4) and the Alpine sub-region (Germany, Austria, Croatia, and Slovenia). The differences between the countries in the V4 arrangement are more pronounced, particularly regarding their positions on the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and their varying dynamics of democratic processes. Throughout its modern history, Serbia has predominantly had strained relations with its Central European neighbours. Regarding this, the authors specifically highlight many phases, particularly in the early 19th century. As a result, Serbia’s current foreign policy is examined in the context of its relations with the states of an otherwise intricate Central Europe. In this regard, the broader context of Serbia’s objectively slow European integration is highlighted, as well as its intense relations with China and Russia. The authors conclude that Serbia will continue to face challenges in its immediate Central European environment.

Keywords: Serbia, Central Europe, Visegrad Group, Germany, Austria, foreign policy, European Union