HUNGARY, THE CZECH REPUBLIC AND SLOVAKIA - HISTORY AND FUTURE

The dissolution of the socialist bloc entailed processes of state-buil ding not only in the former USSR and Yugoslavia, but also in Central E urope. The old opposition between territory and ethnicity as the basis for state identity and citizen right came to the fore. The questions of state boundaries ethnic minorities began to influence international relations more strongly than in the previous decades. The article dis cusses some manifestations and possible consequences of this trend. Hu ngary and former Czechoslovakia are chosen as examples because they ha ve problems in common, because Hungary and Slovakia represent differen t cases as to the location of minorities (outside or inside the state) and because the separation of the Czech lands and Slovakia is a good example of the significance ot' the principle of ethnicity. The relati ons between Hungary and her neighbours are analysed with the ethnic qu estion in focus. The analysis of: the relations between the Czech, lan ds and Slovakia points to the salience of economic questions. The arti cle is an elaboration on and updating of certain previous studies by t he author.