Processes of democratization in the East Central European and Balkan states: sovereignty-related conflicts in the context of Europeanization

This paper discusses the Central and East European democratic transitions a s parts of the global democratization process, including their both externa l and domestic aspects. The analysis covers six East Central European (ECE) and six Balkan states. It provides a systematic overview of these twelve s tates with a classification of their external and internal developments. Th e paper classifies these states according to the three stages of systemic c hange and according to their EU (association and accession) and NATO (PfP a nd membership) relationships. In the New World Order, the sovereignty-relat ed conflicts appear in this systematic overview through the analysis of the bilateral and multilateral relations between and among these states as res tructuring follows the requirements of the EU and NATO. These multinational organizations actually rearrange both regional structures and neighbourhoo d relationships. The ECE and Balkan states, based on the parallel criteria of external and internal developments, form four groupings: (1) new entrant s-the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovenia; (2) late-comers to demo cratization-Slovakia, Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria; (3) "semi-protectorate s" of great powers and international organizations (Bosnia and Macedonia); (4) unsettled countries or conflict-seeking states-Serbia and Albania. (C) 1999 The Regents of the University of California. Published by Elsevier Sci ence Ltd. All rights reserved.