Founded in 1991 and with four members from the Four Central European countries – Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia – visegrád Group is the largest, most fruitful and most influential sub-regional cooperation organization in Europe.
As mentioned in the previous part, the original intention of the Establishment of the Visegrad Group (V4 for short) is to help the four Central European countries return to Europe from "Eastern Europe". It was only then that the "Europe" in Central Europe's mind was Western Europe, so they followed the example of Western Europe in every way to rebuild the countries. This imitation did allow Central Europe to eventually join the ranks of developed countries and successfully join the Eu, but it also caused Central Europe to begin to blur the identity between itself and Western Europe. After the real return to "Europe", this distinction began to be infinitely magnified.
Portal: Visegrad Group: Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, What is Central Europe? | Visegrad Group: Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, What is Central Europe? | II
So Central Europe is once again confused, what is Central Europe? ”。 They are back in their search for their "Central European identity".
2004-2009: After truly becoming "European", Central Europe began to look back at itself
In 2004, the four Central European countries joined the European Union and truly became the "Europeans" in their minds. In the first few years, China and the EU were ecstatic, actively carried out reforms in accordance with the EU's opinions, and were also very active in EU affairs, and were praised by the EU as "model members". At this time, Central Europe still has the blind admiration and admiration for Western Europe and the European Union, like a poor student who has just been admitted to a key class, with a little pride, but more of a trembling fear for the bully and the teacher.
But a few years later, when CEIBS calmed down and was no longer overwhelmed by the frenzied excitement and blind longing, he slowly realized that everything did not seem to be as good as it had imagined. Many of the EU's promises have turned into empty promises, and Western Europe, once worshipped, has a mess to clean up. More importantly, Ceibble suddenly found that as a "latecomer", it seemed that it was being invisibly discriminated against:
The European Union, which Central Europe has painstakingly joined, and Western Europe, which has painstakingly moved closer, have finally regarded themselves as "second-class citizens".
In 2004, the European Union ushered in the largest round of enlargement in history, including 10 countries including the V4 countries
After that, it took a lot of time for Central Europe to understand that the seemingly innocent contempt of others did not arise from their own backwardness, but from their blind yearning for the European Union and Western Europe – but this humility became obedience in the eyes of others, and this worship became flattery in the eyes of others. Even sometimes Western Europe and the European Union do not deliberately discriminate against themselves, but because they see the obedience and silence of Central Europe, they automatically ignore them.
Therefore, after the real return to "Europe", Central Europeans understand that Western Europe and Central Europe are not the same, and the two not only have different interests, but also have different ideas. Western Europe is not Central Europe, and Central Europe is not Western Europe.
Czech scenery
It's unclear when the Central Europeans figured it out, but certainly not later than 2009. Because this year, before the EU summit, the V4 leaders held a meeting to exchange views, coordinate positions, and together in the same year blocked the Franco-German proposal in the EU. This annoyed the EU and Western European countries.
Photos of the 2009 V4 Presidential Summit
Here we have to revisit the V4, which we have ignored for a long time. Soon after the four Cerface countries joined the EU, there was a proposal to dissolve V4 – after all, V4's most important mission – to promote the accession of Central Europe to the EU. In the future, Central Europe and its brothers and sisters in Western Europe should work together in a harmonious manner to build a greater Europe that belongs to all, and there is no need to emphasize the difference between Western Europe and Central Europe.
Fortunately, the leaders of China and Europe at that time were not carried away, and they jointly issued the V4 "Guidelines for Future Cooperation Areas". It mentions key areas of cooperation for the future V4, the EUROPEAN Union, NATO, and other partners, proving that V4 will not die, but at least as a functional organization that promotes cooperation.
Curve of GDP per capita in V4 after accession to the EU
But at this time, V4 has long been covered by the aura of the European Union, and the four countries are pursuing their own interests within the Eu, and there is no tacit understanding between them, and there is a complete lack of desire to communicate. It's like having a new friend and forgetting your brother. In those years, V4 did nothing like a zombie, and the "Central European spirit" it represented was long forgotten.
But V4 survived the years of the walking dead, waiting until 2009, when the four Central European countries rediscovered themselves. That year, French President Sarkozy was very unhappy that V4 leaders had "privately" held a small circle meeting before the EU summit. Obviously, it was the V4 countries that understood each other's positions before the EU summit that enabled the four countries to unite and have the confidence to veto the proposals of France and Germany. Sarkozy's undisguised skepticism fully exposed the rift between Central and Western Europe, and since then both sides have come to realize that Central and Western Europe cannot be entirely one heart.
In 2009, french President Sarkozy warned V4 not to develop the habit of "small meetings" before the summit, but the French president himself would meet with the German chancellor before the summit
Since then, the four Countries of China and the EU have formed the practice of holding V4 summits before the EU summit. However, the significance is far less than we think, because at this time V4 is still coming together for the common good. As former Slovak Prime Minister Zulinda said: "We will act individually and collectively". In areas of consensus, the V4 will support each other; if consensus cannot be reached, the four countries will do their own thing. The "Central European Spirit" of unity has not yet been remembered by the V4 leaders.
But in any case, the rebirth of the V4 has given the four Central European countries a greater say in the EU. After encountering unfavorable views of the European Union or Western Europe, Central Europe no longer has to fight alone, but can warm up in groups – after all, Poland alone is on par with Germany in terms of voting rights alone. After 2009, the four V4 countries cooperated more closely within the EU, including presiding over Balkan affairs and advancing the "Eastern Partnership". The EU and Western Europe are gradually afraid to ignore this Central European subregional organization.
In 2014, V4 and the "Eastern Partners" (Ukraine, etc.) met
At that time, some people were indeed afraid, will the growth of the V4 power represent a divided force in the EU? In response, V4 has repeatedly reiterated that V4 "was by no means created as an alternative to European integration" and that the success of V4 cooperation is "the best proof of their ability to integrate into structures such as the EU". The V4 countries have also proved with their actions and words that they may be dissidents within the EU, but they are by no means the saboteurs of the EU and European integration.
Therefore, although the V4 at this time has begun to take shape, it has not yet caused great dissatisfaction and uneasiness in the European Union and Western Europe. After all, the V4 countries are at best opposed to specific problem areas, rather than fundamentally shaking the EU's principles and values. The direction of European integration, the development of the European Union, is still moving forward in the same way as Western Europe paved 60 years ago.
At that time, Western Europe (and even Central Europe itself) still believed that Central Europe was only an illusory cultural concept, and that the streams of Central Europe would eventually merge into the great rivers of Western Europe, and that the future of Europe belonged to Western Europe.
But this may be the last wishful thinking in Western Europe.
Space limitations, the next content will be published in a future article.
I am A space orange, a master's degree in European international relations. Like, follow, comment!