THE ROLE OF SETTLEMENTS AND REGIONS IN HUNGARY'S SOUTHERN (BALKAN) RELATIONS

Abstract

The Western Balkans region is a "white spot" in European territorial research, and thus a
valuable subject of study, where Hungary has an interest due to its geographical proximity
and historical ties. This study was prepared in preparation for a four to five-year
geopolitical analysis on relationship between Hungary and small states of the Balkan
Peninsula.
The aim of our research is to examine the external economic, (geo)political, integration
challenges and internal adjustment constraints of the Western Balkan states from a
Hungarian perspective in a world and Europe that is being transformed by the war in
Ukraine (2022-2023) and is characterised by fundamental uncertainties.
This paper reviews previous studies and publications that have established a level of
knowledge about the region, especially Hungarian considerations. The relations of
Hungarian governmental and municipal actors and the civil sector in the Balkans are
presented. Considering that the Balkans have been a war-torn borderland in Hungarian
history, burdened by clashes of civilisations, the situation of Islam and Orthodox
denominations in Hungary are analysed. The paper also outlined the main objectives of the
four to five-year OTKA research on Hungary and the Western Balkans.