Ocena bezpieczeństwa w Europie Środkowej i Wschodniej i jej determinanty. Studium porównawcze (en translation)

Abstract: The article gives an overview, as well as a comparison, of the determinants of security in four states of Central and Eastern Europe, i.e.: Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. The evaluation of security is based on economic features and principles and includes also the terrorist threat. The main assumption of this article is that in military and political areas the four states represent a similar and relatively limited security risk. The main diff erences occur in the fi eld of economics. The countries represent diff erent abilities to adjust eff ectively to the new challenges of the changing world. This can be considered as a threat to the political stabilization as well as the ability to meet social expectations of the citizens. The existing gap between those expectations and the ability to meet them, as well as limited results in fulfi lling the promises defi ned in election campaigns, can seriously determine the local conditions of security and undermine the political stability in medium run. The article argues that the countries in this region seem to have been labeled, but often on the basis wrong evaluations.