The effects of NATO Enlargement of Budapest's policies regarding ethnic Hungarian minorities

Abstract

This thesis analyses the effects of NATO enlargement on Hungary's policies concerning the ethnic Hungarian minorities in Slovakia and Romania. It argues that the first post-Cold War round of NATO enlargement had a positive effect in Central Europe by exporting stability instead of importing instability in the Euro-Atlantic region. The NATO enlargement process was based on criteria which had to be fulfilled by the candidates. The inclusion of the frontrunner states - the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland - in the first round was a clear message for these states and for those excluded from the first round that the requirements in the political, economic and military fields had to be meet. The invitation to join the Alliance is therefore in one sense a reward for the success of the candidate's transformation. For Slovakia and Romania the host countries for two biggest ethnic Hungarian minority communities, the NATO enlargement process implied significant consequences. Hungary's increased political authority created favorable conditions for Budapest to support the legitimate rights of ethnic Hungarian minority communities in the neighboring countries. Bralislava and Bucharest concluded that NATO enlargement requirements would necessitate respect for "European" norms, particularly regarding the rights of national minorities.