Documents frontier 19 results

"The authors of this article explore national identity from the perspective of the border between Romania and Moldova. EU enlargement means a changing emphasis on borders with a strengthening of the external frontier which, in the instant case, has greater resonance subsequent to Romania's accession to the EU. The article looks at the history of the two states over the last two decades and at Romania's attempts to meet the EU's requirements for a secure external frontier, and also at the diplomatic quarrels which have resulted as political elites in both countries have sought to manipulate events to suit their own agendas, including Romania's dual citizenship policy and the recent involvement of Hungary. The authors conclude that, in contrast to the non-national modes of thinking which characterise EU action, both countries seem to be stuck on an agenda which is focused on the interests of nations rather than those of citizens, and that the policies of both sides have been affected by a lack of clarity over what a border is supposed to mean in an EU context. "

"This article constitutes a travelogue from a journey undertaken to the region which features in 'Borderland III'. Starting in Odessa (Ukraine), the author takes in Chi?inau and Transnistria (Moldova) and Gala?i and Sulina (Romania), describing his experiences and observations based on the themes of 'Borderland III'. The article considers the economic redevelopment of Odessa and whether this will have a lasting effect on the rest of Ukraine; the EU aspirations of Moldova; the status of Transnistria and the contrasts between border policy between Transnistria and the rest of Moldova (where no border appears on a map), and between Romania and Moldova where crossing the border has, following independence and until Romania's accession to the EU, been a fairly relaxed process; and the lessons for the present of the Europe of diversity of the past. The author concludes that the future is uncertain but, given that the eastern end of Europe ends at the easternmost tip of Romania, an EU encompassing Ukraine must surely step beyond the usual definitions of Europe. "