EU membership as a factor for harmonization of ethnic relations within the Countries of Union

Abstract

The author emphasizes that some of the post-Communist states have not grown out of ethnic conflicts, antagonism and enmity, which break peaceful life, ruin public relations, cause considerable human losses and streams of refugees. For their peaceful settlement countries must develop models of ethnic relations harmonization. The author focuses on three issues, which contribute to the outbreaks of conflicts: the thing which causes conflicts is not ethnic affiliation, but nationality, officially defined by the USSR, and this should left behind; internal borders (nowadays state frontiers) established by the USSR for expansion and strengthening of authoritarianism, which now often stir up disputes; a level of ethnic violence in the post-Soviet countries is comparatively low. Materials on protection of minority rights in ten CEE countries members of the EU testify that the potential of joining the EU as a catalyst for reforms must be analyzed more thoroughly. The EU possesses resources and possibilities to use the process of integration for constructive settlement of invisible and threatening problems in the continent.