Balkan Csárdás: Hungarian Foreign Policy Dance

A joint event organized by the CEU Democracy Institute, Political Capital, and the Centre for Euro-Atlantic Integration and Democracy (CEID)

Date: 14 November 2023, 17:00-19:00

Venue: 1051 Budapest, Nádor u. 15., room 103

With the Hungarian foreign policy shift introduced in 2010, Viktor Orbán’s government has taken a more active role in the Western Balkans, significantly expanding its political and economic influence. This shift raises questions about the driving forces behind Hungarian foreign and trade policy in the region. Who sets these foreign policy priorities in Hungary, and how do formal and informal actors interact? What economic interests shape Hungarian foreign policy in the region, and to what extent has the war in Ukraine impacted it? Furthermore, how does Hungary's position within the EU affect the accession process of the West-Balkan countries?

To address these questions, we are pleased to present a research paper from the Belgrade Center for Security Policy. In addition, we will engage in discussions with the paper's authors and Hungarian foreign policy experts from diverse backgrounds.