Could the TSI spell the end of the V4?

The Three Seas Initiative is heavily promoted by its leader, Polish president Andrzej Duda, who is desperate for it to succeed. Could the TSI eventually spell the end of the V4? TSI members – Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia – pledged in their founding declaration a year ago to foster regional projects in the areas of energy, transportation, digital communication and economic sectors in CEE. Despite the substantial praise from both Hungary and Poland, the two remaining V4 member countries Slovakia and the Czech Republic aren’t as enthusiastic. To the Czechs and Slovaks, the TSI, especially now, might be a little more problematic.

While they agree with the goal of north-south connectivity, they are cautious – if not suspicious – of the political dimension. V4 is the most important format to Slovakia, whereas the country treats the TSI more like a one time event. For Slovaks, there is no political content in this grouping. And, beyond that, there is no security component and no political dimension for the country. Czech officials have also expressed reservations towards Poland, a country that, along with Hungary, emphasises the East-West divide. The radicalisation of some V4 members also does not help. A member of the Czech ministry of foreign affairs, went even further, claiming that the idea of a Three Seas Initiative is unacceptable because of its 20th century neo-imperial origin.

You can read more about the TSI HERE

Source: EUobserver