Safe and Inclusive Border between Slovakia and Ukraine: factors influencing cross‑border cooperation

Abstract

This publication is an output of the research part of the project “Safe and Inclusive Border between Slovakia and Ukraine,” implemented by a consortium of organizations led by the Bureau of Border and Foreign Police of the Presidium of the Police Force/Ministry of Interi or of the Slovak Republic with the support of the EEA Grants (project code: GGC01005) and co -financed from Slovak government funding. The research involved 32 experts from Ukraine, Slovakia and Nor way, from the following institutions: Uzhhorod National University, Regional Risks Analysis Centre (Uzhhorod), Research Center of the Slovak Foreign Policy Association (Bratislava), University of Prešov, Bureau of the Border and Foreign Police of the Slovak Republic, Fun fact AS (Oslo), as well as independent experts from the three coun tries. The aim of the research was to analyze the existing state of cross -border cooperation on the Slovak–Ukrainian border and elab orate future policy recommendations on how it can be made more effective to improve the socio -economic conditions of inhabitants of the border areas. The reference territory for the cross -border coop eration research in this project was three regions that lie on the Slo vak–Ukrainian border: Transcarpathian Region in Ukraine and Prešov Self -Governing Region and Košice Self -Governing Region in Slova kia. The research, including a representative opinion poll of residents of the border areas, was carried out from July 2021 to August 2022. We examined cross -border cooperation (CBC) between Slovakia and Ukraine in the context of policies, practices and perceptions at trans national (EU–Ukraine), national (Slovakia–Ukraine), regional (Prešov Self -Governing Region and Košice Self -Governing Region in Slova kia–Transcarpathian Region in Ukraine) and local levels (towns/ cities and villages located in the border regions). The independent variable in this research is the regional and local development of Slovak–Ukrainian cross -border cooperation from 1993, the year in which Slovakia became an independent state and the border be came the Slovak–Ukrainian state border, up to the present day. The dependent variable in the research is the changing character of the Slovak–Ukrainian border since 1993 (especially in the context of Slo vakia’s EU accession in 2004) and the emergence of opportunities for and/or obstacles to the development of cross -border coopera tion between regional and local actor