Europe’s economic reality is simple: 100 million Europeans from CEE are cash cows for the German economy, which gives it dominance in Europe and allows global expansion. CEE countries are just not strong enough yet to oppose this and discuss higher pay and higher living standards. The fact that all of them are dependent on the Central European Bank is also a handicap. The countries of the region must work together to solve these problems.
The recent diplomatic successes of the Visegrad Group and the increasingly better economic situation in the region is proof, however, that Germany’s economic dominance is not complete or as overwhelming. The V4 is not basing its political weight on low pay, but rather, uses that weakness to defend its political interests. Germany isn’t dealing with submissive economies, but rather with nations with rich history.
The recent diplomatic successes of the Visegrad Group and the increasingly better economic situation in the region is proof, that Germany’s economic dominance is not complete or as overwhelming
CEE countries perceive the current situation through their historical experiences: they went through Russian occupation and do not want history to repeat itself. Nor is the Ottoman threat as far off as it would seem. These countries have been the Eastern bastion of Christianity for more than a thousand years. This civilizational determinism is more important than economic dependency.
This common heritage which for the V4 countries is what should be the basis for creating the EU and should determine its future, seems forgotten by Germany. Germany only looks at the world through the prism of its economy and sees a “migrant” only as an economic value.
This common heritage which for the V4 countries is what should be the basis for creating the EU and should determine its future, seems forgotten by Germany
The V4 countries are also the ones which value their sovereignty the most. What started with Viktor Orban’s national policies in 1998 is now continued by Law and Justice in Poland from 2015 and Andrej Babis from 2017 in Czech Republic.
The V4, bar Slovakia, have not joined the Eurozone because one’s own currency is the main instrument for national economic policies. This relieves pressure from the European Central Bank. As Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki put it: “If the structure of our economy and income per capita will be similar to those in Holland, Austria or Belgium, then we may discuss a common currency.”
