Polish Sceptics and Czech Optimists: Perception of the Development within Euroregion Beskydy

The openness of space is one of the fundamental ideas behind the existence of the European Union. The benefits arising from this should outweigh the disadvantages associated with it. An advantage of openness is the possibility of integrating border regions of different countries into a consistent f...

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Main Authors: Suchaček Jan, Urminský Jaroslav
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Centre for Economic and Regional Studies Eötvös Lóránd Research Network 2024-03-01
Series:Tér és Társadalom
Subjects:
Online Access:http://tet.rkk.hu/index.php/TeT/article/view/3510
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author Suchaček Jan
Urminský Jaroslav
author_facet Suchaček Jan
Urminský Jaroslav
author_sort Suchaček Jan
collection DOAJ
description The openness of space is one of the fundamental ideas behind the existence of the European Union. The benefits arising from this should outweigh the disadvantages associated with it. An advantage of openness is the possibility of integrating border regions of different countries into a consistent functional whole where cross-border cooperation takes place. Resulting mechanisms can lead to endogenously driven development of the territories that are typically on the periphery of their countries. However, reality is much more diverse. This is valid also in case of Central and Eastern European countries, where general socioeconomic processes take different forms in different regions and places. The same holds true also for territorial units, such as Euroregions that represent one of the most remarkable geographical embodiments of European integration. At the same time, they constitute one of the institutionalised forms of cross-border cooperation. Euroregions bear a twofold importance in postcommunist countries that for a long time suffered from pretty limited cross-border interactions and cooperation. Our article delves into the municipalities of Euroregion Beskydy at the Polish-Czech border. The main objective of the paper is to analyse and assess strengths and weaknesses of the development as perceived by Polish and Czech municipalities in the framework of Euroregion Beskydy. The article concentrates primarily on a qualitative dimension of the whole issue. This is partly supplemented by a quantitative perspective. The investigation mirrors the state of municipalities on Czech and Polish sides of Euroregion Beskydy from the perspective of municipal managements. From the methodical perspective, the questionnaire was utilised. This allowed respondents to identify the principal strengths and weaknesses of their municipalities based on their own knowledge and perceptions. The questions had a nominal character, and by aggregating similar responses, broader, consistent categories of strengths and weaknesses were established and analyzed. Respondents could name principal strengths and weaknesses of their municipalities on the basis of their own perception. The purpose was to identify substantial developmental domains or problem characteristics in individual municipalities of the researched Euroregion. At the same, it has been found out to what extent optimistic or pessimistic moods are prevailing in individual municipalities of the Euroregion. The research question posed in the framework of this paper is as follows: what are the most frequently mentioned strengths of municipal development at Polish and Czech side of Euroregion Beskydy? The results brought an interesting difference in the perception of the municipal development within Euroregion Beskydy. Respondents on the Polish side of the Euroregion can be characterised by higher rate of scepticism when compared with their Czech counterparts. On the Czech side of the Euroregion, slightly optimistic view on municipal lives is prevailing.
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spelling doaj.art-e3a9674b73364472a9e4aa8c5a09e47d2024-04-12T11:13:07ZengCentre for Economic and Regional Studies Eötvös Lóránd Research NetworkTér és Társadalom0237-76832062-99232024-03-0138110.17649/TET.38.1.3510Polish Sceptics and Czech Optimists: Perception of the Development within Euroregion BeskydySuchaček Jan0Urminský Jaroslav1Department of Regional Development, Faculty of Regional Development and International Studies, Mendel University in BrnoDepartment of Marketing and Business, Faculty of Economics, VSB-Technical University of Ostrava The openness of space is one of the fundamental ideas behind the existence of the European Union. The benefits arising from this should outweigh the disadvantages associated with it. An advantage of openness is the possibility of integrating border regions of different countries into a consistent functional whole where cross-border cooperation takes place. Resulting mechanisms can lead to endogenously driven development of the territories that are typically on the periphery of their countries. However, reality is much more diverse. This is valid also in case of Central and Eastern European countries, where general socioeconomic processes take different forms in different regions and places. The same holds true also for territorial units, such as Euroregions that represent one of the most remarkable geographical embodiments of European integration. At the same time, they constitute one of the institutionalised forms of cross-border cooperation. Euroregions bear a twofold importance in postcommunist countries that for a long time suffered from pretty limited cross-border interactions and cooperation. Our article delves into the municipalities of Euroregion Beskydy at the Polish-Czech border. The main objective of the paper is to analyse and assess strengths and weaknesses of the development as perceived by Polish and Czech municipalities in the framework of Euroregion Beskydy. The article concentrates primarily on a qualitative dimension of the whole issue. This is partly supplemented by a quantitative perspective. The investigation mirrors the state of municipalities on Czech and Polish sides of Euroregion Beskydy from the perspective of municipal managements. From the methodical perspective, the questionnaire was utilised. This allowed respondents to identify the principal strengths and weaknesses of their municipalities based on their own knowledge and perceptions. The questions had a nominal character, and by aggregating similar responses, broader, consistent categories of strengths and weaknesses were established and analyzed. Respondents could name principal strengths and weaknesses of their municipalities on the basis of their own perception. The purpose was to identify substantial developmental domains or problem characteristics in individual municipalities of the researched Euroregion. At the same, it has been found out to what extent optimistic or pessimistic moods are prevailing in individual municipalities of the Euroregion. The research question posed in the framework of this paper is as follows: what are the most frequently mentioned strengths of municipal development at Polish and Czech side of Euroregion Beskydy? The results brought an interesting difference in the perception of the municipal development within Euroregion Beskydy. Respondents on the Polish side of the Euroregion can be characterised by higher rate of scepticism when compared with their Czech counterparts. On the Czech side of the Euroregion, slightly optimistic view on municipal lives is prevailing. http://tet.rkk.hu/index.php/TeT/article/view/3510municipalitiesdevelopmentPolandCzechiaEuroregion BeskydyEuroregions
spellingShingle Suchaček Jan
Urminský Jaroslav
Polish Sceptics and Czech Optimists: Perception of the Development within Euroregion Beskydy
Tér és Társadalom
municipalities
development
Poland
Czechia
Euroregion Beskydy
Euroregions
title Polish Sceptics and Czech Optimists: Perception of the Development within Euroregion Beskydy
title_full Polish Sceptics and Czech Optimists: Perception of the Development within Euroregion Beskydy
title_fullStr Polish Sceptics and Czech Optimists: Perception of the Development within Euroregion Beskydy
title_full_unstemmed Polish Sceptics and Czech Optimists: Perception of the Development within Euroregion Beskydy
title_short Polish Sceptics and Czech Optimists: Perception of the Development within Euroregion Beskydy
title_sort polish sceptics and czech optimists perception of the development within euroregion beskydy
topic municipalities
development
Poland
Czechia
Euroregion Beskydy
Euroregions
url http://tet.rkk.hu/index.php/TeT/article/view/3510
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