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Countries
Central, Eastern and South Eastern Europe
The collapse of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia gave the then Eastern Bloc countries their independence. The Baltic states, Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Hungary rapidly managed to join the states of Western Europe. Today they are members of the European Union. For other countries the road to independence was a difficult process, in some cases accompanied by war, as was the case in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo and the three Southern Caucasian republics Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.
Even today the process of transition in terms of government, the economy and society at large has not been completed in these countries. High unemployment and widespread poverty act as brakes on development. The infrastructure, in particular energy and water supply has a long way to go to meet western standards. The people are suffering from the legacy of warfare, mismanagement of the economy, corruption and the low level of performance of state institutions.
Nevertheless economic growth has risen in the region over the last few years. In 2007 it averaged 7 per cent. Prospects of further growth have, however, been negatively affected by the global economic crisis.
Priority areas of cooperation
The Federal Republic of Germany has been supporting the states of Central, Eastern and South Eastern Europe since the early 1990s. Cooperation aims to facilitate the difficult economic and social transition. The independence of these states, and their development to become democracies, based on the rule of law, with market economies, are important for the stability and security of the whole of Europe.
Germany concentrates its cooperation with partner countries
in the region on the following key areas:
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Economic promotion and employment
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Supporting reforms in the administration and judiciary to put in place legal certainty and transparency and to foster decentralisation
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Modernisation and extension of public infrastructure.
Overarching goals of all German measures in Central, Eastern and South Eastern Europe are EU alignment, good governance, conflict prevention, anti-corruption measures and job creation.
