The document provides information on four Central and Eastern European countries - the Black Sea region, the Balkans, Czech Republic, and Poland. It discusses the geography and history of each region, including Byzantine rule in the Black Sea, the formation of countries from the breakup of Yugoslavia in the Balkans, Czechoslovakia gaining independence in 1918 followed by German occupation, and Poland's concerns joining the EU given its history of invasion and occupation.

1. CEE FOCUS
The Black Sea
The Balkans
Czech Republic
Poland
European Economic Integration
Metropolitan University Prague
Martin Kolmhofer www.cee-portal.at
2011/2012

2. Intersection of South East Europe, Western Asia and Southern Russia.

3. As recently as 17,000 years ago, the black sea was a freshwater lake.

4. The Black Sea is a transport rout for oil coming from Russia and the Caucasus to
the Mediterranean and from there into the Atlantic.

6. Byzantium ruled the southern and the eastern shore for almost 1000 years,.

7. From 18 century Russia began to show interest for the black sea. Both Peter the
Great and Catherine the Great tried to get the Russian navy access to the warmer
waters in the South.

8. At the end of the 18th century Russia led two wars against the Ottoman Empire and
took control of the north shore of the Black Sea. They established the military port of
Sebastopol and the commercial port of Odessa.

9. However, the UK prevented Russia in Crimean War of 1853 - 1856 from conquering
the Turkish Straits.
In the nearly 50 years of the Cold War, the Black Sea belonged to the front line
between the two power blocs.

10. The U.S. is trying to push back Russian influence in the region.
European is also beginning to show interest in the region, since Romania and
Bulgaria joined the EU in January 2007.

11. Position of Russia:
Black Sea Fleet in Sebastopol - Ukraine leases the naval base until 2017 to Russia

12. Moscow, now supports the independence of Georgian provinces South Ossetia and
Abchazia
2014 Winter Olympics Sochi

13. CEE FOCUS
The Black Sea
The Balkans
Czech Republic
Poland
European Economic Integration
Metropolitan University Prague
Martin Kolmhofer
2011/2012 www.cee-portal.at

14. The Balkan region owes its name to a mountain range

15. With the exception of Albania and Bulgaria, the countries of the region from 1945
to 1991 formed a federation, the former Yugoslavia, the country of southern Slavs.

16. When Yugoslavia broke up in 1991, 5 new countries were created

24. CEE FOCUS
The Black Sea
The Balkans
Czech Republic
Poland
European Economic Integration
Metropolitan University Prague
Martin Kolmhofer
2011/2012 www.cee-portal.at

28. Czechs remained under the domination of the Austrian Habsburgs until 1918.

29. 1918 Czechoslovakia

30. 1938:
According to the Munich Agreement the Sudetenland is annexed by Germany

31. Slovakia became independent and Bohemia and Moravia a German Protectorate.

33. Skoda: Mlada Boleslav
Kolin: Toyota-Peugeot-Citroen
Nosovice: Hyundai

35. Russia does not believe that the U.S. wants to defend itself against Iran. Moscow is
convinced that the radar system is directed against Russia.

36. CEE FOCUS
The Black Sea
The Balkans
Czech Republic
Poland
European Economic Integration
Metropolitan University Prague
Martin Kolmhofer
2011/2012 www.cee-portal.at

38. Poland is an agricultural country

39. The mining industry also includes iron, zinc, copper, sulfur, and natural gas -
mainly in the Carpathians.

42. 97 percent of Poles are Catholic, therefore the country has often felt as a Catholic
outpost against the Orthodox Eastern Europe.

43. Concern 1: Before WWII one third of the territory belonged to Germany. Therefore,
there is concern in Poland that Germans expelled from Poland will try to buy back
the land of their ancestors after the EU enlargement.

44. Concern 2: In Warsaw, people are afraid of competition on the European market.
And Brussels is worried about the rising cost of the common agricultural policy.

45. Concern 3: The three eastern borders with the neighboring states of Russia,
Belarus and Ukraine are the new external border of the European Union.

46. Poland has hardly any natural boundaries and therefore was almost always
unprotected against military attacks.

47. Poland has twice disappeared from the maps of Europe:
For 123 years from 1795 to 1918

48. …and then again in the Second World War when it was swallowed up by the Soviet
and the German neighbors.