The Fundamentals of Economic Stability and Security in Central and Eastern Europe

While opinions differ when reviewing factors of economic stability and development, there is clearly a common endorsement of the belief that economic stability is linked to security. Therefore, addressing the issue of security in Albania and Ukraine, speakers actually focused on the search for solutions to the severe economic problems of these countries. Indeed, “economic security is constructive building a strong economy within” by opening of borders and “military security is defensive keeping one’s enemies out”, as stated by David Snelbecker. This implies an eventual policy conflict economic dependence from the “enemy” is undesirable, as it was during the cold war. Hence the importance of the ability to determine identity and threats in a post-Cold War globalise economy, where it is much more difficult to find out who is the “enemy”. To this end, one should note the interdependence of economy and security, noted by Ambassador Comanescu, i.e. it is not only that a secure environment requires a healthy economy, but also that economic policy and development depend on how secure the environment is, both in real and “perception” terms. The perception, or definition of “friends” and “enemies”, determine the political and economic orientation of a country while reality (such as regional instability) affects military spending and opportunity costs such as capital flight. It is important to recognise the complexity and reflexivity of the issues of economic development and security as they could easily enter a self (re)inforcing relationship. The policy implication is that it is essential for the infant nominal democracies of Albania and Ukraine to achieve a sense of identity, supported by an integrated economic and security policy. Furthermore, it is important that such a sense of identity develops within an environment in which the role of borders diminishes, as the latter could offset the inconsistency of state attitudes in distressed countries. Another need is to combine efforts to improve economic performance with efforts to establish social and international cohesion and co-operation, as the