An Analysis of the Latest Trends of the Complex Development of the Croatian-Hungarian Border Area
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DOI: 10.15201/hungeobull.65.1.4Čelan, T.J. Hungarian Hungarian Geographical Geographical Bulletin Bulletin 65 (2016) 65 (1)2016 43–56. (1) 43–56.43 An analysis of the latest trends of the complex development of the Croatian-Hungarian border area Tvrtko Josip ČELAN1 Abstract This paper analyses the geographical feature of the Croatian-Hungarian cross-border area, focusing on recent changes and socio-economic trends of the last decade. In the paper current demographic, cross-border traffi c and mobility trends are examined. Special att ention is devoted to the spatial structure of the area and its key demographic indicators, modifi ed during the last intercensal period between 2001 and 2011. Demographic data are analysed on the level of NUTS III units, as they provide the statistical basis for planning and they are designated as co-operation units in the joint bilateral cross-border operational programme fi nanced by the EU. The transition that has taken place in the last years is observed in relation to the Croatian accession to the EU and to the full membership achieved in 2013. The Croatian-Hungarian cross-border co-operation has been intensifi ed since 2007. More EU funds became available than before, which brought about the possibility for stronger cohesion in the area and, accordingly, it has triggered territorial transformations. The main goal of this research is to defi ne whether changes having taken place in the border region since 2007 created a genuine transborder region. The assumption is that current development trends, although the most intensive in the last 100 years, are still not suffi cient enough to mitigate the huge geographical handicap, the transport and language barriers and in general the strong periphery status of the border area in comparison to the capital cities Zagreb and Budapest. Keywords: peripherality, geographical handicap, regional policy, transport geography, EU cohesion policy, cross-border co-operation Croatian-Hungarian border area. Introduction the problems of state borders the Croatian- Hungarian border area has not att racted spe- The term “border” often has a negative cial att ention in the literature during the last connotation for being a separating line, a 20 years. In Croatia it has almost exclusively warning signal not to cross a line between been published by the researchers at the De- the allowed and the forbidden (Stokłosa, partment of Geography of the Faculty of Sci- K. et al. 2014). The awareness of both men- ence of the University of Zagreb (Čelan, T.J. tal and factual borders in our life has made 2014). In Hungary, the Hungarian-Croatian them a research topic in almost all disciplines border and its related developments have – including geography. Since the end of the gained wider att ention and have been in the 1980s the status of state borders has become focus of research at the Centre for Economic a rather popular topic in European geogra- and Regional Studies of Hungarian Academy phy and border areas have been continu- of Sciences in Pécs and the Institute of Geog- ously analysed and discussed. Cross-border raphy at the University of Pécs as well. co-operation is one of the most popular sub- The question of state borders (separating jects in the border research (van Houtum, H. vs. integrating) have been in the centre of 2000). Despite the wide scientifi c interest in academic att ention in Central Europe due 1 PhD-student, University of Pécs, Doctoral School of Earth Sciences; presently employed at the Joint Secretariat of the Interreg V-A Hungary-Croatia Co-operation Programme. Address: H-9707 Szombathely, Szabó Imre u. 31. E-mail: [email protected] 44 Čelan, T.J. Hungarian Geographical Bulletin 65 (2016) (1) 43–56. to historical traditions, and it has further balance of migration, ageing (see: Planning strengthened with the boom of EU integra- documents of the Interreg V-A Hungary- tion in the period between 1995 and 2007. Croatia Co-operation Programme 2014– Aft er the fall of the communist regimes, the 2020). Negative demographic trends increase countries of the region joined to the EU one towards the borderline on the both sides of by one, and, as a result, cross-border rela- the national frontier. This refl ects that in case tions have increased both in numbers and in of the Croatian-Hungarian border the bor- intensity (Gulyás, L. et al. 2013). Due to the der position is not an advantage but rather intensifi cation of the co-operation between a handicap (Opačić, V.T. et al. 2004). The size former communist countries and well-devel- and the structure of sett lements, which gen- oped EU states, border areas became impor- erally have a rural character, the dominance tant fi elds of economic development, with a of small villages and the lack of larger centres role to connect the neighbouring areas and directly infl uence depopulation. The primacy even to form transborder regions (Opačić, of both capitals (Budapest and Zagreb) has V.T. et al. 2004). also negatively contributed to the devel- According to Buffon (1993) and Opačić opment of other regions, including border (2004) transborder region can be defi ned as areas. The economic position of Budapest a special form of peripheral region, socially has become clearly stronger in the last two and economically aff ected by the border and decades and its economic primacy increased characterised by a signifi cant level of trans- (Pirisi, G. et al. 2012). border connections and integration (Buffon, The Hungary-Croatia Cross-border Co- M. 1993; Opačić, V.T. 2004). According to operation Programme 2007–2013 (herein- Martinez (1994) transborder region is a func- after HU-HR (IPA) CBC Programme) as tional region, being the result of a complex an instrument for minimising the existing development. Martinez also made diff erence border handicap has been one of the pos- between diff erent types of border areas, like: sible fi nancial sources for overcoming prob- alienated, co-existing, mutually co-operat- lems in the area, from demographic issues ing and integrated border areas. According to cross-border traffi c and mobility. In the to Perkmann (2003), a cross-border region is period 2007–2013. The instrument for pre-ac- a territorial unit that comprises contiguous cession assistance (IPA) brought signifi cant sub-national units from two or more nation changes to Hungarian-Croatian cross-bor- states. Cross-border regions diff er from basic der co-operation. The question is whether ceremonial contacts to long-lasting and ef- the established bilateral programme and the fective co-operations, att ached or integrated 169 joint projects brought about a balanced into the multilevel policy implementation development, or it could be considered arti- networks constituted by EU regional poli- fi cial to a certain extent. cy. In this paper we would like to examine whether the Croatian-Hungarian border area Geographical characteristics of the has att ained the status of transborder region, Croatian-Hungarian border zone or still exists just as a cross-border area. The demographical conditions and the The 355-kilometre3 stretch of the border spatial structure of the Croatian-Hungarian between Croatia and Hungary is the most border was analysed in the latest planning unique and complex section of the Hungar- process2 and signifi cantly more weaknesses ian boundaries, and this is the only one that were pointed out than strengths. They in- has a long historical tradition. Despite fre- cluded: a decreasing population, negative 3 The same fi gure is also indicated by State Geodetic 2 Situation and SWOT Analysis: Interreg V-A Hungary- Administration, Zagreb, Croatia. CIA (The World Croatia Co-operation Programme 2014–2020: htt p:// Factbook) gives diff erent data on the border length www.huhr-cbc.com/en/offi cial-documents. (Figure 1). Čelan, T.J. Hungarian Geographical Bulletin 65 (2016) (1) 43–56. 45 quent disputes the border retained its peace- A ful character (Hajdú, Z. 2004). The Croatian- Hungarian boundary, colloquially often identifi ed with the Drava river, as a typical natural boundary, has been on its major parts one of the oldest European borders. Still, it is a complex border with diverse origins and signifi cant deviations from the present Drava river bed, as the consequence of its frequent changes in the past (Klemenčić, M. 1991). Typical lowland river meanders altered the B river bed. Rivers Mura and Drava are among the last remaining wetland habitats in Central Europe (UNESCO trans-boundary biosphere reserve from 2012). Several border sections such as Međimurje, Baranja and Prekodrav- lje4 (Crkvenčić, J. and Crkvenčić, M. 2003) have diff erent historical background. The unique shape of the Croatia has a clear impact on the length of its state borders. Although Hungary comprises signifi cantly Fig. 1. State land borders of the Republic of Croatia larger area than Croatia, the longest Croatian (A) and Hungary (B) per neighbouring countries (in land border with Bosnia and Herzegovina km) Source: CIA-The World Factbook: total land bor- (47% of all Croatian land borders) is even 256 ders of the Republic of Croatia and Hungary. km longer than the longest Hungarian bor- der5 (Figure 1). Except for the Hungarian, all in the case with Hungary. As of Croatia, its other Croatian land borders derive from the border with Hungary (Figure 1, A) is the 3rd former internal SFRY (Socialist Federative longest (16%) and as of Hungary (Figure 1, B), Republic of Yugoslavia) borders, resulting its border with Croatia is the 4th longest with in disputes among the new states and all re- the share of 15 percent (htt ps://www.cia.gov/ mained partly unsolved. During the SFRY library/publications/the-world-factbook).