ISSN 0354-8724 (hard copy) | ISSN 1820-7138 (online) Cross-Border Cooperation in the Danube-Lined Romanian/Bulgarian Border-Space. Geographical Considerations Săgeată RaduA*, Dumitrescu BiancaA, Damian NicoletaA Received: March 2009 | Revised: May 2010 | Accepted: May 2010 Abstract Since a number of transnational issues have been cropping up, the need was felt for the existence of a unitary sys- tem to tackle them. So, the building of some cross-border co-operation structures both at local level (cross-bor- der zones) and at regional level (Euroregions) appeared as highly necessary and desirable. Their typology depends on the intensity and character of cross-border fluxes, the existence of local convergence cores, and of elements of complementariness and homogeneity between the two frontier spaces. The Danube-lined Romanian-Bulgarian frontier represents an axis of discontinuity between two natural regions, each with its own district traits: the Ro- manian Plain in the north and the Pre-Balkan Mountain in the south. As a result, the limitrophe border zone shows particular social and economic characteristics. Although the Danube River has favoured the emergence of an ur- ban area, yet the respective towns do not form a coherent system, the zone itself being extremely rural as a whole. The Romanian-Bulgarian cross-border zone in the Danubian sector features by a sudden variation in transver- sal fluxes, concentrating on certain directions imposed by the pattern of communication routes and the layout of doublet towns. Most fluxes pass through the Giurgiu-Ruse sector, a strong argument in favour of establishing a Euro-region based on the cross-border cooperation between the two towns. Key words: Cross-border cooperation, Cross-border zone, Euroregion, Doublet settlements, Danube, Romania, Bulgaria. Theoretical and methodological border region gravitating towards one of the co� considerations participant states. The contradiction between institutional divisi� The issues that fuel the dynamic of the cross� on of the territory���������� and the e�����������������istence of cross����bor� border zones are part of the level of harmonization der issues that have requested a unitary approach of the policy for the development of the two cross� and consequently a cross�border cooperation led border zones that come in contact. The areas sit� to the appearance of new types of regional coop� uated on each side of the border have, or have not eration structures. Which coincide with the state the tendency to evolve in the same way, as a result frontiers: cross-border zones and Euroregions. This of central and local policy, but also the local specif� kind of cooperation should take into consideration ic situations, which impose the cross�border zone the fact that between the two cross�border zones type. there is a strip of frontier and, most of the times, there are different legislations that induce differ� Cross-border zones. ent requests regarding the cooperation framework. Types of cross-border zones Consequently, the braking up process represents Largely speaking, the cross�border zone stands for the main threat to the cross�border regions; if this the space situated on each side of the frontier, with process is not properly coordinated at the central breadths varying between 30 and 60 km, charac� level, there is the risk of loosing control, the cross� terized by a clear variation of human and mate� A Institute of Geography, Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania * Corresponding author: Radu Săgeată, e-mail: [email protected] Geographica Pannonica • Volume 14, Issue 2, 67-75 (June 2010) 67 Cross-Border Cooperation in the Danube-Lined Romanian/Bulgarian Border-Space. Geographical Considerations rial flu�es. The decisive elements that define the Cross-border zones and their role in setting up cross�border space are the structure and config� Euro-regions. Types of Euro-regions uration of state frontiers that give the cross�bor� Analysing the cross�border zones with Romani� der flu�es certain peculiarities according to mass, an participation from this point of view, it can be structure and also the layout of local convergence said that while the southern cross�border zones core, which impose the directions of these flu�� (Romanian�Bulgarian one and Romanian�Ser� es. Consequently, the identity of the cross�border bian one) have characteristics similar to those in space depends on the elements of complementa� the first category; those with the Republic of Mol� riness and homogeneity between the two frontier davia and Ukraine, due to the spreading of the spaces, while the polarization of the cross�border Romanian ethnic block on each side of the border, cooperation directions is influenced by the layout join the second category. The Romanian�Hun� of human settlements, especially those with local garian cross�border zone can also be included in and regional polarization role. the second category; the Romanian authorities Depending on population’s homogenous or see this zone as an opening gate towards the Oc� heterogeneous characteristic, national minorities cident, the European and Euro�Atlantic struc� presence or absence, the degree of infrastructure tures, while Budapest sees it as a linking gate with development and, not least, the historical back� the Hungarian communities from Transylvania. ground that in time favoured or limited the cross� That is why this cross�border zone was e�tend� border flu�es, cross�border zones have different ed by setting up the first Euro�region with Roma� characteristics. The intensity and variation of lo� nian participation: the Carpathian Euro�region, cal transversal flu�es had as a result the individu� Danube�Mureş�Tisa Euro�region (DKMT) and, re� alization of two theoretical models of cross�bor� cently, Bihor�Hajdú Bihar Euro�region, based on der zones (Bădescu, Dungaciu, 1995): the Oradea�Debrecen collaboration. 1. Cross�border zones characterized by a sud� Near the eastern Romanian border there were den variation of flu�es due to the homogene� constituted three: The Upper Prut, The Siret� ous trait of the populations within the two ar� Prut�Nistru and The Lower Danube both with eas that come in contact and relatively closed participation of two and three states: Romania, borders that overlap naturally inaccessible re� the Republic of Moldavia and Ukraine. Their uni� gions with low inhabiting potential and less ty is based first of all on ethnic element since they developed infrastructure. They coincide with unify territories with compact or majority Ro� mountainous or desert regions or great rivers manian population, which were governed by the that have functioned as barriers for the popula� former Soviet Union following the second Sovi� tion e�changes and, depending on them there et ultimatum at June, the 28th, 1940, a direct con� appeared the world important cultural cutting sequence of the secret German�Soviet treaty for up. This is the case of the Himalayan moun� non�aggression (Ribbentrop�Molotov). The in� tainous system, which lies between the Bud� tense inhabiting on both banks of the river Prut dhist Tibet and the Indian sub�continent, as also had an important contribution, the doublet� well as the Sahara that was a barrier in the Arab settlements acting as relays of inter�connection civilization’s spreading towards the southern of the two settlement systems, crystallized on a Africa. In their turn, the Andes, the Pyrenees or common historical background. the Pamir functioned as separation areas, be� In the ethnic unity is the main bound between ing ideal domains for mapping out. the territories on the left and right side of the riv� 2. Cross�border zones within which transversal er Prut that make up the three Euro�regions, Ro� flu�es vary slowly due to a progressive popula� mania’s approaches for the integration with� tion mi�ing, minorities’ presence on each side in the European and Euro�Atlantic cooperation of the border as a result of old interaction rap� structures request safer frontiers in the East and ports established in time under the influence the control of migratory flu�es on this direction. of a favourable natural environment, well�in� Thus, the river Prut is on the one hand an integra- dividualized settlement systems and comple� tion a�is due to the continuity of the ethnic and mentary economies. The interior borders of linguistic element, density and inhabiting conti� the European Union are a typical e�ample, the nuity on its both banks, and on the other hand as identity of cross�border zones being given by a fragmenting one, because it may become a rela� the way in which frontiers have transgressed tively stable border NATO and European Union, and regressed in history time. From rupture el� which requires a milieu specific for cross�border ements for the two political entities with dif� cooperation. ferent traits, they become welding, harmoniza� So, Euro�regions represent territorial struc� tion spaces with specific economic and cultural tures created to intensify the inter�regional and peculiarities. cross�border cooperation, so as to obtain a coher� 68 Geographica Pannonica • Volume 14, Issue 2, 67-75 (June 2010) Săgeată Radu, Dumitrescu Bianca, Damian Nicoleta ent space for economic, scientific, social and cul� leni, Grozeşti�Grozeşti, Răducani�Tochil Răducan, tural development. Pogoneşti�Pogoneşti, etc.). Their cropping up is closely related to the in� In time, the nuclei of cross�border demograph� tense cross�border cooperation within the west� ic concentration act as embryos of Euro�regions’ ern European space; urban nuclei of cross�border birth through the e�tension of the low border polarization and state border configuration are traffic at a macro�territorial scale based on the e�� the main factors that generate them. The rapid in� isting relationships within the settlements sys� dustrial development in the post war period and tems from the coterminous administrative�terri� the liberalisation of customs regime has contrib� torial units (Figure 1).