Geopolitical Determinants of Macedonia as Part of the Balkan Instability

Outline of the Problem

Authors

  • Danuta Gibas-Krzak Jan Dlugosz University, Częstochowa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12797/Politeja.11.2014.30.19

Keywords:

geopolitics, geostrategy, fragmentation, geopolitical actors, strategic directions, transbalkan, interbalkan, military‑geographical classification, the paradigm of Balkan instability

Abstract

Geopolitics is a relatively new scientific discipline that studies the relationship between the geographical and historical factors influencing the formation and functioning of the states (centres of power). The aim of this paper is to present geopolitical and geostrategic determinants of Macedonia. The author examines the question: Does the territory of Macedonia have the character of destabilizing the political situation in the Balkans, by typing in the paradigm of Balkan instability? The author has relied on the analysis of the Balkan scientists, mostly Serbian and Greek. It is essential to mention: Andrej Mitrović, MiloljubSretenović, MilenkoTešić, Radovan Pavić, Slavoljub B. Šušić, Alexander Demajo and Greek balkanist – Dimitri Poulakos. The author depictsthe geopolitical significance of Macedonia throughout the ages, and geostrategic importance of Macedonia in order to conclude that contemporary Macedonia faces numerous problems of economic, ethnic, legal and international nature. However, it seems that the Albanian ethnic factor as well as bi‑ethnicity of Macedonia are the most unstable elements in the current geopolitical situation of this territory.

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Author Biography

Danuta Gibas-Krzak, Jan Dlugosz University, Częstochowa

She graduated from the Jagiellonian University in Cracow, Pultusk Academy of Humanities and the Military University of Technolog y in Warsaw. She worked in the Polish Radio as a reporter and was awarded prizes for features. She published monographs: South Slavic mosaic. Geographical and Political Analysis of Post-Yugoslavian States (co-author, Andrzej Krzak); Kosovo Conflict between Serbs and Albanians. Determinants. Course. Consequence; Ukraine between Russia and Poland. Currently, Danuta Gibas-Krzak is academic at the Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa. She has done research in Sarajevo, Zagreb and Belgrade.

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Published

2014-07-26

How to Cite

Gibas-Krzak, Danuta. 2014. “Geopolitical Determinants of Macedonia As Part of the Balkan Instability: Outline of the Problem”. Politeja 11 (4 (30):221-25. https://doi.org/10.12797/Politeja.11.2014.30.19.