Europe, Central Europe and Hungary: 2014, a Year of Anniversaries

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2014 can be considered a year of anniversaries. These include five key events that have shaped the historical and contemporary face of modern Europe: 100 years since the start of the First World War; 70 years since the Holocaust; 25 years since the collapse of Communism in Central Europe; 15 years since the accession of the first Central European countries (Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland) to NATO; and, most recently, ten years since the accession of eight former communist bloc states to the European Union. 2014 offers many opportunities to reflect on how far Europe, and in particular Central Europe, has come during these years. Writing from the position of Hungary, but also acknowledging the wider Central European region, this commentary pays particular attention to the tenth anniversary of the EU's eastern enlargement and reflects on both the positive developments and the challenges for the European integration project that were raised during this time and which still lie ahead.