<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> After the fall of communist system in Eastern Europe, international relations have undergone a process of major changes as a result of two main processes: a) the disintegration of former Soviet Union and Former Yugoslavia, and b) the process of integration of former communist countries to EU and NATO. In view of the new situation, countries of former communist bloc are defining the tendencies of future development in order to outline recommendation on the policies of adjustment to the new models of regional and global security. Early challenges of global security, during four decades of the Cold War, were the defense of the sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of threat of the Soviet army. Geopolitical and geostrategic changes that swept Eastern Europe after the fall of communism were accompanied by interethnic tensions and conflict. By now, the concept of security is broader and includes the defense of fundamental values and principles of democratic systems.The end of the 20th century brought about sweeping geopolitical and geostrategic changes. Firstly, the start of the integrative process of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe within the structures of NATO and EU demanded that these countries met the economic and political standards required to join these organizations. Secondly, the disintegration of Soviet Union and Former Yugoslavia brought about new problems with regards to borders, minorities and ultranationalist ideologies, problems that went hand in hand with interethnic conflict, threatening the regional stability. These processes of wide-ranging changes brought to attention the concept of “social security” that focused not only on the countries affected by the process of disintegration of nation-state, but also on the embryonic creation of a global society.</abstract>

After the fall of communist system in Eastern Europe, international relations have undergone a process of major changes as a result of two main processes: a) the disintegration of former Soviet Union and Former Yugoslavia, and b) the process of integration of former communist countries to EU and NATO. In view of the new situation, countries of former communist bloc are defining the tendencies of future development in order to outline recommendation on the policies of adjustment to the new models of regional and global security. Early challenges of global security, during four decades of the Cold War, were the defense of the sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of threat of the Soviet army. Geopolitical and geostrategic changes that swept Eastern Europe after the fall of communism were accompanied by interethnic tensions and conflict. By now, the concept of security is broader and includes the defense of fundamental values and principles of democratic systems.The end of the 20th century brought about sweeping geopolitical and geostrategic changes. Firstly, the start of the integrative process of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe within the structures of NATO and EU demanded that these countries met the economic and political standards required to join these organizations. Secondly, the disintegration of Soviet Union and Former Yugoslavia brought about new problems with regards to borders, minorities and ultranationalist ideologies, problems that went hand in hand with interethnic conflict, threatening the regional stability. These processes of wide-ranging changes brought to attention the concept of “social security” that focused not only on the countries affected by the process of disintegration of nation-state, but also on the embryonic creation of a global society.

“Transformation of the concept of global security after the end of the cold war“

Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, “Kristal” University of Tirana

SEEU Review

After the fall of communist system in Eastern Europe, international relations have undergone a process of major changes as a result of two main processes: a)...

“Transformation of the concept of global security after the end of the cold war“

Published Online: Feb 01, 2013

Page range: 151 - 163

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10306-012-0010-9

This content is open access.