Russia and the EU: The Kaliningrad Dilemma. CEPS Policy Brief No. 15, March 2002

Borki, Yori. (2002) Russia and the EU: The Kaliningrad Dilemma. CEPS Policy Brief No. 15, March 2002. [Policy Paper]

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Abstract

[Introduction]. Kaliningrad as a problem in the context of the EU Enlargement. Strictly speaking, there are two groups of problems related to this topic. Firstly, there are some particular issues arising from the enlargement process; namely the movement of goods and people between Kaliningrad and the rest of Russia, including visa regime, energy supply of the region, trans-border cooperation and fisheries. To solve these problems or not to solve them is like Hamlet’s dilemma “to be or not to be”. These problems have to be solved by the Union and Russia, with the participation, at least jointly, of Poland and Lithuania. Secondly, there are some issues of mutual interest not directly linked to enlargement. They relate to the problems of the internal situation in Kaliningrad. The solution to these problems is a task to which Russia must apply itself. However, this region has now become a source of concern for the EU, as in the near future it will turn into an enclave surrounded by the new member states of the European Union. This is the real dilemma: Is Russia and the EU ready and able to act jointly to resolve the internal problems of Kaliningrad and facilitate its inclusion into a broader area of the regional cooperation? These two groups of problems differ, inter alia, from the point of view of the amount of time that Russia and the EU have at their disposal to search for solutions. In the first case, they have to come to some decisions before the start of enlargement. In the second case, there is no direct interconnection between the solution and the beginning of enlargement. Many problems to be addressed are of a long-term character; nevertheless, “the sooner – the better” would be a positive principle to apply.

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