This dissertation deals with the links between stock market returns and foreign exchange rates, industrial production and exports to Germany in three Central and East European countries (the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland). The main questions addressed are: "Do macroeconomic factors related to foreign exchange rates and industrial production affect stock market returns in the Visegrad-3? And what is the impact of exports to Germany on those stock returns?" This analysis makes use of panel-data and the Arbitrage Pricing Theory (APT) to produce results. Firstly, foreign exchange rates are found to have a negative effect on stock returns. However the divergence in currency returns between the three countries means that the overall effect may be due to some factors that are not accounted for in this analysis. Secondly, there is a positive, but lagged, association between industrial production and stock returns. Thirdly, exports to Germany from the region are also found to have a positive impact on the stock returns of the Visegrad-3. Finally, there is divergence among the three countries with respect to the relationship between the macroeconomic factors and stock returns. Poland and Hungary are seen to exert a significant amount of influence over the region's stock markets.

The study investigates the development of counter-terrorism in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia between 1989 and 2017, with a focus on developments of the Criminal Code and changes in the institutional framework. A description of counter-terrorism developments is constructed for each country. Subsequently, general hypotheses about counter-terrorism development derived from existing literature are tested using causal-process tracing tools, resulting in preliminary conclusions about the causes of the identified developments. The results indicate that changes in the Criminal Code were primarily driven by external pressure from international organisations, whereas institutional changes tended to result from country-specific processes, threat perception and inspiration from abroad. Keywords: Counter-terrorism, terrorism, Visegrad, Central Eastern Europe, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia

With their accession to the EU the Visegrad countries subscribed to the fundamental objective of the Union under the Lisbon Treaty - sustainable development. They have undergone substantial reforms, brought their policies into compliance with EU standards and regulations. Nevertheless, a lot of work should still be done in the Visegrad Four in order integrate sustainable development approach into all of the fields of political activity and reorganize their decision-making models according to the new challenges. This study constitutes an analysis of the Visegrad states' performance in ensuring sustainable governance in the period 2005-2010. The research is based on the two editions of Sustainable Governance Indicators, developed by the Bertelsmann Stiftung, and published in 2009 (period of review: January 2005 - March 2007) and in 2011 (period of review: May 2008 - April 2010). In order to assess sustainability of the four Visegrad democracies the study provides a comprehensive comparative analysis of these states' performance and retraces the dynamics of their progress/regress in terms of ensuring sustainability. It also explores the main tendencies of the Visegrad region's development regardless of particular country, identifies the main strengths and weaknesses of the region in terms of...

The thesis researches whether in the Visegrad Group there is growing importance and securitization of energy security and military security leading to further cooperation based on recent crises. The thesis also researches whether Russia is perceived as a threat. This is done through content analysis of national security strategies, energy security strategies and military or defence strategies, as well as discourse analysis of official statements presented by ministries and governments of the Visegrad Group states. In the text, also materials published by the Visegrad Group as a whole are analysed. The discourse analysis in case of the states is focused on moments of crises. In energy security field, three crises were chosen: gas crises of 2006 and 2009, as well as oil crisis of 2008. In the chapter about military security, two events were chosen- conflict in Georgia in 2008 and military exercises in 2009. As it is presented, cooperation in energy security is already taking place and cooperation in military affairs in form of battlegroup is planned. Especially in energy security, a link between recent crises, their securitization and cooperation might be seen based on the research.

Analysis of the Commitment to Development Index Miroslav Syrovátka ABSTRACT The Commitment to Development Index aims to measure the effects of wide range of rich countries' policies that support or limit development prospects of poor countries. These policies are grouped into seven components of the index. The thesis analyzes and assesses the methodology of the index construction with the main focus on its environmental component. It is argued that although the environmental component is a legitimate part of the concept behind the index, the difficulties of its implementation limit its information value. This is due to the specific shortcomings of component indicators and the necessity to combine environmental policy indicators with indicators of exploitation of global environmental resources. The scores of Visegrad countries and correlation analysis show the specificity of the environmental component within the whole index and indirectly support the conclusions about its reduced information value. The thesis discusses the options for modification, both at the level of composite index construction and presentation, and at the level of individual indicators of the environmental component.

The purpose of this case study is to use Ian Manner’s normative power theory and Adrian Hyde-Price’s neo-realism theory, in order to explain the Visegrad countries’ resistance against the EU relocation. There is great tension within the EU on how to handle the migration and refugee crisis. The efforts to establish EU relocation plan were extremely controversial since the European Commission adopted legislation directly related to territorial integrity and state sovereignty through qualified majority. The main opponents of the relocation scheme are the Visegrad group (Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia). This paper concluded that Ian Manner’s theory on Normative Power Europe is limited in explaining the Member States resistance, rather Adrian Hyde-Price’s theory on neorealism is more accurate in explaining the resistance.

Analysis of the Commitment to Development Index Miroslav Syrovátka ABSTRACT The Commitment to Development Index aims to measure the effects of wide range of rich countries' policies that support or limit development prospects of poor countries. These policies are grouped into seven components of the index. The thesis analyzes and assesses the methodology of the index construction with the main focus on its environmental component. It is argued that although the environmental component is a legitimate part of the concept behind the index, the difficulties of its implementation limit its information value. This is due to the specific shortcomings of component indicators and the necessity to combine environmental policy indicators with indicators of exploitation of global environmental resources. The scores of Visegrad countries and correlation analysis show the specificity of the environmental component within the whole index and indirectly support the conclusions about its reduced information value. The thesis discusses the options for modification, both at the level of composite index construction and presentation, and at the level of individual indicators of the environmental component.

The thesis deals with the process of economic transition and its results in Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic a the Slovak Republic, i.e. countries of Visegrad four. The paper describes the functioning of centrally planned economy and the general process of transition to a market economy. It also mentions different theoretical approaches. Furthermore it analyses the development of transition reforms in particular countries and compares the results of individual transition strategies.

The topic of this thesis is the role of Central Europe in the security-political relations focusing on the Visegrad Group as a representative of Central European regional cooperation. The thesis first describes international regimes, which the Visegrad Group belongs to, the reasons of their origin and the functions, which they have been performing. The paper also deals with the region of Central Europe, with its definition and cooperation within it. The core part of the thesis is dedicated to the Visegrad Group, to its origin, to the relations between its members and above all to its activity within the European Union and the North Atlantic Alliance. The final part evaluates not only achievements and failures in security and defense aspects of Visegrad cooperation, but it also mentions new possibilities, which are currently offered to such cooperation.

The subject of this thesis is to analyse the disbursement of funds the European Union on the territory of Visegrad countries within the programming period 2007 2013. Primarily the work deals how much was been reached from expected financial allocation resources and the resulting drawdown of funds divided into areas in which the finance income in countries and whether there really to fulfilled the commitments made by the country in the operational programs at the beginning of the programming period 2007 2013.