Diploma thesis deals with international student festivals in the Visegrad Group. The thesis describes higher education systems in Visegrad countries and explores in detail higher education students' theatre festivals. The main aim of the thesis is to find out whether the cooperation of higher education students from the field of theatre acting in Visegrad countries is sufficient, to analyze the support system for their cultural activities and suggest a suitable solution. To achieve the main objective of the paper the survey method and the method of semi-structured dialogue were used.

The main topic of this diploma thesis is lobbying in the countries of the Visegrad Group. The thesis is structured into two parts: practical and theoretical. The theoretical part addresses topics such as connection between lobbying as a term and its forms, determination of lobbying against corruption, interest groups problematic, which are also closely related to lobbying. In addition, the ways of regulating lobbying are also discussed in this part. In the practical part, lobbying laws in Poland and Hungary are thoroughly analysed together with drafts of laws in the Slovak and the Czech Republic. Furthermore, a comparative analysis was conducted in order to find similarities and differences between those norms. The main aim of the thesis is to provide a closer look at the individual regulatory elements of legislative regulation of lobbying in the countries of the Visegrad Group, as well as to identify similarities and differences between laws and drafts of laws by comparison.

Creating a stabile economic environment that is able to resist the competitive pressure at the European market was one of the main conditions for candidate countries in the integration process. In present all new member countries of the European Union are getting ready to enter the European Area, which will represent the round-off of their integration efforts. The countries of the Visegrad group, that are former centrally planned economies of the Soviet block, form quite homogeneous unit and their positions in the integration process were very similar. The main objective of my work is to provide a complex illustration of the progress made in economies of V4 group both during the integration process and over last few years after their accession to the European Union.

Thesis examines the trade development in the Visegrad countries, the Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Poland and Hungary through the detailed analyses of their historical trends in GDP, currency and inflation, and foreign trade. The timeline of their trade development was split into two periods: during communism and after the collapse of communism. The study showed that the Visegrad countries' trade was concentrated mostly within the CMEA countries and their trade relations with the West were restricted which held them back from their earlier integration into the EU and also kept down their economic growth for several decades. Their economies were centrally planned and state held monopoly over foreign trade which caused them to be much less competitive on world markets. The period after the collapse of their communist regimes involves their transition to market economy and their full integration into the EU with the increasing share of the EU in their foreign trade. The analysis of this period emphasizes the importance of the openness of their economies in their gained economic growth. Another purpose of the study was to look into their trade perspectives with the economic projections and their future accession into the Eurozone. Visegrad countries' cooperation in attracting FDI into the region was also found important for their economic stabilization and future growth in today's competitive world.

The diploma thesis provides an analysis of development of tax systems and tax legislation of the Visegrad Group countries during the period of global economic crisis, i.e. between the years 2008 and 2010. The thesis deals with assessment of anti-crisis measures and influence of impacts of the economic crisis on tax revenues and tax mix in the Visegrad Group countries. Within separates chapters describes the wide range of measures which were accepted in the countries during crisis. The paper covers the main characteristics of tax systems and their position within European Union and shows a comparison of dynamic development of tax systems of the Visegrad countries. The thesis tries to provide a complete view on the tax trends in the four Central European countries.

The aim of the study is to examine the effects of FDI on the four countries - Czech republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. There is a detailed description of a global flows of FDI, concentrating on specific important events that influenced the flows, also regarding the particular region of a world economy. In the main part the study examines every country of the Visegrad Group separately - its macroeconomic development, FDI flows and main events that had a major influence on the flows into each country. At the end there is also a small quantitative analysis trying to prove a relationship between FDI stock in each country and its rate of inflation, unemployment rate, GDP growth and a current account deficit of a ballance of payments.

Le changement historique de l’ordre international a lieu après la chute du Rideau de fer en 1989. Les pays de l’Europe centrale après 45 ans de régime communiste regagnent leur liberté et souveraineté. Cette région historiquement, culturellement et géographiquement homogène et en même temps hétérogène (ethniquement et religieusement) « revient en Europe ». Dans cette nouvelle architecture elle se retrouve devant des défis majeurs : les transformations politiques et économiques, la redéfinition des relations avec les plus importants voisins (l’ex-URSS, l’Allemagne unie et la CEI) et le choix d’une option pour la sécurité de leur région (la neutralité, le système collectif, le modèle européen ou la variante euro-atlantique). Les pays centre-européens décident de développer une coopération régionale (Groupe de Visegrád, ICE, ALECE), subrégionale (euro-régions) et devenir les membres des plus importantes organisations internationales de sécurité (OTAN, OSCE, ONU et UE) afin d’assurer et renforcer la sécurité dans la région. Désormais, leur système de sécurité est fondé sur l’Alliance atlantique et la Politique de sécurité et de défense commune ainsi qu’il est soutenu par une coopération régionale développée et des relations efficaces et durables avec le voisinage le plus proche. À l’aube de XXIe siècle face à une dynamique de sécurité les pays centre-européens se retrouvent devant les nouveaux défis : le bouclier anti-missile, la globalisation, le terrorisme, la sécurité énergétique et la question de Kaliningrad. « La nouvelle Europe » comme un jouer à plein droit sur l’arène internationale devient un baromètre de la sécurité du continent européen. / The fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989 brought a major change in the global balance of power. After 45 years under an imposed communist regime, the countries of Central Europe regain their freedom and sovereignty. The historically, culturally and geographically homogeneous region (at the same time widely diverse in terms of ethnic and religious structure) “returns to Europe”. In this new scheme of international relations, it faces new challenges: political and economic transformation, a revision of its relations with its most important neighbors (the former USSR, unified Germany and the Commonwealth of Independent States), the choice of a security model for the region (neutrality, collective security, the European or the Euro-Atlantic option). The countries of Central Europe decide to develop cooperation within the regional (the Visegrad Group, the Central European Initiative, the Central European Free Trade Agreement) and the sub-regional (Euroregions) dimension, and to join the most important security organizations in the world (NATO, OSCE, UN, EU) in order to ensure and increase security in the region. As a consequence, their security system is currently based on the North Atlantic Treaty and the Common Security and Defense Policy, and supported by networks of regional cooperation as well as enduring and dependable relations with their neighbors. In light of the dynamics of the security process, these countries must now confront new challenges, which include the missile defense shield, terrorism, energy security and the Kaliningrad problem. The “New Europe” as an equal player on the international stage has become the gauge of security on the European continent.

This thesis analyzes the Visegrad Group&rsquo / s stance toward the Russian-German Nord Stream and Russian-Italian South Stream gas pipeline projects, which aimed to circumvent the traditional energy routes situated in Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The level of the Visegrad Group&rsquo / s dependency on inherited Soviet gas pipeline routes is examined alongside the Visegrad Group&rsquo / s policy setting ability within the group itself and in the European Union. The thesis also traces the evolution of energy relations between Europe and Russia and Visegrad Group&rsquo / s adaptation to the new state of affairs after the collapse of the Soviet Union, particularly with respect to energy issues. It is argued that despite all differences, Visegrad Group members are able to set a cooperation platform at times of crisis and develop common energy strategies. However, the thesis shows that the Visegrad Group&rsquo / s endeavor has encountered some setbacks at the national level and serious challenges at the European level, largely owing to the lack of a common European energy policy. The thesis concludes that the Visegrad Group&rsquo / s energy policy is both dependent on the stances of Russia and larger EU actors.

The diploma thesis aims to describe the enlargement of the Schengen area in 2007 with nine states that became members of the EU in 2004- without Cyprus. The great attention is paid to the Czech Republic. In the first chapter I explain the basic terms and mechanisms of the Schengen cooperation. The next chapter deals with the preparation course and the evaluation proces of the states preparing for the accession to the Schengen area. It was the Visegrad group (V4) which played a very important role during the preparation that is why I focused on the cooperation of this group in the third part of my diploma thesis. At the same time there is the visa harmonization cooperation within V4 mentioned there. The main part of the diploma thesis is the chapter called the Czech Republic and the Schengen area where I analyse a strategy and arrangements implemented in the Czech Republic. The enlargement of the Schengen area with nine new states was accomplished in 2007 thanks to consistent preparation of all countries that was verified by evaluation mission experts. The participation in the Schengen area has its positive and negative sides. The impacts of the Schengen enlargement and the problems rised after accession of nine states to the Schengen are more described in the last chapter.

This paper is focused on Investment Incentives. First, a historical development, a legal framework and types of Investment Incentives in the Czech Republic are described. Paper analyses positive and negative effects of the Investment Incentives. This part is followed up by a comparison of systems of the Investment Incentives in Visegrad Group countries and Ireland. The last part is devoted to an analysis of business environment in the Czech Republic.