Their independence was a result of the USSR’s collapse, and, while some had national revolutions, in most Soviet elites and political culture remained entrenched. Corruption is rife, state capture by powerful vested interests is the norm, and institutional effectiveness and capacity for reform are weak.
欧盟对这一地区缺乏进一步扩张的热情，这一直是一个问题。最近，欧盟还需要面对现实，在俄罗斯总统德米特里·梅德韦杰夫所谓的俄“特殊利益范围”内与其竞争。但东欧问题不断涌现。