THE URBAN POLICY CONTEXT IN MEDIUM-SIZED EUROPEAN METROPOLITAN AREAS

Abstract

In the aftermath of communism, the road to democratization has been a bumpy one for the Central and Eastern European cities of Tbilisi, Budapest, Zagreb and Belgrade. Once heavily focused on manufacturing under former communist regimes, these cities must now make a successful transition to democracy and attract investors by diversifying to a service-based economy and developing their IT sectors, green tourism and agriculture. Some of this work is well underway; yet, political instability and the rise of populism, for example in Hungary, risk turning investors’ attention to safer geopolitical areas.

Keywords

• Post-communist countries
• Urbanization
• Central Planning