Euroscepticism as a manifestation of supra-national opposition in the Visegrad group countries

Abstract

The article is devoted to analyzing the phenomenon and nature of Euroscepticism as a direct manifestation of the supra-national opposition of the Visegrad Group countries to the EU. The researcher found out the real factors/causes and practicalities/features of Euroscepticism in the countries of the region. The
scientist confirmed the expediency of taxonomizing of the Euroscepticism in the Visegrad Group countries on social, party and civil, as well as on «hard» (principal) and «soft» (casual). In addition, the author motivated the appropriateness of appealing to the three-dimensional nature of Euroscepticism – as a political, economic and cultural/identity phenomenon superimposed on the national and supra-national competition of parties and movements in the left-right ideological spectrum. As the result, the differences of Euroscepticism and political successes of Eurosceptic parties and movements in the countries of the Visegrad Group before and after their accession to the EU were argued.