After the collapse of Soviet Union and the end of Cold War, the objectives and the capabilities of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation have grown. The enlargement rounds still stand out as one of the most crucial actions in the history of NATO. “The enlargement of NATO has been one of the most important events in post-Cold War international affairs, American foreign policy, and East European politics.” (Barany,Z., 2003:2) Therefore, it is essential for the Alliance to understand the advantages and drawbacks of subsequent rounds. There were doubts about the readiness of the aspiring members for joining NATO. The opponents of the enlargement supported the thesis that the first round was unnecessary and expensive. “NATO has set numerous membership criteria and has assisted aspiring members in satisfying them”( Barany,Z.,2013:2). …show more content…
The approval by political elites is an essential part of making foreign policy choices. Nevertheless, “ citizens’ attitudes in favour of participation in the NATO are affected ,at individual level by their own values and characteristics, and at the aggregate level, by national past experience and the domestic political context” (Kostadinova,T.,2000:235) On the one hand, the political elites of the post-communist countries support the membership in the NATO because it is the only guarantor for the peaceful development. On the other hand, the public opinion based on number of factors remained controversial. After the collapse of Communism the democratic movements increased their influence on the political stage. Therefore, the desire for