This paper presents an overview of the Czech, Slovak and Hungarian positions towards the 3SI. The three countries were considered as “reluctant participants” of the initiative, but as the 3SI developed over the past 5 years, their positions evolved as well. Their active involvement is essential for the 3SI’s main objective – the improvement of the infrastructural interconnectedness in the CEE – as the three countries lie in the center of the region’s north-south axis.

After initial doubts about the real intentions of this endeavor, Prague, Bratislava and Budapest incorporated it into their portfolios of Central European cooperation formats in which they participate. Strong U.S. support for the project makes the initiative more attractive for its reluctant members as it offers a long-term item for the agenda of relations between Washington D.C. and the CEE countries. The 3SI will continue to be part of the Central European policies of Prague, Bratislava and Budapest, yet additional effort is needed to make it a serious priority and to tap the potential it offers.

Written by Vít Dostál, Tomáš Strážay, Zsuzsanna Végh