ISBN 978-80-224-1530-9

Hektický a turbulentný vývoj slovenskej společnosti po novembri 1989 priniesol nielen obrovské problémy, ale generoval aj nové politické elity i vízie a predstavy o budúcnosti, či už išlo o smerovanie Slovenska a jeho geopolitické ukotvenie v európskom priestore, alebo pohľady na minulosť a svojím spósobom aj na filozofiu slovenského národnopolitického hnutia. Do pohybu sa dostali tradičné hodnoty a nanovo sa formulovali otázky zdanlivo už vyriešené, resp. tie, ktoré sa javili ako konštantné pravdy, či tie, ktoré prinášal politický a národno-spoločenský vývoj.
Svatoslav Bombík bol súčasťou tohto procesu nielen ako jeden z vodcov študentského hnutia počas novembra 1989. Na politickej scéně pósobil aj v následujúcich rokoch, teda v čase, keď sa utvárali kontúry novej demokratickej společnosti a kládli základy samostatnej Slovenskej republiky.

Súbor jeho študií a článkov, z kterých viaceré neboli dosiaľ publikované, je svedectvem nielen jeho osobnostného vývoja, ale aj jeho odvahy, erudície a schopnosti veci a javy na politickej scéne pomenovať a zaujať k nim postoj. A to nielen z hladiska ich aktuálnosti, ale aj z hladiska ich historickej podmienenosti. Aj po značném časovom odstupe vystupuje do popredia originalita jeho názorov a koncepčnosť jeho vnímania meniacej sa reality. A z tohto pohladu možno považovat jeho texty aj za súčasť generačnej výpovede mladých ludí, ktorí mali ambíciu menit spoločnosť. Texty sú zároveň svedectvom vývoja politického myslenia na Slovensku po roku 1989.

PhDr. Peter Zelenák, CSc.


SUMMARY

This book is a collection of essays and articles written by Svetoslav Bombík - one of the student leaders of the Velvet Revolution in 1989, leading foreign policy analyst and thinker in the Slovak Republic in early 1990's and the founder of the Slovak Institute for International Studies. We publish his key essays on foreign policy and Slovak statehood as well as never published articles from Bombík's personál archive collected and organized by the late Dr. Stefan Sebesta. It is a tribute to both men and a testimony to Bombík's essential contribution to Slovak foreign policy.

The book is divided into eight chapters that show evolvement of Bombik's thinking starting with his study of Slovak history, fascination on Central Europe, different concepts of Europe's arrangements to defining basic principles of building a modern Slovák statehood and foreign policy. The last chapter provides reflections on his contribution by his colleagues and collaborators.

Five years period (1989 - 1994) is a short time in the history of mankind, but in time of a revolution one can witness monumental changes. Turbulent social processes resulting from both ancient history and recent political events reopened questions of values, sociál fabric and the future of society. These fundamental changes in Slovak society were intellectually stimulating for Svetoslav Bombík as a political scientist and historian, while as a politically active person he was driven to find practical solutions to current problems. He tried to answer essential questions of Slovak social development, its historical determinations and perspective and Slovakia's place in Europe.

Bombík's reflections on Slovák society were critical, often untraditional and provocative. In spite of the fact that he was known as a supporter of Slovak statehood and independent Slovakia, he was not afraid to attack national idols and heroes, untouchable for most Slovaks (i.e. Bombík's criticism of the mission of St. Cyril and St. Methodius or his criticism of Ludovít Štúr). He has considered establishing of the independent Slovák Republic as a natural part of Slovaks' emancipation. However he did not look at it with some kind of nostalgia. According to Bombík's vision independent Slovakia should be a statě based on traditional western values of democracy, rule of law, civil society and Christian morality, not romanticized national mythology. On the contrary, he accents knowledge of history (and its ownership - especially vis-á-vis other actors in the area) as a powerful tool and fights against simplification and reductionism.

He always thought about history, especially the history of Central Europe, in the framework of relations between West and East. He argues, in several of his articles, that Slovakia has always been, except possibly the period of communism, an integrál part of West European civilization. From the history of this area during last two centuries Bombík drew two conclusions. First that Central Europe should be dosely tied with Western Europe, represented now by the European Union in political, economic as well as security domains. The second Bombík's conclusion is the importance of intensifying regional cooperation among Central European countries in order to overcome tensions derived from multiethnic character of the region. Svetoslav Bombík was a strong supporter of European integration and the expansion of NATO and the EU eastward. He was not against cooperation with Russia, but her unpredictable future, lack of democratic experience and longtime tradition of cesaropapism led him to fear her influence in Central Europe.

Fascinating aspect of Bombík's texts is their longevity. Even after two decades since they've been written, they do not lose their appeal. Perhaps, it is because he was able to point out basic characteristics of Central Europe - space geographically in between West and East, yet culturally anchored in the West. He has also been able to indicate some traps Slovak decision makers could face - not due to external circumstances, but rather our own historical narrative, lack of knowledge, imagination and decisiveness. His basic approach was activist and he believed as man could influence his destiny so can a nation.