THE ROLE OF EUROPEAN REGIONS IN THE AREA OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS BETWEEN ROMANIA, POLAND AND BULGARIA

At European level, regions represent a key political entity in order to pursue European policy objectives, especially those related to Cohesion Policy. However the structure, roles and performances of such entities remain diffuse and different in the European space. This study analyze the role of the regions in the area of Sustainable Development, as, this is the main paradigm for development in EU. The study is structured in two main parts. In the first one, from a theoretical perspective, we inquire if regions with their characteristics and dimensions represent a proper actor by which sustainable development can be implemented. The second part shifts the focus on empirical evidence to figure out what roles are attributed to regions by some Eastern European States, based on the analysis of the National Strategies for Sustainable Development of Romania, Poland and Bulgaria. The results of the comparative analysis show that regions are called to play different roles and are given different importance in these states according to the administrative-territorial division, experience, historical and cultural factors. But also the theoretical analysis suggests that for the aims and dimensions of Sustainable Development, regions may represent an important and effective actor. The implications of these findings provide an argument in favor of regionalization and institutional strengthening of the regions, and also provide Poland as a possible model for Romania and other Eastern European Countries whose basic goal is achievement of sustainable development.