Integral European cultural space and regional development: Transition processes in the Baltic and other CEE countries

The purpose of this paper is to examine the theoretical background to the regional economic and social development in the context Of development of integral European cultural space. The main trends and tendencies of the economic, political, social transition processes in the Central and Eastern Europe are analysed. Possibilities and prospects of the regional economic and social development in the Baltic region are discussed. Problems and conflicts arising in the situation of the development of the integral cultural space in Europe are described. The paper also presents the outcomes of the research done over the recent several years, dedicated to the diagnostics of the problems of transformations as well as of national and international security in various regions and countries of Central and Eastern Europe, especially in Baltic countries. The main attention is dedicate I to the regional economic and social development in the Baltic countries in context of the integral European cultural, political, economic and social space.