Meeting of Visegrad Group Prime Ministers in Bratislava sets next framework for cooperation in the region
26.06.2023
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki met with the Prime Ministers of the Visegrad Group (V4) countries in Bratislava. The heads of government of Poland, Czechia, Slovakia and Hungary summarised the cooperation to date during the Slovak Presidency. An important point of the meeting was the discussion of further priorities and directions for the Visegrad Group, whose presidency will be taken over by Czechia starting from 1 July 2023. Joint arrangements include further strengthening of sectoral cooperation between our countries, as well as identifying the interests of our region to be debated within the European Union. The Prime Ministers also discussed the topics of security and migration. The Visegrad Group is a format that ensures effective cooperation on many levels, as the countries of our region share many challenges, interests and prospects.
Prospects for reform in the European Union and the interests of our region
Cooperation within the Visegrad Group is above all about taking advantage of what our countries have in common. Many similarities, as well as interests, are the glue that binds our region together. Poland emphasises that joint action is key to achieving common goals.
“We take our differences out of the equation. We do not focus on that, but try to look for what unites us, what makes our countries stronger, what makes 1+1+1+1 equal 5 or 6. This makes our voice more heard in Brussels and more heard and listened to internationally,” stressed Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki after a meeting with the Prime Ministers of the V4 countries.
Economic development and modern industrial investment is one of the areas that unite Poland, Czechia, Slovakia and Hungary. Some assumptions of the EU climate policy pose potential obstacles to further development in our countries. We speak in one collective voice to ensure that the European Union takes into account the needs and circumstances of Poland and our neighbouring countries in this regard.
“We want the climate policy to take into account these very important interests related to industrial policies and economic development,” noted the head of the Polish government. “We want advanced industrial technologies in our European countries, in particular in the Visegrad countries, in Poland,” he added.
In the face of the climate policy, we are also a voice in favour of the development of nuclear energy, as the energy of the future. This is the key to a green and fair transition in our region.
Security of Central and Eastern Europe is a priority
NATO and EU membership is a strong guarantee of security for Poland and the Visegrad countries. We are actively working for the security of our region in every possible format. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and the Prime Ministers of the V4 countries discussed the current security and defence activities - also in the context of the B9 format cooperation and the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius. We emphasise that the transatlantic bond is a key element for peace and stability.
Another important topic of discussion among the Prime Ministers of the Visegrad Group was migration and the protection of the European Union's external borders.
“The V4 countries have risen to the challenge when it comes to taking in war refugees. Therefore, today the topic which unites us very much is also our approach to migration,” said the head of the Polish government.
We are unanimously opposed to the current EU migration policy, which proposes relocation mechanisms. Poland, together with the V4 countries, stresses the importance of protecting the external borders of the European Union for the security of our countries.
“We do not agree to any quotas, to any allocations of migrants and we make it very clear that Europe must have mechanisms to defend itself against external migration,” stressed Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in Bratislava.
