Prime ministers of the Visegrád Group of countries have “returned to their roots and agreed to strive for closer cooperation than ever before,” according to a statement they issued following a summit, held at Gödöllő, outside Budapest, in the early hours of Wednesday.
Péter Magyar of Hungary, Donald Tusk of Poland, Andrej Babis of the Czech Republic, and Robert Fico of Slovakia agreed to “agreed to strengthen the V4 cooperation, building on shared interests and joint achievements that have already been demonstrated in the past in areas such as joint positions on European Union policies, such as tackling high energy prices and migration”, the Hungarian news agency wrote.
The prime ministers “also agreed to seek cooperation with regional, European and global partners based on shared interests”, the statement said.
The document made a special mention of the European Union’s Multiannual Financial Framework, cohesion and agricultural policy, a resilient internal market, sustainable agriculture and food production, merit-based integration of candidate countries, a balance between clean energy and competitiveness, as well as a package concerning the automotive industry and trade policy as areas in which Visegrad countries have shared interests.
Participants in the summit “agreed to ask their relevant ministers and EU chief negotiators to reestablish channels of cooperation in the field of the EU policies in order to reinstate the previously efficient coordination framework of the Visegrad countries,” the statement said.
Balkan integration
Speaking at the V4 summit, Péter Magyar underlined that the Visegrád countries continue to support the European integration of the Western Balkans. “We are in agreement that the stability, development and future prospects of the region are a shared European interest, and that the credibility and predictability of the enlargement process are vital to Europe’s long-term security and competitiveness,” he added.
Not in agreement in every issue
Donald Tusk, Poland’s Prime Minister, expressed his gratitude to Péter Magyar for “restoring hope” that the Visegrád Group — and Hungary within it — can once again serve as a voice in European affairs, and that cooperation may resume despite differences.
“We all know that we do not see eye to eye on every issue,” Tusk said at a press conference following Tuesday’s V4 prime ministers’ summit in Gödöllő.
He nevertheless voiced hope that, on key matters such as energy, migration, cohesion policy and agriculture, the four countries could act in concert. If they remain mindful of what binds them together, he argued, “Europe will begin to listen to us again — and I say this as a veteran of the V4”.
Responding to a question, Tusk noted that he had known Viktor Orbán for more than three decades, and that for many years they had shared broadly similar views on Europe, the world and the question of freedom. “I have not changed on these issues; he has changed profoundly. That is why I cannot work with him,” he said.
Fico’s priorities: enlargement, energy prices, illegal migration
Strengthening competitiveness will be one of the central objectives of Slovakia’s presidency of the Visegrád Group, which begins on 1 July, the Slovak Prime Minister said at the summit in Gödöllő.
He identified high energy prices as the principal obstacle to the European Union’s competitiveness, stressing that electricity prices must be reduced across the bloc.
The second pillar of the Slovak presidency will be EU enlargement. In this regard, Bratislava maintains that countries already engaged in accession talks — Serbia, Montenegro, Albania and Ukraine — must fulfil the required conditions for entry.
The third pillar will focus on practical sectoral cooperation, with particular emphasis on the defence industry. Action against illegal migration and the protection of the Schengen area’s external borders will also feature prominently. Cooperation in healthcare and transport is likewise expected to form part of the agenda.
The final pillar will be devoted to strengthening people-to-people ties. Particular importance will be attached to the International Visegrád Fund, which has been in operation for 26 years, as well as to the V4+ format. Under the latter, additional partners would be invited to consultations on specific issues, rather than on a permanent basis.
He further proposed that V4 countries hold coordination meetings ahead of European Council sessions and work together on shaping the framework of the EU’s next multiannual budget, set to begin in 2028.
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The Czech Prime Minister emphasised that the V4 is “once again functioning”, adding: “I am confident that we will operate perfectly.”
“These four countries represent Europe’s future, and I am convinced that we will once again work together as effectively as we did in the past,” Babiš said, predicting “excellent” results and insisting that all parties would make every effort to achieve them.
“I look forward to our cooperation and am convinced,” he added, “that the coordination we have always maintained is still in place — as evidenced by our consultations ahead of European Council meetings.”
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