Orbán in trouble? New Czech president would end V4 cooperation

Petr Pavel, the president-elect of the Czech Republic, said he would like to initiate a debate about the possible termination of the V4 cooperation. The partnership consists of Hungary, Czechia, Slovakia and Poland and was restarted in 1990 after the fall of the Communism in Central Europe.

President Pavel also said he would like to deliver fighter jets for Ukraine and added that the V4 cooperation was in a crisis. That is because its members’ standpoint significantly differ on how they should treat Ukraine and Russia’s invasion, Mandiner wrote. Orbán highlights the need for peace every time, while the new Czech president would support Ukraine to help Zelenskiy defeat the invadors. Meanwhile, the outgoing Czech president, Milos Zeman, supports the strengthening of the V4 cooperation.

The Hungarian and the Czech president:

Hungarian President was in Prague

The Visegrád cooperation is an alliance of the heart and mind, President Katalin Novák said at a joint press conference with outgoing Czech counterpart Milos Zeman in Prague on Friday. Novák said “those who attack the Visegrád cooperation also attack the alliance of the heart and mind” and vowed to work effectively towards countering such attacks while she is in office as president. She added that as a strong supporter of the Visegrád cooperation she believed in its power to integrate common economic, cultural and historical values.

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Novák said her talks with Zeman focused on three main topics: the Russian-Ukrainian war, Czech-Hungarian bilateral cooperation and Visegrád ties. She said they both condemned Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and stated support to Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. They also stated their support to brokering peace as soon as possible as a solution to the conflict. As regards bilateral relations, Novák pledged to further strengthen them in the economy and in the areas of culture and tourism.

President Novák decorated Zeman. “Hungary respects its friends”, Novák said:

Answering a question, Novák  said NATO’s expansion with Sweden and Finland was fundamentally important. At the meeting, Novák presented to Zeman the Order of Merit of Hungary, Grand Cross with Chain “as an expression of the Hungarian nation’s esteem” for his achievements in strengthening the friendship between the two countries and enhancing Visegrád cooperation. The Hungarian president also held informal talks with president-elect Petr Pavel. Below you may check out some photos. Pavel said in a Facebook post that Hungary and Czechia are allies but their opinion differ.

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Source: MTI, Mandiner