As part of the #EUROWAW2019 held in the Sejm and Senate, the Speaker of the Sejm gave an interview to representatives of foreign media who had come to Warsaw for the Summit. Marek Kuchcinski met with reporters from Romania - Cristina Cileacu (Digi 24), Georgia - Beqa Goginashvili (Akhali Taoba), Lithuania - Rūta Miđkinytë (15min) and Hungary - Viktor Buzna (Magyar Nemzet). In the conversation, he emphasized the growing importance of parliamentary diplomacy in international politics and the interest in the exchange of parliamentary solutions related to the improvement of living standards and security. - We can clearly see harmonious cooperation of all countries in our part of Europe, which gives great opportunities to solve various problems that have arisen in recent years in the European Union itself - emphasized Marshal Kuchciński. 

Referring to the 4th Parliamentary Summit, he explained that it provides support in the stabilization process of various initiatives: Trilateral, Visegrad Group. #EUROWAW is also an opportunity for the Balkan countries to prepare themselves for joining the EU. - Parliamentary diplomacy is proving to be a good complement to the foreign policy of individual governments. There is a growing interest in closer cooperation, exchange of information, not only from parliaments, but also from various political and non-political circles. Until recently there were walls between us, now we are making up for what Western Europe managed to do three generations ago - he said.

The Speaker of the Sejm also referred to the 30th anniversary of the changes in Central and Eastern Europe that began in 1989. - Hence the idea that this year's Summit should look at the future through the prism of the experience of the last three decades, that is the period of leaving the communist system. That is why we decided to invite to Warsaw the oppositionists, who during the times of Soviet domination fought for the freedom of their nations and democracy - said Marek Kuchciński.

When asked about the fruits of the cooperation group meetings and their results, the Speaker of the Diet pointed out two dimensions. - Leaving many issues solely to governments and bureaucracies is only one part of the activity. For full success it is essential that democratically elected representatives in Parliament or local authorities are also involved in specific projects. Moreover, the cooperation and the meetings of the Central and Eastern European parliaments complement or keep up with what has been going on in the "old" EU or in Mediterranean Europe for many years now. Parliamentary cooperation supports the policy of governments and presidents of these countries, looking for a recipe for important challenges: migration problems, security issues," explained Marek Kuchciński.

The Speaker of the Sejm also drew attention to the problem of armed conflict in eastern Ukraine and border instability in the Caucasus states. - We are dealing with several factors that directly compel us to pay great attention when it comes to ensuring security. All the countries of Central and Eastern Europe should cooperate in this respect - he noted.

Marek Kuchciński assessed that the main effect of the meetings in this format so far, started in 2016, is primarily the facilitation of activities for the development of infrastructure, such as Via Carpatia, Via Baltica or Rail Baltica. He also stressed that it is not excluded that the next Summits in the format proposed in Warsaw, will be held in other countries.

CIS

Photo by Marta Marchlewska