The Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC) heard information from the Minister of Foreign Affairs on Visegrad cooperation and the balance of the Polish chairmanship of the Visegrad Group from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021.
The briefing was presented by Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk, Secretary of State for European Policy, Polonia and Public and Cultural Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Motto of the Polish Presidency of the V4 "Back on track".
V4 initiatives and activities under PL PREZ are divided into three areas:
1. economy and connectivity ("connectivity");
2 Safety;
3 Society.
In these three areas, PL PREZ has set 4 objectives:
1. a strong V4 in a strong Europe - Objective related to coordination of V4 countries in the EU
2 Return to Normalcy - related to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences
3. interpersonal contacts - related to strengthening integration and cohesion within V4, between V4 countries/communities.
4. digital V4 - e-V4 - related to the development of V4 cooperation in the digital sector.
The Minister described the examples of actions taken during the Polish Presidency. He mentioned, among other things, the creation of a virtual V4 center for the joint fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, a common position on migration issues and the so-called Eastern policy, an anniversary declaration of cooperation and a digital declaration, and in the symbolic layer - murals, which were created in the capitals of the V4 countries.
As V4 ministers submitted a list of key infrastructure projects that should be included in the revision of the European TEN-T network (CPK, Via Carpatia, high-speed railroad connecting V4 capitals), but also stressed the need to improve the waterways connecting our countries.
A number of environmental and climate initiatives were also launched to safeguard the interests of the Group's countries within the framework of climate and energy policy.
Today, V4 shares its experience with the countries of the Eastern Partnership and the Western Balkans, supporting their European aspirations. In addition to politics, its areas of activity include the international Visegrad Fund, which since 2000 has made it possible to implement nearly 6,000 projects from 39 countries. The Fund's grants and scholarships benefit students, artists, cultural promoters and scientists.
During the Polish presidency of the V4 there were 20 meetings of prime ministers, 9 meetings of foreign ministers, 40 meetings of constitutional ministers of other ministries, 12 high-level parliamentary meetings. Minister Szynkowski vel Sęk emphasized in this context the particular activity of the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee: https://marekkuchcinski.pl/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/PP_z_perspektywy_s-1.pdf
The meeting was also attended by the director of the Wacław Felczak Institute, Prof. Maciej Szymanowski, who drew attention to the information war directed at the Visegrad Group, recommended greater involvement of parliaments in international events and the strengthening of diplomatic missions, especially with young, expertly trained diplomats.
Michał Kanownik, President of the Digital Poland Association, thanked for the strong emphasis on the digital dimension in the Polish Presidency. He proposed cooperation along the lines of the Tri-Moor Initiative.
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