The current state of cooperation in the Visegrad Group, a summary of the Polish Presidency and the position of the Visegrad Four on the discussion of the future of Europe - these were the topics of the videoconference of representatives of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the V4 Parliaments. The meeting was held on Tuesday, June 8. The session was opened by Deputy Speaker of the Sejm Ryszard Terlecki.

In his speech, Deputy Speaker of the Sejm pointed out that the parliamentary cooperation in the Visegrad Group is developing very well and is an important element of relations between the countries. Ryszard Terlecki assessed that thanks to the V4 it was possible to negotiate many issues in the European Union. He stressed that the Visegrad cooperation does not compete with the EU, but is an expression of the policy of equal opportunities for greater EU cohesion. He stressed that the important topics of the videoconference are the issue of EU enlargement and the conference on the future of Europe which is to determine the directions of its development. In this context, Deputy Speaker Terlecki emphasized the importance of the Visegrad Group's common voice.

The first session of the meeting summarized 30 years of V4. The importance of this format as a vehicle that led our countries to NATO and the European Union was pointed out. The participants of the meeting also discussed the recovery of national economies after the pandemic and the importance of the Visegrad Fund, which is systematically increased and the trend of its development is to be maintained. It was emphasized that the Visegrad Group wants to support undertakings that strengthen the competitiveness of the region. It was agreed that the elements linking the countries of the Group, such as its geographical location, common goals and economic issues, are more important and sustainable than the differences. The parliamentarians pointed out that the EU is the main arena for cooperation and it is important for the V4 voice to be heard there. The discussion also included support for the European aspirations of the Eastern Partnership and the Western Balkans. The need for solidarity in the face of increased Russian activity in the region was also emphasized.

In the second part of the videoconference, the discussion focused on the conference on the future of Europe. Politicians emphasized the importance of this debate, pointing out the important role of national parliaments in the future Europe. The need to find a way to include the Eastern Partnership and Western Balkan countries into the discussion was pointed out. In this context, the concept of the two lungs of Europe, which Europe needs in order to function - the eastern and western lungs, the countries of the European Union and those outside of it, was recalled. Digitalization of the EU was also among the topics discussed in the second session of the meeting.

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Photo: Rafał Zambrzycki/ Sejm