Pres Komorowski in Budapest for Visegrad Group anniversary

President Bronislaw Komorowski. Photo: PAP/Grzegorz Michalowski

The Visegrad Group, originally called the Visegrad Triangle, was set up in 1991 by Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia and based on the cooperation seen in the Benelux countries of Belgium, Holland and Luxemburg.

The anniversary meet on Friday and Saturday brings together presidents Komorowski, Vaclav Klaus from the Czech Republic, Pal Schmitt from Hungary, as well as Ivan Gasparovic from Slovakia.

The heads of state are expected to give speeches at Budapest’s Corvinus University as part of a conference on the “Economic Potential and Perspectives of Central Europe”.
Saturday’s agenda includes discussions in two plenary sessions after which the presidents will give a joint press conference.

The presidential wives are also in Budapest for the anniversary meeting.

Currently, prime ministers from the V4 countries meet twice a year, while presidents and parliamentary heads meet annually.

After 20 years the Visegrad Group (also known as V4) countries are all members of the EU, with Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic all having held the rotating EU Council Presidency.

Slovakia, on the other hand, is the first country of the group to have entered Europe’s common currency area, the Eurozone. (jb)

Source: PAP/IAR