| Hungary will hold the Presidency of the Visegrád Group between 1 July 2017 and 30 June 2018, assuming the presidency from Poland. In the upcoming year, we will face a number of significant events and challenges that will demonstrate the critical importance of regional cooperation. |
Hungarian Presidency 01.07.2017 - 30.06.2018
Speaker-level meetings
The closing event of parliamentary cooperation during the Hungarian Presidency of the Visegrad Group, i.e. the Informal Meeting of the Presidents and Speakers of Parliaments of the Visegrad countries and the football tournament of the V4 parliamentary teams, were organised by the Hungarian National Assembly between June 21-23, 2018 in Balatonfüred.
The official meeting of Speakers/Presidents of the Visegrád Group Parliaments took place on 2nd March 2018 in Budapest.
Budapest was the venue for the first Meeting of the Presidents and Speakers of V4 Parliaments during the Hungarian V4 Presidency. At the invitation of László Kövér...
Committee-level meetings
Representatives of the V4 Parliaments’ Defence Committees convened in Budapest on 21-22nd February 2018 under the auspices of the parliamentary dimension of the V4 Hungarian Presidency.
Representatives of the V4 Parliaments’ Agricultural Committees convened in Budapest on 14-15th February 2018.
Representatives of the V4 Parliaments’ Economics Committees convened in Budapest on 7-8th February 2018.
Events
Annual Session of V4+ Parliamentary Libraries and Research Services 24-25 May 2018, Budapest
Preparation (01.07.2017 - 01.07.2016)
Speaker-level meetings
The Marshal of the Sejm of Poland Marek Kuchciński and the Marshal of the Senate of Poland Stanisław Karczewski convened a working meeting of V4 speakers of Parliament in Przemyśl on 3-4 December 2016. In addition to the hosts and Speaker Kövér, the Speaker of the National Council of the Slovak Republic Andrej Danko, the President of the Czech Senate Milan Štěch and the Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic Jaroslava Pokorná Jermanová also attended the meeting.
The agenda of the event included discussions concerning visions for the future of the European Union, including strengthening the roles national parliaments play, as well as practical proposals aimed at bolstering the recognition of V4 cooperation.
Committee-level meetings
The agenda of the meeting featured discussions of the impacts of the European Union, the United States and Russia, as well as the presidency of Donald Trump, on Eastern policy; European security challenges; and questions related to the southern neighbourhood, migration, terrorism, the conflict in Syria and relations with Turkey.
Ľuboš Blaha, Chair of the Committee on European Affairs of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, hosted the European affairs committees of the V4 for a meeting in Bratislava on 21-23 May 2017. Chair Richárd Hörcsik, Vice Chairs Zoltán Tessely and Tibor Bana, along with senior advisor László Juhász, represented the European Affairs Committee of the Parliament.
The agenda of the meeting included three topics: the dual quality of foodstuffs, the future of the European Union and a discussion of the agenda items of the upcoming, 57th (LVII) COSAC (Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs) meeting.
Events
Official Visit to Hungary by Milan Štěch, President of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic
Milan Štěch, President of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, paid an official visit to Hungary on 20-21 April 2017 at the invitation of Speaker of Parliament László Kövér. He was accompanied by Pavel Štohl, Vice Chair of the Committee on National Economy, Agriculture and Transport; Zdenĕk Nytra, Vice Chair of the Committee on Public Administration, Regional Development and the Environment; and Zuzana Baudyšová, a member of the Committee on Education, Science, Culture, Human Rights and Petitions.
The visit of the President of the Senate of the Czech Republic included a meeting with Speaker of Parliament László Kövér and the Czech-Hungarian Friendship Group of the IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). President Štěch was received for a courtesy call by President of the Republic János Áder, and had meetings with Minister of Interior Sándor Pintér and Minister of Defence István Simicskó.
In their meeting, László Kövér and Milan Štěch agreed on emphasising the intensity of parliamentary relations, the harmony of positions observed in political meetings and the broadening of cooperation and economic relations between the two countries. They reviewed their positions concerning the most pressing matters on the agenda of the European Union, touching on, inter alia, efforts made to stem illegal migration, the future of the EU, the post-2020 multi-year budgetary framework, Brexit negotiations and matters related to the reinforcement of border protection. The two speakers agreed on the importance of representing V4 interests in a coordinated fashion at the EU level. They praised the effectiveness of V4 cooperation. The Czech President formulated criticism vis-à-vis certain southern states for their inadequate protection of the Schengen borders. Agreeing, the two speakers noted that the global migration crisis is the most serious challenge the EU is facing at the moment, and underscored the critical role and performance of Turkey in the matter. Discussing further opportunities for bilateral and V4 cooperation, the two speakers highlighted the necessity for quicker and more effective coordination on EU matters. They agreed on the transfer of Hungarian experience in the field of electronic processes in public administration.
A Képgaléria megtekintéséhez kattintson a képre.