WARSAW — Hungary not only wants revive the Visegrad Four group as a force in EU diplomacy, but is looking to potentially expand it to include Austria, Romania and the Western Balkans, Prime Minister Péter Magyar said on Wednesday.
The V4 currently includes Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
While initially envisioned as a bloc to promote Central European interests in the EU, the group has lost diplomatic heft in recent years because of bitter internal divisions, most significantly between between Magyar’s pro-Kremlin predecessor Viktor Orbán and Poland’s anti-Russian and pro-EU prime minister, Donald Tusk.
Magyar defeated Orbán in April’s election and notably chose Warsaw as the destination for his first international trip as prime minister, which aims to rebuild regional alliances.
“The Visegrad Group may regain its vitality and its influence within the European Union,” Magyar said during a joint press conference in the Polish capital. “I am personally ready for us to expand this Visegrad cooperation to include other countries.”
Hungary’s prime minister added the expanded format could include “the Nordic countries, perhaps Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Romania,” or Western Balkan countries that are not part of the EU.
Magyar also said Hungary, as current president of the Visegrad Group, could try to organize a summit in Budapest before the end of June.
“I will be more than happy,” Tusk said. “I have waited many, many years for this moment to sit down again at the same table with a Hungarian, a Slovak, and a Czech to discuss what we can do together for our nations and in Europe.”
Tusk similarly stressed the importance of rebuilding bilateral ties.
“Hungary and Poland will act as one fist, whether in Brussels, and in geopolitical matters, and in advancing our various shared interests because we have almost exclusively shared interests,” he said.
The Polish leader also offered Hungary help in reducing dependence on single energy suppliers, saying Poland had switched rapidly from heavy reliance on Russian gas and oil.
“Energy security is where we can strengthen our cooperation and, of course, we will gladly welcome the experience Poland has to offer,” Magyar said.
Hungary’s prime minister used the visit to draw a contrast with Orbán’s record at home, praising Poland for using EU funds effectively on infrastructure after travelling by train from Kraków to Warsaw.
“This is a good illustration of how EU funds are being used … Unfortunately, however, in Hungary over the past 20 years, we have not experienced this.”
Magyar is set to meet Polish anti-communist hero Lech Wałęsa later on Wednesday before returning to Budapest — via Vienna — on Thursday.
