Presidential Summit in Trencin to Open New Chapter in V4 Cooperation

Bratislava, 31 October (TASR) - The presidential summit of the Visegrad Group (V4 -Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland), due to take place in Trencin on 4 and 5 November, should provide fresh momentum to cooperation between the four Central European countries and strengthen their collective voice in Europe, the President Office's communications department has informed TASR. The summit will be hosted by Slovak President Peter Pellegrini, who will welcome Czech President Petr Pavel, Polish President Karol Nawrocki and Hungarian President Andras Baka. The meeting will be held in an expanded format, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also attending. She will be taking part in a V4 presidential summit for the first time. The upcoming summit will focus on areas of common interest and ways in which the V4 countries can strengthen their position and advance shared priorities at European level through closer cooperation. The participation of the EC president also provides an opportunity to discuss these priorities within a broader European context. According to the President's Office, this approach builds on the programme of Slovakia's V4 presidency, which began on 1 July. Under the slogan "The V4 and a Stronger Europe - Together for a Stronger Europe", Slovakia is seeking to revitalise Visegrad cooperation and strengthen the region's position in Europe. Visegrad cooperation is not limited to political meetings. Its achievements are also reflected in joint projects in education, science and culture, supported by Bratislava-based International Visegrad Fund. Its executive director Linda Kapustova Helbichova will therefore also take part in the presidents' discussions on the EU enlargement and the situation in Ukraine. The choice of the summit venue is also symbolic. Trencin, which holds the title of the 2026 European Capital of Culture, also has a place in the history of Visegrad cooperation. It was there that the Treaty of Trencin was signed in 1335, preceding the meeting of monarchs in Visegrad, whose legacy inspired the founders of the modern-day V4. The city will thus once again symbolically become a site for dialogue and the search for common solutions. The main talks will take place at Trencin Castle on 5 November. The cultural affinity of the V4 countries will be symbolically highlighted by a gala concert at the Trencin Synagogue, featuring the Lukas Oravec V4 Quartet, made up of musicians from all the four member countries. At the end of the programme, the heads of state will visit the Fiesta Bridge in Trencin, whose construction was supported by EU funding and which serves as a model example of European cooperation in the region. ko