V4 Parliamentary Speakers to Discuss Energy, Industry and EU Enlargement

Bratislava, 11 November (TASR) - Parliamentary speakers from the Visegrad Four (V4) countries (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia), led by Slovak House Chair Richard Rasi (Voice-SD), will meet in Bratislava on Thursday (12 November) to discuss energy, industry and the EU enlargement with a view to strengthening parliamentary dialogue and mutual coordination among V4 countries in areas where they share similar priorities, Parliament's media and communications department announced on Wednesday. The event is held as part of the parliamentary dimension of Slovakia's V4 presidency under the slogan 'V4 for a Stronger Europe'. At Rasi's invitation, the meeting at Bratislava Castle will be attended by Speaker of the Czech Chamber of Deputies Tomio Okamura, Czech Senate Chair Milos Vystrcil, Speaker of the Polish Lower House Wlodzimierz Czarzasty, Polish Senate Chair Malgorzata Kidawa-Blonska and Hungarian National Assembly Speaker Agnes Forsthoffer. With regard to competitiveness as the theme of the first session on Thursday, Rasi said that "for the V4 countries, stable and affordable energy supplies, technological neutrality and European rules that do not undermine our industry are crucial. Jobs and prosperity across V4 nations depend on these decisions". The second session focusing on the EU enlargement will revolve around the future of European integration, support for candidate countries and opportunities for closer cooperation among young people working with national parliaments. "We view the EU enlargement as an investment in Europe's stability, security and prosperity. The Western Balkan countries need a credible prospect of membership, but every step must be based on fulfilled criteria and concrete reforms," explained Rasi. The V4 meeting will be followed, on Friday (13 November), by a gathering of parliamentary speakers in the V4+ Friends of Cohesion format. Based on Rasi's initiative, it will be attended by parliamentary representatives from 17 EU member states, including Slovakia, with the talks focusing on the future EU budget for 2028-2034, particularly on maintaining a strong cohesion policy, supporting agriculture and ensuring fair funding for common European priorities. jrg