The presidia of the Polish Sejm (lower house) and Czech Chamber of Deputies agree that there should be no divisions within the EU, Sejm Speaker Marek Kuchciński stated on Wednesday following a meeting of the two presidia in Jurata, northern Poland.
The presidia of the Sejm and Chamber of Deputies are comprised of the houses' speakers and their deputies.
"We agree that Europe, the European Union, should be one international organisation without special divisions," the Sejm speaker announced at a press conference after the talks.
"Differences of opinion (during the discussion) appeared concerning the introduction of the euro. However we are all agreed that cooperation between our parliaments should be as strong as possible, including when it comes to relations and attitudes to the European Union and European institutions. Here, there appears the greatest challenge for us to work more effectively and to jointly have the strongest common voice, that also concerns the Visegrad Group," Speaker Kuchciński stated.
He underscored that the meeting with Czech politicians was very fruitful and multi-faceted.
"We discussed several of the most important issues, which should concern and bind ever greater cooperation between the parliaments of the Czech Republic and Poland, but also cooperation of a regional nature, therefore the Visegrad Group and the whole of Central Europe," Kuchciński continued.
"We also talked about issues related to the European Union, the future of the European Union and Europe."
"And in the clear majority of cases, we have very similar opinions, though there are also differences of opinion. Several conclusions result from these differences of opinion. One of them is that we should strengthen cooperation, to exchange information more quickly and fully and always seek solutions in advance on issues demanding strengthened cooperation," the speaker stressed, adding that, "the support of our countries" was also discussed in the context of "development of infrastructure, communications between Poland and the Czech Republic."
Czech Speaker Radek Vondracek expressed satisfaction "that the two parties agreed that Polish-Czech relations are one of the pillars of our foreign policy."
"That we are neighbours, friends and allies," he asserted. Vondracek also assessed the Jurata meeting as fruitful.
"We talked about what in principle the governments could undertake and decide, for example about a two-speed Europe or the issue of the euro. I believe that we could even hold a discussion on that in our parliaments in parallel. And then the results of such a discussion could have a much stronger resonance," he said.
He added that the functioning of the Visegrad Group had also been raised. "We agreed that this project is very important to us," he commented.
"We talked not only about the V4 format but also about inviting other countries to certain talks and subjects, where we could find common ground, a position. So that we could find new partners, new allies within the framework of Europe, and maybe in the framework of the whole world," Radek Vondracek declared.
The Visegrad Group (V4) is comprised of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary.
Autor: gf / Źródło: TVN24 International, PAP
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: PAP | Adam Warżawa