The presidents of the four countries in the Visegrad group - the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia - met for a two-day summit on European and economic issues in Slovakia's Tatras Mountains on Thursday.
Slovakian President Andrej Kiska, who is hosting the summit, said the group had to send a positive signal to the rest of the European Union and withstand the division of EU members and the development of a 'two-speed' Europe.
"It is important that we, the V4 countries, are always sending a positive signal to the (EU) project, not allowing voices about dividing Europe between old and new or about 'two-speed Europe' and so on," said Slovakian President.
The four countries have been at odds with Brussels over issues including immigration and fundamental rights.
Poland and Hungary in particular have been criticised by the EU executive European Commission over what it sees as threats to rule of law under the nationalist governments of both countries.
"The presidents of V4 countries, during the summit in Slovakia, underscored that one of the drawbacks of European integration is an excessive interference of EU institutions with internal policy of member-states, of Poland and Hungary, for example," said the Chief of Polish President's Chancellery, Krzysztof Szczerski on Thursday.
Presidential minister also informed that the Polish and Slovakian presidents expressed their critical opinion regarding Nord Stream 2 pipeline and referred to it as "anti-European".
Mr Szczerski also stressed that none of the V4 Group countries "declared participation in the Nord Stream 2 project and none shall benefit from it".
Autor: gf / Źródło: TVN24 International, Reuters, PAP