Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar blamed recent tensions within the Budapest-Bratislava-Prague-Warsaw alliance on Viktor Orbán's government
GÖDÖLLŐ, Hungary – The leaders of the Visegrád Four declared their regional alliance revived on Tuesday and pledged closer coordination on migration, industrial competitiveness and the EU’s next long-term budget, in a bid to restore the group’s influence after years of tensions over Russia and Ukraine.
At the summit in Gödöllő, Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar emphasised the economic clout of the 65 million-strong bloc, noting that the four countries’ combined trade with Germany exceeds that of France. As a symbol of renewed cooperation, he presented the leaders of Czechia, Poland, and Slovakia with a blueprint for a high-speed rail network linking Budapest, Bratislava, Prague and Warsaw, and urged them to seek EU funding for the project during Slovakia’s upcoming V4 presidency.
Magyar blamed the alliance’s recent difficulties on the previous Hungarian government, arguing that former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s pro-Russia stance and decision to shelter wanted Polish politicians had severely damaged relations between Budapest and Warsaw.
