V4 share a common position: illegal migration must be managed more effectively

The prime ministers of the Visegrad Four (Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Poland) agreed on the need to improve the management of illegal migration at a conference in Bratislava.

Pozsony, 2023. június 26. A Miniszterelnöki Sajtóiroda által közreadott képen Orbán Viktor magyar (j3), Petr Fiala cseh kormányfõ (b3), Ódor Lajos, a szlovák kormány magyar nemzetiségû miniszterelnöke (b4) és Mateusz Morawiecki lengyel miniszterelnök (j4) a visegrádi országok (V4) kormányfõinek csúcstalálkozóján Pozsonyban 2023. június 26-án. Orbán Viktor mellett Orbán Balázs, a miniszterelnök politikai igazgatója (j2) és Bóka János, a miniszterelnök európai uniós kérdésekért felelõs államtitkára (j). MTI/Miniszterelnöki Sajtóiroda/Benko Vivien Cher Fotó: Miniszterelnöki Sajtóiroda/Benko Vivien Cher

At the meeting in Bratislava the ways and means of tackling illegal migration, the question of the Western Balkans, the situation in Ukraine and its repercussions, and the EU's Green Deal all featured on the agenda. Speaking at a joint press conference after the meeting, host Lajos Odor, Slovakia's acting prime minister, stressed that the sides had discussed several strategic issues and sought to find topics where they could reach common ground.

Regarding illegal immigration, PM Odor said that as far as the future is concerned, the EU cannot afford not to find a solution to illegal immigration and in this respect, there's a need for the effective protection of the bloc's external borders. Concerning the Western Balkan's European integration aspirations, he said the region's countries must be offered a perspective that is not decades-long, but provides solutions in the midterm.

On the situation in Ukraine, PM Lajos Odor underlined that Bratislava would maintain the direction of its assistance to Ukraine, but is aware of its limitations. In the context of the EU Green Deal, he stressed that nuclear energy, which is a sustainable source of energy, cannot de disregarded or forgotten during the transition process. Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki said that cooperation between the Visegrad countries was good, and that although differences between the V4 had been highlighted in recent months, today they managed to focus on common views. In terms of illegal immigration, he stressed that

the EU's external borders must be protected and organizations promoting illegal migration should not be supported, because it's immoral. He said that no migration quota could be agreed to, adding that Poland would not accept any mechanism that would be imposed as superior above Polish interests.

Touching on the EU's climate policy, Poland's prime minister emphasized that the V4 group comprised countries whose development was based and built on industry, and who do not want that their industries - after taking heavy blows during the coronavirus pandemic  - should end up in an even worse situation. Therefore, the EU's climate policy must take into account these industrial interests, he added.

Czech Prime Minister Peter Fiala underlined that illegal immigration was not on the decline, and that there's a need for close cooperation and increased efficiency in the fight against migration. He said the V4 shared a common, fundamental position on this issue, namely that the bloc's proposed asylum and refugee quotas cannot work, and that its repatriation policy must be strengthened. With regard to the priorities of the upcoming Czech V4 Presidency, Mr Fiala said they want to focus on a secure society, an innovative economy and preserving the integrity of Ukraine.

As we already highlighted, Hungarian PM Orban expressed his view after the meeting that there "is" a good solution to migration, but Brussels refuses to go down that road, instead trying to tackle the situation using all sorts of frivolous measures.

Cover photo: the image released by the Prime Minister's Press Office shows Hungarian PM Viktor Orban (R3), Czech PM Petr Fiala (L3), Lajos Odor, Slovakia's PM of Hungarian descent (L4), and Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki (R4) at the prime ministerial meeting of the Visegrad countries (V4) in Bratislava, on 26 June, 2023. Next to PM Orban stands his political director, Balazs Orban (R2) and Janos Boka, the prime minister's state secretary for European affairs (R) (Photo: MTI / Prime Minister's Press Office / Vivien Cher Benko)