Polish Presidency of the Visegrad Group

Scheduled for 24 and 25 September, the Special European Council summit is to debate relations with Turkey. EU leaders will also discuss economic recovery after the pandemic-induced crisis and industrial policy. These were the aspects that V4 leaders concentrated on, too, as well as raising other points.

Joint V4 statement on Alexei Navalny

During his talks with V4 heads of government, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki commented on the situation in Russia. In this context, the chief of the Polish government mentioned the recent attempt at poisoning the opposition activist Alexei Navalny.

The Visegrad Group adopted a joint statement on this matter. It emphasises that V4 countries condemn this act and demand a fair investigation to reveal all circumstances of the case: “V4 unequivocally condemns the assassination attempt on the most prominent Russian opposition leader. The public opinion both in Russia and beyond demands a transparent and through investigation to precisely identify real perpetrators and their motives,” reads the document.

The statement furthermore stresses that the use of chemical weapons is completely unacceptable under any circumstances and constitutes a flagrant violation of international law.

Visegrad Group countries express concern over developments in Belarus

V4 members are calling on the Belarusian authorities to stop violating human rights and to immediately release the detainees. V4 leaders spoke in Lublin about the need for instituting impartial proceedings against people who employ repression. They also expressed hope for genuine dialogue between the Belarusian government and representatives of civil society.

The crisis in Belarus is an internal one and should be solved through dialogue. The protesting Belarusians are voicing authentic needs, needs of citizens who want an independent and democratic state.

“We all think that Belarus should have free elections so that the Belarusian people could decide their future for themselves,” the prime minister said after the meeting. “We fully condemn the torture and repression and call for the release of all political prisoners,” he added.

Polish government’s measures in response to the Belarusian crisis and V4’s economic cooperation offer

The prime minister has announced that Visegrad Group members want to make the Belarusian people an offer of future economic cooperation. It will involve joint projects for small businesses and energy policy. Belarus must choose itself which priorities it wants to pursue. We are going to present this package at the next European Council summit. “We know how important it is for trade that we have best possible infrastructure between our countries,” the head of the Polish government went on.

Poland actively supports Belarusian society in its aspirations to democratic change. From the very start of the post-electoral protests beyond our eastern border, Poland has been an ambassador of a free and sovereign Belarus. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has been talking to EU heads of state and government. In response to the deteriorating situation, the Polish government has also adopted the Solidarity with Belarus support package.

At a meeting with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and the Belarusian minority on 9 September, the head of the Polish government handed over keys to the new headquarters of the Belarusian House, at 6 Kryniczna St in Warsaw. Poland is home to several Belarusian organisations, institutions, media outlets, and NGOs. They are building support for democratic activities in Belarus. One of these is the Belarusian House in Warsaw, a place which brings together a number of Belarusian opposition organisations.

Protests in Belarus

Since election day, mass protests and pickets are taking place every day throughout the country, and there have been strikes and protests at large state-owned companies. The protests brought together several hundred thousand people, which makes them the largest in Belarus’s history. Police forces (OMON) reacted particularly violently in the first three days of protests. According to official data alone (Ministry of the Interior) around 6,700 people were arrested. Many of them were brutally beaten and tortured in pre-trial detention facilities and prisons.

The most active demonstrators and activists have been arrested in recent days. In addition, censorship has been introduced and access to many websites blocked.

Eastern Partnership

During the Visegrad Group’s meeting, the prime minister emphasised the importance of the Eastern Partnership policy. That is why the Eastern Partnership summit, planned for March next year, should set ambitious goals, focus on post-pandemic economic recovery, and demonstrate that the EU is playing an active role in the process.

It has always been important for Poland to continue the Eastern Partnership, as it is part of the European Neighbourhood Policy. It should therefore remain a strategic element of the EU’s neighbourhood policy.

EU cooperation to mitigate effects of COVID-19 pandemic

European countries continue to fight against the coronavirus pandemic. That is why another topic discussed during the meeting covered joint proposals related to temporary restrictions on travelling. Given the current epidemiological situation, one of priorities is to strike a balance between public health and freedom of movement within the European Union.

“We also spoke about COVID-19, discussing the best way to implement the Visegrad response and avoid another lockdown,” said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. Countries should be ready to reintroduce restrictions if need be, but only those that are adequate to the situation and non-discriminatory.

Assistance for refugees in Greece

Summing up today’s talks, the prime minister informed that one of the topics discussed was assistance for Greece. This is in response to the tragedy that has recently struck one of its refugee camps. “We agreed that I would speak to Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis about how we can help to rebuild those houses,” he added.

Poland prepared 150 modular homes to help build infrastructure needed in Greece.

 

Photo: Krystian Maj / Chancellery of the Prime Minister