For the stability and competitiveness of Central Europe - V4 Heads of State Summit in Esztergom

The cooperation of the Visegrad Group is one of the most important pillars of stability in Central Europe, said President Tamás Sulyok after talks with the Heads of State of the Visegrad Cooperation (V4) in Esztergom.

The Hungarian Head of State recalled that throughout our history we have often experienced that our destinies are intertwined, and that even today we face many shared challenges in the economic, security, technological, and social spheres alike.
"If we want our region to be one of the safest and most competitive in the world, there is no alternative to close cooperation between the Visegrad countries," said the President of Hungary.

The Head of State emphasised that they support efforts to strengthen competitiveness, but at the same time, he stressed that in the case of the green and digital transition, measures must be adopted that also take into account the interests of industry and the economy. He added that economic and industrial competitiveness is fundamentally determined by the issue of energy security, including its aspects of price stability and security of supply. He also drew attention to demographic challenges, emphasizing Hungary’s position that supporting young people and strengthening family support systems are essential to achieving a sustainable population level.

With regard to the challenges of the modern age, the President stated that we can remain strong and competitive if we keep pace with the modern age. Digitalisation and artificial intelligence have brought about a transformation of historic significance, but one of the most important values of the digital age is the protection of human dignity. It is a common goal to ensure that artificial intelligence does not transform people's lives or values, but rather supports their fulfilment.

The competitiveness of the V4 countries cannot be interpreted in isolation, but must be viewed in a regional, Central European and international context, President Sulyok said, drawing attention to the importance of sharing knowledge and experience and cooperating in research and development.

Tamás Sulyok thanked Linda Kapustová Helbichová, Director of the International Visegrad Fund, for her report, in which she provided the Heads of State with detailed information on the achievements and future plans of the fund, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

According to the President of Hungary, the International Visegrad Fund has been strengthening cooperation between our countries in the fields of culture, education, research, science, innovation and tourism for a quarter of a century. He added that the Fund’s activities are essential for increasing the competitiveness and security of our region, and therefore its work will continue to be relied upon in the future.

For more than 30 years, the V4 has been proving how four nations can build together, the President said, emphasising that our mission is to strengthen our countries, our region and, with that, the whole of Europe, doing so from a Central European perspective and based on our own experiences.

By gathering today, the Heads of State of the Visegrad Group have once again demonstrated their commitment to cooperation, President Sulyok added.

Following the talks, the V4 Heads of State emphasised in particular that the summit organised by the Hungarian Presidency had been friendly and productive. After the official programme, as a conclusion to their summit, the four Heads of State visited Esztergom’s Advent Market.