The Czech Republic wants to increase the coalition potential of the
Visegrad Four (V4) group in the EU during its V4 presidency, which it
assumed on July 1, Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček said during a
debate organized by the Institute of Politics and Society in Prague.
Minister Petříček said the V4 group, which comprises the Czech Republic,
Slovakia, Hungary and Poland, should actively focus on issues it considers
important such as the deepening of the single market and strengthening
defence cooperation within the alliance. He also spoke in favour of more
intensive cooperation with the Eastern Partnership countries and stronger
support for the integration of the Western Balkans into the EU.
The Slovak ambassador to Prague, Peter Weiss, stressed the need to change
the perception of the V4 as a troublemaker that only blocks EU decisions in
its own interests. Minister Petříček agreed that the V4 group should
show a constructive attitude to the issues debated.