Rasi: V4 Should Pull Together; Reconstruction of Ukraine One Common Topic

      Bratislava, 18 May (TASR) - The Visegrad Group (V4) countries (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) should pull together, Parliamentary Chair Richard Rasi told a joint press conference with Speaker of the Polish Lower House Wlodzimierz Czarzasty after receiving him at Bratislava Castle on Monday.
        The Slovak House chair added that one of the key issues for cooperation among the countries will be Ukraine's post-war reconstruction. According to Czarzasty, the recent Hungarian election has opened up the possibility of close cooperation within the V4 for Poland.
        Rasi noted that Slovakia will assume the V4 presidency on 1 July. "We would truly like, partly due to all the changes that have taken place following the election, for the Visegrad Four to pull together," he stated, adding that the V4 countries know how to raise issues on which, if they share the same positions, they won't be ignored. "And we can push through what will help our countries, but we can also participate in all major projects," he added.
        According to him, one common issue could be the reconstruction of Ukraine. "The post-war reconstruction of Ukraine is an issue that will be closest to Poland, Slovakia and Hungary precisely because we are direct neighbours. That's why we'll strive to support all initiatives that will lead to the creation of special financial schemes to support Ukraine," stated the Slovak House chair, noting that Slovak companies can participate in Ukraine's reconstruction and that this can also significantly help the regions bordering Ukraine.
        "The possibility of solid, close cooperation within the V4 opened up for us the moment when what happened in Hungary following the last parliamentary election took place," said the Polish Sejm speaker. "We didn't see the point of the Visegrad Group's existence when one of these countries - or rather, the prime minister of that country [Viktor Orban] - was a friend of Putin, whom we consider to be an enemy," he emphasised, adding that he believes that the V4 will move in the right direction in terms of parliamentary cooperation, which requires close collaboration with the EU.
        Like Rasi, he stressed that the countries can achieve more when all four work together. In the context of Ukraine's post-war reconstruction, he sees the importance of building infrastructure between Slovakia, Ukraine and Poland. He added that head of the Ukrainian Parliament Ruslan Stefanchuk should be invited to a V4 meeting.
        The Slovak Parliament is also set to join Czarzasty's initiative to take in the children of soldiers fighting in Ukraine. "So that we may, in this way, symbolically express our support for those who are suffering greatly in this conflict, which is right on our doorstep," stated Rasi.
        The speaker of the Polish Sejm will continue his visit to Slovakia in Bratislava's borough of Devin, where he and Rasi will lay wreaths at the Gate of Freedom memorial.