Logo Polskiego Radia

Poland, Hungary share similar vision of EU: FM

PR dla Zagranicy
Grzegorz Siwicki 17.05.2018 17:30
Poland and Hungary share a similar vision of the European Union, the Polish foreign minister said on Thursday.
Polish FM Jacek Czaputowicz (right) and his Hungarian counterpart Péter Szijjártó (left) give a joint press conference after meeting in Warsaw on Thursday. Photo: PAP/Paweł SupernakPolish FM Jacek Czaputowicz (right) and his Hungarian counterpart Péter Szijjártó (left) give a joint press conference after meeting in Warsaw on Thursday. Photo: PAP/Paweł Supernak

The two countries have a similar position on key issues affecting the bloc, Jacek Czaputowicz added.

He was speaking after meeting his Hungarian counterpart Péter Szijjártó in Warsaw.

According to Czaputowicz, both countries want a European Union that is “competitive, developing economically, non-protectionist, with a democratic legitimacy, and anchored in the will of national parliaments."

Warsaw, Budapest like-minded on EU budget

Czaputowicz also said that Poland and Hungary would work to maintain the role of Cohesion Policy and Common Agricultural Policy funds within the EU.

The European Commission, the bloc’s executive, on May 2 proposed a new long-term EU budget for 2021-2027.

The commission estimated that in nominal terms -- not adjusted for inflation -- spending on the bloc’s Common Agricultural Policy would be cut by 5 percent and on Cohesion Policy by 7 percent, according to Poland's PAP news agency.

Poland is the largest recipient of cohesion funds under the bloc’s 2014-2020 budget.

Poland earlier this week voiced opposition to the EU’s proposed new budget, according to reports.

The Polish Minister for European Affairs, Konrad Szymański, warned on Monday that Warsaw would not accept “revolutionary” cuts, PAP reported.

Hungary’s Szijjártó said on Thursday that the final version of the new EU budget would be hard to negotiate, according to IAR.

He added that there could be no consent to attempts to politicise the budget, IAR reported.

The new budget proposed by the European Union introduces a mechanism that could financially penalise countries which are judged to have breached EU principles on the rule of law.

Both Poland and Hungary fear they might receive less money as a result of Brussels citing alleged rule-of-law breaches.

The EU's cohesion policy aims to support job creation, business competitiveness, economic growth and sustainable development as well as improve quality of life for citizens, according to the European Commission.

(gs)

Source: IAR, PAP

Print
Copyright © Polskie Radio S.A About Us Contact Us