19 February 2015, Warsaw
Good morning, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
Before you conclude that history has totally overshadowed all other current issues, I would like to add to the words of the Prime Minister by saying that we also discussed practical issues, including the following: cooperation between the Visegrád Four countries; the energy union; and joint action based on shared interests in various European Union fora, in relation to specific matters such as the impact of the German minimum wage on the Central European freight industry. We shall perhaps have more time to talk about these topics later. Let me now return the Prime Minister’s splendidly appreciative words concerning Poland and Hungary’s historic friendship, which I wish to reaffirm on behalf of my country. Hungary and Poland have always considered each other to be freedom-loving people and countries. In the hearts of the Hungarians that feeling of kinship has not altered. Poland will always have a special place in our hearts, manifested in such difficult times as World War II, when we Hungarians formed an alliance with your enemies, yet still found ways of maintaining Polish-Hungarian friendship. Hungary has not changed its commitment to Polish and Hungarian friendship, and I too will do all I can to maintain it. We welcome the Minsk II agreement reached in relation to the Ukrainian conflict and we welcome the fact that the European Union has adopted this agreement as the basis of a common European position. European unity has been formed around the Minsk II agreement. We all agree on what it contains. The four cornerstones of the agreement are equally important: a full ceasefire is required; heavy weaponry must be withdrawn from the danger zone to a specified distance; Ukraine must implement constitutional reform; and Europe must work on creating a Eurasian area – an economic area together with Russia. These are the goals stated in the Minsk II agreement. This is the basis of European unity, and Hungary will support and protect to the end the European unity through which the Minsk II agreement was reached; both the Prime Minister and Poland can rely on Hungary in this regard.
Thank you very much for your attention.