Magyar Peter: “The Visegrád Group is active again!

“On Tuesday afternoon, I will welcome the Prime Ministers of Poland, Czechia, and Slovakia to Gödöllő, at Grassalkovich Palace, to relaunch close cooperation among our four countries and to work together for a strong Central Europe.”

The Visegrád Group (also known as the Visegrád Four or V4) is a regional alliance comprising Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia.

Founded in 1991, the group aims to promote economic, cultural, military, and energy cooperation among its member states and to present a united front within the European Union

The group is named after the Hungarian town of Visegrád, located just north of Budapest alongside the Danube River. The name pays homage to the historic Congress of Visegrád in 1335, where the kings of Bohemia, Poland, and Hungary gathered to establish trade and political alliances.

The modern V4 alliance was officially established at Visegrád Castle on February 15, 1991, by the leaders of Hungary, Poland, and Czechoslovakia to help the region transition to democracy and integrate with the West.

Initially created to hasten the end of Soviet-bloc influence and join Western institutions (like NATO and the EU), the group now focuses on mutual support and exchanging experiences. The member states often collaborate to shape EU policies, historically pushing back against forced migration quotas and advocating for regional infrastructure development.