Polish speaker skips meeting with Slovak PM over Russia ties

Speaker of Poland’s lower house of parliament, Włodzimierz Czarzasty, deliberately avoided a meeting with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico during a visit to Bratislava, saying the decision was a conscious political choice linked to Moscow ties.

Czarzasty said representatives of what he described as the “democratic camp” were not obliged to meet politicians who engage with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Caliber.Az reports per Polish media.

Instead, he held talks with the Speaker of the Slovak parliament, Richard Raši. Discussions focused on cooperation within the Visegrad Group, the use of EU funds, and post-war reconstruction efforts in Ukraine.

The two sides also raised the possibility of inviting the Speaker of Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, to a future Visegrad Group meeting, as well as organising a summer reception in Slovakia for children of Ukrainian veterans.

By Aghakazim Guliyev