By Melike Pala
BRUSSELS (AA) - Slovak and Czech leaders announced a return to full cooperation Thursday, with plans to revive the Visegrad Four (V4) regional alliance, and enhance energy security, the Slovak newspaper Pravda reported.
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis made his first official visit to Bratislava, where he met Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. The leaders agreed to resume government meetings, with the next session scheduled March 31 in the Czech Republic.
The consultations were suspended two years ago by the previous Czech government, which cited "differing views on key foreign policy issues."
Babis pledged support for Slovakia amid the gradual phase-out of Russian gas imports to the EU, while Fico stressed the Czech Republic would serve as a key transit country for Slovak gas supplies.
The two governments plan to negotiate transit arrangements and collaborate on EU-level measures to address high energy prices.
Babis and Fico also discussed reviving the V4 format, saying, "Poland has always been the most important within the V4. We can try."
The V4 alliance between Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia cooperates on political, economic and security issues in Europe.
Fico criticized EU climate policies, suggesting a temporary "emissions holiday" of four to five years to mitigate artificially high energy costs, while Babis is expected to send a letter to European leaders Feb. 12 regarding energy prices.
Babis also met Slovak President Peter Pellegrini to discuss infrastructure development, defense, the war in Ukraine, EU enlargement in the Western Balkans and regional nuclear energy cooperation.