President Karol Nawrocki met in Przemyśl with the President of Hungary, Tamás Sulyok. During the ceremony marking the Day of Polish-Hungarian Friendship, Nawrocki emphasized that the mission of both presidents is to ensure that Polish-Hungarian friendship “does not become subject to short-term political fluctuations.”
President Nawrocki noted that choosing Przemyśl as the meeting place was not accidental. The city, a symbol of shared struggles and brotherhood in arms (among others through the Przemyśl Fortress and the monument to the Hungarian hussar and the Polish uhlan), plays a key role in the historical memory of both nations.
According to the president, the presence of younger generations guarantees the durability of relations in the future. Nawrocki referred to shared historical figures, King Louis of Hungary and King Władysław of Varna, as well as General Józef Bem, a hero of the fight for freedom in both countries. In the context of current international politics, the Polish president pointed to numerous areas of convergence with Budapest, particularly regarding the reform of the European Union. Nawrocki stated that Poland and Hungary support a “Europe of nations,” rather than bureaucratic centralization imposed by the European Commission.
“I am accountable solely to Polish citizens. If EU solutions undermine the Polish Constitution, of which I am the guardian, I say: stop. On this matter, I can count on President Sulyok’s understanding,”
he stressed.
In his statement, President Nawrocki also addressed differences in the policies of the two countries. He emphasized that for Poland, Vladimir Putin remains a war criminal and an existential threat.
“For Poland, Vladimir Putin and the Russian Federation constitute an existential threat, just as the Bolsheviks did in 1920. Poles love Hungarians, but they hate Vladimir Putin. States make their own diplomatic choices, but my position is clear: Putin is a threat to NATO and the European Union,”
he said.