Starting Tuesday, May 19, Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar will visit Krakow, Warsaw, and Gdansk, holding high-level meetings to reset diplomatic ties between Poland and Hungary.
Diplomatic Itinerary
Peter Magyar’s visit begins on Tuesday afternoon, May 19. His itinerary includes stops in Krakow, Warsaw, and Gdansk. In Krakow, he will meet with Cardinal Grzegorz Rys, followed by discussions in Warsaw with Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Karol Nawrocki.
The program in Gdansk features a visit to the European Solidarity Centre and a meeting with former President Lech Walesa. This trip marks Magyar’s first foreign travel as the head of the Hungarian government.
Repairing Historical Ties
Professor László Nagy, a literary scholar from Jagiellonian University, views the choice of Poland for the Prime Minister’s first foreign visit as a positive signal for the millennial Polish-Hungarian friendship. He emphasized that recent politics have strained relations between the two nations.
Nagy noted that politicians had appropriated the cause of this historic friendship for their own agendas. He asserted that it is now the duty of these politicians to repair the damage inflicted upon the relationship between the two nations.
Symbolism and Future Prospects
The professor highlighted the symbolic importance of the Prime Minister traveling from Krakow to Warsaw by train, interpreting it as a meaningful step toward rebuilding ties. He expressed optimism that Magyar’s administration would diverge from the policies of the Fidesz era.
Regarding regional cooperation, Nagy suggested that this political change in Hungary could lead to a new opening for the Visegrád Group. Prime Ministers from Slovakia and the Czech Republic are reportedly anticipating the arrival of their new colleague before Magyar concludes his visit in Vienna.