Presidents Schmitt and Komorowski; photo - PAP/Radek Pietruszka

Hungarian head of state Pal Schmitt and President Bronislaw Komorowski are taking part in an official ceremony marking Polish-Hungarian Friendship Day at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan today.

This morning, President Schmitt laid a wreath at the plaques marking the death of 13 year-old Romek Strzałkowski, who was killed during the 1956 uprising against the communist authorities in Poznan and Peter Mansfeld, who died in the 1956 Hungarian uprising.

The Hungarian president, currently on a two-day visit to Poland, is also taking part in numerous events marking Polish-Hungarian Friendship Day, which was established by an act of parliament passed in 2007.

Yesterday, presidents Schmitt and Komorowski had talks on the EU presidency, which Hungary hands over to Poland for six-months on 1 July.

Komorowski praised Budapest’s EU presidency, which began in January. He singled out the work Hungary is currently doing on energy security.

EU presidency – a ‘great opportunity’

“The EU presidency must be thought of as a great opportunity to promote Poland,” Mikolaj Dowgielewicz, secretary of state for European affairs told the TVP public broadcaster on Tuesday. “Therefore, we have designed a very extensive promotional programme comprising more than 1,300 events.”

“In Poland there are very high expectations for the presidency and perhaps they are exaggerated, because it will last only 184 days,” he added.

Dowgielewicz stressed that Poland will implement priorities set by the government though, he acknowledged, the role of the presidency is to be a moderator between the 27 nations who make up the EU, and must not be used to push national interests. (pg)