Unofficial translation

Speaker of the National Council of the Slovak Republic

Richard Raši

Bratislava, 22 September 2026

Your Excellency,

Allow me to extend my warm greetings and to inform you that, as of 1 July 2026, the

Slovak Republic holds the Presidency of the Visegrad Group. One of the priorities of our

Presidency is cohesion policy and the ongoing negotiations on the Multiannual Financial

Framework for 2028–2034, which are among the key issues on the current European agenda.

The decisions taken in the coming months will shape the development of our countries and

regions for the next decade. National parliaments should therefore not remain on the sidelines

of this discussion.

In this context, I have the honour to invite you to a meeting of Speakers of Parliament

in the extended V4+ “Friends of Cohesion” format, to be held in Bratislava on 12–13 November

2026. The aim of the meeting is to send a clear signal and formulate a common position among

the countries that share an interest in maintaining a strong cohesion policy.

All relevant information, including the programme and organisational arrangements,

will be provided well in advance. I am confident that your participation will contribute to a

common outcome that will strengthen the voice of our parliaments in the discussion on the

future budget of the European Union.

The future of cohesion policy is being decided now, and the voice of the countries that

regard it as a pillar of European integration will carry real weight only if expressed in unison. I

am convinced that Bratislava can be the place where we jointly formulate that position. I look

forward to meeting you in person.

Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

His Excellency

Mr Lauri Hussar

President of the Riigikogu

Republic of Estonia

Tallinn

Predseda

C/Vivodney vady Movenshe; vepublikey RichardRas

Bratislava, WW september 2026

Vasa Excelencia,

dovolte mi, aby som Vas srdecne pozdravil a zdroven Vas informoval, ze Slovenskd

republika od I. jula 2026predseda VySehradskej skupine. Jednou zpriorit nasho predsednictva

Je politika sudrZnosti a prebiehajuce rokovania o viacrocnom financnom ramci na roky 2028 -

2034, ktoré patria medzi klucové témy sucasnej eurdpskej agendy. Rozhodnutia prijaté v

nasledujucich mesiacoch ovplyvnia rozvoj naSich krajin a regidnov na celé nasledujuce

desatrocie a ndrodnéparlamenty bypretov tejto diskusii nemali zostat'v uzadi.

Dovolujem si Vas preto pozvat' na stretnutie predsedov parlamentov v rozsirenom

formate V4+ ,, Friends ofCohesion", ktoré sa uskutoéni 12. 13. novembra 2026 v Bratislave.

Cielom rokovania je vyslat jasny signal a sformulovat' jednotny postoj krajin, ktoré zdielaju

spoloény zdujem na silnejpolitike sudrzZnosti.

Vsetky délezité informdcie vrdtane programu a organizacnych pokynov Vam zasleme v

dostatocnom casovom predstihu. Verim, Ze Vasa ucastprispeje k spoloénému vysledku, ktory

posilni hlas naSich parlamentovv diskusii o budticom rozpocte Eurdpskej unie.

O buducnosti politiky sidrznosti sa rozhoduje teraz a hlas krajin, ktoré ju povazuju za

pilier eurdpskej integrdcie, bude mat' skutocnu vdhu len vtedy, ak zaznie jednotne. Som

presvedceny, zeprdve Bratislava méze byt' miestom, kde ho spolocne sformulujeme. Tesim sa na

nase osobneé stretnutie.

Prijmite, prosim, Vasa Excelencia, prejav mojej hlbokej ucty.

ao

Jeho Excelencia Me pan Lauri Hussar predseda parlamentu Riigikogu Estonskej republiky Tallinn