The Czech Republic is calling for a fairer and more balanced European Union budget as Central European leaders seek closer coordination on economic competitiveness, energy costs and the future direction of the bloc.

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš raised these priorities during a meeting of the Visegrád Group leaders in Bratislava, where the prime ministers of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary also met with Ireland’s Prime Minister Micheál Martin.

A major issue discussed was the EU’s next long-term budget. The Czech side argued that future European financial planning should take into account the interests of countries with strong industrial economies and should avoid measures that could weaken their competitiveness.

Energy prices were another important subject during the discussions. The participating leaders examined possible ways to reduce the cost of energy and fuel, which remains a major concern for households and businesses across Europe.

For the Czech Republic, maintaining industrial competitiveness is particularly important because manufacturing plays a significant role in the national economy. Higher energy costs can increase production expenses and place European companies under greater pressure from international competitors.

The meeting also focused on closer coordination among the Visegrád countries ahead of forthcoming European Council discussions. The participating governments agreed on the importance of working together on shared priorities.

Ireland’s participation added another dimension to the discussions because the country currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union. Cooperation with the Irish government provides the Visegrád countries with an additional channel for presenting their positions on major European issues.

The Czech government sees stronger regional cooperation as a way to increase the influence of Central European countries in discussions about the EU’s future.

The talks also addressed broader questions concerning European competitiveness. Leaders are seeking policies that can support economic growth while maintaining the strength of European industry.

The Czech position reflects growing concern among several European countries that new EU policies should balance climate, economic and social objectives without placing excessive pressure on industrial economies.

Closer coordination among the Visegrád countries is expected to continue as negotiations over the EU’s future budget and other major European priorities move forward.

The Bratislava meeting therefore represents another step in the Czech Republic’s effort to build regional alliances and promote policies focused on economic competitiveness, affordable energy and balanced European financial planning.