MFA Secretary of State for European Affairs Mikołaj Dowgielewicz participated today, March 19th, in the ceremony of the 20th European Medal edition, a non-profit scheme managed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and Business Centre Club whose aim is to bring the EU closer to businesses.

MFA Secretary of State for European Affairs Mikołaj Dowgielewicz met, on March 19th in Warsaw, EU Commissioner for Energy Gűnter Oettinger. The talks focused on the EU Regulation on gas supplies security, as well as on Energy Policy Second Action Plan for 2010-2014. Later today Secretary of State Mikołaj Dowgielewicz will meet EU Commissioner for Financial Programming and the Budget Janusz Lewandowski to discuss the current EU agenda.

MFA Secretary of State for European Affairs Mikołaj Dowgielewicz attended the informal working lunch that the Ministers for Europe of the 27 member states held today, March 16th, in Brussels at the invitation of Spain’s Secretary of State for the European Union Diego López Garrido. The meeting analysed the state of implementation of the European External Action Service, underway following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty.

Deputy Foreign Minister Konstantin Dimitrov, Bulgaria’s Secretary of State for the European Union, paid a working visit to Poland on 15 March 2010 at the invitation of MFA Secretary of State for European Affairs Mikołaj Dowgielewicz. During talks the Ministers addressed issues such as Polish-Bulgarian cooperation within the European Union, the preparations for the session of heads of states and governments scheduled for 25-26 March.

On March 12th the Warsaw Royal Castle was host to the third international annual conference on NATO and international security: ‘NATO’s New Strategic Concept – Global, Transatlantic and Regional Challenges and Tasks Ahead’, organised jointly by the Centre for International Relations and the Defence Ministry in cooperation with NATO Headquarters to celebrate the 11th anniversary of Poland’s accession to NATO.

The Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Poland expresses solidarity with the Cuban dissident and human rights activist Guillermo Fariñas who went on hunger strike (after the death of Orlando Zapata Tamayo) to seek the release of Cuba’s most vulnerable prisoners of conscience. The Foreign Ministry is deeply concerned about Guillermo Fariñas’ ill health.

Austria’s Minister for European and International Affairs Michael Spindelegger paid a working visit to Warsaw on March 3rd 2010 at the invitation of Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski. The Foreign Ministers addressed bilateral cooperation issues and discussed the current EU agenda, including the creation of the European External Action Service, the EU budget and the EU energy policy.

A ceremony of the signing of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Poland and the Government of the Kingdom of Sweden on mutual visa representation was held in Warsaw on March 3rd 2010. The Agreement was signed by MFA Under-Secretary of State Andrzej Kremer and the Swedish Ambassador to Warsaw Dag Hartelius.

Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski paid a visit to Budapest on March 2nd 2010 to participate in the Ministerial Visegrad Group Summit under the chairmanship of Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Balázs. The meeting of Foreign Ministers of Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia was also attended by representatives of the countries to which the European Eastern Partnership Programme applies.

Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski paid a visit to London on Feb. 26th 2010. The London visit is the direct result of the Polish-British arrangements on holding regular consultations at foreign minister level. This year’s consultations focused on the EU Eastern Policy and certain aspects of the European and Security Policy.

On Feb. 25th MFA Secretary of State for European Affairs Mikołaj Dowgielewicz chaired the Polish delegation to the Budapest summit dedicated to the European strategy for the Danube region. The summit was attended by Prime Ministers of: Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Moldova, Serbia, as well as Austria’s Federal Chancellor and the EU Commissioner for Regional Policy.