25/09/2007 (Agence Europe) - The presidents of the four countries making up the Visegrad group: Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland, met on 20-21 September on the banks of Lake Balaton in Hungary with a discussion programme that included the approaching removal of border controls. They were pleased to note the abolition of border controls by the end of December and said that they were technically prepared to meet this task. The Hungarian president, Laszlo Solyom (EUROPE 9507) said that Hungary, however, does not agree with maintaining temporary border controls as envisaged by Austria. Slovak president, Ivan Gasparovic complained of the persistent and unenviable status of “young people” in member states, who he said still faced barriers imposed by older member states on their labour markets. The Czech president, Vaclav Klaus also pointed out that the watchword for the future presidency by his country in 2009 would be “Europe without barriers”. Lech Kaczynski appealed for visas, after they join Schengen, to be granted free of charge to nationals from Belarus, Ukraine and Russia. (bc)