Responsible improvement policy needs to be decently identified as the basis for the initiatives taken. It is besides crucial to recognise the fundamental barriers that will unlock improvement potential. At the same time, it is crucial to remember that there are no closed ecosystems today, and that the network of interrelationships makes it essential to take account of the phenomena that happen on a broader scale than national ones. It seems Truism to say that opportunities should be used, difficulty is the ability to foretell which of the phenomena occurring in the modern planet will be an chance to be exploited and which – a threat. Sometimes even threats can be converted to their advantage, and untapped opportunities may consequently be a threat.
It's been the second year of war beyond our east border. At this exhausting time for the Ukrainian people, we effort to support them. Today, fortunately, we are no longer dealing with another wave of refugees, which caused spontaneous and widespread assistance of Poles, but we inactive request our commitment. Mobilisation in hard times and short sequences of time seems easier than the continuous, multi-month relief action we are presently dealing with. Of course, local governments participate in specified activities, and the Podkarpackie region, as a border region, plays a peculiar function here. Support for Ukraine is implemented on many levels, not only in the area of humanitarian aid, but besides in the economical and political dimension and in the improvement of infrastructure links.
Cross-border cooperation is being implemented much more present and with a fresh perspective. Despite the fact that the war continues, preparations for the implementation of joint projects are highly advanced. The finalisation of projects financed from the EU budget position is besides ongoing. With respect to the fresh measures, it was hoped that, following the exclusion from the Interreg programmes of Belarus, there would be an increase in funds supporting joint projects and strengthening cooperation with Ukraine, but these expectations did not come true. It is very possible that, in the following years, the resources will gradually increase.
Ukrainians realize perfectly that their future depends on closer ties with the West, which creates an chance for Poland and its regions, which should become an intermediary and guide for Ukrainian local governments.
In view of Ukraine's European aspirations, as well as the affirmative declarations by most associate States and representatives of the European Commission, initiatives to integrate our east neighbour into the European cooperation network are gaining importance. Of course, Ukraine's way to the structures of the European Union will be a long and hard process, requiring determination from all partners. The adoption of the acquis of the Union, as well as the adjustment of the political and economical strategy to its acceptable level, will take time, but the direction has already been set and the Ukrainians realize perfectly that their future depends on closer ties with the West. This clearly creates an chance for Poland and its regions, which should become an intermediary and guide for Ukrainian local governments. Already present there are many joint initiatives to pass on Polish good practices to the Ukrainian side. This applies especially to the experiences of Polish local governments, which are utilized by Ukrainian local authorities who build their competences.
Karpack's strategy is the consequence of cooperation initiated by the Polish side with the Carpathian countries. Action taken at all levels of public authorities, with the strong engagement of regional and local communities, indicates the maturity of this initiative and its strong social acceptance.
Initiatives of European importance are besides important, allowing for closer engagement of east European countries, including Ukraine, in the network of relations with the countries and regions of the European Union. For example, the activities of macro-regional cooperation, specified as initiatives to make a macro-regional strategy for the Carpathian area, can be identified here. I believe, and the current geopolitical situation clearly confirms that Carpathians are an highly crucial geopolitical area where strategical political and economical interests of Western and east Europe cross. Karpack's strategy is the consequence of cooperation initiated by the Polish side with all Carpathian countries: the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, as well as Ukraine, Moldova and Serbia. The work on the strategy is actively attended by regions of the Carpathian countries, but besides by lower levels of self-government. Action taken at all levels of public authorities, with the strong engagement of regional and local communities, indicates the maturity of this initiative and its strong social acceptance. The European Committee of the Regions expressed clear support for the fresh strategy by adopting its opinion on 4 December 20191. I am convinced that macro-regional strategies let deeper and broader interaction at cross-sectoral, regional and cross-border levels between associate States and neighbouring countries. They besides let the European Union itself to influence neighbouring countries, including them in closer cooperation relations and becoming a tool to address common problems and challenges. They besides enable European integration and solidarity to be built and advance common European values.
Macro-regional strategies let for a deeper and broader interaction at cross-sectoral, regional and cross-border level between associate States and neighbouring countries, as well as their enhanced cooperation within the European Union.
It is worth noting that in all the long-term European strategies and papers the issue of extending the European Union to the east was mentioned very vaguely. It so appeared that the east Union border would stay for many years a low permeability border. The current situation has radically changed this perception. Today, the east border of the European Union with Ukraine is seen as a connecting border, not a barrier. This is very crucial for the Podkarpackie region as a border region, for example in the context of strengthening infrastructure links. In our improvement strategies, we have chosen to participate in the exchange between the West and the East. For many years, this chance has not been full exploited, and the economy of the region has had a strong Western orientation, so that the east direction in infrastructure improvement has not been so reinforced. Today, in the face of geopolitical changes caused by Russia's aggression into Ukraine, the chance to usage the location of our voivodship becomes more real.
In this context, the state of infrastructure that allows the European marketplace to be combined with the East is important. Transport availability of Podkarpackie state has steadily improved, but in relation to communication links with Ukraine, they are inactive insufficient, despite many investments. The infrastructure of border crossing points is evolving, projects are being implemented to strengthen road and rail links. They will in future decide on directions for the flow of goods and the improvement of logistics functions. It is besides very crucial to link energy systems that aid stabilise supply and guarantee the functioning of the economy.
Today, the “Rzeszów-Jasionka” Airport, which has become a major global humanitarian aid hub for Ukraine, is of large importance.
Today, the “Rzeszów-Jasionka” Airport, which has become a major global humanitarian aid hub for Ukraine, is of large importance. Not only do all kinds of transport aircraft land here, but besides the world's most crucial leaders with the president of the United States in the lead. However, it is worth noting that this would not have been possible had it not been for earlier activities of the regional government, which consistently invested in airport infrastructure. This was not easy due to the fact that air transport and basic airport infrastructure are not an investment precedence of the European Commission, and it was so essential to mobilise own, national and regional resources. This is so an example of taking advantage of the chance which was created thanks to the consistently conducted activities of the local government of the voivodship.
Of course, financial resources are very crucial for improvement policy. The financial position of the European Union for 2014-2020 is coming to an end. We are beginning to implement a fresh programme: "European Funds for Subcarpathia 2021–2027". It must be made clear here that the passing European position was not easy. Cohesion policy, being the most flexible of EU policies, has become a tool for responding to crises. We have dealt with the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has been powerfully felt by all beneficiaries of European funds. We have allocated a large part of the resources to support wellness safety projects that have allowed for a more effective fight against the pandemic. We have besides undertaken actions at the level of the region to support beneficiaries so that they can complete the projects started under changed conditions. This was mostly about business initiatives. This year many of them are inactive being implemented, but I am convinced that they will be successfully completed and settled.
Last year, we received the European Commission's approval of programmes for the financial position of 2021–2027. The negotiation process was 1 of the most hard in the past of programming cohesion policy measures to date and although the negotiations have been successful, we are all aware of the delays. These are funds that will be spent in line with the fresh principles of European Union policies, including with peculiar emphasis on environmental and climate objectives, which will translate into the structure of the projects implemented. The function of repayables is increasing, which besides needs to be taken into account by the beneficiaries, including in areas where non-repayable subsidies have so far occurred. We know that we have reduced the time to finalise projects, which will consequently favour well-prepared plans and with the required documentation. However, given our experience so far, I am convinced that we will not waste our chance and will make good usage of the allocations available to the region and the country.
1 Opinion of the European Committee of the Regions — Macro-regional strategy for the Carpathian region, OJ C 10 March 2020
