#V4RIT-SUARR – Project already launched!
Project partners of V4RIT-SUARR (V4 Regions in Transition Supporting Ukraine Redevelopment and Reconstruction) – IETU (PL), IURS (CZ), SPECTRA (SK) and LEDA (UA) have already started cooperation. Among the participants of the kick-off meeting, there were also representatives of local government authorities and non-governmental organisations.
The V4RIT-SUARR project is one of 17 projects that received funding from the Visegrad + Grants programme. At the kick-off meeting the project was presented by Piotr Cofałka, Deputy Director for Research and Development from IETU. In the hybrid meeting representatives of local government authorities and non-governmental organisations took part, in that: Dariusz Stankiewicz, from the Marshal's Office of the Silesian Voivodship, Patryk Białas, Director of the Innovation and Competence Center at the Euro-Centrum Science and Technology Park in Katowice, Jiří Staš and Lenka Haas from the Moravian-Silesian Region, Renata Kascakova, former member of the Slovak Parliament, co-author of strategic documents for Upper Nitra, the local government oblast of Trenčín and the city of Trenčín, Yana Shtogryn, Head of the Department of Investment and Strategic Development at the Bursztyn Municipal Office, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast and Dr. Elvira Moldovan, Just Transition Expert from the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
IETU has many experiences in transferring knowledge and good practices. Since 2020, our Institute has been implementing projects providing support for public and local administration and community in the transition of coal regions in Ukraine – said Dr. Marta Pogrzeba, IETU Director and Professor of IETU.
Dariusz Stankiewicz from the Department of Regional Development and Transition at the Marshal’s Office of the Silesian Voivodship (UMWŚL) presented the assumptions of the Territorial Just Transition Plan, which is the basis for accepting funds from the EU in the amount of over 2 billion EUR in three areas: economy (green economy, changing the profile of, i.e. mining-related enterprises), environment (development of post-mining and post-industrial areas, renewable energy) and society (education, improving employee qualifications, social services). Jiří Staš drew the participants’ attention to the transfer of knowledge and experience in remediation of post-industrial areas and spatial planning as an important element in the process of moving away from coal. Elvira Moldovan, Just Transition Expert from the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, emphasised the importance of the exchange of knowledge and good practices for the reconstruction and redevelopment of Ukraine.
The European Commission has recommended to the Council of the European Union starting accession negotiations with Ukraine this month. The activities of our project coincide with the negotiation period for this country. Our project is an excellent opportunity to share with our neighbours who want to join the EU the experience acquired in the pre-accession period and immediately after obtaining the status of a Member State. The issue of planning a just transition process in the regional dimension and the possibility of obtaining EU funds for the activities outlined in the document describing this plan are also very important. Besides, we believe that it will be very useful to share our experiences in adaptation of cities to climate change - said Piotr Cofałka, Deputy Director for Research and Development, IETU.
In the second part of the meeting, moderated by Barbara Vojvodikova from IURS, the participants began to discuss the scope of the planned work. The meeting was an excellent opportunity to get to know each other and exchange experiences and information about the needs and undertaken initiatives.We would like to thank our Partners for an excellent meeting and constructive discussion!!
More about project V4RIT-SUARR
