10th Forum of Partner Regions was held in the Kaliningrad region 2021-10-11, Category: Programme news

The 10th of Forum of Regions – Partners of the Kaliningrad Region was held on the 7^th and 8^th of October, 2021 in Svetlogorsk. The organiser was the Regional Agency for international and interregional relations. The event was attended by Mr Igor Kapyrin, Deputy Director of the Department for European Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Mr Normunds Popens, Deputy Director, the General Directorate for EU Regional Policy and other officials. Participants from Poland, Norway, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Sweden, Lithuania and other countries have joined the online forum. The main topics of the reports are related to the green and digital economy, cross-border cooperation, culture, tourism and climate change.

Governor Anton Alikhanov addressed the participants on the opening day. The Head of the region highlighted that the audience and topics show the interest of all parties in establishing partnerships in various fields of activity. ‘We are closest neighbours and partners and we believe that our interaction, exchange of experience and innovations, common projects are the key to a healthy climate in the Baltic Sea region’, he said. ‘Without constant contacts, there is a danger of losing the community that characterizes the Organization for Subregional Cooperation’. The Governor recalled that 31 projects within the Poland-Russia Cross-border Cooperation Programme and 38 projects within the Russia-Lithuania Programme are underway in the region. Roads are being built, cultural facilities are being reconstructed, tourist facilities are being developed and much more.

At the Forum the Head of the Joint Technical Secretariat Ms Katarzyna Maria Bartnik made a presentation on the Poland-Russia Cross-Border Cooperation Programme 2014-2020. She spoke about how the projects of the current Programme are being implemented and about the prospects for the new programme period 2021-2027.