Three countries are working together on a new EU grant project. A total of 14 micro-regional development plans could be completed in the near future thanks to an EU tender involving Hungary, Romania and Ukraine. The National Strategic Research Institute is the lead partner of the project.
A presentation on the ambitious two-year programme was held on Thursday in Nyíregyháza, at the Castle County Hall. Oszkár Seszták, President of the County Assembly, called the programme an important milestone in the cooperation between border regions.
We have had similar efforts in the past with the Tisza Limited Liability European Territorial Partnership. Hopefully, the war in Ukraine will be over at some point, and then these spatial development plans will be used by our colleagues there in the reconstruction process. Tímea Kósa, Head of Department of the Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County Municipality, gave details of the project.
Tímea Kósa said that, in addition to the 14 sub-regional plans, 3 municipal plans are also being prepared in Satu Mare County (Romania) to revise the region’s cultural and natural heritage strategy. As for the Transcarpathian region, the war has changed the demographic and economic situation on the other side of the border, affecting everyday life, public administration, development and economic opportunities, which will be reviewed and analysed in the new programme.
The participating experts will also address these challenges, highlighting the challenges and opportunities facing the regions while strengthening the partnership between the border regions at institutional, business and communication levels, and helping Ukraine prepare for EU accession.