The Marshal of the Lubelskie Voivodeship Jarosław Stawiarski opened the second day of the Three Seas Local Government Congress. The participants were joined online by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. The discussions focused mainly on Energy security, led by Minister of Climate and Environment Anna Moskwa. The heads of the regions signed an agreement on the establishment of the Network of the Three Seas Regions, which officially seals the declaration date.
– A particularly important place in yesterday’s debate was the discussion on security and defence, which involved seeking solutions to strengthen the regions in the face of the ongoing war. The Congress agenda did not lack of scientific sessions, international topics, and important business meetings. As part of the Economic Forum, we talked about accelerating the digitisation of the economy and cyber security. An important highlight of yesterday was the signing of the agreement on the establishment of the Network of the Three Seas Universities. Today we offer a debate on energy security, as well as technological sovereignty, green transformation, and the use of hydrogen in the economy – said Jarosław Stawiarski, Marshal of the Lubelskie Voivodeship.
The participants gathered at the Centre for the Meeting of Culture in Lublin were joined by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
– The Three Seas is not only about increased economic cooperation, but it is also cooperation in the fields of science and culture. The initiative should play a key role in the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine, guaranteeing its security, faster economic and infrastructural development. The roads, energy networks, railway connections and water pipelines we build will be tangible proof that we are integrating our homelands – said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
Among the opening speeches on the second day of the Congress, attendees could hear from Minister of Climate and Environment Anna Moskwa.
– It was in Lublin that the discussions on energy security began before Europe even started the dialogue. Winter and spring have verified our sovereign, thoughtful and consistent energy policy. Poland has not gone off the path of planned projects since 2015, despite incentives for gas pipelines. Energy must be the pillar of the work of The Three Seas Initiative. We hope that here, at the Congress, projects that will set an example for the whole Europe, will emerge. – Minister Anna Moskwa concluded.
Recognition Awards of the Three Seas Local Government Congress
Right after her speech, Minister of Climate and Environment Anna Moskwa received the award of the Three Seas Local Government Congress, for her activities in the development of energy cooperation and effective support of the Lubelskie Voivodeship in the energy transition process, awarded by the Programme Committee of the Congress.
Dr. Marek Dietl, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Warsaw Stock Exchange, talked about the strengthening of cooperation between the stock exchange of the Three Seas countries.
– The stock exchanges of the Three Seas countries have existed for 250 years, including the Warsaw Stock Exchange, which is more than 200 years old. The value of companies in the region is equalized. – Poland and Austria are the leaders. If the market only consisted of the Three Seas stocks, they would represent only 3%, which is a great incentive for integration. A measurable result of the discussions is to seek more proportional regulation; therefore, I encourage local governments to issue their financial instruments on stock markets in their countries – added Dr. Marek Dietl
Panel I: Poland’s energy security in geopolitical terms. Content partner: the Ministry of State Assets
The discussion focused on the challenges Poland faced in the energy context after the beginning of the war in Ukraine. The speakers discussed the government’s efforts to improve Poland’s energy security, the distribution of coal and the problems that needed to be overcome as well as cooperation between the government and the local government. Another issue discussed was of our country’s current energy situation and the security associated with it.
The discussion was moderated by Piotr Rycerski, Head of the Political Office of Deputy Prime Minister Jacek Sasin. The panel featured Wojciech Dąbrowski – CEO of PGE S.A., Paweł Majewski –President of the Management Board of Enea S.A., Filip Grzegorczyk – Vice President of the Management Board of Grupa Azoty S.A., Jerzy Kwieciński – Vice President of the Management Board of Bank Pekao S.A., Jan Szeczak – Chief Financial Officer of PKN ORLEN, Piotr Podgórski – Chief Transformation Officer of KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. and Lucjusz Nadbereżny – Mayor of Stalowa Wola.
Panel II: Energy security of Poland and Europe. Content partner: Ministry of Climate and Environment
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 demonstrated that countries dependence on importing Russian energy resources was the wrong direction for energy policy. The participants of the panel discussed the security of energy raw material supplies, looked into countries energy sources, and presented goals for future years.
The discussion was moderated by Jakub Wiech – Editor-in-Chief of Energetyka24.pl. The panel featured Anna Moskwa – Minister of Climate and Environment, German Galushchenko – Minister of Energy of Ukraine (online), Wojciech Dąbrowski – CEO of PGE S.A., Kasjan Wyligała – President of the Management Board of Lubelskie Węgiel “Bogdanka” S.A., Łukasz Młynarkiewicz – Acting President of the Management Board of Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe sp.z o.o., Artur Michalski – Deputy President of the Management Board of NFOŚIGW, and Iwona Waksmundzka – Olejaniczak – Member of the Board PKN ORLEN ds. for strategy and sustainable development.
Signing the agreement on establishing of the Network of Three Seas Regions
The Tree Seas Local Government Congress is not only rich in discussions, but also in the implementation of specific projects. On May 17, 2023, was signed the Agreement of the Network of the Three Seas Regions – a format for deepening interregional cooperation in Central Europe.
The network was initiated by the Lubelskie Voivodeship in 2021. During the previous editions of the Congress, representatives of the countries signed the Economic Declaration of the Network of the Three Seas Region, also known as the Lublin Declaration. This year’s event was an opportunity to put this generally expressed will to cooperate into the form of a specific commitment, so the heads of the regions ceremonially signed an agreement on the creation of the Network of the Three Seas Regions.
The signatories of the agreement are the marshals of five polish Voivodeships and the heads of regions of the Three Seas Initiative countries:
- Marshal of the Lubelskie Voivodeship Jarosław Stawiarski
- Marshal of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship Andrzej Bętkowski
- Deputy Marshal of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship Janina Ewa Orzełowska
- Deputy Marshal of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship Ewa Draus
- Member of the Board of the Podlaskie Voivodeship Marek Malinowski
- Mayor of City Panevėžys and Representative of the Panevėžys Regional Development Council Rytis Račkauskas, Lithuania
- Chairman of the Alytus Regional Development Council Nerijus Cesilius, Lithuania (online)
- Chairman of the Marijampole Regional Development Council Edgaras Pilypaitis, Lithuania (online)
- President of Dolj Dorin County Council Cosmin Vasile, Romania
- President of Timis County Council Alin Adrian Nica, Romania
- Vice President of Călărași County Council Ion Samoila, Romania
- Vice President of Maramureș County Council Doru Alexandru Lazăr, Romania
- Secretary General of Caraș-Severin County Council Darian Ciobanu, Romania
- Representative of the Prešov Self-governing Region Director Fabián Novotný, Slovakia
- President of Hajdú-Bihar Committee Zoltán Pajna, Hungary (online)
This signing ceremony was followed by a ceremony of admission of New Members to the Network. The agreement was signed by:
- Head of Rivne Regional Military Administration from Ukraine Vitaly Koval (online)
- Acting Head of Odesa Regional Military Administration from Ukraine Boris Voloshenkov (online)
- Head of Khmelnytskyi Regional Council from Ukraine Violeta Labazyuk
- Head of Zakarpattia Regional Council from Ukraine Volodymyr Chubirko
- Acting Head of the Regional Council from Ukraine Yevhenii Hirnyk
- Director of the Agency for Regional Development “Centru” from Romania Maria Ivan.
With the admission of new members, the Network counts a total of 22 regions from 6 countries from Central and Eastern Europe. This merger will allow the implementation of joint projects in various fields: economy, infrastructure, environmental protection, digitalisation and education and science. Ukrainian regions join the Network as associated partners. More about the Network: www.3seasnetwork.lubelskie.pl.
International session
Panel I: Health of residents of the Three Seas region. Better to prevent or cure? Content Partner: PZU S.A. and PZU Życie S.A.
The development of the health care sector, combined with its impact on the regional development of the Three Seas area, should be one of the current priorities for investment and pro-development priorities. This requires overcoming several economic and geopolitical barriers and the development of proposals for solutions.
The discussion was moderated by Andrzej Jaworski – President of the Management Board of PZU Zdrowie SA, Member of the Management Board PZU Życie SA. The panel featured Dr. Piotr Kuszewski – President of the Management Board of PTE PZU S.A., Dr. Ernest Podgórski – Vice President of the Board of Directors of PZU Zdrowie S.A, Michał Moskal- Head of the Political bureau of the leader of PIS Jarosław Kaczyński, Norbert Komar – Director of Górnośląskie Centrum Rehabilitacji im. gen. Jerzego Ziętka, Ph.D. Hab. Marcin Szewczak- President of the Institute for Local Government Development of the Lubelskie Voivodeship, and Hubert Grzegorczyk – Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Food Market.
Panel II: Debate of Regions: Network of the Three Seas Regions– future and challenges. Content partner: Institute for Development of Local Government of the Lubelskie Voivodeship
The discussion focused on the Network’s prospects for development through the implementation of projects and deepening cooperation in five areas: infrastructure, environmental protection, science and education, digitization, and economic cooperation. The discussion also involved topics related to the development of individual regions through their active participation in the Network, as well as the benefits of such participation.
The discussion was moderated by Ph.D. Hab. Marcin Szewczak – President of IRST. The panel featured Jarosław Stawiarski – Marshal of the Lubelskie Voivodeship, Violeta Labazyuk – Head of Khmelnytskyi Regional Council from Ukraine, Volodymyr Chubirko – Head of Zakarpattia Regional Council from Ukraine, and Doru Lazar – Vice President of Maramureș County Council from Romania.
Panel III: Challenges of cooperation of the 3SI regions with Ukrainian regions, Interreg programmes context
The purpose of the panel was to identify the challenges and threats faced by border regions in the face of war – to create a platform for cooperation in order to find solutions to common problems through the implementation of new ventures and projects to support Ukraine on its way to EU integration.
In view of the ongoing armed conflict in Ukraine, as well as in the context of granting Ukraine the status of candidate country for accession to the European Union on June 23, 2022, at the European Council summit in Brussels, it is particularly important to strengthen the range of cross-boarder cooperation and its qualitative development with Ukraine.
Interreg programs implemented on this boarder not only face new challenges in building cooperation, but are also the most important instrument for supporting Ukrainian border regions. The discussion was moderated by Prof. Tomasz Komornicki – Chairman of the Committee for Spatial Economy and Regional Planning, Polish Academy of Sciences. The panel featured Zbigniew Wojciechowski – Deputy Marshal of the Lubelskie Voivodeship, Sławomir Tokarski – Director for European Territorial Cooperation, Macroregions, Interreg and Program Implementation, DG Regio, European Commission, Rafał Baliński – Director of Department of Territorial Cooperation, Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy, Fabián Novotný – Director of the Office of the Prešov Self-Governing Region in Slovakia, and Cezar Grozavu – Director of the Joint Technical Secretariat of the Interreg Next Romania-Ukraine 2021-2027 Program, Executive Director of the CBC Regional Office in Suceava from Romania.
Accompanying events
Parallelly was held the scientific session “Network of the Three Seas universities towards current challenges of science and the region with the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin as the content partner. During the scientific session the following panels were held:
The Three Seas as a security and development concept
The geopolitical significance of the Three Seas Initiative
The potential of cooperation between the Three Seas countries and European institutions
Development of public administration personnel for the Three Seas Initiative area
The Three Seas Initiative towards the idea of a “superstate”
Rudowski – Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University
Soft power of the Three Seas Initiative – how to build the position of Central Europe?
The Three Seas Initiative as a subject of research. Research on regional cooperation from the perspective of different scientific disciplines.
Economic forum
The Economic Forum addressed issues of technological sovereignty, the development of the regional hydrogen market and the challenges posed by the green transformation. During the Forum, an agreement was also signed on the establishment of the Lublin Hydrogen Cluster and Lublin Cluster of Closed Circuit Economy, which was attended by the Marshal of the Lubelskie Voivodeship Jarosław Stawiarski and the CEOs of the Companies: Grupa Azoty Zakłady Azotowe “Puławy” S.A., Lubelskie Węgiel “Bogdanka” S.A., PGE Dystrybucja S.A. and Lubelski Park Naukowo-Technologiczny S.A.
The Programme Committee of the Congress decided to award two recognition awards of the Three Seas Local Government Congress, which were presented by Marshal Jarosław Stawiarski.
The award for supporting activities to ensure Poland’s energy security, promoting the regional component of the 3Seas Initiative, went to Polska Grupa Energetyczna S.A.
The award for many years of implementing the principle of corporate social responsibility in Lublin Voivodeship and for supporting activities promoting the regional component of the Three Seas Initiative went to Grupa Azoty Zakłady Azotowe “Puławy” S.A.
Eastern Congress of Young Leaders
The Eastern Congress of Young Leaders is an accompanying event of the Three Seas Local Government Congress, organized by the European Meeting Centre – Nowy Staw Foundation. The Congress was an excellent place to discuss, exchange opinions, views and strengthen cooperation among young people from Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, and Georgia. The Eastern Congress Young Leaders included panels on such topics as artificial intelligence, employers’ expectation towards employees, and the background of the city of Lublin receiving the European Youth Capital.
The event was inspired by the implementation of seventeen editions of the Young Leaders Economic Forum (FEML), the largest socio – economic conferences in Central and Eastern Europe.
On the second day of the event, participants were able to learn about what European information networks may offer to them, what challenges international meeting houses are currently facing, and were able to meet young leaders who have been bringing aid to refugees from Ukraine since the first days of the war. The final highlight of the event was an intercultural evening, attended by Martyna Goszczyńska, athlete of AZS UMCS Lublin, as well as her coach. The Congress also held a meeting with a special guest – the Minister of Climate and Environment Anna Moskwa. At the meeting, the Minister talked about the situation related to renewable energy sources, as well as the challenges facing the Ministry in connection with this issue. The young people had the opportunity to ask the Minister a number of questions about such issues as geothermal energy, as well as the problems of disposing of electric car batteries.
The event was attended by more than 180 participants from 5 countries and featured 8 panel discussions and debates featuring 54 panelists and moderators.