Polish municipality gives aid to Ukrainian partner and paves the way for cooperation
As part of the Bridges of Trust, project bringing together EU and Ukrainian municipalities, Polanica-Zdrój in Poland and Polyanytsya in Ukraine are deepening their partnership through a formal Cooperation Agreement. Local officials in the southeastern Polish town welcomed a delegation of their Ukrainian colleagues from 13 to 16 September. This was an occasion to sign the agreement and provide financial assistance to Polyanytsya.
All good cooperation takes time to develop. Municipal officials first met online back in November 2021 and were able to explore each side’s development challenges and the potential areas of cooperation. The Russian invasion of Ukraine imposed a brutal change of perspective: emergency support became paramount. Polanica-Zdrój offered to provide shelter to anyone fleeing the war from their partner municipality.
Almost a year later, officials from Polyanytsya were able to visit their Polish partner. Local officials showcased Polanica-Zdrój’s achievements, especially regarding waste management and economic infrastructure, and held an official ceremony for the signature of the two municipalities’ Cooperation Agreement.
Mayor of Polanica-Zdrój Mateusz Jellin handed the Ukrainian delegation a symbolic cheque of 8,000 EUR collected with the help of their German twin city, Telgte. The money will be spent to address the Ukrainian people’s urgent emergency or humanitarian needs.
“The knowledge we gained during the visit will be a good experience for us for the further development of our municipality” said Antonina Mirus, head of Polyanytsya’s Legal Department. “And most importantly, we found new friends.”
The Ukrainian officials thanked Polanica-Zdrój for its openness and support in the face of war. In turn, Mayor Jellin will visit Polyanystya in the coming months.
The partnership between the two municipalities is part of the “Bridges of Trust” project, implemented by the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), PLATFORMA and supported by U-LEAD with Europe. The Association of Polish Cities (ZMP) also played an important role in matching the municipalities.
Project Officer – International Partnerships (U-Lead)
