More than EUR66 million will be allocated under the first Interreg NEXT European cross-border cooperation program for Hungary, Slovakia and Romania’s partnership with Ukraine in health, environment and good governance, the European Commission (EC) announced Friday. “This program is part of the EU’s overall support and unwavering solidarity toward Ukraine. By implementing a cohesion policy, Interreg will help Ukraine and its bordering member states to face common challenges and seize joint opportunities,” said Elisa Ferreira, EC member for cohesion policy and reforms.
The program covers the period of 2021-2027. Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Ukraine are expected to work together to ensure equal access to health services and improve the sustainability of their health systems.
The program will support climate change adaptation and disaster risk prevention solutions. The participating countries will cooperate to protect nature, develop “green infrastructure” and tourism.
It is also a question of aligning Ukraine’s norms with EU member states in the area of effective public administration. Relevant projects will promote legal and administrative cooperation to remove common barriers to interaction in border areas, while supporting cooperation between citizens, civil societies and state institutions, according to a communiqué from the European Commission.
CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION, HUNGARY, ROMANIA, SLOVAKIA, UKRAINE
The Ministers of Internal Affairs of the Baltic States and Poland visited Ukraine, where they signed a multilateral agreement on cooperation in preventing cross-border crime and restoring the sphere of activity of the Interior Ministry of Ukraine after the end of hostilities.
Estonian Interior Minister Kristian Jaani said that his country will continue to fully support Ukraine, the press service of the Estonian Interior Ministry said on Friday. This applies to both direct political and practical support for Ukraine, including humanitarian support, as well as post-war reconstruction, the imposition of tough sanctions against Russia, Jaani said.
He said that Estonia would fully support granting Ukraine the status of a candidate country for membership in the European Union.
The minister noted that the total contribution of Estonian humanitarian aid is more than EUR16 million, including support for civil society and the private sector.
Marine rescue and sapper suits, folding beds, tents, generators, VoIP phones and much more have been sent to Ukraine through the Interior Ministry of Ukraine.
“At 48 hours’ notice, we are ready to send sappers,” Jaani said.
