During the 2nd Three Seas Initiative Forum of Regions, which is taking place in Lublin, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki emphasized the potential of this initiative for the entire region. “The 12 countries of the Three Seas Region cover 29% of the area of the entire EU and almost 19% of its GDP; the strength of this region is therefore significant demographically, culturally as well as economically,” said the Prime Minister today.
Prime Minister said that the creation of the economic network of the Three Seas Regions opens a new stage of cooperation between local government units in the region.
“I believe that the next chapter of cooperation developing transport, energy or digital infrastructure is ahead of us. In each of these, we need strong coordination also at the level of the local and regional government,” said Morawiecki.
Morawiecki also emphasized the potential of the Three Seas Initiative itself. “The 12 countries of the Three Seas Region represent 29 per cent of the area of the entire EU and almost 19 per cent of its GDP. The strength of this region is therefore significant both demographically, culturally and economically,” stressed the Prime Minister.
“In recent years, the Three Seas Countries have been among the fastest-growing EU countries. I am extremely pleased that the leader of this list was Poland, whose average growth rate in the years 2004-2019 amounted to 5.3 per cent. We were the locomotive of economic growth in Europe. It is worth systematizing these positive trends, creating a sustainable development model for Central Europe,” argued the Prime Minister.
“The Three Seas Countries share not only common historical experience but also a geopolitical location that requires us to be more sensitive to security issues, including energy security,” said Morawiecki.
“This is why projects such as the North-South corridor including the Baltic Pipe gas pipeline, the LNG terminal in Świnoujście, a network of interconnectors running through Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and up to the LNG terminal on the Croatian island of Krk are so crucial,” he added.
He stressed that the challenges of energy transition should not be forgotten either. “An opportunity in this regard could be cooperation in developing hydrogen projects,” added Morawiecki.
He pointed out that between 2004 and 2018, the trade turnover of the Three Seas Countries increased by a record 243 per cent. “Central Europe today is the space of a huge investment movement. We want to support these processes, because it is in the interest of both Poland and the EU,” declared the Prime Minister.
According to Morawiecki, it is necessary to create a strategy to increase the fertility rate in the countries of the Three Seas Region with the simultaneous construction of an economic model that will allow raising the standard of living at least to the EU average.
The Prime Minister stressed that strengthening the infrastructure base is also very important. He spoke about the importance of the Via Carpatia project. “A modern expressway connecting the Baltic States with Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Greece is the road of life, as it boosts economic and social life. (…) This is the road to full modernity for eastern Poland and the Three Seas Countries,” said Morawiecki.
“Local Government Economic Congress and the II Three Seas Initiative Forum of Regions aims at strengthening the cohesion of the European Union regions by fostering socio-economic and scientific cooperation between local governments from Central and Eastern Europe participating in the Three Seas Initiative, namely Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. The Three Seas Initiative Forum of Regions is a project launched by President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda in 2018 in Rzeszów. The second edition of the Three Seas Initiative Forum of Regions in Lublin is held simultaneously with the first Local Government Economic Congress.
The self-government of the Lubelskie Voivodeship would like it to become an annual international economic event gathering representatives of central and local government administration, science and business from 12 member states of the Three Seas Initiative, representatives of strategic partners (European Union, the United States of America and Germany), partner regions from Eastern Europe.”