Zabrze takes further external funds for the city development

On the 6^th December the delegation from the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy with their counterparts from Switzerland and representatives of the town of Rydułtowy led by Ms. Mariola Bolisęga, Deputy Mayor and the lady advisors from the Union of Polish Cities.

The visit was related the 2^nd Edition of the Swiss-Polish Cooperation Program Agreement signed in Warsaw on the 5^th December. The subsidy in the amount of  320,1 million Swiss francs is to be used for investment projects generating the economic and social development of Poland. The funds will be granted, without limitation, to medium-sized cities that have lost their social and economic functions, in order to compensate their opportunities for trans-regional development. The subsidy will also be granted for innovations in the extensive meaning of the term and research aimed at the development of Polish economy.

The visitors from the Ministry and the Swiss representatives become familiar with the excellent example of fruitful cooperation between Polish and Norwegian cities carried out as part of the Local Development Program co-founded from the Norwegian Financial Mechanism for the 2014-2021 and from the State Budget.

– We met in the city hall with the representatives of the Ministry of Funds, Development and Regional Policy, the Embassy of Switzerland, the Town of Rydułtowy and the Union of Polish Cities to discuss the possibility to acquire further external funds for the development of our cities – comments Małgorzata Mańka-Szulik, the president of Zabrze . – The economic and social transformation of Zabrze that used to be an important center of heavy industry is an ambitious challenge that we face. When I took the office of the City President I made intensive measures aimed at the economic development of Zabrze – which included without limitation – the preparation and management of the special economic zone. Having in mind the city inhabitants, we also implemented the sustained development strategy focused on medicine, science, culture, sports and revitalization of the post-industrial heritage structures. In order to meet the ambitious challenge effectively, we reach out for external funds from various sources, including without limitation the EU or Norwegian funds – the President of Zabrze adds.