Poland has suspended cross-border cooperation with Russia and Belarus under EU programs, informed the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy. According to the announcement on the ministry’s website, work in the new edition of the programs at the external borders of the European Union will focus on Ukraine.

As the ministry said, as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and sanctions imposed by the European Union on Russia and Belarus, Poland closed its cross-border cooperation with these countries. Earlier, the European Commission did the same.

– Our work in the context of the new changes in the cross-border cooperation programs at the EU’s external borders is focused on Ukraine. I do not see the possibility of continuing cooperation with Russia and Belarus, emphasized Grzegorz Puda, Minister of Funds and Regional Policy.

This means that Poland will suspend payments to Russian and Belarusian partners under the Poland-Russia and Poland-Belarus-Ukraine programs. The Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy acts as the managing authority for both programs.

The suspension of cooperation covers nine European Union programs under the European Neighborhood Instrument for 2014-2020 with the participation of Russia and Belarus and the transnational cooperation program Interreg Baltic Sea Region, also implemented with the participation of Poland. It also means closing cooperation with both countries within the new program’s period 2021-2027.

– Poland is currently bearing the greatest burden of helping refugees from Ukraine. Our priority is also to protect the interests of Polish beneficiaries who, before the start of the war, implemented cross-border projects with partners from Russia and Belarus. Together with the European Commission, we are looking for solutions that will enable the completion of previously planned activities on the Polish side, without the participation of entities from Russia and Belarus, informed the minister.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński