On January 9, Chervonograd Mayor Andriy Zalivskyi, along with Novovolynsk Mayor Boris Karpus and Pokrovsk Deputy Mayor Oleg Frolov, met with Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice President of the European Commission for the European Green Course.
As part of his one-day visit to Kyiv, Frans Timmermans expressed his desire to discuss with the leaders of the mining communities the further transformation of the coal regions, in particular, the problems that arose in the communities during the war and the steps to successfully implement the transformation.
During the meeting, I noted that Chervonohrad is ready to open production facilities for solar panels and geothermal heat pumps. Our city can become a platform for various investment projects, and later this model of “green” post-war reconstruction of Ukraine will be able to be implemented in those areas where active hostilities are currently taking place.
Frans Timmermans assured that the fair transformation of coal regions is one of the cornerstones of the European decarbonization policy. The European Union is ready to help Ukraine both with increasing expert knowledge on the ground and financially. In addition, the executive vice-president of the European Commission emphasized that the transformation of mining communities should be part of the green recovery of Ukraine from the consequences of the war. In his opinion, it is easier for former miners to move to a new job in another industry, so the development of renewable energy sources (production, installations, etc.) can become a real alternative for them.
Frans Timmermans Borys Karpus – Novovolyn city mayor Oleg Frolov