On 27 February 2013, a conference was held in Bolesławiec on preparing an agreement between 25 municipalities and 4 counties which, in the 2014–2020 perspective, intend to use the Integrated Territorial Approach for the development of their area and establish Integrated Territorial Investments (ITI). The conference was attended by commune heads, mayors and county heads from four counties: lubański, lwówecki, bolesławiecki and zgorzelecki.
The Western Integration Area covers 16.44% of the area of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship and has more than 288 thousand inhabitants, accounting for 9.9% of the residents of Lower Silesia. It is a highly urbanized area—with 16 cities—with varying degrees of environmental degradation and significant social problems resulting from the high unemployment rate. The southern part of the area is significantly disadvantaged in terms of connections with the regional capital, while connections along the north–south axis are degraded throughout the area.
“The declaration was signed by 21 representatives of local government units. Further activities provide for signing an Agreement based on resolutions of the decision-making bodies, institutionalizing cooperation and preparing the Development Strategy for the Western Integration Area, which should become an annex to the Regional Operational Programme for the Lower Silesian Voivodeship for 2014–2020,” says Bolesławiec mayor Piotr Roman.
(commissioned information)