"We realise how complicated the procedure is, but as regions we are ready for a discussion with our governments, the Council and the European Commission," Marshal Władysław Ortyl declared in Brussels during the discussion and vote on the opinion on creating a macro-regional strategy for the Carpathian region. He is the rapporteur of the opinion as well as head of the Polish delegation in the ECR Group. The vote on this opinion was one of the most important points of the 25th meeting of the COTER Commission of the European Committee of the Regions.

Marshal Ortyl was accompanied by the expert Paweł Wais, Director of the Department of Regional Development at the Podkarpackie Voivodeship Marshal's Office. After the rapporteur presented the opinion, European Commission representative Kirill Dimanopoulos took the floor. Responding to Władysław Ortyl's arguments, he assured those present that the European Commission was not against establishing a macro-regional strategy for the Carpathian region, but the next key step should be a joint declaration by Carpathian countries.

"Marshal Ortyl's opinion fulfils all of the recommendations from the Council and European Commission and responds to them. The Carpathian regions speak in harmony about their problems and their needs," Sylva Kovačiková from the Moravian-Silesian Region in Czechia highlighted.

The experienced COTER Commission rapporteur Pavel Banda pointed out the bottom-up nature of the initiative to create a macro-regional strategy for the Carpathian region, which bodes well for its success in the future.

Support for the opinion from Czech and Romanian regions is key, given their rather cautious stance so far. "I fully support the opinion that has been presented. The Carpathians are the most diverse area in Europe. We must not forget about their unique characteristics or protecting our heritage," Adrian Teban, mayor of Cugir in Romania, declared.

After the discussion, the COTER Commission members accepted all of the suggestions from the rapporteur, Władysław Ortyl, and unanimously adopted the opinion. This is clearly a success for the Podkarpackie voivodeship and the European Conservative and Reformists Group. The last stage of work will be the vote on this document and its adoption during the December plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions.

Several days before the COTER Commission meeting, the European Parliamentary Research Service published a document describing the creation of a macro-regional strategy for the Carpathian region, which acknowledged Marshal Ortyl's actions.