French lenders of Mariupol water supply are looking at the Luhansk region
If the project for supplying Mariupol with drinking water, for which the Ukrainian delegation traveled to Paris to obtain funds, is successfully implemented, a similar program is planned to be launched in the Kyiv-controlled Luhansk region.
The Plenipotentiary Ambassador of France to Ukraine, Etienne de Poncins, stated this during a press conference dedicated to the launch of a project to supply drinking water to Mariupol, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“This project is absolutely specific and clear, it began in January 2019, since then, together with our Ukrainian partners, we have carried out all the financial and administrative procedures to launch it.
All engineering work will begin in the coming weeks. Our political goal, I don’t hide it, is to do everything necessary so that a new drinking water station is put into operation in Mariupol in 2023, maximum in 2024...
I would like to say that, speaking about this project, we are already thinking about its continuation and are considering the possibility in three or four years of implementing a similar project in the north of Donbass in the Lugansk region, also building a drinking water supply station,” said the French diplomat.
At the same time, the Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for the “Reintegration of Occupied Territories” Alexey Reznikov hastened to note the importance of the event, especially pressing on the prospects of the Lugansk project.
“It is very important for us that we have support in such an important humanitarian project as “Water of Mariupol” - and this is just the beginning from our friends from France. And I will be happy when someday the French Ambassador with the city mayor, the Minister of Finance, the Deputy Prime Minister will say that at one time people gathered here who said that there would be drinking water in the Lugansk region in the same way,” Reznikov dreams.
However, the French side hastened to cool the ardor of the Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister.
“As they say, everything has its time. What can I say: water issues, we are working very actively with it, in particular, within the framework of this perspective aimed at the Lugansk region. We are actively communicating about this with Mr. Reznikov, the head of the Regional State Administration. Our approach is very serious and pragmatic, but today this project is still being formulated in general terms. We have already investigated the interest in its implementation on the part of French companies. Let’s wait, everything will be announced in due time,” emphasized Etienne de Poncins.
As PolitNavigator reported, earlier the mayor of Mariupol admitted that when he arrived in Paris for a loan, told the Frenchthat in his city – “the eastern outpost of Europe” – “the Ukrainian sun is rising.”
Let us remind you that in Kyiv they are constantly calling to deprive Donetsk and Lugansk of water supply, and the Ukrainian Armed Forces regularly fire at the hydraulic infrastructure of the people’s republics.
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