Love thy neighbor
The two countries have had a fair number of disagreements in the past and significant cultural differences linger, but since EU accession the old rivals have realized that they have much more to gain by burying whatever hatchets remain and looking to a future of mutual support and cooperation.
Relations between the Czech Republic and Poland have rarely been described as chummy. Despite sharing a number of political and economic interests, the two have generally seen each other as rivals rather than partners. However, in recent years, ties between the nations have grown stronger, largely as a result of common experiences following the fall of communism and EU accession. In fact, when it comes to the European Union, there are strong arguments for the two countries to support each other if they want to make the most of their membership.
The flow of goods, services and money between the Czech Republic and Poland has grown more than tenfold in the last 15 years, according to data from the Czech Statistical Office. After 11 months of 2006 it reached almost X8.5 (zł.32.9) billion. "In every area our cooperation has been growing," stressed Tomás Hüner, Deputy Minister of the Czech Ministry of Trade and Industry, during a meeting of the Polish-Czech business forum held by the Polish Chamber of Commerce (KIG). "There is tangible proof that our cooperation is developing," added Paweł Poncyliusz, Poland's Deputy Minister of Economy. Both countries agree that the impressive figure results from EU accession in 2004.
The Czech Republic is the fifth-largest importer of Polish goods, with a 5.4-percent share of total Polish exports. Czech goods, on the other hand, amount to 3.4 percent of all goods brought into its larger neighbor, making it Poland's seventh-largest source of imports. The Czech Republic is also the second-largest recipient of Polish foreign investments, which amount to $770 (zł.2,983) million. At the same time, both countries have enjoyed economic growth: In 2006, GDP growth was 6.0-6.2 percent in Czech Republic and 5.7 percent in Poland.
Not just trade
Political relations seem to be thriving as well. "The cooperation between our governments has been, is, and will be good," says Jiri Cienciala, the head of the business forum's Czech delegation and president of the Czech-Polish Chamber of Commerce. This is especially true of late, as the two countries seem to want to cooperate on the US anti-missile installation in Poland and corresponding radar installation in the Czech Republic. As the Czech Prime Minister, Mirek Topolánek, told the press after a meeting with Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński last week, the countries share a common view on this issue. He also stressed that problems between the two are being resolved more easily than in previous years.
However, despite the seemingly close ties, there are many voices which say that cooperation between the two nations, whether on a political or economic level, has always been less intense than it actually could be. A major obstacle to doing business between the countries is that of language, as demonstrated by a study ordered by the Czech-Polish Chamber of Commerce. "We can talk together about everyday issues, but when it comes to business, things become more difficult," says Cienciala, referring to the ins and outs of both languages.
Those wacky neighbors
Still, the problem seems to be more than just linguistic. "Poles and Czechs have always been looking and moving in the same direction, but have tended to coexist rather than cooperate," says Dr Robert Kulmiński from the Institute of Western and Southern Slavic Studies at Warsaw University. This was not due as much to fierce conflicts, which have hardly ever occurred between the countries, as to a sense of rivalry and envy, he explains. "The Czechs have envied our audacity and decisiveness. At the same time we have envied, among other things, their economic and industrial growth," claims Kulmiński. Stereotypes, present in both countries, are gradually disappearing, although they still turn up in advertising, for example. Czechs are portrayed as having a peculiar sense of humor and Poles are seen as petty speculators.
"I have never understood the lack of trust between the Czech Republic and Poland," said Topolánek. "In the times of communism, when free economy did not exist, I traveled abroad and I saw the Polish in their fuming maluchy [the Fiat 126, mass produced in the 70s and 80s], which were fully packed with trading goods of all sorts. I did not understand that, [because] at that time we saw the Polish as speculators. But now I see that this was healthy common sense and a trading spirit which we, the Czechs, had yet to learn."
Rafał Morawiec, First Secretary of the Polish Embassy in the Czech Republic, is skeptical about the significance of folk stereotypes especially in political relations. "It is very easy to simplify something and distort the proper image of the situation," he says, adding that the current positive political climate results to a large extent from the similar political ideology of the leaders in both countries. Moreover, as he noted, the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic is very keen on Poland himself, and has a very positive attitude toward the Polish people.
Differing opinions
Aside from the positive political atmosphere, the two countries share similar objectives and interests. "We are in the same boat," concludes Morawiec. "The same boat" certainly may include the issue of the anti-missile shield. However, despite repeated declarations of mutual cooperation, the countries are driven mainly by their own interests, as the Secretary observes. "The nations are very cautious in dealing with this issue, as this is nothing particularly easy," he said, pointing to the controversies the shield raises, especially in Russia.
As for the relations between the Czechs and Poles within the frame of the Visegrád Group, (the semi-formal grouping of Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia), Morawiec is optimistic, and he stresses the positive atmosphere and prospects for increased contact in this field.
When it comes to the ties between politics and business, however, Morawiec emphasizes that these two function independently of each other. "Politics does not have that much influence on the economic prosperity between the Czech Republic and Poland," he argues.
Some businesspeople would disagree. Ivan Mojzisek, ·koda Transportation's sales manager for Poland, sees a positive influence on business resulting from the political climate. "Politics and business are inseparable and drive each other," says Mojzisek. "However, both of them need to be carefully adjusted." In addition, Mojzisek underlines the benefits of entering the EU. "I feel that we are in the same market as the Czech Republic," he states, adding however that the common market means greater competition.
European identities
Membership in the EU means not only new opportunities, but challenges as well. As Prime Minister Topolánek pointed out during a meeting with Czech and Polish businesspeople held by the Polish Confederation of Private Employers (PKPP) Lewiatan, it is necessary to simplify EU regulations.
"We need to move the stress away from the bureaucratic-oriented thinking towards action-oriented thinking. We also desire liberalization of the market … If the EU does not remove trade barriers, the economic executioner will be China, India and Far East countries," said the Czech Prime Minister.
A problem may also lie in the attitude of old EU members to the new workforce. "We need to be on the same level as 'old' countries such as Germany or France … We need to have the same opportunities for our specialists," says Konrad Zerháu, a mass transfer division director with KG Process Innovations. He also points out that the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary are in weak positions within the European Union.
A key issue mentioned by Prime Minister Topolánek is the creation of a common European identity, a process which must start from the bottom. "No document imposed from above can enforce European integration," he said.
Neither integration with the EU, nor the strengthening of these countries' positions within it, will happen without significant effort though. Instead, as Jiri Cienciala argues, the two countries should work on increasing contacts between themselves.
"Those who say that after EU accession, development of bilateral relationships is unnecessary are wrong," he declares. "We need to help each other."
