Picking up speed after a slow start

Eastern Poland's economy is quickly changing for the better, according to the Gdańsk Institute for Market Economics (IbnGR).

Łódzkie, Podlaskie, Podkarpackie Świętokszyskie, Warmińsko-Mazurskie, and Lubelskie voivodships are still weak, but are proving very dynamic.

The 'eastern wall' is developing well, but there is still a gulf between the east and the west. "The results don't show that the situation in these regions is very good. Despite being more dynamic these regions don't necessarily catch up with stronger voivodships. But the report shows how much the regions have moved forward starting from their initial position," says Maciej Tarkowski from IBnGR.

Jan Szomburg, the president of IBnGR, says that the development of the regions is crucial for convergence. "The quality of public administration is vital for development. The idea of innovation, which is usually directed at enterprises, should also be implemented in administration," says Szomburg.

In order to guarantee the regions' dynamic development in the future, local authorities have to understand the needs of a particular region. "So far most areas have concentrated on developing their technical and social infrastructure, rather than the underlying economic fundamentals. The regional operational programs are almost identical and don't reflect the situation of individual regions. The programs don't show a concrete future vision of the region," says Szomburg.