The left's legacy and Piechota's parting shots
At a breakfast organized by the Italian, American, Belgian and Scandinavian Chambers of Commerce, Piechota presented the guests with his vision of Poland as an investment friendly and rapidly developing economy. He recalled last year's economic growth of 5.4 percent of GDP, the foreign investment influx of over $8 (zł.32) billion and rapidly growing Polish exports. "The dark scenarios of the euro-skeptics have not come true," he said.
Even Poland's grave unemployment problem hasn't really disturbed the Minister's optimism, as he pointed out that "there are signs that the high economic growth is leading to an improvement in the employment situation." However, he admitted that the government hasn't managed to implement all its aims in rationalizing public expenditures, and that there is still a lot to do in terms of structural problems and increasing SME share in overall economic activity.
Piechota also heard complaints from businesspeople about the poor quality of infrastructure (particularly roads), which is hindering business activities in Poland. He blamed it on the lack of courage on the past government's side in spending the proper funds, as well as the fact that "in the struggle for money from the budget, the Minister of Transport always lost to the Minister of Social Affairs."
Piechota spoke about the government's strategic goals such as maintaining high economic growth, increasing competitiveness of enterprises, fighting unemployment and increasing social and regional cohesion.
He listed the laws and drafts on which the government is currently working and which are to create favorable conditions for investment and entrepreneurship, such as the Law of Freedom of Economic Activity, the Law of Public and Private Partnership or the Law for Promoting Employment.
"We have managed to put them through despite the fact that we are in the heated electoral campaign in parliament," he said.
That wasn't the only allusion to the opposition. Speaking of the drafts of the National Development Plan (NDP) for 2007-2013, he complained that the opposition announced that they will introduce changes in the plan after the elections.
"In 2001 [when the Democratic Left Alliance took power] I would have preferred to have a situation like they will have this year," Piechota said.
Piechota assured his audience that the likely change in government after this autumn's elections will not change the favorable investment conditions in the country.
Nevertheless, he admitted that recent events in Brussels are not helping the NDP, which heavily relies on EU funds. Still, he expressed confidence that a compromise will be reached soon, praising Mr Blair's speech in the European Parliament.
Even Poland's grave unemployment problem hasn't really disturbed the Minister's optimism, as he pointed out that "there are signs that the high economic growth is leading to an improvement in the employment situation." However, he admitted that the government hasn't managed to implement all its aims in rationalizing public expenditures, and that there is still a lot to do in terms of structural problems and increasing SME share in overall economic activity.
Piechota also heard complaints from businesspeople about the poor quality of infrastructure (particularly roads), which is hindering business activities in Poland. He blamed it on the lack of courage on the past government's side in spending the proper funds, as well as the fact that "in the struggle for money from the budget, the Minister of Transport always lost to the Minister of Social Affairs."
Piechota spoke about the government's strategic goals such as maintaining high economic growth, increasing competitiveness of enterprises, fighting unemployment and increasing social and regional cohesion.
He listed the laws and drafts on which the government is currently working and which are to create favorable conditions for investment and entrepreneurship, such as the Law of Freedom of Economic Activity, the Law of Public and Private Partnership or the Law for Promoting Employment.
"We have managed to put them through despite the fact that we are in the heated electoral campaign in parliament," he said.
That wasn't the only allusion to the opposition. Speaking of the drafts of the National Development Plan (NDP) for 2007-2013, he complained that the opposition announced that they will introduce changes in the plan after the elections.
"In 2001 [when the Democratic Left Alliance took power] I would have preferred to have a situation like they will have this year," Piechota said.
Piechota assured his audience that the likely change in government after this autumn's elections will not change the favorable investment conditions in the country.
Nevertheless, he admitted that recent events in Brussels are not helping the NDP, which heavily relies on EU funds. Still, he expressed confidence that a compromise will be reached soon, praising Mr Blair's speech in the European Parliament.
