Through the eyes of outsiders
Poland's public relations machine abroad is stunningly poor, and sadly it's not making up for lost time. The number of people - tourists and investors alike - planning to visit here soon is far lower than it should be.
Despite the fact that the country often brags of having much to offer in the way of rich history, travel opportunity and - despite the economy, but because of accession - lofty business potential, it would seem from recent coverage in the foreign media that Poland has missed yet another opportunity to primp up its image, an image that is in many ways misinterpreted in the West.
Recent events have undercut the profound opportunity to boost the country's tourism and foreign investment promise which its recently formed military-economic alliance with the U.S. and successful European Union referendum should have provided.
A few months back Poland accepted its invitation to the European Union, an event that was considered a positive beacon for many foreign and local investors. But instead of celebration and positive news, what came to the forefront was an image of rife instability, lack of direction and political-economic confusion.
The Rywingate scandal, the revolving door of Prime Minister Leszek Miller's cabinet and the aimlessness of the appointed architects of the country's dawdling economy are things the country needs to address in the face of the people watching from abroad.
The Wall Street Journal Europe, as it should, rained plaudits on the largest of the accession countries for being smart enough to vote positively on the referendum, a decision that improves its international image.
But then the newspaper warns readers: "Just don't look too closely."
In foreign investors' minds image means a lot - especially for those yet to fiddle with the many strings attached to doing business here.
The world was watching in the past weeks as western heads of state met with the jubilant Miller and President Aleksander Kwaśniewski, all offering their support for the EU accession in hopes of rallying the vote. That stratagem - though a small part of the pro-EU campaign - worked, and then the world watched as Poles took to the streets to celebrate their new-found status as an EU-ready nation.
But the world is also keen to take note of bribery, corruption and indecisiveness - all of which are very effective in detracting from the more functional whole that is Poland.
