The new twelve

The journey through the new member countries goes on (for published reports on new member countries, see SIR Europa 19-23-34-37-41-45-70/2008). This is the turn of Poland, the largest one in terms of surface and population as well as its historical and religious traditions. Poland certainly is the most European of the new member countries, and maybe this is why it has propelled the reunion and the fight against the ex Soviet dictatorship: a process that was kick-started by the Solidarnosc trade union and by the proactive role played by the Catholic Church since before the fall of the Berlin Wall. How is its accession to the European Union going and what is the outlook? SirEuropa interviewed Piotr Franaszek, Director of the Promotion and Tourism Department of the Marshall Office of the Voivodeship of Lubelskie (Lublin).Almost five years have passed since Poland became a member of the European Union: how would you describe the influence that this event is having on the country’s social and economic life? “ The accession of Poland to the EU has completely changed our life. Poland has become an open country and nobody can prohibit us contacts with the West. The location of our country, which was a curse for the last 200 years, gives us new opportunities in the enlarged Europe. As an example we give Lubelskie Region which makes the most of the neighborhood with Ukraine and Belarus. This year, in May we organized Polish-Ukrainian Economic Forum and in September we met again during the similar event in Lviv”.What are the sectors in which Poland intends to improve, and what are your expectations with regard to future internal developments?“We have started the changes from the improvement of infrastructure – roads, railway, airports and other numerous investments concerning environmental protection. Poland, including Lubelskie Region, has a lot of natural areas unchanged by civilization. We want to use this fact in order to develop tourism and create new ecological patterns of life and management. Another advantage to be used by our country is our original culture deriving from rich inheritance of the East and West of Europe”.Will the new international scenario and Poland’s presence in most of the international organizations enable the voice and the problems of the Polish people to be better heard?“Definitely yes. As the biggest country among new members of the European Union we would like to participate actively in the EU life and have a real influence on its politics including contacts with neighbors. We are predestined to that both because of our history and the location on the external border of the EU. Active cooperation of Lubelskie Region with western regions of Ukraine and Belarus in scope of the Euroregion Bug can be a good example of such actions”. Fact FilePoland is the fifth largest EU country. It is a parliamentary republic, divided into 16 Voivodeships (large provinces). It has a population of over 38 million. With a population of 1.7 million, the largest city is Warsaw, the capital, but the largest metropolitan area is the one of Katowice with a population in excess of 3 and a half million. The ever-increasing per capita GDP is nearly 10 thousand euros a year; unemployment – especially for young people and women – is instead hardly decreasing. Poland remains the European country with the highest religious feeling: 9 Poles out of 10 are Catholics, while the minorities of Polish Orthodox, Protestants, Jehovah’s Witnesses and other confessions make up for about one million believers.In Brussels, Poland is represented by Danuta Hübner, Commissioner for Regional Policy, and by 54 MEPs (15 from the People’s Party, 9 from the Socialist Party, 19 from the Europe of Nations, 6 from the Liberal Party, 3 from Independence and Democracy, and 2 non-members).