Infrastructure is lacking despite economic growth in largest of nations about to join European Union
Published:
29 March 2004 y., Monday
Just weeks before Poland joins the European Union on May 1, Warsaw struts a new prosperity. But all is not what it seems: Despite strong economic growth driven by exports, the country faces high unemployment, political uncertainty and deeply rooted corruption.
Paradoxes abound. Those who can afford new Volvos or BMWs must still drive them along potholed roads. The hip cafes that draw fashionable young people are often housed in drab Stalinist-era concrete block buildings.
And many of the luxury goods for sale in the bright new shops and malls remain off-limits to many in Poland, where only 1 percent earn above $18,000 a year.
Such contrasts exist in all eight former communist states due to join the EU, but the stakes are highest in Poland, the largest of the new countries.
With more than 38 million people, Poland accounts for 52 percent of the new EU citizens. Poles will be 8.4 percent of the union’s population, so its economy performance will have a major impact on the rest of the bloc, the world’s largest economic union.
Analysts say that Poland’s greatest economic strength is the many modern, efficient companies that have made the transition and are already selling successfully to EU countries.
Ten years ago, Polish exports consisted mostly of raw products like coal, sulfur, apples and meat. Today, exports also include higher-value goods like precision surgical instruments, pharmaceuticals and car engines.
Šaltinis:
detnews.com
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
A record 131 economies around the globe reformed business regulation in 2008/09, according to the IFC–World Bank Doing Business 2010 report.
more »
The World Bank’s Board of Directors today approved a US$5 million grant to improve the quality of electricity services in Haiti and strengthen the financial and operational performance of Electricité d’Haïti, the public electricity utility.
more »
Firuza Ziyoeva, a 42-year old mother of five, lacks any sustainable income for her family – her husband is unable to work due to disabilities and their children are all young.
more »
The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Mr. Dominique Strauss-Kahn, made the following statement today regarding Singapore’s commitment to increase fourfold its contribution to the Fund’s New Arrangements to Borrow (NAB) by US$1.5 billion, to a total of US$2 billion.
more »
Statistics Lithuania reports that, based on non-final data obtained from customs declarations and Intrastat reporting data, exports in I half-year 2009 made LTL 19 billion, while imports – LTL 21.2 billion.
more »
Since 7 September 2009 AB Bank SNORAS for residents and economy subjects begins to distribute a new savings product - certificates of deposits.
more »
“We are 53 diverse countries differently affected by the crisis, 1 billion people that cannot be ignored”. That was the stark message to Members of Parliament's Development Committee from Donald Kaberuka, the head of Africa's Development Bank at a hearing on 3 September in Brussels.
more »
The European Investment Bank has granted a EUR 450 million loan to AENA (Aeropuertos Españoles y Navegación Aérea) for upgrading and expanding Spain’s air traffic control facilities in order to optimise their overall efficiency and ensure that they comply with international regulations.
more »
Statistics Lithuania informs that in August 2009, against July, prices for total industrial production sold increased by 0.9 per cent.
more »
Despite signs the near two-year U.S. recession may be over - Americans are still finding it hard to get a job.
more »