“Although Poland’s success did not hinge upon using EU funds, its effect on the country’s social and economic upswing was still invaluable,” said Polish Deputy prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Development Elzbieta Bienkowska, who was on an official visit to Croatia today.
At a lecture, attended by First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Vesna Pusić, Finance Minister Boris Lalovac, Health Minister Rajko Ostojić and Minister of Labour and Pension System Siniša Hajdaš Dončić, outlined the most important aspects of Poland’s ten-year experience tapping into the EU funds.
Bienkowska stressed that Poland’s most important economic goal was further improving competitiveness and continuing to invest in companies, modernization, innovation and research. Investment in infrastructure will remain important in the 2014-2020 financial period, but would decrease as compared to before, she said.
Poland is interested in and keeps emphasizing the importance of developing the Baltic-Adriatic transport corridor and the major north-south transport route in Central Europe.
The visit by the Polish deputy prime minister was also an opportunity for the signing of an agreement on cooperation in the joint production of electric locomotives between Croatia's company Djuro Djakovic and the Polish company Newag. The agreement regulates the cooperation in transfer of technologies and exchange of experience in the production of electric locomotives, which are to be built in Slavonski Brod.
After the ceremony, Pusić congratulated the two companies on the agreement and on their plans for joint ventures on third markets. “I am proud to say that our economic diplomacy also helped this project come to light,” she said.