Poland looks eastward at Economic Forum in Krynica

The 16th Economic Forum has opened in the southern mountain resort of Krynica. Called the Polish Davos, the event has brought together top ranking politicians and businesmen from countries of Europe, both Americas and Asia. Polish representatives are displaying East oriented interest in this business trend setting gathering.

Among the almost 3 thousand participants of the three day discussions in Krynica there are some eighty guests in ministerial rank expected, almost sixty foreign representatives. Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski is meeting with government heads of Ukraine and Lithuania as well as the president of Georgia and the EU Budget Commissioner.

Zygmunt Berdychowski, one of the event's organizers, says the dominant theme of the Forum are bound to be energy related issues. They will be discussed by the most influential figures in this sector.

'There are heads of the biggest energy and fuel companies from this part of Europe, economy ministers responsible for decisions concerning energy supplies and sales.'

Pawel Zalewski, chairman of the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee says decisions relating to energy supplies are often more influenced by political than economic considerations.

'This is of fundamental importance for Poland, but also for other countries of the region. This will mark Poland's position and its capabilities in international cooperation.'

Victor Yanukovych, the new Ukrainian Prime Minister who is currently on his first visit to Poland, has arrived in Krynica for talks with his Polish opposite number Jaroslaw Kaczynski. Speaking to reporters prior to his departure from Kiev, Yanukovych confirmed Ukraine's interest in bilateral economic cooperation with Poland.

'We are very keen on such partnership and we would like to develop it further.'

Professor Stanislaw Gomolka, formerly with the London School of Economics and a participant in the Krynica Forum shares the opinion that both countries have much to gain from tightened economic cooperation.

'Poland and Ukraine, in particular, are very interested in developing a common strategy in a number of areas, the energy sector including, but not only. After all, Ukraine is striving to become an EU member and Poland has consistently promised to be of assistance in that process. There is also a new development, namely Russia. Gazprom is increasing significantly the prices of gas to Ukraine, Belarus and other countries of the former Soviet Union. They therefore feel to be under pressure. In Central Asia, new energy sources are being discovered in a number of countries and they want to develop markets for these minerals. So they are interested in providing an alternative source of energy not only to Central Europe, but even to some countries of Western Europe as well, for instance, to Italy, not to mention Germany.'

Professor Gomolka is also convinced Poland can play a meaningful role in establishing a bridge between countries of the East and West.

'There is this very close interest between Poland and a number of these countries in Central Asia, Georgia, Ukraine, perhaps Turkey in cooperation with some members of the European Union and some Western countries to have an alternative to the commanding position of Russia.'

The 16th Economic Forum in Krynica is hosting discussions till September 9th.
Source:By Slawek Szefs,