Discussion Papers 2001.
Role of the Regions in the Enlarging European Union 46-60. p.
Role of the Regions in the Enlarging European Union
0 Edited by Zoltan Gal, Pecs, Centre for Regional Studies, 2001
NEW POLISH REGIONS IN THE
PROCESS OF THE EUROPEAN SPATIAL
DEVELOPMENT
Maciej Borsa
Origin of the administrative reform in Poland
The present and future role of Polish regions in the enlargement of the Euro-
pean space has been determined greatly by their place in the structure of the
unitary state. This being conditioned, to a large degree, by political changes that
took place in the last decade as well as by a specific historical tradition.
Reaching deep into the tradition, one should notice that the Polish regions have
not been politically self-dependent for several hundred years, and building a
unitary state by means of limiting sovereignty of regions is commonly per-
ceived as one of the biggest political successes of the Polish medieval rulers.
The military defeats suffered by the Polish kingdom later on usually led to ter-
ritorial divisions, whereas victories meant, in the main, the labour of a merging
process. This happened also in 1918, when — after 120 years — a homogenous
state, previously divided between three empires, was being restored to life. A
similar process was launched in 1945 that resulted from shifting of a national
border by several hundred kilometres. People, forced to leave their homeland in
the East, populated new, western territories a thousand kilometres faraway from
their homes.
Thus, after 1945, a quite thorough ethnic and cultural mixing of people took
place. As a result, a tradition of thinking rather in national categories than
stressing regional identity was being maintained for many years. Of course, an
internal administrative division of the state existed, but neither tradition, nor
political situation made subjectivity of the territorial units possible.
In 1952, Poland was divided into 17 provinces (wojewodztwo), 5 provincial
capitals (towns separated from the provinces), several hundred districts
(powiat), and anywhere from ten to twenty thousand groups of settlements
(gromada). Basically, the division was congruent with the tradition, modes of
administration operating and settlement pattern.
Maciej Borsa : New Polish Regions in the Process of the European Spatial Development.
In: Role of the Regions in the Enlarging European Union. Pécs, Centre for Regional Studies, 2001. 46-60. p.
Discussion Papers . Special
New Polish Regions in the Process of the European Spatial Development
47
In 1972, the process of transforming the structure was launched. As a first
stage of the process, basic territorial units (gromady) were combined to create
bigger, self-dependent — in terms of economy and administration — communes
(gmina). Obviously, the extent of the self-dependency was limited by the politi-
cal system in force. An average commune had around 100 square kilometres of
land inhabited by more than 10 thousand people. The boundaries between
communes, with only slight changes, have been valid ever since 1972.
The second stage of the transformations in the administrative division
structure took place in 1975. Two administrative levels — districts and prov-
inces were replaced by one, still called province (region-wojewodztwo). The
number of provinces increased from 17 up to 49, and a two-level administrative
structure was introduced instead of the three-level one. The system was pre-
served by 1989, when Tadeusz Mazowiecki, as the first non-communist prime
minister in the "eastern bloc", took over his office.
The government has been determined to push forward fundamental changes
in the political and financial structure of the state in an unprecedentedly short
time. This is because of the awareness that public administration reform needs
to go hand in hand with the economic transformation of Poland.
The public administration reform has been supported by a wide spectrum of
people aware of the necessity of introducing administrative changes and sys-
temic transformation of the state, alongside economic and political reform. The
beginning of their work dates from as early as 1981.
In 1990 local self-government at the commune level was introduced. This
marked the first phase of public administration reform, which proved to be a
great success.
A heated political discussion about further stages of the reform, concerning
the regional level, was started soon. Even though councils of representatives of
communes (sejmik) acted in each of 49 provinces, their competencies were
rather small. Voivode, who represented the national government in the prov-
ince, remained the main disposer of the financial means for the province devel-
opment. The discussion concerned both competencies of the remaining regional
self-government authorities and desirable number of regions (as a result — num-
ber of administrative levels). The idea of reintroduction of the three-level sys-
tem and traditional in Poland district (powiat) has more adherents. Those who
opted for the two-level division pointed that the present development of means
of communication and services enabled normal operating of the state without
the third level. When the concept of the three-level administrative division be-
came prevailing, the debate focused on the number of new provinces. Various
proposals, ranging from 8 to 35 regions were presented. At the very last stage
of the debate, the division into 12 provinces seemed to be very probable,
however — as a result of political bargains — finally 16 regions were established.
Maciej Borsa : New Polish Regions in the Process of the European Spatial Development.
In: Role of the Regions in the Enlarging European Union. Pécs, Centre for Regional Studies, 2001. 46-60. p.
Discussion Papers . Special
48
M. Borsa
The second stage of the territorial reform of 1998 has introduced two new
levels of self-government and significantly reduced the central government's
administrative presence at the sub-national levels. The state has decentralized
responsibilities and financial capacities to 308 democratically elected local self-
governments at the district level and to the authorities of 65 urban communes,
which were granted district rights. The reforms have also radically reduced the
number of existing provinces from 49 to 16, with this act enabling them to cre-
ate regional development policies (Figure 1).
Figure 1
New territorial division of Poland
Gdansk 0
woj. warminsko-mazurskie
woj.
woj. pomorskie
zachodniopomorskie
0 Olsztyn
Szczecin
Bydgoszcz
woj. podlaskie
u
0
Torun
Bialystok
woj. kujawsko-
0
-pomorskie
woj. mazowieckie
Poznan
Gorzow
Wlkp.
Warszawa
0
oj. lub
woj. wielkopolskie
Zielona
0 Lodi
Gora
Wroclaw
woj. kidzkie
woj.
0 Lublin
olnoSlaskie
oj. opolski
woj. lubelskie
Kielce
woj.
§Igskie
twigtokrzyski
Opole
Rzeszow
Katowic
Krakow
0
woj.
woj.
0 Seat of the regions
malopolskie
podkapackie
u
Seat of the regional parliaments
Maciej Borsa : New Polish Regions in the Process of the European Spatial Development.
In: Role of the Regions in the Enlarging European Union. Pécs, Centre for Regional Studies, 2001. 46-60. p.
Discussion Papers . Special
New Polish Regions in the Process of the European Spatial Development
49
Starting on January 1, 1999, the province councils (Sejmiks) become re-
sponsible for the development and implementation of regional economic poli-
cies. They have, like districts and communes, independent legal identities with
independent budgets. As a result, the reforms have brought about a significant
decentralization of both public authority and public finance. Moreover, a new
system of public finance makes the budgets of all public administration entities
more transparent and accountable to the electorate.
These reforms increase citizens' ability to control and monitor public insti-
tutions, and to ensure that public moneys are spent effectively. By decentraliz-
ing responsibilities, the central government relieves itself of performing local
tasks that it performed poorly, while allowing itself to focus on truly strategic
issues. The reforms should also allow Poles and Poland to take a full part in the
economic and political opening of Europe, and in the development of European
and Euro-Atlantic security structures. They will help the Polish state secure its
place in the arena of international politics as a fully sovereign, resourceful, and
responsible partner.
The principles underlying Poland's administrative reform reflect the core
values shared by the nation states of the European continent. These values con-
tinue to define the practices of international co-operation in Euro-Atlantic
community of states. These are also the principles that the European Union
considers necessary for the development of its Member States:
—Civil society,
—Subsidiary,
—Effectiveness,
—Transparency, openness and accountability.
The self-governing district, together with the existing self-governing com-
mune, allows citizens to shape and control the local public institutions and
policies that are closest to their daily lives.
The delegation of even more-substantial authority to local communities also
makes it possible for non-governmental organisations to play a greater role in
the realization of public services and in the enrichment of civil society. Local
governments are able to entrust public functions to non-profit organisations
and, where appropriate, private entrepreneurs.
An important element in the construction of civil society, for the first time in
Poland's history, is the introduction of politically elected bodies at regional
level. Members of regional governments (province Sejmiks) constituted through
popular elections are responsible for creating and implementiEg regional devel-
opment strategies that reflect the shared goals of the regional (province) com-
munity. All social partners are to be involved in the elaboration of such strate-
Maciej Borsa : New Polish Regions in the Process of the European Spatial Development.
In: Role of the Regions in the Enlarging European Union. Pécs, Centre for Regional Studies, 2001. 46-60. p.
Discussion Papers . Special
50
M. Borsa
gies, including district and commune authorities as well as non-governmental
organisations.
Through decentralisation many of the responsibilities of the national state
are assigned to local and regional communities. This new assignment of re-
sponsibilities removes the national government from the day-to-day operation
of broad areas of public administration and development. Local and regional
governments are not
Subordinated to the central government and operate freely and independ-
ently, subject only to the state's legal review. Democratically elected represen-
tatives at the commune, powiat and province levels are fully responsible for the
functions that have been transferred to them.
Through deconcentration, the national government also places other respon-
sibilities in the hands of its territorial representatives at the province level, or
delegates them to commune, district, or province self-governing bodies so that
functions which still belong within the purview of the national state can none-
theless be carried out more effectively by governments closer to the citizenry.
One of the basic premises of the reform is that the transparency and open-
ness of public decisions must be improved. This means eliminating unclear and
complicated administrative procedures at various levels of government, stream-
lining administrative structures, radically reforming the system of public fi-
nance, and above all, delegating new powers to democratically elected local
and regional authorities. These authorities are accountable to their electors
who, by this, have a greater say in shaping their day-to-day economic and social
existence.
The success of contemporary states depends on their ability to respond rap-
idly to changing internal and external conditions. The systemic reforms have
been designed to improve significantly the flexibility and responsiveness of
public authority by placing more power and control in the hands of local and
regional communities. This ensures the better realization of diverse public in-
terests, while also allowing Poland to better adjust to a dynamic international
environment.
Competencies of particular administrative levels
in Poland
Commune level self-governments were restored in 1990. In line with the prin-
ciples of subsidiarity and deconcetration, communes form the basic and most
important level of public administration.
There are 2.489 communes in Poland. Their democratically elected councils
name management boards that constitute their executive powers. Rural com-
Maciej Borsa : New Polish Regions in the Process of the European Spatial Development.
In: Role of the Regions in the Enlarging European Union. Pécs, Centre for Regional Studies, 2001. 46-60. p.
Discussion Papers . Special
New Polish Regions in the Process of the European Spatial Development
51
munes are headed by voits, rural communes with townships and urban com-
munes by mayors, and presidents govern large cities. An average Polish com-
mune has 10-15 thousand inhabitants: rural communes averaging 3 thousand
inhabitants and the largest urban communes having populations of several hun-
dred thousand inhabitants.
A general responsibility clause provides that communes are responsible for
all public matters of (local significance that have not been reserved by law for
other entities and authorities. Communes' own tasks focus on meeting the col-
lective needs of communities for public services. In particular, communes are
responsible for
—Land management and planning, zoning and local environmental protec-
tion;
—Local roads, bridges, streets and squares;
—Water mains, sewage system, municipal sewage disposal and treatment; —
maintenance of cleanliness and order, as well as of landfills and solid
waste disposal;
—Electricity and heat supply; — local public transport;
—Primary health care services; — municipal housing;
—Education (kindergartens, elementary schools); — promotion of culture
and sport;
—Public markets and fairs;
—Public order and fire protection; — social welfare;
Maintenance of commune buildings and public facilities, as well as ad-
ministrative buildings.
Communes also perform tasks delegated to them by the central government
and state administration and which remain under state supervision. These re-
sponsibilities may be placed on communes by law or through voluntary agree-
ments with state agencies. Law of the funds necessary to carry out these dele-
gated tasks assures communes.
Districts constitute the second tier of local self-government. There are 308
districts and 65 urban communes (larger towns) endowed with district rights by
assuming district functions, district infrastructure, and district budget author-
ity).
The district self-government is responsible for local issues, which, due to
the subsidiarity and proportionality principles, cannot be ascribed to com-
munes. Districts are large enough to maintain efficiently many of the everyday
institutions of public life, such as secondary schools, general hospitals, as well
as district police and fire stations, sanitary inspectorates and tax offices. And
they are small enough — on average 80-100 thousand inhabitants — to place the
Maciej Borsa : New Polish Regions in the Process of the European Spatial Development.
In: Role of the Regions in the Enlarging European Union. Pécs, Centre for Regional Studies, 2001. 46-60. p.
Discussion Papers . Special
52
M. Borsa
administration and the control over these institutions in the hands of the citi-
zens that they serve.
Unlike the commune, which is responsible for all matters that have not been
explicitly assigned to the other levels of government, the district implements
only those tasks that have been clearly defined for it in the law. Thus, there is
no dependence between the district and the commune: each of them executes
separately defined public tasks and responsibilities.
However, it is necessary to point out that the role of district in the new Pol-
ish administrative system is pretty limited. This suggests that those, who were
against creating this level, might have been right. On the other hand, the weak-
ness of the level stems, in a way, from the strength of the competencies granted
to the regional level.
The sixteen new provinces are quite large, with populations ranging between
approximately 1 and 5 million, and an average population of approximately 2,4
million. Democratic province self-governments have independent legal identi-
ties, own budgets and extensive powers in the area of economic policy.
Councils known as Sejmiks (regional parliaments) are the decision-making
bodies of province self-governments. They are elected in general elections. The
Sejmiks, in turn, elect governing Boards to exercise the executive authority in
self-governing provinces. The elected Marshals head boards.
Province self-governments are responsible for the regional development
policy programmes whose primary purpose is to ensure that the country's hu-
man and material capital is put to best use. Experience has shown that these
policies cannot be designed exclusively by the central government nor can they
be the responsibility of local self-governments, whose primary scope of activity
is the delivery of direct public services.
The functions of province (regional) self-governments focus on regional de-
velopment. They formulate and implement development strategies for their
territory. The tasks of province self-governments with respect to promoting
regional development are concentrated in three major areas:
—Economic development, including also international economic relations
and regional promotion (stimulating business activities, improving the
Competitiveness and the innovativeness of regions);
Some regional public services, such as higher education, specialized
health; Services, and supra-local cultural activities;
—Sustainable development, especially the preservation and rational utilisa-
tion of; The cultural and natural environment, including land use and land
planning.
Regional development tasks are to be subject to so-called 'regional agree-
ments' contracted between the central government and regional authorities.
Maciej Borsa : New Polish Regions in the Process of the European Spatial Development.
In: Role of the Regions in the Enlarging European Union. Pécs, Centre for Regional Studies, 2001. 46-60. p.
Discussion Papers . Special
New Polish Regions in the Process of the European Spatial Development
53
Following this pattern, European Union Structural Funds will be transferred to,
and managed by, regional governments. While retaining the unitary character of
the state and the uniformity of its foreign policy, Polish regions are also able to
enter into bilateral and multi-lateral co-operation with foreign partners. There-
fore, Polish regions can become one of the leading forces in the process of Po-
land's integration with the European Union in the near future.
Self-governing provinces perform mainly developmental functions; promote
growth rather than render services; and play an economic rather than an ad-
ministrative role. The range of public services performed by provinces is thus
limited to those, which are clearly of a regional character and cannot be exe-
cuted by either communes or districts.
Alongside the territorial self-government in communes, districts and prov-
inces, the central government is represented in the province by the voivod. A
state appointed voivod is responsible for ensuring that national policies are
executed and enforced within the province, and that state institutions operating
in the region perform their functions appropriately. This dual structure of pub-
lic administration at the province level strengthens the Polish state and ensures
the maintenance of its unitary character.
Owing to their responsibilities and powers as representatives of the Prime
Minister, and in some cases, line ministers, the voivods are accountable to the
central government and focus on the legal supervision of the activities of com-
mune, district and province self-governments. The voivod can annul decisions
made by self-governments, should they be inconsistent with the statutory law.
Such an annulment may be sued in the Administrative Court by the interested
local or regional government and then be subject to the court's decision. This
division of power ensures cohesion between the actions of local and regional
self-governments and the uniformity of key national policies.
The delegation of powers down to lower levels of self-government is ac-
companied by the decentralization of public finance to the same levels.
The Law on Revenues of Territorial Self Government Entities is the major
legislative act that determines the nature of self-government bodies' revenues.
The revenues of communes, districts and provinces consist of:
—Own revenues, understood as property taxes, shared personal and corpo-
rate income taxes, and other statutory incomes (fees and taxes) which
may be utilized for any purpose;
—General subventions, although calculated for specific purposes such as
education and roads, they may also be spent freely or carried over as
surpluses from year to year;
—Specific, state budget, grants, given for a specific purpose, is granted for a
given fiscal year: unutilised funds have to be returned to state budget.
Maciej Borsa : New Polish Regions in the Process of the European Spatial Development.
In: Role of the Regions in the Enlarging European Union. Pécs, Centre for Regional Studies, 2001. 46-60. p.
Discussion Papers . Special
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M. Borsa
Apart from these public sources of revenues, local entities are empowered to
obtain revenues from private law sources (from the assets that they own). This
mainly concerns communes, which are especially well equipped with ground,
housing and commercial properties.
When adopting their budgets, the councils of local and regional self-
governments are able to set aside funds for multi-year investment programmes.
Each programme has to specify the name, objective and tasks of the pro-
gramme; the organisational unit performing the programme or co-ordinating its
implementation; the implementation period; the total investment expenses and
the amount of expenditure in successive years of the programme.
The Law on Revenues of Territorial Self-government Entities for the Years
1999 and 2000 also envisages that in the implementation of long-term devel-
opment programmes, including investment programmes, the province self-gov-
ernment, represented by the Marshal, will be able to enter into a regional
agreement with central government.
Differences between regions and the regional policy
in Poland
Systemic reform in Poland is envisioned to go further than only reshaping the
local and regional structures of public administration. As a result of the reform,
the government will no longer have to administer or execute tasks of a local or
regional character.
After the reform, the central state will be able to focus on the real tasks of
modern democratic governance, such as international and global context and
strategy; improving the overall rule of the law; and ensuring the nation's bal-
anced development. The reform will in particular help the central government
act as an efficient guarantor and enforcer of EU policies, as well as increase its
reliability as a partner in bilateral relations.
The public administration reform, introduced on 1 January 1999, creates
new challenges for regional policy and requires new instruments. The new
challenges also result from the close perspective of Poland's ascension to the
European Union. The Polish State must be well prepared to effectively use the
sources of structural policy in order to activate its underdeveloped regions;
restructure industrial regions in decline; and improve the competitiveness of the
economy as a whole.
The key problem of the emerging regional policy is the respect of the auton-
omy of the new provinces in carrying out the development programmes of the
central government. The basic principles of the legislation being prepared are
based on the subsidiarity principle and allow for the realization of only those
Maciej Borsa : New Polish Regions in the Process of the European Spatial Development.
In: Role of the Regions in the Enlarging European Union. Pécs, Centre for Regional Studies, 2001. 46-60. p.
Discussion Papers . Special
New Polish Regions in the Process of the European Spatial Development
55
national regional development programmes which has been agreed on with the
province authorities. As a result, the province authorities shall be responsible
for the execution of the regional agreement contracted with the central govern-
ment and for the administration of most of the financial resources devoted to
the realization of the national government's regional policy goals.
The new legislation in the area of regional development policy should also
allow Polish administration to prepare coherent strategies and plans within the
deadlines set by the European Union. Therefore, it shall allow Poland effi-
ciently participate in the system of European structural and regional policy,
with the application of a mixed model of mutual co-operation of central and
regional governments. In this model the roles of the central and regional gov-
ernments are balanced with respect to designing programmes. Regional gov-
ernments, however, will be primarily responsible for their implementation, with
the central government monitoring and controlling overall programme perform-
ance.
The hitherto existing, after 1989, Polish regional policy was characterized
mainly by:
—Excessive centralism;
—Severe insufficiency of means, accompanied by lack of efficient mecha-
nisms to combine them;
Excess of objectives, expressed in the programmatic government docu-
ments;
Predominance of emergency actions (unemployment);
—Lack of co-ordination.
After regional subject was created, as a result of reforms that were based on
decentralization of the state functions and public means disposal, the responsi-
bility for the regional development might be taken also on the regional level.
This means that the "centre" conducts regional policy, and is one of the part-
ners in the process of its implementation, other partners being territorial self-
governments, economic and social subjects and trans-national institutions.
As a result, the regional development policy will appear on two "autonomic"
in terms of competence, though complementary, levels:
— National — as a policy of the central government, dealing with solving
transregional problems and including Poland in the spatial and regional
European development. A specific kind of policy on the national level is
regional policy seeking to overcome historically conditioned civilization
backwardness and to support restructuring zones and nodes of national
importance;
Maciej Borsa : New Polish Regions in the Process of the European Spatial Development.
In: Role of the Regions in the Enlarging European Union. Pécs, Centre for Regional Studies, 2001. 46-60. p.
Discussion Papers . Special
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M. Borsa
— Regional — as a policy of the development of regions, taking up compre-
hensive solutions to priority problems, from the point of view of regional
self-governments. The priority tasks are identified for particular stages of
the restructuring and development process on their own responsibility and
on the ground of means at their disposal.
The "two-ply" shape of the regional policy brings about the necessity to se-
cure law and institutional structures, programming system and procedures,
monitoring and financial means, separately for each of the levels that could
enable solving the regional problems in accordance with the principle of sub-
sidiarity and interrelations of both levels.
The Government Centre for Strategic Studies is preparing National Devel-
opment Strategy. It consists of several documents, assumptions of the National
Strategy for Social and Economic Development by 2015 being the basic
strategic document for the long-term social and economic development of the
country. (In order to secure complexity of the works on the National
Development Strategy, this fundamental, framework document is accompanied
by: The Strategy for Regional Development of the Country and The Conception
of the National Spatial Development Policy.)
In the National Strategy for Social and Economic Development by 2015, the
foundations of Polish economy and social development competitiveness in the
European dimension have been determined. However, better competitiveness of
the national system as a whole usually results in imbalances between particular
parts of the country, which — to different extent — take part in creating of the
competitiveness. Consequently, the process may lead to infringement of the
national territory cohesion — in terms of economy, social development and in-
frastructure.
Therefore, it is necessary to have a suitable policy to equalize the develop-
ment opportunities between different parts of the country. The basic method to
pursue the objective is creation of mechanisms for diffusion of desirable phe-
nomena and processes from the leading regions to the regions lagging behind. If
the mechanism do not work, it may be necessary to give the underdeveloped
regions a direct support in order to level their development.
On the other hand, certain elements of the development potential of the
country stem from the differentiated spatial characteristics of individual re-
gions. Thus, if the construction of the national strategy for social and economic
development is to be appropriate, potential of the regions must be recognized
first.
The principles of the regional policy of the Polish government are included
in the long-term Strategy for Regional Development. The achievement of the
following objectives is based on it:
Maciej Borsa : New Polish Regions in the Process of the European Spatial Development.
In: Role of the Regions in the Enlarging European Union. Pécs, Centre for Regional Studies, 2001. 46-60. p.
Discussion Papers . Special
New Polish Regions in the Process of the European Spatial Development
57
—To preserve territorial cohesion of the country;
— To identify foundations of mechanisms for diffusion of development po-
tential from the areas privileged in the transformation process to the
weaker parts of the country;
— To indicate areas (regions) lagging behind and requiring an active policy
to enhance their development;
— To determine development potential of individual regions against a back-
ground of the whole country.
Guidelines for the spatial decisions included in the Conception of the Na-
tional Spatial Development Policy are also identified in the document, while
the Conception provides a basis for determining social and economic potential
of the regions, as well as for identifying limitations for their development.
In front of many years of stagnation and present aspirations of Poland to
participate fully in economic and social structures of Western Europe, it is quite
obvious that the development gap between Poland and the advanced market
economy countries must be decreased. At present, GDP per capita (expressed in
PPP) in Poland equals to 30% of an average in EU member countries. It is
lower than GDP of any other accession country. In the poorest of the EU mem-
ber countries GDP is twice as high, whereas in the richest ones it is fivefold.
The necessity to make the development gap smaller is connected with the im-
perative of dinamisation of economic development and improving international
competitiveness of Poland.
One of the essential conditions to cope with the task is to take capital not
only of macroeconomic factors and possibilities, but also of regional factors,
such as predispositions, resources and opportunities. One of the predispositions
is vicinity to major European centres. Poland is among the countries that are
closest to the most important capitals and actual centres of development of our
continent. As a matter of fact, it is closest to the centres than many of the EU
members — to mention only Scandinavian countries or South European ones.
Still, it is necessary to take advantage of the specific geopolitical situation of
Poland connected with a new political order and formation of new economic
linkages. The position of Poland gives a chance for improving competitiveness
of the Polish social and economic space as well as active participation in shap-
ing new European "spatial order". It is also a challenge for Poland to join the
process of trans-European formation of the infrastructure networks, including
communication networks, in both directions: East-West and North-South. It
also gives an incentive to further development of trans-border co-operation,
which takes different forms and intensity on each of Polish national borders.
Another indisputable necessity for Poland is to meet the global civilization
challenge connected with natural environment improvement. This is also an
Maciej Borsa : New Polish Regions in the Process of the European Spatial Development.
In: Role of the Regions in the Enlarging European Union. Pécs, Centre for Regional Studies, 2001. 46-60. p.
Discussion Papers . Special
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M. Borsa
important element of regional development, provided equal standards and
European norms refer to all regions, irrespective of the level of their develop-
ment.
At present, regional differences in the level of economic development are
relatively small. However, they tend to increase along with the growing role of
market mechanisms in economy and the reduction of the role of the state as an
investor. Differences in the level of economic development and the quality of
life between the capital and other major cities, smaller centres, towns and rural
areas within particular regions are more significant than differences between
regions. It is a necessity of strategic importance to level the disproportions
within regions. Especially, smaller centres should be supported in connection
with the unavoidable restructuring of the rural areas.
In 1990s, differentiation of the regional development level became a fast
paced process, resulting from the atrophy of the mechanisms that had shaped
the former regional structure of Poland. On one hand, this is connected with the
better situation of the regions around biggest agglomerations with well-devel-
oped economic structure and high level of services; on the other — with worsen
situation in the regions where the state agricultural enterprises and war industry
prevailed, as well as in the regions where poverty was historically determined,
lacking bigger towns and with underdeveloped non-agricultural branches. GDP
per head is highest in the metropolitan regions, particularly around Warsaw,
Poznan, Krakow, and Gdansk. The cities play a leading role in the process of
transformation. GDP is lowest in the agricultural regions in eastern and central
part of the country.
Regional differences in the GDP per head level do not reflect all of the im-
portant aspects of the regional differentiations in Poland. This criterion does
not expose regions in need of thorough restructuring due to dominance of
decadent economic structures, which cannot be effective in the new economic
system and should be replaced by structures capable of reaching sustainable
profitability.
The GDP level by regions (wojewodztwo) does not also reflect another ex-
tremely significant aspect of the increase in intraregional differences — the dif-
ferences between the economic development level and quality of life in the
capital and major centres and in smaller centres, as well as between these last
and rural areas within particular regions.
In the new geopolitical situation in Europe, Poland — free of conflicts with
its neighbours, open to the world and Europe — may become an important link
integrating the European space in this part of the continent. This specific geo-
graphical and economic position of Poland may be a stimulating factor in the
process of social and economic development. Poland is situated on the border
and is of transit character, lying between two large structures: the European
Maciej Borsa : New Polish Regions in the Process of the European Spatial Development.
In: Role of the Regions in the Enlarging European Union. Pécs, Centre for Regional Studies, 2001. 46-60. p.
Discussion Papers . Special
New Polish Regions in the Process of the European Spatial Development
59
Union and the group of states created after the Soviet Union ceased to exist.
Also in the direction North-South playing the role of a bridge may turn out to
be important for the development of Poland since the country is in point of
junction of two newly emerging areas: the Baltic and south-eastern (Danubian
countries and Balkans) ones.
The role of a bridge played by the Polish space in this part of Europe has
been confirmed by numerous initiatives in trans-border and cross-border co-
operation. On the local level, this co-operation takes organisational form of
Euroregions.
One can agree that the Polish structural transformation, which accelerated
integration of the country with the European Union, at the same time, opened
the shortest way to the civilization of the 21st century. Poland may also expect
that the pro-ecological development strategies, adopted in the EU member
countries will be applied to new members as well.
Disparities in the regional structure of the country and the menace that they
may never perish resulted in adopting the strategy for development balancing
as a crucial principle of the regional policy of the state. The strategy shows a
general direction of the regional policy of the state, i.e. preparing conducive
conditions to dissemination of the activating impact of nodes, niches, strands
and spheres of activity, initiatives and innovations created owing to market
economy mechanisms. The state policy should stimulate development of such
structures and diffusion mechanisms in the whole country as well as it should
lead to gradual forming of the balance links, in accordance with spatial, social
and economic determinants.
It is a part of the tradition of the Polish spatial planning system to prepare
the conception of development for the area of great regions and for the country
as a whole. The tradition was prior to the central economic management and
was implemented even before the World War II. Based on the plans prepared in
the scales, many daring projects were realized in the period of the II Polish
Republic. During the Stalinism era, the ideas of planning in great scales were
deformed and red-taped. The transformation period in 1990s required another
type of planning on the national level. At present, it seems that such a model
should be based on the concepts already implemented in the EU with a special
stress on the subjectivity of regions and co-ordinating function of the state.
At the beginning of 1999, as a result of the second stage of the administra-
tive reform, 16 regions capable of independent forming their development pol-
icy were created in Poland. From the national point of view, it is indispensable
to direct the different policies in a way that would enable realization of the
adopted national strategy for regional development. The main strategic objec-
tive of development of each individual region must take into consideration what
Maciej Borsa : New Polish Regions in the Process of the European Spatial Development.
In: Role of the Regions in the Enlarging European Union. Pécs, Centre for Regional Studies, 2001. 46-60. p.
Discussion Papers . Special
60
M. Borsa
is valuable for the local community, what is the place of a given region in its
surrounding, and how to shape its specificity.
This means that the strategic purpose should meet expectations of the citi-
zens as well as various subjects existing in a region, while — at the same time —
taking into account the necessity to create linkages with neighbouring regions,
the whole country and international structures.
At present, more detailed strategies for the development of particular re-
gions are being prepared. The process is accompanied by numerous discussions
within the new governing bodies of the administrative units. Similarly, princi-
ples of the state regional policy are being discussed. Irrespective of the results
of the debate, one thing is quite clear — reinforcement of the connections of
Poland with other countries of the continent, especially including its territory
into the space of the European Union, is the source and the aim of the transfor-
mations.
References
Borsa, M. (ed.) 1999: Zaloienia strategii rozwoju regionalnego kraju. Warszawa
Rzadowe Centrum Studiow Strategicznych.
Effectiveness, Openness, and Subsidiarity. — A New Poland for New Challenges, 1998.
Warsaw, Chancellery of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland.