Questions about Russia are questions about the future of Europe. Bronisław Komorowski, President of the Republic of Poland, was the Guest of Honour of the Eastern Economic Congress in Białystok

Białystok/Katowice, 19 September 2014 – ‘We should invest in what could change Russia,’ said Bronisław Komorowski, President of the Republic of Poland, during the inaugural session of the second day of the Eastern Economic Congress in Białystok. Stability in Europe and, consequently, the future of Poland and prospects for the voivodeships of the eastern border, will depend on the path which Russia will decide to take – this is one of the conclusions of today’s debates.

‘I am glad to be able to participate in an event which is a continuation of thoughts and efforts present during the European Economic Congress, where prospects for industrialised regions are debated. Here and now, in Białystok, I have the possibility of taking part in the debate and hear the opinions about something which constitutes an element of a great and wise, yet not an easy change that has continued to take place in Poland for the last 25 years, and which concerns its eastern part as well. There are still many concerns here… What will be the future of the Eastern Border in the context of modernisation processes? What chances are there for this part of Poland, which is specific because of its common type of problems?’ said Bronisław Komorowski, President of the Republic of Poland, during the Eastern Economic Congress in Białystok.

Debates during the Eastern Economic Congress took place in the shadow of the ongoing conflict beyond the eastern border of Poland. Thus, questions about the future of Russia and Ukraine, as well as questions concerning a recipe for the stabilisation of the region, were frequently asked. However, the fullest rendition of that topic occurred during the inaugural session of the second day of the Congress, which was entitled “EU – a new deal and new problems. The European Union versus the countries of Eastern Europe”.

This was also what Bronisław Komorowski, President of the Republic of Poland, referred to in his speech.

‘We should react to such phenomena as the aggression towards Ukraine. We should wait out this difficult period, hoping that Russia will come back on the road to modernisation, instead of restoring the empire,’ said Bronisław Komorowski.

This does not mean, however, that we should passively await a change of course to happen in Russia. We could attempt to quicken this process. ‘I believe that Ukraine’s success on the road to building its domestic reality based on western models and bonding itself with the western world in terms of politics and economy is still possible. This will be the key to Russia. The success of the pro-western course of Ukraine will be an enormous source of influence and incentive. It will also serve as an example for the Russian society,’ said the President, reminding the participants that the success of the 25 years of Polish transformation was a model for Ukraine and became an impulse for that country to set the pro-western course.

The former Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to Russia (and previously to the USSR) Stanisław Ciosek appealed for the modernisation of Russia. ‘We will not find any resolution for Ukraine if there is no resolution for the entire eastern part of the continent first. Russia should be modernised from scratch,’ he said. ‘The West should offer a modernisation pact to Russia. Provided that part of the funds which were spent on bailing out banks was allocated for such a modernisation programme intended for Russia, it would have been likely to succeed,’ stated the Ambassador. However, he also added that this idea seems almost impossible to be implemented at the moment. ‘Now is the worst time to submit proposals of this type because the aggression is underway,’ admitted Ciosek. 

‘It is worth creating a plan for the modernisation of Russia and showing the Russians such a prospect. Our security depends on the way Russia is going to develop, i.e. whether it will follow the logic of modernisation or choose to restore imperial trends. It is worth investing in what can change Russia,’ admitted the President. However, he also emphasised that this cannot mean giving our consent to aggression. ‘Today Russia would see such actions as a weakness of the Western world,’ stated the President, adding that this would only further whet the imperial appetites of Russia.

Jerzy Buzek – Member of the European Parliament, President of the European Parliament between 2009-2012 and Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland between 1997-2001 – pointed out that the ongoing conflict beyond the eastern border of the European Union is one of the most severe problems the EU has to face today, but it is not the only one. In order to take effective measures towards this conflict, the EU has to order its domestic issues first. In his opinion, the new EU authorities will have to deal with three key problems, i.e. creating an actual common market, increasing the innovative character of the European economy and lowering energy prices.

‘Foreign policy is only as good as the strength of domestic policy,’ emphasised the former President of the European Parliament. ‘The EU has to face such risks as the unstable political situation in Eastern Europe. On the other hand, the EU also needs to have a strong negotiating position in the ongoing talks with the USA, which concern the agreement on free trade,’ added Jerzy Buzek.

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The idea behind the Eastern Economic Congress in Białystok is twofold: to present the economic potential of voivodeships of Eastern Poland and show the eastern regions as valuable intermediaries in the relations between the East and the West of Europe. During the two-day debate in Białystok, important issues have been raised, which are important from the point of view of both Polish and European economy and which have remained outside the mainstream debate so far. An event accompanying the Congress was the conferring of awards in the contest entitled TOP Municipal Investments of Eastern Poland.

The Eastern Economic Congress in Białystok – a debate on economic and trade relations between the European Union and the East of Europe – provides a logical follow-up to, and a completion of, the subject matter of the previous editions of the European Economic Congress in Katowice held so far. Both business conferences are organised by PTWP Group.

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The Eastern Economic Congress (EEC) in Białystok is a two-day series of debates, meetings and accompanying events with the participation of about a thousand guests, both from Poland and from Europe.

The organiser of the Eastern Economic Congress is PTWP Group SA, the initiator and organiser of the European Economic Congress in Katowice – the largest business conference in Central Europe, which has been organised since 2009 and deemed one of the most representative debates on the future of Europe.

For further information on the Eastern Economic Congress, please visit – www.wschodnikongres.eu/pl/.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WschodniKongresGospodarczy 

For further information on the organiser – PTWP Group SA – please visit www.ptwp.pl

Additional information for the media can be obtained from:

Marta Stach, Imago Public Relations, M. 609 808 119, E. m.stach@imagopr.pl