ADAM STRUZIK

One year has passed since Poland’s EU accession. How has Mazowiecki province benefited during that time?
For Mazowiecki province it has been a very good year for several reasons. First of all, entry into the European Union has provided access to sources of aid allowing us to launch the implementation of several hundred important projects in various fields, from agriculture to local and regional infrastructure. Educational and healthcare centers have also benefited. Secondly, over last year the province’s income has increased significantly – not as a direct result of EU accession, but because of legal changes that have recently come into force with respect to financing local government and strengthening the economy. Without a doubt, Polish membership in the EU influences the economy because we have become an even more credible partner for both other EU states and non-member countries.
We have observed a great deal of interest in the Mazovia region, first and foremost within economic circles. As a result, inflows of foreign investment are growing. One example of this involves a recently signed contract for a large investment of more than $200 million, which will be implemented by LG in Mława.
In many places in Mazovia, for example in the county of Grodzisk Mazowiecki, intensive talks are currently underway with foreign investors. It is hoped that many of them will locate their enterprises and branch offices permanently in Mazowiecki province. Just to restate – for Mazowiecki province, membership in the EU is a key factor in fostering growth and modernization. Moreover, there is no doubt that in the years 2007-2013, we can expect more than 2 billion euro for regional growth in the province alone. There is every indication that Mazovia will benefit greatly from Poland’s entry into the EU.

Much of the accelerated growth of Mazovia within the union is due to local government and the board of Mazowiecki province…
Of course we try to distribute EU funds in order to put into practice the principle of an equally developed province. Fears that we would be unable to prepare adequate projects were completely unfounded. In practice we have learned that there is more to the whole process that just formulating good projects that are highly evaluated by experts, particularly in terms of regional infrastructure, healthcare and education. Needs in these fields are considerably greater than the aid resources at our disposal. This also shows that Mazovia can absorb much more funds than are available.

I read in Kronika Mazowiecka (Mazowiecki Chronicle) that in the history of the Mazovia local government, the largest growth in outlays is planned for culture. This will also be made possible thanks to zl.100 million from union structural funds. How will this money be spent?
That is correct. We have increased outlays on cultural activities significantly. There are 25 cultural centers in Mazovia organized by the local government of Mazowiecki province. The situation of these facilities was appalling – low salaries and little money for valuable activities. There wasn’t any investment. However, in that respect this year is record-breaking. The salaries of the employees in these facilities has improved significantly. We are planning a few serious investments and one has already been implemented: the construction of a headquarters for the Mazowiecki Museum in Płock. We were able to restore the old, Art Nouveau tenement house. We want to enter this now beautiful structure in an international competition as an excellent example of the opportunities for renovating old buildings for contemporary use. We have a whole range of other interesting projects such as Matecznik Mazovia, which involves the reconstruction of headquarters for the Mazowsze Song and Dance Group in Karolin. We would like to build a modern audience hall as well as hotel and restaurant facilities so that Karolin can become an important site on tourist routes in Mazovia in connection with Chopin-related tourism.
A few other intriguing projects related to the renewed operation of the Museum of Romanticism in Opinogóra have come up. In Radom we intend to build a museum of contemporary art. For that purpose we are adapting an old electric power plant.
In addition, we are also planning to expand a small stage in the Polski Theater in Warsaw. Our future activities include renovation of the open-air museum of a Mazovian village in Sierpiec.

In December of last year the Marshal’s Office of Mazowiecki Province received an important ISO certificate. What does this give Mazowiecki province in practice?
The ISO certificate is a source of pride – for the board, all of our employees and myself – because we are among the first Marshal’s Offices that have obtained it. The implementation process of a quality management system united employees and the administration in a common cause: improving the quality of our work overall, increasing the satisfaction of our clients and making the office an institution that is open and friendly to everyone. Of course, it is impossible to improve everything at once. After internal audits, which are an integral part of the quality management system, a number of gaps were found that we intend to eliminate in short order.

Mazowiecki province is focused on developing the intensity of its bilateral contacts with many regions of the EU such as Brussels, Branderburg and Stockholm. Why?
The first contacts were established when Poland aspired to EU membership. At that time we gained the first partners, participants in the so-called twin agreements. Il de France, Brussels and Stockholm were natural partners and cities with whom we traditionally maintain very good relationships. These regions helped us even before Poland’s accession to the EU, particularly in absorbing structural funds.
Currently, other than permanent cooperation with several other EU members states, we are also establishing a series of partners in the East – with the Russian Federation, Ukraine and most recently with Kazakhstan. These contacts lead to trade, economic, cultural and youth exchanges. In order for a region like Mazovia to grow and effectively compete with other strong regions in the EU, it must have direct international contacts, both within the EU framework and beyond it. The interest expressed by foreign partners is very great indeed. Recently we hosted a delegation from Lower Austria, a region in the vicinity of Vienna – also a natural partner for us. The Austrians place a great deal of emphasis on cooperation with Mazovia and have therefore opened a representation office in Warsaw. These contacts allows us to become more familiar with one another and both countries’ cultures, but first and foremost foster economic growth between partners.

I know that the authorities of Mazowiecki province help businessmen in the province in their contacts with Western markets…
Recently we were visited by a large delegation of entrepreneurs from Kazakhstan. We have signed a cooperation agreement with regions within the Russian Federation – the Moscow and Smolensk conglomerations – as well as with the Lviv conglomeration in Ukraine.
The Chinese are very interested in cooperating with us. Perhaps we will also host a delegation from this country, although interest has been expressed mainly by Beijing.
Productive cooperation with Kazakhstan and Ukraine provides an opportunity to implement the construction of the Odessa-Brody-Płock pipeline, a project of key significance for our province, featuring an eventual pipeline running from Kazakhstan. This would provide more diversification in oil supplies and increase energy processing opportunities for the PKN Orlen company. The most recent visit by the Ukrainian president gives us hope that this project will one day become a reality.

The deputy president of Warsaw, Andrzej Urbański, recently proposed the creation of 17 new provinces, centered on the capital and neighboring communes. What is the reaction of Mazowiecki province to this idea?
This is one element in an ongoing discussion connected with spatial planning in Mazovia. Given the funds Mazovia receives from the EU and the region’s average income, we are approaching 75 percent, which means that the region’s capacity for absorbing union funds for regional development within the current legal framework is declining. However, this is a very complicated issue because in a financial agenda for the region as a whole, including Warsaw, in the years 2007-2013 we will be able to absorb EU funds and also because there is a heated debate in the union right now concerning the so-called statistic effect. Average incomes in the 25 EU members states, following enlargement by 10 new members, have declined. Many regions, including those in the “old EU,” have suddenly become ineligible for aid. That is why changes in these principles are expected – either an increase in the threshold or certain monies will be set aside for growth in regions that are artificially included among those with lower incomes. That is why I say that in terms of excluding Warsaw and nearby areas, this step may be necessary just before 2013. The operational division of the province into two parts is quite simply unrealistic because of infrastructure-related considerations. It would be an artificial creation – one province within another. Aside from this, these two areas actually overlap in terms of the economy, labor forces and various interests. The diffusion of growth processes from Warsaw to more distant parts of the province means that both functionally and in practice this kind of division is impossible.
I understand that the deputy mayor’s statement is one element of an intellectual discussion concerning a solution to this problem. We have to remember that until 2013, Warsaw can be an aid recipient, although whether city’s authorities are able to take full advantage of these opportunities is a completely different question. That is not for me, but for residents of the capital to judge. Prof. Michał Kulesza, co-author of Poland’s administration reforms, claims that an independent Warsaw province would be a risky step because smaller provinces are unable to bear the burdens of managing an effective regional policy.
I would like to add that currently in the Marshal’s Office, we are working to pass a strategy for growth in Mazowiecki province. Our objective is to make Mazovia a competitive region in Europe and worldwide.