Former US President Clinton addresses ABSL Summit in Warsaw
Former US President Bill Clinton expressed admiration for Poland's economic performance at the annual ABSL (Association of Business Service Leaders) conference in Warsaw on Thursday.
Clinton said that thanks to a feeling of political and social solidarity, Polish GDP had tripled since liberation from domination by the Soviet Union. He pointed out that the Polish economy is sixth in the EU and declared that many countries would like to be on the same path as Poland.
The whole world admires Poland and needs it much more than ever before, the 42nd president of the United States asserted at the ABSL Annual Conference. He underscored that since the fall of the Berlin Wall, Poles have created a system that is in a position to build inclusive economic prosperity, pointing out that in the long term, a market economy works better when it functions equally and with a conscience. He suggested that Poland could become a European leader and carry Europe to a different place.
Entrepreneurship and Technology Minister Jadwiga Emilewicz highlighted the need for good cooperation between the public and private sectors, not only in Poland but throughout the European Union. She also asserted that the benefits of economic growth should be felt by every citizen.
Addressing the ABSL Summit, Emilewicz pointed out that, "social expectations and technological trends influence contemporary politics in an unprecedented way, and citizens call on the government to undertake decisive action with the aim of protecting society and solving problems."
In her view, regulations are needed that create standards, promote quality and good cooperation between the public and private sectors in Poland and the whole EU. "We need lobbying that goes beyond the narrow interests of countries and business and that analyses all the social and economic costs and benefits resulting from the digitalisation of our lives, economy and political activities," the minister stated.
She highlighted that over the last 15 years, the Polish economy has effectively joined the global production chain and become an integral part of the European economy in all its dimensions.
Emilewicz argued that all citizens should benefit from economic growth, that public services should be of a high standard and that social justice should be more than just a slogan. In her assessment, the key to achieving those goals is strengthening the small and medium-sized enterprise sector and developing digital competences.
In a letter to conference participants read out by Minister Emilewicz, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki wrote that, "taking into account the important role of foreign investors in the Polish economy, the priority of our economic policy will be to support the appropriate conditions to locate foreign capital in Poland."
