Over the past five years, Poland received €67bn from the EU. This means the Polish government and local authorities spent 85 percent of the EU’s 2007-2013 budget. According to data from the Ministry of Regional Development, nearly PLN 70bn of those funds powered local businesses. Polish authorities said the plan had always been to support regional companies. “It was a good decision. It’s the local companies that can help push the region forward,” said Violetta Ruszczewska from Opole’s Marchal Office.
With companies using their own funds in addition to the EU support, regional investments may have hit PLN 100bn by the end of last year, according to the daily Puls Biznesu.
“EU funds help move the economy forward. The grants from the EU are one of the reasons, Poland avoided recession for many years,” said Paweł Orłowski, deputy minister of Regional Development.
