In an extensive feature entitled “The Polish Miracle: How the Eastern European Country Grew Powerful and Prosperous,” published in the US edition of the magazine on Wednesday, John Pietro highlights Poland's remarkable success story over the last 30-plus years.
“The progress has been impressive," Pietro says. "According to the World Bank, Poland’s gross domestic product in 2021 was over 300 percent larger (in constant 2015 US dollars) than it was in 1990, compared to 155 percent for the EU as a whole."
According to the author, Poland stands out as a shining example of triumph within the former Soviet empire, arguably thanks to Poland’s accession to the European Union almost two decades ago.
“Compared to other new entrants, Poland used the money with particular foresight and success, for example to modernize the country’s infrastructure — from roads, to railways, to public transport,” according to The Spectator.
The magazine notes that “even in strained times, Poland is set to perform better than most Western European economies.”
Pietro argues that a country’s power is not predicated on economic strength alone, and a recent lack of leadership from Berlin and Paris has created a gap that Warsaw has been only too happy to fill.
“Where France, Germany and even America dithered, Poland acted … Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year, Poland has been at the forefront of support for Kyiv,“ Pietro writes.
He notes that millions of Ukrainian refugees have poured into Poland, and been welcomed with open arms.
“Poland had this reputation that [it] was averse to migration … and then you had 3, 4 million people come within the scope of a couple of weeks or months," an expert is quoted as saying. "And they all found accommodation with Polish families."
Among challenges, Pietro lists the solidity of the rule of law, concerns about the strength of Polish state institutions and a rough relationship with the EU since Poland's governing conservative coalition began reforming the judiciary following its 2015 coming to power.
Warsaw might turn “from being a linchpin of NATO to another problematic member - a non-democracy that fast-tracks militarism,” according to another expert.
Pietro says that, with a general election around the corner, Poles may differ in political sympathies but security and defence are an area that is unlikely to feel much turbulence.
“Both the ruling Law and Justice party and the opposition Civic Platform have very similar (though not identical) views regarding Polish security vis-à-vis NATO, the US and Russia,” the author concludes.
(mo/gs)
Source: thespectator.com