Jerzy Buzek, Chairman of the European Parliament, Donald Tusk, Polish Prime Minister, Petr Nečas, the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Viktor Orbán, Hungarian Prime Minister, Jadranka Kosor, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia and Antonio Tajani, Deputy President of the European Commission and the Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship made inauguration speeches in the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music during the first day of the European Economic Congress 2011 (EEC).
Jerzy Buzek: “During the Congress, we are going to discuss competitive abilities of European economy and structural reforms, which can help the EU to be on the right track of sustainable growth.”
Viktor Orbán: “I believe that favourable terms for economic development will be created in Central and Eastern Europe. Manufacture plants, instead to China, will be moved to our region. Also we can not forget, that before the recession in 2008, countries of Central and Eastern Europe had a tremendous role in developing the whole continent. Our region was emerging at a rapid pace. I think that Katowice will be one of the most important cities in Europe the same as Prague, Budapest and other cities of the region.”
Jadranka Kosor: “The main goal of my government at the moment is to finish negotiations concerning Croatia’s membership in the European Union. We are very close to finalize the negotiations. It should take place in July this year and Croatia will become the 28th member of the EU. We can say, it will be a homecoming for our country. Croatia has always been part of this civilization.”
Apart from the opening speeches, the first day of EEC gathered participants in the Fifth International Conference City 2011 – city space management, the China vs. Poland: opportunities vs. threats’ panel, the all-Polish meeting of health care managers, the new order of the European Union session and the Central and Eastern Europe – community of interests, challenges and problems. The last panel was opened by Lech Wałęsa, Polish President in the years 1990-1995 and attended by by Zdenĕk Bakala, one of the richest Czechs and the owner of the New World Resources group; Sándor Demján, the richest Hungarian, President of the TriGranit Development Corporation; Jan Kulczyk, the richest Pole and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Kulczyk Investments, and Indrek Neivelt, Estonian economist and banker, one of the most influential people in Estonian business, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Ldiamon.
During three days of the Congress, almost a hundred sessions, debates and accompanying events are attended by approximately 6 000 guests from Poland and abroad.
