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Polska gospodarka rośnie: czy utrzyma tempo? „The Ring” w Warszawie
The Ring przenosi się do polskiej stolicy na debatę polityczną o transformacji gospodarczej kraju i stojących przed nim wyzwaniach.
CZYTAJ WIĘCEJ : http://pl.euronews.com/2026/10/08/polska-gospodarka-rosnie-czy-utrzyma-tempo-the-ring-w-warszawie
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The Ring przenosi się do polskiej stolicy na debatę polityczną o transformacji gospodarczej kraju i stojących przed nim wyzwaniach.
CZYTAJ WIĘCEJ : http://pl.euronews.com/2026/10/08/polska-gospodarka-rosnie-czy-utrzyma-tempo-the-ring-w-warszawie
Zasubskrybuj nasz kanał.Euronews jest dostępny na Dailymotion w 12 językach
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NewsTranscript
00:08Welcome. My name is Agata Todorov, and this is The Ring, Euronews Weekly Debate Show.
00:15We are broadcasting straight from Warsaw, Poland, one of the fastest growing economies in Europe
00:21and very important player in the EU's security landscape.
00:26So, is Poland becoming a new economic leader or still catching up with the West? Let's get into it.
00:35Poland has changed dramatically over the past three decades. Once seen as one of Europe's
00:41poorer economies, it is now among the EU's fastest growing countries and its economic
00:45weight is increasingly being felt across Europe. The country has benefited from EU membership for
00:52investment and the expansion of its domestic businesses. But its growth has also been
00:56supported by rising public spending, including on defense, infrastructure and social programs.
01:02Now Poland faces a different question. Is the model sustainable? The country is trying to maintain
01:07rapid growth while dealing with a large budget deficit, high defense spending and pressure
01:12to modernize its economy. At the same time, the war in Ukraine and tensions with Russia are giving
01:18Poland a bigger strategic role. Its position on NATO's eastern flank could create new opportunities
01:23for investment, particularly in defense and infrastructure, but it also comes with higher
01:28security costs. What is truly driving Poland's economic rise? And can the country leverage its
01:34growing financial and military weight into lasting influence in Europe?
01:42About Polish economy and other very important topics, I will talk with Michał Szerba from EPP
01:48and Michał Kobosko from Renew Europe. Let's meet them.
01:53Michał Szerba, a Polish MEP from the Central Right European People's Party. He has served in the European
01:59Parliament since 2019 and is a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Security.
02:04and Defense. A former long-serving member of the Polish Parliament, he has focused on European
02:09security, transatlantic relations and support for Ukraine. He said, Poland's economic strength and
02:15its security are increasingly connected. A strong economy gives us the ability to invest in defense
02:20and play a greater role in Europe. Michał Kobosko, a Polish MEP from the Liberal Renew Europe Group.
02:27He has a background in journalism and business and has been involved in Polish and European politics
02:32for more than a decade. In the European Parliament, he focuses on foreign affairs, security and economic issues.
02:38He said, Poland's economic success is a result of long-term development, European integration
02:44and the strength of Polish entrepreneurs. But the next challenge is making that growth sustainable.
02:52So, gentlemen, let's start with the main topic of today's debate, which is Polish economy.
03:05Why, in your opinion, Poland is Europe's success story, Mr. Butters?
03:12We are working hard, also in the European Parliament with Michał and other colleagues.
03:16But first of all, it's because of the Polish people. It's about Polish enterprises,
03:22but also the current government, which created a lot of opportunities to allow our employers,
03:32our enterprises to use the EU funds. And of course, we are looking with a hope to the next MFF,
03:40which will be extremely important for Poland because of the defense industry, because of the resilience,
03:47but also tools to competitiveness.
03:51Poland is very specific, our nation. We are very dynamic, very entrepreneurial,
03:57and we are, let's say, hungry for success. And we were kept, that was not our real,
04:02it was not our choice. We were kept behind the iron curtain for almost half a century. And after,
04:08you know, we became free again, we wanted to catch up as soon as possible with the West,
04:14with other countries, with the UK, with France, with Germany, with Italy. These were our benchmarks,
04:21and we were working hard. And obviously, the decisive moment was when we first joined the NATO,
04:26and then joined the EU. This is the moment where we started really to become part of the international
04:31family. And we started using the EU funds, and we were using them in a proper way.
04:39What is Poland still doing economically wrong?
04:43Well, when you look at the state of the public finance, the public deficit that we are having in
04:49Poland, we are not the worst in class. But much has to be done to improve our figures, because we
04:56know that
04:57we are in a bit challenging, I would say, or dangerous path right now with our state budget and budget
05:05deficit.
05:06So the public finance is definitely the area where much can be and should be improved. Another area,
05:13and this is when we talk to entrepreneurs, is that, you know, the conditions in which they operate
05:18should be visibly improved. I mean, the predictability, the stability of the legal system,
05:25stability of the fiscal, of the tax system in Poland. There are lots of things also that were kind of
05:32over-regulated in Poland. So we need simplification and deregulation on the European level and on the
05:39Polish level as well. I would like also to come back to the Polish presidency of the Council. It's very
05:46important that Poland was able to push the main idea, which is security Europe, which also means that our next
05:54budget, multi-annual budget, has to concentrate on the security, defense, resilience and space policy.
06:04This is extremely important to have this new tool of European Competitiveness Fund, also the
06:12instrument connecting Europe and a lot of money which we can use on military mobility and dual use
06:20infrastructure. Do you think Poland is still catching up with the West or maybe we are now
06:26stronger when it comes to the economy than our Western neighbors? Well, the figures, the statistics
06:32are objective and the figures clearly present that Poland today is one of the fastest growing economies
06:39in Europe. So we are much faster growing, much faster than, for example, the whole Eurozone and its
06:45member states. So that's showing you that Poland is a leader already. However, let's be frank, we need
06:53to catch up because, as I said in the beginning, we didn't have a choice. Right now, when we have
06:59a choice,
06:59we have a clear vision. And the clear vision is not only to catch up. The clear vision is to
07:05become a
07:06leader, one of the key leading countries and agenda-setting countries in the European Union, not only Central
07:13and Eastern Europe, but for the whole of the Union. Gentlemen, let's move towards the next very
07:19important subject, which is security and war in Ukraine. So I would like to ask you first, because
07:27Poland is spending almost 5% of its GDP on defense, while maintaining also other social spending,
07:34for example. So do you think nowadays a country can afford it? Yes, I think that security is a new
07:44drive
07:44of the EU and also Poland is pushing this subject to our European debate and European preparation for the
07:54next budget. But of course, we are quite sure what we have to do. First of all, defense spending,
08:03to our government has adopted a draft of the new budget for 2027. Again, five percent of GDP. Again,
08:15200 billion zlot on defense. So it is just the indicator how we treat this issue seriously. But of course,
08:27we also use the safe instrument, the European loans very effectively. And what is important,
08:35it's not only about expenditure. It's not about spending. It's about a real investment in our
08:41defense capabilities. We are living in the eastern flank of NATO and of the EU. We know what the threats
08:49are,
08:49that what the danger could be. So we also want to invest in our military mobility infrastructure,
08:55strategic corridors, but also hot spots we need to strengthen, like bridges, railway, roads and so on.
09:06So this is exactly what we know, is that we know exactly what to do. All right. So do you
09:12agree
09:12with Michał Szczerba that security is a priority? Well, let me perhaps add that it's not that we love
09:19investments into security that much. It's not that we do not have other needs or other ways to spend the
09:27public money, the taxpayers' money. It's just that we feel, and this is kind of a general feeling across
09:33the society, that we do not have other choice. We have to modernize the army. We have to modernize
09:39this infrastructure. We have to invest in dual use solutions across the economy, not to prepare the
09:46country for the war, but to deter the aggressor, so that the Russians would not even start thinking
09:52about invading Poland or starting any kind of direct aggression against us. That's the whole thing.
09:59And this is one thing that is really common across the society. Whether you are on the left side,
10:05right side, in the center, there's an understanding in Poland that the threat, the clear and present
10:11danger that Russia continues to present is a very clear reality that we have to face. All right. So we
10:21are
10:21just getting started and turning the heat up because it's time for round two, gloves off.
10:31In this round, we would like to bring the spirit of the European Parliament here to our studio. This is
10:37why you have a chance to ask each other questions, short questions, short answers. Let's start with
10:45your question to Michał Szczerba. Michał, perhaps I don't know if you share my view. I have this
10:52feeling that we've been a member of the European Union for 22 years already. And I have this feeling
11:00that we are not sufficiently represented or presenting our views, our ideas in Brussels, in Strasbourg,
11:09that our voice is not loud enough. Do you do you share this view or do you believe that we
11:15are where we
11:16should be? I really appreciate your work and also I work hard at my committees, which are first of all
11:23security and defense committee, a new one in the European Parliament. But I agree with you that
11:28just before the next MFF is not only yours and mine activity in the European Parliament. It's also a time
11:39for
11:39Polish enterprises to be really prepared to use the new tools, which we will deliver like European
11:49Competitiveness Fund with four main windows, including security, defense and space. So
11:58we know how to use the money. We approved this and we approved the projects, but also we make our
12:06the best use of the safe instrument. But now it will be much more complicated, because we have to
12:13compete with other companies, with other, let's say governments, with the best project that will
12:19contribute to common defense and capabilities.
12:24I just I would like to ask you a question about the next year, because it's it's 2027. We have
12:36elections in Poland, in France. Of course, your political group is connected to President Macron
12:44and and to his party. We have Italy, we have Spain. How important this year will be for the European
12:54unity and what we can expect?
12:56Well, definitely, I will not surprise you saying that this this is going to be a decisive year for
13:03for Europe and not for only for the for the next year, but for the coming years and decades,
13:09because this elections and the outcome will tell us what kind of a direction Europe will choose.
13:17Meaning the key countries of the European Union that you mentioned Poland, France,
13:22Spain, Italy, also some elections in in regional elections in Germany as well.
13:29So these things are happening and will be happening next year regarding Poland, because that's a key
13:36issue for us. In our case, this will be election kind of a black and white election. So either
13:42Poland will go this way or that way. I'd love to for Poland to keep our pro-European, pro-Western
13:50direction
13:51and not to be redirected into kind of a I would say a gray zone that some of our colleagues,
13:58especially
13:58from the far right, are dreaming of. There is no place in Europe nowadays for a gray zone.
14:05You have to be on the right side or you're on the evil side.
14:09There is a chance to ask Michal Szczerba one more question, so please go ahead.
14:15Michal, do you believe in the idea of the European army simply? Because there are conversations whether
14:21the NATO will be the same as it is today, whether Americans will stay or will leave. Do you believe
14:27that
14:28we might be going into the direction of forming our own European armed forces?
14:33I would like to quote Polish general, General Błazeusz, who is a Polish representative to the EU and NATO.
14:42He said NATO defends, the EU facilitates. So I agree with him. So NATO is a most successful
14:51political and military alliance in the history and we have to strengthen the organization.
14:59Our also contingency plans we have on the eastern flank, but the EU has a special role to play
15:09with infrastructure, with dual use rule as a standard for all investments. When we are talking and discussing,
15:19also Michal is helping with this, with our metro development in Warsaw, each of this can be used
15:28also as a good space to secure people in the times of crisis. So the EU coming back to regulation
15:38on
15:38military mobility, on defensive simplification for the industry and budget has a lot to play.
15:45So to make it equal, please, a short question, a short answer.
15:52Okay. How do you find the European Commission in the frames of defense readiness?
16:01Yes. We have a new commissioner, Andrius Kubilius. We have a plan. We will have a European Security Council.
16:09We will have a new European Security Strategy. But do you think what we can do better or more deeper?
16:16Well, I would say my answer would be short, as we promised, but also a bit more general, not only
16:23related to the security issues.
16:25I mean, I believe that we had this commission for over two years and we saw a number of different
16:32documents,
16:33programs and so on being delivered on time by the commission. So we cannot criticize them for that.
16:41It's just that the issues, the ideas, the solutions they are proposing are not being implemented yet.
16:48And we have a huge problem of the implementation, generally speaking, in the European project.
16:54That we are not, you know, we are pretty smart in Europe. I believe so. It's just that, you know,
17:02the decision-making process is a terrible process in the European Union. You know how long it takes in the
17:08European
17:08Parliament to reach a consensus, to reach a compromise. But then you have to talk to the commission.
17:13Then you have to talk to the member states. And it's sometimes it's a bureaucratic nightmare.
17:19So this is our weak point. All right. So we've heard what the guests have to say.
17:24Now it's time to bring the third voice into the debate.
17:31I want to bring in Radoslaw Sikorski, who is a minister of foreign affairs of Poland, who said in Kyiv,
17:41if Russia attacked us and we took the gloves off, we would defeat Russia fairly quickly.
17:47We have overwhelming air superiority. If the Ukrainians managed to take half of Russia's refining
17:54capacity offline within six months, we could do it in six weeks. Do you agree with what
18:01Radoslaw Sikorski said about Polish capacity to defeat Russia quickly if under attack?
18:07Mikhail Kobosko first. Well, I believe that minister Sikorski's words meant not only,
18:14he was not only talking on behalf of Poland, he was talking on behalf of the Western
18:21alliance on allied countries, the NATO allies, because yes, we as a community, international
18:28Western community, we are much stronger than Russia. However, I have to say, not a single European
18:36NATO member would be able to effectively defend itself without the help and without the cooperation
18:44with other allies. That's the reality today. This is why the international cooperation in the defense
18:50and security area matters so much, that we are stronger together. Not that we are weak alone,
18:58it's just that we are much stronger together. Do you agree with Mikhail Kobosko on that? Yes,
19:03I also believe in the EU-NATO partnership interoperability. I also really keen on EU security and defense
19:13partnerships with the like-minded countries like the UK, Norway or Canada. We have so good
19:24relations with this country, but of course we have to deter, we have to be prepared, to be ready. And
19:33if something
19:34will happen, I hope no, will not, we have to react with courage and assertivity. Okay, we'll take a short
19:45break in the ring,
19:46but please stay with us because we'll come back with much more.
19:59Welcome back to the special edition of The Ring, broadcasting from Warsaw. My name is Agata Todorov and
20:07I'm joined by Michał Szczerba from EPP and Michał Kobosko from Renew Europe. Gentlemen, let's come back to the
20:15main topic of today's debate, which is Polish economy. So GDP growth of this year is around 3.5%
20:24and the
20:25deficit 6.5% up to 7% of GDP. So the main question to you is how Poland can
20:33remain an economic power with
20:36such large budget deficit? Michał Szczerba? You know, of course the GDP growth is amazing and
20:45we should continue to do so with of course our businesses and the government supports
20:56the development and also delivers the EU money. But we have to also inform our
21:06the people who are watching us that it's not one party government first of all, but what is more
21:13complicated within the executive power we also have the position of the of the president. It's not easy
21:22co-obitation, it's not a very easy cooperation between the government and the president.
21:29So we are trying to fix the the budget deficit. But I can tell you that
21:37the president is not supporting government in all of its actions. So this is a challenge for the for the
21:44next month.
21:45Do you see more challenges here? Well, definitely this is a serious challenge ahead of us because the the growth
21:52the development of Poland
21:53is amazing and many people our colleagues in the European Parliament for coming from other member states are saying
22:00wow, Poland is fantastic because some of them are you know zero growth one percent growth while we are close
22:06to four.
22:07So that's that's pretty impressive. But obviously always there is a price and
22:12if we invest and as we said we have to invest a lot into defense and security
22:18we are more indebted than we were before. I mean we have to issue new bonds and we have to
22:24repay old bonds.
22:26I know that this is one of the key issues of our coalition government and our Minister of Finance that
22:33he's dealing with
22:34because the European Union is is watching us very closely. We have the the the special procedure in the EU
22:41for the high deficit
22:42countries and we are part of that and we have you know a very limited time to improve the state
22:49of our public finance.
22:50I know that we will do that because we can but it there there's always a price to pay.
22:56What should be the priority for Poland? Should it be our growth for GDP growth and economic growth or should
23:04it be
23:05maybe decreasing our budget deficit? I would concentrate on growth and development first of all because we have
23:16challenges that's why we need to invest in our defense industry to scale production to make the best use of
23:29Ukrainian experience and and to be ready in in different forms. So I would concentrate on
23:39on this issue festival. Do you agree here? Well the the the levels of the public that this is always
23:46a problem
23:46for every and each country and and Poland is not the worst case also among the EU member states. There
23:54are many
23:54countries that are more indebted than than Poland. So let me be a bit controversial but perhaps the time will
24:03come to change the rules also across the EU. There's some numbers, some statistics, some thresholds
24:11which were pretty normal and generally understood and accepted across the member states. Perhaps in these
24:18times which are far from very far from normality we should change the rules that oblige all member states to
24:27go the same line when it comes to the deficit numbers. No country can go forever you know borrowing
24:36more and more and more because this is going sooner or later to the crisis as we had in the
24:41case of
24:41Greece, Italy and other countries. So we have to have good benchmarks and we have to apply good medicines
24:50to also to our public finance. But you have to remember these are different times. This time is really
24:57different. We have an aggressor. It's from us. We have a very difficult situation also in the relations
25:03between Europe and the United States. So we have to face it and we have to have money to simply
25:10cover the
25:11costs of the reality. All right. It's time to move to our final round and that will be yes or
25:18no round.
25:23So in this round I'm going to ask you a series of questions, short questions and short answers,
25:30only yes or no. Is that easy? No, it's never easy. All right. So let's get started.
25:36Sure. Is Poland an economic success story? Yes. Yes. Is Poland still economically depended on Germany?
25:46In a way, yes. I would say no. All right. Should Poland join the Eurozone within the next decade?
25:54I believe so. Yes. I hope. All right. Not yes or no answer. Yes. I hope.
26:02Would you vote against the EU-Mercosur agreement? No.
26:12Yes. Okay. Is the Green Deal too expensive for Polish farmers? Today, yes. Yes. All right.
26:22Will the war in Ukraine ultimately make Poland stronger?
26:29Well, yes. Look, what's happening in Ukraine is obviously horrible and you cannot say that once,
26:38you know, they are unhappy, we will be happier than we are right now. It's just that because we are
26:43investing a lot in, for example, security related issues. Yes, as a country, we will be stronger.
26:50We are stronger because we invest in our security. We treat it seriously. And it's a time
27:00to speed up in different areas of security resilience. It's also very good for the democratic
27:10resilience of the country. I have the last question for you and I think that is the best question.
27:16Would you trust the other guests to be Poland's finance minister? Yes, I would. Yes, I would,
27:23but I'm not applying for this position. All right. That brings us to the end of today's episode
27:30of The Ring. Michał Czereban, Michał Koboszko, thank you for joining me. Thank you for watching
27:36and see you next time on Euronews.