GDP growth at 3.5 pct in 2015 a success - Piechocinski
If Poland's economy expands by 3.5 percent in 2015, such an increase should be seen as a great success in the current situation on international markets, Poland's deputy PM and Economy Minister Janusz Piechocinski has told PAP.
Piechocinski admitted that a few months ago he hoped that Poland's GDP growth in 2015 would reach 4 percent.
"In the spring I expected Poland's economy to expand by nearly 4 percent in 2015. But we have to take into account the situation in the east and falling trade with Russia. In such a situation, if Poland's GDP growth exceeds 3.5 percent, it will be a great success. The situation in China and political developments in Poland are a source of uncertainty," Piechocinski explained.
Piechocinski added that trade with Ukraine had been shrinking for a few months and that the Russian economy had serious problems. "Experts believe that this year Russia's economy will shrink. And this may repeat itself next year, too", Piechocinski added.
"But Poland is still in a group of three EU countries recording the fastest economic growth," Piechocinski stressed.
Speaking about this year's exports, the economy minister said that the H1 data were impressive. "In the first half of the year, Poland's exports to the U.S. went up by 17 percent, to Canada by 12 percent, to Mexico by 40 percent and to Saudi Arabia by 37 percent," he said. (PAP)
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