Poland’s new development partnerships are raising concerns among rural municipalities about being sidelined in favor of urban centers.
New Development Strategy
A project on sustainable urban development, prepared by the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy, is part of Poland’s new Development Strategy until 2035. It focuses on strengthening the polycentric settlement structure of the country.
Urban-Focused Development
The strategy aims for development driven by several dozen medium-sized cities along with their neighboring municipalities, through a new form of cooperation called “development partnership.”
Rural Concerns
While the Union of Polish Cities supports this initiative, rural municipalities fear their voices will be marginalized within these new structures.
Will Small Municipalities Be Marginalized?
The question of whether these development partnerships will effectively sideline smaller rural municipalities remains a central point of debate.