"An immediate popularity of the Polish-Slovak co-operation is not so much important as its future economic and political justification," stated American politician Zbigniew Brzezinski in 1990, adding: "Poland and Slovakia alone would be rather weak, yet together they can become a significant partner, and together they can make use of the European co-operation."

Nine years later it is clear that the Polish-Slovak co-operation is needed for the sake of a better chance to form a stable structure in Central Europe, that may play an important part within the European Communities.

Last years' geopolitical and economical changes in Europe confirmed the implemented Brzezinski's conceptions. Accelerated development prepared conditions for a transformation of the initially friendly co-existence into a strategically significant co-operation. This became more evident after introduction of the regional structures into the principle of mutuality. It is the main task of Slovakia and Poland to take part in a wider continental framework. Nevertheless, both parties recognise a fact that establishment of economical, investment, commercial and cultural potential begins in the regions.

"We understand our role in establishment of basic conditions to start business operations abroad. It spells out that we would provide comprehensive information service in co-operating options, production and marketing, legal conditions and presumptions for success in foreign business environment. We also provide consultations and advisory service, and help with exhibitions and trade fair presentations," says Ing. Igor Husak, deputy director of the Regional Chamber of the Slovak chamber of Industry and Commerce in Zilina (RK SOPK) and a secretary to the Slovak-Polish Chamber of Commerce, where the project of Slovak-Polish border free and barrier free region has been gradually formed since 1997. The Polish counterpart in implementing the "Frontier Zone Business Development Project" is the Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Bielsko-Biala (RKOP) and Polish-Slovak Chamber of Commerce (PSOK). The mutual bilateral contacts date back to 1994, but in 1997 they extended into a new dimension, having achieved a partial financial support of the European Union as part of the so called Beskids Euroregion frontier zone co-operation.

"We form conditions for the co-operation, starting at a zero level, since no past small and medium business co-operation existed so far. And it is this range of business where the strongest and most promising potential of economic links between southern Poland and northern Slovakia can be found," Stanislaw Cwajna, PSOK chairman, highlights a central task of the project. In this respect he finds the foration of a single bilateral chamber to be vital in contribution to new dynamics of the process by replacement of the two existing chambers .

Another direction in a parallel process of approximation is a growing number of contractual relations at the level of regions, districts, townships and smaller settlements. "We attempt to establish our integration with strong towns, in order to improve living conditions of our residents at various levels," says Gregorz Tomaszczik, representative of the Land of Bielska Settlements Association. Jacek Falfus, Bielska district chairman, a follower of a close co-operation with the Zilina region at a corporate level, believes that the establishment of the across-border co-operation region is a high priority in mutual supplementing the participating parties rather than competing.

One of the effects of the project will be co-operation markets, with the goal to transform the border area competition into partners," adds Jan Solich, RKOP Board of Management chairman. "This might set the ground for establishment of future joint ventures at the third markets."

As a general conclusion we can say that after two years of unified efforts both chambers have facilities to analyse needs for the sake of entrepreneurs. Also expert surveys of the possible cross-border co-operation and internet data base project including presentation of the business offers are available. "Due to extensive co-operation of businessmen we may succeed in creating an efficiently operating system of co-operation across the Beskids Euroregion," says J. Solich. "There are adequate conditions to meet the businessmen from both sides of the border and for information exchange and economic contacts."

A meeting of Ludovit Cernak and Janusz Steinhoff , Slovak and Polish Ministers of Economy, planned in Bielsko-Biala on 23 / 24 April, will become a significant impulse for the across-border co-operation project. The hope, treasured by many people, involved in the Euroregion development, will not be tried by a long period of void: during the two following months the Beskids Euroregion is anticipated to become a fact.

Slovak Trade FORUM