The historical and dynamic city of Kraków, Poland, hosted this year’s Winter University together with the help from Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Foundation.

During the Winter University, Elżbieta Bieńkowska, Commissioner for EU Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship & SMEs, addressed the delegates at the Wieliczka salt mines. Commissioner said during her speech “different governments and Member States will have different views, but the situation in Poland is not normal. This is not a country I was dreaming about for many years.” Along with her remarks on the Polish political situation, regarding the PiS administration she also commented on the economy, which has shown regular growth over the last years.

Commissioner Bieńkowska commented, “The economy is doing well, however you cannot have economic freedom, without political freedom. This is something happening at the center of Europe, and it has to be taken seriously.”

Afterwards she explained her thoughts on the two European Spatial agencies and what their future might be. According to her, the investment in spatial investigation shall have a positive return for the economy, especially for the SMEs.