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Strategy and Development
Panorama talks with Tadeusz Wrona,
Mayor of Częstochowa
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- You have been elected Mayor
of Częstochowa for the second time. It was exactly
one year ago that the local residents gave you
another mandate. How does this term differ from
the previous one and what have you already managed
to do?
- Undoubtedly, the two terms are different. My
previous term in office, in the years 1990-95,
was during a time when local administration structures
were being established in Poland, and existing
state administration bodies transformed into new
local government agencies that were managed in
a new style, with the participation of local community.
This was accompanied with wide-spread enthusiasm.
New procedures were established, and we witnessed
a socio-economic transformation. This was a time
of success, a high rate of municipal investments,
quality service regarding social issues, and ample
sources of funding. And this is the major difference
between the two terms.
Today, we have fully-fledged local authorities,
but the finances are in a much worse condition.
When I took power last year, the city was highly
indebted. So, we are not free in making strategic
decisions, and we need to look for new solutions.
During this year, we have managed to develop,
consult and adopt a city development plan until
2010, and an investment program for the same period.
This means that we have reached a balance, made
specific decisions regarding when and what to
do, and told the local residents what we cannot
afford.
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Urz±d Miasta
Częstochowy/
Częstochowa City Hall
ul. ¦l±ska 11/13
42-200 Częstochowa
tel. 034 365 60 31
fax: 034 365 65 53
e-mail:
info@
czestochowa.um.gov.pl
www.czestochowa.
um.gov.pl
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- You stress the importance of cooperation
with local business circles. Is this the reason
why you have appointed an Economic Council linking
the heads of all business chambers and organizations
operating in the city?
- Absolutely. The cooperation between these 26
organizations constitutes an important element
of the consultations regarding our actions, including
strategic ones. These consultations with local
circles affect the development of economic potential
and the labor market in the city. Acting to maintain
and create new jobs is one of our priorities.
We have reacted fast, as at the beginning of this
term, the condition of the Częstochowa Steelworks
was so bad that the jobs of 5,500 employees of
the plant and companies cooperating with it were
at stake. City authorities, in cooperation with
the Ministry of Economy, the Industrial Development
Agency and other agencies, undertook efforts,
which resulted in the commencement of the restructuring
process in the steelworks. We have also taken
an active part in the "New Job" program, which
has been included in the Province’s development
strategy and consistently implemented. As a result,
an agreement on the creation of the Częstochowa
Industrial Park was concluded with the Industrial
Development Agency.
- You have also worked to improve the functioning
of City Hall...
- This is a major element of our operations. City
Hall is a place where we meet local residents
and solve their problems. We have commenced work
on the introduction of the ISO 9001 standard.
We are not the first in Poland to do so, but we
are proud to join those agencies who stress quality
service, and efficiency and transparent procedures.
- You are a Deputy President of the Association
of Polish Towns and the head of the team for Administration
and Safety at the Joint Committee of the State
and Local Government. To what extent do these
functions help you cope with day-to-day problems
at the local level?
- I was among the local administration officials
who reactivated the Association of Polish Towns
in 1990s. Now, after a break, I have come back
to its authorities. And as it was in the past,
the Association is an important body for me, because
I believe the sharing of experiences and ideas
to be an extremely valuable asset. And the fact
that we speak with one voice on major matters
helps us enforce more favorable legal regulations
from the government and Parliament. Being a representative
of the Association at the meetings of the Joint
Committee of the State and Local Government, I
can participate in the law making process.
- How do you perceive the future of Częstochowa?
Does your experience as a member of the Council
of Europe’s structures and an observer at the
Committee of the Regions help you make more daring
plans?
- Speaking of my vision for Częstochowa’s future,
I would like to recall a past event. Here I mean
the organization of the 6th International Youth
Day in 1991. At that time, the city was host to
1.5 million young people, who came here to meet
the Pope. Apart from the spiritual and moral dimension
of this event and the message of John Paul II,
which was propagated by the youth, the event was
a great success for the city. Local authorities
worked to achieve long-term benefit from the event.
Today, the Północ Housing Cooperative uses the
camping sites prepared for the meeting and provided
with utilities. What is more, the world has learnt
that the residents of Częstochowa are able to
pool their resources and stage a large and prestigious
event. We want local residents to remember this
and believe that today, after hard times, we are
able to get back on our feet. We are still making
efforts to be heard across the globe. We are stressing
the importance of promotional activities in the
city, which focus both on the economy and culture.
We are proud of the fact that Częstochowa was
the first city in Central and Eastern Europe to
have been awarded the prize of the Council of
Europe - Grand Prix, and that today, presiding
over the Association of Europe Prize-winning Towns,
we can welcome Klaipeda as a new member. What
is more, we do not sit on our hands to see the
results of our promotional activities, but rather
search for new solutions. We are aware that in
the difficult economic and financial condition
of the city, we need to pass some of our tasks
on to NGOs. We are also using opportunities resulting
form public-private partnerships. We have cooperated
with the "Aleje" Association on the modernization
of St Mary’s Avenue (Aleja Naj¶więtszej Marii
Panny), which is the city’s high street. We have
staged the First Global Congress of Residents
of Częstochowa to use the untapped potential of
the city’s former residents who live in different
parts of Poland and the world.
I am aware that we need to make great efforts,
in matters related with the European integration,
as well, but I remain optimistic. We can obtain
support, and we have already benefited from the
ISPA program. On the whole, I am not daunted by
the challenges; to the contrary, they mobilize
me and help me to focus. I know that the more
difficult tasks we face, the better prepared we
should be.
- Thank you for your time.
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