At the 32nd Economic Forum in Karpacz, Roman Matys, President of the International Investment Office, spoke about how communities should choose investments when money is short and the problems left by the pandemic and the war in Ukraine keep piling up.
His main point: first a development master plan for the territory, then individual projects. Without a plan, every initiative becomes a patch that fixes one problem and opens another.
An example from the discussion was micromobility. E-scooters and bikes were supposed to ease congestion, but in cities without the infrastructure for them, accidents went up. Some cities ended up banning them, because residents did not know the rules and there were no dedicated lanes.
In Ukraine, the war has pushed sustainable development into the background, and defence remains the priority. Still, communities should plan for life after victory now, and some solutions work both in wartime and in peacetime.
Once a community has a strategy and a phased plan, investors come with concrete proposals themselves. And it is easier for local authorities to explain to residents and councillors why the budget goes to these particular projects.
The panel also included Robert Raczyński, Mayor of Lubin; Rafał Komarewicz, Chairman of Kraków City Council; Janusz Włodarczyk (Lidl Polska) and Paweł Gryb (SAS Polska). It was moderated by Paweł Czuryło, founder of SNAP Media.
How we prepare such documents for communities: Territorial development strategy.
Original (in Ukrainian): matys.com.ua