The needs of Polish local governments: autonomy and financial stability Professor Mazur, who previously worked in the academic community and currently serves as a local government official, draws attention to the key needs of Polish cities. He emphasizes that local governments should have greater autonomy, both in terms of competences and finances. The current system, in which the central government transfers funds collected from local governments, limits their flexibility and makes the implementation of many initiatives difficult.
The stability of own revenues also plays a key role, giving cities greater financial independence.
Mazur also draws attention to the need to adapt local governments to contemporary technological realities. Modern cities operate in virtual space, and residents expect matters to be resolved quickly and effectively, regardless of which institution is responsible for them. In this context, it is crucial to build urban communities in which residents feel responsible for the city and are actively involved in its development.
Building Local Communities in Krakow Krakow, as an academic city and cultural center, attracts thousands of students and migrant workers each year. Mazur notes that one of the challenges the city faces is building strong local communities, which are not limited to those living in Krakow permanently, but also include those who come to study or work.
On the one hand, Krakow is struggling with globalization, which makes the streets of cities all over the world look similar – the same shops, the same brands. On the other hand, as Mazur notes, residents miss locality, wanting to create meeting places where they can talk about the problems of their neighborhoods and streets. Such spaces are key to building engaged communities.
Kraków compared to other cities – state of finances Kraków, despite numerous successes, faces financial difficulties.
According to reports, the city is among the top Polish cities in terms of quality of life, education and salaries. However, one of the main problems that Krakow is currently struggling with is the high level of debt. Many investments made in the past have significantly improved the quality of life of residents, but at the same time have burdened the city budget.
Mazur emphasizes that the city must face the challenge of continuing to invest with limited financial resources. Future investments, such as the metro, will require cooperation with the central government and obtaining EU funds.
Metro in Krakow – a civilization project One of the most important projects that Krakow is to implement is the construction of the metro. Professor Mazur calls the metro a “civilization project”, emphasizing its key role in the development of the city. Despite initial skepticism, more and more residents and experts now see the need to implement this investment.
The project involves the construction of the first metro line with a length of 26 kilometers.
Although this investment exceeds the city’s budget, Krakow intends to finance it with a combination of central and European funds and loans. Construction is to begin after obtaining an environmental decision, and the planned date for completion of technical documentation is mid-2025.
Mazur points out that the construction of the metro in Kraków should not encounter the geological problems that have affected other cities, such as Warsaw or Łódź. Kraków has favorable geological conditions, which will allow for the safe excavation of tunnels at a depth of about 30 meters, well below the level of the historic urban fabric.
Challenges of the future
Despite financial difficulties, Kraków continues its ambitious development plans.
Key investments, such as the metro, are to significantly affect the quality of life of residents and make the city even more friendly to both residents and tourists. Professor Mazur emphasizes that the city is focusing on strategic development, which must take into account limited budget resources and the need to abandon some projects in order to implement priority investments.
Krakow, although struggling with financial difficulties, does not intend to give up on its ambitious development plans. The construction of the metro is just one of the projects that are to improve the quality of life in the city. The involvement of residents in building strong local communities and further cooperation of the local government with the central government and foreign partners in order to obtain the necessary funds for future investments will also be key.
