Q: Did you expect that the results of the ranking would be so favourable for Katowice?
A: I am a bit surprised, because we are not usually pampered by the media. We often hear negative opinions. But I don’t think they are justified. According to journalists, Katowice is off-putting. My point is that that Katowice is not just the city centre. The suburbs of Nikiszowiec and Brynów are well worth a visit. When I was elected mayor, I decided to launch a transformation not from the top down, but from its foundations, first of all the road system. Katowice now has very good transport links with the outside world. In the centre we are now facing problems due to the modernization of the sewage system. But all those who realize how difficult that is understand our decision. There is a real chance to complete Katowice’s transformation within a few years’ time. All it takes is some patience.
Q: There are those who say that Katowice has a bad image tarnished by post-industrial poverty, pollution and social conflicts. Yet independent studies more and more frequently belie that image. What is your perception of Katowice and its prospects? What has been possible to achieve and what projects are being implemented?
A: First of all, I must say that the stereotype is completely wrong. I believe that it relates to the way things were in the distant past. Probably those who say otherwise haven’t been to Katowice for ages. Katowice is a city on the move. This is primarily thanks to its inhabitants, who know what their home town should look like. They come up with their ideas, which the local government transforms into a general vision, which is then implemented as far as the possibilities allow. The results of studies conducted in recent years confirm this. The people of Katowice admit that their quality of life gets better and better. Green areas occupy more than 60% of the city’s territory, which I reckon belies the claim that Katowice is a symbol of environmental degradation. Of course, just like in any metropolis we can find areas threatened by degradation. In such cases we take preventive steps through revitalization to restore the area’s lost social and economic functions and to make it more attractive to investors.
However, the alleged social conflicts are simply not there. The only thing that comes to mind possibly concerns misunderstandings relating to the ongoing mining industry restructuring process. As the example of other countries proves, this is a natural public reaction.
The image of Katowice changes. We all witness this fact. This city enjoys prestige not just in Poland, but also in Europe. This year Katowice has won the Europe Award for its many pro-European undertakings. We successfully compete with other cities for the right to host cultural and sports events. The Spodek (Flying Saucer) sports and entertainment hall in Katowice regularly plays host to music and sports stars of the highest calibre. Katowice is also attractive in investment terms. This is confirmed in investor’s interest in plans to revamp the city centre, notably to create a large congress centre in Katowice. Major investment projects are underway in housing construction. The local transport system is being upgraded, what with the Katowice section of the A4 motorway and the fast transit road cutting across the city with a 650 metre long tunnel under the central roundabout, the only one of its kind in Poland.
The face of Katowice is changing for the better. There is no stopping this process. However, we must still wait some time until the vision becomes a reality.
Q: For more than a decade Poland looked away from coal and other traditional Silesian industries. But with an eye to energy security and to contribute to the prevention of climate change, this country is going back to the roots. Are the big hopes attached to clean coal technologies matched by equally big hopes for the revitalization of Silesian cities and industry?
A: A lot is said nowadays about possible problems with securing the supplies of oil and gas, while it is pointed out that coal is much more easily accessible. Its transport costs are lower and coal prices are more stable. Clean coal technologies thus carry a lot of promise. We all want to extract coal safely and economically, while curbing the emissions of hazardous substances from burning coal. That is why in 2005 the city of Katowice signed a partnership agreement with other institutions to form the Innovative Silesian Cluster of Clean Coal Technologies. The idea behind the cluster is to make it into a catalyst for the development of the region’s economy, while at the same time raising its competitiveness level on the national and foreign markets.