Finance Minister Jacek Rostowski has said there is “every reason to believe” that the years 2014-2015 will be better for Europe and should usher in a “significant rebound” for the Polish economy. The finance minister made the comments at an economic debate organized by the opposition Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) party last week.

“We will have a tough 2012 and a tough 2013, with a significant slowdown, we are aware of this,” said Mr Rostowski before making his more optimistic forecast for the subsequent years.

However, economists say a lot depends on how the word “significant” is defined in this context, and how the global economic crisis plays out.

Witold Orłowski, chief economic advisor at PwC, who was also at the debate, said it is “unlikely that Polish GDP growth will return to 5-7 percent if Western Europe does not solve its problems.”

Poland A.M.