Gminy z Godłem TERAZ POLSKA
Dodatek promocyjny do RZECZPOSPOLITEJ.
9 listopada 2007 r.

po polsku

Słupsk: Now.

Maciej Kobyliński, the mayor of Słupsk

On May 21, 2007, Słupsk was awarder the "Poland: Now" Promotional Emblem. I was extremely pleased to receive this prestigeous award during the "Poland: Now" Programme Gala Concert in the Grand Theater in Warsaw.

What makes me particularly happy is the fact that this was the first time that the Polish Promotional Programme Foundation included local communes in the contest and that we were among the winners. The objective of the contest was to select, and to award with the "Poland: Now" emblem, the best communes in Poland with respect to economic prudence and attractiveness to both their inhabitants and entrepreneurs. The fact that the Contest Chapter saw these qualities in our city is our great success.

The award is an exceptional promotional tool that we are using to highlight the appeal of our city that will further help us attract more investors. The "Poland: Now" Emblem guarantees that we are solid and diligent partners. It demonstrates the city's modernity and underlines its unique qualities. It constitutes a tool to build the city's good name and to increase its prestige.

Receiving the "Poland: Now" Emblem strengthened my conviction that we are going in the right direction by conducting a proper investment policy and assuring proper access to technical infrastructure. What is also important to us is the positive appraisal by the Contest Chapter of the city's social policy, the management and organization of the City Hall, and the scope of our promotional activities. All our efforts have put Słupsk in the top echelon, the the elite of Polish local governments. We intend to stay there and, in order to achieve it, we will continue to work for the balanced development of Słupsk and its region.

Słupsk: a city of good reputation

Słupsk has the second largest population in the Pomorskie Province, after the Tri-City, and is located between the two main sea port systems of Szczecin - Świnoujście and Gdańsk - Gdynia. The city is located in the north-western part of the Pomorskie Province, in the Słowińskie Sea Coast, approximately 130 kilometers away from the sea ports of Gdansk and Gdynia, and approximately 120 kilometers away from the international airport in Rębiechów. An important element of Poland's road system, the following roads go through the city of Słupsk: road no. 6 that connects Berlin with the Kaliningrad District of Russia through Szczecin and the Tri-City; the road connecting Ustka with Miastko and Piła and leading towards Poznan; and the road to Bydgoszcz and Toruń. Słupsk is also a railroad hub that connects the Pomerania region with western Poland. The sea port of Ustka is located just 18 kilometers away from Słupsk; both cities are partners in the program aimed at furthering the idea of a Dual City.

The location of Słupsk on both sides of the Słupia river dates back to the 9th century. Today the city has approximately 100 thousand inhabitants and covers an area of 43 square kilometers. The city plays an important role in its region; it is a seat of many institutions and service providers, among others it is an important education and research center, the seat of the Pomeranian Pedagogical University and the Higher Hanzeatic School of Management, as well as many secondary schools. Branches of all major banks and leasing companies, institutions supporting economic development, such as the Słupsk Industry and Trade Chamber and the Słupsk Economic Innovation and Entrepreneurship Association, are located here.

Another advantage of Słupsk are tax incentives for investors. Effective fight with unemployment is a high priority to the local government. Unemployed persons who start their own companies are exempt from company registration fees. The resolution of June 2005 relieves entrepreneurs who create new jobs in the city from property taxes. What the local job market has to offer to companies are inexpensive and readily available employees. The city authorities support entrepreneurs through subsidies provided by the Słupsk Economic Innovation and Entrepreneurship Association, as well as holding shares in the Pomeranian Loan Fund and opening in the City Hall a Service Point of the GRYF Loan Fund, in cooperation with the Polish Entrepreneurship Foundation. We are also planning to start a Local Entrepreneurship Contact Point. Słupsk is a seat of approximately 14 thousand business entities that include companies of European renown.

In September 1997, a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) was created, on approximately 136 hectars of land, in the city of Słupsk and the surrounding commune. Until recently, the SEZ occupied approximately 210 hectars, but it has been extended by another 160 hectars. The managing body of the SEZ is the Pomeranian Agency for Regional Development. The Agency's main role is to promote and develop the zone and to provide investors with comprehensive assistance. The area of the SEZ is, for the most part, fitted with utility installations. Companies located in the SEZ take advantage of public aid in the form of corporate income tax deductions related to their new investment outlays.

The city's accomplishments in cooperation with foreign partners show the openness of the city authorities and inhabitants. In 1993 Słupsk was awarded the Diploma of Honor by the Council of Europe for its achievements in developing cooperation with European cities and its efforts to protect the natural environment. Another important award was the European Flag of Honour that Słupsk received in 1994. The Flag is a symbol of appreciation for the city's efforts to promote connections and understanding between the nations of Europe. In 1997, Słupsk was praised for its contribution to the process of European integration and received the European Plaque of Honour. The city is also a winner of multiple awards and prizes for its promotion of ecology, its investment activities and other works; these awards include the "Poland: Now" emblem, the title of "Patron of Polish Ecology," and the "Fair Play Commune" title, as well as the "Modernization of the Year" award. Moreover, Słupsk won the first place in the ranking of cities of administrative district status conducted by the Association of Polish Districts.

The participants of the 13th World Games of the Polonia (Polish diaspora) that took place in Słupsk in late July and early August 2007 have not failed to notice the kindness and hospitality of the inhabitants of Słupsk. The Games attracted a record high number of Poles living all over the world. Thanks to large outlays on improving the city's sports infrastructure, Słupsk has become the host of Poland's Juniors and Young Athletes Light Athletics Championship. The Energa Czarni Słupsk basketball team, supported by the City Hall, is continuing the rich sports traditions of Słupsk in its performance in the basketball 1st league.

Słupsk conducts an active pro-investment policy aimed at attracting outside capital; the city's own investment outlays constitute approximately 21% of its total budget. New investments are being included in the framework of the Multi-year Investment Plan which comprises plans of balanced socio-economic development, as defined in the Updated Development Strategy of the City of Słupsk, a document listing the main priorities and strategies for the city's development.

Słupsk is in fashion

Słupsk is located in the center of a region that is abundant in tourist attractions; the nearby towns (the most popular sea coast resorts of Ustka and Łeba) have a rich touristic and cultural offer. The region's greatest values are the beautiful sea coast and numerous lakes surrounded by forests, and the Słowiński National Park with its unique moving sand dunes. The Landscape Park of the Słupia River Valley, and such famous tourist attractions as the "Chequered Country" and the "Hydroelectric Power Plants Trail" on the Słupia river, add to the beauty of the city's surroundings.

From the tower of the century old City Hall, which offers free access to tourists, one can see a panoramic view of the city, with many interesting sights such as the St. Jack Church, the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, the Witch Tower, the Castle of the Pomeranian Dukes, the Castle's Mill, or the Richter Granary.

Years ago, Słupsk used to be called Little Paris or Paris of the North due to the extraordinary ambiance of its old townhouses, its magic sights, and its multicultural character. Thanks to the efforts to improve the outlooks of the city, today it also deserves to be called so, being one of the most beautiful cities of northern Poland.

It is Słupsk that hosts the largest collection of works by Stanislaw Ignacy Witkiewicz, counting over 250 of items, including pastel drawings on paper. It is Słupsk that, in September, hosts the Festival of Polish Piano Playing, where the most accomplished Polish piano players, living in Poland and abroad, have presented their art uninterruptedly for over forty years. Moreover, in the summer, Słupsk is a host of many mass events involving the city's inhabitants as well as tourists visiting Pomerania.

As the last several years have witnessed a significant economic boom and an influx of outside capital, the new investments completed in the city are worth hundreds of millions of zlotys. Very soon, due to the number of large surface commerce and entertainment centers, Słupsk will become the commerce capital of northern Poland. With the growth of the city's affluence, the standard of living of its citizens is improving. This is confirmed by the incrase of per capita income and larger receipts in the city's treasury from the personal and corporate income taxes.

Tourism is an important part of the economy of both the city and the region. To enrich the city's offer to tourists visiting Pomerania in their holidays who are looking for the so-called 3S's (Sea, Sand and Sun), the local government is planning to build an aquapark. This investment is high on the priority list. Currently, the City Hall is looking for private investors who will participate in a public-private partnership to complete the investment. All market analyses demonstrate the need to build such a facility in the beautiful city of Słupsk. n

www.slupsk.pl