Coffee, Rzeczpospolita and the Economy: What Donald Tusk Drinks and Reads

Donald Tusk’s latest economic message came with a large cup of coffee in one hand and a copy of Rzeczpospolita in the other. In a video posted on X, the prime minister presented the newspaper’s front page and its headline describing Poland as the European Union’s growth leader.

The headline referred to a report by international consultancy EY. Its experts forecast that the Polish economy will expand by 3.9% this year, roughly three times faster than the euro zone. Tusk described the result in upbeat terms, saying that Poland was moving forward despite global turmoil and that coffee stimulated work while “we stimulate the economy.”

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Another coffee is already finished, so I have news for you that goes perfectly with coffee.

But the article adds a warning to the celebratory message. Growth is expected to slow in the coming years, and economists say Poland must meet several conditions if it wants to continue developing. A demographic crisis could bring serious economic consequences over the next several years, affecting consumption, demand and the labour market.

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Despite the dramatic global situation, turmoil and turbulence, Poland is moving forward like a battering ram! Coffee stimulates us to work, and we stimulate the economy.

Marek Rozkrut, EY’s chief economist for Europe and Central Asia, said Poland should act now by creating economic conditions that support starting families, pursuing a considered migration policy, promoting preventive healthcare, expanding access to care, and investing in robotics and automation. The commentary presents these recommendations as a minimum plan for both the government and opposition, including cooperation with a president whose vetoes are described as paralyzing economic policy.

The article ends by suggesting that political forces should sit down over coffee and agree on how not to squander Poland’s current success. Only then, it says, might the optimistic refrain “Coffee is coming in” be heard again.

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To maintain its position as the regional leader, Poland should already seek to soften these effects by creating an economic reality that supports starting a family, pursuing a considered migration policy, promoting preventive healthcare and increasing access to care, and investing in robotics and automation.