Mayor of Gdynia

Gdynia: Dynamic Business Sector, High Quality of Life

Wojciech Szczurek, Mayor of Gdynia, discusses the city’s key goals.

European Times: What makes Gdynia special?

Wojciech Szczurek, Mayor of Gdynia

Wojciech Szczurek: Gdynia has achieved top rankings in independent studies by Forbes and others which have evaluated many factors, including quality of life, employment rate, environmental protection, business climate and workers’ skills. Gdynia’s investment climate is one of the best, and our coastline, lively cultural scene, and well-developed education and health services add to the city’s appeal.

European Times: What are your priorities for future development?

Wojciech Szczurek: as a port city, we focus strongly on infrastructure development. Current infrastructure projects which will enhance Gdynia’s investment attractions include the a1 motorway, a new airport in Gdynia to complement the airport of Gdansk, and a planned rail line from Gdynia to the Gdansk airport and the Kashubian region. We welcome the involvement of international companies and investors as we continue to develop our city and to participate in joint projects with Gdansk and other pomeranian towns. We have already had many successful partnerships with organisations and companies in sweden, Germany, Finland and other countries. We want to boost our business activities while also ppositioning Gdynia as a very desirable place to live.

European Times: Which sectors have the most potential?

Wojciech Szczurek: twenty years ago, Gdynia’s economy was dominated by the maritime sector, but now the city has many fast-growing sectors, including iCt and industrial design. We have seen strong growth among our small and mediumsized enterprises in several fields. projects like the pomeranian science and technology park have helped spur on innovation-based enterprises here. Gdynia now has low unemployment and a very dynamic private sector.

European Times: What challenges does Gdynia face?

Wojciech Szczurek: Gdynia must make the most of its strategic location and port, while also developing the potential of our people. We welcome investors who can help improve quality of life here in Gdynia. We offer a very transparent tax regime and skilled human resources.

European Times: What is your personal message to potential investors?

Wojciech Szczurek: Gdynia grew from a couple of buildings in 1920 to become the biggest port on the Baltic a dozen or so years later. this shows how dynamic the city is and how open it is to development. I think Gdynia’s openness and flexibility make it particularly attractive to foreign investors. our residents have always been go-getters and we are proud of Gdynia’s entrepreneurial spirit. Gdynia has created the right fundamentals for businesses here to achieve success.