Polish PM: mining industry needs investment

Recent years have not been kind to the Polish mining industry, PM Szydło said during celebrations on 4 December marking the feast of St. Barbara, the patron saint of miners.

"But I believe in it deeply that the government, with the support of state-run operations, society, and miners, can manage to create good prospects for the Polish mining industry,” Szydło said.

"Polish economy needs the mining industry, and the Polish mining industry needs to develop.

"There must be additional investment, it must be modernised, because that is the world today.

"I deeply believe that this plan can be achieved, because at the moment there is a good climate for development, as well as a great determination of people in the government who have taken responsibility for the mining industry. There is also a great determination of all of you who are connected with mining," said Prime Minister Szydło, herself the daughter of a miner.

Poland is one of the last economies in Europe to be heavily dependent on hard coal. However, the country’s mining industry, focused mainly in the south of Poland, has been suffering financial difficulty in the past years in the face of cheap imports of hard coal. (rg/rk)