World Bank president Robert Zoellick delivered a keynote speech at the event organised by the Institute of International Finance (IIF), Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington and the Polish-American Freedom Foundation. Zoellick spoke about the peaceful revolution in Eastern Europe in 1989 in which “the Polish nation was in the front row”. Among the speakers were: Zbigniew Brzeziński, US President Carter’s security adviser who now works with CSIS, David Lepton, President Obama’s adviser on world finance, former Polish Prime Minister Marek Belka, currently the director of the European Department of the World Bank and Yegor Gaidar, the first Prime Minister of democratic Russia.

The debaters also tackled the issue of the 2008 global financial crisis which caused deterioration in some CEE countries. Professor Leszek Balcerowicz, the author of the Poland’s shock therapy, former prime minister and finance minister, was the guest speaker at a reception following the conference.

Sławomir Skrzypek, president of the National Bank of Poland, also delivered a speech. “I hope that owing to this conference, it will be once again highlighted how important Poland’s contribution was to the transformation which took place in Europe” Skrzypek told journalists. He underlined that aware of its success Poland should not rest on its laurels.
“Poland undoubtedly stands out from other countries, but we should also keep in mind our weaknesses. Poland’s fiscal policy is currently the country’s weakest point. The growing budget deficit is a large problem which may worsen in the upcoming years” NBP president is quoted as saying by wnp.pl.