Will a “second Warsaw” be created? A metropolis project for 2 million inhabitants
Silesian cities cooperating within the Upper Silesian-Zagłębie Metropolis are becoming more and more bold about the idea of creating one common city, operating like Warsaw.
The cities of Silesia have been strengthening cooperation within the Upper Silesian-Zagłębie Metropolis (GZM) for years. Despite existing structures, such as the metropolitan union, which includes 41 local governments, this cooperation still encounters certain limitations. One of the revolutionary proposals that is currently being considered is the creation of one integrated city modeled on Warsaw – explains Kazimierz Karolczak, chairman of GMZ, in an interview with the local government portal.
Metropolitan Union
Currently, the Upper Silesian-Zagłębie Metropolis operates as a metropolitan union, bringing together individual communes. This is a unique structure in Poland, the aim of which is to standardize activities in areas such as transport. However, there are still significant differences between individual municipalities, e.g. in fees, resulting from individual tenders.
GMZ is considering further integration, but this requires changes in the law. Karolczak emphasizes that the goal is not to transform GZM cities into districts, but to introduce a certain division of competences and create a metropolitan commune that will deal with supra-local tasks.
A city modeled on Warsaw
This proposal would unleash the potential of a metropolis with over 2 million inhabitants and open it to broad cooperation with investors from all over the world. This vision would assume the position of a Silesian metropolis comparable to Warsaw.
“We do not plan to transform GZM cities into districts, so they will still have their presidents and mayors, as well as city councils. However, the point is to introduce a certain division of competences and create a metropolitan commune that will implement the above-mentioned supra-local, higher-level tasks,” said Kazimierz Karolczak.
