New figures from the Central Statistical Agency reveal that wages in the richer western regions of Poland are as much as 1,300 zloty (330 euro) more per month than in eastern provinces, commonly regarded as being much poorer.

The statistics show that wages for industrial workers in the Mazovian and Silesian regions are between 900 – 1,300 zloty higher than in other provinces, especially the Swietokrzyskie, Warmia-Masurian, and Subcarpathian regions.

The East-West divide, which has been dubbed ‘Poland A’ and ‘Poland B’ in the country’s media, is more than apparent in the Subcarpathian region, the Dziennik Gazeta Prawna daily notes.

In 2000, wages for industrial workers in the south-eastern Subcarpathian region amounted to 12.8 percent less than the domestic average, although at the end of 2010 that figure amounted to 16.9 percent.

A similar situation was found to have taken place in the Swietokrzyskie region, where wage levels were only 4.4 percent less in 2000, but in 2010 amounted to 10.6 percent less than the national average.

In the Warmia-Masurian region, the situation is even worse, informs the daily. In 2000, wages amounted to 12 percent less than the national average, while at the end of last year that figure had dropped to 21.4 percent.

“Wages in [eastern Poland] increase at a slower rate because production also rises at a slower rate [there],” Jakub Borowski, chief economist at Invest Bank told Dziennik Gazeta Prawna, adding that the major reason for this is a lack of capital and foreign direct investment.

Borowski also said that the presence of more dynamic markets, such as Germany’s, make for an increase in trade, and thus wages. “[Poland] doesn’t have such neighbours to the east,” the economist underlined. (jb)