Poland Will Decline Credit Support from the World Bank
Poland is preparing to exit the World Bank’s main lending program, which will mark an important milestone in the transformation of its economy and its transition to self-financing of development.
The World Bank’s Board of Directors has approved a new partnership framework with Poland, which will remain in effect until 2031.
After this period ends, the country will cease to regularly borrow under the IBRD program.
Thus, Poland is effectively transitioning to the status of an economy that no longer requires standard credit support from the institution.
The decision was made against the backdrop of the country’s strengthening economic position within the EU. In particular, Poland’s GDP growth is expected to reach 3.5% in 2026, one of the highest rates in the EU after Malta.
The average forecast for EU economic growth is 1.1%.
Unemployment also remains among the lowest in the EU, and Poland’s real GDP has more than tripled since 1990.
Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski emphasized that the World Bank has played a significant role in the country’s development; however, no new borrowing is planned after 2031, except in cases of force majeure.
“The World Bank has played an important role in facilitating Poland’s transformation, but no further borrowing [after 2031] is anticipated, except in unforeseen circumstances,” he said.
The World Bank highlighted Poland’s success as an example of economic transformation and announced its intention to use Poland’s experience as a model for other countries.
“Few countries have achieved what Poland has,” said Anna Bjerde, Managing Director of the World Bank.
Since 1990, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development has provided Poland with more than $15 billion in financing.
In recent years, these funds have been directed primarily toward environmental projects, flood control, and reducing air pollution.
Following Poland’s exit from the World Bank’s main lending program, Romania, Bulgaria, and Croatia will remain among the EU countries that will continue to have access to regular IBRD financing.
The decision effectively cements Poland’s status as one of the strongest economies in Central and Eastern Europe, which is gradually transitioning from a recipient of international support to a donor of transformation expertise.
This was reported by the Financial Times.
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