Polish ambassador reflects on seven years of service in Jordan

AMMAN — “I had a very exciting experience while serving as a representative of Poland in Jordan,” said Ambassador Krzysztof Bojko a few days after Poland’s observance of its national day, marked on May 3. 

The embassy will celebrate the occasion in Amman on Sunday.

“After seven years here, I feel I was lucky to serve in such a nice country, knowing interesting places and meeting good people,” he told The Jordan Times in an interview.

Bojko said his country appreciates the Kingdom’s policy of reform, where Jordan managed to maintain its stability in a conflict-ridden region.

The envoy said both countries, Jordan and Poland, have distinguished ties and “we are observing very interesting visits” at the official level.

Over the past period, and despite the economic crisis, the trade volume between the two countries witnessed an improvement.

In 2009, when the envoy moved to Jordan, the trade volume was $23 million.

Last year, it stood at $98 million, he said.

“The trade volume is four times higher. Every year we see more Polish products in Jordan,” Bojko noted, adding that there is a plan to bolster these relations further.

Cooperation in the field of archaeology is also improving, according to the diplomat.

There is a Polish mission working in Beit Ras in Irbid Governorate, some 80km north of Amman, and a new mission will start excavation work in Tafileh, some 180km southwest of the capital, next month, the ambassador explained.

He also noted that an agreement will be signed soon between a private university in Warsaw and the local private University of Petra to exchange students.

As for tourism, Bojko voiced hope that the situation would improve.

He noted that in 2011, before the so-called Arab Spring, up to 30,000 Poles used to visit Jordan.

“The number is less now,” he noted.

One of the reasons for having fewer tourists is that there are no direct flights between the two countries, according to Bojko.

Another reason is that there is no diplomatic representation of Jordan in Poland.

“This is needed, as having a Jordanian embassy in Warsaw would also contribute to boosting economic relations,” the ambassador explained, adding that any procedures now have to go through the Kingdom’s embassy in Berlin.

Poland marks its national day on the date when the country’s constitution was adopted. On May 3, 1791, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth’s constitution was adopted. It was the first constitution in modern Europe.

Bojko emphasised that just as the constitution was a turning point for Poland and other states and nations of Central Europe, similarly, the Hashemite-led Great Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire, whose centennial Jordan celebrates this year, was a landmark in the history of Jordan and other Arab countries of the Middle East. 

On the basis of these historic events, Poland and Jordan are building “the new optimistic reality of now”, he said.