Press Release No. 10/112

Press Release No. 10/112
March 25, 2010

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), will visit Warsaw, Poland, on March 29 and Bucharest, Romania, on March 30, for meetings with the authorities about recent economic developments as well as discussions with business leaders, parliamentarians, students and others about the economic and political transition of Central and Eastern Europe over the past 20 years and the challenges ahead.

“The economic, political, and social transformation of Central and Eastern Europe helped unify most of the historically divided Europe, promoted democracy and prosperity, and helped secure peace and stability in the region,” Mr. Strauss-Kahn said. “The citizens of Central and Eastern Europe can be proud of their achievements, and I’m looking forward to discussing with different people the road ahead.”

In Warsaw, Mr. Strauss-Kahn will meet with Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Finance Minister Jacek Rostowski, and National Bank President Slawomir Skrzypek to discuss global and regional economic developments. He will also speak to students of the Warsaw School of Economics about the economic, political, and social transition of the region since the fall of the Berlin Wall and discuss with them the benefits and challenges of closer integration with the European Union. Mr. Strauss-Kahn will also join a panel discussion on this topic with high-level participants, including Vaira Vike-Freiberga, Adam Michnik, and Jacques Rupnik.

In Bucharest, Mr. Strauss-Kahn will meet with President Traian Băsescu, Prime Minister Emil Boc, Minister of Public Finance Sebastian Vladescu, and Central Bank Governor Mugur Isarescu to discuss recent developments under the authorities’ economic program. Mr. Strauss-Kahn will also discuss with students at the Academy of Economic Studies the role of the IMF in the global crisis and address Parliament regarding Romania’s economic outlook.

This will be Mr. Strauss-Kahn’s first visit to both countries as IMF Managing Director.