Pandemic ends 30-year growth streak for Polish economy

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Preliminary figures show that Poland’s economy shrank 2.8% during 2020 due to the pandemic, ending three decades of constant growth. The report released Friday showed that the usual driving forces of the economy faltered. Private sector spending shrank by 3% and investment contracted by 8.4%. It was the first contraction in Poland’s GDP since a 7% drop in 1991, when the economy was going through a painful transformation from being centrally-run to a market-driven system. Like most other countries, Poland’s economy was disrupted severely in 2020 by restrictions on public life meant to contain the coronavirus.