INVESTMENT PRIORITIES AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES OF RURAL COMMUNES

The aim of the article is to analyse the development priorities of rural communes. The basis for identifying these priorities was research carried out late in 2004, within the framework of the STRUDER programme for the sustainable development of rural areas, in more than 400 Polish communes that differed in many respects and that represented various types of rural areas. The conducted research provided information about the implemented and planned investments as well as actions launched by local governments to improve the financial situation of the analysed communes. The authoress also refers to the results of the first analyses concerning the implementation of some EU programmes, especially those arousing the greatest interest of local governments. It turns out that regardless of the type of environment the principal direction of activities launched by local authorities is the development of communal infrastructure and mainly the construction of roads, sewage systems, sewage treatment plants and water supply systems. Another important sphere of activity is the development of educational infrastructure (construction and modernisation of educational facilities).