Construction of others is progressing much too slowly. This causes chaos in the distribution of funds, and since the government's contribution is uncertain, it is feared that the tram network might be liquidated. The obvious solution is to at least improve the pre-fabs so that they will last longer, but there are no funds for this, let alone for building new municipal housing estates. On the brighter side, there is interesting architecture to be found in Silesia, both old and new. Certain other buildings, however, are already being closed down or torn down.
Theses are the profitless coal mines.
If one had to pin down the chief problem of the area, then social tensions brought on by GOP's loss of its defining characteristic as an area of heavy industry would have to take first place. With a huge potential market of 4 million people, it has already become a very attractive place. In 1997, a ranking of Polish cities most attractive for investors, published by the Warsaw Business Journal , GOP cities occupied seven out of the ten top positions. It may be tough to wave goodbye to the ethos of hard work which many people associate too narrowly with the industrial past. On the other hand, this ethos could prove to be useful when hard work will be needed again to build a different future.