The Polish economy grew 5.1% in the first quarter of this year, the country’s Central Statistical Office (GUS) said in a flash estimate on Tuesday.

The reading was better than that expected by analysts, who had predicted first-quarter growth of around 4.8%.

Polish GDP grew 4.9% in the final quarter of 2017, according to the Central Statistical Office.

The office said last month that the Polish economy grew 4.6% in 2017 as a whole.

According to Investment and Development Minister Jerzy Kwieciński, Poland is capable of maintaining economic growth of between 4 and 5 percent in the years ahead.

The European Commission earlier this month upgraded its forecast for Poland's 2018 GDP growth to 4.3 percent from a previous projection of 4.2 percent.

The World Bank in late April revised upward Poland's 2018 GDP growth forecast to 4.2 percent from a previous estimate of 4 percent.

(gs)

Source: IAR