Polish Consulate...

"After all, she's an adult. Was the prosecutor supposed to beat her with a belt or a rod?"
-Minister of Justice Grzegorz Kurczuk on the prosecutor who has been accused of a close relationship with a person suspected of multi-million economic fraud and of fraternizing with criminals

"Ever since he lost his post because of his mistakes, he has behaved like a vicious dog."
-Piotr Gadzinowski, a deputy from the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD), on Mariusz Lapiñski, former health minister, removed from the party, who is now the secretary of the recently founded Federative Caucus that votes against the government on budget issues

"Tragic intellectual form, weak intuition, in an emotional slump."
-A description, published on the SLD website, of the bio-rhythm of Prime Minister Leszek Miller on the day when he appointed Józef Oleksy deputy prime minister and minister of internal affairs and administration

"It's because whenever you see Prime Minister [Leszek] Miller on TV, you can see Iwiñski right behind him."
-An opposition deputy on why Tadeusz Iwiñski (SLD), a minister in the Prime Minister's Office, is called "Backpack" in the Sejm

"We do not want a name that will promote the European Union."
-Krzysztof Mitkiewicz, a councilor from the League of Polish Families (LPR) in Warsaw's district of Praga Po³udnie, protesting against calling one of the local streets after Robert Schuman, one of "the fathers of Europe"

"Well, someone must have made the website that way."
-An employee of the President's Office, when asked by reporters why the president's official website includes two mistakes in the text of the national anthem

posted by: Oborski at 20:14 | link | comments |

Polish foreign minister in Slovakia

Polish foreign minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz has said that the Visehrad Group members have only a few months to work out a common stand on the EU’s eastern policy. If the stand is not agreed, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech republic and Hungary will lose an opportunity to present a united front on the European scene and promote their interests effectively. Minister Cimoszewicz said after talks with the Slovak Parliamentary Speaker Pavol Hrushovsky in Bratislava that the Visehrad Group should move from declarations to concrete actions. In his opinion, a common stand is necessary also on the future Constitutional Treaty of the European Union.

Polish-Indonesian arms contract

Representatives of the Polish arms industry – accompanying president Aleksander Kwasniewski on his visit to Indonesia – have signed contracts with Indonesian firms. The deals were concluded during a Polish-Indonesian forum in Djakarta.
The Mielec aviation plant will cooperate with Indonesian Aerospace in the production of Sky Truck planes, while the Naval Shipyard of Gdynia, on the Baltic Sea coast, will repair Indonesian vessels.
Addressing Indonesian and Polish businessmen at the forum, President Kwasniewski encouraged them to build stronger cooperation ties.
Looking at the Indonesian market is also Poland’s Bumar, which recently lost a tender on supplying equipment to the Iraqi army. Its viceprsident Andrzej Spis said that his firm is holding talks on delivering heavy military equipment and radars to Indonesia.

Hausner on his austerity plan

Poland’s vicepremier Jerzy Hausner has reiterated that if the Parliament fails to adopt the fundamental bills of his austerity plan, it would mean that the plan is no longer valid. Voting on the first elements of the plan is scheduled for March the 5th. The House is to decide about legislative work on bills on the promotion of employment and the labour market institutions as well as on pensions.
Commenting on the recent voting on amendments to the VAT law, in which MPs of the ruling Democratic Left Alliance sided with the opposition to reject some government proposals, vicepremier Hausner said this was unacceptable conduct. This provokes questions about differences of view between the government and its parliamentary representation. This situation should be regarded as a final warning, Hausner said.
The alliance’s parliamentary group is discussing this matter today.

Plans of New BBC Radio in Warsaw

Representatives of the Polish Section of BBC have discussed plans for a new BBC radio station in Warsaw with representatives of the National Broadcasting Council. BBC is prepared to launch digital broadcasts, but since too few listeners would be able to receive them, it is interested in broadcasting on VHF. A spokeswoman for the broadcasting council Dorota Jas³owska says that it has no free VHF frequencies at the moment. The two sides decided to continue search for a frequency which would meet the needs of the new radio. According to plans, it is to broadcast mainly information programs addressed to open-minded, mature people. There would be alternating slots in Polish and English. It is to be a non-commercial radio station, subsidized by the BBC

Defence Ministers of Poland and Indonesia, Jerzy Szmajdzinski and Air Marshal Suprihadi, have signed a declaration on military-technical cooperation in Jakarta. The document was signed in the presence of Polish and Indonesian Presidents Aleksander Kwasniewski and Megawati Sukarnoputri. Szmajdzinski said this is an initial step before the next phase - the signing of an agreement on military-technical cooperation which may contribute to Poland's many-year presents on the Indonesian market and strengthen our bilateral relations. He added Poland wants to develop cooperation with Indonesia in such fields as logistics and defence industries. We would want to intensify exchange of information and visits of military representatives as well as to enlarge the scope of training. The Polish minister said that Poland's offer for Indonesia is very broad and includes airplanes, helicopters and advanced radar technologies as well as the modernization of post-soviet hardware used by the Indonesian army. Szmajdzinski added that talks with Indonesia focus on radars, patrol cutters as well as choppers and Skytruck airplanes.

Sejm Speaker Marek Borowski believes that the vote taking system to the EU council adopted in Nice in 2000 is vital for all countries that are soon to become members of the European Union. The Polish Sejm speaker emphasized the need to stick to the Nice settlements during his talks with the Czech Chamber of Deputies after the presentation of Poland's stand on the EU Constitution. According to Borowski, the Nice system provides the new EU members with a better position and broader opportunities. The number of votes granted to Poland under the Nice system is almost equal to that Germany has (minus two votes). It has recently been strongly opposed by France and Germany alike that would like to see big EU states with large populations having greater say in the future EU council. Borowski was assured that the Czech side would reconsider advantages and costs of a possible defence of the Nice system.

The government is determined to carry out the plan designed to rationalize public spending, PM Leszek Miller told a news conference. He stressed that talks with the opposition on the so called Hausner plan showed that there was no alternative for the government programme. Information on talks with the opposition shared by deputy PM Jerzy Hausner with the government indicated that no grouping presented a reasonable competitive programme that could become a sensible, economically justified and socially feasible alternative, Miller explained.

Deputy PM Jerzy Hausner said that this year's budget shortfalls following last week's Sejm vote on VAT against the government-made proposal will amount to 613 million zlotys. "The finance minister has prepared a very precise analysis of effects; what the minister is able to count amounts to (...) 613 million zlotys, at the same time the minister has said that if the amendment introduces a legal loophole, then we aren't able to estimate how many people will capitalize on it, and their activities won't be taxed," Hausner said after a cabinet meeting.

Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz arrived in Bratislava for a one-day official visit paid as part of the Polish-Slovak political dialogue. Minister Cimoszewicz will be received by Slovak President Rudolf Schuster, PM Mikulas Dzurinda and head of the National Council Pavol Hrushkovski. He will meet with his counterpart Eduard Kukan. During talks the sides will review political and economic bilateral relations and exchange views on the current European and regional developments. Delegations of both countries will also exchange views on global issues, including the situation in Iraq and European security. RPP not ruling out change of bias to "restrictive"

A delegation of Kazakhstan's Senate have arrived on a three-day visit to Poland. On Wednesday, members of the delegation, headed by Senate Chairman Oralbai Abdukarimov met with Senate Speaker Longin Pastusiak and Sejm Speaker Marek Borowski. On Thursday, the Kazakh MPs will meet with Prime Minister Leszek Miller, Poland's Ombudsman Andrzej Zoll and with Warsaw President Lech Kaczynski. The guests will also visit Warsaw University and the warsaw seat of the OSCE. The delegation will spend the last day of their visit in Poznan where they will meet with provincial authorities and with the rector of the Adam Mickiewicz University.

Poland's energy safety could be at risk due to ineffective coal and fuel reserve management and bad legislation on fuel reserves, the Supreme Auditing Board (NIK) warned presenting the results of 2001 and 2003 audits of the fuel sector. Until April 2003 Poland had no clear rulings on black coal reserves, which made stocking coal expensive. In result most companies obliged to possess coal reserves stocked too little to save money. According to NIK the government's 2003-introduced regulations tying coal reserves to usage threatened to lower the reserve quota too much and jeopardize Poland's energy safety. NIK also criticised national control over liquid fuel and gas reserves.

A campaign promoting Polish products entitled Give Work - Buy Polish Products opened Warsaw's Royal Castle. Coverage of the event, to last until April 30, has been announced by several tv and radio stations. The campaign, organised by the Demo Effective Launching agency, will promote Polish products and foreign products manufactured in Poland. Its symbol is an apple, according to DEMO Effective head Jacek Sadowski a good example of a "cheap, small and popular product". According to Sadowski Polish products need most promotion in rural areas, where less people buy domestic ware than in cities.

Thirty nine per cent of the respondents to a CBOS poll said they were against the introduction of the Hausner austerity plan. Thirty two per cent said that introduction of the plan is necessary, while 29 per cent had no opinion on the issue.Two per cent said that the plan is good and would contribute to the recovery of public finances and economic development, further two per cent said that it is a step in the right direction but that it will not bring sufficient enough improvement. Twenty eight per cent of those polled stressed that the plan goes to far in financial cuts which if introduced will be too painful for people. 16 per cent were pessimistic saying the plan is totally wrong and will not improve anything. Furthermore, 32 per cent of the respondents think that not much will change in the Polish economy during the next three years.

posted by: Oborski at 12:06 | link | comments (1) |

Leszek Miller announced Feb. 17 that during his party's convention in March, he would resign as leader of the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD). More and more politicians, both the opposition and the left, believe that Miller should also give up his post as prime minister.

Miller listed three reasons for his resignation as head of the SLD. The first was the upcoming campaign for elections to the European Parliament. According to Miller, the head of a party must focus on promoting candidates and become involved in the campaign. The second reason was the situation within SLD, which "requires more aggressiveness from the party and a struggle against inner pathologies." Miller's final motivation involves projects the government has to carry out, Hausner's economic plan first and foremost. Miller claimed they required his maximum concentration and would limit his activities within the SLD.

Miller denied that the real reason behind his decision were SLD's plummeting ratings in opinion polls. The situation of the prime minister is nonetheless influenced by increasingly alarming news from polling centers. A question in one survey asked who would rule in Poland after the elections in 2005. Barely 10 percent of respondents pointed to the SLD, whereas 70 percent said power would be taken over by a different party or a coalition without the SLD.

The four most frequently mentioned candidates for the new leader of the SLD are the party's present deputy chairman Andrzej Celiñski, head of the SLD caucus Krzysztof Janik, minister of defense Jerzy Szmajdziñski and former deputy minister of labor Jolanta Banach. The final decision will be made at the SLD convention March 6-7.

"What happened to you, what's missing?" Aleksander Kwaœniewski apparently asked at a meeting with the presidium of the SLD's caucus Feb. 18. The president openly asked what had happened since the elections in the autumn of 2001 when the SLD won with 41-percent support. Jerzy Szteliga, a member of the presidium, described the meeting with the president as "mobilizing."

The politicians said candidacies for the new leader of the SLD were not discussed at the meeting. Previously, however, Kwaœniewski indirectly commented on the four candidacies listed on the political stock exchange. He said the leader should not be someone with any functions in the government and parliament. In practice, that meant presidential support for Celiñski. The latter, however, is not very popular with the majority of SLD's activists due to his anti-communist past in People's Poland and very late enrollment in the SLD.

On the following day, deputy prime minister and minister of internal affairs and administration Józef Oleksy said there was a division within the SLD between those who believed Miller should remain prime minister until the European elections in June and those who said he should resign earlier. "It is hard to tell which opinion prevails," Oleksy said. Miller himself said he knew nothing of any split within the party.

Jan Rokita, leader of the caucus of the opposition Civic Platform (PO), which today tops the polls (their support reaches 30 percent), made a comment on Miller's decision, comparing it to Marian Krzaklewski's resignation from his leadership in the Solidarity Election Action (AWS) in 2001. "That was a testimony to the destruction of the entire camp and likewise, Miller's resignation testifies to the destruction of the SLD," Rokita said.

Jerzy Urban, editor-in-chief of NIE weekly and an influential figure in the left wing, seconds Rokita's opinion. He said recently he would be not surprised at all if the electorate rejected the SLD in the next parliamentary elections, so that like the AWS before, SLD would end up outside the parliament. Miller opposes this opinion categorically, saying there is no real alternative to the SLD in the Polish left wing today and that there will always be a large left-wing electorate in Poland.

According to most politicians, the answer to the question whether Miller's time has come to an end will come no sooner than at the SLD convention. But even the convention may only result in temporary solutions leading up to Poland's accession to the European Union and elections to the European Parliament. The elections will have a very crucial impact on today's political scene in Poland. Instead of opinion polls, the political class-the ruling left wing in particular-will receive a clear sign of social evaluation. Unfortunately, the expected turnout is rather low, 30-35 percent at the most.

posted by: Oborski at 11:59 | link | comments |

"The sense of accession to the European Union lies first and foremost in making up for economic and civilization shortages and delays," said President Aleksander Kwaœniewski Feb. 16, summing up the A Strong Poland in a Strong Europe debate that took place in the Presidential Palace. The president appealed to politicians, experts and media representatives for mobilization "for the great national task of preparing Poland to its accession to the EU." "Seventy-four days before the accession we still have some homework to do in Poland, and the size of the country and its population cannot justify delays in our preparations," said Kwaœniewski.

The meeting was the first in a series of debates on Poland's position in the European Union that will be organized by the president. The debates will take place every month and are devoted to the EU's foreign policy, including its eastern dimension, the model of the EU's financing after 2006 and the Lisbon Strategy-an EU program of economy recovery and competition improvement.

In opening the debate, Kwaœniewski noted that Poland's defense of the Nice voting system in the EU constitution recently dominated the European discussion in our country. "The catalogue of European investments is far wider than only making or blocking decisions in the extended Union," said the president.

Józef Oleksy, deputy prime minister and minister of internal affairs and administration, expressed a similar view. According to Oleksy, Poland's position in the European Union will depend not only on the voting system, but, first and foremost, on the state's internal strength-modern economy, internal order, readiness to reach agreement, openness and education level. Oleksy perceives Poland's accession to the EU to be barely significant from the point of view of economic potential, since the share of Polish GDP in the EU is only 2 percent and the share of exports to Poland as a share of the EU's total reaches 3.7 percent.

Minister of Foreign Affairs W³odzimierz Cimoszewicz reacted to voices critical of Poland's stand concerning the EU constitution, saying that all official presentations of Poland's position incorporated a reference to common values. "Poland was and is ready for open discussion, but no agreement can be reached when there are no partners for such a discussion," said Cimoszewicz. According to him, a strong Poland is one that understands its obligations and share of responsibility, but at the same time has faith in its own opinions and rights.

When ending the discussion, the president expressed his belief that "compromise can be reached and the Constitutional Treaty will lead to construction, and not conflict."

posted by: Oborski at 11:53 | link | comments |

Heard in passing...

From Warsaw Voice

"Jedruch is an easy-going and laid-back guy, so sometimes he would make such surprises. He made me accept this toy; but what guy would not like to drive one?"
-Andrzej Lipko, former deputy minister of industry, on a Porsche Carrera he borrowed from businessman Józef Jêdruch, the central figure of one of the biggest economic scandals in recent years

"We are a transparent, democratic party, where everyone has the right to say stupid things."
-Tadeusz Iwiñski, minister in the Prime Minister's Office, when asked whether Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) activists from £ódŸ, who demanded that Prime Minister Leszek Miller face a party court, should be punished

"The procedure requires examining the sobriety of all who were involved in the accident."
-Piotr Kuc, deputy commander of the Lodz traffic police, on why the officers made a 77-year-old woman, who fell over during a tram breakdown, blow into an alcometer

"This was not a terrorist attack but a complaint by a customer who had bought expired strawberry kisiel and included a sample in the letter."
-An employee of a sanitary-epidemiological unit in Gryfice, Western Pomerania province, on an envelope with a mysterious powder that raised alarm at the office

"We cannot intervene. We are only interested in the quality of the chocolate, not its appearance."
-A representative of the Trade Inspectorate in Olsztyn, on penis-shaped snacks that appeared in a local shop and caused protests

"In one of the cars, a smuggled load of parsley was detected."
-A Russian TV report on a customs officers' operation on the border with Ukraine

posted by: Oborski at 11:49 | link | comments |

Polish Task Force Arrests Terrorists in Iraq

Polish soldiers supported by American airforces arrested nine men suspected of terrorism in the desert near Karbala. It is assumed that the detainees were members of an international terrorist organisation. They were well armed and equipped with high-tec satellitary telephones. They had explosives and other materials necessary for production of bombs. The detainees whose nationatlity has not been disclosed are currently interrogated by military authorities.

UK Labour Market Conditionally Open for Poles

Britain moved closer into line with most EU countries that have established barriers to migrants from the new member states, slapping a two-year ban on benefit claims and introducing a worker registration scheme. But with virtually full employment and hundreds of thousands of job vacancies to be filled, the government made it clear the British economy was crying out for skilled migrant workers.
London said citizens from the accession states would be sent home if they could not pay for themselves at the outset. "For two years, and possibly longer, we will require accession nationals to be able to support themselves," Home Secretary David Blunkett told the parliament. "If they are unable to do so, they will lose any right of residence and will have to return to their country." Blunkett stressed that migrant workers "from plumbers to paediatricians, dustmen to dentists" were welcome.
The measures follow scare stories in Britain's right-wing press warning that up to forty thousands of poor migrants will pour in after May 1, overloading Britain's welfare system and stretching its already creaking public services to breaking point.

President Kwasniewski Talks Business in Indonesia

Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski arrived in Jakarta for a three-day state visit meant to improve trade ties between the two countries. The President is held bilateral talks with President Megawati Soekarnoputri of Indonesia. The visit paves the way for cooperation between the two countries in the fields of aviation, telecommunications and ship-building. Poland intends to export to Indonesia helicopters, airplanes, radars and arms. Currently, Poland imports goods worth US$250 million from Indonesia while Polish exports are valued only at US$17 million. Rear Marshall Suprihadi, the secretary-general of Indonesia's defence ministry, told reporters that Poland offered a credit export for defence equipment worth $135 million, which could be used by the police and the navy, such as for maritime patrol planes and air carriers," "We only want them to be used for defence not offence."

Lower House Speaker Discusses European Affairs in Prague

European integration and cooperation between Polish and Czech parliaments were the top issues discussed during lower house speaker – Marek Borowski’s – visit to Prague. In the Czech capital Borowski explained Poland’s position on voting rights in the European Parliament, a point which remains open in the discussion on the shape of the constitution of enlarged European Union. Poland, as well as Spain, both demand respecting the stipulations of the Nice treaty while the remaining EU members prefer the division of power suggested by the European Convention. Marek Borowski was received by the Czech president, foreign affairs minister, speakers of parliament, coalition and opposition leaders.

Fraud on Polish Auction Site

Major fraud discovered on the Polish internet auction site Allegro. One of the Internet dealers offered on sale over 200 computer screens allegedly bought at a custom office depot sale. The seller had collected feedback for half a year, posing for a representative of Lukserwis a no longer existing company from Kudowa in the South of Poland. When he had enough positive feedback he put on sale state-of-the-art computer screens which sold approximately at 450US dollars each. Many of the prospective buyers transferred money to the dealer’s account but no goods were ever received. By the time the auction site blocked the account and sent warning e-mails to the buyers, the dealer whose identity has not yet been found although investigation is under way collected the equivalent of over 21 thousand US dollars.

Will Ukraine's Odessa-Brody Gas Pipeline reach Poland?

Talks have been resumed in Kiev, Ukraine, on the extension of the oil pipeline Odessa-Brody to Plock in Poland. This round of talks is attended by members of Polish and Ukrainian governments, experts as well as representatives of the European Commission. Initial agreement on the supplies of oil from Ukraine was signed last year. Now details are being discussed as to the construction of the Brody-Plock line and temporary transport of oil to Poland by rail, which should begin at the end of April or early in May.

10% Adult Poles Suffer From Depression

Every tenth adult Pole suffers from depression. Constant sadness, apathy, inactiveness, long-lasting fatigue and insomnia are the most common symptoms of this illness. February 23rd has been recognised by the Health Ministry as the Day of Fight Against Depression. Its aim is to make people aware that depression is an illness, which can and must be treated. More Polish women than men suffer from depression, yet fewer men decide to consult a doctor to deal with this problem. A visit to a psychiatrist is still regarded as a reason to be ashamed of in Poland.

Rust-Coloured Stains On Snow Prove Not Dangerous

The rust-coloured coating on the snow, spotted in several localities of south-eastern Poland, is not toxic. Earlier this morning dwellers of a number of villages situated along the Polish-Ukrainian border noticed rust-coloured stains on the snow. It soon turned out that similar spots had appeared in 2 other places in the region. The local Environment Protection Inspectorate is having samples of the suspicious substance tested thoroughly. What has been established by now is that the rust-coloured substance is not harmful, hence water from nearby springs has not been polluted. The results of detailed tests are expected in a couple of days’ time.

posted by: Oborski at 23:33 | link | comments |

PULLING THE CURTAIN DOWN

On 1st May 2004 will be in the vanguard of the creation of the new Europe. This historic enlargement is coming through peaceful and democratic means. As Tony Blair has said “The New Europe is being created by free will – not conquest; spreading equality and justice – not domination and exploitation. We will see few more significant events in our lifetimes.”

The tragedy of 1939, and the denial of a people’s rights that followed, cast a long shadow over Europe for decades. The tearing down of the Iron Curtain, that began with the Solidarity movement in shipyards of Gdansk, has led to freedom for the enslaved half of our continent.

The new Europe will bring greater prosperity and employment for us all. There will also be better co-operation on tackling organised crime, drug trafficking and people smuggling. Enlargement will improve environmental standards, health and safety in the workplace, and opportunities for business.

The West Midlands has strong and proud links with Poland. The partnership between the West Midlands in Europe office and Lower Silesia is a practical example of how we are working together. The recent visit to our region by the Polish Chamber of Commerce shows how economically we are growing ever closer.

On May 1^st, Poland - so crucial to Europe’s future, will take its rightful place as a full and free member of the European Union. This is a time to celebrate as we look forward together to create a better Europe of jobs and security for us all.

posted by: Oborski at 15:57 | link | comments |

If the tabloids are to be believed unless drastic steps are taken May 1^st will see millions of wild Central Europeans, mostly Poles, descend upon these shores in the biggest outbreak of economic pillaging to be seen here since the Saxons arrived in the fourth century.

For a start it seems to have been forgotten in all the uproar that the UK is not a signatory to the Schenegen Convention and so does NOT actually allow unimpeded movement of EU citizens in the first place!

Visitors from EU countries can come here for up to six months visa-free so long as they have a valid passport or identity document.

Job seekers from EU countries are, however, only allowed up to three months to look for work. If they are eligible for any unemployment benefit for that period they can ONLY claim it from their OWN country and NOT UK funds.

Anyone coming for more than 6 months has to have sufficient resources and sickness insurance to ensure that they do not become a burden on the social services of this country.

EU citizens only have a right to permanent UK residence if they can first demonstrate four years legal residence in UK.

In addition the ‘habitual residence’ rule is applied to establish that long term migrants are exactly that and to weed out those who do not have legitimate claims to benefits.

So how many current EU citizens are living in the UK? According to the 2001 UK Census the answer is that some 1.3 million (2.2% of the population) were born outside the UK but within EU. The vast majority of these are of course from the Republic of Ireland!

Enlargement of EU on May 1^st will mean that 10 more countries totalling some 70 million people – almost 40 million of them Polish – will join EU. So how many of these will head towards the UK on May 1^st?

There are currently about 850,000 accession state nationals currently residing within EU. That is 0.2% of the current EU population. Only 5% of these, around 50,000 people are estimated to be in the UK. This does not include much of the older Polish community which came here as the result of World War II.

In 2002 only 2.2% of visitors to UK came from Central and Eastern Europe. The total of 539,000 was dwarfed by the 700,000 visitors from Australia alone and the massive 14.1 million visitors from existing EU states.

Only a tiny proportion of visitors from non-EU Europe were migrants intending to stay for more than a year to study or work.

2001 figures show 82,600 immigrants from EU countries, 169,800 from the Commonwealth, 104,700 from elsewhere and only 15,100 migrants from non-EU Europe.

Indeed, in 2001 200 more people, 15,3000 in total, LEFT UK to live in non-EU Europe than came into the UK from those countries!

Furthermore it is estimated that only 920 12-month work permits and 1180 work permits for less than 12 months were issued to Polish nationals in 2003 by the UK authorities.

Only 2% of all work permits issued in the last 5 years were for Polish and Czech citizens.

In 2002 some 25% of the 19,372 people who came to the UK under the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme about 25% were Polish.

Current EU figures predict an annual flow of migrants from the new member states into the ENTIRE EU peaking at 370,000 in 2005 and then reducing gradually.

Net annual inflow into the UK is predicted to peak at 17,000 in the first couple of years after free movement is permitted.

Further it is predicted that the total of new member nationals living in UK will rise from the current 50,000 to a peak of 180,000 in 2030 before falling again. Even at its peak this remains a negligible 0.6% proportion of a UK work force of 28 million.

Furthermore surveys show that most migration from Central Europe will be of very short duration.

Probably about 45% of Poles intending to work abroad want to do so for periods of a few weeks at a time and 37% for a few months at a time. This is why the main target countries for migration are Germany and Austria which are “near to home” and therefore cheap and easy both to get to and to travel to and from to visit home regularly.

Those thinking of long term migration are interested in the United States (which is already home to at least 10 million people of Polish origin) and Canada and Australia which also already host substantial Polish communities.

This largely explains why only a very small percentage of migrant Polish workers are interested in the UK as a destination.

The most likely groups of Poles to come to the UK for work are high-skilled professionals particularly in the Health Services (doctors, nurses, midwives and dentists) and engineering; skilled craftsmen (builders, carpenters, electricians and plumbers); and low-skilled workers willing to accept low pay in the service and agricultural sectors.

Skilled and qualified young workers are the most likely to seek work abroad for a period before eventually settling down in Poland.

Of the work permits issued to Poles in 2002 7.3% were for managers and administrators, 5.4% professional, 24.9% associate professional and technical, 0.5% clerical and secretarial, 0.6% craft related, 28.2% personal and protective services, 0.4% plant and machine operatives, 0.0% sales, 32.6% others.

Poles coming to the UK are not likely to be looking for health care or for benefits. Health services in Poland have their problems but are generally good and, indeed, there is now a steady trickle of UK citizens heading to Poland for their hip replacements! Poles migrating for work are keen to work hard to earn as much as possible to buy the flat or house and set up the company at home. Professional Poles are also interested in improving their qualifications, extending their experience and improving their English.

Enlargement is likely to increase EU GDP by 11 billion euros a year, UK GDP by £1.75 billion a year and add 1.5% a year to the candidates’ GDP. This means more jobs and prosperity. Other research estimates that enlargement will create over 300,000 new jobs in current EU Member States and around 2 million new jobs in the candidates.

posted by: Oborski at 14:29 | link | comments (2) |

posted by: Oborski at 18:53 | link | comments |

Polish President starts Asian visit

Singapore is the first stop for Polish President Aleksander Kwaœniewski now on an tour of South-East Asia. The visit to Singapore was launched with a meeting with the local Polish community, to be followed with official talks with representatives of the authorities tomorrow, including President Sellapan Rama Nathan and Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. The chief objective of the visit is to energise commercial relations. Singapore is Poland’s major trading partner in the region. Imports from Singapore include electronics, integrated circuits and computers, while exports mainly ships and equipment for the shipping industry. Tomorrow, President Kwaœniewski is also to give a lecture at the International Affairs Institute, devoted to Polish foreign policy vis a vis Asia. In the course of his Asian visit, the Polish President is also to tour Indonesia and Thailand.

President Putin guarantees gas supply to Poland

In a telephone conversation Russian President Vladimir Putin assured Aleksander Kwaœniewski that last week’s stop in gas deliveries to Belarus, which also affected this country, was not aimed against Poland. President Putin spoke to the Polish President at the stopover in Tashkent on his flight to Singapore, saying that an unfortunate situation had occurred which resulted from relations between Russia and Belarus, and was not in any way aimed against Poland. He also gave his guarantees on supplies of Russian natural gas to Poland.

PSL congress earlier - and certain to be heated

The PSL Polish Peasants Party has decided to hold earlier its congress to elect new party officials, so that it would not collide with elections to the European Parliament in Poland. The PSL has now moved its congress from the end of April to mid-March. According to observers, this is cast to be a heated meeting, as many members blame current PSL chief Jaros³aw Kalinowski for the falling ratings of the party. Meanwhile Mr.Kalinowski claims that he is not giving up and that he has a very good platform for his party which shall recover lost ground. His opponents within the PSL are turning to challenger Janusz Wojciechowski, who is hoped to ease some of the friction inside the party, who says that his programme is better and that he knows how to put it into operation.

Investor selected for Huta Czestochowa

The Indian-British-Dutch holding LNM has been named as the strategic investor, to take over the Czêstochowa foundry in southern Poland. LNM Holdings NV was selected over Ukrainian Donbas, which had been supported by the Economic Ministry. The decision needed acceptation from the Polish government and president. LNM holds foundries in the Czech Republic, Germany, France and Rumania, and has recently also purchased shares in Polish Steelworks.

Gizycko in Poland's lakeland holds a winter swim

For the 9th time the northern lakeland resort of Gi¿ycko is holding a winter swim down one of the region’s most famous canoeing routes along the river Krutynia. The swim takes several hours and all participants who reach the finish receive the title of “Tough Guy”. The event, which is to encourage tourists to visit the region in winter as well as in summer is accompanied with tests of modern diving equipment.

Poland has the world’s best programme examining hearing in new-born babies,

acknowledged participants of an audiological conference now on in Washington DC. The programme was put into operation with funds gathered by Poland’s giant annual charity drive called The Orchestra of Christmas Help organized for twelve years now January and the brainchild of journalist Jerzy Owsiak. Representatives of the Orchestra of Christmas Help Foundation were invited to the Washington conference as special guests. Jerzy Owsiak told the conference that Polish specialists will be happy to share their experience with colleagues from the United States.

The Polish Parliament has voted through amendments to a new services tax,

with surprisingly little support in the chamber from its own party for the government’s proposals. The government also decided to abandon some of the planned raises, for instance on tourist services, road transport and products for children. Among others, in result of the vote, as of May 1st, when Poland joins the EU, VAT on building construction materials will rise from 7% to 22%. There will be no VAT on internet services. A highly controversial amendment introducing a 22% VAT for eg.artists and freelancers was dropped. The government said that the raises were caused by the need to adapt Polish legislation in line with EU requirements and Finance Minister Andrzej Raczko said that he would make efforts to have the amendments scratched by the Sejm lower chamber adopted by the Senate.

30 Million Dollars For Diversification of Gas Sources

‘Polish Oil and Gas will invest 30 million dollars this year to guarantee Poland’s energy security’, informed deputy economy minister Jacek Piechota. As of next year the company should be able to finance the necessary projects itself. Minister Piechota’s speech in parliament came in response to the recent cut of Russia’s gas stream to Belarus to force it to pay outstanding bills. This move affected Poland as well. Supplies to chemical plants had to be reduced, which slowed down their production. Moscow’s unexpected decision to close the gas tap raised a discussion here in Poland over the necessity to look for alternative sources of natural gas. Hence, representatives of Polish Oil and Gas talked to Norway’s Statoil and Danish DONG.

posted by: Oborski at 09:56 | link | comments |

Russia Resumes Gas Suppplies to Belarus and Poland

Russia has just resumed gas supplies to Belarus. The cut, announced on Wednesday affected also all oil transit via Belarus, hitting Poland, Germany and Lithuania. The situation caused concern but no panic in Poland. “Poland does not face a risk of cuts in natural gas supplies but if the situation drags on, the biggest Polish gas users – especially in the industry sector – might be in trouble”, Polish vice-premier and infrastructure minister Marek Pol had commented earlier.
This is the first time that Russia has closed the oil tap and – as GAZPROM representatives said – the aim was to force Belarus to pay its outstanding gas bills.
Vicepremier Pol says that Poland has to draw conclusions from this fact. Talks are under way with Norway on building a pipeline linking it with Poland. This attempt at diversification of Polish oil supplies dates back to 2001, when Polish Oil and Gas concluded a gas supply deal with five Norwegian firms. But in 2003 the contract was annulled, as demand for Norwegian gas was too small to make the building of the pipeline a feasible project. Now, the situation is different, Marek Pol said. Under a new contract with Russia, the volume of Russian gas supplies enables Poland to look also for new gas suppliers. Thirty percent of Poland’s daily gas demand is supplied in transit via Belarus.

Poland to Import Norwegian Gas

Norway’s Statoil and Polish Oil and Gas have signed a memorandum on Norwegian gas supplies to Poland. Poland plans to import 1 to 2 billion cubic meters of Norwegian gas annually, starting from next year, at the earliest. The gas will most likely flow through Germany. This attempt at diversification of Polish oil supplies dates back to 2000, when Polish Oil and Gas concluded a deal with five Norwegian firms. But in 2003 the contract was annulled, as demand for Norwegian gas was too small to make the building of the pipeline a feasible project. Under a new contract with Russia, the volume of Russian gas supplies enables Poland to look also for new gas suppliers.
Polish Oil and Gas will conduct more talks on the diversification of gas supplies to Poland tomorrow.

Presidents of Poland and Austria Meet

Presidents of Poland and Austria, Aleksander Kwasniewski and Thomas Klestil believe that a compromise on the European Constitution is possible. This and a vision of united Europe has been one of the issues the presidents discussed in Vienna. They did not think that Wednesday’s French-German-British summit will divide Europe. President Kwasniewski believes that such summits should take place as they serve European integration. In the opinion of president Klestil, Germany, France and Britain are locomotives of economic growth in Europe.

EU Aid Funds for Poland

The European Commission has allocated 336 billion euros for the realization of an economic and social cohesion policy in enlarged Europe. Presenting the tenets of the Third Cohesion Report in Warsaw, Jean-Charles Leygues from the Directorate General for Regional Policy stressed that Poland will be given priority treatment. He did not give an exact sum but said it will be in excess of 50 billion euros. This is a big challenge for Poland, which will have to co-finance cohesion projects on its territory.
The Polish government will present a plan of how the EU aid funds will be used shortly.

More US Funds for Poland-led Force in Iraq

The multinational stabilization force under Polish command in Iraq will receive an additional 12 million US dollars to strengthen security and logistics, a Polish Radio correspondent in Iraq reports. Camp Babylon was visited today by a representative of the American defense department Dou Zkhaim, who wanted to see how the US support funds were being spent. Zakhaim thanked Poland and Poles for their mission in Iraq.

Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister in Warsaw

Saudi Arabian foreign minister prince Saud al-Faysal arrives in Warsaw for talks on economic cooperation, combating international terrorism and bilateral relations. Prince Saud al-Faysal meets foreign minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz and president Aleksander Kwasniewski on Friday.
Foreign ministry sources in Warsaw say that Poland may be an attractive source of imports and a place to invest. Mentioned especially are the real estate sector, shipbuilding, petrochemicals, spa treatment, infrastructure projects as well as the financial market.

Calls for Tougher Penalties for Pedophiles

The opposition Law and Justice Party wants to toughen penalties for pedophilia. Draft amendments proposed by the party include a lifetime ban on work with children, an obligation imposed on courts to make verdicts public and life sentences passed unconditionally on pedophiles who commit murder. The draft will be submitted to the Parliament tomorrow. It is part of a heated debate in Poland sparked off by a mass circulation daily, which revealed that a choir master accused of molesting his singers was infected with HIV.

Bomb Scare in Wroclaw

Two hundred tenants of an apartment building in the southwestern city of Wroclaw have been evacuated after a suspicious parcel was spotted under a car. The police transported the package to a testing range but it is not clear yet what was inside.
Police sources say that the package does not seem to have been left there accidentally. That is why it was decided to evacuate the tenants.

posted by: Oborski at 00:27 | link | comments |

Neena Gill MEP
(Labour)

“Poland & the West Midlands;
partnership for prosperity & progress”

2004 is a historic year, as the forthcoming enlargement will finally put an end the artificial division of Europe. The most challenging and the most diverse, but a one that will make the Union truly continental in its scale and will reunite East and West Europe for stronger and more advantageous Union for all of its Member States, new and old.

We have seen tremendous efforts and remarkable progress for this biggest enlargement and I am privileged to have had an opportunity to play a part in enabling successful accession of Poland and other member states to the European Union (EU). Representing a region as diverse as the West Midlands, due recognition has to be given to the Polish community for their a valuable contribution and making our region dynamic and vibrant.

As the largest of the 10 countries due to join on the 1 May 2004, I believe that Poland's membership will bring to us an entrepreneurial spirit as well as a firm commitment to strengthening prosperity, peace and security across Europe. Poland's experience will help us develop our thinking and capacity to develop an Eastern dimension to the politics and policies of the European Union with its insights and experiences with its old neighbours that will now become our new neighbours. The EU membership will also deliver vast benefits to Poland, not only economically, but also politically, and culturally as well.

I believe that Poland is in a position to offer a leadership role to the European Union and will contribute to building a Europe, which will be more open and democratic. I am particularly please to note that Poland is nominating Danuta Hübner who was the Chief negotiator and Convention representative and as only one of three female candidates for Commissioner from the accession states.

British-Polish relations are well forged, and I am particularly proud that they are strong and well established in the West Midlands. Birmingham's partnership with Lower Silesia has already delivered benefits to both though various co-operation measures. Good links have been established between our business communities, these have included training in relation to Structural Funds, work placements as well as other exchanges. The West Midlands region is totally committed to sharing our experiences to enable regions in Poland to reap the full benefits of EU membership. I am sure that this will be further enhanced after 1st May 2004 and I look forward to continuing to reinforce these strong links and building upon the links I have already made with Polish MPs (observers) in the next Parliament.

At this momentous occasion I warmly welcome Poland and its citizens into the heart of the European Union and especially to warm friendship in the European Parliament.

posted by: Oborski at 14:26 | link | comments |

Support For The Ruling SLD Continues To Fall

According to a recent public opinion poll public support for the ruling SLD continues to decrease. The PGB polling group showed that only 10% of the respondents would be willing to vote for the Democratic Left should parliamentary elections were to be held in February. On the other hand the opposition Civic Platform has gained more support standing now at 35% , which is 7% more than in January. The maverick Self-defence farmers’ union has a 17% support while the rightist Law and Justice party gained by 1% to stand at 12% .PGB analysts underline that it is the first time since the 2001 elections that two opposition center right parties would achieve a majority in the government. The polling group has also asked to evaluate the president and the prime minister. The head of state Aleksander Kwasniewski has a 50% support of the respondents while positive opinions on prime minister Leszek Miller were voiced by a mere 6%, with 94% being definitely critical of the prime minister’s performance..

Poland Views Berlin Summit With Suspicion

The British Financial Times has written that Poland is viewing the Berlin meeting of the leaders of France, Britain and Germany with suspicion. The daily quotes Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz , head of Polish diplomacy, as saying that establishing a “directoire” by the three states would not serve the interests of the European Union. British foreign secretary Jack Straw has said he had called his Italian ,Spanish and Polish counterparts to reassure them that there is no intention of forming an exclusive EU leadership, since as he said ” that would be unconstitutional, impractical and counterproductive”. Poland, Spain and Italy had voiced objections to the summit, saying such exclusive meetings could deepen EU divisions.

26Polish Soldiers Wounded In Iraq

26 Polish soldiers have been wounded in a suicide car bomb attack in Iraq. 11 have been hospitalised after the early morning attack in Al Hilla Polish led base , about 100 kilometers south of Baghdad. According to the spokesman of the Polish base the soldiers’ wounds are not life threatening ,the wounded have been transported to hospitals in Baghdad, Karbala and Babilon. Andrzej Strzelecki said that there were two cars in the attack, the first stopped after troops fired on it but the driver managed to detonate the bomb, the second car hit the base’s wall and exploded. The explosion smashed several homes neighboring the base, leaving 44 Iraqi civilians wounded and 6 killed.The soldiers of the Polish led multinational division were saved from a bitter tragedy by the Mongolian watch out , who managed to kill the terrorists before they detonated the explosive on the territory of the base.The head of the Polish led multinational force general Mieczyslaw Bieniek called the terrorist action a coordinated attack on the stabilization forces in the Polish controlled zone.A similar attack had place in December last year in Karbala, when a Polish officer was killed.

posted by: Oborski at 10:10 | link | comments |

PM Miller Steps Down As Party Leader

Prime minister Leszek Miller announced that he would step down as the head of the Democratic Left Alliance during party convention which is to be held on March 6th. The prime minister has been under constant attack during last few weeks both from the opposition and from his own party when the support for the Democratic Left Alliance fell down to 13%. It is unclear who will substitute the prime minister as the head of the party – two possible candidates are the current Minister of the Interior Józef Oleksy and ex-minister of the Interior Krzysztof Janik. Neither of them excludes the possibility of running for the position.

Poland Concludes Arms Deal with Israel

Poland has concluded an agreement with the Israeli company Rafael for the purchase of 2700 SPIKE anti-tank missiles worth almost 270 million dollars for the Polish army. The missiles will be assembled by Polish factory MESKO, it is expected that eventually approximately one fourth of their components will be produced locally. The provisions of the contract include joint re-exportation of the missiles to other NATO member states. As a part of the offset deal Israel intends to buy Polish coal for 80 million dollars, build ships in Polish shipyards for another 100 million dollars, build a Hilton Plaza hotel in Warsaw and import large amounts of apple juice.

50,000 Poles Work Illegally in The Netherlands?

Han Westerhof from the Dutch Federation of Trade Unions claims that the number of illegal Polish workers may well exceed 50 thousand. Westerhof presented the case of four Poles working in a fish-processing factory in Hardewijk who used Xeroxed copies of German passports to obtain the job. According to the Trade Unions the employers do not control workers’ documents so it is possible to use copies of German passport issued for other Poles who hold double citizenship in order to apply for a job while several agencies are more than willing to help. The case came to light when the four workers decided to sue the middleman as they were offered only 5 euro per hour of night-shifts.
It is clear that the revelations of the Dutch Trade Unions are intended to support the Dutch government’s decision to limit severely access of citizens from the new EU member countries to the Dutch work place.

Man on Trial for Pedophilia Diagnosed with AIDS

According to the mass circulation Gazeta Wyborcza daily, the former director of a boys’ choir in the mid-western city of Poznan, who faces charges of pedophilia, is diagnosed with HIV to the horror of his victims. The trial of man, whose identity is withheld by the court, was suspended last month when he was rushed to hospital with a suspected brain tumour. To the dismay of medical staff, he was found to be an HIV carrier. The man is known to have molested at least three choir boys. He is suspected to have been part of a pedophile ring in Poznan.
In an interview for Radio Polonia, Danuta Cholewa of the Society of Children's Friends says that the newspaper may have broken the law by revealing that the man now on trial for child molestation, is an AIDS victim. She says that such information is confidential and should not be made public.

Strasbourg Supports Polish Authorities

The European Court of Human Rights has delivered its Grand Chamber judgement in the case of Gorzelik and Others v. Poland. The Court held unanimously that there had been no violation of Article 11 concerning freedom of association of the European Convention on Human Rights.
The case was brought by Jerzy Gorzelik and two other Polish nationals from Upper Silesia. The applicants and 190 others attempted to form an association called the "Union of People of Silesian Nationality". The Polish authorities refused to register the association claiming that both the intended name and certain provisions of the union’s memorandum of association, which characterized the Silesians as a "national minority", suggested that their real intention was to circumvent the regulations of the electoral law.
According to Jerzy Gorzelik, the Court refuses to meddle in Polish internal affairs and disregards the fact that during the last general census held in 2003 over 173 thousand inhabitants of Upper Silesia defined their nationality as “Silesian”

Krzysztof Penderecki Celebrates His Birthday In Israel

World-famous Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki celebrates his 70th birthday in Israel. The composer is well-known in this country. In 1987, he was awarded Karol Wolff foundation art prize, ten years later the authorities of Jerusalem ordered an oratory to celebrate the three millennia of the city. The first performance of the biblical oratory "Seven Gates of Jerusalem" took place in January 1997. The celebrations were organised by the symphony orchestra from Rishon Le Sion, a large city near Tel Aviv. Krzysztof Penderecki personally conducted the orchestra during his "4th Symphony" and the "4th Symphony" of Ludwig van Beethoven. Penderecki will also take part in a jubilee concert in the Tel Aviv opera house.

posted by: Oborski at 19:09 | link | comments |

John Corrie MEP
(Conservative)

“The EU is in safe hands”

After over 25 years in the European Parliament and in Westminster, I feel it is time to pass on the torch to a new generation. I shall therefore be standing down as an MEP in June of this year, but I do so in the knowledge that EU affairs will be in safe hands.

Firstly, I am very pleased that my three Conservative colleagues will be standing again. They have each spent over half their lives living and working in the West Midlands region. It is their natural home, and they are committed to serve it well. As new MEPs in 1999 they have each had a remarkable impact in the European Parliament in the past five years, and I am confident they will build their reputations even further in the years to some.

But I am also confident about the future of the EU in a wider sense, following enlargement in May of this year to include ten new Member States led by Poland. In the past year I have met observers from Poland attending various Parliamentary Committees, and it is already clear that they have a major contribution to make. But there is an even more important point to highlight.

In my own work in Africa with developing nations of the third world, Poland has a special meaning within the Catholic communities in particular as the birthplace of a remarkable man. He is revered and respected throughout the world. History will record that the freeing of Eastern and Central Europe in the twentieth century came not from the military might of western superpowers: it came from the spiritual power and authority of His Holiness John Paul II.

With Poland and the Poles now reunited in Europe, the EU is in safe hands indeed.

Philip Bushill-Matthews MEP
(Conservative)

“Polska to wspanialy kraj”

It is not generally known in the UK that Poland’s history has been central to the development of present-day Europe. It was Polish troops that saved Europe from being overwhelmed by the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Vienna in 1683. In 1791, the country was the first in Europe to produce a written constitution – and only the second in the whole world after the fledgling United States of America four years earlier. Its Parliamentary system dates back to the fifteenth century, and a prototype Commonwealth of Europe embracing Poland, Lithuania, the Ukraine, Belarus and parts of Germany existed for 200 years.

More recently in the Middle East, Poles have stood proudly with British and American troops in helping to stabilise Iraq – to the distaste of France and other countries from “Old Europe” who resented being left on the sidelines. Poland is the firmest of allies as well as the strongest of friends.

What Conservatives find so exciting is that Poland as a fiercely proud and independent nation is not afraid to speak its mind in Europe. Poland is not going to be pushed around by France and Germany, and is not afraid who knows it. The other candidate countries look up to Poland for that very reason. So do we.

It was a privilege to be in the European Parliament last year to hear a special formal address from President Aleksander Kwasniewski. It was a pleasure to make a personal visit to Warsaw and Cracow ahead of the referendum. It was a delight to see such a positive and decisive vote that will bring Poland at long last back into the heart of Europe where it belongs. We look forward to working with the Polish community both here and on the continent for a stronger, better future together.

"Jest taki kraj nad Wisla i Baltyckim morzem
kraj przeslicznej wiosny
gdzie milosc to wiersz milosny
pachnacy trawa i zbozem.

Philip Bradbourn OBE MEP
(Conservative)

“Welcome to Poland”

The 1st May 2004 is a historic day for Europe. Poland, along with nine other countries, will be joining the current EU, pushing the population covered over 400million people, represented by 25 different Nation States.

The EU has experienced many stages of enlargement and existed in several forms. The UK joined what was then the European Community in 1973 and as a country, we have managed to retain most of our independence whilst, at the same time, profiting from trade throughout the internal market.

It is my view that the EU should be a union of Nation States, enjoying their own independence and sovereignty yet trading closely with each other in this internal market. It is because of this view that I fully welcome Poland into the EU- here we have another friend entering the internal market widening the scope for trade and the free movement of goods and people.

Poland, I believe, will enjoy the fruits of its membership with the EU just as did the economy of the UK. Its professionals, for example, will be able to look further afield for jobs and prosperity and its transport infrastructure will be substantially upgraded.

Of course, it will not only be the citizens of Poland which will benefit. Visitors to the country will find it easier and much more accessible.

The West Midlands has a large and successful Polish Community which contributes greatly to the region and I am sure they are delighted Poland will finally be welcomed into the EU family.

Malcolm Harbour MEP
(Conservative)

“Poland - the business opportunities”

Poland - like all the Accession Countries - stands to gain great economic benefits from joining the European Internal Market. Poland already has a good base of manufacturing and technical skills, which have already attracted significant new investment in critical sectors such as cars, electronics and chemicals. It also has entrepreneurial and research skills, which can be harnessed to create new businesses focused on EU market opportunities.

UK organisations such as the Chambers of Commerce are already starting to build links with Polish small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), and to encourage the development of marketing and manufacturing partnerships. As your MEPs, we are working closely with them. UK companies can offer technical co-operation and know-how to Polish SMEs wanting to expand into new markets. There are major opportunities for sales expansion by marketing and licensing deals, and we may be able to unlock doors here too.

Member of the European Parliament have strongly supported programmes that help Polish entrepreneurs access the Internal Market, and also become engaged in EU funded research programmes to help build their skills and knowledge. Polish ministers have been given help in the introduction of Single Market measures - particularly to intensive competition into the key sectors of energy and electronic communications. Investment is flowing into these sectors to build the competitive infrastructure that will be so vital for business and economic success.

In the next Parliament, we look forward to working with Centre-Right MEPs from Poland as well as the businesses they represent in our joint cause of making the European Union "the most dynamic knowledge driven economy in the world". Poland must be a key player in achieving this goal. Together, I am confident we can deliver.

Michael Cashman MEP
(Labour)

Witamy! May 1st 2004 will be a historic date for Poland, the European Union and the entire continent of Europe. It’s the day when the EU will undertake its biggest ever enlargement since France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg established the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951.

Ten countries – Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia – are set to join what will become the largest single market in the world.

EU membership will bring enormous benefits to Poland. The peace and prosperity, stability and security of the last decade will continue. A market of some 470 million will provide Poland with unparalleled economic opportunities, helping to boost growth and create jobs. And as Poland adopts EU laws and policies on the environment, workers rights and discrimination, the quality of life of its 39 million citizens will be enhanced.

Poland’s membership will also benefit the UK and the EU as a whole. The Party of European Socialists and Labour MEPs here in Britain warmly welcome and look forward to enlargement because the whole of Europe will be united for the first time.

In the West Midlands the opportunities from Poland’s membership of the EU enlargement are obvious – a new market with which to trade, greater cultural diversity and more opportunities to travel and work in Eastern Europe.

So I welcome Poland’s imminent membership of the EU and I hope to meet many of the new Polish MEPs when they enter the European Parliament later this year.

Liz Lynne MEP
(Liberal-Democrat)

The accession of Poland to the EU is a great occasion, and one that should be celebrated by all Europeans. The people of Poland have been caught in the middle of much conflict in the past, but I hope that this new chapter in the nation's history will bring lasting peace, security and freedom.

I believe that EU membership will open new horizons to the people of Poland. As a collection of countries, we are diverse in our cultures and customs yet united around common principles of liberty, justice and peace. I believe those values are shared by the people of Poland and I hope that by working together we can spread these principles to those countries in Eastern Europe who do not yet embrace them.

Poland also has a lot to offer the EU. There is much that we can learn from her history and much that we can gain from her natural beauty. Polish people living in this country have made many positive contributions to our society, and I have no doubt that they will do the same for the European Union.

I am delighted that an overwhelming proportion of Poles welcomed their nation's bid to join. I hope that EU membership will give the Polish people a chance to prove their sceptics wrong and show that Poland is a nation capable of great things. I gladly welcome their accession.

posted by: Oborski at 18:56 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 00:54 | link | comments |

Delegations of Poland and Ukraine will meet in coming weeks to discuss joint economic projects related to Odessa-Brody pipeline, the power-generating system and a customs system after Poland's integration with the EU, President Aleksander Kwasniewski said after meeting his Ukrainian counterpart Leonid Kuchma. Kwasniewski announced that both countries would continue to cooperate in Iraq within the framework of the multinational division and restructuring projects. The president said Kuchma accepted an invitation to take part in European Economic Summit in Warsaw in April. Kwasniewski also confirmed he planned to organise the 7th Polish-Ukrainian Economic Forum.

Both Poland and Pakistan meet their international obligation in undertaking efforts for the cause of peace worldwide, visiting Foreign Minister of Pakistan Mian Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri said after meeting his Polish counterpart Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz. The guest referred to Poland's presence in Iraq and other peace keeping missions. He recalled that his country has apprehended over 500 Al-Kaida terrorists this way contributing to preserving world peace in the region. Kasuri is the first Pakistani foreign minister to pay a visit to Poland. His talks covered bilateral relations, international affairs and terrorism fighting. Cimoszewicz stressed a need for further cooperation of the two countries in terrorism fighting that however requires new agreements. The ministers signed a cooperation protocol. They agreed that economic cooperation between Poland and Pakistan could expand better than so far as the document would facilitate the exchange of information, consultations and new undertakings between both countries and on international arena. The ministers stressed the need for developing economic and military cooperation. Cimoszewicz said cooperation could cover power-generating, oil, gas and coal extraction, sugar production and scientific research. According to Kasuri, Poland could send an arms industry delegation for an annual exhibition in Karachi. He added that Pakistan would consider the option of buying arms in Poland. The meeting also focused on Pakistani-Indian dialogue and ailing issues. International situation was also discussed during the guest's meeting with President Kwasniewski. Minister Kasuri congratulated Poland the forthcoming integration with the European Union. According to the President, EU membership will contribute to fostering cooperation between both countries. Kasuri's agenda of the visit to Poland also envisages a meeting with Interior Minister Oleksy.

It has been Poland's goal to convey command over the so-called Polish stabilisation zone in Iraq to NATO, Defence Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski said in Warsaw. He added he hoped for reducing the number of the Polish military contingent as its stay there was a substantial burden also in terms of money. Szmajdzinski expects decisions on NATO greater involvement in Iraq to be taken during an alliance summit in Istanbul in June 2004. More substantial NATO involvement in Iraq was the main topic of an informal meeting of NATO defence ministers in Munich last Saturday. After the meeting the defence minister said the idea had been supported by Poland, Spain, USA, Turkey and Great Britain. According to Poland's Ambassador to NATO, the alliance will be able to take over part of the burden at the start of 2005 but the number of troops might be cut by a mere 300.

The government top priority actions for 2004 foresee faster economic growth, that is to reach and stay at the level of 5 percent of GDP, the strengthening of Poland's position on the international arena and a more effective state, according to a statement of the gov’t info centre (CIR). The actions will be based on pro-development plans included in "Entrepreneurship - Development - Work" programme adopted last July as well as a Program of putting in order and reducing public spending" adopted in October. According to CIR, to achieve these goals the government plans to reform public finances, endorse cooperation between public and private institutions and support regional policy and business. Other goals provide for increasing role of science in economic progress, developing farming system and its adjustment to EU standards as well as modernising armed forces and services taking part in peace missions. The framework agenda of the government work is available at PM's web site: www.kprm.gov.pl.

Delay in the implementation of fiscal reforms is the main reason behind the weakening of Polish zloty and growing value of debt, central bank governor Leszek Balcerowicz said. He explained that lack of reforms was mirrored by creditors demanding more for their money which meant growing interest rates and weaker zloty. Once reforms are implemented there will be no need for the zloty to keep such a low level, he added. Balcerowicz noted positive tendencies in the national economy, namely lower inflation, companies’ restructuring and good results of foreign trade. However, he said, we've got one problem: we spend more money from the budget than we have from taxes which is conducive to growth of public debt. Balcerowicz reiterated that the government economic austerity program goes in good direction and warned against attempts to reduce the scale of cuts.

The Senate adopted the law liberalising rules of land purchase by foreigners. Under the law, that is to shorten and simplify land purchase-related procedures foreigners will be able to buy 0.5 hectare of land to "meet their living standard-related needs." They will also be able to buy real estate for economic operations following a consent of the interior minister and with no objections from the defence minister and agriculture minister in case of arable land. Foreigners should have documented links with Poland - such as Polish origin, a Polish spouse or economic activity in Poland. Under the law the permit will expire after two years. According to the EU Accession Treaty foreigners will be able to buy arable land and forests after a twelve-transition period. If they lease land in northern or western Poland they will be able to buy it after a seven-year lease period. In remaining parts of Poland it may happen after a three-year lease time.

Colonel Ryszard Kuklinski, an ex-officer of Poland's communist armed forces who fled to the U.S. in 1981 after informing the CIA about plans to impose martial law in Poland, died in Washington on Feb 11 at the age of 74. For his long-time cooperation with CIA Kuklinski had been sentenced to death for treason in absentia but acquitted by a military court in 1997, mostly because of pressure exerted by the U.S. Former U.S. Ambassador to Poland Richard Davis commenting Kuklinski's death said that for the Americans Kuklinski was an extremely important source of information and even though he put his life at risk every day he never asked for any compensation. Davis added Kuklinski wanted to prevent war, of which Poland would be the main victim. Former Poland's President and legendary Solidarity leader Lech Walesa believes that Kuklinski was a great but tragic figure of Poland's struggle for independence. Walesa admitted that Kuklinski paved the way for Poland's membership of NATO but added that no one should follow in his footsteps as the time has come to work and not to resort to treason.

The number of broadband Internet access users will grow to 1.6 million over three years from 0,5 million in 2004, Deputy Infrastructure Minister Wojciech Halka informed. Half of current broadband users use cable TV networks and the other half fixed-line phone networks. This forecast is based on the assumption that accessing broadband Internet would be commercial, through telecoms operators. Given the current budget situation, one should not assume that it will be involved in the financing of broadband infrastructure. Some 36,000 education sites would have broadband web access. The ministry wants to guarantee funds for the project in budget-related laws. The other possible sources of the project financing are EU structural funds, chiefly regional development programs

42 percent of Poles in a CBOS poll backed Poland's involvement in Iraq, up 9 points from December. 53 pct were against it. 15 pct decidedly and 27 pct rather supported Poland's Iraq operation, 31 pct were decidedly and 22 pct rather against. 32 pct said Poland's Iraq force should be left unchanged, 31 pct claimed coalition troops should move out of the country, 20 pct want more stabilization troops in Iraq. Only 15 pct believed the anti-terrorist coalition will fulfil its goals. 7 pct fear terrorist attacks in retaliation for sending troops to Iraq. 52 pct fear terrorism could endanger them and their families, 40 pct have no such fears.

posted by: Oborski at 09:06 | link | comments |

Former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl was presented with St. Adalbert award by the Polish president Aleksander Kwaœniewski...

The award is granted to people who in particular way contributed to the spiritual and cultural integration of the nations of central and eastern Europe. “You have a special place not only in our history but also in our hearts” said president Kwaœniewski during a ceremony in Warsaw stressing that Helmut Kohl also played a role in relations between central and eastern European countries and EU and NATO. According to former foreign minister W³adys³aw Bartoszewski, Helmut Kohl is an open-minded and true European and today’s award has a chance of warming mutual Polish-German relations.

Poland has vowed flexibility in stalled negotiations with France and Germany over a European Union constitution, saying the charter's approval could be delayed by years unless a compromise is found soon...

"We declare our flexibility, but the same flexibility must be showed by the other side," Polish Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz told a news briefing. He said the row over the charter, which pits EU newcomer Poland and Spain against France and Germany, could end during Ireland's presidency over the bloc in the first half of 2004 if the negotiators move towards a deal over the next few weeks. "If we do not reach a compromise soon, we can forget about it for a long time. If we do not move forward in the next few weeks, we will miss the moment," Cimoszewicz said. He declined details on possible concessions Poland would be ready to make to break the impasse, which led to the collapse of an EU summit in December when leaders failed to agree on voting rights for member states in the enlarged EU of 25.

Poland's liberal opposition party renewed demands for Prime Minister Leszek Miller's resignation after an opinion poll showed support for his social democrats plunged to an unprecedented low of 13 percent...

But the Civic Platform, which strengthened its poll lead, said it was still ready to negotiate with the minority government on an austerity package needed to ward off a fiscal crisis after Poland joins the European Union in May.
"Support of 13 percent is embarrassing, really. It shows Miller should resign quickly, because he cannot solve any of the country's problems," said senior Civic Platform deputy Zbigniew Chlebowski. Miller's Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) lost its opinion-poll lead late last year due to sleaze scandals involving party officials, bungled health reforms and high unemployment of about 20 percent. The survey by the PBS agency showed support for the SLD, a party of reformed communists, fell by four points in February from more than 40 percent in the 2001 elections - the worst opinion poll showing by a ruling party since the fall of communism.

Defense Minister Jerzy Szmajdziñski visited Brussels to discuss the issue of American military bases in Poland and the situation in Iraq with Belgian Defense Minister and representatives of the Belgian Parliament...

Szmajdziñski stated that Americans have not yet expressed any details concerning their plans, only presented a general concept of reorganizing their forces in Europe. Final decisions are expected sometime over the next couple of weeks. Szmajdzinski also told Belgian lawmakers several of the allies believed NATO should take over the 9,000-strong force led by Poland in south-central Iraq and "possibly" the southern zone force under British command once sovereignty was restored to the Iraqis on July 1. Szmajdzinski said a U.N. Security Council resolution would probably be needed before NATO moved in. "We came away optimistic from the defence ministers' latest talks," he said, referring to a NATO meeting in the German city of Munich last week. Poland has 2,400 troops in Iraq and is pushing for NATO to take on a robust role there partly because it sees this as a way of relieving troops on a mission which is dangerous, costly and far from popular at home.

posted by: Oborski at 07:19 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 00:51 | link | comments |

The presidents of Poland and Ukraine – Aleksander Kwasniewski and Leonid Kuchma are holding talks in Warsaw on the internal situation in Ukraine, cooperation in the Polish stabilization zone in Iraq and expansion of an oil pipeline from Odessa via Brody to the Plock refinery in Poland...

This is part of annual consultations of the two presidents. Over the past few years, political and economic contacts between Poland and Ukraine have improved. The major bilateral project to be realized in the coming years is the development of the pipeline which will carry oil from the Caspian Sea. The pipeline will enable Poland to diversify its oil supplies and strengthen its energy sector security. The pipeline will eventually carry oil to Western Europe as well.
Former Polish economy minister Janusz Steinhoff believes that this is a very important project, from the point of view of of Poland’s long-term interests.
President Kwasniewski and Leonid Kuchma are expected to discuss the forthcoming presidential elections in Ukraine. Eearlier this month, Kuchma declared that he would not run for president for the third term, even though he has the consent of the Constitutional tribunal.

A regional boss of the ruling Democratic Left Alliance has been charged with appropriating some 30 million zlotys from a large construction firm, laundering almost 14 million zlotys and tax evasion amounting to over 12 million zlotys...

This ads up to some 14 million US dollars. The case is linked with a scandal in a church-owned publishing house Stella Maris. Jerzy Jedykiewicz, who was released on bail, does not plead guilty.
So far, Gdansk prosecutors have pressed charges against 22 suspects, including a catholic priest, former directors of the publishing house, former minister of infrastructure and several businessmen.

Polish-born Colonel Ryszard Kuklinski, one of the most important CIA spies in the former Soviet bloc, died in the United States, yesterday...

As an officer of the Polish military staff, Kuklinski handed over some 35 thousand pages of secret documents concerning the Warsaw Pact and plans to impose martial law in Poland. Shortly before these plans materialised, he and his family defected to the United States. In communist Poland in 1984 he was sentenced to death for treason and espionage. In 1997, 8 years after Poland embraced democracy, he was fully rehabilitated. He visited Poland in 1998 and received a hero’s welcome by the government.

CIA director George Tenet has stressed that Ryszard Kuklinski was always guided by patriotic motives...

In a statement sent to Polish Radio, Tenet noted that he was a true hero of the cold war period, to which all of us are indebted. It was thanks largely to this committed and courageous man that Poland and other enslaved nations in central and eastern Europe as well as the former Soviet Union are free now.

First councillor in the European Commission mission in Warsaw John O’Rourke has said that the EU must help its new members to grow faster and – on the other hand – give its whole economy a stronger competitive edge...

The commission has just adopted budget proposals for 2007 – 2013, which provide for a sharp rise in outlays, O’Rourke said in Polish Radio One. In his opinion, the discussion will be tough.

More than 500 people have joined a march organized by the militant farmers Self-Defense party in the northern city of Olsztyn...

Marching alongside framers, are also pensioners and laid-off workers. The organizers want the march to be a warning for the government about the worsening social and economic situation in Poland.

Winter is back with snowfalls and daytime temperatures from minus 11 Celsius in the northeast of the country to minus 2 degrees in north western regions. Skies are overcast in northern and southern Poland, where snow is falling. Elsewhere, we have clear skies and sun is shining.

posted by: Oborski at 17:54 | link | comments |

By Sławomir Majman
From Warsaw Voice

“Nobody, not even the greatest fans of Aleksander Kwasniewski, has any doubt that the Polish president’s Washington expedition was a complete fiasco./.../ Simply, Poland is not as important to America’s policy as America is to Poland’s.”

● He rode into the courtyard on horseback.

The noble steed was giving slightly under the portly knight encased in armor he had shined up for this very occasion. Behind the raised visor you could see the smiling countenance of a fatigued crusader. Though weary, covered in the dust of desert travails, his shield deeply scarred from the blows of Saracen swords, he felt he had earned the right to smile. He was riding into the courtyard of his rich suzerain’s castle, counting in his mind what he could ask for in return for his faithful service, and these calculations put him into an increasingly better mood as he mounted the castle stairs. “Maybe a nice fat baronage, the right of free travel for merchants from my home county, or income from the salt mines,” he mused. “It’ll be best if I ask for everything at once,” he decided suddenly upon entering the royal chamber. “After all, wasn’t I his most faithful knight among those who set out upon this dangerous crusade? And, was it not I who put forth the largest troops at my own expense?”

The king’s words confirmed his belief that he was right in expecting a generous reward. “I and the kingdom’s peers value your service highly, and we are grateful that you support us with no qualms. Your soldiers have been with us from the start of this famous crusade and we know we can rely on your continued loyalty. And now, come and drink a flagon of strong ale with us and return to your homeland in peace, my brave knight. Oh, and tell your servants to take to your camp those three mares grazing beyond the moat, as proof of our favor. They’re not the youngest of horses, but they will serve you for a while. Godspeed.”

He descended the castle stairs on stiff legs, his smile frozen on his face. His fellow countrymen awaiting him couldn’t understand why he was flailing his hands wildly about his head. To him it seemed that the carved stone eagles atop the castle gate were swooping down at him, loudly and horribly shrieking with laughter.

● Nobody, not even the greatest fans of Aleksander Kwaśniewski, has any doubt that the Polish president’s Washington expedition was a complete fiasco.

Second-hand, 30-year-old aircraft instead of a liberalized visa regime. Assurances of allied friendship instead of contracts in Iraq and accelerated U.S. investment in Poland as part of the offset program for the purchase of F-16s for the Polish army. An abyss between the hopes and the reality. The return of a fallen hero, only the shield on which he was laid out was decorated with romantic posies of violets. No gestures at all towards a country that has fallen into conflict with the powers of Europe because of its pro-Americanism. Not even the greatest pessimists in the Polish president’s camp expected this.

After the talks between presidents George W. Bush and Aleksander Kwaśniewski it became very obvious that one of the partners had clearly overestimated his country’s role, while the other had just as clearly undervalued the importance of his partner. One party left the talks painfully aggrieved, and the other most probably didn’t even notice the pain he was inflicting on his interlocutor. That’s what sometimes happens when an elephant and a chinchilla try to dance together.

● The choice of an alliance with America was not an opportunistic decision for Poland. It has been a strategic choice confirmed by successive governments.

The Poles are in Iraq because that is how the parliament, president and government understand the country’s long-term political interest, those were the conclusions they drew from the staking on the American card, and that’s how they understand the mission of fighting against inhumane despotisms. The new role, the role of an occupying force in Iraq, means a boost for Poland’s self-esteem in the international arena. It also means a serious dispute with Poland’s European partners.

Poland didn’t go to Iraq in the hope of making money, because it isn’t America’s condotierre. Poland is in Iraq because it is America’s ally. But the asymmetry between allies cannot last forever. The difference in contributions to the alliance, the constant violation towards Poland of a principle of U.S. policy—the principle of reciprocity—begs a question about the ally’s pure intentions, and the value of oft-repeated declarations of friendship.

Could it be that Poles expected too much from the Americans?

First of all, the treatment of Poles wanting to travel to America is mortifying and has all the features of discrimination. It is the duty of the president of Poland, which abolished visas and all fees for Americans in 1991, to demand that the ally make concessions aimed at eliminating the asymmetry.

Secondly, it is the president’s duty to lobby for Polish consortia interested in taking part in the reconstruction of Iraq. It is the Polish president’s duty to lobby for Polish industry, especially since Washington has often and usually effectively lobbied in Poland for American business.

Thirdly, it’s a fact that the Polish side is disappointed with the waning and dragging offset. The Polish president had every reason to count on the understanding of the head of the allied power.

In none of the three issues has Poland scored even a shadow of a success. In each of them the Poles could have counted on at least partial success if that had been the political will of President Bush. But that will was lacking.

● Why did George W. Bush lack the political will to meet the Poles halfway?

Simply, Poland is not as important to America’s policy as America is to Poland’s.

Yes, Poland plays a major role as America’s regional ally. The Americans judge Poland’s support for their policy in Iraq highly. But, from Washington’s perspective Poland is no global partner for the United States, and as a regional partner counts for less than the UK or Turkey.

In Poland, especially lately, the importance of relations with America is overrated. In America—the importance of relations with Poland is underestimated. Or rather, it is assessed from the American perspective, where anything big looks medium-sized, and anything medium-sized becomes small.

Bush lacked the will because he failed to see any special importance of his partner warranting any special effort on his behalf, nor did he notice the importance of the issues raised by the Poles. Just like he failed to notice that there are millions of Polish Americans, and not a few thousand as he’d thought.

● President Kwaśniewski got some old planes from Washington, so Polish soldiers can go on successive American crusades.

It’s nice that George W. Bush showed his appreciation for the Poles’ love of historical objects. He also arranged for a greater number of consuls to review visa applications. “See, Alex, the matter’s solved,” said a pleased Bush.

The trouble is, the most important outcome of Alex’s visit to George’s place was a serious impairment of the prestige of the Polish president, Europe’s most pro-American politician, as well as a dangerous increase in anti-American sentiment. Those are long-term effects.

The time has passed when Poland could obtain anything major from its American ally. The opportunity was lost when the Poles supported the Americans on the Iraqi issue without demanding anything significant in return. There’s no telling when another such opportunity will emerge. For now, the Poles can only applaud the Americans.

And they won’t have any problem applauding, because it’s easy to clap with empty hands.

posted by: Oborski at 17:49 | link | comments |

From Warsaw Voice

"Very competent, matter-of-fact, trustworthy, intelligent, sociable; full of virtues-except for the pathological fear of his wife."
-Jerzy Urban, editor-in-chief of NIE weekly, testifying in court during the Rywingate case, when asked to describe the defendant, film producer Lew Rywin

"Being of sound mind, I hereby declare that I am the son of God Almighty, the one and only true God of the Israelites, Poles and all people of good will."
-A statement sent to a local paper by Józef Koziolek, a councilor from the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) from the City Council in Szczecin

"Our ratings are not impressive, but [world ski jumping champion] Adam Malysz also has his weak moments."
-Jaroslaw Kalinowski, leader of the Polish Peasants' Party (PSL), on the dropping public support for the PSL

"In the case of women, it's their shorts and the front of their shirt that are the most attractive spots."
-Andrzej Balsewicz, president of women's volleyball section at Gwardia Wroc³aw club, on the fact that most advertisers want to place their ads on the back of the players' shorts

"Some 2,500 highlanders take vows of sobriety every year. Most of them request to be temporarily relieved from the pledge, so that they can get drunk, for example, at a son's wedding, grandson's christening, and so on. Some come for dispensation every Saturday."
-A Jesuit priest from Zakopane in Tatra Mountains, on local residents' excessive drinking

"Today, for a woman over 40, it's easier to be killed in a bomb attack than to get married."
-Actress Malgorzata Potocka, 51 [paraphrasing Nora Ephron from the film Sleepless in Seattle]

posted by: Oborski at 17:43 | link | comments |

War-ravaged Iraq should be rebuilt as soon as possible. In connection with Poland's participation in the anti-Saddam coalition alongside the United States, Polish companies hoped to win large orders on the Iraqi market. The first contracts involve deliveries for the new Iraqi army now being formed.

Poland's Bumar company seemed a shoo-in for a recent tender for the delivery of arms. Its chances were discussed by politicians and widely commented in the Polish media. But even political lobbying from President Aleksander Kwaœniewski and Prime Minister Leszek Miller with regard to the Washington administration failed to produce results. To the surprise of everyone in Poland, powerful Bumar lost the competition for a big contract involving deliveries to the Iraqi army. Instead an obscure Polish firm, Ostrowski Arms, was a member of the winning consortium. In addition to Ostrowski Arms, the winning consortium includes the Polish Chamber of National Defense Manufacturers, which comprises arms producers and exporters. Among them is Andoria Mot, which supplies the Honker all-terrain vehicles used by Polish troops in Iraq.

"Contrary to initial press reports, it was not the Nour USA consortium that won the tender for arms deliveries to the new Iraqi army, defeating Poland's Bumar; the winner is an international consortium named Defense Equipment Supply Group, a component of Nour USA," said Andrzej Ostrowski, owner of Ostrowski Arms, quoted by the daily Puls Biznesu.

Eighteen bidders joined the tender. In November, representatives of the Defense Equipment Supply Group asked Ostrowski to represent the consortium in Poland. The Nour USA consortium, established a year ago by U.S. and Arab capital, is based in Virginia, but has a presence in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, United Arab Emirates and Iraq. Nour is active in construction, energy, telecommunications and the fuel sector. It has won its first large contract-worth $80 million-to create a system for the protection of Iraqi oil fields.

Ostrowski Arms Foreign Trade Company is a Warsaw consulting firm with a license for the sale of all types of weapons and heavy military equipment. It has been active for more than 10 years. Now it will act as an agent between the consortium and Polish subcontractors working for Iraq.

A dispute erupted in Poland over why Bumar lost the tender. Bumar's bid was for $554 million, while the winner asked $327 million. Perhaps the issue was not to have a specific company win the tender, but to give preference to companies already well rooted in Iraq and the Middle East as well as companies operating in the United States, an observer said.

In the course of the tender procedure, the Americans changed the terms of the tender, including the quantity of equipment ordered, the list of countries admitted to the tender, the deadline for submitting bids and the criteria of selecting the winner. This raised protests from Bumar. A source knowledgeable on American relations but wishing to remain anonymous has told Gazeta Wyborcza daily that Bumar either jacked up its costs or set excessive profit margins and agent fees. One other factor that might have determined its failure was that 95 percent of the production was to be handled in Poland, while the offers of its rivals were more international in character.

Even though the price was not the most important criterion in the tender, it was probably a key factor in building the consortium. Ostrowski Arms as an agent could be more attractive for the consortium than Bumar, because its services are probably cheaper than the services of a large enterprise like Bumar.

Honker military vehicles may be the strongest point of the Polish bid. But the situation was complicated by questions regarding who actually had the right to produce the vehicle: Poland's Andoria Mot or Russian-controlled Intrall Polska. Until Jan. 31, Andoria Mot owned the rights for the production and sale of Honkers; the company had produced Honkers and Lublin vans since 2002. However, after Jan. 31, the rights reverted to the trustee-in-bankruptcy of Daewoo. On the other hand, Intrall won a tender announced in September 2003 for the production of the Lublin. Both vehicles are produced on the same assembly line in the former Daewoo factory in Lublin.
The dispute between the two companies was solved Feb. 5: the parties decided to cooperate. They made a final agreement under which Intrall will assemble the vehicles, while Andoria Mot will supply the engines. The latter will also be a party in the tender. By the end of 2004, more than 1,500 Honkers are expected to reach Iraq. The value of the contract is estimated at about $40 million.

Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Adam Daniel Rotfeld said that in essence the tender win depended on the bid. The failure should be food for thought for Bumar executives in terms of why their bid was 70-percent more expensive than the winning bid. In his opinion, the Polish company could have chosen not to act on its own in Iraq. "For starters, it's good when someone already familiar with a given market, someone you trust, initiates your company to this market," Rotfeld said. From this point of view, this is valuable experience for Polish companies, he added.

Still, in Rotfeld's view, Bumar should demand explanations from the Americans concerning why the company lost in the tender and why its rival won.

Deputy Defense Minister Janusz Zemke is also surprised with the results of the tender. After returning from India, where he effectively backed a $200-million arms contract signed by Bumar, he stated on the radio that the price quoted by the winner was unbelievably low. In his opinion, Bumar should carefully analyze the tender documentation and if it gains strong arguments, try and question the outcome of the tender using American lawyers.

Moreover, Zemke, considered an expert on arms trade, announced Polish/Spanish and possibly Polish/Ukrainian cooperation in subsequent Iraqi tenders. A Spanish suitor joined and lost in the first tender.

The total value of the remaining public tenders for the reconstruction of Iraq to be announced in the future is $18.5 billion. The entire world will be interested in this money. "I think Poland will secure an important place on this market," said Rotfeld. "I have no doubts that the participation of Polish companies will be substantial." In Washington, the prevailing opinion is that the Poles have a justified right to expect that they will win in the next tenders.

Years ago Polish companies constructed many industrial facilities in Iraq. This experience may come in handy today. But the realities are different. The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs hints that those undertaking investment projects should primarily establish contacts with U.S. companies which will receive most of the contracts as general contractors over the coming year.

posted by: Oborski at 17:40 | link | comments |

Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz and visiting Turkish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul met to discuss the forthcoming NATO summit in Istanbul, EU integration processes and the situation in Iraq, among other issues. This is the first visit by Turkish foreign minister to Poland in 11 years. Cimoszewicz confirmed Poland's "firm support" for Turkey's EU aspirations. Poland was interested in decisions on NATO's presence in Iraq to be taken during the NATO summit in Istanbul, he added. The Turkish minister assured that his country would be present in NATO operations in Iraq. He also announced that the president of Turkey and head of Turish will Parliament will pay a visit to Poland "in nearest months." Questions connected with political and economic cooperation between Poland and Turkey were also discussed by the Turkish minister and Deputy PM and Minister of the Interior Jozef Oleksy who stressed importance of mutual relations linking both countries and pointed to the need to intensify Polish Turkish economic cooperation. This should be favoured by activities of Polish and Turkish businessmen, Poland's growing attractiveness for investors and Turkey's openness to foreign investors. According to Oleksy, Poland's EU accession will open new prospects for economic contacts with partners outside Europe. The politicians also discussed the European integration process. "Poland while entering the EU will continue to support the line of openness," the Polish deputy PM declared. "We believe that cultural diversity may enrich the European identity," he added. The talks also covered international situation in the context of stabilisation process in Iraq, the threat of terrorism and the necessity to fight it. Minister Gul also acknowledged Poland's support for Turkey's aspirations to join the EU.

Warsaw, Feb.9: A compromise on the EU draft constitution can be reached still before June elections to the European Parliament, because the atmosphere is conducive to agreement, according to members of the EP now visiting Warsaw. Elmar Brok, Klaus Haensch and Andrew Duff met with prominent MPs and politicians, they will still meet foreign minister Cimoszewicz. The goal of the visiting EP members was not to negotiate, but to probe the atmosphere surrounding the constitution and the possibilities for finding a solution to the most difficult question of the voting system acceptable to all countries, they explained. "We believe that a solution will be found on the basis of the double majority system proposed by the Convention that will take into account also the Polish arguments," Haensch said. "We will reach agreement still before the elections to the EP." There were many ways available to solve the problem, he argued, but all should wait for the Irish proposals, since Ireland was presiding over the EU in the present half-year.

Berlin, Feb. 9: Teams of U.S. experts have arrived in Poland, Romania and Bulgaria to inspect possible sites for new U.S. military bases. "The experts will collect information to be used in determining conditions that will allow the installation of bases," the U.S. military command in Europe in Stuttgart released. The information will focus on harbours, airfields and training facilities in the three countries mentioned. A decision by U.S. authorities on the deployment of new bases in East Europe is expected next summer.

Parliament deputies Andrzej Jagiello, Henryk Dlugosz and Zbigniew Sobotka have been indicted in the so-called Starachowice affair. Jagiello and Dlugosz were accused of obstructing justice, while former deputy interior minister Sobotka was accused of divulging state secrets and acquiescence to jeopardizing the life and health of policemen taking part in a secret operation in Starachowice last March. The substantiation of the indictment is secret since 11 out of 27 volumes of files were labelled "classified" or "top secret". The trial before the regional court in Starachowice will be held behind closed doors. The public prosecutor will continue investigating the case of false depositions made in the course of the Starachowice affair investigations by former head of the national police general Antoni Kowalczyk. Sobotka, Dlugosz and Jagiello were all members of the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) – the ruling party at the time of their alleged crimes.

If the Hausner plan is adopted, the zloty should firm, head of the national Bank of Poland Leszek Balcerowicz said. "The only fundamental reason of a weakening of the zloty given the sound growth of the economy is lack of firm reforms of public finances", Balcerowicz said. "If the reform is applied or started in a reliable way, and if a package of bills is implemented, Poland will be on a good path and the zloty should strengthen", he commented and positively assessed the direction at which the plan is heading but added that it should be consolidated and not watered. Balcerowicz came up in favour of a single VAT rate but did not elaborate. He criticized the idea to remove from the constitution the limit of the country's public debt at 60 pct of GDP. "Setting the limit of the debt is introduced to avert dangerous situation for the public finances and the society. Ceilings are not to be exceeded".

Warsaw, Feb. 9: The Polish economy will keep the pace of growth at the level of 4-5 percent of GDP in 2004. Inflation will not exceed its goal threshold, according to Stanis aw Nieckarz, the new member of the Monetary Policy Council (RPP). He explained that the level of economic growth hinged on relatively good exports' dynamics if there was no perturbation in euro-USD rate as well as on growth of investments. Inflation will be under control this year and the main inflation-boosting factor will be the adjustment of indirect taxes to EU regulations. In the first half of the year CPI will go up owing to changes to the value added and the excise taxes. Unclear will be the situation of oil prices. However, inflation should not reach the upper threshold of inflation goal, Nieckarz explained.

Air Polonia, Poland's cheap airline, will get usage rights to the Charleroi airport south of Brussels after the Irish Ryanair lines' loss of exclusive rights to the terminal due to financial irregularities, the Irish Independent daily wrote. Earlier this month the European Commission announced Ryanair had illegally accepted financial subsidies from Belgian local authorities and ordained the airline to rescind its monopoly rights to Charleroi and repay one third of the utilized funds. Ryanair spokesmen have said they will appeal the EC's decision. Air Polonia will fly to Charleroi twice weekly from Warsaw and thrice weekly from Katowice.

posted by: Oborski at 00:10 | link | comments |

Spain and Britain are considered the most friendly countries towards Poland...

According to a survey by the CBOS Institute, France and Germany are at the bottom of the list. The results of the survey reflect the course of the debate on a future European Constitution, in which Poland won the support of Spain and, to a lesser extent, Britain, while France and Germany represent an entirely different view.

Poland will reciprocate Turkey’s support for its membership in NATO and will support Ankara in its efforts to join the European Union...

A statement to this effect was made by the speaker of the Polish Senate Longin Pastusiak after talks with Turkish foreign minister Abdullah Gul, who is paying the first visit by a Turkish foreign minister in 11 years.

The Polish cabinet has discussed the details of the austerity programme drafted by economy minister Jerzy Hausner...

It is to cut the budget deficit to below three percent of GDP in 2007 from this year’s expected six percent, in a bid to bring Poland to the euro zone late in the decade. It has been agreed with the opposition Civic Platform, which the cabinet hopes will endorse the plan, that a set of parliamentary bills is to be drafted by the end of the month. Civic Platform leaders have presented a number of strict conditions under which they would be ready to support the spending cuts programme. They include a lowering of the personal income tax.

The Polish currency has fallen into a vicious circle and a further slide to five zloty to the euro is a real possibility, according to many Polish analysts...

The currency plunged to record lows last week as markets worried about the government’s fiscal reform plan may fail to keep the deficit below the constitutionally mandated 60 percent of GDP. Analysts say markets were also doubtful whether high 4.5 percent targeted GDP growth for this year can be achieved. The zloty hovers at 4.8 to the euro.

In an interview for Polish Radio, Central Bank governor Leszek Balcerowicz critisized the idea of some politicians to remove from the constitution the 60 percent budget deficit limit...

Scrapping this limination, which is in line with EU standards, could bring Poland to an economic catastrophe, Mr Balcerowicz said.

A former deputy interior minister has been charged with leaking state secrets and endagering policemen’s lives...

Prosecutors in the town of Kielce say Zbigniew Sobotka is accused of leaking information about planned police raids against a gang dealing in stolen cars. Two members of Parliament, Andrzej Jagie³³o and Henryk D³ugosz, until recently representing the ruling Democratic Left Alliance SLD, have been charged with obstruction of justice. The three politicians face up to eight years in prison.
The scandal is among the factors which have sent public confidence in prime minister Miller’s leftist cabinet to a record low.
According to recent opinion polls, if the elections were held today, the SLD would win 16 percent of the vote, whereas the opposition Civic Platform – 29 percent.

Poland has joined Japan, South Korea and Singapore in banning imports of US poultry, in the wake of the discovery of a bird flu infection on the Atlantic Coast...

The order, which also prohibits transhipment of the US produce, is likely to have little impact, as in the first 11 months of 2003 Poland imported only 732 tonnes of poultry and three tonnes of live birds.
In the last month, Poland has already banned poultry imports from most of east Asia, including Japan, China, Taiwan, Vietnam and Pakistan.

It has been an icon of things Polish since communist times but with a sleak bottle design and stylish wooden crate package fashioned by the famous architect Frank Gehry, Poland’s Wyborowa Vodka has made it all the way to Hollywood...

The new-look vodka was included in gift packs presented to this year’s Oscar nominees and is to hit shop shelves in the United States in the near future. Transformed into the exclusive Wyborowa Single Estate brand, the traditional Polish rye-based tipple is to sell as an upmarket alcohol in America.

A 33 year-old Pole convicted of stealing four parrots from a zoo has been sentenced to two years in prison...

The thief explained that after being released from prison last September he stole the birds for money. The booty was valued at 800 zlotys, the equivalent of 210 dollars. The court in Wroc³aw, south-western Poland, was particularly strict as the man was a repeat offender who had spent half of his life in prison.

posted by: Oborski at 00:26 | link | comments |

Chief Veterinary Inspector Piotr Kolodziej has informed about the introduction of a ban on imports of poultry from the United States...

The decision has been made in connection with cases of bird flu registered in the US. He said the Polish side is awaiting more information on the type of virus monitored. Another matter of interest are the exact regions where the infection had been detected. If the cases would be confined to certain states only, then a limitation to the ban would be made.

Chairman of the SLD parliamentary majority club Krzysztof Janik has stated that should the House turn down the reform program tabled by economy minister Jerzy Hausner the situation would require early elections...

Janik warned that if the legislation comprising the packet on public finances fails to recieve adequate voting support “the Polish currency will get out of hand and foreign investors will start packing their bags”. He said this would not necessarily have to be exactly such a scenario. However, given its high probability, financial circles should be given a clear signal to calm their anxieties and early elections would positively fulfill such a role, Janik opined. The SLD parliamentary leader voiced hope that his club can count on the votes of the opposition Civic Platform, PSL Peasant Party or League of Polish Families in at least some of the legislative acts, for instance on cuts in administration spending.

Defence minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski has said he will not be pre-occupied with media speculation on details concerning the international tender for equipping the new Iraqi army, in which the Polish Bumar consortium lost to the American NOUR Group...

More specifically, the allegations pertain to the surprise participation of the little known Ostrowski Arms Company in the deal on the American side, eventhough it does not have a license for foreign arms trade. The MOD head told reporters the Polish side should be content with whatever share it could secure for its domestic arms producers in the contract and not look for explanations in theories of conspiracy. If the unhealthy atmosphere around the contract persists, the only outcome of it will be NOUR abandoning the Polish market and turning eastward, concluded Szmajdzinski.

Foreign minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz has conferred with his Turkish opposite number Abdullah Gul in Warsaw...

Speaking at a press conference following the meeting, Cimoszewicz reiterated Poland’s support for Turkey in its aspirations for EU membership. He remarked that further Union enlargement would be beneficial to the whole of Europe. He said Turkey would be an attractive economic partner and would surely contribute to a better understanding between the Christian and Muslim world. Both heads of diplomacy voiced hope for an official NATO stand during the Alliance’s June summit in Istanbul on the issue of involvement in Iraq. Minister Gul’s visit to Poland is the first by a Turkish foreign minister in eleven years.

Malgorzata Pomianowska from NIK - the Supreme Auditing Chamber – has said that the latest check of police spending has not encompassed financing of crown witness schemes...

The NIK spokeswoman thus responded to current press speculations on unsubstantiated sums spent on witness protection programs by the Central Bureau of Investigation. Pomianowska called the press articles as unfounded, however declined to quote specific parts of the NIK report on grounds of classified information.

Meanwhile, an internal inquiry in the Central Bureau of Investigation has not traced any fraud in the witness protection programs...

Spokesman for National Police Headquarters Dariusz Nowak admitted three officers from Opole and Warsaw have been given disciplinary sanctions, but their actions can be described as leading to irregularities rather than financial losses or misappropriation.

posted by: Oborski at 10:26 | link | comments |

Poland has said it was pressing for NATO to take command of a stabilisation force in Iraq, but it was proceeding cautiously to avoid rekindling tensions over the US-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein...

Poland’s ambassador to NATO Jerzy Nowak told a meeting of NATO defence ministers in Munich that giving the alliance a robust role in Iraq could help mend transatlantic divisions and reinforce the legitimacy of the government which will take over from the US power in July.
Poland has 2,400 troops in Iraq and leads a nine thousand strong division of troops from more than 20 nations in south-central Iraq.

Two thirds of respondents in a survey indicated they wanted Polish companies to be awarded reconstruction contracts in Iraq in return for the country’s commitment to the US-led war in that country...

Some 66 percent of Poles surveyed by Pentor said reward contracts were in order even if their offers are less competitive, while 18 percent held the opposite opinion. While 25 percent of respondents believed Poland committed troops to Iraq owing to political reasons and to fight terrorism, 16 percent believed it was counting on contracts and financial benefits.

Opposition and supporters of possible future US military bases in Poland appear to be balanced in numbers...

According to the CBOS institute 38 percent of Poles approved of the creation of the American bases while 36 percent were against. Jobs and imnproved national security topped the list of benefits which supporters expected from the bases whereas the leading disadvantage seen by Poland was the increased risk of terrorist attacks.

Poland’s main opposition party, the centre-right Civic Platform, has said it is ready to hold serious consultations with prime minister Miller’s Social Democratic Party on the government’s austerity programme...

Civic Platform leader Zyta Gilowska told Polish Radio that her party could back the spending cuts programme under strict conditions, including a reform of the personal income tax system and more drastic cuts in state administration costs.

The austerity programme, drafted by economy minister Jerzy Hausner, would cut the budget deficit to below three percent of GDP in 2007 from this year’s expected six percent, in a bid to bring Poland to the euro zone late in the decade.

The Mayor of Warsaw has handed the Jewish commuinity the title to part of a building complex on the site of the city’s synagogue destroyed by the Nazis in 1943...

Several of the sections of the building, which stands opposite the mayor’s office, are already used by the Jewish Historical Institute to display its collection of Jewish memorabilia.

The transfer of the property by Mayor Lech Kaczyñski came during a visit to Warsaw by a delegation of the American Jewish Committee to press Poland for the restitution of private property held by Jews. Poland’s restitution law provides for the return of property held by the Jewish community before the Second World War but not private property.

Today marks the 10th anniversary of the death of the famous Polish composer Witold Lutos³awski. Concerts of his music are held in almost all of Polish cities...

An exhibition documenting his life and work is on show at the Warsaw Philharmonic.

Lutos³awski is often referred to as the modern classic. His works, notably the symphonies, vocal-instrumental pieces and chamber music, are performed by leading orchestras and soloists. 2004 is celebrated as the Lutos³awski Year in Poland.

One of the weekend musical highlights in Warsaw is tomorrow’s concert of the Kronos Quartet from the United States. The concert has generated much interest among Polish music fans. The Kronos Quartet has numerous pieces by Polish composers, notably Henryk Mikolaj Gorecki, in its repertoire.

posted by: Oborski at 17:17 | link | comments |

Deputy chairman of PSL Peasant Party, Aleksander Bentkowski has stated that the IACS electronic registration system for agriculture should be ready in time to guarantee Polish farmers access to direct EU subsidies...

However, Bentkowski admitted the PSL is concerned with other elements of the government’s agricultural EU policy with regard to Poland’s accession readiness. The deputy PSL chairman said the grouping is still awaiting the Prime Minister’s response to its call for the dismissal of foreign minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz and European affairs minister Danuta Huebner. The Peasant Party claims that due to their negligence Polish farmers will experience much worse conditions at the start of Union membership than had been originally defined during negotiations. Bentkowski maintains the errors will cost Poland at least 300 million euros annually because of unfavorable terms in the accession treaty.

Jan Maria Rokita, leader of the Civic Platform is in Brussels for the 16th Congress of the European Peoples Party, the biggest political grouping in the European Parliament...

The meeting is also attended by representatives of right wing parties from countries which are to become new members of the EU as of May. Addressing the forum, Jan Maria Rokita has assured that Poland is interested in a strong Union and therefore, has no intention of weakening its structures. Speaking on the European Constitution Rokita reminded of Poland’s defence of the Nice Treaty provisions on the voting rights issue. He also pointed to the importance of the opposition’s support of government policy in this respect. The Civic Platform leader critically assessed intentions to limit the scope of the EU budget.

Poland’s Bumar Enterprise has signed a joint venture agreement with India’s BEML...

At the same time the companies have concluded an over 200 million dollar contract for the delivery of 228 technical back-up vehicles for the Indian army. Bumar’s deputy board chairman Andrzej Spis said, the joint venture would enable it to participate in contracts for the modernization of Indian tanks.
Last week Bumar came under heavy criticism when, despite strong political backing and lobbying, it lost the tender for equipping the new Iraqi army to US companies.

Marcel Lozinski, one of Poland’s top documentary movie directors has been honored with the Grand Freedom Award at the just opened International Film Festival in Berlin...

The distinction has been founded for Central & Eastern European directors in recognition for outstanding achievements and contribution to the process of democratization. Lozinski already has a number of prestigious awards to his credit, to mention only the Prix Europa for his “Katyn Forest” or another documentary titled “89 Millimeters Away From Europe” which received an Oscar nomination in 1994.

A miner died in an accident at the Jaworzno III mining and power generation complex in the mid-southern Tychy region...

The 49 year old worker had been caught by a conveyer while loading it with coal. He died on the spot. A special commission has been called by the District Mining Authority to investigate the causes of the tragic accident.

Witold Maziarz, spokesman for the National Firefighting Department has said there is currently no danger of a widespread flood situation...

The only areas where a flood alert has been declared are parts of the northern Kujawsko-Pomorskie province and the southeastern Podkarpackie region. Maziarz told Polish Radio that so far, the major rivers can handle the abruptly melting snow coupled with heavy rainfall in certain localities. He quoted Firefighting Headquarters weather bureau reports speaking of stabilization of atmospheric conditions as of early next week when a return of sub-zero temperatures should reduce the rate of ice and snow melting.

… It’s been a mostly cloudy day across the country with only sporadic clearings in the northern coastal area and central Mazowsze, also eastern Lublin provinces. Noontime mercury highs ranged from 7 centigrade in the northeast to 12 degrees Celcius in the west of Poland. Here in Warsaw, it’s been 11 centigrade at midday with a northwesterly wind lashing pedestrians with pouring rain.

posted by: Oborski at 23:32 | link | comments |

Jan Maria Rokita, leader of the Civic Platform is in Brussels for the 16th Congress of the European Peoples Party, the biggest political grouping in the European Parliament...

Poland’s Bumar Enterprise has signed a joint venture agreement with India’s BEML...

Marcel Lozinski, one of Poland’s top documentary movie directors has been honored with the Grand Freedom Award at the just opened International Film Festival in Berlin...

A miner died in an accident at the Jaworzno III mining and power generation complex in the mid-southern Tychy region...

Witold Maziarz, spokesman for the National Firefighting Department has said there is currently no danger of a widespread flood situation...

posted by: Oborski at 23:32 | link | comments |

From Warsaw Voice

"Only completely sober persons will be admitted overnight."
-A regulation of Bia³ystok authorities on providing winter-time accommodation for the homeless at the local drunk tank

"I was never scolded so much at any meeting before; it was a series of continuous attacks. I was heartbroken. I was terrified."
-Jerzy Hausner, deputy prime minister and minister of the economy, labor and social policy, after a meeting with representatives of the OPZZ trade union, where his plan of cuts in state budget spending was fiercely criticized

"Poles like presents. We are like children that way. After all, journalists also receive various gifts from companies."
-Marcin Kaszuba, government press spokesman, on why Prime Minister Leszek Miller received a zl.3,600 watch from Polonia Bydgoszcz sports club

"You get the impression that the last two years were filled with government successes.
But why isn't this reflected by the life of Poles?"
-Zbigniew KuŸmiuk, vice-president of the Polish Peasants' Party (PSL), on the report A Summary of Government Activities December 2001-December 2003

"The computer questioned the patient's existence. The system we're using doesn't include the possibility of someone living that long."
-An employee of an outpatient clinic in Czêstochowa, where a patient born in 1889 wanted to sign up for an appointment with a doctor

"The one who gets beaten up is to blame, because you don't judge winners."
-Russian President Vladimir Putin on who is to blame when two students are fighting at school during recess, a question asked on the president's website for children

posted by: Oborski at 04:11 | link | comments |

The chairman of the Polish Peasant’s Party Jaroslaw Kalinowski considers that Poland will suffer tremendous financial losses due to the negligence in talks on this country’s interests in a joint agricultural policy of the EU...

Speaking for Polish Radio Kalinowski said he demands the resignation of Poland’s head of diplomacy Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz and the minister for European affairs Danuta Hubner. Both politicians, underlined Kalinowski, have neglected the threats posed by the article 23 of the accession treaty dealing with direct subsidies of Polish farmers. On the basis of the article The European Commission states that full subsidies for the Polish farmers will come into force not earlier than 2013. Jaroslaw Kalinowski considers this as illegal and says he may consider suing the European Commission before the European Tribunal for breaking the conditions of the accession treaty.

Undersecretary of state in the European Integration Committee Jaroslaw Pietras said that Poland is not preparing any complaints to the European Tribunal against the European Commission. Speaking for Polish Radio Pietras said that the issue demands thorough legal analysis as to whether the European Commission has in reality broken any rules of the article 23. Pietras pointed that Poland could not forward any motion to the European Tribunal before becoming an official member of the EU, he underlined however that the EU has to act in line with article 23, which means that all reforms encompassing EU member states must also be applied to Poland.

Polish defense-sector firm Bumar failed to win a 600 mln USD military supply tender for the reborn Iraqi army...

Bumar reportedly lost out because its offer was too expensive. The change of the tender conditions has enabled the victory of the US consortium, says a military expert from the Raport monthly. Grzegorz Holdanowicz reminds that two weeks before the results the organizers of the tender decided that the most vital criteria will be the ‘past performance” of the companies taking part. The NOUR consortium, which is closely connected with Middle East capital, has entered Iraq just after the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime. In September NOUR won the contract for providing security systems to Iraq’s oil fields. Holdanowicz claims that the ties with Middle East states, which had supported the US, led war against Iraq might have been decisive in choosing the NOUR consortium for the deal.

The candidate for Poland’s EU commissioner Danuta Hubner has had a meeting with the head of the European Commission Romano Prodi...

It was the first in the series of talks Prodi is to conduct with candidates from the newly accepted members. As of May 1st the European Commission is to have from 20 to 30 members more. Danuta Hubner was reluctant to divulge the nature of the talks; she said it was not a test.
Ukraine’s foreign minister Konstantyn Hryszczenko arrived in Poland today for a two-day official visit. The head of Ukrainian diplomacy will be meeting with his Polish counterpart Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz, the two politicians will be chairing bilateral plenary talks with the most pressing problems of relations between the two states as well as concerns connected with Poland EU entry.

The Polish embassy in The Hague together with the publishing house De Geus from Breda has organized days of Polish Books in the Netherlands...

The action aims at attracting Dutch people to Polish literature. The increased interest in Poland, before EU accession in May, is a good opportunity to promote Polish writers and books. For a month, all bookstores, which have joined in the action, will be selling Polish literature at mush lesser cost, while a publication on Polish contemporary literature will be handed out free.

The Bialowieza National park is celebrating the year 2004 as the Year of the Polish Bison...

The park intends to honor the King of the Woods, as the bison is called, with special scientific and educational sessions as well as recreation events. Before WW I there were over 700 bison inhabiting the Bialowieza Forest, but not one survived. Thankfully the mammals were to be found in zoological gardens and in 1929 the first bison arrived back in Balowieza at a specially established breeding center. Now the park boasts 351 bison, with 48 young born in 2003.

posted by: Oborski at 23:24 | link | comments |

UK set to act against 'benefit tourism'

Tony Blair confirmed today that the government is planning to tighten up the safeguards against "benefit tourism" ahead of the accession of eight eastern European countries to the EU.

Replying to the Conservative leader, Michael Howard, at prime minister's questions, Mr Blair said the government would "take whatever measures are necessary in order to make sure that the pull factor which might draw people here is closed off".

The government is not, however, considering limiting the right of the EU's newest citizens to work in the UK, according to Downing Street, though it may consider the issue again in the future.

The Tory leader had asked why the government had "unlike almost every other EU country ... imposed no transitional controls on the free movement of citizens from the accession countries of eastern Europe".

Mr Blair replied: "The point you raise is a justified one. It is important that we recognise that there is a potential risk from these accession countries of people coming in.

"It's precisely for that reason now that we are looking at the concessions we gave and if it is right that closing off those concessions is going to mean we deal with this problem, then we will do so."

The EU's 15 existing member-states have retained the right to impose restrictions on the right to work in their borders of the citizens of the eight eastern European countries who are joining the union on May 1.

Under these provisions Mr Blair, David Blunkett, the home secretary, and the work and pensions secretary, Andrew Smith, are examining ways to tighten the habitual residents test, which determines whether foreigners are allowed benefits.

Unlike Germany and other EU member states, the government declined to impose restrictions on the right of the EU's newest citizens right to work in the UK.

It believes that economic migration is good for the British economy, but reserves the right to reconsider its decision if the evidence shows otherwise.

The Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia are to join the EU on May 1.

posted by: Oborski at 16:32 | link | comments |

West Midland MEPs on Poland joing EU...

We have invited the eight West Midland MEPs to contribute articles on forthcoming Polish entry to EU. Find the site at http://polcon.tripod.com/mep.html

Philip Bradbourn OBE MEP
(Conservative)

Of course, it will not only be the citizens of Poland which will benefit. Visitors to the country will find it easier and much more accessible.

The West Midlands has a large and successful Polish Community which contributes greatly to the region and I am sure they are delighted Poland will finally be welcomed into the EU family.

posted by: Oborski at 11:45 | link | comments |

Secretary of the Office of the Committee for European Integration Jaroslaw Pietras has admitted that Agriculture Minister Wojciech Olejniczak was the person who placed a motion for setting up a group of experts to evaluate whether Poland should sue the European Commission for breaching terms regarding the integration of rural areas with the EU which had been laid out in the accession treaty. ..

As of yesterday, Gregor Kreutzhuber, spokesman for EU agriculture commissioner Franz Fischler informed that Poland can file a law suit against the European Commission over the common agricultural policy and direct subsidies for farmers. Minister Olejniczak, however, denied information that Poland had already made a decision about preparing a lawsuit for the Luxembourg Tribunal. "Threatening the European Commission is not beneficial in solving problems concerning the changes in the Common Agriculture Policy and causes unnecessary tensions," explained Olejniczak. Jaros³aw Pietras added that the final decision concerning the lawsuit would not be made before May 1 and it depends on whether it would be in accordance with the law.

During his stay the chairman of the European Parliament, visited Warsaw among others to pick up an oscar from the Polish Business Club for his input in Polish integration with the EU and is to meet with Prime Minister Leszek Miller later today. "Please do not send 54 old people to Strasbourg, but rather send representatives from Poland, that contributed to freeing the continent," implored Pat Cox before June elections to the European Parliament. He also requested that the candidates should represent a diverse group of people in terms of gender, age, geographic region, political background, but like-minded in their approach in building a united Europe. Cox also stressed that the fiasco from last December's summit in Brussels concerning the EU Constitution should not only be attributed to Poland and Spain.

Meanwhile, the issue of the future EU constitution continues to stir controversy...

During a debate devoted to the constitution of enlarged EU organized by Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza Pat Cox expressed hope that agreement will have been reached still before June elections to the European Parliament. He also spoke about ways of finding compromise between arrangements written down in the Nice Treaty and the Convention’s proposal regarding voting rights in the UE Council. Meanwhile, according to Poland’s head of diplomacy, W³odzimierz Cimoszewicz compromise can be reached if conclusions are drawn from the recent EU summit in Brussels. The minister said that even failure to approve of the constitution would not be a disaster since the EU has proper procedures and institutions at its disposal to guarantee its effective functioning. Bronis³aw Geremek, former head of diplomacy also opted for a compromise regarding the future EU constitution speaking for Polish Radio today.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, W³odzimierz Cimoszewicz continues his visit to the Slovenian capitol of Lubljana...

Today he is to take part in the annual conference of Slovenian ambassadors to Lubljana attended also by the head of Italian Diplomacy Franco Frattini. In his speech W³odzimierz Cimoszewicz is to talk about Poland’s preparations for EU membership, the country’s experience as a NATO member and about the problems connected with reaching a compromise on the issue of EU constitution. He is also to hold talks with his Slovenian opposite number.

Polish defense-sector firm Bumar failed to win a USD 600 mln military supply tender for the reborn Iraqi army, though Poland is near to closing a USD 300 mln arms procurement deal with India, Polish Defense Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski informed...

Bumar reportedly lost out because its offer was too expensive. In the event, the winning consortium was led by an American firm, Nour USA, though the group also includes Poland's Ostrowski Arms and the Polish Chamber of Producers for State Defense. According to minister Szmajdzinski, the loss would not weaken the Polish defense sector much since the country would soon sign a USD 330 mln deal with India. The deal is set to be signed during this week’s visit by Deputy Defense Minister Janusz Zemke to the DEF EXPO arms trade fair in New Delhi which opens on Wednesday. It is part of a 500-million-dollar deal India signed up for in 2003 under which India will take delivery of armored vehicles, assault tanks and weapons guidance systems for T-72 tanks, defense ministry spokesman Adam Stasiñski said.

posted by: Oborski at 00:39 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 15:32 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 13:10 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 16:25 | link | comments |

You are tuned to RP. I am KK at the English newsdesk in Warsaw, welcoming you to this broadcast. Coming up – Europe East, our weekly magazine in which East Europeans tell you what’s happening in their countries. This will be followed by In Touch.
But first – here is the news.

Reports that the Polish Bumar consortium has failed to win a 600 million dollar contract on equipping the Iraqi army have sparked off a heated discussion in Poland...

The bid was won by an American consortium, whose offer was almost 230 million US dollars cheaper.
Expectations concerning Bumar were high. President Aleksander Kwasniewski mentioned this contract among three important issues in his recent talks with president George Bush in Washington. Bumar received government guarantees in excess of 200 million dollars.

Poland’s defense minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski said that good news is that the winner consortium comprises two Polish firms. In his opinion, Bumar should draw conclusions from its defeat. The two offers should be compared, to pinpoint faults, the minister noted. Slawomir Cytrycki, former treasury minister, who heads a Polish mission in the United States soliciting contracts on the post-war reconstruction of Iraq for Polish firms, believes that there is no cause for despair. There are signals, in his opinion, that other Polish firms may win contracts in Iraq. And deputy foreign minister Daniel Rotfeld said that Poland should demand explamations as to what criteria were observed by the tender organizers.

Meanwhile, Bumar’s spokeswoman Roma Sarzynska said that the American winner firm presented an unrealistically cheap offer. Bumar will ask the organizer of the tender to come up with explanations and check the credibility of the winner, she informed.

President of the European Parliament, Pat Cox, has held talks with former president Lech Walesa on the situation in Europe and the world...

Cox, who is paying a private visit to the Polish port city of Gdansk, described Walesa as one of the most distinguished Europeans. He also toured the Gdansk Shipyard, the cradle of the Solidarity trade union.
On Saturday, the president of the European Parliament received an Oscar award from the Polish Business Club for his commitment for the cause of Poland’s integration with the European Union. On Monday and Tuesday, Pat Cox will hold talks with Polish leaders in Warsaw.

Julia Kociuban from Poland has won the Grand Prix of the 5th International Chopin Competition for young pianists, held in the Estonian city of Narva...

Polish panists fared exceedingly well in the contest. Six out of the fourteen Polish entrants won prizes.
Experts point to the high level of contest, which attracted 60 young pianists from Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Russia, Sweden and Ukraine. The
youngest participant was 9 years old. The oldest was 18.

Shoals of dead fish are floating in the middle reaches of the Vistula river...

Conservation officials suspect that the fish suffocated due to lack of oxygen in the water. Ice on the river is being crushed and the dead fish, of which there may be some 20 tons, are being removed.

posted by: Oborski at 16:20 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 01:53 | link | comments |

According to unofficial information, the Polish Bumar consortium has made it to the final stage of a bid for equipping the new Iraqi army but lost because its offer was too expensive – Polish Radio One reported today...

Bumar’s offer was among the final four offers examined, but was eventually rejected. The bid was won by an American firm, whose offer was almost 230 million US dollars cheaper than that presented by the Polish consortium. Representatives of a Washington-based firm of consultants, which advises Polish firms bidding for contracts in Iraq, say that apart of asking too high a price, Bumar had a poorly constructed bidding strategy. The government press spokesman Marcin Kaszuba said if the report is confirmed, the Polish foreign ministry will issue a statement on this matter. Bumar’s offer to equip 27 Iraqi army battalions was priced at 554 million dollars. Its spokswoman refused to comment on the results of the bid, until they are made official, but argued that the consortium’s offer was very good.

Pat Cox, President of the European Parliament, will receive an Oscar award from the Polish Business Club today...

The ceremony, which will take place in Warsaw, will inaugurate Pat Cox’s several day long visit to Poland. On Monday and Tuesday he will hold talks with Polish prime minister Leszek Miller, foreign minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz and parliamentary speaker Marek Borowski. The European Union’s new constitution and the contentious issue of the division of votes in future enlarged Europe are expected to dominate the agenda. Poland is firmly defending the Nice Treaty arrangement, which gives it the same number of votes as to Germany and France.

President of the Polish Business Club Ryszard Konwerski has said that Pat Cox helped Poland a lot in its preparations for EU membership. That is why the Club decided to honor him with its Oscar. “His personal committed to the cause of Poland’s integration with the European Union is very significant for us, Polish entrepreneurs”, Konwerski observed.
The Club established the award in 1992 to honor persons who help to promote Poland’s economy on the international scene. The first to receive it was former US national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski.

Polish nurses have decided to sue Poland’s government at the European Human Rights Tribunal...

The Union of Polish Nurses and Midwives accuses the government of failing to ensure resources to pay wages and pay rises to nurses.
Its head Bozena Banachowicz claims that nurses and midwives are treated with disrespect.

The Polish translation of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix has hit more than 800 bookstores in Poland today...

The most devoted fans have been forming queues since 6 am to make sure that they will be able to get hold of one of some 600 thousand copies of the cult book.
An additional attraction are magic trams, touring five of Poland’s major cities, on which Harry Potter fans can meet some of the main characters created by Rowling, listen to excerpts from her latest book and take part in contests.

– and it’s a pleasant sunny day in central and southern Poland. Elsewhere, cloudy but with sunny breaks. Snowfalls as well as sleet are expected in western regions. Maximum temperatures from minus 2 degrees Celsius in eastern regions to plus 3 Celsius in the northwest of the country. Wind – moderate and gusty along the Baltic Sea coast up north and in the southwestern mountainous region. Roads are slippery – which is bad news at the start of a two-week winter recess at schools, when many Poles head for winter holiday destinations.

"Cześć!"

Links

Archives

Counter

posted by: Oborski at 20:14 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 12:06 | link | comments (1) |

posted by: Oborski at 11:59 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 11:53 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 11:49 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 23:33 | link | comments |

PULLING THE CURTAIN DOWN

posted by: Oborski at 15:57 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 14:29 | link | comments (2) |

posted by: Oborski at 18:53 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 09:56 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 00:27 | link | comments |

Neena Gill MEP(Labour)

“Poland & the West Midlands;partnership for prosperity & progress”

posted by: Oborski at 14:26 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 10:10 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 19:09 | link | comments |

John Corrie MEP(Conservative)

“The EU is in safe hands”

Philip Bushill-Matthews MEP(Conservative)

“Polska to wspanialy kraj”

Philip Bradbourn OBE MEP(Conservative)

“Welcome to Poland”

Malcolm Harbour MEP(Conservative)

“Poland - the business opportunities”

Michael Cashman MEP(Labour)

Liz Lynne MEP(Liberal-Democrat)

posted by: Oborski at 18:56 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 00:54 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 09:06 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 07:19 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 00:51 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 17:54 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 17:49 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 17:43 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 17:40 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 00:10 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 00:26 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 10:26 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 17:17 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 23:32 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 23:32 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 04:11 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 23:24 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 16:32 | link | comments |

West Midland MEPs on Poland joing EU...

We have invited the eight West Midland MEPs to contribute articles on forthcoming Polish entry to EU. Find the site at http://polcon.tripod.com/mep.html

Philip Bradbourn OBE MEP(Conservative)

posted by: Oborski at 11:45 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 00:39 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 15:32 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 13:10 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 16:25 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 16:20 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 01:53 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 01:50 | link | comments |

Neena Gill MEP
(Labour)

“Poland & the West Midlands;
partnership for prosperity & progress”

John Corrie MEP
(Conservative)

Philip Bushill-Matthews MEP
(Conservative)

Philip Bradbourn OBE MEP
(Conservative)

Malcolm Harbour MEP
(Conservative)

Michael Cashman MEP
(Labour)

Liz Lynne MEP
(Liberal-Democrat)

Philip Bradbourn OBE MEP
(Conservative)