"Cześć!"

 

Szczesliwego Nowego Roku

posted by: Oborski at 23:21 | link | comments (1) |

Thank you Poland!

More than 25,000 people have registered their signatures on a Web site to thank Poland for stopping the EU from ratifying the patent directive last week

A Web site set up to thank Poland for its last-minute intervention, which prevented the EU Council from ratifying the Computer Implemented Inventions Directive last week, has collected over 25,000 names. Check here for info: http://thankpoland.info/

posted by: Oborski at 22:04 | link | comments |

Christmas mood is everpresent – also in the weeklies, which carry lists of Christmas gift suggestions and report on the shopping frenzy. But there are also many articles focusing on the soul rather than flesh. Newsweek writes that contrary to what is often believed or suspected, religious attitudes of Poles are neither shallow nor manifested only on special occasions. Today Poles speak openly about their contacts with God and about such intimate affairs as prayer. SMG/KRC pollsters, who conducted a survey on how religious Polish people are, say that their questions were answered readily. People told them without much reservation how, when and where and what they pray for and when their prayers were answered. Clearly, this shows a change in approach to religion, with prayer becoming a part of daily life. Some analysts believe that this reflects the impact of new religious movements, popularizing the concept of creed as an integral part of and main reference point in life. Over 80 percent of Poles declare themselves as believers. Two thirds pray at least once a week, mainly for the welfare of their family and children. Money is seldom mentioned. Neither are Poles eager to pray for the church or the church hierarchy, Newsweek reports.

Still on religious note, the weekly Wprost writes that Polish-born Pope John II is more generous in beatifying his compatriots than all his predecessors. During the 26 years of his pontificate, one in ten new saints has been a Pole. The process is gaining momentum as the Polish church is preparing the beatification of some 200 persons. The Pope has been frequently criticized, especially in the West, for mass production of saints. True, out of some 7,000 catholic saints and blessed, almost 2,000 have been elevated to the altar by the present pontiff.

Solidarnosc, a weekly of the Solidarity trade union, slams the government’s special representative for equal rights of women and men for her recent statement blaming catholicism for violence in the family. Minister Magdalena Środa argued that she was misunderstood, but her critics demanded her dismissal. The premier decided that it would be enough to admonish Środa. Solidarnosc deplores the fact that her way of thinking is becoming increasingly popular in contemporary Europe. The most blatant example, it argues, was France’s determination not to include reference to Christianity in the European Constitution. The weekly also cites tolerance for the profanation of religious symbols in arts, jokes ridiculing Christians and it argues that the impact of feminist and gay ideologies creates a climate in which Christian attitudes are criticized.

Back to Christmas – Polityka writes that when shops are flooded with kitsch, it’s the sign that Christmas is approaching. Christmassy tights, chou-chou baby doll which can cry and imitate other life functions, a Christmas decoration with the face of George W. Bush, a plastic tomb candle in the shape of Santa Claus – everything with a Christmas flavor sells like hot cakes. This is especially true of Christmas lights. Unfortunately, writes Polityka, pulsating lights have become ubiquitous – from supermarkets to humble homes. For several years now, the Christmas season in Poland has differed from the non-Christmas time in that the former is full of madly blinking colorful lights.

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Poland Sends Humanitarian Aid Plane To Sri Lanka

Poland is sending humanitarian aid plane to Sri Lanka’s capital of Colombo today. It will include medications, bandages and drip liquid. The aid was compiled thanks to the contributions of the Polish government which has given 1 million zloty for the purchase of medicines and several Polish charity organizations. According to Elżbieta Lipska from the Polish Humanitarian Mission, Poland decided to send aid to Sri Lanka specifically because there were concrete request for help coming from that country. she added that Sri Lanka is one of the poorest country in the region with second biggest number of tsunami victims. So far confirmed deaths from Asia's tsunami catastrophe have pushed past 100,000, with experts predicting much worse to come as the world's biggest ever relief operation stuttered into life against enormous odds.

posted by: Oborski at 15:42 | link | comments |

Strong Zloty Allows Poland To Cut Rates

Poland’s central bank can lower interest rates without loosening monetary screws because the zloty is appreciating, the chief presidential economic adviser Witold Orłowski said. "Currency appreciation is a great substitute for interest rate increases," Witold Orlowski told private radio PiN. "If we want to maintain the restrictiveness of monetary policy, then in response to a strong currency we should lower interest rates. The central bank) should consider this." Orlowski also said he expects the zloty to stabilise around 3.8 versus the euro by mid-2005. The zloty has gained 18 percent against the euro and more than a third to the dollar since Poland's European Union entry in May, helped by the robust economic growth, narrowing budget deficit and relatively high interest rates. "This change (appreciation) was too rapid," he said. Orlowski expects strong economic growth to curb Poland's unemployment rate to about 17 percent by the end of next year from nearly 19 percent now. He added that Poland's "normal", or structural, unemployment rate stood around 12 percent, as much of the work force in the largest post-communist state in the EU was not equipped with skills needed to find jobs.

posted by: Oborski at 15:40 | link | comments |

Speaker of Parliament Resigns

The new leader of Poland's ruling left announced he was ready to resign as parliamentary speaker following an unfavorable ruling by a vetting court. Jozef Oleksy was chosen two weeks ago to lead the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) out of a popularity slump and into next year's elections but a court ruled last week he had worked for communist-era secret services, dealing the party a further blow. Since the verdict, the right-wing opposition has threatened to vote out Oleksy unless he resigned, piling pressure on the SLD to find his successor. "I am ready (to resign) on condition that there will be a smooth change of parliamentary leadership," Oleksy told a news conference after meeting SLD leaders The candidate for the position of Sejm Speaker has to be a member of the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) and have the support of at least half of the parliament. Until this requirement is met, Józef Oleksy will not pass through a motion in the Sejm to dismiss himself from the post. Earlier a senior SLD official said that Oleksy's replacement should be found by the next parliamentary sitting on Jan. 5.Polish media have tipped Interior Minister Ryszard Kalisz, SLD deputy chief Katarzyna Piekarska and Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz as Oleksy's potential successors but none of the candidates have so far confirmed their interest

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Poland's aid for Asia disaster victims

Warsaw, Dec. 28: PM Marek Belka decided that Polish non-governmental organisations will get one million zlotys from budget reserve to buy medicines, tents, sleeping bags and blankets for victims of the Asian tsunami disaster. Part of the funds will be given to the Indonesian Red Cross Association. Non-governmental organisations will raise funds, and will send a plane with 7 tons of medical supplies, blankets etc for tsunami victims. Such decisions were taken during a meeting of NGOs representatives. Lublin metropolitan archbishop Jozef Zycinski appealed to the congregation for aid for Asia disaster victims. Donations will be collected in all churches of the Lublin archdiocese.

Four Poles probably killed in Thailand

Warsaw, Dec. 28: Four Poles were probably killed in Thailand and at least 28 remain missing after the tsunami disaster. According to foreign ministry spokesman Aleksander Checko, several hundred Poles may have been in the quake-hit region. The ministry is trying to obtain information from German travel agencies on Polish tourists. Checko said that bad news can be expected from Sri Lanka where no clear estimates of casualties are available. "We know that at least 15 people could have been in Sri Lanka that we know nothing about," he said. Reassuring news came form Indonesia, Malesia and India. "Our diplomats have not heard any bad news about Polish citizens in these countries," the spokesman said.  Poland's ambassador in Bangkok Bogdan Goralczyk is due to release more details on the Polish tsunami disaster victims on December, 29.

Left parties consider Cimoszewicz as candidate for Sejm speaker

Warsaw, Dec. 28: Spokesman of the Social Democracy of Poland (SdPl) caucus Arkadiusz Kasznia told that according to the SdPl Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz would be an ideal candidate for the Sejm speaker to lead parliament from the present impasse. Kasznia declined to say whether SdPl consulted Cimoszewicz on the matter. According to SLD Secretary General Marek Dyduch the party's National Board is the only body authorised to name the SLD candidate for the post of Sejm speaker if to-date speaker Jozef Oleksy resigns. The SLD National Council is meeting to elect the new national board. Apart from Cimoszewicz also SLD deputy leader Katarzyna Piekarska, Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration (MSWiA) Ryszard Kalisz and caucus secretary Waclaw Martyniuk are mentioned as possible SLD candidates. Also Sejm deputy Speaker Tomasz Nalecz expressed the conviction that after the expected resignation of Oleksy from the post the candidate for the Sejm speaker should emerge from SLD caucus as the biggest grouping in the chamber. The SLD National Council is also to discuss problems connected with the setting up of the Social Democratic Future Platform as proposed at the recent third SLD Congress, spokesman Bronislaw Cieslak said.

Iraq: troops connect with families

Divanyah, Dec. 28: Around 70 Polish soldiers in Camp Echo in Divanyah, Iraq, connected with their families in Poland via videolink, which enabled both sides to see one another. This involves visual contact so it's different than telephoning or connecting online, said major Zbigniew Muszynski from the Multinational Central-South Stabilization Force. I speak with my wife every day but I want to see her, said one of the soldiers waiting for his turn at the videolink. The videolink was provided by the Polish Military General Staff.

Plane with humanitarian assistance leaves for Sudan Tuesday

Warsaw, Dec. 28: A plane with humanitarian assistance to Darfur region in Sudan will leave the airport in Minsk Mazowiecki. The mission is carried out by the foreign ministry jointly with the defence ministry  and the Polish Humanitarian Action PAH. "It is sort of a reconnaissance flight. We want to learn about the needs. We have asked for licence for money raising and we hope we will be able to collect enough funds to return to Sudan independently to provide further assistance," Justyna Stepien of PAH told. The plane will carry 64.5 thousand USD worth of medical equipment, 8 tents, 80 camp beds, tables and chairs  as well as 810 blankets and plastic floors. Gifts, bought from means of the foreign ministry for development and humanitarian assistance will be conveyed to SUDO. Fighting in Darfur has killed 70,000 people and driven 1.8 million from their homes.

Walesa plans European Solidarity Centre

Gdansk, Dec. 28: Ex-president and Solidarity icon Lech Walesa and the city authorities of Gdansk will invite world-renowned architects to design a future European Solidarity Centre in the city. Among the invited architects are Santiago Calatrava, author of New York's new World Trade Center, Norman Foster, co-designer of the new WTC and author of the new Reichstag building in Berlin and Hans Hollein, designer of the European Volcanic Park in Auvergne in France. The centre, to include a museum, a library, an exhibition room, conference rooms, a hotel and a shopping mall, is to stand in the Gdansk Shipyard, cradle of the Solidarity movement that sparked off the fall of communism in eastern Europe.

Number of visitors to Auschwitz-Birkenau on the rise

Bielsko-Biala, Dec. 28: Spokesman for former Nazi death camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau Jaroslaw Mensfelt said that in 2004 the museum was visited by close to 600,000 people against some 400,000 visitors in 2001. "This was the record number of visitors in several years. Such big figure was reported only between 1995 and 1998 when the museum was visited by some 500,000 people," Mensfelt said. Mensfelt added the number has gone up owing to foreign visitors and Polish youth. He attributed the growing interest in the history of Auschwitz to Poland's accession to the EU, general growth in the number of tourists coming to Poland, the opening of low cost airlines and the introduction of teaching on the Holocaust into school curricula.

Jewish mementos on show in Cracow

Bielsko-Biala, Dec. 28: 140 photographs showing the everyday life of Jews in pre-war Wadowice by Cracow, hometown of pope John Paul II, are on show at the Galizien Museum in Cracow devoted to the region's Jews. The pictures were taken by British photographer Chris Schwarz, who spent 12 years   travelling through the Galizien region in search of Jewish traces. Schwarz said he came to Wadowice inspired by the pope's childhood reminiscences of its mixed Polish-Jewish community life. The pope often recalled how he played soccer with local Jewish children, he also said many positive and warm words about Christians and Jews living peacefully side by side, Schwarz told. Wadowice's first Jewish inhabitant was Baruch Thieberg, who settled there in 1867. Today the city holds few traces of its former Jewish population. The Galizien Museum was opened by Schwarz in Cracow's Kazimierz district - a former Jewish quarter - last June.

Davies to write another book on Warsaw Rising '44

Warsaw, Dec. 28: British historian Norman Davies is to write another book about the Warsaw Rising 1944, this time about the backstage politics behind the plans of the rising. The book “How the Rising Was Made” will appear in August 2005, the publishing house Znak which is to publish the book has told. On August 1, 2004, the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of the Rising bookstores in Poland offered Norman Davies bestseller "Rising '44: The Battle for Warsaw". By this December the book sold in 107,461 copies in this country, and a soft-cover edition is planned for the coming year.

Polish fishermen may protest haul limits

Szczecin, Dec. 28: Polish fishermen may launch protests against EC-imposed haul limits on the Baltic. On December 22 the Commission imposed a 13,000-ton limit on cod hauls, cutting Poland's to-date quota by 3,000 tons. Fishing Operator Association president Bogdan Waniewski said Polish fishermen felt "cheated by the EU and betrayed by the Polish government". Waniewski disclosed no details of the planned protests.

Poles wish wise leadership

Warsaw, Dec. 28: A government made up of wise people was the most frequent New Year wish in a Pentor poll (42 percent). Out of those polled 38 percent wished for no unemployment, 16 percent for no poverty, 13 percent for safer streets, 8 percent for Divine providence. Pentor ran the survey on December 18-19 on a random group of 1,000 Poles above 15.

Polish moods better

Warsaw, Dec. 28: Public moods in Poland are improving with each year, only 52 percent of respondents  in a 2004 CBOS survey claiming to have frequently experienced negative emotions like anger or irritation during this year (56 pct in 2003, 2001 and 1996, 70 pct in 1989 and 72 pct in 1988). Also less pollees than in previous years (36 percent) declared to have felt exhaustion or disencouragement (38 pct in 2003, 41 pct in 1996, 62 pct in 1991, 55 pct in 1988), 25 percent said they often felt deep anger (41 pct in 1989). 45 percent declared contentment with their lives (45 pct in 2003,  21 pct in 1991, 34 pct in 1988). 6 percent said they believed the situation in the country would improve in coming years (4 pct in 2003, 2 pct in 1988). CBOS ran the poll on December 3-4 of this year. Similar surveys have been carried out annually since 1988.

posted by: Oborski at 22:35 | link | comments |

One Pole Confirmed Dead, 56 Missing

One Pole has been confirmed dead and 56 are missing after the huge tidal waves struck Thailand and other southern Asian countries at the weekend. The body of the man was identified in Thailand, where three other Poles were also probably killed as a result of the disaster. A total of 40 had turned up at the Polish embassy in Bangkok, while six had reappeared out of 14 reported missing in Sri Lanka. Several hundred Poles are estimated to have been in the region at the time of the earthquake. The Polish government has earmarked 250, 000 thousand euros in aid for the victims.
The head of the Polish Episcopate archbishop Jozef Michalik has appealed to all people of good will to help the families of the victims of the tragedy. The collection in Polish churches on Sunday, January 9, will go for this purpose.

posted by: Oborski at 22:10 | link | comments |

Speaker of Parliament under Pressure to Resign

The parliamentary speaker Jozef Oleksy is to announce his decision tonight whether he will stay in office following a court of appeal verdict that he lied during the vetting procedure. The court ruled that, contrary to his statements, he had in fact consciously cooperated with the military intelligence during the 1970s, and he twice received financial remuneration for his services.
Oleksy is also leader of the ruling Democratic Left Alliance SLD, the biggest party in Parliament, whose popularity has reached an all-time low. Most parliamentary leaders argue that Oleksy should resign from his parliamentary position. One of his deputies in the SLD, defence minister Jerzy Szmajdziński, told Polish Radio that Oleksy’s resignation would make sense only if his successor could be appointed at once. The position of parliamentary speaker is an indispensable element of the democratic system in Poland and that is why it should not remain vacant even for a short period, he said. Oleksy appealed against the court ruling which, if upheld, could bar him from public office for ten years. He said that he was taught espoinage as part of his military training but never knowingly spied on Poland’s pro-democracy movement.
Meanwhile, the leader of the opposition Civic Platform Jan Rokita, tipped to be Poland’s next prime minister, has expressed the view that the SLD may prove unable to choose a candidate to replace Oleksy as Speaker of Parliament. The best way to resolve the current political crisis – he said - would be for Parliament to dissolve itself. According to Rokita, early parliamentary elections could be held in March.

posted by: Oborski at 17:34 | link | comments |

Sylvester: eating, drinking and being merry - Polish style

Letter from Poland
From Radio Polonia

Overindulging yourself is very much part of the New Year’s celebrations in Poland, as it is everywhere else. But even the legends associated with the New Year here involve overindulgence – in this case, the overindulgence of a dragon.

In Poland, New Year’s Eve is called St Sylvester’s Eve – or more simply, Sylvester. The name comes from Pope Sylvester I, who, says the legend, imprisoned a dragon known to his friends as the Leviathan. On New Year’s Day, 1000 AD, the dragon was to be given his freedom. Good news for the dragon, but bad news for everyone else. On this day, it was believed, the dragon would proceed to gobble up not only all the people of the land, but even the land itself. And when he had finished his mighty meal the Leviathan would then set alight to the heavens.

Luckily for all, New Year’s Eve came and went, but the dragon was nowhere to be seen. So great rejoicing, and singing and dancing (and drinking too much) ensued throughout the land. And from that day to this, the last day of the year has been named after St. Sylvester.

Fast forward a few hundred years and we see New Year’s celebrations as one of the favourites of the communists in Poland. New Year didn’t have all those awkward connotations with religion, as Christmas has (or did). The central celebration for the commies was a grand ball on New Year’s Eve at the Congress Hall, where the party hacks could be seen dancing the night away in inebriated fashion with their equally inebriated party hack wives.

Many of the young, in the meantime, would head for the mountains, where they would dance the night away in an equally inebriated fashion.

The one exception to this rule was the New Year’s Eve after the declaration of martial law in December 1981, where the curfew imposed by General Jaruzelski ruined many planned celebrations.

And here’s a piece of trivia you might not know: The song ‘New Year’s Day’ by the Irish group U2 was inspired by the martial law period in Poland. If you look at the lyrics then the references to Poland at that time are pretty vague. The clearest reference comes in the second verse, when Bono sings:

Under a blood red sky
A crowd has gathered in black and white
Arms entwined, the chosen few
The newspapers says,
Say it's true…
And we can break through
Though torn in two
We can be one…etc

Martial law, by way of coincidence, came to an end on New Year’s Day, 1983.

Good news for the devout in Poland this year: the Roman catholic church has said that, even though New Year’s Eve falls on a Friday – a day usually associated by Catholics as a day with penance and abstinence - it’s OK to party and have a good time.

So its official – its all systems go for a little overindulgence this year. But what to do once you have taken your car to the party? Stay sober? Drink a couple of non-alcoholic beers while your friends gradually drink themselves under the table? Or maybe, join your friends under the table, take a taxi home and then come and get the car the next morning?

Well there is an alternative. Sort of. A couple of weeks ago a friend of mine was given a telephone number to a kind of taxi service where they send two drivers out to you. One takes you home in the taxi. The other driver drives your car home. So, this means that you can now drink and drive.

Now, I am suspicious over the legality of all this. What about small matters such as insurance for the other driver? What if the other driver is drunk as well and gets stopped by the cops?

Anyway, my friend decided to try out this option when she went to one of the ubiquitous Christmas office parties at this time of the year. And all went to plan. She ordered the ‘taxi’; they came and drove her and her car home.

My friend awoke on the morning after the night before bleary eyed and fuzzy in head, looked out the window and there was her car. Fine. It was about 8 O’clock in the morning and she had to go to work. When she got down to her car, the windows were thick with frost. So she opened the car door, and, with her feet still outside the car, she turned on the ignition to get some heat onto the windscreens to clear the frost. Suddenly, the car left into life and started to travel down the drive, heading for a tree. With legs in the car and body in it, and with a Christmas party hangover, she wondered, quite reasonably, what the hell was going on? The car stopped when it collided with a tree, and my friend now has a nasty gash on her shin, where the car door slammed shut on her legs.

What actually happened was that the driver who took her car home the night before had left the car in first gear, but without putting the hand break on. So when she turned on the ignition the car thought it was time to start driving down the road.

So maybe it is wiser to leave the car at home this year – even if you do live in Warsaw, or you are a dragon named Leviathan.

posted by: Oborski at 20:00 | link | comments |

Dollar Cheapest in 8 Years

US dollar reached the lowest exchange rate in eight years, falling below 3 zlote. Within last ten months the US currency lost almost 25% of its value while euro has been revalued in the same period from almost 5 to 4,05 zloty. The changes are effect of Poland’s entry in the EU - new investments and EU financial support as well as recent privatisation of the biggest Polish bank PKO BP. At the same time the US economy shows few signs of recovery and the budget deficit is still enormous. It is uncertain whether this exchange rate will stay on as the end of the year is usually a period of few transactions. It is possible that during the early months of 2005 euro will fall below 4 zloty but in the longer run Polish currency should weaken.

posted by: Oborski at 19:53 | link | comments |

Handicapped Jas Mela On His Way to South Pole

16 years old handicapped boy Jas Mela may become the first handicapped person ever to reach both poles with a year. The boy from the western town of Gniezno lost an arm and a leg in an accident yet thanks to help of famous traveller Marek Kaminski who helped him to get state-of-the-art artificial limbs he was able to reach the North Pole this April. The expedition is almost 30 kilometres away from the South Pole – the travellers are certain that only some major misfortune may stop them from reaching the Pole within three days.

posted by: Oborski at 19:50 | link | comments |

Polish Casualties Reported In South-East Asia's Quake

One Polish citizen is likely to have been killed in yesterday’s earthquake, coupled with tsunami waves, in south-east Asia yesterday. Out of several hundred Polish citizens residing in the regions of Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia and Thailand hit by one of the most powerful earthquakes of the century, 10 are reported to be missing, 3 – with injuries – are treated in hospitals . The quake unleashed tsunami waves on coastal areas there, killing nearly 18 thousand people. The Polish consular authorities in respective countries are trying to establish contact with the remaining Poles.
President Aleksander Kwasniewski has sent condolences to the authorities of the countries devastated by the earthquake. The letters contained words of grief and compassion addressed to the families and relatives of the victims of the tragedy written on behalf of the Polish president and nation.
Charity organisation Caritas Poland is collecting funds to help the neediest survivors of the earthquake.

posted by: Oborski at 14:58 | link | comments |

Cocaine shoes

A 100,000 euro worth of cocaine hidden inside a pair of shoes has been confiscated at Warsaw airport. The haul is reported to have belonged to a Nigerian-born drugs baron in the south-western Polish city of Wroclaw. The police say the confiscated drugs were enough to make 16,000 doses of cocaine that would have ended up with drugs pushers.

posted by: Oborski at 14:57 | link | comments |

Are Poles Indifferent And Unkind?

More than half of Poles describe interpersonal relations in the country as indifferent. A recent public opinion poll shows that as much as 54% of the population encounters indifference from others in everyday life. 28% find other people’s attitudes unfriendly, while only 15% of Poles are of the opinion that people are kind to one another.

posted by: Oborski at 14:56 | link | comments |

Polish President Slams Putin

Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski has said an attack on him by Russian President Vladimir Putin was "unfair", BBC News reports. Mr Putin suggested that Poland was working with the West to isolate Russia, after the election crisis in Ukraine. Mr Kwasniewski mediated in the crisis, helping to organise roundtable talks. "The words said by Putin, in my opinion, are unfair words, a price that Poland and I must pay for our involvement in... Ukraine," he said. 'I expected my engagement in Ukraine to bring a reaction, and it did Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski said. He made it clear Mr Putin had misinterpreted his words.

"We are happy that a democratic Russia and a democratic Ukraine are such active members of the modern world, and I believe it will stay like this," he added, underlining his great respect for Mr Putin.

posted by: Oborski at 14:55 | link | comments |

From Radio Polonia...

Would carp vote for Christmas?

Question: Would a turkey vote for Christmas? If the world’s population of turkeys got together and organized a referendum on Christmas, how would they vote? Well, they would vote ‘No’ of course, I hear you cry.

But things are not so simple as all that. In Poland, and much of central and eastern Europe, on hearing that a No vote was the result of our poultry referendum, turkeys here might just call for a recount. They might even ask for adjudication by the United Nations Electoral Supervisory Commission.

Turkeys in Poland would vote ‘Yes’ for Christmas by a landslide.

This is because Christmas dinner tables around these parts do not groan under the weight of a 10-kilogramme bird stuffed with horse chestnuts and sage. Christmas tables in Poland groan under the weight of (traditionally) twelve different dishes, the centrepiece of which is a carp.

They eat the Christmas carp in many different ways. You can bake it, steam it, fry it. You can stew it in beer and raisons, have it accompanied with a sweet and sour source, stuff it with almonds, or even have it (yum, yum!) jellied in aspic.

Not really my cup of tea, but most Poles just love the Christmas carp. Total production of farmed carp in Poland amounts to around 22,000 tons annually, most of which is consumed at this time of the year.

The best way to buy your carp (say fishy aficionados) is alive and kicking and swimming around a small tank at your local grocers. The fish is then taken home, and, quite often, kept in the bath until it has to be cooked.

The problem then comes, of course, when you have to kill the wriggling, slimy little beast. The best method, I am assured, is by a quick and accurate whack over the head with a small hammer. But not everyone can face this most brutal of tasks. It’s the man’s job, traditionally. But not all men are man enough to get hold of a fish that is as determined to see what’s in its Christmas stocking as the rest of us, haul it out of its watery Death Row, and put an end to its misery.

So many try to find novel ways of doing the deed. Getting drunk before you have to is, understandably, one of the favourites. Another way is to not drink the vodka yourself, but give a bottle of it to the fish – that way at least the poor thing will die with a smile on its face.

I have even heard of one traumatised carp killer who decided that he was not going to bash it over the head after all, but electrocute it. This bought him more than he bargained for when, after putting a steam iron plugged into the shaving socket into the bath with the carp, the whole of the block of flats where he was living was plunged into darkness.

But concern is growing among ecologists and fishy freedom fighters about the treatment of carp during the Christmas period. An organisation called Gaja has been organising marches in Poland in protest at, what they say, is the cruel and barbaric conditions in which the carp are reared, transported and killed. Gaja (known to their friends, possibly, as the Carp Liberation Front) have been buying up lots of these fish from supermarkets and then liberating them back into rivers.

But a carp in the bath can have positive consequences. A British man I know lives in London but is married to a Polish woman. A few years ago they came over to stay with their Polish in-laws for the Christmas holiday. It was the morning of Christmas Eve when they decided to stay in bed and have a bit of yuletide rumpy-pumpy. Being a good catholic girl they used so-called ‘natural methods’ of contraception – which involved, among other things, the wife getting up after they had finished and going to wash in the bathroom. Of course, when she got to the bathroom she was confronted by the carp swimming away merrily in the bath. But what to do? She couldn’t get in the bath with the carp – modesty forbid! So she just returned to her husband in bed, unwashed. Nine months later a little baby girl was born.

So, as I go into the grocery stores on the run up to Christmastime I’m always looking into the large vats they have full of carp swimming around waiting for there own little private year zeros and I think of that little girl.

But I swear that this year one carp caught my eye. It was trying to tell me something. It was saying that it was not looking forward to Christmas in Poland, would not have voted for it if it had been asked, and wished, just wished, that it were a turkey.

Merry Christmas to everyone from Letter from Poland – including Polish carp

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Three Cheers for Democratic Ukraine!

West-leaning opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko took an unassailable lead in Ukraine's re-run presidential election, pledging an end to corruption and drift for the former Soviet republic, Reuters agency reports. He wants to align Ukraine, its economic potential squandered by years of mismanagement, with central and western Europe, fanning concerns in neighboring Russia that it will lose influence over a region where it held sway for 300 years. Poland has been instrumental in supporting Ukrainian democracy since Kiev declared independence from Moscow in 1991. During the election crisis, it sent the biggest number of independent observers there. Michal Kubicki reports.

Pick up on Radio Polonia Broadcast here!

Read Yuschenko's Programme here!

posted by: Oborski at 17:28 | link | comments |

Christmas Greetings

from

Cllr Mike Oborski (Konsul Honorowy RP)

and Cllr Fran Oborski

posted by: Oborski at 22:10 | link | comments |

 Enuff is Enuff!!!

If you are Polish and learning the English language then test your pronunciation by reading the following passage out aloud:-

"A rough-coated, dough-faced, thoughtful ploughman strode through the streets of Scarborough; after falling into a slough, he coughed and hiccoughed."

How should it sound?

Well, the "ough" sounds in...

rough as in "puff", in dough as in "oh", in thoughtful as in "port", in ploughman as in "thou", in through as in "too", in Scarborough as in "curragh", in slough as in "buff", and in hiccoughed as in "cupped".

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posted by: Oborski at 21:25 | link | comments |

President receives Sejm Speaker

Warsaw, Dec. 20: President Aleksander Kwasniewski received Sejm Speaker Jozef Oleksy. President Kwasniewski congratulated Oleksy on his election as head of the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD). Jozef Oleksy briefed the president on the course of the weekend SLD congress and the most important decisions passed by delegates. Kwasniewski stressed the need for the existence of a strong pro-European left-wing on the Polish political scene. Sides also discussed the 2005 budget law and legislative plans of the Sejm which, according to the president, should make it easier for Poland to receive EU funds supporting regional development. The two referred to next year's parliamentary and presidential elections. President Kwasniewski stressed the need of the efficient functioning of parliament to the very end of its term.

President conveys Christmas, New Year wishes to armed forces

Bydgoszcz, Dec. 20: President Aleksander Kwasniewski wished Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year representatives of military circles in Bydgoszcz, north-western Poland. The wishes were transmitted via satellite to staffers and patients of a hospital in Karbala, Iraq. Earlier the president visited the 10th Military Clinic from where he conveyed wishes to the 52-strong staff of a hospital in Karbala and to four wounded in a recent chopper crash in Iraq. The president visited No. 2 Military Aviation Plant that mostly deals with plane overhauls and the testing ground of the 1st Pomerania Logistic Brigade.

Visit of PM Marek Belka to the Balkans

Warsaw, Dec. 20: PM Marek Belka will leave for the Balkans with a two-day visit on December 21 to take part in a pre-Christmas meeting with soldiers of the Polish Military Contingent. The PM will be accompanied by Defence Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski, Minister, Head of the PM's Chancellery Slawomir Cytrycki and spokesman for the government Undersecretary of State Dariusz Jadowski.

Cimoszewicz: Poland's voice on Ukraine credible 

Bialystok, Dec. 20: Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz said that Poland's position on Ukraine is now treated by other countries as a "voice of the highest level of credibility." "Facts proved that we are right," Cimoszewicz told. He said that democratic election in Ukraine would offer Poland a chance to take new initiatives for Ukraine in NATO and the EU. He said he expected the repeat vote in Ukraine will be honest and credible.

Cimoszewicz increasingly disappointed with SLD

Bialystok, Dec. 20: Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz told that he was getting increasingly disappointed with the Democratic Left Alliance SLD and was mulling resignation from party membership. Cimoszewicz, who belongs to the SLD but was not a delegate to the party congress held over the weekend said the congress failed to analyse reasons behind bad political situation of the Polish left-wing and draw appropriate conclusions, instead it centred on personnel issues. He explained the present SLD situation reminded him about the situation of Solidarity Election Action AWS four years ago. He congratulated Oleksy on being elected the SLD leader and added that the change at the post was of secondary importance as the congress failed to improve the  situation of the SLD.

Foreign ministry presents strategy vis-a-vis developing countries

Warsaw, Dec. 20: China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the Republic of South Africa, Brazil and Mexico are shortlisted as top priority states of the Polish foreign policy vis-a-vis non-European developing countries, deputy Foreign Minister Boguslaw Zaleski said while presenting the government foreign policy adopted on November 30. Zaleski explained that Poland's foreign policy in the past 15 years was dominated by gaining NATO and EU memberships. Once these goals were achieved the time has come to attach greater importance to Asia, Africa and South America. This is all the more justified that these continents' share in Poland's foreign trade turnover was higher in the 1970-ties and 1980-ties than it is at present. Besides, the downward trend in the foreign turnover has also been caused by shifting the weight of foreign trade exchange to western Europe. The share of developing countries in global foreign trade turnover fell from 6.3 percent in 2000 to 5.3 percent in the first half of 2004. The document approved by the government reads that efficient price competition of products from developing countries is one of the barriers hampering the equilibrium between exports and imports. It is not strange that imports from these countries are on the rise (from 10.6 percent in 2000 to 12.5 percent in 2003 and 14 percent in the 1st half of 2004). Presenting the document Zaleski said that China was Poland's biggest partner in Asia. He firmly denied allegations that Poland flippantly treated human rights violations in China. With no mention on human rights violation in China included in the document at the same time the document made dependant Poland's cooperation with Iran on the latter country nuclear programme and Iranian foreign policy.

UN asks Poland to send observers to Sudan

Warsaw, Dec. 20: The UN has asked Poland to examine the possibility of sending observers to Sudan, deputy Foreign Minister Boguslaw Zaleski told. The minister explained that the decision has not been made yet but he doubted whether Poland could afford a successive mission. I can't imagine that we could possibly afford the further enlargement of our mission as observers adding Sudan to Afghanistan, Balkans, Caucasus and Iraq not to mention the Golan Hights and Lebanon," Zaleski said. He explained that Jan Natkanski, who started a diplomatic mission to Khartoum in December will service Sudan from Cairo, where he is is Poland's ambassador.

Commission tells Poland to adjust VAT on Internet access

Brussels, Dec. 20: The European Commission has officially urged Poland to rectify incorrect applications of VAT rules for exempting certain Internet access services that should be taxed, which means that Poland will have to adjust its VAT rate on Internet access services to respective EU regulations, that is the

basis rate of 22 percent. The request takes the form of a reasoned opinion, and is part of the infringement procedure opened in July 2004. The request is a formality as Poland has already adjusted its law to the regulations. The Sejm passed an amended bill on VAT on Internet services last week. In line with the EU legislation, as of March 1, 2005 Internet access services will not be exempted from VAT, and will carry a VAT rate of 22 percent. The services have been exempted from the tax since the start of 2004. The government wants Brussels to allow Poland to apply a reduced VAT rate on services consisting of providing Internet access to students, schools and public cultural institutions.

GROM troops complete Iraqi mission

Warsaw, Dec. 20: Troops of the elite GROM special forces unit completed their mission in Iraq, spokesman for the General Staff of the Polish Army colonel Zdzislaw Gnatowski said. Gnatowski revealed that during their stay in Iraq GROM troops conducted over 200 direct operations during which they arrested a few hundred terror suspects, including a few people from Saddam Hussein's closest collaborators. In the recent years GROM took part in numerous foreign missions worldwide. In December 2004 GROM soldiers completed their mission within the Iraqi Freedom operation started in March 2003. From March 2002 to April 2004 GROM took part in the Enduring Freedom operation in Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf. 

Hausner: Poland's economy to grow by around 5 pct in Q4

Cracow, Dec. 20: According to deputy PM and Economy Minister Jerzy Hausner in the 4rd quarter of 2004 Poland's economy will grow by around 5 percent, and in the entire year by 5.5-5.7 percent. Hausner said that the November industrial production data are good and confirm the high dynamics of the Polish economy. Asked about a forecast for 2005 Hausner said Poland's economy would grow by 5 percent. The Central Statistical Office (GUS) said last week that in November 2004 industrial production went up by 11.3 percent year-on-year, after a 3.5-percent growth in October, and went down 1.1 percent month-on-month.

National Development Plan can be worth ca. 160 bn USD

Cracow, Dec.20: The combined value of financing under the National Development Plan (NPR) for the years 2007 to 2013 can reach ca. 160 bn USD, according to deputy PM Jerzy Hausner. Poland had never had comparable means to finance its development, neither would such a situation repeat itself in future, he stressed. The total represented financing from the EU, Polish co-financing and private investments, Hausner explained. The cabinet will adopt a preliminary draft of the NPR on January 11, and a national debate on the draft will start Jan.20, Hausner revealed. Hausner would like the debate to be as open as possible, involving numerous communities such as local government activists, bussinesmen, NGOs, universities and students and men of culture and the arts. After the debate, to last till next May, the next cabinet will continue work on the draft and formulate the final version, Hausner said. The debate should not focus on how to distribute the money, but on the future shape of Poland and its presence in the EU, the minister emphasized. For the NPR to be successfully implemented Poland's economy should grow at a pace of 5 pc or more for at least 10 years, Hausner noted. Also necessary were institutional changes adjusted to the future shape of local government system. "If Poland maintains a high pace of growth and puts its EU membership to good use the country stands a chance of joining the core of the EU," Hausner predicted.

Poland's, Germany's bank supervisions sign cooperation agreements

Warsaw, Dec. 20: The Bank Supervision Commission concluded an agreement with the German bank supervision (Bundesanstalt fuer Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht). This is the first agreement concluded by the Polish bank supervision with the supervision of a member state of the euro zone. The agreement defines cooperation principles between the Polish and German supervision, in particular the principles of the exchange of information in supervised banks and inspections conducted in them. The agreement will enable joint inspections by the two countries' supervisors in subsidiary banks seated on the territory of the other country.

RPP to consider changing bias in Q2 of 2005

Warsaw, Dec. 20: The Monetary Policy Council (RPP) will consider changing a bias in monetary policy in the second quarter of 2005 if inflation expectations fall, RPP's Dariusz Filar said. "If in May and June inflation expectations begin to fall, this will be the time to consider changing bias," Filar said. "It follows from analyses that we will get close to 3 percent or event below 3 percent around mid-year in 2005," Filar said. "In December inflation will be at the level close to that in November," he added. In November inflation rose 4.5 percent year-on-year.

New power unit to be built in Belchatow power plant

Belchatow, Dec. 10: A new 833 MW power unit will be built in the Belchatow power plant by 2009. A contract worth over 830 million euros was signed in Belchatow. The unit will be built by the French Alstom concern. Head of the plant Edward Najgebauer said that the new unit would allow to keep brown coal output at today's level and meet environment protection norms. "This will be the biggest power unit in Poland. It is an important event for the whole Polish power sector since it has been one of the biggest investments in our power sector in recent years. We want work to begin in the 3rd quarter of 2005," Najgebauer said. He added that the Belchatow power plant is in talks on the funding of the undertaking with the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development, European Investment Bank and commercial banks.

New Szczecin yard builds new generation ships

Szczecin, Dec. 20: The Nowa Shipyard in Szczecin (SNN) has begun the construction of the first of six new-generation ships for a Dutch shipowner. The ship, a 205-metre long and 25.5-metre wide multi-purpose vessel, will be equipped to freight cars, containers, paper and dangerous materials, including nuclear waste. The yard's current portfolio covers 39 ships.

Bishop Boccardo: Pope may visit Poland next year

Rome, Dec. 21: Bishop Renato Boccardo, the trip organiser and secretary of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, did not rule out that Pope John Paul II would come to Poland next year. The bishop also mentioned Ireland as the second country the pope might visit in 2005. There have been no dates settled yet. The only trip that has been confirmed is a visit to Cologne to attend the World Youth Day, the bishop told a conference organised by the Union of Italian Catholic Press. Poland's primate cardinal Jozef Glemp said it would be great if the pope could attend the ceremony of inaugurating the sanctuary which is now being built in Warsaw. 

Poll: 17 percent support Belka's government

Warsaw, Dec. 20: Seventeen percent of Poles supported Marek Belka's government at the beginning of this December, which was three percentage points down from November. A poll run by the CBOS early in December also showed that 28 percent (down one percentage point) opposed the present government. Support for the PM went down 3 percentage point since November and the number of his opponents went up 5 percentage points. Support for the present government is the lowest since it was formed. In June this year 18 percent of Poles were pleased with Belka's cabinet. According to 23 percent of those polled the economic policy of Belka's government created chances for an improvement in the economic situation in the country. In November similar opinion was expressed by 25 percent. At present 53 percent (up 2 percentage points) think the opposite. The poll was conducted between December 3 and 6 on a representatives sample of 973 adult Poles.

PGB: PO and PiS lead in popularity poll

Warsaw, Dec. 20: If parliamentary elections were held in December the Citizens' Platform (PO) would win them with 21 percent of votes, down 4 percentage points from November, according to a recent poll run by the PGB public opinion polling centre. It would be followed by Law and Justice (PiS) supported by 17 percent of Poles (up 1 percentage point from November). Next came the League of Polish Families (LPR) supported by 13 percent (unchanged), Samoobrona by 12 percent (down 1 percentage point), the   Social Democracy of Poland (SdPl) by 11 percent (up 4 percentage points), the Democratic Left Alliance  (SLD) with a 6-percent support (unchanged) and the Polish Peasant Party (PSL) supported by 5 percent (down 2 percentage points). The Freedom Union, the Pensioners' Party, the Centre, the Union of Labour-the Union of the left would fail to win seats in the Sejm because the parties fell short of the five percent of the vote required for parliamentary representation. PGB ran the poll from December 11 to 14 on a representative sample of 1,019 adult Poles.

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