Polish Consulate...

You'll find them online here! Head straight for the "Live from the nest" webcam. It's brilliant!

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Mass at the Polish Catholic Church in Wolverhampton was followed by a moving ceremony at the Katyn Memorial on Cannock Chase.

Here Cllr Mike Oborski, Consul of the Republic of Poland for the West Midlands, addressing the gathering, said:-

In this age of digital cameras and videos horrors and atrocities seem, sadly, to roll across our television screens almost every today.

And yet the events at Katyn have – across the years - a special resonance.

In Poland where million upon millions died in the Second World War Katyn has a special resonance.

Maybe because of who those victims were. They were the soldiers who had won the battle for Polish Independence at the end of the First World War. They had built the new Poland. The youngest were the first Poles to be born in a free Poland for generations.

Maybe because of the betrayal. They were prisoners of war and internees. They were entitled to expect protection not murder.

Maybe because of the lies. They were betrayed again after death by the Western powers who went along – almost but not thankfully until this day - with the pretence that this was a Nazi crime in order to appease the guilty Soviets.

We stand under these trees remembering a distant murder in a distant forest.

I tell you, on behalf of Poland, that the victims of Katyn will never be forgotten.

Long after we are gone they will be remembered and for them Poland will still shed its tears.

The memorial event was followed by a Reception at the Polish Catholic Centre in Wolverhampton.

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"I waited in vain, and finally slammed down the receiver, but I guess I could make it into the Guinness Book of Records."
-A resident of Koło, who called the customer service line of Telekomunikacja Polska SA and waited five hours and a little under one minute to be connected with the consultant, listening to an automatic recording

”Politicians like me have to take care of two things-prisons and hospitals; sooner or later they will find themselves a guest of one of them."
-Samoobrona leader Andrzej Lepper

"It is hard to separate political activities from an official's job. All my life and work have been a continuous campaign."
-Adam Struzik, chair of the Mazovian Province Assembly, when accused of driving-at the taxpayers' expense-around Poland as part of his European Parliament campaign

"You don't have to be Lenin to prove that lawyers are idiots."
-Ludwik Dorn, deputy from the Law and Justice (PiS), on some statements of the European Court of Human Rights

"You should be happy I'm actually taking my high school equivalency exam, and not buying it. Now I'm going to study law, and when I'm done with that, I'll put this country in order."
-Danuta Hojarska, 44, a deputy from Samoobrona, who is facing several criminal proceedings, on her way from the high school equivalency exam that she took this year

"Not bad! Foot close to the ball, a strike with the outer part of the foot."
-Paweł Janas, coach of the Polish soccer team, commenting on a photograph showing President Aleksander Kwaśniewski at the Arsenal London stadium during an official visit to Great Britain

"The thief didn't notice the vehicle had no brakes."
-A police officer from Szczytno about a 20-year-old who stole a bicycle and after riding several hundred meters crashed into a bus

"I believe that our farms will continue to be close to God because they take from life, not from death that uses chemistry and genetic modification."
-Former Agriculture Minister Gabriel Janowski, on Poland's European Union accession

"Who arrived at this compromise? Male politicians and male priests, that's who."
-Deputy Prime Minister Izabela Jaruga-Nowacka, commenting on the opinion of President Aleksander Kwaśniewski, who said that the law regulating admissibility of abortion was "a compromise developed with difficulty"

"If I am awarded a medal in my lifetime, it will be for not complaining about him."
-Donald Tusk, leader of the Civic Platform (PO), on his cooperation with Jan Rokita, the head of the PO caucus

"Let's treat the European Union as a milk cow."
-An election slogan of Adam Szymański, candidate of Samoobrona party to the European parliament in Wrocław

"I just wanted to massage their diaphragm, which is only natural when you're preparing to sing."
-A teacher leading a school choir in Częstochowa, accused of sexually molesting students

"We call him Judas. We don't know who he is yet, but in the end we'll surely track him down, and then he'll regret it."
-A resident of the village of Łopuszka Wielka in Podkarpacie region, on a local informer who let the police know of a illegal showing of Mel Gibson's The Passion

"The relations between the European Union and Ukraine resemble bullfight, where the EU is the toreador, and Ukraine the bull."
-Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma

"Bluffs are at the core of trade; there's almost always a small dose of bluffing. My employees don't cheat clients; maybe they just add a little color to the subject."
-Rafał Michalczuk, head of a trade company in Gdynia, whose direct sales staff persuade people to buy light bulbs that are twice as expensive as in the stores, saying that "they will be longer lasting after Poland's EU accession and a change of the voltage to 230 V"

"I think he would've done well in Stalin's prosecutor's office."
-Former Prime Minister Leszek Miller on Jan Maria Rokita, a Civic Platform (PO) leader, one of the most fervent political opponents of Miller's Democratic Left Alliance (SLD)

"You could have written that I was incompetent, but I'm no cheat."
-Jerzy Wenderlich, SLD press spokesman, to a journalist who accused him of cheating the employees of a sugar mill in Żnin, whom Wenderlich made unjustified promises that their plant would not be shut down

"Let's give up on the EU! Let's run away from the altar at the last minute!"
-An appeal by Halina Nowina-Konopczyna, a deputy from the radical Polish Alliance

"A 10% discount for all alterglobalists."
-A note on the window of a Warsaw gallery of the popular caricaturist Andrzej Mleczko, one of the few outlets remaining open along the demonstration route of the opponents of the European Economic Summit

"He dealt her two strong blows with his fist. When he sobered up the next day, he was very sorry, explaining that he had mistaken her for his wife."
-An employee of a hospital in Biała Podlaska, where a drunk man brought by the police suddenly attacked the nurse who was taking care of him

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

From Warsaw Voice

According to the latest opinion polls, Civic Platform (PO) is beginning to overtake Samoobrona in the race for top position on the political scene.

Although no one knows whether parliamentary elections will be held as scheduled or even earlier, more and more pre-election fever is visible on the political scene. The results of the latest survey of Polish political preferences, conducted May 8 and 9 by the PBS polling center for Rzeczpospolita daily, were quite a surprise. The survey revealed a significant decrease in the popularity of Samoobrona, a party which in recent months competed with PO for leadership.

This time, PO received 26-percent support (four percentage points more than in the previous month) and Samoobrona 21-percent. Law and Justice (PiS) did surprisingly well and at 17 percent of support, it came in right after Andrzej Lepper's party.

Samoobrona's ranking in PBS's polls grew almost constantly since last August, peaking at 29 percent in April. In May however, after Lepper had launched a campaign before the European elections, Samoobrona lost as much as 8 percent. Behind in the poll and without any significant changes compared to the previous poll, was the League of Polish Families (LPR) with 10 percent, the Democratic Left Alliance-Labor Union (SLD-UP) coalition with 8 percent and Marek Borowski's Polish Social Democracy (SDPL) with 6 percent.

If parliamentary elections had been held in early May, parties left outside the parliament due to the voting threshold would have been the Polish Peasants' Party (PSL) with 4 percent, the Freedom Union (UW) and the National Pensioners' Party (KPEiR), both with 3 percent. A simulated distribution of seats in the Sejm would be as follows: PO-137 seats, Samoobrona-111, PiS-88, LPR-51, SLD-UP-40 and SDPL-33. With such a lineup, a PO-PiS coalition, one that is most likely to be set up after the elections, would be only short six votes of an absolute majority in the Sejm.

PO's advantage over Samoobrona also found confirmation in an earlier poll conducted May 2-4 by the PGB poling center. The poll showed that if elections to the Sejm were held in May, the winner would be PO, supported by 24 percent of respondents, the same as in April. Samoobrona would come in second at 19 percent, a 5-percent decrease compared to a poll conducted in April. Next were PiS and LPR, both with 13 percent-for both a 2-percent increase since April. Other parties represented in the Sejm would be SDPL (9 percent of respondents) and PSL (6 percent). With a mere 5 percent, the SLD-UP coalition would fail to attain the 8-percent voting threshold set for coalition groupings.

The results of opinion polls concerning June elections to the European Parliament, which most parties treat as an important test before the elections to the Sejm and Senate, are similar. PGB's poll showed that if elections to the Parliament in Strasbourg were held in May, PO would again come out on top, with 23 percent of respondents casting their ballots for the party, one percent less than in April. Samoobrona could hope for 21-percent support, or 3 percentage points less that in the previous poll. In third were the LPR and PiS, both with 13 percent. For both parties this is 2 percentage points more than in April. Nine percent (+1) of respondents would vote for SDPL in the European elections, 7 percent (+1) for PSL, 5 percent (-1) for SLD-UP and 3 percent (+1) for UW. Calculated into seats, seven groupings would have representatives in the European Parliament: PO-14, Samoobrona-12, LPR and PiS-8, SDPL-5, PSL-4, SLD-UP-3.

PO politicians have also been successful in other polls. A poll by PGB shows that if presidential elections were held in May, the winner would be Donald Tusk, one of PO's leaders, chosen by 19.6 percent of respondents. Lech Kaczyński (PiS), the current mayor of Warsaw, would be at number two with support from 16.3 percent of respondents and third would be former speaker of the Sejm Marek Borowski (SDPL) with 16 percent. In light of these polls, one surprise is the relatively poor result of Samoobrona. Lepper places fourth on the list of presidential preferences, with 14.1-percent support. Respondents mentioned other potential candidates for president, including Janusz Wojciechowski (PSL)-8.8 percent, Maciej Giertych (LPR)-6.9 percent, Józef Oleksy (SLD)-6.8 percent, Władysław Frasyniuk (UW)-3 percent.

PGB respondents also answered a question concerning their preferences if a second round of elections were held. Here, Tusk won when confronted with Borowski (51 to 49 percent) and Lepper (69 to 31 percent), but lost to Kaczyński (47 to 53 percent). The PiS leader won against other rivals: Borowski (57 to 43 percent) and Lepper (73 to 27 percent). The Samoobrona leader, in turn, also lost to Borowski (32 to 68 percent).

The results from the "Poll of the Three," commissioned by Gazeta Wyborcza, Radio Zet and the TV station TVN, are somewhat different. The question asked Poles how they would vote if the candidate list to the Sejm only featured the names of party leaders. The definitive leader was Lepper, with 23-percent support. For the first time in this poll, the Samoobrona leader outdistanced his rival from PO, Jan Rokita (15 percent), who to date tied with Lepper. Support for Borowski (SDPL) was a little lower-he would get 13 percent of respondents' votes-whereas PiS president Jarosław Kaczyński did worse (7 percent), as did SLD chair Krzysztof Janik and LPR leader Roman Giertych (both 3 percent).

Political statisticians explain the decrease in support for Rokita with the fact that his popularity was related to his involvement in the commission investigating the Lew Rywin scandal. The commission has finished its work, its findings can hardly be called a success and that translates into Rokita's diminishing popularity.

When it comes to the question which politician enjoys the most trust among Poles, the latest survey by the CBOS polling center shows that the winner is still President Aleksander Kwaśniewski, who is trusted by 67 percent of respondents. Second in the ranking is Warsaw Mayor Lech Kaczyński (45 percent) and third place is jointly occupied by Borowski, Oleksy and Rokita (44 percent each).

posted by: Oborski at 17:48 | link | comments |

Dramatically low rankings for the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) in polls and equally disastrous rankings of Leszek Miller's cabinet have fundamentally changed the situation of the ruling Polish left. A series of reshuffles have in effect resulted in the formation of a new left-wing grouping and personnel changes involving the most important positions within the state.

New Party
The new party Polish Social Democracy (SDPL) came into being March 25, established by former SLD members led by Sejm Speaker Marek Borowski. Besides Borowski, the new party has recruited members including Jolanta Banach, the former deputy minister of labor, who has become the head of the SDPL parliamentary caucus; the former SLD deputy leader Andrzej Celiński, deputies Izabella Sierakowska, Bogdan Lewandowski, Marek Balicki, and former SLD discipline spokesperson Włodzimierz Nieporęt. Active as part of the new grouping will also be the "+/- 30 initiative", associating young politicians of the left. Finally, the SDPL has also been joined by Deputy Sejm Speaker and deputy leader of the Labor Union (UP) party Tomasz Nałęcz-following failed attempts to persuade his entire parent party to enter the composition of the new social democracy.

The chief program slogan of the new formation is: "Poland needs the left." According to its declarations, the SDPL is to be based on three pillars: a sound state, social democracy and Europe.

Borowski explained his move with disappointment in the situation of the SLD. "In two and a half years [or since the SLD's definitive victory in the parliamentary elections in the autumn 2001-ed.], nearly 4 million voters have turned their backs on the SLD. By this, they have given us to understand that they do not like the way the SLD governs and functions, that they are disappointed with it, that the party has let them down," stressed Borowski.

"In this structure, regaining the public confidence [by the left-ed.] is not possible. We have no illusions. The SLD is facing a further drop in support and even exclusion from the political scene," added Borowski.

"We evaluate the initiative to form a new party negatively," said SLD leader Krzysztof Janik. "This is the wrong decision, at a bad moment, and it will not create the political stability in Poland that is so needed for the people, the state and the economy. It will not be helpful for integration into the EU, including the election of good Polish representation to the European Parliament," added Janik. A similar opinion has been voiced by practically all SLD leadership activists. Some of them, for example Deputy Senate Speaker Ryszard Jarzembowski, demand that colleagues who defected to the SDPL resign as "traitors" from their seats on the Sejm and Senate.

In parliamentary opposition circles, the establishment of the SDPL is commented with unambiguous criticism. "We have witnessed many instances of abandoning political parties both on the right and on the left in the Sejm, and the fate awaiting those deputies is always the same-they end up on the margins of parliamentary life," said Roman Giertych of the League of Polish Families (LPR). Law and Justice (PiS) activists comment the formation of the SDPL and Borowski's behavior sharply and smugly, standing by their call of recent months to hold early parliamentary elections.

The liberal Civic Platform (PO) has also received the new leftist formation with reluctance. PO leaders claim that the SDPL was established in yet another, rather desperate attempt to improve the situation of the left-wing political scene at a time when SLD rankings have sunk to their lowest in the party's history. In these comments, a theory has also emerged that the SDPL is needed first and foremost by its leader and founder as a vehicle for his candidacy in the race for president in the fall 2005.

One way or another, the new leftist grouping has begun functioning on the Polish political scene. Borowski was elected the new party chair May 6-the only candidate for the position, SDPL critics stress. The SDPL also elected a 12-member National Coordination Commission (NCC) as the party board. According to provisional party statutes, the SDPL has no deputy chair functions. The newly elected authorities will not fulfill their functions for a full term; by the year's end, likely in the fall, the party's general meeting will be held-the equivalent of a party congress, but with no power to elect authorities-to pass the SDPL program. Subsequently, re-election of authorities will follow, at which time all SDPL members will vote.

Those elected to the NCC are Andrzej Celiński, Izabella Sierakowska, Adam Piechowicz, Marek Balicki, Małgorzata Winiarczyk-Kossakowska, Tomasz Nałęcz, Maciej Rakowski and Maciej Stryjecki. The NCC composition includes Borowski, Banach-head of the parliamentary caucus, Nieporęt-election committee spokesperson, and Jerzy Teichmann-party treasurer.

"Concerning the constitution of the European Union, the Polish Social Democracy opts for a compromise that will maintain Poland's position as defined in the Nice Treaty," stated Borowski May 9. "We are ready to agree to a compromise. The system may function under various names, but what is important to us is that the role and position of Poland as outlined in the Nice Treaty be preserved. Apparently there are chances this may happen, and we must certainly strive for this. This is the kind of compromise we will support," said Borowski during the SDPL election campaign inauguration ceremony before the European elections. Borowski said the Nice Treaty signified a specific signal: "The EU is an association of equal countries in solidarity and no matter if you are rich or poor, big or small-we are creating a system of decision-making in which the hegemony of the largest will not be possible."

In its election appeal, the SDPL calls on Poles to participate in the European elections. "Let's Take Advantage of the European Opportunity"-will be the SDPL's slogan in the elections. Borowski admitted the party would be satisfied with winning four seats in the elections, and assured that SDPL representatives in the European Parliament would actively seek the abolition of barriers to access by Poles to EU labor markets. He boasted that his formation had collected a sufficient number-10,000-of signatures in each of the 13 constituencies, altogether almost 190,000. According to Borowski, this proves that the "The SDPL is no armchair party. SDPL is alive and well."

New Sejm Speaker
April 21 the Sejm elected in the second round the SLD's Józef Oleksy as the new Sejm Speaker-the post earlier held by Borowski following his parting with the SLD.

The motion passed with a one vote margin. Oleksy was supported by 189 deputies, with 185 against and one abstention. The vote involved 375 deputies; the absolute majority necessary for the election of the speaker is 188. According to Sejm Regulations, election of the speaker requires an absolute majority of votes: more than one half of the deputies participating in the vote have to vote "for." Therefore it is important how many deputies attend the voting; the greater the attendance, the more votes are needed for the speaker to be elected.

Oleksy's candidacy was supported by the caucuses of the SLD (153 deputies, 4 abstained), the Federative Parliamentary Caucus (FKP) (14 for, 1 abstained), UP (13 for, 2 abstained), and seven independent deputies, mainly former SLD and Samoobrona deputies. Oleksy was also supported by one deputy from the Polish Peasants' Bloc (PBL), with two against and three abstentions.

Against Oleksy voted the caucuses: PO (43 against, 12 abstained), PiS (41 against, 2 abstained), Polish Peasants' Party (PSL) (33 against, 4 abstained), Samoobrona (22 against, 9 abstained), LPR (23 against, 3 abstained), and also the caucuses: Conservative-Peasants' Party (SKL), Catholic-National Movement (RKN), Polish Alliance (PP), Movement for the Reconstruction of Poland (ROP) and six independent deputies.

Thirty-three deputies from the SDPL caucus, according to a previous announcement, did not take part in the vote.

PSL leader Janusz Wojciechowski also aspired to Borowski's former post but lost out in the first round, with 189 deputies for Oleksy and 143 for Wojciechowski, with an absolute majority of 205.

Oleksy was the speaker of the second Sejm, from October 1993 through March 1995.

It fell to the new speaker to host celebrations connected with Poland's accession to the EU. "Let us rejoice in Poland's achievements, in May 1, a day of fulfillment for many generations of Poles," said Oleksy in a statement broadcast April 30 in the evening by the TVP1 public television channel. "Let us put worries, fears and anxieties aside," he appealed a few hours prior to Poland's entry into the EU. Referring to the anxieties and fears shared by many citizens, Oleksy spoke of the need to remember that "all those who are in the European Union today have benefited from this. They suffered no damage-either to their sovereignty, or their own identity; they have not limited their opportunities."

"I am almost certain we will get along well. We have to remember that the strength of Poland in this community will depend on our strength here in the country," he said, adding that "we need to be able to struggle for Polish, native, national interests, since the European Union also constitutes an arena with conflicts of interests, and Poles need to know how to defend their own interests."

Oleksy addressed young people, asking them to feel a sense of "joy and adventure-as something happy, that something good for Poland is taking place." "This is an experience that will be a special attraction for the younger generation. We are discovering the positive side of this adventure and this momentous historic event that Poland's accession to the European Union is," said Oleksy.

"We want to live better, be more prosperous, we want more safety, and want to feel more fulfilled as individuals," he said. According to Oleksy, the enlarged group of 25 EU countries will certainly improve this opportunity. Oleksy stressed that he spoke as Sejm speaker, but also as someone who knows the EU. He recollected, among other things, that he worked for 18 months in the European Convention that prepared the draft European Constitution Treaty.

Oleksy participated in the EU enlargement ceremony May 3 in the European Parliament. During the flag raising ceremony for the 10 new EU member countries in front of the European Parliament building in Strasbourg, attended by the heads of the national parliaments of the 25 EU members, Oleksy handed the Polish flag to European Parliament President Pat Cox. In his speech for the occasion, Oleksy said that Europe awaited Poland with interest. "Polish parliamentarians should respond to this expectation, and respond well," added Oleksy.

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

On the evening of May 14, following the prime minister's policy speech and hours of debate, the Sejm voted down the motion to grant Marek Belka's government a vote of confidence. The president accepted the resignation of the prime minister and the government, although they will continue performing their duties until a new government is appointed.

A total of 450 deputies took part in the voting. The minimum number of votes required for the motion to be adopted was 226 (50 percent plus one vote). The motion was supported by 188 deputies and 262 voted against. Belka's government was supported by deputies of the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD), Labor Union (UP), Polish Peasants' Bloc and some unaffiliated deputies. The parties voting against the new government included Civic Platform (PO), Law and Justice (PiS), Polish Peasants' Party (PSL), Polish Social Democracy (SDPL), Samoobrona, League of Polish Families (LPR), Federative Caucus and other caucuses.

In accordance with the Constitution, the Sejm will now take the initiative for appointing a prime minister and government. At its meeting directly following the Sejm's vote, the Parliamentary Seniors Convent set Monday, May 24 as the deadline for the submission of Sejm candidatures for the prime minister. The voting would be held during a four-day-long sitting of the Sejm beginning May 25.

According to the regulations, a candidature for the prime minister can be put forward by a group of 46 deputies. The Sejm appoints the candidate and their government with an absolute majority of votes in the presence of at least one half (230) of all deputies, in line with the same principles as in the first attempt. If the parliament does not manage to appoint a government in 14 days, the next, last step belongs to the president. Aleksander Kwaśniewski has already declared that in such a situation he would support Belka. If it comes to this, only a simple majority of votes and the participation of at least 230 deputies will be needed for the government to obtain a vote of confidence. If the last attempt does not end in success, early parliamentary elections will have to be held. The earliest possible date for elections is Aug. 8.

"This government is proceeding with its work," said President Kwaśniewski several hours after the voting, in formally accepting the resignation of Belka's government. The president appealed to the ministers to keep up the pace of their work, effectively perform their duties and not "give in to the atmosphere of panic prevailing in the Sejm." He said he did not treat the vote as a personal failure. The previous day, May 13, in a special prime time television broadcast, Kwaśniewski asked Poles and parliament deputies to trust Belka's government. "This government of a wise compromise is today the best solution for Poland," said Kwaśniewski. "It is a much better solution than a sudden interruption of the Sejm's term of office and early elections Aug. 8, during harvest time and summer vacation."

Exposé
/.../ This is not a government for a full term. If it secures a vote of confidence, it will have a year at its disposal. This much time we need and this much time we expect.

We understand our mission as the implementation of a set of carefully selected tasks-those with fundamental importance today, but also those that will create a platform for the development of Poland in the future /.../

We are all aware of the most important problems plaguing Poles. Unemployment, poverty, corruption, a poorly functioning health service system, and sometimes even the "brutalization" of life. None of these problems can be solved with the use of miraculous methods. However, it is possible to undertake real, noticeable and tangible activities. We are favored by economic recovery, and membership in the EU opens access to funds for investment and modernization. It would be an unforgivable mistake if we did not manage to take advantage of this opportunity.

We cannot abandon activities of key importance to the country. In particular, we cannot move away from the implementation of the public finance recovery program. Unless we do it now, the budget deficit will grow in the following years. A real threat may appear to financing the most important expenditures of the state.

We must urgently submit a number of laws in the most vital economic and social areas, including the most painful area of health protection. Discussions are in progress over the shape of the constitutional treaty of the European Union. We need to take care of these matters. No political conditions can overshadow the overriding goal-to create conditions for an active life in dignity for people in Poland /.../

A good plan of action primarily depends on the accurate identification of tasks with the most fundamental and farthest-reaching implications. There are five such key tasks-and we want the work of the Council of Ministers to be centered around them.

These are:
first, counteracting poverty, social exclusion and unemployment by strengthening positive trends in the economy and providing new impulses in social policy,
second, full mobilization for the attainment of the greatest possible benefits from the first year of membership in the EU, including: full use of direct payments in agriculture, funds earmarked for development, especially in the poorest regions, and other EU funds, third, bring order to the management of state assets and privatization policy, fourth, solve the most urgent problems in the health service, and fifth, the issue of our military presence in Iraq.

The most important matter in the economy is to revive investment. Growth is already there, probably 6-percent; our job is in essence to maintain this rate in the following years. On the other hand, only new investments create new jobs. The law on the freedom of business activity, which is subject to parliamentary work, will increase the economic activity of companies and citizens. The government is also working on a comprehensive solution to upgrade and simplify the investment process. Amendments to the construction act and law on the spatial development of the country will remove barriers and limit complicated formalities. Suffice it to say that today they require a whole year to be arranged and as many as 26 different procedural steps /.../

We have an unprecedented opportunity in the form of funds from the European Union. This is our money. Over the next two-and-a-half years, we must put a huge amount of more than zl.80 billion to the best possible use. This sum will include funds that Poland will receive from Brussels, supplemented with funds from our own budget as well as private and local government funds.

Such an impulse for development has never been available in Poland. The issue is to make sure that the funds are directed where new useful things are built, where development stimulates more development. They cannot be spent exclusively on municipal infrastructure. We will earmark them for the creation of modern products that are competitive on the global market. We will invest some of them in human capital, education and job creation. To facilitate the absorption of EU funds, the government is submitting a law on public-private partnership. It enables the combination of private and public funds for the implementation of projects co-financed by the EU. Wanting to mobilize funds from the Polish banking system, we will assume part of the risk by establishing a Union Guarantee Fund at Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego.

One of the most obvious opportunities are chances for the development and modernization of Poland's agriculture /.../ This involves a change of the situation and conditions of living and production in rural areas, through the stabilization of agricultural markets, the strengthening of Poland's farm produce exports and-which is already the case-an improvement in quality and sanitary standards /.../

Our presence in the European Union creates conditions for better use of achievements around the world and to equalize educational chances. By studying and working in member countries, Poles will be better educated and more mobile professionally. The government will be make energetic efforts to maximally increase access to the European labor market /.../

An effective form of limiting unemployment is the development of what is termed a social economy. Social cooperatives, mutual insurance companies, enterprises of nongovernmental organizations, cooperative savings-and-loan associations and many other forms of management should fill in the spaces between the public and private sectors. We are preparing appropriate legislative solutions in this area.
In a bid to solve the problem of the "grey zone" [unregistered segment of the economy-ed.]- following in the footsteps of other European countries-we are looking for solutions that will encourage the legalization of employment. The government will soon present proposals for solutions that will financially encourage persons hiring employees and the people they hire to sign legal job contracts. This is an optional offer, let me stress-voluntary, without an element of fiscal pressure, but one that civilizes the labor market. We believe that by the end of this year the number of unemployed will fall well below 3 million. Admittedly, this will be a half-hearted success. But we are convinced that this number will continue to decrease rapidly over the coming years.

The foundation of this government's policy is full respect for the constitutional principle of social justice and European social standards. This imposes on the government an obligation to extend care to those excluded socially, the homeless, long-term unemployed and those who are discriminated against.

By the end of the first half of the year, the government will prepare a National Strategy of Social Integration, a package of tasks concerning social policy for the administration and proposals for local governments and public-benefit institutions-with which we expect to cooperate especially intensively-as well as for business organizations and entrepreneurial associations /.../

A National Scholarship Fund will be established for school and college students who encounter difficulties as they embark on the further course of their educational careers. The fund will equalize opportunities for talented children from poor families at each level of education.

The purpose of changes to the system which support the disabled is to equalize chances in access to education, work and culture /.../

We are not moving away from public finance recovery. Some of the laws regulating these matters are already in Parliament; others will soon be submitted. The change of government does not mean a change of policy in this area. Public finance is not a domain of wishful thinking, but requires real calculations /.../

The parliamentary debate on the public finance crisis so far has featured various options. These include the view, which I partly share myself, that during the rationalization of budgetary spending, it is necessary to radically reduce spending on administration and limit expenditures wherever social usefulness is low. The government will make a comprehensive review of public spending also because we intend to lend transparency to individual budgetary entries and make sure that the money is spent effectively /.../

The government must stabilize the situation in the health service. This goal should be attained provisionally as a result of legislative initiatives linked with the presentation of two bills: on health service benefits financed from public funds and on public assistance and the restructuring of healthcare centers. Both must embrace the rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal and stabilize the situation of healthcare centers /.../

The law is linked with an answer to questions about the scope of services guaranteed from public funds, the scope of citizens' participation in the costs of medical services and the model for the functioning of the National Health Fund. We want to better secure the interests of patients. Every insured person should know what benefits they can expect. With the public in mind, the millions of people making health insurance contributions, it is also necessary to increase the transparency of the ways in which funds are managed within the healthcare system /.../

Pharmaceutical policy also needs to be straightened out, especially in the area of drug refunds and their accessibility to patients.

Managing State Treasury assets and privatization policy are probably the spheres that require the most far-reaching order-restoration efforts. Here, as in no other area, principles should be exceptionally transparent, legible and comprehensible. Here are some of them.

Privatization and the management of State Treasury assets are a part of economic policy, not a collection of interests and commercial transactions.

The Minister of the State Treasury is obligated to pursue an informational policy that will make it possible to understand why a given concept is promoted, while others are rejected.

Privatization must continue, but its main goal is modernization of the economy and an active industrial policy, not patching up the budget gap.

The basic criterion in the choice of investors should be an investment program defining the long-term functioning of a given enterprise or sector.

The preferred form of privatization will be public offerings. The issue is to strengthen the Warsaw Stock Exchange, and thus increase possibilities for attractive investments by open-end pension funds, which will determine the benefits of millions of Poles in the future.

We will begin work on a law for the State Treasury, and within its framework-on effective instruments for its protection, among other measures through the establishment of a Procurator-General's Office as an institution for representation in proceedings at law; however, this institution will not be yet another authority for the control of privatization processes.

Finally, the government's job is to lay down uniform rules for ownership supervision with regard to entities with State Treasury involvement that will guarantee competent and effective management, eliminate political cronyism and the pursuit of private interests.

We face some very important tasks in foreign policy. We want to see an agreement over the Constitutional Treaty of the European Union. It must take into account the interests of all the countries involved, as a result of which the Treaty will gain strong national legitimization, thus making it possible to put an end to controversy in our relations with some European partners.

We will also constructively influence the shape of the Common Foreign Policy and Security Policy. Poland is concerned about making sure that the EU strengthens its identity as a strong entity in global policy, and that it speaks with one voice in international debates.

We are carrying out our obligations in Iraq, supporting efforts for the strengthening of the role of the United Nations in this country and NATO involvement as well as the efforts for the prompt transfer of power to the Iraqis.

The consistent implementation of the political calendar-including the organization of elections to the National Assembly of Iraq by the end of January 2005 at the latest, as well as local government elections and constant progress in building Iraqi security services and their assumption of responsibility-all this will create conditions for a major reduction in our military presence as early as the beginning of 2005. We will actively participate in diplomatic activities, sharing our experiences and observations with our allies, and will actively contribute proposals to accelerate political solutions.

Let us remember that the issue at stake is not only to stabilize the situation in the country, but also regional and global security, and thus Poland's security as well. In this area, the issue is to make sure that we fulfill our mission with honor and let our soldiers return home healthy and safe. I have had opportunities to talk with them many times. Just minutes ago Gen. [Mieczysław] Bieniek, head of the command of the multinational division, called me to say that he was keeping his fingers crossed for me. I told him that it was rather he who deserved words of support. I know how difficult their service is. The one thing that they expect from us is support-spiritual support.

Strengthening Poland's cooperation with the United States, proven by cooperation in the Iraqi operation, is and will remain one of the priorities of Poland's foreign policy. However, the political alliance should to an equal extent translate into the economic sphere. This applies to the issue of offset and U.S. investment in Poland as well as easier travel to America.

Another important task is to stimulate our Eastern policy. I am ready to undertake new initiatives in the area of Poland's economic cooperation with Russia and lend new impulses to the Polish-Ukrainian strategic partnership /.../

The government will work with an open door. We would like to invite representatives of the National Bank of Poland, the president of the Central Auditing Office and the head of the President's Office to attend our meetings.

Dialogue with the opposition is a natural and routine task for every government, but we want to give it a different, substantive dimension. There are certain problems such as the strategy of the state's energy security, the shape of the National Development Plan, the functioning of the civil service in Poland, and the issue of security services, that must be subject to dialogue with the opposition-an authentic dialogue with the opposition /.../

An issue subject to popular criticism is the method of making law. We have too many legal acts and their quality is inadequate. I declare that in the process of preparing regulations, we will analyze opinions and suggestions from legal authorities with the utmost attention. We want and will take advantage of the achievements and opinions of the Constitutional Tribunal on what is called "decent legislation." I would also like to propose to parliamentary groups that we start a debate on this matter.

One of the unused chances of transformation in our country is insufficient progress in building a civil service. Consecutive governments have been unable to cope with the partisan drive toward usurping the state. Under such conditions, one cannot build a civil service loyal to the state. This is a matter of the highest importance /.../

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

posted by: Oborski at 17:36 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 17:33 | link | comments |

Warsaw, May 26: The Lisbon Strategy envisaging an economic growth in the EU by 2010 at 3 percent is the most ambitious EU project which should lead us to a success, President Aleksander Kwasniewski said during the 2nd congress of the Lisbon Strategy Polish Forum that started at Warsaw's Royal Castle. Present is German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. The President stressed that the idea of the Lisbon Strategy is to jointly support neglected regions. He stressed the chance Poland was facing in connection with the expected 6-percent GDP growth this year. The President declared the government would prepare a draft on a public-private partnership of enterprises which would make it possible to absorb EU funds.

Warsaw, May 25: President Kwasniewski met with Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Kamal Kharrazi. They discussed bilateral relations and expressed satisfaction over their development but stressed the need for their further intensification. On behalf of Iranian President Khatami, Kharrazi renewed the invitation for Kwasniewski to visit Iran. Discussed was also the situation in Iraq and international moves designed to stabilize it. Kharazzi presented the state of Iran's negotiations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Kwasniewski welcomed Iran's signing of an additional protocol to the non- proliferation treaty.

Warsaw, May 25: Poland will participate for the first time as a EU state in the EU-Latin America Summit to begin Friday in Guadalajara, Mexico. President Aleksander Kwasniewski will lead a Polish delegation. The Summit will gather leaders and heads of governments of the enlarged Europe and of 30 Latin American countries. The EU is Latin America's second biggest economic partner with the value of goods purchased by the EU surpassing 50 billion euros and exports to Latin America exceeding 57 billion euros. Main topics of the meeting include a new social model in Latin America and consolidation of multilateral contacts between EU member-states and Latin America.

Warsaw, May 25: Iran has conveyed to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) necessary information on its nuclear programme which serves solely peaceful purposes, Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Kamal Kharrazi said after meeting his Polish counterpart Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz in Warsaw. The talks were devoted to consultations before the next session of IAEA's Board of Governors scheduled for mid-June. Kharrazi added that for the time being there is an atmosphere of understanding between Iran and IAEA. He said that information conveyed to the agency as well as international inspections have created a good climate for the normalization of relations between Iran and IAEA. Discussing the situation in Iraq, both ministers stressed the importance of passing by the U.N. Security Council of a new resolution on Iraq as well as the continuation of the political process there. Cimoszewicz stressed that this process should be treated as the most important element of stabilization of Iraq. "I am certain that the Iraqi people grew up to take over responsibilities," said Kharrazi commenting on the take over of power by the Iraqis planned for June 30. He also stressed the need for speedy elections

Warsaw, May 25: Foreign minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz said that chances for reaching a fast compromise concerning the EU Constitution were rather small. He said he was not sure whether this issue could be settled still under the Irish presidency. At the same time I am convinced that if we don't do it now, the issue may be shelved for a long time. Soon we will have to start a discussion on the so-called new financial prospect, that is the financial framework of the EU functioning after 2006, Cimoszewicz said and added this was a serious and urgent problem. Of course the chances are still there. And now I expect Ireland to present final proposals, the minister said. After meeting his counterparts from the EU in Brussels on Monday, Cimoszewicz admitted Poland was the only defender of the "philosophy of Nice" in the debate on the voting system in the EU council.

Warsaw, May 25: Senators gathered at the 6th Meeting of the European Senate Association in Warsaw suggested to create an interparliamentary forum that would focus on monitoring the areas subject to international cooperation, and on observance of the principle of subsidiarity and proportionality in the EU. The meeting was attended by representatives of 16 European states. The idea to create the new forum was put forward by president of French Senate Christian Poncelet who stressed that the European Constitution draft consolidates national parliaments, thus increasing the role of second chambers in shaping European policies. Higher chambers especially can strengthen control of observance of the principle of subsidiarity in the EU. According to Poncelet, the European Senate may also be responsible for development of democratisation in the Union. Belgian Senate President Armand De Decker supported the idea of creating a forum for national parliaments. It should replace the Conference of the Community and European Affairs Committees of Parliaments of the EU (COSAC) and deal with problems of internal and external security of the Union, he stressed. Polish Senate Speaker Longin Pastusiak liked Poncelet's idea as the setting up of the EU Senate might prevent domination of bigger states over the smaller ones. Head of the German Bundesrat European Committee Hans Kaiser warned against creating another bureaucratic structure and encouraged to use the COSAC more effectively instead. Great Britain's House of Lords joined the Association at the present meeting. Later in the day President Aleksander Kwasniewski received heads of the foreign delegations to the conference.

Warsaw, May 25: Preventing threats from "weak and fallen" states and other groups and curbing the proliferation of "all arms" (not only WMD) were the three crucial issues in the UN reform, Polish deputy foreign minister Daniel Rotfeld said following Warsaw conference on the UN's future entitled New Threats - New Answers. These are the issues we consider crucial. First, we believe today's threats are different from what they were in the past as earlier they came from strong and aggressive countries and today increasingly weak or fallen ones. Hence, the measures used against them must be radically different from those used to date. Secondly, some of the threats we are facing come not from organized countries but various non-state groups, and also here the UN has found no feasible solutions. Thirdly, the proliferation of arms - not just mass destruction weaponry but all arms – calls for much firmer counteraction, Rotfeld said. He added that arms proliferation will be discussed at a meeting of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) at the turn of May and June in Cracow, to be attended via satellite link by U.S. and Polish presidents Bush and Kwasniewski. PSI was announced by Bush last year during his visit in Cracow.

Warsaw, May 25: The Sejm committee for special services decided that the decision to expel Yemeni imam Ahmed Ammar from Poland was justified. At a closed-door meeting the committee heard a report of the Internal Security Agency (ABW). The charges against the Yemeni, who was ordered to leave Poland a few days ago, were presented. The imam had been living in Poland for 13 years and was a PhD student at the Poznan university. Local province governor ordered Ammar to leave Poland on an ABW motion stating his further stay in Poland posed a risk to the national security. A representative of the Muslim community in Poznan said the imam had decided to leave Poland because he did not want to oppose binding laws but intended to hire lawyers in Yemen to fully clear his case in Poland. Sejm special services committee chairman Jozef Gruszka said Ammar had been involved in activities "possibly close to terrorism-connected activity".

London, May 25: The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development believes Poland must increase its ability to attract foreign investments and create new jobs. Bank’s special report says Poland has to speed up reforms that lost momentum lately and curb its tendency to maintain high budget deficits. Poland can realize its growth potential only when it improves its business environment to attract foreign direct investors, modernizes its infrastructure and starts creating predictable and stable tax environment. EBRD has invested 2.8 bn euros in 130 projects in Poland. Another 7 bn euros were invested in joint projects with Polish partners.

Warsaw, May 25: Representatives of some hundred Polish companies interested in investing in Iraq met with representatives of American companies that won investment contracts there. Polish and American businessmen discussed possibilities of cooperation in Iraq.

Vienna May 25: Polish writer and reporter Ryszard Kapuscinski received annual Austrian Bruno Kreisky Prize in Vienna, awarded for his lifetime achievements as the author of over 20 books translated into numerous languages. The prize is awarded by the Academy of Austrian Social Democrats and the Dr. Karl Renner Institute in Vienna. It is designed to promote political literature which reflects the values and goals that inspired Austrian politician Bruno Kreisky (1911-1990). Kapuscinski (b. 1932), former foreign correspondent, an author of best selling books which have gained him recognition worldwide, travelled to dozens of countries. His travels inspired books "The Emperor" on the rule and fall of Heile Selassie, "Shah of Shahs" based on the Revolution in Iran, "Imperium" about the collapse of the USSR, and "Ebony" on Africa. Kapuscinski is the most frequently translated Polish writer.

Warsaw, May 25: Poland abolished a visa requirement for citizens of Venezuela who wish to stay in Poland up to 90 days. The visa requirement continues to be in force in regard to those citizens of Venezuela who plan to work in Poland or plan a permanent stay in Poland.

Waraw, May 25: On June 15 Poland's Air Polonia cheap air carrier will open new Poznan-Brussels connection, offering flights on Tuesdays and Thursdays. From last December Air Polonia' fly from Warsaw, Poznan and Katowice to London, from Warsaw to Wroclaw, Paris, Brussels and Frankfurt, from Katowice to Brussels, Koeln and Paris, from Gdansk to London, and from Wroclaw to Paris.

"Cześć!"

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