Polish Consulate...

...are the latest shop to open selling Polish foodstuffs! You can find Casper Stores at 85 Rugby Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 4PD, Telephone: 01902712592 / 07743963571 / casper4food@yahoo.com.

posted by: Oborski at 21:49 | link | comments |

On Saturday 29th October Cllr Mike Oborski, accompanied by Cllr Fran Oborski, placed flowers and candles on the four Polish Airforce Graves at St Cuthbert's Church of England Church at Donington, Albrighton in Shropshire. Prayers were said at the graveside by Father Jan Marek Gora.

posted by: Oborski at 21:44 | link | comments |

On Thursday 27th October Cllr Mike Oborski, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Poland for the West Midlands, and Cllr Fran Oborski placed flowers and candles on the Hartlepool grave of Captain Mamert Stankiewicz - who perished when his ship M/S Pilsudski hit German mines in November 1939.

posted by: Oborski at 21:36 | link | comments |

From Warsaw Voice...

"People are overworked and very busy, and it's hard to find parking near our restaurant. If someone finds a ticket on their car, they get mad and want to unwind, so we offer them our hospitality."
-Paweł Choroś, manager of a restaurant in downtown Warsaw, on their new marketing-free meals upon presenting a parking ticket

"The Poles have proved again that they're normal people."
-Aleksander Kwaśniewski on the fact that on the night of parliamentary elections Sept. 25 the live TV election coverage attracted a much smaller audience than the European Championship women's volleyball finals in which Polish players defeated the Italians

"If he knows a good spot and has equipment, we can always go fishing together."
-Lech Wałęsa's advice for Aleksander Kwaśniewski on how he should take care of his psyche in the first months after the end of his presidency

"People will start missing a prime minister who doesn't appear on every TV channel, who can't be heard on every radio station and can't be seen in all the papers."
-The political forecast of Marek Belka, the outgoing head of government

"Atheists, libertines, liberals, Masons and postcommunists have dominated Europe and Poland."
-Fr. Henryk Jankowski, former head of the St. Brigid's parish in Gdańsk, dubbed "the chaplain of Solidarity," on social situation in the European Union

"I did it out of revenge; the doctor who examined me didn't want to extend my sick leave."
-Dariusz K., a resident of Warsaw, facing up to eight years in prison and covering of the costs of police action, after he called a hospital with a false bomb threat

posted by: Oborski at 21:26 | link | comments (1) |

From Warsaw Voice

The winner of the Polish elections is a tough, pro-welfare, traditional, Catholic politician whose priority is settling accounts with the past. The loser is a moderate, conservative-liberal, but less distinctive politician.

The main question is: How will Lech Kaczyński use his unexpectedly huge power?

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

"The Bundesbank, though without doubt a peaceful organization, is much more dangerous for Poles than the Bundeswehr."
-Samoobrona leader Andrzej Lepper in an interview for a Russian paper on the threat of German buyout of land in Poland

"We are like a Hollywood couple; everyday the tabloids report on our impending divorce and unfaithfulness, while the family keeps going on for many years."
-Jan Rokita, former Civic Platform (PO) candidate for prime minister, on his cooperation with Donald Tusk, PO presidential candidate

"For the first time in the history of Poland, politicians are actually helpful to drivers. If you ask someone for directions, they may say something like 'Two Tusks down the road, then turn left'."
-Bogdan Lewandowski, former deputy from the Polish Social Democracy (SDPL), on the big election billboards that in many cities are treated like road signs

"I don't know. Maybe I'll become a hobo."
-Andrzej Celiński, SDPL deputy, on his plans after his party lost the elections

"In the apartment, there wasn't even a sink. The dentist equipment was cleaned with water from the toilet."
-A Sanepid sanitary inspector from Szczecin on the shutting-down of an illegal dentist's office run by two Ukrainian citizens

"They were eating so greedily that I didn't have the heart to interrupt them."
-A police officer from Czaplinek, on the failed break-in of a supermarket storage room; the three suspects grabbed three loaves of bread and started to eat them right away

posted by: Oborski at 20:58 | link | comments |

Warsaw, Oct. 20: Civic Platform (PO) presidential candidate Donald Tusk continues to maintain a fairly comfortable lead over right- wing rival Lech Kaczynski according results of newest election polls.

According to a GfK poll for Rzeczpospolita daily Tusk can count on 56 percent of votes and Law and Justice (PiS) candidate Lech Kaczynski on 44 percent. The daily published the poll on Thursday.

According to an OBOP poll for Fakt daily Kaczynski is narrowing the gap on his rival. The survey published on Thursday put support for Tusk at 53 percent and for Lech Kaczynski at 47 percent. On Wednesday support for Tusk was at 54 percent and for Lech Kaczynski at 46 percent.

Meanwhile a CBOS poll gave Tusk an 8 per cent lead over Kaczynski. Tusk can count on 54 percent of votes, while Kaczynski 46 per cent.

posted by: Oborski at 20:52 | link | comments |

Warsaw, Oct. 19: President Aleksander Kwasniewski stressed during an inaugural meeting of the new Sejm on Wednesday that great responsibility was laid on the new parliament. The president said that in the parliamentary elections the nation expressed its will and voted against the people who held power until now and changed the arrangement of political forces. President Kwasniewski said that Poles had reminded politicians that in democracy power was not held forever. "And this should be a warning for some politicians and a source of hope for others," the president stressed and added that this should be an order of good service for the homeland for all. Speaking about the 25th anniversary of the birth of Solidarity, the president said that Poles changed the course of history and recalled that this great revolution took place without any bloodshed. "Without these achievements Europe of today will not be an open and unifying continent," the president said. "Poland is a member of NATO and the EU. We have returned where we always belonged. (...) Poland is a respected country and a desirable partner," the president said. "We have changed the image of our homeland. Since the beginning of the transformation processes in 1989 the GDP has gone up by over 40 percent. Such a result was not reported in any other country of our region. Poland, not long ago described as a "sick man of Europe", has entered for good the path of economic growth and civilisational development," president Kwasniewski said. "These historic successes have been achieved by all the democratically-elected parliaments and government of sovereign Poland, irrespective of whether they were formed by left-wing or right-wing parties," the president said. "This Sejm is the first one to work in really new conditions. Poland's EU membership is neither a dream nor a historical holiday any longer. It is an everyday reality. And we can see that Poland knows how to cope with EU requirements. Poland is an element consolidating the European structure. And Poland benefits from the integration," President Kwasniewski said. "My recent visit to the U.S. proved that Poland achieved much in its relations with that country. Never before Poland's position as a significant and reliable U.S ally has been so strong," the president stressed. Next, the president wished all the deputies successes and satisfaction.

Warsaw, Oct. 19: President Aleksander Kwasniewski told Radio One on Wednesday that it would be completely unjustified if a new Sejm Speaker was not elected today. If during its first sitting the Sejm does not elect a Sejm speaker it will be an improper situation. There was enough time as the parliamentary elections were held nearly a month ago. There were certain declarations and promises, decisions of the winners. So lack of appointment will be completely unjustified, the president said. Kwasniewski added that this might also cause some constitutional problems. The president rejected the accusation that the problem resulted from the election calendar. (...) "The problem can be defined as Donald Tusk and Lech Kaczynski - the two leaders of the Law and Justice-Civic Platform coalition who are fighting for one state position," the president added.

Warsaw, Oct. 19: The Sejm adjourned its inaugural session until next Wednesday (October 26) and the new Sejm Speaker was not elected. A motion to this effect was submitted by Law and Justice (PiS). There were 237 votes for, 215 against, and two abstentions. The votes for the motion were cast by 154 deputies from PiS, 56 from Self-defence, 24 from the Polish Peasant Party and 3 from the League of Polish Families. The votes against were cast by 130 deputies from the Civic Platform, 55 from the Democratic Left Alliance and 30 from LPR. The deputies of the German minority abstained from voting.

Warsaw, Oct. 19: President Aleksander Kwasniewski on Wednesday called on the Senate to choose the chamber speaker at the 1st meeting of the Senate on October 20. Kwasniewski's move was prompted by a Sejm decision to choose the chamber speaker next week, after presidential elections. The president stressed that the chambers' speakers replace the president if the latter's is incapable to perform his function.

Warsaw, Oct. 19: Prime Minister Marek Belka submitted the resignation of his cabinet during the first sitting of the new Sejm on Wednesday. The outgoing Prime Minister said that in line with the article 162 para 1 of the Polish constitution he submits his resignation to the president of Poland, the Sejm speaker and the Sejm. "I have the right to feel satisfaction that the government I led leaves the public affairs, the Polish economy and the Polish state in good condition," he said. "The economy is stable, budget revenues bigger than they used to be, laws regulating economic processes are simpler and the Polish position on the international arena is increasingly important," Belka said and added that benefits from integration with the European Union are today obvious for everybody. "My government created legal tools for the implementation of social policy aimed at effective countering poverty and social exclusion as well as to improve the condition of the Polish health care. We promised to take the maximum advantage of the 1st year of our membership of the EU. We kept the promise. From a debutante we turned into a serious partner. Out active eastern policy is our strength in contacts with the west but it costs us problems with some of our eastern neighbours. We implemented a series of important tasks which had long waited to be implemented including road construction programme, the railway law aimed at increasing the number of investments and scholarships for high school students. We leave for the new parliament and government scores of laws putting in order different fields of life so that our successors will not have to start from scrap" the PM said.

Warsaw, Oct.19: President Aleksander Kwasniewski recalled the cabinet headed by prime minister Marek Belka here Wednesday. Belka tendered its resignation at the first sitting of the new Sejm earlier Wednesday. The Belka cabinet will perform its duties until a new cabinet is formed. The president thanked the outgoing government for its work. "You discharged well of your duties, being guided by the interest of the state and the society," he declared. This was a good time for Poland and its economy, he added. "Poland is a stable country," he emphasized. The president was critical of the failure to elect a new Sejm speaker Wednesday and of the adjournment of Sejm work until next week. He urged the Senate to elect its speaker at the first sitting due Thursday. According to the constitution Sejm or Senate speakers substitute for president if he is unable to discharge its duties, Kwasniewski pointed out.

Warsaw, Oct.19: Prime minister designate Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz said he would propose the composition of the cabinet to president Aleksander Kwasniewski by the end of this month. The lineup will be supplemented with an action plan of the coalition government for the coming 4 years. When designating Marcinkiewicz for the prime ministerial post Wednesday Kwasniewski expressed the hope that the cabinet would be set up by the constitutional deadline, i.e. in two weeks. Marcinkiewicz said he would meet PO's designated deputy prime minister Jan Rokita Thursday and would hold discussions with the remaining PO leaders starting next Monday. One week would be enough to set up the cabinet, Marcinkiewicz assured. He said his to-date talks with Rokita were very helpful in forming the coalition. PO and his native PiS disagreed in some 15-25 pc of issues, he estimated. These issues would be decided on in talks to start Monday.The new Prime Minister designate is 46, married, with four children. His original profession was teaching physics in school. In 1989 he helped found the Christian-National Union (ZChN), in 1992-1993 was deputy education minister in the cabinet headed by Hanna Suchocka, in 1997 he became head of the political secretariat to prime minister Jerzy Buzek. Since March, 2004, he was head of the Sejm committee for the state treasury. "We are aware of the fact that the government programme will have to draw on the programmes of both PiS and PO," said Marcinkiewicz shortly after the PiS election victory. He defined the PiS programme as "one favouring a free market economy based on private ownership and competition, but not a liberal programme."

Warsaw, Oct. 19: The government on Wednesday approved the deployment of 140 soldiers to Pakistan to help repair damage resulting from the devastating earthquake, Defence Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski said Wednesday after a cabinet meeting before the Prime Minister submitted its resignation. A motion to this effect has been already sent to the president who has to make a final decision. The troops will be sent as part of a NATO mission for six months (from October 25, 2005 until April 25, 2006), the minister said. Szmajdzinski said that the mission will cost 25 million zlotys, or less, if NATO or some NATO member country, ensures air transport to Polish troops. The operation will be conducted in a joint Polish-Spanish batallion under Portuguese command. Foreign Minister Adam Rotfeld said that the mission will be a test for Poland of how it functions not only in the endangered security situation but also during NATO's charitable actions.

Warsaw, Oct. 19: U.S. President George Walker Bush is the most liked politician in Poland with 49 pct of Poles declaring they like him. The least liked politician is Russian President Vladimir Putin who is disliked by 61 pct of Poles, a recent CBOS poll has found. Poles also like Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko (47 pct), British Prime Minister Tony Blair (45 pct), to-date German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder (36 pct) and Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet (31 pct). The group of the least liked politicians, apart from Putin includes Belarussian President Aleksandr Lukashenka who is disliked by 55 pct of Poles, Cuban leader Fidel Castro (52 pct) and French President Jacques Chirac (24 pct). The CBOS run the poll on September 14-18, 2005 on a representative sample of 1,028 adult Poles.

Warsaw, Oct. 19: The finance ministry upheld their forecasts for GDP growth in the 3rd quarter and in the entire 2005 after industrial production data had been released by the Central

Statistical Office. "We are very satisfied, our monthly forecasts as regards industrial production and construction production materialised. We uphold our 3rd quarter GDP growth forecasts at 3.4 percent and slightly over 3 percent for the whole year," director at the finance ministry Jacek Krzyslak said.

Warsaw, Oct. 19: By the end of next year Britain's DSG International corporation will invest 10 million euros in a network of Electro World markets in Poland. The first two markets will open this year. DSH International operates in 13 countries worldwide, employing over 35,000 people.

Warsaw, Oct. 19: The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) international ecological organisation believes that Poland as a EU border country is under particular threat of activities of international smugglers of endangered plants and animals. For this reason the WWF has invited Polish police to the second schooling project on the subject. The WWF told PAP Wednesday that between October 17 and 20 forty policemen were discussing problems of international endangered animals trafficking, with especial regard to eastern border crossings, airports and sea ports. The participants discuss the related EU laws and other regulations concerning trade of the animals in danger of extinction. Among those taking part in the project are representatives of the prosecution whose cooperation with customs police is particularly important. The third round of schooling on illegal trade of the endangered animals on the domestic market is scheduled for December 2005. According to the WWF the sealing of Polish borders and good control of the home market control will allow for the full introduction of international law.

Warsaw, Oct.19: The value of turnover at the Warsaw Stock Exchange exceeded 122 bn PLN (ca. 38 bn USD) in the first three quarters of this year, setting a new record, the WSE reported Wednesday. The old record-high turnover was 109 bn PLN for the whole of 2004. The broad WIG index rose 26.9 pc and the blue chip WIG 20 index rose 28.5 pc since the beginning of this year. A record high dividend of 7.9 bn PLN was paid out by the end of September, three times more than in 2004. 28 new companies were added to the list of WSE traded shares in the first three quarters of this year (the combined value of their IPOs reached 6.4 bn PLN). This placed WSE third in Europe in this respect. The futures market saw a brisk growth this year: the volume of trade reached 3.8 m contracts after the three quarters, compared with 3.6 m for the whole of last year. WSE had a capitalisation of 273.3 bn PLN as of Sept.30 (excluding foreign-based companies), vs. 214.3 bn PLN at the end of last year. The new share issues (including IPOs) raised 6.5 bn PLN over the said period, while in 2004 the figure was 13.2 bn.

Beijing, Oct, 19: Possibilities of exchange of students and academic workers were discussed by a 40-member group of rectors and professors of 27 Polish higher schools with their Chinese partners. On Wednesday the first so numerous representation of public and non-public higher schools wound up their visit to the People's Republic of China. In Beijing the delegation met with representatives of two leading Chinese educational centres, China University of Technology and the People's University of China. The Chinese colleagues showed interest in the potential of the Polish exact sciences, humanities and social sciences. The two Chinese schools want to conclude concrete cooperation agreements with Polish partners, Professor Monika Hardygora who headed the delegation told PAP. Polish higher schools appreciate China's growing rank on the international scene of business, investment and commerce, and strive to win Chinese students and develop scientific exchange with Chinese counterparts. Also Chinese language teachers are welcomed in Poland. The group toured China within the "Study in Poland" project initiated by the Polish Academic Rectors' Conference KRASP. At present Polish higher schools have only some eight thousand foreign students.

Warsaw, Oct. 19: Russian TMK holding-owned Sinara Handel AG will buy the tube rolling mill WRJ Jednosc and WRJ Serwis in Siemianowice Slaskie for 37.5 million euros, said ING Bank Slaski which represents a consortium of creditor banks. The consortium signed an agreement foreseeing cooperation of its members in attracting an investor and launching production in the mill. Production is planned to be at least 100 thousand tons of tubes annually. 500 jobs are expected to be created. Construction of the rolling mill in Siemianowice began in the 1970s, then it was stopped and resumed in mid-1990s but was never completed due to insufficient funds. According to press reports, 150 million zlotys is needed to complete the mill.

Warsaw, Oct. 19: Fiat is the most popular car make in Poland, indicates a TNS OBOP poll published on Wednesday. Fiat cars account for 39 percent of new vehicles and 22 pct of second hand cars. Research indicates that 2nd is Daewoo (18 percent) Skoda (10 pct), Renault (6 pct), Opel (6 pct), Toyota (4 pct), SEAT (4 pct), Peugot (2 pct) Hyundai(2 pct), Ford (2 pct). As regards second hand cars the most popular, after Fiat is Volkswagen (15 pct), Opel (11 pct), Ford (10 pct), Polonez (8 pct), Renault (6 pct), Skoda (3 pct), SEAT (3 pct), Daewoo (3 pct), Citroen (3 pct). The poll was run between May 5 and 9, 2005 on a representative sample of 1,005 Poles older than 15

posted by: Oborski at 16:48 | link | comments |

Warsaw, Oct. 18: Prime minister Marek Belka said he was satisfied with the present condition of the country and the Polish economy. "Both in the economy and social affairs we are on the right development track," Belka told newsmen after the cabinet sitting Tuesday. Even if the next cabinet will have problems in implementing its economic policy, the economy will not drift, Belka declared. "Even if there is a drift, it will be in the right direction," he added. "Poland is on the right track and it is really difficult to derail the economy," Belka argued, saying he was confident about the future. He will submit the resignation of his cabinet on Wednesday. The outgoing cabinet will send its 2006 state budget with a self-amendment and 30 draft laws to the speaker of the new Sejm.

Warsaw, Oct. 18: The cabinet approved seven programmes of long-term support for foreign investments in Poland on Tuesday, Prime Minister Marek Belka said. Six programmes foresee support to subcontractors of the Korean LG. Philips concern in Kobierzyce, southern Poland, and one to the Philip Morris International accounting centre in Cracow. Philip Morris International will get over 1.6 million zlotys in 2006-2009, deputy economy minister responsible for investments Marcin Kaszuba said. "The concern is due to invest 19 million zlotys in Cracow, and will give jobs to 500 people," Kaszuba said. Next year Philips Morris International will get 240 thousand zlotys from the budget. Six LG. Philips subcontractors will get a total of 121 million zlotys in 2006-2011. They will invest 1 billion 178 million zlotys and create over 7 thousand jobs over that time.

Warsaw, Oct. 18: Senate Senior Speaker Kazimierz Kutz coming out from a Tuesday meeting with President Aleksander Kwasniewski expressed hope that the Senate will manage to elect its presidium during its first meeting scheduled for Thursday. Kutz said that there is a possibility that both the Civic Platform and the Law and Justice will agree on the candidature of Bogdan Borusewicz (indp). Meanwhile Sejm Senior Speaker Jozef Zych after meeting Kwasniewski stressed that deputies should at least try to elect members of the Sejm presidium during the chamber's first meeting on Wednesday. Zych briefed the president on his consultations with heads of parliamentary caucuses concerning the first meeting.

Warsaw, Oct. 18: The new Sejm will meet for its first sitting on Wednesday. The meeting will be chaired by former Sejm speaker Jozef Zych with President Aleksander Kwasniewski in attendance. The newly elected deputies will be sworn-in. Among 460 deputies, Law and Justice members won 155 seats, Civic Platform's - 133, Self-defence's - 56, Democratic Left Alliance's - 55, League of Polish Families' - 34, Polish Peasant Party's - 25 and German minority's - 2. The new Senate will hold its first sitting on Thursday. On Wednesday the outgoing government will formally resign during a ceremony at the presidential palace, but will continue to exercise duties pending the formation of a new government.

Warsaw, Oct. 18: Edward Szymanski, to-date undersecretary of state at the Presidential Chancellery on Tuesday was appointed head of the Chancellery. He replaced Jolanta Szymanek-Deresz who had become Sejm deputy. Also on Tuesday President Aleksander Kwasniewski recalled secretary of state Barbara Labuda who will assume a diplomatic post at the Polish mission in Luxembourg. The president said these decisions are part of his "winding up presidency" actions at the close of his second term in office. Szymanski will hold the post till the end of the president's term on December 23.At a meeting with the Chancellery staff Aleksander Kwasniewski asked his collaborators to see to it that "the Chancellery be ready to be passed over to the new president and his people." An economist by education, Szymanski (b. 1936) was a Bydgoszcz province governor in 1973-75, chief of the provincial communist party at Wloclawek (1975-81) and Sejm deputy from 1976 to 1989.

Szczecin, Oct. 18: Repair of relations with Russia and the United States is one of the leading goals of the future president, according to Donald Tusk. During a meeting with students in Szczecin on Tuesday, Tusk said that if he becomes president he will try to achieve such relations with Russia which would be "proud and decisive, but at the same time open and friendly." He explained that this would be possible through the "stiffening of Poland's stand on a number of issues." In regard to relations with the US, Tusk stressed the key and strategic importance of the alliance with the U.S. for Poland. However, he noted that in relations with the U.S. a Polish leader cannot ask for anything but should hold serious business talks with the Americans. Tusk said that the most important issue in relations with the EU is to convince the EU to the building of a common policy towards Russia so that "Poland would never be left alone in a corner." Saying this Tusk made reference to a Russian-German agreement on the building of the northern gas pipeline. Speaking about the outgoing President Aleksander Kwasniewski, Tusk praised his involvement in the Orange Revolution in Ukraine, but had reservations about the president's German and Russian policy as consisting chiefly in "smiles and hand shakes." In the afternoon Tusk met with medical staff of a hospital in Police. He criticised Law and Justice-proposed health service reform programme as moving towards excessive centralisation. Tusk opted for broad consultations on the health service reform. He said he would encourage future coalition partners to adopt the point of view of the patients, he said.

Berlin/Warsaw, Oct. 18: Opponents of Poland's liberal presidential candidate Donald Tusk tried to get materials incriminating Tusks from a German office using untrue data, the German Frankfurter Allgemeine Zietung daily wrote on Tuesday. FAZ wrote that a person who passed himself off as a child of Donald Tusk's father applied to the German Office for Relatives of the Fallen Wehrmacht Soldiers to check whether Donald Tusk's father joined the German army. According to FAZ, the applicant gave untrue personal information. Neither of Donald Tusk's father's children applied to the office. As the German office does not give information about the applicants, it is impossible to establish who they were. But the daily recalled that former campaign manager of Tusk's rival for the presidency, Jacek Kurski, reported recently that he wanted to establish the truth about Tusk's family and expected the answer to his enquiry on Wednesday. Lodging applications with untrue information is treated in Germany as an "offence" and an attempt to "obtain information under false pretences," deputy head of the German office Peter Gerhard said.

L.Kaczynski will not put forward Balcerowicz as candidate for central bank head

Zielona Gora, Oct. 18: Once elected president, Law and Justice's (PiS) presidential candidate Lech Kaczynski will not put forward Leszek Balcerowicz as a candidate for the central bank governor. Speaking during an election rally in Zielona Gora, western Poland, Kaczynski said that Poland needs active economic policy. In order to pursue such policy, the "central bank head should be responsible not only for the strong zloty but also for Poland's development," he said. According to Kaczynski, his election as the president will guarantee harmonious cooperation with the government. "I will not be blocking anything in the cooperation with the PiS and Civic Platform government. I would be the element that will help, guarantee changes and make sure that we live in the country where the biggest possible part of society, instead of a small group of those most affluent, benefits from development effects." During the rally, PiS's prime minister designate Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz identified the new government's strategic aims as the Solidarity-based economic policy and repair of the country.

Warsaw, Oct.18: Poland is perceived as a country suffering from a large degree of corruption, according to a survey held by Transparency International and called the Corruption Preception Index. On a scale from 10 to 0 Poland got 3.4 points, the same as Croatia, Egypt, Lesotho, Bourkina Faso, Saudi Arabia and Syria. The least affected turned out to be Iceland (9.7 pts), Finland (9.6), New Zealand (9.6), Singapore (9.4) and Sweden (9.2). The survey, conducted among businessmen and analysts familiar with individual countries under study, ranks all countries according to the level of perceived corruption, from those affected the least to those affected the most. Those worst hit by corruption were Bangladesh (1.7), Turkmenistan (1.8), Myanmar (1.8), Haiti (1.8) and Nigeria (1.9). Poland placed 70th among the 159 countries listed in the survey. Transparency International Polska president Malgorzta Brennek said that the causes of corruption in Poland were known well and systemic in nature. They included unclear and changing legislation, lack of transparency in the functioning of central government and local government administration, too much room for discretionary decision making, negligent attitude to reporting and documentation and lack of personal accountability for decision making.

Warsaw, Oct. 18: A hall in the new headquarters of the Polish foreign ministry has been named after Polish-American lawyer Rafal Lemkin, who introduced the term genocide into international law. This outstanding personage is little known, even among people dealing with international relations and international law. It's high time to change this, Polish foreign minister Adam Daniel Rotfeld said Tuesday opening the Lemkin Hall.

Katowice, Oct. 18: General Wojciech Jaruzelski on Tuesday expressed regret and condolences to the families of victims from Wujek coal mine as well as all the wounded or hurt in the events from the beginning of martial law in 1981. Jaruzelski was testifying before a district court in Katowice as a witness in the trial concerning the pacification of Silesian mines at the start of martial law. In Wujek mine the death toll soared to nine with scores of wounded. Jaruzelski believes that shots fired at the striking miners were warning shots fired in the air, and claims that what happened next was not a premeditated action but "an unfortunate twist of events." The trial is held for the third time. Charges have been pressed against 17 former policemen including deputy head of Citizen's Militia MO provincial office and 16 members of the ZOMO special platoon. Two first verdicts have been revoked by the court of appeals. Jaruzelski, the former prime minister, leader of the communist party PZPR and chief of the Military Council of National Salvation during martial law, told the court a few weeks earlier that he learned about the killings from General Czeslaw Kiszczak, the then interior minister, only after the incident at Wujek. He was shocked and ordered to "examine the matter immediately and very closely." Asked by journalists who is guilty of the tragedy he said he hoped that this would be established in the present trial.

Warsaw, Oct. 18: Sluggish courts, poor roads and over-taxation are Poland's main investment barriers, concluded enterprisers and market experts at a Tuesday debate on the Polish investment market. The debate also focused on excessive bureaucracy and the chaotic tax system as the main hindrances for longterm investors. Sanitec Kolo CEO Marek Kukuryka said red tape in the economy was why Poland lost many investment projects to the Czech Republic or Hungary. Among other problems encountered by investors Kukuryka listed low-qualified government officials and slow court procedures. Present at the debate was Cezary Mech, finance minister designate from the election-winning Law and Justice Party (PiS).

Katowice, Oct. 18: The Kompania Weglowa (Coal Company) reported a net profit of 31 million zlotys in September and of nearly 182 million zlotys after the three quarters of 2005, company's spokesman Zbigniew Madej told PAP on Tuesday. After the three quarters of 2005 gross profits amounted to 312.4 million zlotys. The net profit stood at 181.9 million zlotys, down from over 269 million zlotys in the same period of 2004. In July and August the company reported for the first time in two years a loss on coal sales. Madej added the achieved results were better than planned but worse than last year's ones. The spokesman stressed the fall in profits was caused by numerous factors, including worse economic climate and necessity to set up employee benefit reserve. Madej added the company wanted to achieve a 300 million zloty profit in 2005, down from 450 million zlotys in 2004. The Coal Company is the biggest mining concern in Europe. It groups 17 mines and employs over 70 thousand workers.

Warsaw, Oct. 18: The number of tourists visiting Poland rose 13 per cent during the first 8 months of the year, the Polish Board of Tourism has said. The growing tendency is excellently visible in Cracow and the Malopolska province. The region has been visited by 9.3 million tourists last year, Gazeta Krakowska daily writes and adds that the visitors left behind 3.3 billion zlotys (2.8 billion USD).Grazyna Leja of the Cracow mayor's office said that last year tourist traffic grew by 20 per cent while this year's result should be even higher. Jan Bereza, deputy speaker of the provincial assembly expects the number of tourists visiting the region to grow to some 10 million. Bereza contributes the tourist boom chiefly to operations of low cost airlines.

Warsaw, Oct. 18: Pro Futuro, an independent Polish operator and supplier of advanced teleinfo services, came first in the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 ranking of the fastest growing central European companies. The Lublin-based Pro Futuro recorded a 220-fold increase in sales over the past 5 years. Second was Cleverance from the Czech Republic, a leading supplier of IT technology on the national scale. Its sales rose 30-fold over the past 5 years. Third was Hoga.pl, a Polish internet portal, supplier of content and technology. The ranking shows that the market rewards especially those players who focus on software and applications for use in the internet.

Warsaw, Oct. 18: Poland's billboarding branch may book a 12-15-percent business rise this year, mainly thanks to the parliamentary and presidential elections, Janusz Malinowski, head of the Stroer Polska billboarding company, told reporters Monday. The third quarter was very good for the billboarding branch, especially September, when up to 95 percent of our billboard space was taken up. Billboarding proved a very successful medium during the parliamentary and presidential campaigns, Malinowski said. Stroer is one of the leading billboarding firms in Poland.

Warsaw, Oct. 18: In 2004/2005 Poland's Hortex frozen food company raised its exports by almost 43 percent against 2003/2004 (to 51,000 tons), Hortex informed Tuesday. The value of Hortex' exports in that period came to almost 147 million zlotys (45.5 mn USD). Hortex exports two-thirds of its frozen vegetables and fruit, mostly to Russia.

Legnica, Oct. 18: Over 20 vocalists from all over Poland will take part in the 22nd All-Poland French Song Festival to be held in Lubin from October 20 to 22. French films are already being shown. They will be accompanied by exhibitions of photographs and posters of the French cinema, recitals and concerts by French artists or those coming from French-speaking countries. The visitors to the events will have the opportunity to taste some French cuisine specialities, Magda Lagun of Culture Centre in Lubin which organizes the event told PAP. The programme envisages performances by the Dubians French group, a club event with the participation of a French DJ and a song and dance show La Revie de Paris. Professionals and non-professionals will take part in a French song competition. The All-Poland French Song Festivals have been held in Lubin since early 1980s and has won recognition and support of the French embassy in Poland.

Katowice, Oct. 18: Ian Paice of Deep Purple and Carl Palmer of Emerson, Lake & Palmer will perform this week in Piekary Slaskie during an event marking the 25th anniversary of the foundation of the Solidarity trade union. Both concerts will take place during the 14th International Drum Festival held in three cities - Opole, Wroclaw and Piekary Slaskie.

posted by: Oborski at 22:43 | link | comments |

Wisla, Oct. 17: It is not possible to reschedule the first Sejm sitting, President Aleksander Kwasniewski said Monday. "The sitting has been convened for October 19. (...) Work should

be started," the president said. "If we want to treat democracy and parliament seriously, the Sejm should start work on October 19, especially since it will be exactly four years after the Sejm of the previous term was appointed," Kwasniewski added.

Warsaw, Oct. 17: The Senate of the 6th term of office will hold its first session on Thursday, October 20, the Senate Chancellery reported on Monday. The session will be inaugurated by President Aleksander Kwasniewski. Later the Senate is expected to elect Senate Speaker, deputy Senate Speakers and Senate secretaries.

Warsaw, Oct. 17: Civic Platform (PO) presidential candidate Donald Tusk is still holding a lead over Law and Justice's candidate in the presidential race Lech Kaczynski, according to a PBS poll for Gazeta Wyborcza and a TNS OBOP poll for the Fakt daily. The survey run by PBS on October 14-15 put support for Tusk at 55 percent and for Lech Kaczynski at 45 percent. PBS ran the poll a few days after Poles had learnt that Tusk's grandfather had served in the Wehrmacht between August 2, 1944 and October 12, 1944. According to the TNS OBOP poll released also on Monday Tusk can count on votes of 57 percent of Poles and Lech Kaczynski on 43 percent. TNS OBOP ran the poll on October 16. In the PBS poll Tusk's lead over Kaczynski amounts to 10 percentage points and in the second one to 14 percentage points. The latest poll rub by TNS OBOP for Polityka weekly found that Tusk would get 55 percent of public support and Lech Kaczynski 45 percent. The poll was carried out on October 15 to 16.

Warsaw, Oct. 17: Law and Justice (PiS) presidential candidate Lech Kaczynski told Radio Zet on Monday that he was "slightly" worried about the permanent interest displayed by the German press in the presidential election in Poland. Asked to comment the statement by Konrad Schuller, Warsaw's correspondent of Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, that a charge against Donald Tusk's grandfather considerably hurt Tusk as his "right-wing and national rival" Lech Kaczynski was using historically-motivated fear of Germans. "The German press is fiercely attacking me. I have often repeated that I am interested in good relations with Germany. But these relations cannot be based on negotiations with Mrs Erika Steinbach (head of the German Union of Expelees) or the Preussische Treuhand, undermining the Polish ownership in Poland's northern and western territories or building a centre against expulsions and creating a situation in which Poles are presented as executioners of World War Two and the German nation as a victim," Lech Kaczynski stressed. "I am slightly worried that the German press is focusing on the presidential elections in Poland as this is not a German matter but a Polish one," PiS presidential candidate said.

Brussels, Oct. 17: The European Commission acknowledged with "full understanding" Poland's failure to send on time (by October 15) its Lisbon Strategy implementation plan, due to the unclear post-election situation, spokesman responsible for issues of enterprises and industry Gregor Kreuzhuber said. Several other countries also failed to send their plans on time, including Germany. "It is understandable that the political processes going on in Poland prevented sending the plan on time. The European Commission is not alarmed, so much the more that it has been informed about the ongoing work on the Lisbon Strategy implementation plan in Poland, Kreuzhuber said. Poland said that the plan has been prepared and initially approved by the government on October 5. But "due to the general elections and the process of new government formation, the Cabinet resolved to transfer the issue to the new prime minister," the economy and labour ministry said in a statement. The plan covers 2005 to 2008 with its priorities being high economic growth and job creation.

Warsaw, Oct. 17: A decree by the agriculture minister designed to help prevent a bird flu outbreak comes into force on Monday, October 17 after it has been published in the official legal gazette, PAP was told by Agriculture Minister Jerzy Pilarczyk. The decree was signed on Saturday after tests confirmed that the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu had been found in Romania. The decree bans keeping poultry outside hen-houses, trade in live poultry in open-air markets and poultry exhibitions. The decree also bans the hunting of wild birds. Last week Poland banned poultry imports from Turkey and Romania, and stepped up border checks.

Warsaw, Oct. 17: Thousands of survivors of the earthquake in Pakistan may not survive winter, Pakistani Ambassador to Poland Ms Fauzia Nasreen said on Monday. Temperature in many regions of his country fell to 5 degrees Centigrade below freezing point. Pakistani people need urgent supplies of medicines, food and tents, Fauzia Nasreen told the press conference in Warsaw devoted to relief to the earthquake victims in Pakistan. Fifty thousand persons died in the earthquake, 3.3 million were affected by the disaster, 65 thousand were injured and 2.2 million lost houses. As the rescue operation is coming to an end, relief action becomes the priority. The survivors need roofs over head, food, pure water, the ambassador stressed. The ambassador pointed out that many roads, schools, hospitals and houses were destroyed. Father Zdzislaw Swiniarski of Caritas Polska recalled that two two transports of antibiotics, means of transport, water purifying tablets and some pharmaceuticals worth 200 thousand zlotys (over 60 thousand USD) were dispatched to Pakistan in mid-October. He appealed for a greater aid for Pakistan. Relief funds will be raised among the faithful in Catholic dioceses at the end of this month. Donations may also be paid onto the Caritas accounts.

Warsaw, Oct. 17: The average monthly pre-tax pay was 2,483.99 zlotys in September 2005, up 1.8 percent year-on-year, the Central Statistical Office (GUS) said on Monday. The market expected the pay to rise 3.0 percent year-on-year, and 1.4 percent month-on-month in Septemebr. A total of 4,787.7 thousand people were employed in enterprises in Septmeber, up 2.2 percent y/y and up 0.2 pct m/m.

Warsaw, Oct. 17: The Finance Ministry has revised its forecast of the GDP growth in the 3rd quarter of 2005 to 3.4 pct from 3.7 pct planned earlier. The GDP growth in the entire year will slightly exceed 3 percent. The Polish economy is following a path of a slightly faster growth but the economic revival is slow and its scale is lower than planned earlier. The Finance Ministry estimates that in the 3rd quarter of 2005 GDP will go up by 3.4 percent, against a 2.8 percent rise in the 2nd quarter, the ministry wrote in an October macroeconomic review. Domestic demand will be of greater significance for the GDP growth in the 3rd quarter if compared with the 2nd quarter but export net contribution will also remain positive, the ministry said. The ministry also reported that prospects for the economy remained positive though negative factors prevailed over positive ones in the balance of risks connected with the expected development of the economic situation.

Warsaw, Oct. 17: The budget deficit after September 2005 was at 17,784.6 million zlotys, or 50.8 percent of the annual plan, the Finance Ministry said in a communique released on Monday. The state expenditure stood at 150,846.3 million zlotys, or 71.9 percent of the sum planned for 2005. The budget revenues totalled 133,061.7 million zlotys, or 76.2 percent of the plan. Deputy Finance Minister Elzbieta Suchocka-Roguska said earlier that the deficit after September 2005 should be around 51 percent of the annual plan against 52.8 percent after August.

Warsaw, Oct. 17: A promotion campaigns featuring posters of a handsome Polish plumber and an attractive Polish nurse contributed to boosting interest in Poland, Andrzej Kozlowski, president of the Polish Tourist Organisation POT believes. Kozlowski told s press conference on Monday that in result of the campaign interest in Poland has grown up and among French

tourists, some 9.8 thousand of whom visited Poland between July and September 2005. The number of questions in France concerning Poland also went up 40 percent. French tourists are interested mainly in big cities: Cracow, Warsaw and the Gdansk-Gdynia-Sopot tri-city, Kozlowski said. The number of arrivals to Poland grew 13 percent during eight months of 2005 as compared with the previous year. Also the number of foreign tourists coming to Poland from the EU (apart from the German market) has increased 13.6 percent, and at the same time there were 29,5 percent more tourists coming here from overseas countries, including the USA, Australia, Japan and Korea. Some 14 million tourists came to Poland annually during several recent years, 14.3 million last year. About 43 percent of foreign tourists visiting Poland are Germans. The promotion campaign was launched in mid-June in answer to fears in Western Europe of a possible influx of cheap Polish labour force. "I'm staying in Poland. Come visit" the encouraging title of the poster presenting an image of a Polish plumber read. The plumber was soon joined by the poster showing a young Polish nurse. This drew attention abroad to Poland and Poles. Simplified formalities at border crossings in Poland, low prices and low-fare airlines (some 1 million 300 thousand arrivals in

2005) improved image and credibility of Poland are the consequence of Poland 's EU accession, according to Kozlowski. He said the government proposed to increase budgetary funds for tourism to 48 million zlotys (over 14.6 million USD) in 2006 from 28 million zlotus in 2005. The Polish Tourist Organisation has been operating from January 1, 2000. It is supervised by the minister of economy and labour.

Warsaw, Oct. 17: Czech Unipetrol, taken over by Polish Orlen had a debt of nearly 750 mn euro and its credits agreements held clauses under which banks could demand the immediate repayment of the debt, writes Rzeczpospolita daily. PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) consulting firm prepared a presentation in summer of 2003 entitled "How to win Unipetrol." The presentations was commissioned by Orlen board. Orlen bought Unipetrol for 400 mn euro which means that the payment for 63 pct of its shares was almost two times lower than Unipetrol's debt. The PwC document has been delivered to the Cracow prosecutor's office a few weeks ago and the office has already questioned its authors. Marek Mroczkowski, the Unipetrol's deputy CEO say banks did not urge the new owner to immediately pay the debt. If they did so Unipetrol would be forced to declare bankruptcy which would weaken the position of Orlen, writes the daily.

Warsaw, Oct. 17: The net profit of Polska Telefonia Cyfrowa PTC will exceed 1.1 bn PLN (336.4 mn USD) at the end of this year. In coming weeks the number of Era network customers will exceed 10 mn people, the company reported in a communique issued Monday. In 2004 the company net profit totalled 937 mn PLN. After the 1st half of 2005 PTC's net profit totalled 623.9 mn PLN. EBITDA for the first three quarters reached 1.38 bn PLN. The level of the average revenues on a customer went down and will be slightly below 60 PLN at the end of this year. "This is a result of fierce competition between operators which leads to the systematic fall in prices which can clearly be seen in the segment of pre-paid phones," the company wrote. PTC reported it paid its total debt to banks and other financial institutions. Still at the beginning of 2005 the debt totalled 1.46 bn PLN.

Warsaw, Oct. 17: Two Poles, Rafal Blechacz and Jacek Kortus are among 12 pianists who qualified for the 15th International Frederic Chopin Competition final. The final stage of this prestigious competition is starting Tuesday to run till the coming Friday. The name of the winner will be announced on October 21. Six prizes will be awarded to six best finalists and the First Prize winner will receive the Gold Medal and 25 thousand USD. The competition will wind up three days later. Japanese pianists constitute the most numerous group in the final. They are: Rieko Nezu, Yuma Osaki, Shohei Sekimoto and Takashi Yamamoto. Next come three pianists from South Korea - Dong Hyek Lim, Dong Min Lim and Yeol Eum Son, Ka Ling Colleen Lee of China Hongkong, Rachel Naomi Kudo of the USA and Andrei Yaroshinski of Russia. The winner of the competition will be Chopin's ambassador in the whole world, member of the jury, John O'Conor of Ireland told journalists. Twenty pianists, including five Poles participating in the competition 2nd stage who failed to qualify for the final received diplomas on Monday. Those gathered at the ceremony of handing over the diplomas accorded greatest ovation to Nobuyuki Tsujii of Japan and Ingolf Wunder of Austria. Some observers claim they should pass to the final.

Warsaw, Oct. 17: Chicago Mayor Richard Daley spoke in Warsaw on Monday on safety and the implementation of the CAPS (Call Attempts Per Second) or, joint actions of police and citizens for improving security in cities. Similar programme called "Safe District" has been implemented in Warsaw since February 2004.

Katowice, Oct. 17: Police in south-Polish Katowice Monday arrested the leaders of two of Poland's biggest criminal groups. Both are charged with armed robbery and the theft of about 6 million zlotys' (1.8 mn USD's) worth of goods. Both gangs are splitter groups of the so-called Pruszkow Gang broken up by police several years ago. One of the men stopped in Katowice is the son of the Pruszkow gang's former boss Wanka. Both men were questioned in Katowice this afternoon.

posted by: Oborski at 23:06 | link | comments |

Warsaw municipality has published a report estimating war-time losses of Polish capital at 54 billion dollars. According to mayor of Warsaw and presidential candidate Lech Kaczynski, the report “The Losses of Warsaw 1939-1945” is not an attack but a means of defence against German compensation claims. According to professor Wladyslaw Bartoszewski, historian and Polish ex-foreign minister, the report gives only a general idea of the extent of the losses as Warsaw was the only city in Europe which lost during World War 2 half of its population and 80% of infrastructure.

posted by: Oborski at 23:00 | link | comments |

"There will be approximately 25 traders largely food associated with a number of countries such as : France, Belgium, Poland, Spain, Italy, Greece & UK"

posted by: Oborski at 22:42 | link | comments |

Zagreb, Oct. 16: Poland welcomes with satisfaction the start of Croatia's membership negotiations with the European Union and is ready to share its experiences on the road to the EU with it, President Aleksander Kwasniewski told the 12th annual meeting of the presidents of central and eastern Europe on Friday. During the two-day debates the politicians discussed the most important political and economic problems of the region. The Friday's session was dominated Croatia's and Turkey's membership negotiations with the EU that officially began in Luxembourg on October 3. "All summit participants treat the beginning of negotiations with Turkey and Croatia as a big European chance," Kwasniewski told journalists in Zagreb on Friday.The president stressed that Poland is ready to share its experiences in negotiations with the EU with Croatian and other countries that seek EU membership. Kwasniewski discussed Poland's readiness to help Croatia on the road to the EU with president Stipe Mesic. On Saturday, the presidents and invited representatives of European economic and financial circles discussed economic and financial future of Europe. "I think that today's discussion has sense under condition that large European banking, financial and business structures will help countries in need of assistance," Kwasniewski said. According to him Macedonia, Bosnia, Herzegovina and Albania are among such countries. The president said they need not only investments but also the showing of a "European roadmap." Summing up the two-day meeting Kwasniewski said that the more Europe is integrated the more efficiently it will be able to solve problems.

Warsaw, Oct. 16: Results of two separate polls, run by OBOP and PGB polling centres, pointed at Donald Tusk is the winner of the Oct. 23 presidential elections.According to the newest OBOP poll if elections were held on Oct. 16 Tusk would receive a 57 per cent support while his opponent, Lech Kaczynski - 43 per cent.Meanwhile, according to results of the latest PGB poll, Tusk would receive a 44 per cent backing. Kaczynski could count on a 39 per cent support. 17 per cent of the polled remained undecided.

Gdansk, Oct. 14: The need for globalisation in politics and ecology and the role of Europe in contemporary world was raised in Gdansk on Friday by Lech Walesa at a meeting with theEuropean youth attending a congress of volunteers acting for local communities. The meeting with the legendary Solidarity leader was attended by 100 young people from Holland, Latvia, Moldova, Germany, Poland, Romania and Great Britain. Addressing young people Walesa said that "there is one super-power in the world that is now the economic and military leader while the world needs also moral and political leadership. The United Nations is a merited organisation but its structure is outdated and unfit for contemporary world." The former president believes that in this situation either the U.N. should be "healed" or similar organisations should be formed. Walesa believes that the new organisation should chiefly deal with solving border conflicts, fighting anti-Semitism and counteracting terrorism. The congress in Gdansk is part of a project promoting young people activities in the field of social assistance. It is held in a different European location every other year. This year it has been organised by Gdansk municipal social assistance centre and the centre for supporting local activities, the association headquartered in Warsaw.

Warsaw, Oct.16: The minister of agriculture Jerzy Pilarczyk signed a decree Saturday forbidding keeping poultry outside hen-houses. The decree, prompted by the confirmation by the EU Commission of reports on H5N1 avianflu virus occurrence in Romania, becomes effective Monday. The decree bans trade in live poultry in open-air markets and poultry exhibitions.Pilarczyk said Poland was free from the avianflu virus. "Not a single case of avianflu has been discovered," he said. The candidate for prime minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz visited a wild bird natural reserve in the Lubuskie province, western Poland, Friday and said there was no reason for anxiety over avianflu so far. "We should not be afraid, but we should be prepared," he told newsmen. "Some things need to be improved. Firstly, vaccines and drugs must be available everywhere in the country, and above all in those areas which are home to large concentrations of birds."

Warsaw, Oct. 14: Joint air, land and navy forces of the Polish army participated in the "Ash-tree 05" exercise that wound up on Friday, spokesman for the Operational Command in Warsaw Janusz Walczak said. These were the first joint Polish army manoeuvres in 12 years. The exercise was designed to improve planning and order giving. The "Ash-tree 05" exercise is to be continued in the autumn of 2006.

Warsaw, Oct. 14: The value of foreign investments in Poland may exceed 10 billion USD against 7.8 billion USD achieved in 2004, Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency head Andrzej Zdebski said on Friday. The total value of foreign investments in Poland since early 1990's reaches 84 billion USD.

Warsaw, Oct. 14: Social mood in Poland improved after the general elections that were won by the right-wing Law and Justice and Civic Platform, according to a poll released Friday by TNS OBOP. Overall, 31 percent of Poles are optimistic about Poland's future, up from 17 percent in September, with 56 percent pessimistic, down 18 percent from September. Optimists are predominantly educated city residents, pessimist are chiefly older people with elementary education who live in rural areas. Future seems optimists chiefly to Civic Platform's (59 percent) and Law and Justice's electorate (44 percent). League of Polish Families (10 percent) and Self-defence (14 percent) electorate is most pessimistic. The poll was carried out on a representative sample of 1,004 Poles above 15 years of age on September 30 to October 3.

Warsaw, Oct. 14: September's money supply (M3) grew 1.3 percent, or by 4 billion and 957.9 million zlotys, to 401 billion and 206.3 million zlotys, the National Bank of Poland said on Friday. Since the beginning of 2005 money supply has gone up7.4 percent or 27 billion 797.2 million zlotys. September's net foreign assets fell 1.1 pct, or by 508.1 million euros to 43billion and 941.0 million euros.

Warsaw, Oct. 14: The prices of consumer goods and services were 1.8 percent higher in September 2005 than in the same month of 2004, the Central Statistical Office reported on Friday. Compared to August 2005 figures, September prices went up by 0.4 per cent.Market forecasts predicted year-on-year inflation at 1.6-2.0 percent. The office also announced that the 3rd quarter deflation reached 0.2 per cent compared to the 2nd quarter while the consumer price index in the first three quarter of the year grew by 2.5 per cent.

Katowice, Oct. 14: Johnson Controls of the United States will spend at least 35 million euros to build a factory turning out metal car parts in Siemianowice Slaskie in the Katowice Special Economic Zone (KSSE). The plant will employ some 900 people. The US company won a tender Friday for a 6-hectare site in Siemianowice Slaskie and obtained the permit to operate in KSSE. This means the last legal hurdles were cleared on the road to starting the project, announced several months ago. Johnson Controls is the 18th investor in KSSE this year and the largest regarding the planned outlays. The building works will begin any day now and production will be launched in December, 2006. Siemianowice Slaskie have an unemployment rate of 26 pc and 5,800 registered jobless people. It is estimated that the value of investments in KSSE will reach 1 billion zlotys (ca. 300 m USD) this year. It is the Polish largest special economic zone regarding the value of investments which now total 7 billion zlotys.

Warsaw, Oct.14: Over 49,000 new passenger cars left the Polish assembly plants in September, according to figures released by Samar research firm Friday. This means anincrease of 5.85 pc over the year ago figure. The number of delivery vans produced in September reached 7,600 and was higher by 6.6 pc than a year ago. Car production during January-September totalled 375.7 thousand units, down 3.1 pc on the same period of 2004. Delivery van output reached 64.8 thousand, up 21.5 pc. The fall in passenger car output is attributable to the persisting low home demand for new cars, expert say. By contrast, exports fared very well. Over 93 pc of passenger cars and 91 pc of delivery vans were sold abroad. Fiat remains the largest Polish car maker, with a 54 pc production share. It is followed by Opel (22 pc) and Volkswagen (17 pc). The Ukrainian-owned FSO comes fourth (7.5 pc). Volkswagen is the largest delivery van maker, with a share of 82 pc.

Warsaw, Oct. 14: The pace of pay growth in Poland is one of the lowest in the European Union and in the world, writes Zycie Warszawy daily. Experts say this will change but Poland needs time. Mercer Human Consulting survey indicates that in 2006 pays in the world will go up by 2.4 pct above inflation. In India and China net pays will grow by 7.3 pct and 4.8 pct respectively. Fast net pays' growth will be reported also by Lithuania, Lativa, Estonia and Slovakia, the daily writes. According to initial estimates in Poland pays may grow by 1.5 pct

in real terms this year and by 0.5 pct next year, the daily quotes Amina Nasir of Mercer Human Consulting. "We have to wait for pay rises," says Dariusz Dmowski of the Polish branch of Mercer company. He believes it is crucial to keep inflation on the stable level so that rises will not go to cover growing prices. "Pays in Poland will grow at a slower pace but systematically," concluded Grzegorz Cimochowski, the expert of Boston Consulting Group.

Warsaw, Oct. 14: German firms will increase investments in the development and research sector in the coming years, believes Tomasz Kalinowski of the Gdansk Institute for Market Economics. "So far the biggest chunk of money was invested in sectors related to food processing. This tendency will undergo modification and in coming years Germans will also invest in development and research centres," Kalinowski told PAP. He attributed the change to relatively saturated food processing sector, foreign investors' conviction that Poland has huge potential of highly qualified academics and to employment costs which are lower than in Germany. According to data released by the Polish Information and Foreign Investments Agency the value of German investments in Poland until December 2004 totalled 10.1 bn USD. Germany's biggest firms present in Poland include Metro Group AG, HVB, Volkswagen AG, Commerzbank, RWE Plus and Siemens.

Cracow, Oct.16: The inauguration of a foundation to set up a papal centre in Cracow devoted to John Paul 2nd was announced by the Cracow metropolitan archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz here Sunday, the Papal Day. A mass in the intention of Karol Wojtyla's prompt beatification and canonization was attended by president Aleksander Kwasniewski and presidential candidates Lech Kaczynski and Donald Tusk. Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, former personal secretary to pope John Paul 2nd, said in his homily that John Paul 2nd had definitively ended the era when popes had been "inmates of the Vatican." John Paul 2nd went out to meet people and bring them hope, especially to the ill, hungry, imprisoned and dying, Dziwisz said. Plans provide for the papal centre to be set up in the grounds of former Solvay chemical plant where Karol Wojtyla, later pope John Paul 2nd, worked in the years of Nazi occupation of Poland. The centre will feature a centre of ecumenical dialogue, a hospital, a hospice, a museum and an educational centre. The financing will come from the faithful around the globe.Observances of the papal day were held throughout Poland Sunday.

posted by: Oborski at 20:56 | link | comments |

Six days ahead of the second round of Poland's presidential elections, liberal candidate Donald Tusk leads with over 57% support. His rival, conservative Lech Kaczynski has a 43 % backing. This in spite of his attempts last week to discredit Tusk by leaking information of Tusk's grandfather serving in the German army during WWII.

Lech Kaczynski sacked his campaign manager who made the allegations and apologised to Tusk for the dirty trick in the campaign. On Sunday during a religious service both candidates exchanged a sign of peace, promising they would stick to business rather that digging up the past.

Polls clearly show Tusk's advantage. As commentator Oskar Chomicki of the Poland in Europe Foundation says, this may be due to the more peaceful approach to fight for the electorate than his rival has.

Presidential runners who had lost in the first round have offered to support the two remaining candidates. It is said that Marek Borowski, the leftist candidate, urged his electorate to cast votes for Tusk, while the radical leader of the farmer's Self Defence union Andrzej Lepper has offered to back Lech Kaczynski. Robert Strybel, a correspondent of Polish American media, doubts however, that these declarations will any effect when it comes to voting.

And the Polish electorate is known to be unpredictable. Oscar Chomicki says that people have been disillusioned with the campaign, the candidates and the political scene and may not find the presidential elections worthy of attention. The turnout may not be what the candidates expect

The remaining six days for the candidates are therefore not only a battle for the electorate but for the electorates' wish to go to the polls. But the more ugly the campaign gets, says Robert Strybel, the more it is likely to put the electorate off. Everything is in the hands of the candidates and their campaign committees. According to observers, little time is left to clean up the act and behave gentlemanly to convince the electorate.

posted by: Oborski at 18:00 | link | comments |

The survey run by PBS on October 14-15 put support for Tusk at 55 percent and for Lech Kaczynski at 45 percent.

PBS ran the poll a few days after Poles had learnt that Tusk's grandfather had served in the Wehrmacht between August 2, 1944 and October 12, 1944.

According to the TNS OBOP poll released also on Monday Tusk can count on votes of 57 percent of Poles and Lech Kaczynski on 43 percent. TNS OBOP ran the poll on October 16.

In the PBS poll Tusk's lead over Kaczynski amounts to 10 percentage points and in the second one to 14 percentage points.

posted by: Oborski at 13:48 | link | comments |

The Papal Day is marked all over Poland under the motto: “ Pope John Paul II – a Champion of Truth”. Its main aim is to raise money for scholarships for talented young people from small towns and villages. Some 100,000 volunteers are collecting donations. This is the fifth time that the Papal Day is being observed here with gala concerts, masses and prayers for the fast beatification of the late Pope.

Poland’s parliament declared October 16 the Papal Day to commemorate the day in 1978 when Karol Wojtyla of Poland had been elected Pope. That day was recalled by the late Pontiff’s closest associate archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, who celebrated mass at the Lagiewniki sanctuary in southern Poland. The archbishop announced that a Centre “Do Not Fear”, devoted to Pope John Paul, will be created at Lagiewniki. He recalled that prayer was the late Pope’s biggest strength and mystery. Though Christ did not spare him suffering, the Holy Father never complained seeing the will of God and his kindness everywhere.

The mass was attended by the outgoing president Aleksander Kwasniewski and the two main contenders for the post – Donald Tusk and Lech Kaczynski.

Another mass will be celebrated by cardinal Jozef Glemp in Warsaw tonight. It will be followed by a concert in front of the Royal Castle, during which the participants will be addressed by Pope Benedict XVI.

posted by: Oborski at 15:39 | link | comments |

Warsaw, Oct. 13: President Aleksander Kwasniewski leaves for Zagreb, Croatia, on Friday morning to take part in the 12th annual meeting of presidents of 18 central, eastern and southern European states. According to Andrzej Majkowski, responsible for international affairs in the Presidential Chancellery, the presidents on Friday will discuss the future of their countries within the European Union. The Friday agenda also envisages President Kwasniewski's meetings with Presidents of Moldova Vladimir Voronin, Croatia - Stipe Mesic

and Austria - Heinz Fischer. On Saturday the presidents and invited guests representing economic and financial circles will discuss the financial future of Europe. Majkowski said that the meeting in Zagreb will be a farewell visit of President Kwasniewski.

Brussels, Oct. 13: Poland Thursday in Brussels presented NATO with its Strategic Defence Review specifying required combat levels for the Polish armed forces, the dangers they must be prepared to deal with, and army modernization plans adjusted to Poland's financial capacities. The review was presented by the Polish defence minister's commissioner for defence reviews Andrzej Karkoszka, who heads a team preparing the document. This review will bring considerable change to Poland's defence policy, army command structure and participation in NATO and EU military missions, Karkoszka told PAP.

Bialystok, Oct. 13: Europe wants Poland to shape its eastern policy provided it is based on respect for human rights and other fundamental European values, presidential candidate Donald Tusk said Thursday campaigning in Bialystok, northeast Poland. Europe wants Poland to play a key role in shaping its eastern policy, but Europe also wants Poland to show the will and ability to base this policy upon respect for human rights, defence of truth, and other ethical values forming the foundation of Europe, Tusk said. According to Tusk Poland's relations with Russia should be "good" because Poland needed "a good rapport" with all its neighbours. I am a guarantee of such a policy. I am a guarantee that Poland will be respected and liked by its European neighbours and partners, the presidential candidate said. In Bialystok Tusk also met with members of the local Belarussian community.

Warsaw, Oct. 13: Polish PM designate Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz and Irish prime minister Bertie Ahern Thursday held a courtesy telephone conversation in which Ahern congratulated Marcinkiewicz on his appointment. Marcinkiewicz informed Ahern that duties connected with the formation of Poland's new government will keep him away from the October 27 informal EU summit in London. According to Marcinkiewicz a new cabinet will be ready still this month.

Warsaw, Oct. 13: Outgoing Treasury Minister Jacek Socha said Thursday Poland should hold a debate on what should remain in the hands of the State Treasury and what should be privatised. Socha, addressing "State and Economy" session in Warsaw said that such situation would allow for the continuation of privatization process without further unnecessary discussions. Socha recalled that the Treasury supervises over 1.5 thousand firms, however majority of them are small companies, many of them employing 10 persons. "Where in the world a treasury minister is an owner of such companies?" asked Socha.

Warsaw, Oct. 13: Poland may be unable to cut the budget deficit as foreseen in the 2006 budget proposal, the Monetary Policy Council said in a review of the 2006 budget bill. The 2006 budget bill projects the budget deficit at 32.6 billion zlotys, against 30.8 billion zlotys forecast for 2005. The RPP wrote that Poland's total spending will rise due to old age and disability pension indexation plans and a need to ensure co-financing for EU funds. It will be difficult to achieve plans to cut the public finance sector deficit from 4.5 percent of GDP in 2005 to 4.0 percent in 2006 in light of the risk of higher than forecast deficits in target funds, the RPP wrote. The RPP pointed to the fact that despite plans to cut the public finances deficit, public debt will continue to grow to the level close to the constitutional limit of 54.6 percent of GDP in 2006. The RPP wrote that deep systemic reforms are needed that would cut the structural deficit of the public finances sector to consolidate long-term economic growth and lower public debt.

Warsaw, Oct. 13: August's current account deficit was 380 million euros, against July's deficit of 438 million euros. Experts have expected a surplus of 26 million euros, the National Bank of Poland said on Thursday. The bank wrote that im comparison to August 2004 data, the current account balance in August 2005 worsened by 42 million euros. The balance of incomes, which worsened by 88 million euros, had the biggest effect on the balance of commodity turnover. Commodity turnover deficit was 368 million euros, against a 299 million euro deficit in August 2004. Exports were at 6,041 million euros in July, and imports at 6,409 million euros. Exports rose 15.1 pct year-on-year, and imports 15.5 pct.

Brussels, Oct. 13: The European Commission confirmed Thursday that a special office to aid EU-funded regional projects will start operating in Warsaw at the start of 2006. Some 20 EU and European banks' experts will be available in the office for aiding large EU-funded projects. The initiative is designed to increase the use of structural and cohesion funds particularly in the EU newcomers with the poorest regions. The office, planned as part of the EC's, EIB's and EBRD's JASPER (Joint Assistance to Support Projects in the European Regions) system, will offer local administrators cost-free help in preparing large projects.

Gdansk, Oct. 13: German low fare airline Germanwings will start to fly from Gdansk to Bonn and Cologne in March 2006. Tickets are available on the Internet as of Thursday. The airline will offer three flights per week to each of the two German cities. Germanwings will be the fourth low fare airline offering connections from Gdansk.

Poznan, Oct. 13: Appeal to the governments of Poland and the Federal Republic of Germany was addressed by participants of the conference "Polish-German Relations 60 Years After the End of World War Two" in Poznan on Thursday. The scientists gathered at the conference organised by Western Institute want the governments to apply "option zero" to mutual property claims, the Institute head Professor Andrzej Sakson told PAP. The conference was attended by scientists from Poland and Germany who came to the conclusion that resignation from mutual property claims is needed for the good of Polish-German relations, Professor Sakson said. The scientists, well-known specialists in Polish-German relations from universities in Wuerzburg, Potsdam and Giesen and their colleagues from the Institute of Poznan suggested that, in line with international law the two countries' governments should recognise the claims of their citizens and organisations as null and void. According to historians Germans' property claims from Poland amount to about 40 billion euros, and Polish citizens' and local governments' claims from Germany to about 700 billion euros.

Walbrzych, Oct. 13: Japan's NSK Steering Systems Europe car part producer Thursday opened a 13-million-euro plant in Poland's southern Walbrzych Special Economic Zone. The new plant will offer 400 jobs. NSK already has a ball-bearing plant in Kielce, south Poland. Present at the opening was Japan's ambassador Masaaki Ono, NSK CEO Seichi Asaka and Polish economy deputy minister Marcin Kaszuba.

Warsaw, Oct. 13. The organizers of Spain's Barcelona Meeting Points investment fair arrived in Warsaw Thursday for talks on holding next year's edition of the fair in Warsaw. The Warsaw fair, to be called Warsaw Meeting Point, is to cover investment markets in east-central Europe. At a press conference with Warsaw vicepresident Slawomir Skrzypek Barcelona Meeting Points director Josep Pens reminded that Madrid and Warsaw have been cooperating with one another for eight years, with Poland currently the biggest exhibitor at the Spanish fair.

Warsaw, Oct. 13: Central European Distribution Corporation (CEDC) plant to make its debut on the Warsaw Stock Exchange in 2006, CEDC CEO William Carey told PAP on Thursday. Last August CEDC said that after concluding the takeover of Polmos Bialystok it would start procedures leading to CEDC's debut on the Warsaw floor. Last Wednesday, the Treasury Ministry has finalized the sale of 61 per cent of shares in Polmos Bialystok to CEDC for the price of 1 billion 63 million zlotys (329 million USD).

Legnica, Oct. 13: Adeo Screen, maker of Audio visual screens, will move its production from Italy to the Legnica Special Economic Zone. The company has bough 2.5 hectares of land in the Zlotoryja sub-zone, where it plans to build a 11 million zloty (3.4 million USD) screen plant. Currently Adeo Screen has produced some 10 thousand screens in Italy. "We plan to move this production to a new plant in Poland where annual production is to reach some 30 thousand screens and some 1 thousand large venue screens," Adeo Group CEO Paolo Gadotti. Adeo Screen is the 55th investor in the Legnica zone. Total investment outlays reached 2.6 billion zlotys. Employment increased seven thousand people.

Warsaw, Oct. 13: Developing new drugs and treatment methods will be the main tasks of the newly-opened Polish Technological Platform for Innovation Medicine comprising several domestic pharma and biotechnology centres. A related agreement endorsing the platform has been signed in the health ministry. This platform will enable us to produce cheaper equivalents of foreign drugs, according to health minister Marek Balicki. The medical platform is the 23rd Polish Technological Platform modelled on the EC's 2003-introduced European Technological Platforms.

Warsaw, Oct. 13: The International Congress on Hispanic Studies in Central and Eastern Europe is opening in Cracow on Friday with the participation of 130 outstanding experts from eleven countries, the Spanish Embassy in Warsaw reported. The scholars present at the congress will present papers on literature, Spanish language, theatre, education and translations. The congress is part of the celebrations of the 400th anniversary of the publication of Cervantes's novel Don Quixcote and is being organised jointly by the Iberian Studies section at the Jagiellonian University celebrating the 30th anniversary of existence, the Association of Spanish Scholars in Poland, the Cervantes Institutes in Warsaw and Cracow and the Spanish Embassy Cultural department here. Present will be the Spanish Ambassador to Poland who will address the gathering during the inauguration ceremony. The exhibition on Don Quixote has opened in Cracow National Museum as the event accompanying the Congress. The Congress is held in answer to the growing popularity of the Spanish language in Poland. Eleven Polish-Spanish classes for 1,200 students already operate in Poland, the Spanish language studies at universities enjoy growing interest, as well as Spanish language courses, especially those run by Cervantes Institute here.

Warsaw, Oct. 13: The Polish Foreign Ministry has appealed to all persons going to the area of the Danube River delta in Romania to get vaccinated against flu before the journey. The appeal was issued in connection with the bird flu incidents recorded in the region. Those staying in the endangered region should preserve the highest caution and see a doctor immediately when symptoms of infection are suspected. In a statement sent to PAP Thursday ministry spokesman Aleksander Checko said that it would be reasonable to avoid purchasing poultry meat and eggs with no sanitary certificate. The ministry also addressed similar suggestions to persons going to Turkey where bird flu virus has been also detected.The bird flu virus found in Turkish poultry was the H5N1 strain. The EU Commission said Romania bird flu virus is the H5N1 type dangerous to humans, foreign press agencies reported Thursday.

Warsaw, Oct. 13: Polish rescuers with sniffer dogs have been working in the ruins in Balkkot in Pakistan's Kashmir since Thursday morning, spokesman for the headquarters of Polish state firefighting units Witold Maziarz said. Polish doctors are offering medical assistance to earthquake victims. On Wednesday Polish rescuers and doctors arrived in Balakott that was 80-90 percent destroyed in the quake. The death toll from the earthquake that struck South Asia on Saturday exceeded 35 thousand.

Cracow, Oct. 13: Metropolitan Archbishop of Cracow Stanislaw Dziwisz on Thursday appealed for assistance to victims of recent earthquake that devastated Pakistan, India and Afghanistan. Soon money will be collected in front of churches on the territory of the Cracow archdiocese. Caritas of the archdiocese has already sent 150 blankets and bed linen for the victims.

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

From Warsaw Voice...

Poles are increasingly happier, healthier and better off, reveals the new report Diagnoza społeczna 2005 (Social Diagnosis 2005).

posted by: Oborski at 12:58 | link | comments |

From Warsaw Voice...

The first round of the presidential election was a clash between two Polands. A Poland of strong, strict rule and conservative petit bourgeois values, and a Poland of partnership-based rule, liberal and open. For now, the second Poland has won. But the Poles still don’t know who will be their president.

posted by: Oborski at 22:43 | link | comments |

"Some people think they can support democracy but oppose capitalism. It's like wanting milk without the cows."
-President of the National Bank of Poland Leszek Balcerowicz

"I don't sign the attendance lists because the Sejm is not a Sunday school for me."
-Waldemar Pawlak, a Sejm deputy and one of the leaders of the Polish Peasants' Party about his absences during Sejm debates

"Many young people don't vote; however, they spend a lot of time at such venues. It's worth reaching them effectively; toilets are visited by hundreds of people a day."
-Wiktor Jędrzejowski, a Democratic Party candidate to the Sejm, on why he placed his election flyers over urinals in 25 popular Warsaw clubs

"No one has taken advantage of our second promotional offer so far."
-Roman Myszko, the owner of a construction company from Elbląg, whose advertisements include, among others, a beer offer for clients who spend zl.100, or, for zl.10,000-a visit to an escort agency

"Someone from the staff rushed over upon hearing our calls, but his main worry was whether or not the refrigerator was damaged."
-A Warsaw resident on an accident in a shopping center, where a large insufficiently secured refrigerator fell on her four-year-old son

"Human potential is like outer space-there are no limits to it; the same holds for man's stupidity."
-A police officer from Sietrzeń near Warsaw, where a driver was stopped and had blood alcohol content of 0.95 percent-more or less twice what is assumed to be lethal

posted by: Oborski at 22:36 | link | comments |

Washington, Oct. 12: Poland's new foreign affairs and defence ministers should come to the U.S. to discuss Poland's further participation in the anti-terrorist mission in Iraq, U.S. president George Walker Bush said during Wednesday talks with outgoing Polish president Aleksander Kwasniewski. Bush said Kwasniewski deserved to leave his presidency with his "head held high" as he had "done excellently". The U.S. president stressed that Kwasniewski had shown Poland could be both a friend of America and a loyal EU member". Kwasniewski expressed hopes of "good, effective cooperation" between the U.S. and the new Polish government.

Minsk, Oct. 12: Poland's Ambassador to Belarus Tadeusz Pawlak returned to work in Minsk, embassy spokeswoman Monika Sadkowska said. The ambassador's return was welcomed with mixed feelings in the republic. Head of the press service of the Belarussian foreign ministry Mariya Wanshyna said she would not comment the decision made by Warsaw. "This is a regular practice of ambassadors leaving and returning," she said. According to Tadeusz Gawin, one of the founders and the first chairman of the Union of Poles in Belarus, the ambassador's return is untimely as the situation has not changed since the Polish official left for Warsaw. "There is no sign that repressions against Polish activists have stopped. The Belarussian mass media still vilify Poland and Poles, Gawin said. He believes that "the decision on the ambassador's return should be left for the new Polish government."

Warsaw, Oct. 12: The outgoing defence minister on Wednesday said that some 200 Polish instructors may remain in Iraq after January 2006 but the decision on the Polish presence in Iraq will rest in the hands of the new Polish government. Jerzy Szmajdzinski speaking at a farewell press conference said there are two scenarios of ending Poland's military presence in

Iraq - the conclusion of the mission of the multinational division in January or the setting up of a multinational training base which would include some 200 Polish instructors. Chief of Staff General Czeslaw Pietras said that from the military point of view Poland's presence in Iraq must end by the end of next year. In other circumstances Poland will not be able to increase its involvement in NATO's operation in Afganistan.

Warsaw, Oct. 12: Polish deputy defence minister Janusz Zemke Wednesday refused to comment Wednesday's press reports that Iraqi ex-deputy defence minister's Zijad Cattan was hiding in Poland. I do not accept the thought that someone sought by an international arrest warrant is hiding in Poland, Zemke told PAP. The Rzeczpospolita daily wrote on Wednesday that Cattan, charged with embezzling government funds in Iraq, was hiding in Poland.

Warsaw, Oct. 12: Donald Tusk would win the second round of presidential elections followed by Lech Kaczynski, a poll carried out by GfK Polonia for TVN Fakty showed on Wednesday.Donald Tusk would get a 62 percent support, while his rival 38 percent. Every fifth respondent was still undecided on his voting decision.

Szczecin, Oct. 12: Polska Zegluga Morska PZM shipping company will not be privatized and will remain under state control, Law and Justice candidate for prime minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz said in Szczecin on Wednesday. Marcinkiewicz said that PZM belongs to a group of companies which due to various reasons are of strategic importance for the state. He referred to such issues as state's energy security, transferring of natural gas or oil. Marcinkiewicz also said he does not foresee a consolidation of the ship building industry, contrary to efforts of the Marek Belka government ministers. He said that he sees no cause for building a holding from shipyards - each of them has the right to decide on its own on its future. The PiS candidate once again returned to plans of bringing order to state-owned companies, especially regarding top management appointments.

Warsaw, Oct. 12: Three thousand messages and 1,800 photographs illustrating the last days in the life of John Paul II, his death and funeral ceremonies make the contents of the book "B)dziecie moimi świadkami" (You Will Be My Witnesses") brought out by the Polish Press Agency PAP. Copies of the book have been presented to representatives of the Catholic Church hierarchy in Poland and heads of chief media and of higher schools which run departments of journalism. PAP president Waldemar Siwinski stressed at the special ceremony held at the Agency's headquarters on Tuesday that never before an event has been reported so extensively. "We have relayed news from the Vatican, information and comments

from Poland and the world, and reported extensively on reactions on the illness and death of the pope. But our duty as a press agency is also to take care that important events are well documented. That is why we have brought out this book," the PAP president said. Chairman of the Polish Episcopate's Council of the Conference for Mass Media Archbishop Slawoj Leszek Glodz expressed the hope that the book, an "authentic and true account" will serve next generations of journalists. He praised the book for its journalistic professionalism. The book contains press reports on nine days of April, 2005, when John Paul II was passing away and the world bid him farewell as to someone dear and irreplaceable. The book is accompanied by a CD with recorded cables and photographs.

Cracow, Oct. 12: Bishop Tadeusz Pieronek will chair the tribunal to hear testimonies of witnesses in John Paul II's beatification process in Cracow. A decree on the tribunal was signed by Cracow Metropolitan Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz. The new body will inaugurate its work in Cracow's Wawel Cathedral on November 4. Father Gianfranco Bella, who is the Roman Vicariate delegate told newsmen that the first hearing of witnesses in Rome will take place next week. Archbishop Henryk Hoser of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples said here Tuesday that the beatification of Pope John Paul II may take place in June 2006. June 2006 is the most likely date of Pope Benedict XVI's pilgrimage to Poland during which the pope could declare his

Katowice, Oct. 12: Its seems that 2005 will bring record high Polish-Czech turnover. During the first seven months of the year its value reached 4.4 billion USD against 6.6 billion in the entire 2004. Last year, according to the Czech Consulate General in Katowice, the value of bilateral trade grew by 46 per cent exceeding 6.5 billion USD. Higher was also the number of mutual investment projects. Poland is now Czech's fourth largest trading partner, after Germany, Slovakia and Austria. Key goods exported from Poland to the Czech Republic include industrial goods, furniture, plastics, fuels, chemical products and foodstuffs. Czechsexport to Poland steel products, cars and chemicals.

Warsaw, Oct. 12: Poland's foreign trade deficit fell to 5 billion and 924.9 million euros after August 2005 from 8 billion and 291.5 million after August 2004, the Central Statistical Office (GUS) said Wednesday. Foreign trade deficit in dollars fell to 7 billion 566.3 million USD from 10 billion and 140.1 million USD after August 2004.

Warsaw, Oct. 12: The zloty may strengthen slightly further provided that the central bank remains independent, according to presidential economic adviser Witold Orlowski."I believe that the zloty will be under not too big appreciation pressure. When the wave of populism turned out not to be so high (...) the zloty will be firming slightly," Orlowski said in a radio interview. On Tuesday the zloty firmed to 3.87 per the euro, one of the highest levels in three years."If the National Bank of Poland remains independent, which guarantees inflation at the European level of 2 percent, the zloty will remain stable with a strengthening tendency," Orlowski said.General election winner Law and Justice proposed that the Monetary Policy Council should be eliminated and its powers transferred to the central bank governor.

Brussels, Oct. 12: Cheese, sausage, ham, pickled cucumbers, mead and other specialities of Mazowsze region cuisine are presented in Brussels at the headquarter of Mazowsze province on Wednesday. The event has been organised as part of "Open Days," the week of regions and cities that kicked off in Brussels on Monday. All in all products of some 30 food companies are on display and can be tasted by visitors. "We want to encourage residents of Belgium and other EU countries to buy food produce from our region and investors to invest in the region," director of the office Witold Prandota told PAP. The participants in the event may also take part in a seminar on economic cooperation between Poland and Belgium, the development of Mazowsze province and investment opportunities.

Warsaw, Oct. 12: The Michelin Group is extending its tyre factory in Olsztyn, north-eastern Poland, for 253 million euros. The investment is due to be completed in the 4th quarter of 2006. Michelin's financial result in 2005 will be worse than in 2004," Michlin Polska's financial director Bertrand Touraton said. "80 percent of Michelin Polska's production is exported, of which 70 percent to the European Union countries. The low euro exchange rate, plus the low economic growth in France and Germany are the main reasons for the worse result," Touraton said. In 2004 Michelin Polska posted sales revenues at 1.74 billion zlotys and net profits at 144.8 million zlotys. The Michelin's Olsztyn factory will create 500 new jobs after the investment is completed late in 2006. Michelin received a total of 50 million euros in tax deductions from the Polish government.

Warsaw, Oct. 12: According to a report of an analytical company Poland may face a 16 per cent deficit of IT experts in 2008. According to IDC findings demand for specialist in network

solutions (Internet telephony, security and non-cable IT network) will reach some 28 thousand persons in 2008, while the market will be able to offer 23 thousand network experts. At present, there is a 7 thousand shortage in experts of network solutions. IDC predicts this situation will continue to deepen. According to the authors of the report such situation may lead to serious problems in companies, to delaying of the introduction advanced technologies, weakening of competition or even slowing down economic growth.

Gdansk, Oct. 12: Some 250 exhibitors from 14 countries are taking part in the 6th International Railway Fair TRAKO 2005 which opened in Gdansk on Wednesday. Executive Director of the Community of European Railways Infrastructures Companies Johannes Ludewig stressed that the development of railways in such countries as France, Germany and

Italy was possible thanks to financial support from state budgets. Ludewig was attending a debate "I Choose the Train". Participants in the debate stressed that state's financial support for the development of infrastructure is a guarantee for the development of Polish railways.

Warsaw, Oct. 12: Poland has priced a 1.1 billion USD issue of 10-year and 30-year bonds. As for the 1 billion USD 10-year issue the spread is to reach 12 points over mid-swaps or 59.8 bp above comparable US bonds. The coupon is at 5 pct. The second part of the offer are 30-year bonds worth 100 million USD. The pricing is 78.8 bp above comparable US bonds, while the

Warsaw, Oct. 12: Low fare airline Norwegian Air Shuttle will start to fly on the Gdansk-Oslo connection as of November 12. The airline will offer two flights per week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The Norwegian Air Shuttle is already flying to Warsaw and Cracow. During the first half of the year, the airline carried on the Polish routes 14.4 thousand passengers. According to the Civil Aviation Office the share of low fare airlines in the Polish market rose from 11.9 pct in 2004 to 26.7 pct in 2005.

Warsaw, Oct. 12: JC Auto has increased its economic forecast for this year after the take over of part of Auto ABC company and in view of an improved situation on the currency market. The company raised its 2005 net profit forecast from 14.6 million to 16.3 million zlotys. JC Auto plans to increase exports and further expand its offer adding to it spare parts for western made cars. Earlier, 94 per cent of the entire offer of spare parts was for Asian made cars.

Warsaw, Oct. 12: Polish and Italian archaeologists celebrate 20th anniversary of cooperation in South America, especially studies of the famous geolyphs, the giant drawings of Nasca in Peru. An archaeological symposium was held at Warsaw University to mark the anniversary. Polish and Italian archaeologists first met at the 45th International Congress of Americanists, held in Bogota in 1985. Contacts were established by Professor Giuseppe Orefici of the Italian Centre for Study and Research of Pre-Columbian Archaeology and Professsor Mariusz Ziolkowski of the Institute of Archaeology at Warsaw University. Joint research told much about people living on Nasca and their culture.

Warsaw, Oct. 12: Seven Poles are among 32 pianists who qualified for the 2nd stage of 15th Frederic Chopin International Piano Competition held in Warsaw. Nine Japanese pianists are the most numerous group in the second stage. This stage was also reached by four South Koreans, three pianists from the USA, two Russians and one each from France, Taiwan, Ukraine, China (Hong Kong), Canada, Finland and Austria. The second stage will end on October 16. Twelve pianists will play in the final to be held between October 18 and 21. Six prizes are waiting for the winners, the First Prize laureate will get a Golden Medal and 25 thousand USD. The name of the winner will be announced on October 21, and the 15th Frederic Chopin International Piano Competition will close three days later.

Lublin, Oct. 12: No avian flu infections have as yet been discovered in Poland, the head of Poland's State veterinary Institute in Pulawy said on Wednesday. Samples from 23 places countrywide have shown no avian flu presence, Tadeusz Wijaszka said. Several fallen geese were reported Wednesday on a poultry farmnear Bialystok in the northeast. Veterinary services have excluded avian flu as the cause of the birds' death.

posted by: Oborski at 21:54 | link | comments |

Washington, Oct. 11: Outgoing President Aleksander Kwasniewski is arriving in the United States for talks with President George W. Bush and political experts. According to Minister for international affairs at the Presidential Chancellery Andrzej Majkowski this is a farewell visit aimed at summing up the past 10 years in Polish-U.S. relations. Kwasniewski and his spouse Jolanta will be guests at luncheon given to the Polish president's honour. The presidential couple is accompanied by Foreign Minister Adam Daniel Rotfeld. According to Majkowski, Kwasniewski and Bush are to discuss further U.S. financial assistance to the modernisation of the Polish armed forces, the implementation of commitments stemming from the offset agreement, the U.S. expectations toward Poland's participation in the mission in Iraq and plans related to Poland's take over of the Multinational NATO Corps in Afghanistan. The two politicians will also evaluate the situation in countries neighbouring Poland, namely Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. President Kwasniewski said that he would appeal to President Bush for further personal involvement in the development of Polish-U.S. relations, Majkowski said. Poland expects the U.S. to support Kwasniewski's candidacy for U.N. secretary general after Kofi Annan's term ends. The Polish embassy in Washington failed to comment whether this issue will be discussed during the visit.

Warsaw, Oct. 11: Poland's ambassador in Belarus Tadeusz Pawlak returned to his mission in Minsk Tuesday after being recalled to Warsaw in late July in connection with conflicts between the Belarussian government and the Union of Poles in Belarus, foreign ministry spokesman Aleksander Checko told PAP. Checko said Pawlak's return to Minsk was a reaction to the Belarussian opposition's naming of a presidential candidate for next year's presidential ballot and "a changed international situation".

Warsaw, Oct. 10: Donald Tusk's lead over Lech Kaczynski is growing in the presidential race, Gazeta Wyborcza daily reported on Tuesday. Tusk leads with 56 percentage points over Kaczynski with 44 pct. The survey was conducted by PBS on a representative sample of 1,236 Poles on Monday after the announcement of the official results of the first round of the presidential elections. Tusk would win in the runoff, according to a poll carried out by TNS OBOP for the Fakt daily. In the survey conducted a day after the first round of the presidential elections Tusk won 55 percent of votes, 10 percentage points more than Lech Kaczynski. The phone poll covered on Monday a random sample of 1,000 Poles.

Katowice, Oct. 11: Reduction of unemployment through tax lowering, elimination of harmful impact of politics on the economy, privatisation, liberalisation of the regulations that paralyse the market and employees, efficient state are the essential elements in Poland's achieving lasting development as identified by central bank governor professor Leszek Balcerowicz. "The joblessness, which is rightly considered to be the basic problem, should be lowered. In order to accelerate development and reduce unemployment, we have to lower taxes, in particular those that burden labour costs," Balcerowicz told a press conference. Another important factor is to "separate enterprises from the state apparatus and politicians." "The only effective way to do so is to complete privatisation," he stressed. "Deregulation or liberalisation of regulations that paralyse the market is an indispensable step in the joblessness reduction programme," he said. According to Balcerowicz, the Polish state has to be "efficient

and inspire confidence." "One of essential elements of any programme designed to strengthen

Poland's development and reduce unemployment is the reform of public finances," central bank governor stressed.

Brussels, Oct. 11: EU regional Commissioner Danuta Huebner Tuesday outlined plans to open a special office in Warsaw to aid EU-funded regional projects. The office, planned as part of the EC's, EIB's and EBRD's JASPER (Joint Assistance to Support Projects in the European Regions) system, will employ about 50 experts who will offer local administrators cost-free help in preparing large structural- and cohesion-funded projects. Warsaw's JASPER office will open in 2006.

Brussels, Oct. 11: Pole Ewa Synowiec will be nominated director at the Trade Department of the European Commission on Wednesday, according to sources at the European Commission. Ewa Synowiec, at present Poland's deputy ambassador to the European Union, will be the second Polish citizen to have won a competition for directors or senior advisers for persons from new member states. 16 such posts were allocated for Poland.

Poznan, Oct. 11: Election-winning Law and Justice (PiS) and coalition partner Civic Platform (PO) will probably form a new government on October 31 despite an increasingly fierce presidential campaign between both parties' leaders Lech Kaczynski and Donald Tusk, Prime Minister designate Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz said Tuesday in Poznan, west Poland. Work on the government's formation is progressing well despite the mounting presidential campaign. The government will be ready at earlier on October 29, though I think the 31st is more probable, Marcinkiewicz said.

Warsaw, Oct. 11: Poland's employers have assessed Prime Minister-designate Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz's recent political expose as "inconcrete" and part of rightwing populist Lech Kaczynski's presidential campaign. Malgorzata Krzysztoszek from the Lewiatan private employers' confederation said Marcinkiewicz's programme was "merely a ploy to back Lech Kaczynski's presidential campaign". Referring to the programme's two main goals - repairing the state and introducing a "solidarity-based economy" - Krzysztoszek noted that their meaning was unclear. One may imagine something or other under "repairing the state", but I really don't know what "solidarity-based economy" is supposed to mean, she said, adding that a social-welfare-based economy can not be effective. If this is how the PM designate sees matters then we should all start to fear - as much those who today have little, as those who have a lot and those who have nothing because they don't have work. The PM designate's ideas will certainly create no new jobs, Krzysztoszek said.

Warsaw, Oct. 11: "Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz is not a serious candidate for prime minister," according to former President Lech Walesa. "This is only a Kaczynski's trick, ugly, unclassical trick," Walesa said in a radio interview. According to Walesa, Law and Justice's presidential candidate Lech Kaczynski wants to create Poland that would be "marked by solidarity in poverty." Commenting Lech Kaczynski's remark in which he gave to understand that he was in the possession of materials incriminating Tusk and his associates, Walesa said that "one should not believe in such rubbish."

Warsaw, Oct. 11: If the new government is planning to carry out projects that would involve considerable financial outlays, it has to decide where to reduce spending, according to Monetary Policy Council's member Dariusz Filar. According to prime minister designate Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, the new government's programme will likely cost 12-14 billion zlotys within 2 to 3 years. Marcinkiewicz proposed to increase spending on railway infrastructure, pension indexation above the inflation index, and to lower social security institution ZUS fees of new employees. Filar said that the coming two weeks will see increased market nervousness ahead of the runoff election and the formation of a new government.

Warsaw, Oct. 11: General election winner Law and Justice (PiS) is planning to lower taxes and slightly increase revenues as part of changes to the 2006 budget bill, according to the Rzeczpospolita daily. Prime minister designate Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz assumes that changes in taxes will become effective in 2007. PiS is planning to lower spending by 2.2 billion zlotys from what is projected in the budget plan prepared by the outgoing finance minister. Budget deficit will likely be cut to 30 billion zlotys. Budget revenues would be 191.7 billion zlotys and outgoings 221.7 billion zlotys, PiS candidate for finance minister Cezary Mech said. "We are agreed that changes to the budget bill should be prepared, the deficit projected by the present government should be lowered, and spending for central government bodies should be curbed," said deputy Zbigniew Chlebowski of the Civic Platform, the likely ruling coalition partner.

Warsaw, Oct. 11: Inflation in September will be close to 2 percent and should exceed 2 percent in the first quarter of 2006, according to Monetary Policy Council (RPP) member Dariusz Filar. The Central Statistical Office (GUS) is to reveal data on September inflation the coming Friday. According to PAP's latest survey the annual inflation in September 2005 rose to 1.8 percent from 1.6 pct while forecasts of September inflation oscillate between 1.6 and 2.0 percent.

Warsaw, Oct. 11: PGNiG, the Polish Oil and Gas Mining does not rule out a few month delay in signing of a letter of intent concerning the construction of liquified gas terminal for 500 mn EUR. Earlier, company CEO Marek Kossowski kept saying the letter could be signed this October. The company considers the possibility of locating the terminal near Szczecin, north-western Poland, or Gdansk, northern Poland. The company holds talks with prospective gas suppliers with companies that would be able to deliver gas from Libya or Algeria.

Warsaw, Oct. 11: PGNiG, Polish Gas and Oil Mining company plans to invest 1.68 bn PLN between 2005 and 2008 to increase of gas and oil extraction, PGNiG CEO Marek Kossowski reiterated his earlier statement while speaking to journalists on Tuesday. PGNiG target is to extract additional 30 bn cubic meters of gas by 2025. Until 2008 we will spend 1.7 bn PLN to increase home gas extraction to 5.5 bn cubic meters and oil extraction to 1.4 bn tons. He added that in the said period the company will spend 1.9 bn PLN for gas and oil prospecting.

In the issue prospectus the company reported that by 2008 the company plans to invest 2.45 bn PLN for developing its distribution network.

Warsaw, Oct. 11: Amica Wronki, the white goods producer, has maintained that its exports sale in euro will go up by 25 pct on 2004 figure. The company plans to sell its products on western Europe markets, chiefly to Holland. The company sent a statement to this effect to PAP on Tuesday. For the time being the company has been selling its products on eastern markets. In September it started conquering the Ukrainian market. The company also plans to build a plant in easter Europe but the decision as to the location will be made by the end of the year. This year revenues on exports will account for more than 50 pct of the company total income while in 2004 they accounted for some 43 pct. In 2004 Amica group revenues totalled 1.2 bn PLN (375 mn USD) and net profit 40 mn PLN. As regards the company the figures were at 1.14 bn and 29.6 mn PLN respectively. This year Amica plans to spend some 50-55 mn PLN for investments.

Warsaw, Oct. 11: Ukrainian Avto ZAZ car-making concern paid 100 PLN (31.25 USD) for a package of 19.9 shares in the bankrupt FSO car plant based in Zeran, the treasury ministry, that sold the shares wrote in a statement issued on Tuesday. The tentative agreement on the sale of shares was reached in Gdynia, northern Poland on June 30, 2005. The plant went bankrupt together with its owner, South Korean Deawoo concern in 2000. Selecting the investor the ministry was guided by the need to continue production, launch a new car make and keep employment, the ministry explained.

Warsaw, Oct. 11: The Finance Ministry paid 19.8 million USD and 35.5 million euros in interest on Poland's foreign debt in September 2005 as well as 356.5 million USD and 556.3 million euros in principal, the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. Interest payments chiefly covered credits of the Paris Club of creditors, credits of international financial institutions and Poland's T-bonds issued abroad. Principal payments covered chiefly Paris Club loans.

Lodz, Oct. 11: American filmmakers are starting shooting a feature film in the central Polish city of Lodz on Wednesday. The film, a dark thriller titled "Three", will be executed completely in Poland, in Lodz for over 30 days plus four days in Warsaw, the filmmakers said on Tuesday. The movie will be directed by Robby Benson, cinematography by Sebastian Milaszewski, and Wojciech Loga a recently awarded at the Polish Film Festival in Gdynia will be art director. The story is set in a big American city where the main character, a theology student working on a dissertation on good and evil becomes a target of a maniac murderer. There will be some action scenes and special effects in the film, the makers disclosed.

Warsaw, Oct. 11: Two Polish planes with humanitarian aid for the victims of the earthquake in Pakistan landed in the capital of the country, Islamabad, on Tuesday, the Polish Ambassador to Pakistan Bogdan Marczewski reported. The planes brought an 18-member rescue team, four doctors, humanitarian aid from Caritas Polska and an emergency field ward of the Polish Medical Mission. The main aim of the Polish group is to provide medical help to the victims of the earthquake. The rescue team will get engaged in search of survivors buried in the ruins. The team has come with five dogs trained to sniff humans in the rubbles, and electronic equipment with tv cameras and geophones, light tools to dig in and remove the rubble. The Polish team has already participated in rescue operations in the Iranian town of Bam, in Turkey and Algeria. The men will be directed to the areas that need help most.

Warsaw, Oct. 11: An amendment to the budget increasing funds for fighting bird flu by 20 mn PLN (6.25 mn USD) will be adopted next week. The sum is to be a reserve for the purchase of bird flue vaccine if the virus is spotted in Poland, deputy Finance Minister Piotr Sawicki said after a government meeting on Tuesday. According to the deputy minister the sum is sufficient. He added that the state reserve agency has some 106 mn PLN of which 70 mn can be assigned for drug purchasing and the reminder for veterinary equipment. The finance minister is to motion the Sejm public finances committee for re-locating 300 mn PLN of target reserve from 2005 for bird flu fighting in 2006.

Warsaw, Oct. 11: As many as 135 thousand new incidents of cancer diseases are recorded in Poland annually, and only 42 percent of the new cancer victims survive five years; this is the worst result in Europe, a report dealing with the accessibility of cancer treatment on the European continent stated. The report has been prepared by Karolinska Institutet and the Higher School of Economy in Stockholm. The report was presented during a conference organised by provincial oncology clinics consultants in Warsaw on Tuesday. The data was collected in 19 countries inhabited in 75 percent by Europeans. Karolinska Institutet points to the shortage of anticancer medicaments in Poland as a consequence of scarce funding of health service and unclear, dragging registration procedures of new drugs. According to the report, about 34 euros a year are spent on curing a single cancer patient in Poland, while Austria or Switzerland afford even 120 euros per person a day. Not a single innovative anticancer cure was put on the list of reimbursed drugs in Poland during the past seven years.

Warsaw, Oct. 11: A TS-11 Iskra plane of the 10th airforce tactical squadron from Lask crashed near Belchatow, central Poland, on Tuesday afternoon. Its pilot Jerzy Stonsiek ejected but did not survived, spokesman for the general staff Colonel Zdzislaw Gnatowski said. He added that the body of the pilot was found later in the day but refused to give his name. A special aviation commission has started examining the causes of the accident. All Iskra planes have been grounded. Editor-in-chief of "Nowa Technika Wojskowa" (New Military Technology) periodical Andrzej Kinski told PAP Iskra planes are used for advanced training. Those pilots are to be the first to fly F-16 fighter planes purchased by Poland from the U.S., he explained. Kinski did not want to elaborate on the causes of the accident without having basic information on the topic. "The accident could have been caused by a plane failure, the weather, a pilot's mistake or a "collision with a bird," he said. The editor believes Iskra planes are not too obsolete to be exploited. He stressed that as long as aviation plants are able to service them and make spare parts for them there is not reason for withdrawing the planes from use. The planes were manufactured until mid-1970-ties. The airforce still has some 100 machines. Experts say they have low error level.

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Warsaw, Oct. 10: Poland's outgoing president Aleksander Kwasniewski will pay a farewell visit to the U.S. starting Tuesday. During the visit, his last as Polish president, Kwasniewski will meet U.S. head of state George W. Bush and leading American politicians. Kwasniewski's international affairs aide Andrzej Majkowski said the visit was Bush's idea. He added that Kwasniewski's two tenures as president witnessed rapprochement between Poland and the U.S. Kwasniewski is also expected to declare that Polish-U.S. relations will not suffer under Poland's new government and president. Kwasniewski is expected back in Poland on Thursday morning.

Warsaw, Oct. 10: Civic Platform's Donald Tusk with 36.33 percent of votes and Law and Justice's Lech Kaczynski with 33.10 percent of votes won the first round of Sunday's presidential election, head of the State Electoral Commission (PKW) Ferdynand Rymarz told reporters on Monday. The turnout was 49.74 percent, PKW said. A runoff between the two top contenders will be held in two weeks, on October 23. Next came Self-defence's (Samoobrona) Andrzej Lepper with 15.11 pct of votes. He was followed by Marek Borowski of the Social Democratic Party of Poland (SdPl) with 10.33 pct and Jaroslaw Kalinowski (Polish Peasant Party) - 1.80 pct. Janusz Korwin-Mikke got 1.43 pct of votes, Henryka Bochniarz - 1.26 pct, Liwiusz Ilasz - 0.21 pct, Stanislaw Tyminski - 0.16 pct, Leszek Bubel - 0.13 pct, Jan Pyszko - 0.07 pct and Adam Slomka - 0.06 pct. Head of the State Electoral Commission Ferdynand Rymarz said none of 12 candidates had received more than 50 pct of valid votes. That is why the runoff is necessary, he said. The majority required for being elected in the 1st round was 7,473,345 votes, Rymarz added. All in all 30,260,027 people were entitled to vote with elections held in 25,167 constituencies. To the polls went 15,051,157 people; the number of valid votes was 14,946,689 and 99,661 were invalid. The highest turnout was in Gdansk - 61.38 pct and the lowest in Opole - 41.24 pct. Rymarz added that official protest can be lodged after the runoff.

Gdansk, Oct. 10: Former President Lech Walesa said after a meeting with Civic Platform's presidential candidate Donald Tusk in Gdansk on Monday that he would continue to support Tusk. Walesa told reporters he would be following the campaign and that he "would be at disposal" if needed. Tusk told reporters he had thanked Walesa for his todate support and added he was glad to hear that the former president would continue to further help him.

Marcinkiewicz, Rokita: gov't composition to be known shortly after October 23

Warsaw, Oct. 10: Civic Platform leader Jan Rokita has said a final decisions as to the direction and the make up of the new government will be made shortly after the 2nd round of elections. "So that the new government could be sworn-in by the president at the end of the week," he said shortly after a meeting with Law and Justice's candidate for Prime Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz in Warsaw on Monday.The plan was confirmed by Marcinkiewicz at a joint press conference that followed the meeting. Rokita said that the next meeting with Marcinkiewicz is scheduled for Friday. By that time, he added, the Civic Platform will present its opinions on the document comprising goals of Marcinkiewicz's government. Rokita said he was convinced that the new government would be set up as the two parties visions as to the work of the government are 80 pct convergent. He added that from his perspective any change of the candidate for PM was inadmissible. He stressed that he agreed on the proposal to be deputy PM in the Marcinkiewicz government and not "any government." Rokita announced regular meetings of both parties politicians until October 23.

Warsaw, Oct. 10: Polish Prime Minister-designate Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz believes it is "a very good thing" that Germany will have a new government under CDU leader Angela Merkel. Germany's leading parties CDU/CSU and SPD are in talks on forming a coalition government under Merkel. Poland's economy is to a large degree dependent on Germany's, so if the German machine picks up speed we'll feel it in Poland, Marcinkiewicz said in Warsaw Monday. Asked if he thought Merkel will be better than her predecessor Gerhard Schroeder, Marcinkiewicz said he was "convinced Germany's centre-right government will help improve relations". Deputy PM designate Jan Rokita called Germany's new government "good news for Poland". This gives hope for (...) a strong government in Germany, Rokita said.

Warsaw, Oct. 10: Donald Tusk would be elected president by a whisker in the 1st round if the president were elected by Poles living abroad. In foreign constituencies Tusk won 48.84 pct of supporting votes while his rival Lech Kaczynski only 39.11 pct. In more than 160 district commissions abroad nearly 53,000 Poles went to the polling stations. In 15 commissions in the U.S. votes were cast by 10,378 Poles. More than 5,000 people went to five commissions in Germany. In France and Great Britain votes were cast by more than 4,000 Poles. Thirteen people voted in North Korea, 17 in Panama and Tanzania each. More than 250 seamen elected the future president at five Polish ships. Turnout at ships was nearly 100 pct with the majority supporting Tusk.

Gdansk, Oct. 10: Presidential candidate Donald Tusk Monday in Gdansk, north Poland, said he was happy that CDU leader Angela Merkel will be Germany's new chancellor as she "understood Polish affairs better than her predecessor". Referring to Merkel's recent statement that, "planes from Berlin to Moscow will always land in Warsaw" (as a promise that German-Russian ties will not take place over Poland's head - PAP), Tusk said that the CDO head was "the first German politician to say these words, for which Poles have been waiting for so long". Tusk also said he "was sure" Merkel's chancellorship will help raise Poland's position in the EU.

Gdansk, Oct. 10: After winning the elections presidential candidate Donald Tusk plans to build ties with Russia using an "open but firm" language. Tusk said that in historical debates with Russia he will demand acknowledgement of the "historical truth" from the Russian side,

he also announced plans to "seek the best-possible business relations with Russia". Both nations, Poles and Russians, are also here to do business with each other, Tusk proclaimed.

Warsaw, Oct. 10: Moves designed to improve the state and economic policy marked by solidarity are the two main goals of a new cabinet, to be led by Law and Justice (PiS) candidate for Prime Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz. Marcinkiewicz stressed at a press conference on Monday that these two main goals should be supplemented with four other aims which are to focus on agriculture and natural environment protection, health care and social welfare, culture and education and international politics. Marcinkiewicz also presented all the goals to the Civic Platform (PO) on Monday. Marcinkiewicz believes that health care, taxes or privatisation will be reformed by the new PiS-Civic Platform (PO) cabinet according to a programme of one party. Addressing journalists in Warsaw on Monday he added that he was for the implementation of his party programme and not for reaching a compromise on the said issues. Marcinkiewicz underlined that the PiS perceives Poland as the EU member, is for Poland's active participation in the EU and this would be the policy pursued by the PiS. Marcinkiewicz wants all the goals to be divided into concrete tasks together with a timetable of and institutions for their implementation. The PiS candidate plans to adopt a cabinet structure that would guarantee the implementation of the tasks during the first 100 days. Besides, he said he would suggest that the two parties started work on the cabinet amendment to the 2006 budget law.

Wroclaw, Oct. 10: The third branch of the Austrian Institute opened in Wroclaw on Monday, with the other two located in Warsaw and Cracow. The Institute will teach Austrian German. The Institute will also be involved in cultural activity, showing films, organising lectures on Austrian customs, cooperating with schools. Two other branches of the Institute, in Poznan and Katowice, are planned to be opened.

Warsaw, Oct. 10: The Taxpayers' Association in Poland believes tax lowering should be one of the government priorities as the move would boost the development of the Polish economy. In a statement sent to PAP on Monday the association wrote that the U.S., Ireland, Latvia and Slovakia benefited on this type of change. The association pointed out to the tax competition in Europe with countries openly striving for attracting investors and capital. According to the Polish Information and Investments Agency (PAIiIZ) in 2004 the value of direct foreign investments in Poland totalled 7.86 bn USD with foreign investors creating nearly 15,000 new jobs. Last year the value of direct foreign investments was the highest in the past four years and totalled 10.6 bn USD.

Warsaw, Oct. 10: A delegation of the All-Russia Union of Soldiers of the Russian Federation ITUS has come on a two-day official visit to Poland on October 10 and 11 at the invitation of the Council of Deans of the Polish Army Officers' Corps KDKO WP. During the visit the guests will lay flowers at the Soviet Soldiers Mausoleum and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The delegation led by ITUS deputy chairman retired Major Aleksander Ivanovich Merzlov is to meet Polish Defence Mnistry department head Krzysztof Sikora for talks on matters concerning forms and model of the protection of the rights of soldiers in active service and those in reserve. On Tuesday the delegation will go to the Gdansk costal area to get acquainted with selected Navy units.Russian ITUS like Poland's KDKO WP, is affiliated with

EUROMIL, a soldiers' organisation engaged in the preservation of human rights in the armed forces.

Warsaw, Oct. 10: The economy ministry hopes for Polish exports to Russia to reach 4 bn USD this year compared with 2.8 bn USD in 2004. Economic relations with Russia are very good and they will continue to develop, Elzbieta Bodio of the ministry told a news conference in Warsaw on Monday. She said that favourable conditions have been fostered by intensive economic dialogue, Russia's effort to meet the requirements related to its future membership of the WTO and Poland's integration with the EU which, in practice, meant the decrease of custom duties on commodities from that country. She recalled that in 2004 the value of exports to Russia went up by 88 pct on the previous year figure. Despite this Poland will still have deficit in mutual trade turnover due to imports of crude oil and earth gas (both account for 84 pct of imports). Poland exports to Russia mostly machines and equipment (more than 24 pct of share in exports), chemical products (23 pct), agri-food produce (nearly 20 pct) and paper and timber sector products (12 proc.). Aleksander Milota of the Polish embassy in Moscow said Poland is the leader in supplying the Russian market with cosmetics, personal hygiene products and furniture.

Szczecin, Oct. 10: Inspectors of the International Transport Federation on Monday started inspections in all Polish ports. The five-day actions is aimed at checking conditions of reloading and the work on ships. The inspectors will also check whether ship crews have contracts approved by the federation. ITF groups some 500 unions from more than 125 countries. It represents 5 million members of the transport sector. Nearly one million of them are seamen and port workers. The federation was set up in London in 1896.

Warsaw, Oct. 10: In the 2nd quarter of this year Poland's Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) market rose 21 percent against the 2nd quarter of 2004, achieving a total value of 743.73 mn USD, the Research and Markets agency reported Monday. Analysts from the Telecom News group have said that Poland's WLAN and Wi-Fi markets have shown a 10-percent rise for the past 6 quarters.

Brussels, Oct. 10: Poland is the European Union 3rd biggest polluter with power-generating plants threatening the natural environment, indicates the recent report of the World Wildlife Fund. The country is outdone only by Greece and Germany, the report entitled the Dirty Thirty states. The authors of the report analysed emissions of carbon dioxide which, according to scientists, is the main reason of climatic changes in Europe. The power-generating sector is responsible for 37 percent of carbon dioxide emissions in the world.

Warsaw, Oct. 10: A Polish rescue team composed of 25 firemen aided by dogs is ready to fly to Pakistan any time, probably Monday evening, to help victims of the recent earthquake, the Interior Ministry spokesman Marek Gieorgica said here Monday.The Polish team has already participated in rescue operations in the Iranian town of Bam and the tsunami victims in Indonesia.Three groups from Gdansk, Nowy Sacz and Katowice have been prepared to go, one of them with five trained dogs and electronic equipment to locate humans buried in the rubbles. Another group will carry light equipment to dig out victims from the ruins, and the third group with medical equipment will install and operate a first-aid field ward.

Savannah, Georgia, Oct. 10: General Kazimierz Pulaski, the Polish hero of the American independence war received a hero's funeral on the 226th anniversary of the battle in which he was mortally wounded in Savannah on Sunday. The remains of General Pulaski were buried in a marble grave at the foot of the general's monument in Savannah. Earlier a memorial Mass was said at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. Pulaski came to America in 1777, exiled from Poland after helping lead an uprising against Russian incursion. Recommended by George Washington, he took command of the colonial cavalry. After his legion of 600 troops helped fight off the British at Charleston, S.C., Pulaski headed to Savannah for the ill-fated battle to reclaim the captured city. He fell mortally wounded by grapeshot from a British cannon on Oct. 9, 1779. Present at the ceremony was a Polish delegation with undersecretary of state at the Presidential Chancellery Andrzej Majkowski, Polish Army Field bishop Tadeusz Ploski and Poland's Ambassador to the U.S. Janusz Reiter.

Bielsko-Biala, Oct.10: The Kronos Quartet performing Henryk Mikolaj Gorecki's String Quartet No. 3 titled "Songs Singing" in a world premiere will be the greatest event of the 10th Festival of Polish Composers in Bielsko-Biala, southern Poland, to be held from October 13 to 15, city mayor Jacek Krywult has announced. The world premieres of Gorecki's two previous quartets were also played by the Kronos Quartet. To perform the third one the ensemble had to reschedule its European tour which previously did not envisage Poland. The composer declined to accept the suggestion to hold the world first performance in New York, the organisers said. The Kronos Quartet will appear in the final concert on October 15. The artists come to Bielsko-Biala from Croatia and will next go for concerts to Italy. The final concert to be conducted by Krzysztof Penderecki also includes the latter's Te Deum and Gorecki's Amen. Penderecki's "Seven Gates of Jerusalem" will inaugurate the festival on October 13.

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A runoff between the two top contenders will be held in two weeks, on October 23.

Next came Self-defence's (Samoobrona) Andrzej Lepper with 15.11 pct of votes.

He was followed by Marek Borowski of the Social Democratic Party of Poland (SdPl) with 10.33 pct and Jaroslaw Kalinowski (Polish Peasant Party) - 1.80 pct.

Janusz Korwin-Mikke got 1.43 pct of votes, Henryka Bochniarz - 1.26 pct, Liwiusz Ilasz - 0.21 pct, Stanislaw Tyminski - 0.16 pct, Leszek Bubel - 0.13 pct, Jan Pyszko - 0.07 pct and Adam Slomka - 0.06 pct.

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Results from 91.53 pct of constituencies

Warsaw, Oct. 10: According to data from 61.93 pct of constituencies Donald Tusk won 35.82 pct of votes and Lech Kaczynski was supported by 33.29 pct of voters. The news was broken by the State Electoral Commission PKW. Andrzej Lepper won 15.56 pct and Marek Borowski 10.19 pct. Turnout was at 49.56 percent.

Kwasniewski: a sense of fulfilment and success

Bialogard, Oct. 7: In two months I will end my term with a feeling of great fulfilment and satisfaction, outgoing Polish president Aleksander Kwasniewski said Friday in his native town Bialogard, where he visited his secondary school, currently celebrating its 60th anniversary. Kwasniewski, who called his visit in Bialogard "a sentimental journey", said that "very much had been achieved" under his presidency. As milestones in Poland's development in the past years he named the adoption of Poland's constitution, and entry into NATO and the EU. Kwasniewski also laid the cornerstone under a future school gym.

Kwasniewski: New president should strengthen Poland's position in EU, NATO

Warsaw, Oct. 9: President Aleksander Kwasniewski stressed that his successor should work for further strengthening of Poland's position in the European Union and NATO, continue what is good in Poland and change what is bad. Kwasniewski said that voter turnout in the election might reach 55 percent. Asked about Polish-Russian relations during his term in office, Kwasniewski said that he wants them to be as good as possible for the two sides. "I wanted it to be understood both in Russia and in Poland that we live in the new times when there is no Soviet Union, when Poland is sovereign and decides about its policy," Kwasniewski said. According to him, in bilateral relations "much has been done but many matters still await decisions."

Tusk satisfied with election outcome

Warsaw, Oct. 9: "I am happy about the victory since the competition is very intense, the rivals are very strong. I am really satisfied," Civic Platform's presidential candidate Donald Tusk said after exit polls were released showing him as the winner of the first round of the presidential elections. "This is the victory that gave hope to many Poles, the hope that is so much needed before the runoffs," Tusk said. The coming two weeks before the runoffs will be the time of "great positive energy" of millions of people who believe in freedom and solidarity (...), Tusk said. He expressed the hope that Sunday's victory is a good signal for him before the second round of elections. "I am confident that optimism and good energy will win." "A Polish tradition shows that who wins the first round also wins the second (...) I am deeply convinced that it is a good sign for me and most of all for the millions of Poles that voted for me," Tusk said. According to Tusk the new Law and Justice-Civic Platform government will be formed after the runoff election scheduled for October 23.

Tusk on eastern policy

Warsaw, Oct. 7: Donald Tusk has said that as the president he will build Polish-Russian relations on the "foundation of firmness and historic truth." "There certainly be a change to the present policy as so far it has been the policy of gestures and smiles," Tusk told a news conference in Warsaw on Friday. In his opinion this type of policy resulted in recent beatings of Polish diplomats in Moscow. Tusk stressed that also vis-a-vis Belarus Poland should pursue a tough and firm policy and help the democratic opposition there. "I will see to it that our eastern neighbour be granted the name of a friendly state as soon as possible," he added.

L. Kaczynski satisfied with the outcome of elections

Warsaw, Oct. 9: Law and Justice's (PiS) candidate for president Lech Kaczynski is satisfied with the outcome of the 1st round of presidential elections which, in his opinion, gives him a chance for the final victory. He told journalists after initial results were made public that he hoped for "fierce competition" with Donald Tusk in the run-off. Kaczynski said he was concerned about "the tone of some statements made by Tusk," who praised himself and attributed aggression to Kaczynski. He added that the run-off will look quite normal. "I will traverse the country as I used to do during the campaign and I will hold a certain number of debates, hopefully not too many," he said. Addressing foreign reporters Kaczynski said that he wanted good relations with Germany but opposed the Centre for the Expellees. He also said Poland would firmly defend its interests in such cases as the construction of the gas pipeline under the Baltic sea bed."I am convinced that we will win this marathon which was this year presidential campaign," Kaczynski said He said he was convinced of winning the run-off as his vision of Poland as the republic taking equal care of every citizen is more attractive to Poles than "the vision of a liberal experiment." In his opinion the victory will be scored by true people of firm convictions and not by "the products of political marketing." Kaczynski thanked all people involved in his campaign and promised he would work very hard in the coming two weeks to build a better, 4th Republic of Poland. "I would also like to thank millions of Poles who voted for the 4th Republic of Poland. I hope that in two weeks the 4th Republic of Poland will win," said Lech Kaczynski.

Kaczynski to Vatican and U. S.

Warsaw, Oct. 9: If elected, presidential candidate Lech Kaczynski plans to make his first official visits to the Vatican and the U.S. Kaczynski, who cast his vote in the ballot in Warsaw, said he would also reorganize the Presidential Chancellery. Asked why he planned his first presidential visit to the Holy See, Kaczynski replied that "most Poles were Catholic". He added that he had "of course" not forgotten about Paris, Berlin and London, but noted that "good relations with Kiev, Prague, Budapest and Bratislava were as important".

Talks on cabinet lineup after 2nd round - Marcinkiewicz

Warsaw, Oct.9: Law and Justice's candidate for prime minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz said talks between his party and the Civic Platform on the composition of the cabinet would start only after the runoff presidential election due Oct.23. This is because questions pertaining to the cabinet lineup might be used for manoeuvring in the presidential campaign, Marcinkiewicz explained. However, talks on the government action plan could start as soon as on Monday and would last the whole next week, he added.

Rokita: no government before presidential final

Cracow, Oct. 9: No government will be formed before the conclusion of the presidential ballot, deputy PM designate Jan Rokita said Sunday in Cracow. Rokita, leader of the centrist Civic Platform (PO) now forming a coalition government with election winner Law and Justice (PiS), said today's presidential run would probably go into a second round, he also opted for PO candidate Donald Tusk's victory in the election. This will be a difficult victory, and it will probably come in the second round, but it will fundamentally raise the quality of

government in Poland, Rokita declared.Rokita also criticized outgoing president Aleksander Kwasniewski for vetoing plans to hold a simultaneous parliamentary and presidential election, which he called a "foul egg" dealt by Kwasniewski to his successors. This foul egg laid by Aleksander Kwasniewski means that (...) Poland is practically in an interregnum for a month. There will be no government before the presidential elections are over. Please forget about that. Unfortunately it's totally unrealistic, Rokita told reporters.

Presidential voting abroad

Warsaw, Oct. 9: Poles abroad are voting in the Sunday presidential election mostly in Polish embassies and consulates. Poles living in New York have ended voting with the number of those registered doubling the figure for parliamentary elections. Special voting stations have been set up for Polish troops in Iraq where voting is taking place in three army bases, for safety reasons no balloting was planned in the Iraqi capital Baghdad. There are an estimated 1,400 vote-eligible Poles in Iraq. Poles in Slovakia must travel to the country's only voting point in the Polish embassy in Bratislava, nonetheless a record turnout is expected as Polish tourists in the country join local Poles in the ballot. In Brussels consulate staffers expect some 4 thousand people to cast their votes. In Belarus some 500 Polish citizens are on the voting lists in Minsk, Brest and Grodno. The course of voting is quiet. In Rome voting is taking place in the Polish embassy and consulate, only about 3,000 members of Rome's large Polish community are expected to cast votes. A voting station has also been opened in the Polish consulate in Milan. Poles in Paris are showing much greater interest in the presidential than parliamentary elections. Over 4,300 people have registered at two election stations in Paris. Poles staying in France can cast their votes in the Polish consulates in Lille, Strasbourg and Lyon. Around 4,500 of the 200,000-300,000 Poles living in Britain are expected to cast votes in Polish consulates in London and Edinburgh.

Kaczynski wins in Chicago, New York, Tusk wins in Washington

Washington, Oct. 9: Lech Kaczynski won decisively in Chicago, the largest Polonian centre in the United States, while Donald Tusk scored an equally impressive win in Washington. Kaczynski got 4,077 votes (some 74 pc) in the Chicago district, while Tusk got 248 votes (over 60 pc) cast by Poles living in the U.S. capital. Tusk came second in Chicago (1,063 votes), followed by Marek Borowski (118), Andrzej Lepper (89), Janusz Korwin-Mikke (56) and Leszek Bubel (21). Kaczynski came second in Washington (92 votes), followed by Borowski (17). Kaczynski also won in New York, getting 2,214 votes, while Tusk came second, with 1,490 votes. Third came Marek Borowski (137), fourth Andrzej Lepper (87).

Poland offers rescue assistance to quake-hit, Kwasniewski sends condolences to Pakistan

Warsaw, Oct.9: President Aleksander Kwasniewski sent a message of condolences to Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf Sunday in connection with the tragic earthquake. Kwasniewski expressed words of sorrow and compassion on his own behalf and that of the Polish nation. He also assured the Pakistani president of Poland's assistance for Pakistan and its people in coping with the aftermath of the calamity. Poland declared readiness to offer rescue assistance to the Asian countries that were struck by Saturday's earthquake. 25 rescuers are ready to fly to Asia, spokesman for the interior ministry Marek Gieorgica said. "We declared our readiness to the EU'S Monitoring and Information Centre and the UN to send a group of 25 Polish rescuers with sniffer dogs," Gieorgica said.

NBP: Official reserves up to 34.15 billion euros

Warsaw, Oct. 7: Official reserves rose 315.7 ml euros in September to 34,145.9 million euros from 33,83 bln euros in August, the National Bank of Poland said on Friday. From the start of 2004 official reserve data are released in euros instead of dollars as was previously the case.

Samar: car sales continue downward trend

Warsaw, Oct. 9: Samar institute monitoring the car market reported that September was even a worse month as regards the sale of cars than August. Last month only 17,317 new cars were sold, down 2.7 pct on August figure and 15.8 pct on September 2004 figure. After three quarters of this year a total of 184,287 new passenger cars were sold in Poland, down 27.9 pct on the comparative period of 2004, Samar indicates. In the group of 10 most readily bought cars only Citroen witnessed a growth of sale month-on-month and year-on-year. The sale of 10 leading car makes determines the situation on the car market as those makes have dominated 78.68 pct of the Polish car market. The group is led by Skoda with 21,280 cars sold (down 33.2 pct y/y with 11.6 pct share in the market). Second comes Toyota with 21,053 sold cars (down 26.7 pct with 11.4 pct share in the market). Fiat is third which sold 18,749 cars (down 56.6 pct with 10.2 pct share in the market). Opel sold 16,356 cars (down 34.4 pct), Ford - 14,715 (down 36.5 pct), Renault 13,331 (down 46.0 pct), Peugeot - 12,045 (down 31.0 pct), Citroen 10,715 (up 19.9 pct), Volkswagen - 8,946 (down 24.1 pct) and Honda - 7,823 (down 5.6 pct). The sale of delivery vans fell by 11.0 pct y/y with 2,901 sold vehicles, but 17.2 pct more than in August. After three quarters of 2005 Poles bought in total 24,700 delivery vans, down 4.3 pct on the last year figure.

Net value of investment funds' assets up 5.8 pct in September

Warsaw, Oct. 7: The total value of assets managed by the investment funds in September rose by 5.8 pct on August figure to 53.3 bn PLN (16.3 bn USD), indicates a report prepared by Analizy Online and the chamber managing funds and assets. The dynamics of growth of net assets in the past 12 months exceeded plus 52 pct, the report authors wrote. According to estimates, the balance of payments and write-offs was nearly plus 2.1 bn PLN. The September record growth of net assets would not be possible had it not been for huge interest in investment funds' offer that boosted good business conditions in selected capital market segments, the authors of the report wrote.

Pfeifer&Langen Polska SA invests 27.6 mn USD in sugar plant

Sroda Wielkopolska, Oct. 7: Pfeifer&Langen Polska SA invested nearly 90 mn PLN (27.6 mn USD) in the packaging plants and a silo in a sugar making plant in Sroda Wielkopolska, western Poland, German concern representative for Poland Janusz Pierun told a news conference on Friday. The investment created 90 new jobs. Pfeifer&Langen Polska SA is one of Europe's biggest sugar producers. With the output of some 300,000 tons it has dominated 16 pct of the sugar quota allotted to Poland within the framework of the European Union. The concern is Poland's third largest sugar maker. Since 1995 has invested some 450 mn PLN.

New trade centre in Gliwice

Katowice, Oct. 7: Denmark's Braaten+Pedersen developers together with American GE Capital and Norwegian Borgestad will build a 75-million-euro trade and amusement centre in Gliwice, south Poland. The new centre, to be named Forum Gliwice, will employ 1.2 thousand people. The Gliwice centre that will host a French Carrefour market and a multiplex is the first Braaten+Pedersen project in Poland.

Forty percent reject commercials

Warsaw, Oct. 9: Over 40 percent of Poles do not like commercials and feel forced by the media to watch them, a recent study be the Competition and Consumer Protection Office (UOKiK) showed. According to UOKiK the commercial market needed more self-regulation to eliminate dishonest practices, many complaints also concerned misinformation by commercials. According to Konrad Drozdowski, chairman of a planned Polish Advertising Council, the body's main aim would be to "work our proper advertising norms and standards".

This year alone UOKiK issued 54 decisions concerning consumer rights violations by commercials.

690 mn EU euros for sewage upgrades

Warsaw, Oct. 7: Wroclaw, Lodz and 20 other Polish cities may get 690 million EU euros for sewage processing upgrades. A list of cities with chances for the funds was announced Friday

by the National Environment Protection and Water Economy Fund

which administrates EU funding for ecology. The total costs of the planned sewage upgrades is estimated at one billion euros.

WSE rated 3rd by PriceWaterhouseCoopers

Warsaw, Oct. 7: PriceWaterhouseCoopers has rated the Warsaw Stock Exchange WSE the third stock exchange in Europe as regards the number of debuts, the WSE reported in a statement issued Friday. The first was the stock exchange in London with 249 new companies

floating shares. Euronext reported 37 debuts and the third in the rating, the WSE, reported 27 debuts. If the number of new companies listed in the WSE go up at the present pace the WSE will be Europe's most dynamically growing stock exchange for the 2nd consecutive year, it was written in the statement.

Lower Silesia EU unemployment leader

Brussels, Oct. 7: Poland's southwestern Lower Silesia province had the EU's highest unemployment rate in 2004, the Eurostat office reported Friday. Also in the lead were the Lubuskie, Zachodniopomorskie and Warminsko-Mazurskie provinces.The EU's average unemployment in 2004 stood between 2.4 percent in Britain and 24.9 in Poland. Poland also tops the list of countries with the biggest number of high-unemployment regions (9), before Germany (6), France (4) and Slovakia (2).

Ministry: 1998-2003 Poland's employment slump biggest in EU

Warsaw, Oct. 7: 1998-2003 saw the biggest slump in employment and a record rise of the jobless rate in Poland compared to other EU member states, according to a report "Employment in Poland 2005" published by the economy and labour ministry on Friday. According to the report, in 1998-2003 employment fell 11 percent in Poland compared to the "old" EU members and by 9 percent compared to the "new" member states. The situation began to improve in 2004. The present employment index is 13 percent lower in Poland than in the old EU states and 9 percent lower than in the new EU states. According to the ministry's analysts, the labour market slump in 1998-2003 was caused by the Russian crisis in 1998 and by economic slow-down in 2001 and 2002. Other negative factors included features of Polish employees, average quality of human capital caused by low education level, inappropriate structure of higher education with too few science students, early pension system, low retirement age for women. The authors of the report identified liberalisation of the labour code as a positive factor for the labour market.

Poland bans Romanian, Turkish poultry

Warsaw, Oct. 9: Poland has put an import ban on poultry from Romania and Turkey after rumours that avian flu had appeared in both countries. Poland's chief veterinarian Krzysztof Jazdzewski said on Sunday that the rumours were still unconfirmed but added that a crisis team would meet in Warsaw Monday to discuss the reports. He added that due to Romania's closeness it would be extremely dangerous for Poland if the disease were discovered there.

Poles happier and healthier

Warsaw, Oct. 9: Poles are happier and healthier than in the early 1990s, 74 percent in a social moods survey of 3,868 households declaring they were pleased with their lives (57 pct in the 90s). Survey author sociologist Janusz Czapinski told reporters that Poles were most pleased about rising safety and most dissatisfied with their sexual lives, marriage and the general situation in the country. Poles are also healthier than they were in the previous decade,

largely due to the rising number of non-smokers.An alarming phenomenon is rising alcohol and drug usage among the young, especially girls under 18. One in four of those polled declared the wish to work abroad (41 pct in Germany, 26 pct in Britain, 7 pct in Ireland).

Most Poles approve organ transplants

Warsaw, Oct. 7: Eighty-seven percent of Poles in a CBOS survey approved organ transplants from deceased donors, only 7 percent were against. 74 percent said they would agree for their organs to be transplanted after their death (8 pts below the 2003 result), 17 percent opposed the idea. Although the church approves of organ transplants from deceased donors, as much as one-fifth of the pollees said this ran contrary to Catholic lore, 63 percent claimed the opposite. 44 percent said donor consent was the best legal regulation regarding organ transplants, 38 percent spoke out for treating the lack of donor objections to transplants as consent. CBOS ran the poll from 14-18 September 2005 on a random sample of 1,028 adult Poles.

posted by: Oborski at 14:17 | link | comments |

Warsaw, Oct. 9: Civic Platform's Donald Tusk got 38.6 percent of votes and Law and Justice's Lech Kaczynski - 32.2 percent, another TNS OBOP and PBS exit poll for Polish state television TVP showed.

A runoff between the two top contenders will be held in two weeks, on October 23. (PAP)

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Warsaw, Oct. 6: This Sunday, October 9 Poles will choose a new president in general elections held for the fourth time since political and economic transformations. The post of president was set up as a result of the 1989 "Round Table" series of settlements. The president was to be elected by the absolute majority of votes cast by the National Assembly (the Sejm and the Senate) and was to have control over a number of issues including the internal and external state security. The office was created for General Wojciech Jaruzelski, the architect of martial law in Poland strongly promoted by the government side in negotiations. The opposition side agreed on his candidacy but declared its deputies would not vote for him. Jaruzelski was elected on July 19, 1989 with a cliff-hanger one vote. In 1990 the Sejm decided to cut short the president's term of office. The Sejm declared successive elections, this time general, at the end of 1990. On December 1990 Jaruzelski was replaced by legendary Solidarity leader Lech Walesa who, in turn, was replaced by incumbent President Aleksander Kwasniewski. Kwasniewski also won the second term in 2000. The president's term of office starts on the day when the National Assembly takes an oath from the elections winner. The present president term of office ends on December 23. The state election commission registered 16 candidates for the October 9 elections. Below are their names in alphabetic order: Marek Borowski, Henryka Bochniarz, Leszek Bubel, Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz, Maciej Giertych, Liwiusz Ilasz, Lech Kaczynski, Jaroslaw Kalinowski, Janusz Korwin-Mikke, Andrzej Lepper, Daniel Podrzycki, Jan Pyszko, Zbigniew Religa, Adam Slomka, Donald Tusk and Stanislaw Tyminski. However, Poles will elect their president from among 12 candidates after a tragic death of Daniel Podrzycki and the resignation from the race announced by Zbigniew Religa, Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz and Maciej Giertych.

Warsaw, Oct. 6: Presidential candidates Lech Kaczynski of the Law and Justice (PiS) and Donald Tusk of the Civic Platform (PO) have agreed that the Polish policy towards Russia should be firm. Speaking during a televised debate on Thursday night Tusk voiced an opinion that what is most important is to work out a common policy of the EU towards Russia. Kaczynski however claimed he would seek backing in Washington as concerns the issue. Both Tusk and Kaczynski said they are against the legalisation of homosexual marriages. According to Tusk, homosexuals should enjoy full public and civic rights in Poland. 'But there is no +yes+ to legalisation of homosexual marriages. And there is no difference of opinion between us as to the question,' Tusk said addressing Kaczynski.

New York, Oct. 6: Two times more Poles decided to take part in the forthcoming presidential election than in the September parliamentary ballot, PAP was told by the Consulate General in New York. The registration of voters ended on Wednesday night, and according to Marek Skulimowski the number of registered Poles stands at around 6,000, whereas two week ago it was some 3,200. The presidential elections will be held in the U.S. on Saturday, October 8, a day before the elections in Poland.

Warsaw, Oct. 6: Poles are less Eurosceptic that the British, German or French, according to a poll run by big European newspapers (El Pais, Guardian, Le Monde, Gazeta Wyborcza and Die Zeit) in five biggest European countries in Septemebr. In the survey Poles more often than the Spanish, Germans and French pointed to the EU as more effective than individual

countries in resolving the problems, such as terrorism fighting, education development, environment protection. Those polled agreed that the problems such as welfare issues, finances and issues relating to family life are more effectively dealt with at the domestic level.

Diwaniyah, Oct. 6: Iraq international force commander general George Casey on Thursday in Diwaniyah said the Polish-led south-central stabilization force should remain in the country until next year. Casey, who inspected the Polish command HQ at Echo Base in Diwaniyah, said decisions about the Polish forces' tenure in Iraq belonged to the Polish government but stressed that the Poles' presence until 2006 was "very necessary". The general also praised Poland's Iraq troops, stating that their to-date performance "gave him much satisfaction". I am deeply impressed by the Polish force and its operational capabilities in Iraq, Casey said.

Bielsko-Biala, Oct. 6: Marines from Poland's 18th Land-and Assault Battalion in Bielsko Biala may go on a mission to Afghanistan in 2007, the unit's commander Adam Strek said Thursday. Strek said he hoped the entire unit went to Afghanistan. The Polish Military Contingent in Afghanistan was formed in March 2002 as a part of the international anti-terrorist coalition. At the moment it numbers about 100 troops whose main task is peace ensurement.

Zabrze, Oct. 6: Iraqi Ambassador to Poland Walid Hamid Shiltagh visited the Cardio-surgery Development Foundation in Zabrze, southern Poland, on Thursday. This non-public research and scientific institute, led by ex-presidential runner Professor Zbigniew Religa works on the Polish artificial heart and cardio-surgery robot. The Iraqi ambassador was impressed by the foundation achievement and expressed hope for cooperation based on the capital of Polish-Iraqi firms. "This is a successive visit of representatives of Libya and Saudi Arabia," foundation director Jan Sarna told PAP. At the end of August the foundation was visited by health adviser to the Saudi Arabia King Professor Abdullah Al-Rabeeah. The professor had headed the team of doctors that separated Polish conjoined twins Ola and Daria earlier this year.

Warsaw, Oct. 6: Some one hundred people took part in a march against the presence of Polish troops in Iraq in Warsaw downtown on Thursday. Filip Ilkowski of the Stop War Initiative, one of the organizers of the march, said that the protest is an element of pressure on presidential candidates to present their clear stand on the presence of (Polish) troops in Iraq.

Bialystok, Oct. 6: Employment laws and the pros and cons of employment in Britain were the subjects of Thursday's opening session of the British Days at Bialystok University in northeast Poland. According to the British embassy in Poland 125,000 Poles are legally employed in Britain. British embassy secretary Philip Barklay said around 600,000 jobs were waiting in Britain for qualified Poles.

Warsaw, Oct. 6: The Treasury Ministry has lowered its third quarter GDP growth forecast from 4.0 pct to 3.8-4.0 pct. At the same time the forecast for the entire 2005 was lowered from 3.7 pct to 3.4-3.5 pct, Marcin Zelman of the ministry's economic forecasts department said on Thursday. Zelman added that GDP in 2006 is to grow by 4.4 pct.Economic experts expect the GDP to grow in the 3rd quarter by 3.7 per cent.

Warsaw, Oct. 6: Four entities have been invited to take part in a tender to buy 47 pct of shares in Jelfa sold, jointly, by the Industrial Development Agency, PZU insurer and the Treasury Ministry. The four firms shortlisted are Enterprise Investors, Adamed, Latvia Grindeks and Lithuanian AB Sanitas, according to PAP's unofficial sources. Ciech Polfa as well as two Indian pharmaceutical companies, Lupin Ltd and Torrent Pharma appear to be out of the race for Jelfa shares. Advent International withdrew from negotiations earlier.

Wroclaw, Oct. 6: Toyota will increase employment in its plants in Jelcz-Laskowice and Walbrzych, south-western Poland. The plant in Jelcz-Laskowice will employ 1,000 people, up from the earlier planned 900 while the plant in Walbrzych 2,000, up from 1800. In mid-September a new production line was launched in the engine factory in Jelcz-Laskowice withthe annual capacity of 180,000 diesel engines. The factory in Walbrzych producesgearboxes and engines. Toyota is planning to invest a total of 600 million euros in the two plants.

Katowice, Oct. 6: KS Design is to invest some 3 million zlotys (923,000 USD) in the Katowice special economic zone. The design and research company offers its services to automotive and machine industries and is to employ 23 persons. Justyna Romanczyk of the zone's management told PAP on Thursday that although the financial value of Design's investment is rather small still its very import due to the character of offered services as zone is keen to bring to Katowice companies offering research, analytical and design services. KS Design is cooperating with Opel, Rover and BMW. The company is linked with German capital. Seventeen companies have decided to invest in the zone since the start of this year. They are to invest 600 million zlotys and employ a total of over 2.5 thousand people.

Warsaw, Oct. 6: The value of transactions on the Polish commercial real estate market may exceed 2 billion euros this year, according to estimates by Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL). JLL estimates that such result would place Poland among one of the most important investment markets in continental Europe. During the first 8 months of the year, commercial real estate transaction were worth 1.2 billion euros.

Warsaw, Oct. 6: Hungary's BorsodChem Rt. on Thursday signed a deal to buy 100 percent of the Petrochemia Blachownia petrochemical company from Ciech, BorsodChem said in a statement. The value of the deal has not been revealed. The deal will become operative when it is approved by the Polish Office for Competition and Consumer Protection.

Katowice, Oct. 6: A 200-million-euro Silesia City Centre with shops and amusement will soon open on the site of the former Eminencja coalmine in Katowice, offering up to 2,000 jobs. The centre, the biggest of its kind in Silesia, was built by the Hungarian TriGranit corporation. Its shopping section will open on November 18, almost 100 years after the startup of the original mine, the amusement section will start up in December. Parts of the old Eminencja coalmine have been incorporated into the architecture, including machine parts, utility buildings, and a picture of miner patron saint St. Barbara which has always hung in the mine. The 1957-founded TriGranti Corporation is an EBRD-cofunded Hungarian development company with projects in Budapest, Bratislava and Prague. In future the company plans similar undertakings in Bucharest, Zagreb, Belgrade and Sofia.(

Plock, Oct. 6: PKN Orlen fuel concern will continue to look for other existing possibilities to buy petrol stations in the Czech Republic after a failed bid to buy 69 Aral stations. "PKN Orlen taking part in the tender for Aral stations in the Czech Republic...offered a maximum price which, in concern's assessment, guaranteed that the investment would bring profits. The price was around 655 million zlotys, that is 9.6 million zlotys per one station," Dawid Piekarz, Orlen's spokesman, told PAP on Thursday. Earlier, the Plock-based concern said that at the end of October it will decide on its further presence on the German market.

Warsaw, Oct. 6: Poland's National Cancer Prevention Programme, to launch next year, will bring no immediate results, its first effects will be visible in several years' time, professor Marian Reinfuss from the Council of Oncological Societies said on Thursday at the 9th Congress of the Polish Clinical Oncology Society in Warsaw. The congress participants also thanked outgoing Primew Minister Marek Belka and health minister Marek Balicki for their help in mounting the cancer scheme. Belka is co-founder of the Polish Oncology Union which in the past years lobbied for the introduction of a national anti-cancer programme. Under the programme Poland will channel at least 250 million zlotys (76.2 mn USD) to cancer prevention each year. According to statistics Poland's cancer rate is on the rise, there are also more deaths caused by the disease. Poland is 22nd in Europe in cancer treatment effectiveness, only 30 percent of registered cancer cases are cured.

Kielce, Oct. 6: Three pieces by Krzysztof Penderecki will be performed in a concert devoted to the memory of John Paul II in the baroque monastery at Jedrzejow, Swietokrzyskie province, on the coming Monday. The event will close the 11th International Festival of Organ Music here. The composer himself will lead the Polish Radio Choir performing his "Agnus dei," "De profundis" and "Song of Cherubim". The concert will be crowned by "Missa pro Pace" of Feliks Nowowiejski, to mark the late pope's devotion to peace. The festival at Jedrzejow has been held from July to October with the participation of Polish and foreign musicians. The collected donations will go for the renovation of the local Cistercian Abbey from the 18th century and its unique organ.

Rome, Oct. 6: Ryszard Kapuscinski will receive the Elsa Morante Prize in the category "Culture of Europe" for his book Journeys with Herodotus, in na ceremony in Naples on Friday. The Prize named after the Italian popular authoress and funded by the authorities of the region of Campania and Naples was awarded for the first time this year by the jury composed of writers, journalists and directors of Italian culture institutes, headed by Teresa Triscari Ilardo, the director of the Institute of Italian Culture in Warsaw. Italian media writing about Ryszard Kapuscinski pointed out he is among favourite candidates for this year's Nobel Prize in literature.

posted by: Oborski at 13:38 | link | comments |

The campaigning finished last night but the voting does not start until tomorrow hence the country is in political suspended animation today ahead of its presidential election, with the two main candidates Donald Tusk of Citizens Platform Lech Kaczynski of Law and Justice running neck and neck. Over 30 million Poles are eligible to vote for 1 out of 12 candidates in over 25 000 polling stations around the country, 162 in Polish consular posts abroad and 5 on Polish ships. Tusk, 48, paints himself and his party as a force of modernisation that can unite Poles, mend relations with big neighbours. Kaczynski, 56, and his party promise a clear break from post-communist Poland under the banner of the "Fourth Republic"and a return to Christian values. Friday’s surveys show that neither centrist pro-business reformer Tusk nor his conservative rival, Warsaw mayor Lech Kaczynski, is likely to win outright, leading to a run-off ballot on Oct. 23.

posted by: Oborski at 13:19 | link | comments |

The Presidential Campaign closes midnight tonight with silence throught till the end of voting which takes place on Sunday.

It looks as if neither of the lead pair can hit over 50% to deliver a knockout blow in the first round. The election looks all set to go to a second round later this month.

posted by: Oborski at 15:50 | link | comments |

Warsaw, Oct. 5: Presidential candidate Donald Tusk won a youth mock election in Warsaw with a 42.1-percent support, followed by Lech Kaczynski with 23.2 percent. Third was Samoobrona leader Andrzej Lepper (20.7 percent). Taking part in the ballot were 310.000 high school students.

Warsaw, Oct. 5: Poland will take part in installing NATO's new communication systems, Marek Suchanski from the Military Communications Institute informed at the 7th Regional NATO Telecommunication and IT Systems Conference in Zegrze by Warsaw. The conference, attended by telcom and IT experts from the U.S., Britain, the Czech Republic, Germany, Norway, Lithuania, Slovakia and Romania, focused on new communications solutions in the U.S. and NATO. Poland will participate in a team working on communication standards, Suchanski said. Krzysztof Kaniewski from Unitronex said the new systems could be introduced into Poland's armed forces with financial aid from U.S. military aid programmes. The 7th Regional NATO Telecommunications and IT Systems Conference was organized by the Polish Military Communications Institute and the NATO Consultation, Command & Control Agency.

Warsaw, Oct. 5: A group of OSCE observers visited a 1st Armoured Brigade in Wesola, outside Warsaw, on Wednesday. The visit stem's from Poland's obligation to organize, every five years, a visit of an international delegation, to an air base and a military compound. The delegation, composed of 56 representatives of 31 countries, including two reps of NATO's HQ, had an occasion to see the brigade's armament and tour military barracks. Earlier, the guest visited 1st Tactical Wing in Minsk Mazowiecki.

Warsaw, Oct. 5: Unemployment rate in September 2005 fell to 17.7 pct from 17.8 pct in August 2005, deputy Economy and Labour Minister Jacek Mecina told PAP on Wednesday. The ministry predicts that unemployment rate in October and November will continue the downward trend to fall to 17.3 pct at the end of December. Mecina said that the number of jobless at the end of September totalled 2,762 thousand. The fall was observed in all provinces except for western Pomerania. Official data on the labour market will be released by the Central Statistical Office GUS in the third decade of October.

Warsaw, Oct. 5: The budget deficit at the end of September will be at 51 percent of the 2005 budget law, deputy Finance Minister Elzbieta Suchocka-Roguska said on Wednesday. "Thiscame as a result of very good incomes after September," she added. Suchocka-Roguska said that deposits at the end of September stood at 11.4 billion zlotys against 8.7 billion zlotys in August. After August 2005 the deficit was at 18 billion 490.1 million zlotys, or 52.8 percent of the annual plan. State's expenditure after August totalled 135 billion 775.5 million zlotys, or 64.7 percent of the planned sum. State budget's incomes stood at 117 billion 285.4 million zlotys, or 67.1 percent of the plan. Suchocka-Roguska added that the deficit is likely to total 30.5-31 billion zlotys at the end of the year. In the 2006 budget the government envisioned the 2005 deficit at around 30.8 billion zlotys.

Warsaw, Oct. 5: The American Chamber of Commerce in Poland and a group of Polish political publicists met Wednesday to discuss the current political situation in Poland after September 25 parliamentary elections. Present was U.S. Ambassador to Poland Victor Ashe. The chamber presented a list of priorities for the new Polish government which, as it was said, should be examined and, if possible, implemented. The first group of priorities includes a reform of the Polish judicial system, simplification of administration procedures concerning business activities, and introduction of "low, simple and stable" PIT and CIT taxes. According to the chamber, long-term goals should include modernisation of existing infrastructure, fast privatisation of state enterprises and elimination of corruption from the economy. The American Chamber of Commerce in Poland, set up in 1991, affiliates over 300 U.S. investors in Poland. Direct investments of firms run by chamber members exceeded 15 bn USD at the end of 2004.

Warsaw, Oct. 5: ZEDO, the Dolna Odra power plant will be ready for sale at the turn of November and December, Treasury Minister Jacek Socha told journalists in Warsaw on Monday at the "Europower 2005" conference. Socha said the sale of ZEDO will help obtain the target revenues on privatisation planned for this year. He also said that Enei and Kozienice power plant will not go public in November as scheduled. Earlier deputy Treasury Minister Krzysztof Zyndul told PAP the ministry experts plan to earn more than 1 billion PLN on the sale of ZEDO. The treasury holds simultaneous talks on the sale of 10 pct of shares in ZEDO with three plants: Po aniec-Grupa Electrabel, Endesa Europa SL and Enel company. ZEDO is the biggest power and heat generating and distributing plant in Western Pomerania and has dominated 6 pct of the Polish power and heat generating market. Socha told reporters that by the end of this year actions leading to the sector consolidation should be concluded.

Katowice, Oct. 5: Wizz Air plans to double the number of carried passengers. Some one million people flew with Wizz Air during the first year of the airline's operations until the end of April of this year. On Wednesday the airline announced it has serviced its second million passenger. We expect to carry the next two million passengers in half the time we needed for the first two million, Jozsef Varadi, Wizz Air Ceo was quoted in a press release as saying. Wizz Air generates 64 per cent of Katowice-Pyrzowice airport's regular international traffic.

Warsaw, Oct. 5: Employment in the automotive branch went up by 5.9 thousand (10 pct) in the first half of the year to reach just over 100,000 people, Polish Chamber of Automotive Industry (PIM) wrote in a press release. Chamber's experts say that employment in the automotive industry will go by a total of 10 thousand this year. The steady increase of jobs in the sector can be attributed to the start of production of Opel's Zafira in Gliwice and increased production of cars and parts by FSO for the Ukrainian owner - AvtoZAZ.

Warsaw, Oct. 5: The U.S. Delphi management board and Polish government representatives signed an investment agreement in Warsaw on Wednesday whereby Delphi committed itself to employ further 264 engineers in Delphi Technical Centre by the end of 2007. To-date 560 people work in the Centre. The new engineers will work on improving suspension systems of the cars produced by PSA, Ford, BMW, Dimler, Chrysler and Opel. Delphi will get a 1 million zloty subsidy from the Polish government. Delphi will invest at least 5 million zlotys over two years.

Warsaw, Oct. 5: Dell mulls suspending its investment in Poland because of press leaks, deputy head of the Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency Sebastian Mikosz said on Wednesday."Lack of discretion in this matter provoked Dell's angry reaction," Mikosz said.

Prague, Oct. 5: Polish and Czech prosecutors are to meet in Prague in a short while to discuss proceedings regarding the privatization of the Czech Unipetrol concern by Poland's PKN Orlen. The meeting will be held at the request of Polish prosecutors who want to discuss the privatization process and possibilities of cooperation regarding this case, Jan Polanecky, a prosecutor of the Prague Prosecutors' Office told PAP on Wednesday.

Warsaw, Oct. 5: A total of 250 firms from 14 countries will take part in the 6th International Railway Fair Trako 2005 to be held in Gdansk on October 12 to 14, head of the organiser of the fair, Miedzynarodowe Targi Gdanskie SA, Andrzej Spiker said. The programme of the fair foresees a two-day conference "Polish railway on the liberalised EU market" and presentation of railway firms.

Warsaw, Oct. 5: Eighty six firms from eight countries are taking part in the International Fair Infrastructure 2005 that opened in Warsaw on Wednesday. On display are materials, equipment and machines for road construction and traffic engineering. A special sector for British firms presents air and sea transport infrastructure. The fair is accompanied by presentations and meetings.

Warsaw, Oct. 5: Wim Wenders, one of the major figures in the world cinema will be the guest of the inauguration of the 21st Warsaw International Film Festival on Friday. During the Festival Wenders will present his new film "Don't Come Knocking' and his "Land of Plenty" which won the UNESCO Prize at Venice 2004. "Don't Come Knocking" tells the story of an ageing movie star who learns he is the father of a now grown-up child. "Land of Plenty" is a reflection of changes which have taken place in America after September 11. This latter film is considered to be one of Wenders's best. Wim Wenders will meet his fans at Warsaw's EMPiK Megastore Junior on Friday afternoon. Earlier on that day he will answer questions in a web chat on Onet.pl.

Warsaw, Oct. 5: Saxophone virtuosos Jan Garbarek and Anthony Braxton are among jazz stars to appear before the Polish public in concerts of the Era Jazzu festival in the next months to come, the organisers told a press conference. Garbarek will be in Warsaw on October 11. The Norwegian artist with Polish roots, considered to be one of the world's foremost contemporary jazzmen, will be playing with The Hilliard Ensemble, with whom he visited Poland in 1999. "The artists will present the programme featuring its greatest hits of the 1990s, the popular CDs 'Officium' and 'Mnemosyne'," Dariusz Piatkowski, the Era Jazzu festival organiser told PAP. American saxophone player and composer Anthony Braxton will come to Warsaw on March 13, 2006. In his third Polish concert the jazzman will appear with a new group including trumpeter Taylor Ho Bynum and Japanese drummer Satoshi Takeishi. The Era Jazzu festival also envisages concerts by French violinist Jean-Luc Ponty and American guitarist John Scofield. Jazz vocalist Dianna Reeves is coming for her first Polish concert next April. Still earlier two vocal groups, The Manhattan Transfer will sing in Warsaw and Zabrze the coming November and New Orleans Joyful Gospel Singers in Cracow, Warsaw and Poznan on Christmas time. Piatkowski is negotiating concerts with the legendary trumpeter of New Orleans, Wynton Marsalis, popular saxophonist Gato Barbieri of Argentina, and another jazz legend, Chick Corea.

posted by: Oborski at 18:43 | link | comments |

After the Polish elections, neither the victory is too sweet nor the defeat too painful.

Sixty percent of Poles decided the elections weren't enough reason to leave home on a Sunday.

That's why the losers can say the distribution of seats in the Sejm doesn't reflect the true spectrum of the Poles' political preferences. As for the winners: Law and Justice (PiS) and the Civic Platform (PO), even as they blow their trumpets and flex their muscles, shouldn't forget that a mere 21 percent of those eligible to vote actually chose them, and the two parties combined got fewer votes than the leftists during their triumph four years ago.

On one hand the meager turnout encourages humility and reflection as to whether most Poles really have shifted their sympathies towards conservatism, suddenly wanting to see a revolutionary moral breakthrough and to cut themselves off from the previous depraved 15 years. On the other hand, it means failure of Polish democracy, when even such an emotional campaign didn't entice most Poles to take a stroll to the ballot boxes.

First of all, every nation has some percentage of people who don't vote and never will. In a democracy as young as Poland's, this percentage is probably higher than in the West. Though, the 70-percent turnout in culturally and historically close Hungary raises doubts as to the absenteeism being caused by democracy's young age. However painful it sounds, Poland still has a problem with backwardness among some of the rural population who will never care at all about politics.

Secondly, many voters unquestionably drew their own conclusions from the general belief that after four years of leftist government, all of Polish politics is rotten and morally repugnant. So repulsive in fact that it's better not to have anything to do with it. The votes of this group of citizens went neither to the left who were to blame for the depravity nor to the right who raked up all the muck of the outgoing government camp, because they don't expect anything good of them either.

Thirdly, part of the traditional center-left electorate didn't vote, as they found no vintages to their liking on the Polish political wine list. Some voted for the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) as usual, the more desperate sought a leftist offering from populist Andrzej Lepper and from the PiS which purposely played upon the polarization of the political stage along the line: PiS the welfare party versus liberalism. The rest simply stayed home.

■ What do we know about the 40 percent of Poles who went to vote?
In all the social groups except people with a university education and young people, conservative values seem to be triumphing in Poland, basted with a sauce of social solidarism and discreet skepticism towards the free market and the outside world. Such a cocktail of views is offered to the Poles by the Kaczyński brothers and their PiS.

Conservatism-namely rigorous law, capital punishment, safety and limited tolerance for sexual minorities and sexual freedom. Solidarism-namely intensive pangs of a compassionate heart for those who have not managed well in the free-market society, a nationalized health service, free higher education. The free market-well yes, but with a much greater role of the government as regulator of the economy, without any outrageous reductions of business taxes, without enthusiasm for foreign capital and with a sizable dose of suspicion towards people involved in morally questionable making of money on their own account. The free market-yes, but with subsidies for the mining sector because it's decisive for the country's energy security, and keeping unprivatized financial institutions in the hands of the Treasury because the government has to have some means of influencing the economy.

The European Union-why not, but without the super-state in Brussels and on condition that the Poles are recognized as one of the leaders in the European concert. Relations with Russia and Germany-important, but we should take a tougher line in talks with our neighbors. In addition, quite seriously at the top of the priorities list: general access to the files of the communist secret police, a permanent extraordinary committee made up of politicians from the ruling camp to investigate the crimes of previous governments, and an anti-corruption über-police with dangerously ambiguous prerogatives.

For a Catholic country, that's quite a decent conservative-Protestant program.
Precisely this cocktail won the Kaczyński brothers the greatest support in small and medium towns, rural Poland where they deposed the traditional peasant parties, and among Poles with a secondary and vocational education. The PiS triumphed conclusively in the conservative and more poorly developed eastern part of Poland, in the south which has the longest parliamentary traditions, and conquered Warsaw and Cracow.

Where is the source of this hankering for traditional values, for law and order reaching as far as rejection of political correctness and a secular and non-repressive state? The climate around the scandals that erupted for months in Poland, the interrogations of politicians and great capitalists by investigation commissions, public exposing of perhaps not criminal but certainly unsavory links between politics and business, the cold pragmatism of the leftist-liberal elite that bore no reference to any values other than effectiveness, gave rise to an appetite for elementary lower middle class virtues.

Law, order, church, family, civic solidarity, a welfare state-that's what the PiS has delivered to the Poles.

Hence its success in middle Poland-neither too poor nor too rich, neither backward nor the best educated. It's a success with the category of Poles that is the most numerous.

■ If the election results were decided by young people and university graduates, the Sejm would look different.
PiS's place would be taken by the equally conservative though liberal-tinged PO.

A Poland of the young and best educated would be just as much against the post-communist left and just as thirsty for change, but it would be pro-market, morally unorthodox, against trade unions and their privileges. That Poland would reduce taxes, lessen the burden on the budget by taking away some of its obligations in healthcare and education, it would be friendly towards business people.

It's phenomenal that in Poland which is considered conservative and pro-welfare, a liberal party like the ones that would be fluctuating around the 5-percent mark elsewhere in Europe, wins the support of more than one-thirds of voters.

So, what kind of Poland can we see after the elections? Lower middle class and conservative, opting for a welfare state, liberal and morally open, seeking a center and seeking a left along the whole party spectrum. Actively fighting for a new breakthrough and completely deaf to the siren song of the politicians.

First and foremost, though, once the lights have gone out that illuminated the billboards with those frowning faces of the candidates-Poland will become completely wrapped up, thank God, in matters of everyday life.

posted by: Oborski at 13:52 | link | comments |

"The chance of dying in a plane crash is extremely small if you compare it with the probability of getting killed on a typical Polish road, where your chance of survival is similar to that in war-torn regions."
-Major Michał Fiszer, an expert on terrorism, on airplane catastrophes

"It's more likely that Europe will be destroyed by a meteor."
-Michał Kamiński, a EuroMP from Law and Justice, on the possibility of approval of the European Union Constitution Treaty in a referendum in Great Britain

"No normal man votes for the left, except for psychos, deviants and moral reprobates. I don't know of a single family that would lend its support."
-Wojciech Wierzejski, a EuroMP from the League of Polish Families, in a pre-election broadcast

"Well, you can take the fire extinguishers from a building, sell them and spend the money on lunch for the staff; but what will we do if a fire breaks out?"
-Economist Ryszard Petru on some radical political groupings' proposals to liquidate the foreign currency reserve in the National Bank of Poland

"I'm not an Islamic fundamentalist. I drink a beer or a glass of wine with dinner. But I will not tolerate this excess, even though some try to convince me that you cannot change the players' nature."
-Raul Lozano, Argentinean coach of the Polish men's volleyball team, on the removal of three leading players for excessive drinking

"First, they smuggled booze into the center, then they tried to persuade several female residents to have sex with them, and finally they dueled with their canes over which TV channel they would watch."
-Head of a Romanian rest home, on why he called the police to pacify two "vigorous" residents

posted by: Oborski at 13:49 | link | comments |

The latest poll from CBOS shows that 40% of Poles will vote for Civic Platform (PO) candidate Donald Tusk in the presidential election. His nearest rival, Lech Kaczynski, of the Law & Justice (PiS) party has the support of 35% of voters.

Kaczynski is rapidly gaining ground before Sunday's presidential election. Since the last CBOS poll, Tusk has lost 4 percentage points while support for Kaczynski grew by 9 pp.

CBOS shows that support for radical populist Andrzej Lepper is at 11% (down 4 pp from the last poll) and support for Social Democracy of Poland (SdPL) candidate Marek Borowski stands at 8%.

CBOS also asked respondents if they planned to vote on Sunday and 70% said yes. This is about the same percent that said they would vote in Parliamentary elections on September 25th and actual turnout was 40%. Low turnout favors Kaczynski who has strong support among his backers and hurts centrist Tusk. If moderate voters fail to turn out on Sunday, Kaczynksi could move ahead of Tusk. The two would then face off in a second round of presidential elections on October 23rd.

Another poll, by TNS OBOP, shows Tusk with 45% support compared to 34% for Kaczynski.

posted by: Oborski at 13:45 | link | comments |

Donald Tusk of the rightist Civic Platform continues to lead the presidential race in Poland before Sunday election. But the latest polls suggest that his leads could be anything from 9 to only 4 percent.

The presidential race is entering a decisive stage and the mutual exchange of accusations between the election staff of the two leading candidates, and the candidates themselves, has been stepped up. The Law and Justice Party, which won the parliamentary election on October 25th, has conducted an effective negative campaign, which significantly increased the ratings of its presidential candidate Lech Kaczynski.

His twin brother, Jaroslaw, has even decided not to assume of the post of prime minister, which he was expected to, to turn the odds even further in favour of Lech. So, there are practically two scenarios. Either the Law and Justice Party, PiS in short, takes all, or Tusk wins, creating a certain balance of power.

Robert Strybel, a Warsaw-based commentator of American Polish media, believes that in this situation, Donald Tusk as president is a better scenario.

Independent political analyst Andrzej Krajewski points out that whoever wins, Tusk or Kaczynski, they will not continue the presidency of Aleksander Kwasniewski.

Andrzej Krajewski believes, however, that with his experience, Tusk has more qualities necessary to become president.

In the opinion of analyst Marek Matraszek the chances of Lech Kaczynski to become president are higher than some observers think.

Judging by the ratings of the presidential candidates, none of them is likely to win enough votes to become president in the first round, and another round is certain. Hopefully this will not disturb the formation of Poland’s new government.

Report by Krysia Kolosowska

posted by: Oborski at 13:38 | link | comments |

Here is the Polish poet Zbigniew Herbert imagining what is running through the mind of Fortinbras as he contemplates the dead body of Hamlet...

posted by: Oborski at 11:35 | link | comments |

According to a recent survey Donald Tusk tops the popularity polls just days ahead of the elections. He has gained 45% support while his rival Lech Kaczynski from Law and Justice scored 34% as published by TNS-OBOP poll.9% of the respondents will support Marek Borowski, leader of the leftists Social democracy for Poland, while 8% will cast their vote for Andrzej Lepper from the populist Self defence farmers’ union. Should no candidate score the required 50% in the first round, a second run off is scheduled for October 23rd.

posted by: Oborski at 17:44 | link | comments |

Warsaw, Oct. 4: Economy Minister Jacek Piechota said Tuesday that Poland has not been informed about plans according to which the Northern Gas Pipeline would run a pipeline also to Poland. He believes that the news broken Monday is rather a political declaration, which in no way can influence the Polish position. On Monday Vladimir Chyzhov, Russia's permanent representative at the European Union said that the pipeline which is to run directly from Russia to German is to have a leg supplying gas to also Poland. Poland has always persistently supported the construction of the 2nd stretch of the Yamal gas pipeline or the construction of the so called Amber pipeline via Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania to Poland. Experts say the construction of a pipeline under the Baltic Sea bed is more expensive than Yamal-Europe pipeline crossing Poland.

Warsaw, Oct.4: PiS' presidential candidate Lech Kaczynski said here Tuesday that "the Law and Justice leadership is very much committed to bring about cabinet talks with the Civic Platform (PO) and set up the cabinet." He said he did not know anything about talks with any other party than the PO. Reports about such talks were "an attempt to attribute intentions to us which may reduce support for me in the presidential race," Kaczynski claimed. "I would like this type of campaign to stop," he added. The PiS' presidential candidate also said he was not disappointed with the fact that LPR's hopeful Maciej Giertych who withdrew from the race Tuesday did not ask his followers to vote for Kaczynski.

Warsaw, Oct. 4: According to the results of sociological research published Tuesday by Gazeta Prawna, Poles' living standards have improved. Poles earn more, feel better and an increasing number of them have managed to overcome poverty. A report "Diagnosis 2005" prepared by the Social Monitoring Council contradicts a number of stereotypes and does not confirm results of research by the Central Statistical Office GUS, which point to the growing number of poverty-afflicted people. At the same time the council document points out how much should be done. Between 2000 and 2003 the average net income per person went up by

10 percent in real terms and in 2005 by further 16 percent, says Professor Tomasz Panek of the Main School of Economics, the co-author of the Diagnosis. The number of people declaring that their income does not allow for meeting the basic needs fell from 74 percent in 1994 to 37 pct in 2005. Every fifth family lives below the poverty threshold while five years ago it was every third, indicates "Diagnosis."Since 2000 the number of people leaving the vicious circle of poverty decreased three times as five years ago it was 27 pct and in 2005 it is 9 percent, the document states. According to Professor Janusz Czaplinski, businessmen and the best-off are among those who mostly lose while gains are declared by residents of towns, the youngest, the oldest and the jobless. In 2005 every fourth Pole uses the Internet while before 2000 only 19 percent had access to the net, stressed economist Waldemar Kuczynski in an interview for the paper.

Katowice, Oct. 4: Voest Alpine Technika Gornicza i Tunelowa from the Swedish Sandvik group will open, at the cost of 12 million zlotys, a plant for the production and overhauls of mining combines in Tychy. Meanwhile, Voest Alpine Austria steel concern plans to build a sheet service centre at the Tychy special economic zone at the cost of 70 million zlotys.

Warsaw, Oct. 4: Over 100 employers from Poland and other EU countries will offer 5,000 job openings at the 2nd International Labour Fair in Warsaw's Palace of Culture, to begin on October 12. Special guests at the fair will be labour exchange officials from Ireland, expected to offer 1.000 jobs in their country. Also strongly represented will be Britain and Germany, mainly offering jobs in construction industry and services. The fair is organized by Warsaw authorities, entry is free.

Warsaw, Oct. 4: Four cheap airlines are among the ten most frequented carriers to and from Poland, the Civil Aviation Authority (ULC) informed PAP Tuesday. According to ULC economy lines carried over 1.240.000 passengers to and from Polish airports in the first 6 months of this year, homing 26.7 percent of the non-charter market. The most popular airline in Poland is still the national carrier LOT, accounting for 46.97 percent of passenger traffic. Runners-up are the cheap carrier Wizz Air (11.22 pct), and Germany's Lufthansa (6.29 pct). In 2004 cheap airlines in Poland carried 1.640.000 passengers, accounting for 11.9 percent of non-charter traffic.

Oslo, Oct. 4: Solidarity founder Lech Walesa and Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik will be among the guests at Wednesday's celebration of Solidarity's 25th anniversary in the Norwegian capital Oslo. During the celebrations Walesa will confer Solidarity medals to seven members of Norway's 1980s Solidaritet Norge-Polen Committee which helped the Polish anticommunist underground under martial law. Walesa will also meet Norwegian King Harald V at a private audience.

Rome, Oct. 4: " Corso Polonia", the review of the Polish culture, to be held in Rome between October 4 and November 18 will feature shows of the most famous Polish movies made in recent years, theatre performances, concerts and exhibitions. The festival will be attended by Jerzy Stuhr, Krystian Lupa and Wojciech Marczewski. In several movie theatres the Italian public will be able to see "Pregi" (Marks) by Magdalena Piekorz (Oct. 20), "Weiser" by Wojciech Marczewski, "Vinci" by Juliusz Machulski (Oct. 21), "Dlug" (Debt) by Krzysztof Krauze, "Wesele" (Wedding) by Wojciech Smarzowski (Oct. 22), "Dzien swira" (Madman's Day) by Marek Koterski (Oct. 23), "Edi" by Piotr Trzaskalski, "Warszawa" (Warsaw) by Dariusz Gajewski (Oct. 25), "Zmruz oczy" (Squint your Eyes) by Andrzej Jakimowski , "Przemiany" (Transformations) by Lukasz Barczyk (Oct. 26). Presented will also be the classic Polish movies including "Pociag" (The train) by Jerzy Kawalerowicz, "Panny z Wilka" (Women from Wilko) by Andrzej Wajda, "Rekopis znaleziony w Saragossie" (A manuscript found in Saragossa) by Wojciech Has.

Lodz, Oct. 4: Twenty four persons started studies at the actors' department of the famous State Film, Theatre and TV School (PWSFTviT) in Lodz, central Poland, on Tuesday. Among other freshmen are also 11 future film directors, 14 cinematographers, 9 film and tv producers and 9 students of animation. Apart from Polish students the school is attended by young people from the USA, Great Britain, Canada, Norway, Sweden, South Korea and other countries. They will be soon joined by two more foreign students from the tsunami-stricken Sri Lanka whom the school offered free period of practice. The PWSFTviT was set up in Lodz, then the centre of the Polish film industry, in 1948. Among its first graduates were Andrzej Munk, Andrzej Wajda and Kazimierz Kutz, all of whom made the school famous around the world, and among first professor was Jerzy Toeplitz, who later became the foundation Director of Australian Film, Theatre and Radio School.Other big names among the PWSFTviT graduates are Roman Polanski, Jerzy Skolimowski, Krzysztof Zanussi and Krzysztof Kieslowski At the start of the new academic year the PWSFTviT head Jerzy Wozniak expressed the hope for a further successes of the school thanks to the EU funds ensuring "better conditions" for studies.

Brussels, Oct. 4: A gala concert "Thank You Europe" winding up ceremonies honouring the 25th anniversary of the formation of the Solidarity trade union was held in La Monnaie Opera in Brussels on Monday night. During the ceremony medals were handed over to people who supported "Solidarity" in its struggle against communism. "Irrespective of our today's condition one thing has to be said: no generation before us stood such a chance for peace. We scored the victory which we can hardly cope with," said legendary "Solidarity" leader Lech Walesa during the ceremony. "I want to be the last of this type of revolutionaries," he added and stressed that the example of peaceful transformations commenced by "Solidarity" should be followed by Europe and the world. Walesa together with former Prime Minister Jerzy Buzek, former Foreign Minister Bronislaw Geremek and "Solidarity" leader Janusz Sniadek handed over distinctions to people who helped Poland in the 1980-ties and, symbolically, to the states who also helped then. Distinctions went to Prime Minister of Belgium Leo Tindemans and the country former PM Wilfried Martens, former Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok, former German Foreign Minister Hans Dietrich Genscher, President of the commission for cooperation with the EU in the French parliament Pierre Lequiller, former Brema Mayor Hans Koschnik and former Poland's Ambassador to Brussels Jan Kulakowski. Medals were also handed over to Jacques Clerbaux, one of the thousands of anonymous people who helped Poles and posthumously to Giles Hart, the leader of the Polish Solidarity Campaign (the organisation supporting "Solidarity" in Great Britain). Poles thanked for assistance and the awarded thanked for example and strength. "I want to tell you that we should thank you for "Solidarity," for Walesa, for hundreds and thousands of people who fought for freedom," Wim Kok said."Germany unification would not take place had it not been for Poland. We will never forget what you have done for us," assured the gathered Hans Dietrich Genscher. One of the ceremonies organiser and Polish member of the European Parliament of the Civic Platform PO Janusz Lewandowski told PAP that the main reason behind the gala concert was to gather all friends of Poland in one place and to thank them for support and assistance. "Among us is Mr. Clerbaux, a man who run risk while crossing the border. He represents thousands of nameless people who sent gifts, and risked a lot though they are not PMs or ministers," he added. Participants in the ceremony watched parts of documentaries showing footage from strikes stage by Polish workers, from martial law, the visits of Pope John Paul II and Poland's integration with the EU. In the background they could hear music by Polish composers including Wojciech Kilar. The Polish Radio Orchestra gave a concert after the official part of the gala presenting the music composed by Peter Tchaikovsky, Henryk Wieniawski and an aria from Stanislaw Moniuszko's opera "The Haunted Manor." The Monday concert concluding a month-long ceremonies in Brussels was organised by Polish members of the European Parliament. "Solidarity" and its message was promoted in Brussels via exhibitions and shows of Polish movies from the time of the struggle against communism as well as rock concerts given by Polish bands whose hits become for Poles the symbols of the struggle against the totalitarian system and censorship.

Bialystok, Oct. 4: This year Ramadan, or a month-long fast, will start for Polish Muslims this Wednesday, President of the Muslim Religious Union of Poland Tomasz Miskiewicz said Tuesday.Muslim society representatives say the Religious Union groups some 5,000 Polish followers of this religion. Most of them live in Podlaskie province, southern Poland. The total number of Muslims in Poland, foreigners included, is estimated at some 20-25 thousands.

Warsaw, Oct. 4: Agora plans to issue a new nation-wide daily still this fall. Agora board CEO Wanda Rapaczynska said that the new paper is to be neither a tabloid nor a serious political paper. "Agora plans to fill the gap on the press market and gain new readers. The paper will not be a copy of any foreign title; it will be Agora's original design and idea," she added. Jerzy Bogdan Wojcik was named the editor-in-chief and Wojciech Fusek will be the publisher.

posted by: Oborski at 14:08 | link | comments |

posted by: Oborski at 10:29 | link | comments |

The forthcoming Poland - England soccer match; the Polish elections; where to find a Polish doctor in UK; is there a Polish food shop in Dundee?; realigning to the right satellite as Polonia TV goes digital; how and why Polish and East German attitudes to looking for work differ - these are just a few of the current topics at the Poles in Great Britain discussion group. Join in and the next topic could be yours.

posted by: Oborski at 09:38 | link | comments |

The Polish media is awash with election results, speculation and analysis. But the results that really count at the moment for the average man in the street here are not to do with politics, but soccer.

In the coming couple of weeks, or so, Poland has a date with destiny. It involves a hard fought contest between two rivals who seem to have eliminated threats from the rest in the competition. And a surprise could be on the cards. Whereas once the front-runner looked certain to top the list, now the second placed challenger is in position to just possibly cause an upset.

And no, I am not talking about the up and coming presidential election, where front runner Donald Tusk is being closed down, gradually, in the polls by Lech Kaczynski. That particular race will be settled either next weekend or a few days later. But the turnout for the race for the presidential palace will probably be low: only 40 percent bothered to vote in the parliamentary elections a few days ago.

But a better turnout in Poland is assured on armchairs and sofas in front of television sets this weekend and next Wednesday, as Poland and England get ready to fight it out to see who goes through to the soccer World Cup in Germany next year.

posted by: Oborski at 20:19 | link | comments |

Poznan, Oct. 3: President Aleksander Kwasniewski said there is no reason to delay or postpone a discussion on the formation of the Civic Platform-Law and Justice coalition. "A large majority of topics that should be covered by a coalition agreement, have nothing to do with the president. The tax system, social policy, motorways, (...) are not the matter for the president," Kwasniewski told a press conference in Poznan on Monday. "Therefore there are no obstacles for the parties that want to form a government coalition to talk with each other about it," he said. The president rejected charges that the date of presidential elections had been set to hinder the coalition talks. "There is no manipulation of election dates in Poland, they simply result from the constitution. The coincidence of parliamentary and presidential elections is accidental and occurs once in 20 years," Kwasniewski said. The president said that he is planning to pay visits to the United States, Germany, London, Kiev and Brussels before the end of his term in office.

Gdansk, Oct. 3: Civic Platform (PO) leader Donald Tusk said Monday that Jan Rokita is PO's candidate for deputy PM in the possible future coalition government. Tusk reacted to a letter from Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, Law and Justice (PiS) candidate for Prime Minister, in which he called on PO to name its candidate for deputy PM. According to Tusk the situation in which both the president and the PM would come from one party is not a good solution. "Poland faces a political choice of the utmost importance, whether Poland will be ruled by one party with rather radical inclinations regarding certain issues (...). I believe this is dangerous for Poland," Tusk said. Tusk said that he considers himself to be a "guarantor of balance" and that is why his victory in the presidential elections would be so important. According to Tusk, his rival Lech Kaczynski proposes to "divide the poverty evenly". Tusk stressed he would shortly show "how bad this message is for Poland." He emphasised he would like very much Poland to be a wealthy country with "as little poverty as possible." "Mr Lech Kaczynski guarantees one thing: that the poverty will continue," Tusk added.

Warsaw, Oct. 3: Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, the Law and Justice (PiS) candidate for Prime Minister, said in an interview for PAP on Monday he was 100 percent sure that the coalition of the PiS and the Civic Platform (PO) would be formed. He announced his party would persuade the PO everyday to start talks. He said he would like to have the government formed by October 19 though October 24-25 is a more likely date. "We are bound to succeed," Marcinkiewicz said. Marcinkiewicz would like to see Konrad Ciesiolkiewicz (the present spokesman of the PiS caucus) as the government spokesman and his long-time collaborator Piotr Tutak as head of the PM's Chancellery. In his opinion the budget should be drafted at the PM's Chancellery under the supervision of PiS financial expert Cezary Mech. The candidate for PM thinks it "rather unlikely" for the PO to take over the justice and interior ministries. Apart from the two, other ministries of priority for PiS are that of agriculture, education, culture, infrastructure and treasury. "We want a well-balanced government but the compromise may be reached only when no ultimatum is given," he said while commenting on the future of the finance ministry. Marcinkiewicz wants each ministry to have a deputy minister from the coalition party especially as regards the foreign ministry, national defence, internal affairs and finance. According to PiS candidate, the present level of interest rates is too high and the zloty too strong.

Warsaw, Oct.3: Two of the five pillars presented by prime ministerial candidate Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz on Saturday are a step in the right direction, while the rest are socialist thinking, according to the chief expert of the Lewiatan confederation of private employers (PKPP). Malgorzata Krzysztoszek said Monday that the postulates of lower taxes and lower labour costs arising from social insurance contributions were right. She also praised another element of the plan unveiled by Marcinkiewicz Saturday: ensuring a business-friendly legal and administrative environment, doing away with many licences and permits. "The remaining proposals rise serious doubts," she said. The plan rests on five pillars. The first one is development through growing employment and involves such measures as lower taxes, lower labour costs, tax relieves in CIT and PIT, 18 pc tax for small and medium size firms, financial preferences tied to job creation. The second is friendly business legislation, calling for simplified procedures, fewer licenses, more efficient courts. The third is higher investments and provides for setting up an Investment Agency. The fourth is monetary and financial policy "enhancing growth, not just fighting inflation." The fifth is housing construction drive under which 3 million new flats are to be built over the coming 8 years. Citibank Polska chief economist Katarzyna Zajdel-Kurowska perceives the five pillars as the element of the ongoing election campaign. "As long as we do not know the outcome of the presidential elections it is hard for me to believe in this plan," she told PAP Monday. "It may be Marcinkiewicz's own plan based on PiS election programme," she added. The head of IBnGR market economy research institute Bohdan Wyznikiewicz says the plan is "very sensible, but very difficult to implement." Referring to the "friendly administration" postulate Wyznikiewicz notes that there are many examples of past drives to reform the administration which failed due to the conservatism and ill-will of administration workers.

Warsaw, Oct. 3: Member of the European Parliament of the Civic Platform (PO) Jacek Saryusz-Wolski believes that Poland's foreign policy should be bolder though general directions of it should be pursued. The name of the MEP is mentioned as a possible candidate for the future foreign minister. However, speaking to Radio Zet on Monday Saryusz-Wolski denied he had been proposed to take over the office. "I am the candidate of the PO but everything depends on the programme, names will be dealt with later," he said. According to Saryusz-Wolski, the best policy vis-a-vis Russia would be a "good western policy" pursued via EU institutions. He stressed that Poland should have influence on final decisions towards Russia. Commenting on the German-Russian gas pipeline in the context of Poland's power supplies security he stressed the need for the diversification of gas supplies and a possibility to return to a contract with Norway. He also said that President Aleksander Kwasniewski's candidacy for the successive U.N. secretary general was "very good for Poland."

Luxembourg, Oct.3: Although Poland has used only a small fraction of the EU funds allocated to Poland for the years 2004-2006, this should not be an argument in the budget negotiations, said minister of European affairs Jaroslaw Pietras here Monday. The slow absorption of EU cohesion funds by Poland results in a large part from the Polish environmental legislation which does not conform to EU standards. Some 1 bn euros in EU funds allocated in 2004 are still blocked for this reason. "Slow absorption should not be used by our EU partners as an argument" in talks on the budget for 2007-2013, minister Pietras declared Monday. "Higher absorption should be a priority of the new cabinet," he added. Poland received 12 bn euros in cohesion and structural funds for the years 2004-2006. The money is used to finance development of poor regions, job creation, road building and environment protection. There are 9 provisions in the Polish environment protection legislation adopted last July which the EU Commission describes as dubious. Poland and the Commission have divergent views on the law. A meeting on the issue was scheduled in Brussels for early October. "Five of the provisions (can be clarified) by means of interpretation," Pietras claimed Monday.

Luxembourg, Oct 3: Poland is for starting talks with Turkey on the scheduled date, Minister for European affairs Jaroslaw Pietras said during a debate of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg. He stressed however that the Polish delegation though maintaining its position "will not get actively involved in negotiations. "It's hard to be active for the government that is stepping down," he said. According to Pietras the EU long-term budget for 2007-2013 would be the best solution for Poland as short-term budgets do not give certainty and are not predictable as regards means for projects implemented from EU funds. "If the European Union reaches an agreement on the budget for 2007-2013 next year the limit of cohesion and structural funds for Poland may go up even by 8 bn euros owing to a more favourable euro rate," he explained.

Minsk, Oct. 3: President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenka has sent condolences to President Aleksander Kwasniewski in connection with the bus crash near Bialystok, eastern Poland, last Friday morning, presidential press service in Belarus reported on Monday. Twelve people, including 9 students, died and more than 40 were injured in the crash, in one of the most tragic accidents ever on Polish roads. The bus, carrying some 50 Bialystok high school students on a pilgrimage to Czestochowa, caught fire after crashing with a truck and another bus and burned down completely.

Warsaw, Oct. 3: Gross privatisation revenues were 2,306.68 million zlotys on September 30, or 40.70 percent of the sum envisioned in the budget law, the Treasury Ministry reported on Monday. The net revenues totalled 1,696.13 million zlotys, or 38.21 percent of the budget plan.

Warsaw, Oct. 3: The Polish Oil and Gas Mining (PGNiG) does not exclude the possibility of motioning the power sector regulatory office URE for raising gas prices, the company reported in a statements issued Monday. If the proposal is accepted new prices will take effect as of January 2006. Gas prices went up by 7.5 percent on October 1, 2005. PGNiG wrote that the 2005 net profit will be at the 2004 level or slightly worse and that financial results for this year will be worse than last year's. In 2004 PGNiG group earned the net profit of 1.1 bn PLN (337.4 USD) according to Polish book-keeping standards.

Warsaw, Oct. 3: Treasury Minister Jacek Socha has resolved that Nafta Polska should pay to the budget 350 mn PLN (107.3 USD) for gains on buying shares in other refineries, the stock exchange Parkiet paper has learnt. The move has been taken in tune with recommendations of the Supreme board of Inspections NIK which checked that Nafta Polska failed to clear previous privatisations and transfer money to the state budget. According to unofficial reports, Nafta Polska received 250 mn PLN for shares in Petrobaltik and three southern refineries. This means that old arrears amount to some 100 mn PLN. Money from Nafta Polska will go to this year state budget and will be written in it as revenues on privatisation. At the end of September revenues on privatisation were at 2.3 bn PLN out of 5.7 bn envisaged in the annex to the budget law.

Warsaw, Oct. 3: The law on return of VAT on construction materials takes effect in three months. Firms have already offered services without invoice ensuring customers they will pay less and investor will get the return spent on VAT anyway, writes Rzeczpospolita daily. Such offers are possible because the regulations of the law cannot be termed otherwise like botched and often erroneous. This encourages firms and customers to skip regulations and depriving the budget of part of revenues, the paper writes. According to the paper the law which was aimed at limiting the grey zone in the construction sector boosts crime in practice as, under its regulations, invoices can be taken during the purchase of materials but should be avoided in service-rendering.

Warsaw, Oct. 3: The Finance Ministry expects the inflation to grow to 1.9 percent in September from 1.6 percent in August, the ministry said in a communique on Monday. "The Finance Ministry estimates that the prices of consumer's goods and services went up in September by 0.4 percent as compared to August. This means that the growth of consumer's prices may stand at around 1.9 percent in September," the Ministry reported.

Cracow, Oct. 3: A promotion campaign of Cracow was launched simultaneously in Germany and Poland on Monday, to continue through end of October. This is the first campaign on a such a large scale undertaken by the local authorities. Katarzyna Gadek of the Cracow City Office said the campaign will be run in German media and on billboards installed in the cities which have low-fare air connections with Cracow: Berlin, Dortmund, Stuttgart, Cologne and Hamburg. The Polish campaign will be addressed to visitors coming to Cracow for weekends. "The campaign under the motto 'No time to sleep in Cracow' will encourage tourists to visit not only Cracow's architectural monuments and historical sites but also enjoy the city by night at restaurants and pubs, Gadek said. Six million 400 thousand tourists visited Cracow last year. The city authorities expect 30 percent more this year which is to be a record one as regards the number of visitors coming to see the. Wawel Castle and Cracow's other treasures.

Lodz, Oct.3: Dell Inc. may decide to invest in the city of Lodz or in its vicinity, PAP learnt. Deputy chief of PAIiIZ state foreign investment agency Sebastian Mikosz confirmed Monday that talks were under way with Dell on an investment project in Poland. He declined to give more details, saying only that a final decision should be reached in three weeks at the latest. Prime minister Marek Belka told newsmen here Sunday that "there is a chance for a giant investment that would be a breakthrough" for the city. Added he: "Don't ask me any questions because I will say nothing more." Belka noted that the deal could be closed still before his cabinet stepped down.

Warsaw, Oct. 3: Agnieszka Odorowicz was nominated first director of the Polish Institute of Film Art PISF. She received the nomination act from Culture Minister Waldemar Dabrowski on Monday following the decision of an 11-member commission which chose Odorowicz unanimously from among 10 candidates. Odorowicz will be PISF director for a 5-year term. The Institute is to prepare yearly plans of activities and annual budgets, may also co-finance film projects and promote film and film culture. Agnieszka Odorowicz, 31, was Culture Ministry commissioner for structural funds in 2003 and under-secretary of state at the Ministry of Culture from August 2004 to September 2005.

posted by: Oborski at 17:15 | link | comments |

Wrasaw, Oct. 4: Donald Tusk's advantage over Lech Kaczynski in the race for presidency has shrunk from 8 to 4 per cent over the past week, according to results of a poll published by Gazeta Wyborcza daily.

The daily writes that Tusk's Civic Platform (PO) is unable to find a remedy for the increasing in strength antiliberal rhetoric by the Kaczynski brothers.

Tusk is losing the support of young people. Before elections Tusk was backed by 56 per cent of people of up to 24 years-of-age, now the support fell to 42 pct.

The daily stresses that the resignation of PSL and LPR candidates, Jaroslaw Kalinowski and Maciej Giertych, would further help Kaczynski as the majority of the two candidates' supporters said they would vote in such situation for the PiS candidate.

Support for Tusk in the possible second round of elections is also sliding down. In early September Tusk was ahead of Kaczynski by 63 to 37 per cent, now the lead is down to 52 to 48 per cent.

Warsaw, Oct. 4: Forty-one percent of Poles support Civic Platform (PO) candidate for president Donald Tusk and 32 percent want Lech Kaczynski of Law and Justice (PiS) to become president, according to the newest poll carried out by TNS OBOP for Fakt daily.

The support for Tusk remained unchanged from Monday while this for Kaczynski rose by 2 percent.

Next comes Andrzej Lepper (Self-defence) with 12 percent followed by Marek Borowski (Social Democratic Party of Poland) with 7 percent.

posted by: Oborski at 16:57 | link | comments |

Bielsko-Biala, Sept. 30: The presidents of the Visegrad Group countries, Czech president Vaclav Klaus, Slovak president Ivan Gasparovic and Hungarian head of state Laslo Solyom, met in Wisla, southern Poland, on Friday at a meeting hosted by President Aleksander Kwasniewski. President Kwasniewski welcomed the guests saying that from the very start of its existence the Group's goal was to help in the development of contacts among people, to open borders and lead the Group's states to European structures. "I'm happy that as a president ending a 10-year tenure I can say that these goals have been achieved", Kwasniewski said. The meeting focused on regionalization and globalization in the European Union and in the world, and challenges for Central and Eastern Europe.The presidents agreed that the EU's institutions needed reforming after enlargement and in view of the future acceptance of further members. They also spoke out for the prompt adoption of an EU budget for 2007-2013.

Wisla, Sept. 30: Outgoing Polish president Aleksander Kwasniewski trusts election winner Law and Justice (PiS) and coalition partner Civic Platform (PO) will manage to form a good government. Kwasniewski, Friday at a Visegrad Group meeting in Wisla, south Poland, said PiS and PO had chances to form a successful cabinet but "would do best" not to let the forthcoming presidential elections dominate their government talks.It won't be good if the presidential election influences the government talks. It would be best for us all if the government debates and the presidential ballot are kept on separate tracks, Kwasniewski said.Asked about the possibility of a PiS coalition with the League of Polish Families (LPR) and Polish Peasant Party (PSL), Kwasniewski said such an alliance would be "exotic, unlasting and unrealistic".

Diwaniyah, Oct. 2: Iraqi PM Ibrahim Djafari on Sunday visited the allied military headquarters in base Echo in Diwaniyah for talks with general Piotr Czerwinski, commanderof the International South-Central Allied Force in Iraq.Thanking Czerwinski for the help given to his country by Poland's army, Djafari said the Iraqis would "never forget your help, for which I thank you very much". Czerwinski informed Djafari about progress in a Polish training project for the new Iraqi army. Present at the meeting were local authorities and Iraqi military officials. The meeting was kept secret for safety reasons.

Warsaw, Sept. 30: The cabinet sent its draft 2006 budget to the Sejm on Friday, the PM's chancellery said Friday. The draft was adopted on Tuesday. The draft budget provides for revenues of 191.3 bn PLN (ca. 60 bn USD) and expenditure of 223.9 bn PLN, leaving a deficit of 32.6 bn PLN. When compiling the document the cabinet assumed that the GDP will grow 4.3 pc in 2006 (vs.3.3 pc this year), inflation will fall to 1.5 pc (from 2.1 pc), and unemployment rate will decrease to 16.9 pc. The candidate for prime minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz (PiS) said his party had already began work on a self-amendment to the 2006 budget to be submitted to the Sejm at the turn of November. "We plan far-going changes including the liquidation of some agencies and funds and shifts in budget items," he told newsmen. "The budget proposed by the outgoing cabinet is a budget of stagnation while we want a budget of growth," he added.

Warsaw, Sept.30: Foreigners from outside the EU who have stayed in Poland for at least 5 years will be able to apply for the EU long-term resident status under the new law on foreigners taking effect Oct.1. To get the status one must have a steady source of income, an insurance and a legal title to a flat or house. The status will be granted by provincial governors for an unlimited period of time. Some 5,000 people annually may apply for the status, chiefly Ukrainians, Russians and Vietnamese, according to estimates of the Office for Repatriation and Foreigners. The same law makes it possible to obtain a Polish entry visa in urgent situations at a border crossing. Such visas can be issued to persons travelling for business, research or training purposes, excluding those looking for employment. The new law also provides for facilitations for crews of ships calling at Polish harbours.

Brussels, Sept. 30: Civic Platform's leader and presidential candidate Donald Tusk met EC head Jose Manuel Barroso in Brussels on Friday to discuss European Union issues, the situation in Belarus and energy policy. Tusk said that a large part of his talks with Barroso concerned the new EU budget. He noted that as regards the budget "the matter of key importance for Poland is not the pace but the outcome" and that he hoped for "European solidarity" that would be materialised through the budget that would allow the poorer countries to catch up with the richer. He said that Borroso showed full understanding for such a position. Also discussed were the situation in Belarus, the energy policy, including plans to build a Russia-Germany gas pipeline, and the EU's common eastern policy, in which Poland would play a "significant role." "We were assured that Europe is not closing its doors to Ukraine," Tusk said. Tusk rejected charges that his visit to Brussels is an element of an election campaign, stressing that it has been organised for two months. "The fact that the EC head meets political leaders after parliamentary elections and also candidates for a very important office in a very important European country is nothing scandalous," he said. Speaking about government formation talks in Poland, Tusk said that further Civic Platform-Law and Justice negotiations will be held when "the partners are ready for very serious talks instead of shouting each other down."

Brussels, Sept.30: Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, Law and Justice candidate for premiership assured Jose Manuel Barroso, the President of the European Commission, that the government under his leadership will be conducting "a very active policy in the EU". "We intend to show our strength in activity on the one hand and on the other in Polish economy and economic growth", Marcinkiewicz told reporters after meeting with Barroso. Law and Justice presidential candidate Lech Kaczynski also attended the meeting. Talks with Barroso also concerned EU's budget and EU's enlargement, Marcinkiewicz explained and added that he assured Barroso of Poland's firm support of services directive (the called Bolkestein's directive).

Gdansk, Oct. 2: Gdansk became Poland's political centre Saturday as presidential candidates Donald Tusk, head of the centrist Civic Platform (PO), and Lech Kaczynski, running for his brother Jaroslaw's election-winning Law and Justice Party (PiS), canvassed support in the city. Law and Justice was first with its convention in Gdansk's Olivia Hall, drawing a crowd of about 3,000. Shortly afterwards Civic Platform commenced with its rally in the Artus Hall. Kaczynski told reporters he had not known Tusk would be campaigning in Gdansk. I give my solemn word of honour that I had no idea, he assured. In his programme Kaczynski laid stress on social justice and civil rights. Referring to his main rival Tusk, he criticized PO's attempts to introduce a liberal political and economic model in Poland, warning that this would make Poland "a republic for the rich". According to Kaczynski Poland's politics and economy should be based on solidarity, not economic liberalism, he also advocated a return to the traditions of the 1980 Solidarity movement. The parliamentary elections have perhaps cracked opened a door to a new reality, which may (...) evolve into a 4th Polish Republic. This 4th Republic, however, must have its doors open wide, Kaczynski said. Kaczynski was seconded by PiS PM designate Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, who said his party's political programme was based on "economic justice". After the convention Marcinkiewicz told reporters that PiS could not imagine a coalition with anyone else but PO. At his rally Tusk agreed that a PiS-PO government would be best for the country and stressed that as president he would be able to oversee that the coalition worked. Explaining why he was running for the post, Tusk said Poles today did not want their president to be a "ruler" but a "civil-minded" overseer. Poland needs a stable authority which finds no satisfaction in squabbling and petty intrigue, he stated. Referring to Kaczynski's election slogan, "A Strong Presidency - An Honest Poland", Tusk argued that he preferred "an honest presidency in a strong Poland". There is no better path to strength than through an honest, decent authority ready to talk with the people. Poles don't want rulers who know everything better, Tusk said.

Opole, Oct. 2: Donald Tusk with the 35-pct support would win the presidential elections if they took place on the first Sunday of October, according to the newest poll conducted by the Polish Survey Group (PGB). The support for the Civic Platform (PO) leader has not changed as compared to earlier surveys.Tusk is closely followed by Lech Kaczynski with the 31-pct support, up 1 pct on the earlier poll. Next come Andrzej Lepper - 17 pct (up 7 pct), Marek Borowski - 11 pct (unchanged), Maciej Giertych - 2 pct (down 4 pct), Jaroslaw Kalinowski - 2 pct (down 3 pct), Henryka Bochniarz - 1 pct (down 1 pct) and Janusz Korwin-Mikke - 1 pct (unchanged). The poll was conducted on September 29-30 on a representative sample of 1,032 adult Poles.

Warsaw, Sept. 30: The state treasury ministry will continue talks on the privatisation of the Kozienice power station with six investors, i.e. all bidders who submitted binding offers to buy shares in the company, the ministry said Friday. The six include the following: CEZ as, Endesa Europe SL, Enea SA, Iberdrola SA, PCC AG, Vattenfall AB.The winner will buy some 50 pc of shares in the company. The privatisation plan for Kozienice calls for a part of its shares to be offered to the public at the Warsaw Stock Exchange in November.

Warsaw, Sept. 30: The Monetary Policy Council (RPP) said it would continue pursuing the present direct inflation target in conditions of a floating exchange rate next year. The RPP published its guidelines for monetary policy in 2006 here Friday. The RPP said that the direct inflation target could be pursued until Poland joined the ERM2 currency mechanism or until the end of the Council's present term. "After bringing inflation down to a low level the RPP assumed an inflation target of 2.5 pc (plus or minus 1 pc) in 2004. The horizon of its validity can be Poland's entry into ERM2 or the expiry of the term of office of the Council," the RPP said. The Council added it was pursuing the target in conditions of a floating exchange rate that should be maintained until Poland joined ERM2.

Warsaw, Sept. 30: The deficit in the current account reached 528 m euros in the 2nd quarter year, compared with 999 m in the 1st, the central bank announced Friday. In relation to the GDP the deficit reached 1.0 pc. Compared with year-ago figures the deficit improved by 2.434 bn euros, the bank said. The deficit in commodity trade narrowed by 1.003 bn euros, the surplus in current transfers increased by 929 m euros, the surplus in services rose by 391 m euros and the surplus in incomes rose 111 m euros. Exports of goods reached 18.806 bn euros in the 2nd quarter, while imports reached 19.496 bn. This means a rise in exports of 12.3 pc over the year-ago figure, and a rise in imports of 5.7 pc.

Warsaw, Sept. 30: The public finance sector debt rose 3.5 pc at the end of June, 2005, or by 15.8 bn PLN (ca. 4.3 bn USD), reaching 465.5 bn PLN, the finance ministry said Friday. The debt rose 7.7 pc since the start of this year. The domestic debt rose 1.0 pc, to 338.3 bn PLN, while foreign debt rose 10.8 pc, to 127.2 bn PLN. This means rises of 5.9 pc and 12.8 pc, respectively, since the beginning of the year.

Warsaw, Sept. 30: The corporate foreign debt rose to 41.5 bn euros in the 2nd quarter year, from 40.9 bn euros in the 1st, the central bank announced Friday. Poland's overall foreign debt rose to 102.2 bn euros, from 96.3 bn euros at the end of the 1st quarter year. Long-term debt rose to 83.5 bn euros, from 77.1 bn, while short-term debt rose to 18.8 bn, from 18.4 bn.

Warsaw, Sept. 30: The prices of natural gas go up as of Oct. 1. Prices paid by wholesalers will increase by 4.3 pc on the average, while those paid by individuals will grow by some 3 pc. The rise was approved by the URE regulatory watchdog in mid-September. The rise is caused by higher prices for imported gas bought by PGNiG, the national monopolist. It will be the third price rise this year. The first one was introduced Jan. 1, the second in July.

Lodz, Sept. 30: Sirmax of Italy and Fuji Seal Poland of Japan will build production plants in the Lodz special economic zone in the coming months. The combined value of their investments will reach 55 m euros, according to the management of the Lodz special zone. The construction of Fuji Seal Poland's new factory will start in Kutno next month. The plant will make labels and assemble machinery for labelling bottles. The project is worth at least 40 m euros. It will be completed next year. The company will employ 250 people by the end of 2008. Sirmax Polska will build a production facility to make polypropylene/mineral mixes for use in white goods and automobile industries. The goal is to make the Lodz zone-based plant a leading supplier for the entire east-central Europe. The project is worth 15 m euros and the plant will employ 50 workers. Production will start in September, 2006.

Warsaw, Sept. 30: Lewiatan Business Angels, an organization of private investors offering financial aid to young enterprisers founded by the Lewiatan Confederation of Private Employers, was officially opened Friday in Warsaw.The project's supervisor Michal Olszewski said Business Angels currently numbered 29 members. The organization plans to support small companies without chances for bank loans.According to Olszewski the organization could number about 100 members by the end of next year.

Warsaw, Sept.30: A Polish-Spanish agreement on the setting up of cultural institutes has been signed by Boguslaw Zaleski, Foreign Ministry Under-Secretary of State and Rafael Mendivil Peydro, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain to Poland."Our efforts were fruitful as we all had something from Don Kichot. The agreement is destined to broaden the spectrum of promotion of Poland and Spain", Zaleski said during the Friday ceremony. The agreement, among other, foresees the independent functioning of the Cervantes Institute in Warsaw with agencies also outside Warsaw. The agreement envisages the opening of the Polish Institute in Madrid. "Since Polish accession to EU Poland has become one of the places of growing interest for Spain", Zaleski emphasised. The role of the institutes revolves around the organisation of language courses, cultural entertainment, cooperation with schools as regards language methodology, maintenance of libraries and websites.

Warsaw, Oct. 2: Otylia Jedrzejczak, Olympic gold-medal-winning swimmer is in good condition and was moved to a hospital in Warsaw from Plock where she was rushed on Saturday after a car crash in which her brother was killed instantly. Jedrzejczak is expected to recover after three or four months of physiotherapy, according to Dr Wlodzimierz Nowatorski, chief surgeon at the hospital in Plock. The accident occurred some 40 kilometres north-west of Warsaw on Saturday evening, when Jedrzejczak failed to overtake several cars, veered into a ditch to avoid an oncoming car and crashed into a tree. Otylia suffered only minor spinal injuries that do notrequire surgery and a head wound that has been stitched up, Dr Robert Smigielski, Poland's national swimming team physician told a press conference on Sunday. Jedrzejczak won butterfly gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics and this year's World Swimming Championships inMontreal.

posted by: Oborski at 23:15 | link | comments |

According to the latest TNS OBOP opinion poll, which was commissioned by public television station TVP, the Civic Platform's (PO) Donald Tusk leads the presidential race with 40.3% support. Law & Justice (PiS) candidate Lech Kaczynski is second with 33.6% support.

It appears Kaczynski got a bounce from PiS' Parliamentary election victory. Before last Sunday's elections, Kaczynski had support hovering around 25% while Tusk was at about 49%.

About 11.7% of poll respondents said they would vote for populist Andrzej Lepper of the Samoobrona (Self-Defense) party. Marek Borowski, formerly of the post-communist SLD party, is running as a Social Democracy of Poland (SdPL) candidate and currently has 8.8% support.

The OBOP survey was conducted on September 30 - October 1 on a representative sample of 1,512 adult voters

posted by: Oborski at 12:11 | link | comments |

Talks between the two winning parties in September Parliamentary elections were broken off for the short-term on Friday, as the potential junior coalition partner, the Civic Platform (PO), called for a cooling off period and the senior partner, Law & Justice (PiS), pretended to engage in talks with other parties concerning the shape of the next government.

PO leader and presidential candidate Donald Tusk asked for a cooling-off period after an initial round of televised coalition talks Thursday ended after little more than procedural bickering.

Tusk called for a break "for heads to cool" and a resumption of coalition talks "when the partners are ready to not shout at each other, but to conduct very serious talks."

First and foremost, who asked for the coalition meetings to be televised? How was this a good idea? Of course, each party will be posturing.

"If the politicians are supposed to quarrel on account of the presidential elections while creating a government, then it would be best if they don't do this for the next several days, because the last thing a new coalition needs is exaggerated emotions," Tusk said.

PiS caucus leader Ludkwik Dorn shot back that PiS would begin talks with other parliamentary clubs about the shape of the new government. And no more televised coalition talks, Dorn insists.

Dorn rejected any notion that coalition talks should be put off until the presidential vote is in.

"Our offer to PO is still in effect and on the table," Dorn said, reiterating that his party had no alternative to a coalition with the PO.

PiS won last Sunday's general election and will take 155 seats in the 460-seat lower house of Parliament, the Sejm. The PO came in second and will hold 133 seats.

Poles go to the polls (a fun little play on words) to select a president on October 9th and will vote in a run-off on October 23 if no candidate gains an outright majority. Importantly, there are many enjoyable plays on words to this year's election winners. It is likely Poland will have a PO/PiS coalition. The word "popis" means "to show off." If Donald Tusk is elected president and Jaroslaw Kaczynski (of PiS) is named Prime Minister, then Poland would be led by the Donald Duck coalition (the Kaczynski brothers are frequently referred to as Kaczory, or ducks in English).

posted by: Oborski at 12:09 | link | comments |

Latest Opinion Poll shows Tusk – 43%, Kaczyński – 32%, Lepper - 13%, Borowski - 7%, Kalinowski - 2%, Ilasz - 1%, Korwin-Mikke - 1%, Giertych - 1%, Bochniarz - 0%.

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