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Published by: Jargon Media Sp. z o.o. Index Number: 236683 ISSN: 1898-4762 NO. 38 WWW.KRAKOWPOST.COM FEBRUARY 7-FEBRUARY 13, 2008 Poland looks to Silesia for energy diversification Poland among top EU-supporters Poland ranks near the top of the EU nations whose citizens are big supporters of the EU. Seventy-one percent of Poles see EU membership as a plus 2 Tusk and Kaczynski: Marriage from Hell To many observers, the scrapping between PM Donald Tusk and President Lech Kaczynski has taken on the character of a poorly scripted farce 3

Developers present plans for stadium UEFA is wary about whether the infrastructure will be in place in time for Poland and Ukraine’s hosting of the Euro 2012 5

Harry Potter Choir Although Polish coal production has fallen steadily since the late 1980s, when it was heavily subsidized, Poland is still the biggest producer of hard coal in Europe. LUK Agency to sing in Krakow Kinga Rodkiewicz Poland to have less than 1,200 megawatts The world-renowned London STAFF JOURNALIST of the project’s 3,200-megawatt capacity, Oratory School “Schola” choir however – so Poland has yet to sign the Poland wants to become less dependent partnership agreement. It wants more of will visit Krakow next week 11 on its main source of energy – air-polluting the plant’s output. coal – because of EU emissions require- Preliminary estimates are that the four ments. countries will spend 2.4 bln to 4 bln euro Penderecki’s album One step it is trying is being part of a on the project. four-nation nuclear-power project. Another The Baltic countries, which regained triumphs in Cannes is an attempt to convince Russia to lay a their independence from the collapsing So- natural-gas pipeline in Poland and nearby viet Union in 1991, rely heavily on Russian The album “Capriccio” has won countries rather than in the Baltic Sea. energy. Like ex-Communist Poland, they a prize at the Midem Classical Because Poland has the largest coal re- see the nuclear plant as a way to reduce award ceremony in Cannes 12 serves in Europe, the government hopes Moscow’s ability to use energy blackmail that over the long term it will be able to against them. find cleaner coal-burning technology. Russia has temporarily cut off energy Reach your clients before The EU wants to cut carbon dioxide supplies to neighbors whose policies it they set foot in Krakow. emissions in member countries by 20 per- disliked. The political message was unmis- The Krakow Post is cent by the year 2020. It also wants the takable: Play ball with us or it will happen amount of renewable energy used in mem- again. The nuclear plant’s planners hope currently available ber countries to rise from the 5 percent of to have it on line by 2015, although some on board flights of 2005 to 7.5 percent by 2010. experts have suggested that 2017 to 2020 LOT, Brussels Coal is the source of almost all of Po- would be more realistic. and Lufthansa land’s electricity production and district Some Polish politicians who have been heating. unhappy with the amount of electricity that airlines The country has reserves that will last Lithuania is offering Poland have proposed 400 years. Most are in three basins – Upper a nuclear plant in Poland. Many Poles op- Silesia, Lower Silesia and Lublin. pose the idea, however, remembering the Although Polish coal production has 1986 disaster at Chernobyl in neighboring fallen steadily since the late 1980s, when Ukraine. Radioactive fallout from Cher- it was heavily subsidized, Poland is still the nobyl fell in Poland. biggest producer of hard coal in Europe. Poland’s hopes for maintaining or in- One way Poland is trying to move away creasing its natural-gas supplies hinge from coal is joining Lithuania, Latvia and largely on hopes to soon convince Moscow Estonia in a nuclear power project that will be built in Lithuania. Lithuania wants See ENERGY on Page 14 2 The Krakow Post POLAND FEBRUARY 7-FEBRUARY 13

R E G I O N A L N E W S Czech WWII wartime hero Poland, Jan Paroulek dies Poland among top Distinguished Czech World War II veteran Jan Paroulek has died in hospital at the age of 85, the U.S. agree CTK agency reported late last week. Paroulek fought in the liberation of Europe after escaping to Britain from France at the start of the war, aged 17. He was later made a Knight of the EU-supporting nations in principle Legion of Honor by the French state, awarded the Czech medal for heroism and Honored with the pro- motion to brigadier-general in 2005 for his wartime action. on military Like many of his counterparts who fought with

the western allies, Paroulek was later persecuted by Daniel Szysz the Communist regime after it gained power in his country in 1948. He was dismissed from the army and was given two prison sentences, one a 12-year cooperation punishment, of which he served 10 years, for alleged spying and treason. agence france-presse Paroulek died in hospital in the eastern Czech city of Prerov after a long illness. (AFP) Poland said late last week it has reached an “agreement in principle” with Washing- U.S. citizen stabbed to death in ton on modernizing its air defenses as part Prague suburb: police of talks to deploy a controversial U.S. mis- A 45-year old U.S. citizen was stabbed to death in sile shield on Polish territory. a Prague suburb late last week, police said. Amid concerns about the potential risks “The man received stab wounds,” Prague police of hosting U.S. missile interceptors, War- spokesman Ladislav Bernasek told AFP, adding that saw has been pressing the U.S. to help up- he died on the spot from his wounds. grade the Polish armed forces, and notably A 27-year-old man, who has not been identified, to boost the country’s air-defense system. was later arrested, he added. Police refused to confirm media reports that the “We are not at the end of the road as re- victim was an off duty soldier and the attacker a po- gards negotiations,” Poland’s visiting For- lice officer, apparently drunk on duty. eign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said when The U.S. embassy said it was checking reports of asked if he had received reassurances about the incident. (AFP) U.S. aid to modernize Polish air defenses. Russia criticizes Western “We’re in the middle of the road. We have an agreement in principle,” Sikorski pressure on Belarus told a press conference with U.S. Secretary Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticized of State Condoleezza Rice. Western countries late last week for putting pressure “There is still a great deal of work for on Belarus, considered “the last dictatorship in Eu- our experts,” he added. rope” by the U.S. “And, as I mentioned, the prime minister Meeting his Belarusian counterpart Sergei Mar- and the president will approve of whatever tynov in Minsk, Lavrov said that Western diplomatic Poland entered the Schengen Zone on Dec. 21. is done in the meantime, but yes, I’m satis- and economic sanctions against Belarus were “coun- fied that the principles we have argued for terproductive and short-sighted.” Michal Wojtas Twenty-one percent of Poles in the latest sur- fallen substantially in the last two years has led have been accepted,” Sikorski said. “We are concerned about the pressure on Belarus staff journalist vey said they don’t trust the EU and 11 percent to Poles listing health care, and not joblessness, as Prime Minister Donald Tusk recently from certain Western countries, which is aimed at were undecided. their Number 1 concern. changing the political system in the republic,” Lav- demanded extra U.S. security guarantees Poland continues to rank near the top of the EU Poles’ trust in the EU is much higher than it is in Seventy-four percent listed unemployment as rov said. should Poland host the shield, possibly in The U.S. last year blacklisted Belarus’s petro- nations whose citizens are big supporters of the their own governmental institutions. Last autumn their biggest concern in 2004, 71 percent in 2005 EU. only 10 percent said they trust their parliament – a and 68 percent in the fall of 2006. Last fall only the form of a Patriot missile air defense chemical monopoly Belneftekhim and has imposed system similar to one already deployed in visa bans against Belarusian leaders. The EU has Seventy-one percent of Poles see EU member- record-low among EU countries. 32 percent of Poles listed joblessness as their main also set visa bans. ship as a plus and 62 percent say they trust the The coalition government of then-Prime Min- concern, however. neighboring NATO-member Germany. Russia is one of the few supporters of authoritar- EU’s institutions and leadership, according to the ister Jaroslaw Kaczynski didn’t fare much better. Health care has become the top concern, with In an interview published in Warsaw, ian Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, latest Eurobarometer survey. It was conducted Only 17 percent of Poles said they trusted Kac- half of the Poles surveyed in the fall of 2007 list- Sikorski said Poland wants a bilateral mili- who has also sought to forge ties with anti-U.S. among citzens of all EU countries between Sep- zynski’s Law and Justice Party-led government, ing it as their biggest worry. tary accord with the U.S. if it agrees to host leaderships in Iran and Venezuela. tember and November 2007. which ended up taking a trouncing in elections in The percentage of Poles who say they are satis- elements of a U.S. missile shield. “Belarus believes that the criticism and unilateral He said the accord should be separate measures of force are unfounded. We are trying to Only four countries’ citizens show more sup- late October. fied with their lives remains slightly below the EU neutralize these issues so that the economic sanc- port for the EU – Luxemburg, with 82 percent; the Poles also are the EU’s biggest backers of the average. Seventy-six percent of Poles say they are from Poland’s affiliation with the U.S. as tions are removed,” Martynov said. (AFP) Netherlands, with 79 percent; Belgium, with 74 notion that the EU should continue to be enlarged, satisfied, compared with 80 percent EU-wide. The joint members of NATO. percent; and Ireland, with 74 percent. with 76 percent voicing support. The average EU Polish figure is just one percentage point lower Sikorski told Rzeczpospolita that Po- Czech president calls EU climate The lowest backing was Britain’s 34 percent. score was only 46 percent. than in early 2007. land’s agreement to host the missile shield measures tragic mistake The average level of support for the 27 countries Austrians showed the lowest support, 24 per- Scandinavians are the happiest EU citizens, “depends on the course of negotiations.” in the EU was 58 percent. cent. Germans were close behind, giving the idea with 98 percent of Danes, 96 percent of Swedes Washington and Warsaw are in talks Right-wing Czech President Vaclav Klaus Although Poles’ level of trust in the EU remains of enlargement only 28 percent support. and 95 percent of Finns saying they are satisfied regarding the possible installation of 10 slammed the EU’s sweeping new measures to fight interceptor missile sites in Poland by 2012 climate change as a “tragic mistake” in an interview high, it dropped six percentage points from the 68 Poles are becoming more skeptical about mak- with their lives. Norwegians are not in the EU. with a German newspaper late last week. percent recorded in early 2007 to the 62 percent ing the euro their national currency, however. The lowest satisfaction scores come from new to ward off potential attacks by so-called “I believe that our government and others will seen in the September-November survey. It is Only 49 percent support the idea, compared with members of the EU. Only 38 percent of Bulgar- “rogue states,” notably Iran. stand up against these bureaucratic ideas,” Klaus still almost double the 33 percent of Poles who 54 percent in early 2007. ians are happy, followed by Romanians at 49 per- The plan, which calls for associated radar told the Handelsblatt business daily. said they trusted the EU in 2004, the year Poland EU citizens’ backing as a whole is 61 percent. cent, Hungarians at 52 percent and Portuguese at stations in the Czech Republic, is strongly “This package is without doubt a tragic mistake, a joined. The fact that unemployment in Poland has 55 percent. opposed by Russia. misunderstanding of nature and an unnecessary lim- itation of human activity,” the outspoken Euroceptic leader added. “For me it is almost a tragedy.” Klaus has previously compared German Chancel- lor Angela Merkel’s pro-environmental platform to Soviet-era centralized planning and described evi- dence of global warming as bogus. Ukrainians block border crossing with Poland He said the measures presented by the European Commission would threaten economic growth and agence france-presse limit personal freedom. The energy blueprint is designed to cut carbon di- Some 50 Ukrainian protest- oxide emissions by 20 percent by 2020, compared to ers early this week blocked a 1990 levels, by setting targets for industry. crossing point on the border It also stipulates that the use of renewable ener- with Poland calling on the gies like biomass, wind and solar power have to Poles to ease visa require- make up 20 percent of all energy forms by 2020. ments. The EU aims to enact the new measures by the The protest took place in spring of 2009. the Lviv region in western The Czech Republic is due to hold the rotating Ukraine, where the demon- EU presidency for the first half of 2009, followed by strators blocked the only road Sweden. The Czech parliament will next week begin serving the Rava-Ruska bor- to elect a new president as Klaus’s term expires in der crossing, according to a March. He faces a challenge from Czech-American spokeswoman for the regional professor Jan Svejnar. (AFP) border guards, Tetiana Guera- simtchuk. Ukraine grants political asylum Last month there were simi- lar protests along the border to Russian reporter by Ukrainians demanding that A Russian opposition newspaper journalist, Alex- Kiev and Warsaw sign an ac- ander Kosvintsev, has been granted political asylum cord that would allow border in Ukraine, officials said late last week. residents to enter Poland with- Kosvintsev will have most rights afforded to out needing a visa. Ukraine’s citizens, not including the right to vote, an Kiev hopes to conclude such officer of the state migration service in Lviv region an accord at the end of this told journalists. Kosvintsev worked as editor in chief month during a visit to Ukraine at the western Siberian Kemerovo region’s newspaper by Poland’s new prime minis- Rossiyski Reporter and published investigations of ter, Donald Tusk. corruption and criminal activities involving regional In December Poland joined authorities. He applied for asylum in Ukraine in Feb- Europe’s open borders Schen- ruary 2007, claiming to be the victim of intimidation gen zone, comprising 22 EU in Russia. The Lviv regional assembly’s chairman members states plus Iceland Myroslav Senyk pledged to help the reporter, whose and Norway. At the same time, articles “made it clear that corrupt Russian authorities Warsaw made it tougher for decided to punish an independent journalist.” Ukrainians to obtain visas. Kosvintsev also worked at Russian opposition Those living in western newspaper Novaya Gazeta, whose correspondent Ukraine had been used to trav- Anna Politkovskaya, who covered the Chechen con- eling to Poland to work and flict and criticized the poor human rights record in the conduct business, often on the republic, was murdered in October 2006. (AFP) black market. Kyiv, Ukraine. FEBRUARY 7-FEBRUARY 13 POLAND The Krakow Post 3 Dozens Theologians want to examine Respected charged with diplomat corruption Tomasz Weclawski’s writings Stefan Meller ings that could be considered radical. at driving Prof. Tomasz Weclawski. For that reason, theologians will exam- ine his work to make sure it is consistent dies aged 65 with church doctrine, according to Pawel Bortkiewicz, dean of theology at Adam agence france-presse school Mickiewicz University. Professor Bortkiewicz emphasized that Stefan Meller, a respected senior the decision to analyze the writings is nei- diplomat and former foreign minister ther a witch hunt nor censorship. passed away in Warsaw at the age of 65 “It is just about checking if the ideas at- after suffering from cancer, his family tributed to Weclawski in the article are real told AFP early this week. or not, nothing more,” Bortkiewicz added. “From 2004 he was fighting cancer. If the analysis reveals that Weclawski’s He passed away in a hospital in the eve- writings contradict church teaching, the ning,” his son, Marcin Meller, said. university will stop recommending them Born in Lyon, France, in June 1942 to to students, he said. “Of course we are not a family of Polish Jews, Meller served going to burn them on a pile or move them as Poland’s foreign affairs minister in out of the library,” he said. the conservative government of Prime Tygodnik Powszechny said Weclawski’s Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz be- writings depicted Christ as a religious re- tween 2005-06. former and founder of a radical movement He quit his post after a populist and who had failed as a faith leader. an extreme-right party entered the gov- The leader of the Roman Catholic ernment. A historian, Stefan Meller first served Church in Poznan, Archbishop Curie, criti- in the Foreign Ministry in 1992, in the cized the article, saying it contained many wake of the 1989 collapse of commu- misstatements. nism in Poland. Between 1995-96 he agence france-presse He also contended that the magazine’s served as deputy minister of foreign af- interpretations of Weclawski’s work were A total 51 driving examiners, instructors fairs and later as Poland’s ambassador flawed, not reflecting what the priest really to Moscow and Paris. and students have been charged with corrup- said. tion in a criminal probe at a driving school His family arrived in France prior to in the western Polish city of Poznan, a pros- The theologians who analyze We- the Holocaust. His grandfather died in ecutor said late last week. clawski’s writings will try to determine if a Nazi German concentration camp in “Via their driving instructors, students the magazine’s interpretations were cor- Drancy, near Paris. gave bribes (to examiners) in exchange for rect. Both a francophone and a franco- easy-to-pass driving tests,” Poznan district Weclawski was born in 1952 in Poznan. phile, he displayed particular attach- prosecutor Magdalena Mazur-Prus told the In 1973, after two years of studying at a ment to his French roots, even writing a Polish PAP news agency. technical university, he began studying at book about the French Revolution. “Bribes were a minimum 700 zloty (195 Archbishop Seminary in Poznan. Having moved to Poland after the euro, $285),” she explained. Nearly 100 people have been detained in He became a priest in 1979 and obtained war, Meller fell victim to the 1968 anti- connection with the probe into wrong-doing a master’s degree in theology a few years Semitic campaign of the then Commu- at the Poznan-based driving school. Under later. nist authorities, which saw Polish Jews the Polish criminal code, bribe-taking car- He was one of a handful of priests who banned from higher posts. ries a penalty of up to 10 years behind bars. defended Archbishop Juliusz Paetz against Meller made a living teaching French, An EU member since 2004, formerly accusations that Paetz had sexually abused after losing his post at the Warsaw Uni- Communist Poland figures 61st, along with Joanna Zabierek last month. young priests. versity’s international affairs institute. Cuba and Tunisia, on the 2007 corruption staff journalist The weekly Catholic newspaper Ty- The church’s handling of the Paetz He was able to return to the university perception index (CPI) by corruption watch- in 1974. After the Communist party’s dog body Transparency International. godnik Powszechny broke the story of matter may have been one of the reasons Theologians from outside Poznan’s Father Tomasz Weclawski’s departure. He Weclawski decided to leave the church on 1981 martial law clamp-down on the The index ranks countries based on sur- fledgling Solidarity freedom move- veys of perceived levels of corruption. Den- Adam Mickiewicz University will analyze declined to discuss his reasons with the Dec. 21, 2007. ment, Meller regularly wrote for the un- mark took top spot in 2007 as the world’s the writings of an influential Roman Cath- newspaper, but noted that it could find an Weclaski’s decision jolted many Polish least corrupt state, while at number 179, olic priest and Mickiewicz faculty member explanation in his writings. Catholics, who had seen Weclawski as a derground press using a pseudonym. A widower, he is survived by three Somalia was ranked as the globe’s most who left the church without explanation The newspaper found ideas in his writ- moral and spiritual authority. graft-ridden state. children. Poland in vitro discussion continues

What’s On? John Marshall staff journalist Check out As reported in The Krakow Post (Dec. 8), Health Minister Ewa Kopacz had announced last November that the government would sponsor a plan to finance in vitro fertilization for infertile Polish cou- our weekly ples currently unable to pay for the process. The issue of IVF fertility treatment is hotly debated in Poland. Re- cently, the highly-influential Polish Church published an open letter entertainment in which bishops reiterated the teaching on in vitro fertilization as a sophisticated form of abortion. “Even the strongest desire to have children cannot justify the expense of dozens of other innocent lives,” listings at: it argued. With the people, the government and the Church holding sometimes quite differing positions, the government set up a special www.krakowpost.com committee to examine the question in detail. However, in a move that may upset some younger voters, the government later stated that it would not be able to subsidize the procedure, citing the lack of relevant laws under which to redis- tribute health funds, as announced by Polish Press Agency (PAP) in January. Poland, a European Union member and subject to European law, is in fact currently in breach of several EU directives stipulating that member states ensure the careful monitoring and safety of reproduc- tive cells. It is Poland’s failure to ratify such directives that, accord- ing to the Minister, currently disallows the allocation of public funds for IVF treatment. Aware of the financial plight of some of its potential clients, one Polish clinic, InviMedu (in co-operation with Lukas Bank), has be- gun offering loans to couples, covering 50% of the treatment costs. While the numbers of enquiries for such loans is relatively small at the moment, the introduction of such financial assistance may be crucial for the many Polish couples desperate to have a child through IVF. The government’s citing of the unratified EU direc- tives may be regarded as either coincidence or convenience. What it certainly is not is the end of the debate: Poland’s lack of com- pliance could eventually lead to it being referred to the European Tribunal of Justice. See IN VITRO on Page 9 4 The Krakow Post POLAND FEBRUARY 7-FEBRUARY 13

R E G I O N A L N E W S U.S. missile shield to keep an Tusk and Kaczynski: Marriage from Hell eye on Russian weapon he was greeted by a stony glare. standing dispute over pay and working condi- Russia’s deputy foreign minister accused the tions, the Doctor’s Trade Union (OZZL) turned U.S. late last week of seeking to deploy an anti- Act 3: Special Forces to the president last month for help. Kaczyn- missile shield in Europe in order to “keep an eye” ski used his powers under the Constitution to on Moscow’s nuclear weapons. www.prezydent.pl One of Tusk’s first decisions when he as- create an extraordinary advisory body, the so- “There is no good reason today to explain the sumed power was to dismiss Antoni Maciere- called “Rada Gabinetowa,” that would in theo- need to deploy this system, if it is not to keep an wicz, vice minister of defense under Jaroslaw ry help the battling sides in the dispute come to eye on the Russian deterrent system,” said Sergei Kaczynski and chairman of the Counteres- an agreement over the sticking points. Kislyak, cited by Interfax news agency. pionage Commission. As soon as Macierewicz The deliberations have been racked so far by Kislyak said the U.S. had in October offered the possibility for Russian officers to be present was unceremoniously plucked from his posi- bitter grievances emanating from both parties. at the proposed U.S. anti-missile shield sites in tion of influence, sensitive documents that had Tusk moaned that the president had made no the Czech Republic and Poland. been in the possession of the commission were attempt to consult with the government over But he said those proposals had never been whisked off to the Presidential Palace. The the issue, but subsequent comments made by formulated in writing. Palace disingenuously claimed that they were Kaczynski suggest that he took matters into his “Also, our specialists’ presence at the sites car- merely making available extra office space for own hands, because he felt that the government ries no automatic guarantee,” the deputy minister the commission and hadn’t thought to question were clueless. said. “The anti-missile shield can be quickly acti- what it might be used for. It appears, however, vated and targeted.” that Macierewicz was soliciting the help of Act 6: Itemized Phone Bills The U.S. is currently negotiating with Prague the President’s Office in a desperate attempt and Warsaw on the possible installation of 10 in- to cover his tracks. To make matters worse, an Another flare up occurred Jan. 23 after terceptor missile sites in Poland by 2012 and as- annex to a report penned by Macierewicz on a CASA military transport plane crashed in sociated radar stations in the Czech Republic. the Special Forces seems to have got “lost” in Miroslawiec, killing the 4 flight crew and 16 Washington says the shield is needed to de- the move. New Justice Minister Zbigniew Cwi- officers who were returning from a conference fend against potential attacks by what it calls akalski has announced there will be an inquiry on flight safety. The President’s Office accused rogue states such as Iran. President Lech Kaczynski with PM Donald Tusk. into the matter. the Ministry of National Defense of informing Russia strongly opposed the plans and consid- ers them a grave threat to its national security. Philip Palmer what the president characterized as “a raft of them of the catastrophe too late. The president Amid concerns about the potential risks of staff journalist offensive statements” emanating from the PO Act 4: Lisbon, Brussels and Timekeeping had already boarded a plane for Croatia by the hosting U.S. missile interceptors, Warsaw has ranks. Tusk had little choice as the president time they found out. The ministry, however, been pressing Washington to help upgrade the To many observers, the continual scrapping had been making it impossible for the two to Nov. 23 Tusk was due to read a policy state- managed to disentangle themselves from the Polish armed forces, and notably to boost the and backbiting between Premier Minister Don- work together. ment, but the president didn’t turn up to the resultant brouhaha by producing an itemized country’s air-defense system. ald Tusk and President Lech Kaczynski since Sejm to hear it. According to the Presidential phone bill, proving that they had rang the Pres- Polish Defense Minister Radoslaw Sikorski Tusk’s Civil Platform (PO) took power last No- Act 2: Radek Sikorski Office, he was visiting Georgia. Sikorski later ident’s Office in time. Apparently, nobody had said in Washington he had secured an agreement vember has taken on the character of a poorly rebuffed the president’s offer of a “consulta- picked up the phone. in principle for aid to modernize Polish air de- scripted farce. Voted the most popular politician in Poland tion” over foreign affairs claiming that there fenses in return for Warsaw’s hosting the contro- This has prompted the Dziennik newspaper last year, Oxford-educated Sikorski exudes was an important session in the Sejm that he Act 7: Sikorski Again versial U.S. missile shield. to reconstruct the story of the less-than-cordial glamour. Last year, however, he committed a ought to attend instead. To compound matters, But he added that “a great deal of work” re- cardinal sin in the president’s eyes by defect- he informed the president that he wouldn’t be The tension between president and foreign mains, while his host, U.S. Secretary of State relations between the two most influential men in Polish politics as a trashy soap opera. ing to Tusk’s PO from the Law and Justice attending three minutes after he was supposed minister was further stoked last week when Condoleezza Rice, spoke of “some progress” and to be meeting him, prompting Chief of the Kaczynski called Sikorski back to Warsaw “some momentum” on missile defense. (AFP) Party (PiS), which is led by the president’s Act 1: Silence and Forgiveness twin brother, Jaroslaw Kaczynski. This move President’s Office Anna Fotyga to comment that from a conference he was attending in Brussels Slovak vote on reform treaty was not really surprising as Jaroslaw Kaczyn- Sikorski “must acquaint himself with his place to discuss an “urgent matter.” in the hierarchy.” Tusk and Kaczynski’s inabil- This turned out to be what Sikorski con- postponed amid wrangling Early indications were positive. “It’s true ski had thrown Sikorski out of his coalition that love rather than power is the most impor- government after Sikorski resigned his brief ity to coordinate with each other led to both of sidered a relatively unimportant consultation Slovak lawmakers late last week postponed a tant thing,” cooed the enraptured Tusk as the as minister of national defense. When Tusk an- them popping up in Lisbon for the signing of about the eastern borders. Sikorski character- vote to ratify the EU’s reforming Lisbon treaty for first set of election results rolled in. Unfortu- nounced that he intended to anoint the twins’ a reforming EU Treaty and also at a summit in ized the meeting he had with the president as a week after opposition parties walked out of the nately his amatory advances were spurned by nemesis as foreign minister, the disconcerted Brussels. Although they shared a hotel in Lis- one of the “stormiest” he remembers, but mys- chamber in protest over a controversial media law. the bilious President Kaczynski, who further president squealed through a spokesperson that bon, they naturally exchanged barely a word. teriously added that the government is anxious Supporters of the left-dominated coalition gov- rubbed salt into a festering wound by refus- he would take the radical step of blocking the “to demonstrate how much we respect the Head ernment decided unanimously to postpone the vote ing to congratulate the PO leader on his elec- appointment of any of Sikorski’s ambassadors. Act 5: Rada Gabinetowa of State.” Tusk has subsequently questioned on the treaty reshaping the EU’s functioning until tion success. Kaczynski later forced a televised When Nov. 16 Sikorski finally stepped up to whether the president has the right to summon Feb. 7 after being left on their own in the cham- public apology out of the embattled Tusk for the president to officially accept his new brief, In a desperate attempt to resolve the long- ministers in such an abrupt manner. ber. Prime Minister Robert Fico’s three-way coali- tion can only muster 85 seats in the 150-seat par- liament but needs 90 votes to approve the treaty hammered out at a Lisbon summit in December. Center-right opposition parties, most of which Stats show 2 mln Poles emigrate abroad are in favor of the Lisbon treaty in principle, have refused to vote for it until the government backs Michal Wojtas that it depends on economic devel- down and debates its planned media law. staff journalist opments in Poland. “It is not the Lisbon treaty which is threatened

The surge in emigration since EU Sonderberg but the level of democracy in Slovakia,” former About 1.95 mln Poles lived membership has been rooted in high center-right premier and leader of the main oppo- sition party, the Slovak Democratic and Christian abroad in 2007, more than double unemployment in Poland and much Union (SDKU-DS), Mikulas Dzurinda, said dur- the figure in 2004, the year Pol- higher overseas wages. ing a rancorous debate. ish membership in the EU allowed Because the average wage in Opposition parties initially called for the pro- Poles to begin working in some EU Great Britain and Germany is four posed media law, which has also been attacked by countries. to five times higher than in Poland, the Vienna-based Organization for Security and The number of overseas Poles many emigrants under 30 see no Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), to be dropped but surged by a half million in 2007, point in returning to Poland soon. later called for a full discussion over it with the partly because The Netherlands In fact, one in four Poles in the Lisbon ratification vote put off until March. Fico has branded the opposition’s linkage of the joined the United Kingdom and Ire- United Kingdom say they will never two issues as “blackmail” saying they are allow- land in opening their employment return, according to a Center for In- ing domestic politics to interfere with European markets to Poles. ternational Relations survey. issues. The dispute has prevented Fico’s govern- The continuing stampede abroad Those who have not ruled out ment from fulfilling its ambition of becoming the was a key factor in Poland’s popu- returning say it will depend on eco- second country, after Hungary, to ratify the Lisbon lation dropping for a 10th straight nomic and social conditions in Po- Treaty but as Slovak parties argued Malta and Slo- year, from 38.3 mln in 1997 to 38.1 land. The survey also showed that venia went ahead and approved the wide-ranging mln in 2007. most Poles in Britain work in jobs EU reforms. (AFP) About 1.6 mln of the 1.95 mln well below their qualifications and OSCE elections watchdog overseas Poles lived in EU countries earn less than British citizens. Many steps up pressure on Russia in 2007, the Central Statistical Of- also don’t take part in British cultur- fice in Warsaw reported. al life, concentrating on earning and Europe’s main elections watchdog, the OSCE, The United Kingdom, which saving as much as possible. late last week stepped up the pressure on Moscow opened its labor market to Poles They send a big chunk of their over Russia’s looming presidential polls, demand- earlier than any EU country, had savings back to Poland – an esti- ing that its observers be allowed to deploy within 580,000 Poles. Neighboring Ger- mated 4.1 bln euro in 2007. days. The international body wants a “core team” many had 450,000. While that money is a big boost of 20 observers to be let in fast to monitor cam- paigning for the March 2 vote, Curtis Budden, Demographics experts believe to Poland’s economy, overseas earn- spokesman for the Warsaw-based elections arm of the number of Poles overseas will ings may become even more impor- the Organization for Security and Cooperation in increase in each of the next three tant in years to come, as Poles with Europe, told AFP. years – until 2010 – then begin de- substantial sums from abroad return Members of the 56-nation OSCE, which in- creasing. They caution, however, to start businesses. cludes Russia, are obliged to invite the organiza- tion’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Hu- man Rights (ODIHR) to assess whether votes are free and fair. Budden had protested Russia’s decision to let the ODIHR team arrive only on the Thursday be- fore the Sunday poll, saying it would prevent the monitors from doing their job. “We want the (20 observers) to go to the coun- try and start observation already at the end of next EU takes Poland to court over operator week,” he explained. “We also asked that the remaining 50 observers be allowed to come the week after,” he added. agence france-presse “The Polish government still controls 2006, Warsaw “has unlimited discretion to wanted to see concrete results. The OSCE’s proposed timing was “not ideal,” significant shareholdings in a number of dismiss the head of the national regulator “Independent regulators are the back- but was the only way to enable the organization The European Commission announced telecoms companies,” the EU’s executive therefore undermining its effectiveness.” bone of an efficient regulatory system and to at least try to monitor the final stages of the late last week that it was taking court ac- arm said in a statement, as it announced The commission noted that the gov- of fair regulation in the interests of com- campaign, Budden said. The ODIHR boycotted tion against Poland for failing to guar- action at the European Court of Justice. ernment of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, petition and consumers,” said EU media Russia’s parliamentary polls in December com- antee the independence of its telecom’s It also said that, despite changes in- sworn in last November, had shown a will- and information commissioner Viviane plaining of limits imposed on its work. (AFP) regulator. troduced in Polish legislation in August ingness to address the problem but that it Reding. FEBRUARY 7-FEBRUARY 13 POLAND The Krakow Post 5 Britain to send students to Auschwitz Developers cc:sa:Wulfstan present plans for new stadium

agence france-presse tion. “The Holocaust was one of the most Britain will help fund two students significant events in world history,” Ju- from every school in England to visit nior Education Minister Jim Knight said. Auschwitz to learn about the Holocaust, “Six mln people died not for what they in a bid to help teach the lessons of the had done but simply for who they were. genocide to the younger generation, the What strikes me is the sheer scale of it government announced early this week. and how industrialized and mechanized The sixth-form students, who are typi- the process of killing people became at cally between 16 and 18 years old, will Auschwitz. meet with survivors of the Holocaust, and “It was not hot-blooded brutality, it hap- will be shown the camp’s barracks, see in- pened in a very planned way, with some mates’ registration documents, and piles people designing the process of death and of victims’ clothes, shoes and hair. others carrying it out. Every young person Founded in 1947 at the site of the Nazi- should have an understanding of this.” era death camp, the state-run Memorial The program is set to last an initial pe- and Museum at Auschwitz-Birkenau, in riod of three years, and of the 300 pounds Oswiecim, received 1.22 mln visitors in (400 euro, $590) that each trip will cost, 2007. Historians estimate 1.1 mln people the government will contribute 200 the krakow post for the work last December and the first ed Dziesieciolecia Stadium in the Warsaw died at the hands of Poland’s German oc- pounds, with schools expected to raise the stages of the development project will be district of Praga. In recent times Praga has cupiers at Auschwitz-Birkenau between remaining 100 pounds. Officials at UEFA (European football’s initiated in the near future. The ground gained a reputation for being violent and 1940 and 1945, either asphyxiated with The trips themselves will last one day, governing body) have recently been get- will be prepared in September and the dangerous and as recently as last year, the Zyklon B gas in the notorious gas cham- with students leaving early in the morning ting apprehensive about whether the in- construction itself should start by March old stadium could only be reached by way bers or from starvation, disease or exhaus- and arriving home late at night. frastructure will be in place in time for next year. The stadium should be com- of a potholed road through thickets of un- Poland and Ukraine’s joint hosting of the pleted in 2011, just in time for the Cham- dergrowth. 2012 European Championships. pionships. According to the visual presen- It is hoped that the construction of the According to the Ministry of Sport and tation and mock-up presented last week to stadium will help to improve the image Tourism, they needn’t worry, for Poland journalists by JSK Architekci, the façade of Praga and encourage property devel- will soon have a national stadium to ri- of the stadium will allude to the colors of opers to invest in the area by converting val London’s Wembley and Paris’ Stade Poland by representing a rippling Polish ruined old tenements into modern apart- de France. flag. The stands will contain seating for ment complexes. It is likely that the Na- The tender for the building contract up to 55,000. tional Stadium will be used after the 2012 Lorry queues was won by construction company, JSK The National Stadium will be con- Championships to host large-scale con- Architekci. They presented a timetable structed around the shell of the dilapidat- certs, trade fairs and cultural events. ease at border agence france-presse “We will stick with our decision to place on hold the (threat of) blockade,” the state- Queues of lorries at the Schengen fron- ment added. Customs officers quit talks with tier in eastern Poland began to ease late last workers demanding three times the 500-zlo- week as customs officers went back to their ty (140-euro, $205) per month raise offered desks despite a breakdown in wage talks, by the government. truck owners said. Additional measures proposed include “Despite the rupture in negotiations, nu- replacing the threat of instant dismissal over merous customs officials have returned to corruption allegations with paid suspension, work and the queues have started to shorten, along with an overtime deal. bit by bit. The situation is returning to nor- Traffic and goods processing on Poland’s mal,” said a statement by the transport em- eastern border with Belarus, Ukraine and the ployers’ association. Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, slowed to The body called on the government and snail’s pace two weeks ago as officers start- customs unions to get back round the table, ed taking holidays or sick-leave en masse. and in the spirit of conciliation, all but re- Procedures were beefed up after Warsaw moved its threat to blockade Warsaw as an joined Europe’s Schengen free-travel zone unofficial strike drew to a close. on Dec. 21. Get your message across! Get your message across! Get your message across! Advertise in Advertise in Advertise in The Krakow Post! The Krakow Post! The Krakow Post!

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R E G I O N A L N E W S Poland’s WTO will help Ukraine Poland to Homeless star in film against Russia Tusk heads Ukraine’s expected membership of the WTO will give the country leverage in trade disputes to Moscow with neighboring Russia, President Viktor Yush- chenko told AFP in an interview late last week. help Canada to relaunch The pro-Western leader said that membership of the World Trade Organization would allow Ukraine to negotiate with Russia over “restric- dialogue tions” imposed on Ukrainian exports worth up to $3 bln (2 bln euro). fight in AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE “Considering Russia’s own aspirations to join the WTO, we will have interesting negotiations” Prime Minister Donald Tusk paid his on thorny issues such as Russian anti-dumping first visit to Russia late last week aimed at duties, Yushchenko said. relaunching dialogue as a proposed U.S. Members of the 151-nation global trade body Afghanistan missile shield and Russian-German plans have the right to demand bilateral agreements for a Baltic pipeline divide Warsaw and with aspirant members that can be used to extract Moscow. trade concessions. The trip will be the first by a senior Pol- Russia had planned to join the WTO this year ish government official since former Polish but has continually set back its deadline for join- president Aleksander Kwasniewski visited ing. Ukraine, which submitted its membership in the Kremlin in September 2004. Frosty 1993, is the biggest country besides Iran and Rus- relations between Poland and Soviet-era sia outside the WTO. www.wojsko-polskie.pl master Russia now appear to have a chance Ukraine’s candidacy is expected to be ap- to thaw after two years marked by a Rus- proved at a WTO meeting next week. sian embargo on Polish meat and Warsaw’s Appearing confident and relaxed in a presi- veto to the start of talks on a new EU-Rus- dential office ahead of his visit to Moscow on sia agreement. Feb. 12, Yushchenko also said he would press “My visit to Moscow could prove im- ahead with plans to join NATO that have angered portant in the sense that there is a chance Russia. to introduce a warming into relations which “I have no doubt that this path is the right one are not very good,” Prime Minister Tusk for Ukraine.... We will obtain guarantees for our AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE said recently. national security that are the biggest and the most “We (Poland and Russia) have differ- efficient,” Yushchenko told AFP. ences virtually on every issue,” according “It’s the sovereign right of every nation to set Poland will lend Canada two military to Poland’s former foreign minister and its own security policies and we are exercising helicopters for use in Afghanistan, the for- current MEP Dariusz Rosati. this right,” he added, hinting at opposition in Rus- eign minister said early this week, answer- “Only the highest leaders of the two sia to Ukraine’s membership. ing his ally’s call for more NATO troops countries can move forward in resolving Earlier this month, Ukraine officially asked and equipment to fight insurgents. these differences on both the bilateral and NATO to accept it into the alliance’s Membership “We appreciate the sacrifices that Cana- international level,” Eugeniusz Smolar Action Plan (MAP), a precursor to full member- da has made, and that’s partly why we have from Poland’s Center for International Re- ship, at a summit of the Western military alliance increased our contribution to Afghanistan lations told AFP. in April. The U.S. plan to install a missile shield Russia responded saying it would take “appro- by 400 soldiers so that we will have 1,600 in Poland and the Czech Republic aimed at priate” measures. soldiers by the middle of this year and 8 he- warding off attack from so-called “rogue” Ukraine’s powerful pro-Russian opposition licopters, two of which will be available for states, notably Iran, poses perhaps the is firmly opposed to joining NATO and surveys Canada’s needs,” Foreign Minister Rado- greatest difficulty in relations between show more than half of Ukrainians are also slaw Sikorski told public broadcaster CBC Warsaw and Moscow. against the bid. during an official visit to Ottawa. The missile is a symbolic element of the “It’s not a question that can be decided over- “We are also increasing our presence, presence of the U.S. in Europe and Rus- night, or in a year. It’s the subject of difficult dis- concentrating our contingent and moving sia has difficulty accepting this,” Smolar cussions” with the Ukrainian people, Yushchenko observes. “Poland has shown itself to be a said. towards where the Canadians are,” he said. very active NATO member and a very close Membership of the EU, NATO and the WTO “Actually, our special forces are already in ally of Washington.” have been key foreign policy aims for Yushchen- Kandahar with the Canadians.” Poland’s Foreign Minister Radoslaw ko, who has sought to wrest his former Soviet A report by former Deputy Prime Min- Sikorski in Washington said he has an republic from Moscow’s orbit since coming to ister John Manley last month urged Ottawa agreement in principle on military coop- power in 2005. to secure pledges from its allies for at least eration with the U.S. in exchange for the “I would like relations between Ukraine and possible installation of the missile shield on Russia to be a lot better, I aim for them to be effi- 1,000 more troops and equipment, includ- ing helicopters and drones, before con- Polish soil. cient and open. I don’t always succeed but it’s not The declaration provoked a barrage of something I can blame the Ukrainian side for,” sidering extending its combat mission in hostile reactions from Moscow, with Rus- Yushchenko said. Afghanistan beyond its current mandate of sia’s ambassador to NATO Dmitri Rogozin Following the popular protests of the Orange February 2009. announcing “the end of Polish-Russian dia- Revolution, Yushchenko won a repeat presiden- logue even before it starts.” Prime Minister Stephen Harper heeded A homeless man in Wroclaw. tial election after the victory of his Moscow- its findings, saying he would bring Can- Yet another bone of contention, in talks backed rival Viktor Yanukovych was declared ada’s troops home next year unless its with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Po- invalid because of vote rigging. Zofia Owczarek browolski told Gazeta Wyborcza Wroclaw. NATO allies stepped up their support for land’s Tusk intends to propose a land route His ally in the Orange Revolution, Yulia Ty- staff journalist “They are a worse kind, and for that, they the mission. via three Baltic states and Poland for the moshenko, is now the country’s prime minister. themselves are to blame. This is a stereotype planned Nord Stream natural gas pipeline She leads a narrow coalition majority in the Canada deployed 2,500 troops in Af- Homeless men from the Brother Albert we wish to fight.” Germany and Russia intend to build across Ukrainian parliament after elections last year. ghanistan’s volatile southern Kandahar Shelter are actors in a movie now being shot The main protagonists of the film – An- the Baltic Sea floor. The project was agreed Giving no concrete details, Yushchenko province as part of the NATO-led Interna- drzej and Stefan – are played by amateur ac- between Russian fuels giant Gazprom and warned that there were “irritation” and “disagree- in Wroclaw. tional Security Assistance Force (ISAF), Dariusz Dobrowolski, the director and the tors – real life friends of the true Andrzej and Germany’s EON and BASF. able feelings” within the government but said EU members Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania routing out Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters. Shelter’s manager, is in charge of this pro- Stefan from Dobrowolski’s shelter on which they would not be “fatal” for the ruling coalition. Since 2002, 78 Canadian soldiers and and Poland insist the planned Nord Stream Tymoshenko already served as prime minister duction entitled, “Skopani” (“Kicked”). The the movie is based. routing poses a threat to their energy secu- under Yushchenko in 2005 but the two political a senior diplomat have died in roadside title of the movie refers to a true occurrence, “I’ve been growing hair and a beard for bombings and in melees with insurgents. rity. Moscow always sees Poland’s engage- leaders fell out after a few months over a series which happened in November 2006 in Wro- four months for this occasion. I’m planning ment in regional affairs as a bad thing,” of corruption scandals and Yushchenko sacked Defense Minister Peter MacKay said: claw. Two men from the shelter were badly on shaving right after the shooting finishes,” according to Smolar. Tymoshenko. (AFP) “It’s obviously very positive to have NATO kicked and beaten by a group of young delin- one of them, Leszek Herliczka, told the In- “The Russians haven’t forgotten War- allies, strong allies like Poland that have quents. One victim died, the other has never ternet site NaszeMiasto.pl. The other actor, saw’s involvement in the solution to the Belarus executes three military capacity and capability sending fully recovered from the injuries. Wieslaw Pietrzak, has put off his teeth re- crisis in Ukraine, and later, in Georgia. Po- criminals for murder those kind of positive signals.” The Wroclaw court is trying the attackers placement treatment so that he will look more land is also actively promoting the eastern “Hopefully there will be more to come,” at the moment. The event so disturbed Dobro- believable on screen. dimension of the EU’s foreign policy,” he Three men found guilty of murder, rape and observes. he said. “We’ll have direct discussions with wolski that he created a movie on the issue of The plot presents one day out of the life of other serious crimes in Belarus were executed Poland and other countries about these very The first step in normalizing bilateral early this week, the ex-Soviet republic’s Supreme homelessness. two homeless men, culminating in the attack relations was taken during a recent visit by Court told AFP. The three were guilty of “murder, subjects.” “The plot of the film will be loosely based scene. No part of the production process is Poland’s Foreign Minister Sikorski to the rape, robbery and banditism” in the eastern town Earlier, Sikorski met with Canada’s For- on the real events,” he told the newspaper being sponsored by anybody. Kremlin. of Gomel, she said. (AFP) eign Minister Maxime Bernier. Gazeta Wyborcza Wroclaw. “But accuracy is “It’s just me and my co-workers,” Dobro- Hailing Moscow’s decision to lift its not essential where one wishes to show emo- wolski told the Polish Press Agency (PAP). embargo on Polish meat and vegetable tions. And this is what I want.” “Nobody will earn a single zloty. It’s all about products, Sikorski raised the possibility of The film is intended to show the assailants’ friendly teamwork.” Poland lifting its veto on the start of talks sense of impunity. Dobrowolski has already produced a mov- on a new EU-Russia agreement. “They knew nobody would stand up for a ie with the participation of the homeless. His Smolar notes there are still “many deli- cate” economic and historic issues poison- homeless person,” said Dobrowolski. “Sie masz Wiktor” (“Hi Wiktor”) was pre- ing bilateral relations. This is another reason for the choice of the sented during the 32nd Polish Film Festival Polish media focused sharply on a re- title. in Gdynia in September 2007. The manager’s cent article in Russia’s Nezavessimaya “Not only were the two men physically cinematographic endeavors have proven to Gazeta newspaper questioning yet again kicked, one of them was beaten to death. But have beneficial effects on the Shelter’s home- Soviet responsibility for the 1940 massacre all homeless people are ‘kicked’ in a figura- less inhabitants. of 22,500 Polish officers by Stalin’s secret tive sense: kicked by life, assaulted by fate “At first I was afraid starring in a movie police in Russia’s Katyn forest, a wartime to the point of losing motivation to carry on. would be too powerful of an experience for wound which has not yet healed for Poles. One of the people under my care has recently them and that they might return to alcohol In an interview with Russia’s Interfax told me that a homeless person is somebody abuse, which is their most common problem. news agency on Tuesday, Tusk noted that no decision had yet been taken on the con- put away on a shelf labeled ‘finished.’ I will But on starting the work on “Sie masz Wik- troversial missile shield, and talks with not accept this. That’s why I am making this tor” I consulted our therapist and we both both Washington and Moscow on the mat- film,” added the film’s director. agreed that in fact the film might turn out to ter “have yet to be completed.” Through his movie, Dobrowolski wishes be therapeutically valuable,” Dobrowolski The Polish premier also said his govern- to demonstrate that homelessness is nobody’s told Gazeta Wyborcza Wroclaw. ment wanted to see “practical results” from choice. The picture aims at changing the com- The shooting is at Browar Mieszczanski in Russia’s lifting of its meat embargo. mon opinion of this phenomenon and the way Wroclaw, where the film’s premiere will also It’s not enough to sign a document,” he the public perceives homeless people. going to take place. declared. “Companies and firms must start “People who don’t have homes are com- The first screening is planned to happen to trade with each other. And here, it seems monly treated as a fourth category,” Do- this autumn. to me that something more is needed.” FEBRUARY 7-FEBRUARY 13 POLAND The Krakow Post 7 Poland’s liberals deny Chad’s Poland EU funding for renegade cleric Catholic radio briefs authorizes troops Casa-type bound for mission aircraft

agence france-presSe

The deputy head of Chad’s Ro- man Catholic Episcopate, Arch- bishop Mathias Ngarteri, late last after deadly week briefed Polish troops bound for Chad as part of an EU peace- keeping force, a Polish military of- ficial said. “The archbishop told us about the geographic, climatic, social and cultural conditions of his country,” crash Colonel Andrzej Lis, Polish mili- tary spokesman based in Bydgo- szcz, northern Poland, told AFP. “About 200 people took part in the meeting including generals and soldiers with varying military spe- cializations,” he added. The arch- bishop later answered questions and celebrated a Catholic mass. According to Lis, the meeting

took place at the request of military cc:sa:Przemyslaw Blueshade Idzkiewicz officials in Poland, where about 90 percent of the country’s 38 mln people is Roman Catholic. Last month Poland confirmed it would commit two helicopters and 400 soldiers to the EU peacekeep- ing force for Chad and the Central African Republic. Due to last under a year, the es- timated cost of the Polish mission cc:sa:Karol91 runs at 100 mln zloty (28 millon euro or $41 mln). The first Polish troops should arrive in Chad around the end of March with the full contingent op- erational in June. Poland is in the process of with- Father Tadeusz Rydzyk. drawing 900 soldiers from the U.S.-led Iraq coalition, although it agence france-presSe The new government headed by Prime is increasing its NATO contribution Minister Donald Tusk’s liberal Civic Plat- in Afghanistan from 1,200 to 1,600 Poland’s new liberal government has de- form (PO) launched a review of the projects soldiers. The EU force in Chad and cided to deny 15 mln euro in EU funding approved by the previous administration. the Central African Republic is ex- the renegade Catholic Radio Maryja station Based in Torun, northern Poland, Ra- pected to total around 3,500 troops, had slated for the construction of a media dio Maryja regularly broadcasts programs with France providing the lion’s school, a minister said late last week. tinged by anti-Semitic and nationalist state- share of some 2,100 soldiers. agence france-presSe speculation that investigators believe pilot error was the cause of the Jan. 23 crash. “Father Rydzyk’s school does not fulfil ments whose outspokenness have upset the It will serve to secure operations the required criteria,” Poland Regional De- Poland re-authorized flights by EADS Casa C- Polish military authorities had previously con- Vatican. serving camps of about 234,000 295M military transport aircraft early this week af- firmed that the ILS landing system at the airport in velopment Minister Elzbieta Bienkowska An outspoken critic of the EU, Rydzyk refugee from the conflict-ravaged ter 20 pilots died in a crash of one of the planes two Miroslawiec, in northwest Poland, was malfunction- said. wanted nonetheless to use its funding to Darfur region of Sudan; 178,000 weeks ago, an Air Force spokesman said. ing when the plane crashed in poor weather with Tadeusz Rydzyk, the controversial Re- build a new facility to house his school displaced eastern Chadians; and “The Air Force commander in chief took the de- 20 Polish fighter pilots on board. NATO and EU demptorist priest and founder of a media which trains staff for his media empire. His cision to authorize Casa C-295M flights from Feb. member Poland acquired 10 Spanish-made EADS empire including Radio Maryja, TV Trwam 43,000 Central Africans also up- 1 after having received a letter from the head of the Casa C-295M aircraft, used for tactical and logistics plans totaling 18 mln euro included an ultra- rooted by strife and rebellion in the and Nasz Dziennik daily, had intended to use modern IT facility. investigating committee giving him the green light,” transport. the EU funding to develop facilities for his north of their country. colonel Wieslaw Grzegorzewski told AFP. According to Polish military experts the crash was Rydzyk had termed the project an “incu- The spokesman refused to confirm or deny media the first involving a Casa-type aircraft. media school. bator of modern technologies for the benefit Radio Maryja said it had already invested of civil society.” significant sums in the project. Prior to Poland’s 2004 EU entry, Radio NEW The scheme had been approved among Maryja campaigned against accession, ac- krakow EMPLOYMENT 433 others by Poland’s previous conserva- cusing the bloc of propagating “moral rela- PORTAL tive-nationalist government which lost pow- tivism” with regard to euthanasia, abortion LAUNCHING er in an October snap election. and homosexuality. post.com NOVEMBER 2007

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R E G I O N A L B I Z Standard and Poor’s EBRD takes stakes in Polish downgrades Lithuania Ex-Communist EU International ratings agency Standard and Poor’s has downgraded Lithuania’s credit status companies investing in Ukraine amid jitters about the Baltic state’s economy, the states may weather Finance Ministry said late last week. Standard and Poor’s lowered its long-term and short-term sovereign ratings for Lithuania’s debt to A- and A-2 respectively from the previous A and A-1, the ministry said in a statement. subprime crisis The ratings service has a scale for its ratings running from AAA to D, which reflects the ability of countries and companies to repay their debts. agence france-presse Standard and Poor’s also maintained its outlook for Lithuania at “negative.” The EU’s ex-Communist member states should The ministry said that among the reasons for weather the global gloom caused by the U.S. subprime the downgrade, Standard and Poor’s cited recent crisis but can expect their breakneck growth rate to dip, public spending hikes that came despite rising con- the World Bank said in a report late last week. cerns about an economic slowdown in Lithuania. Lithuania, like neighboring Latvia and Esto- “The economic outlook for the countries of our region nia, has enjoyed spiralling economic growth since in 2008 and 2009 is generally positive. However, there breaking free from the Soviet Union 17 years ago, are downside risks in the outlook for growth,” said Ron and notably since becoming a member of the EU Hood, lead economist at the World Bank and principal in 2004. author of the institution’s “EU 8+2” survey. The Lithuanian economy grew 8.7 percent in The report is published three times a year and pro- 2007 compared with the previous year, but output vides an economic overview of the 10 ex-Communist nonetheless dipped by 1.1 percent in the fourth quarter, the first such decrease since 2001, prelimi- countries which have joined the now 27-member EU nary data from the national statistics office showed since 2004. this week. The Lithuanian central bank has fore- The meltdown in the U.S.’ subprime mortgage sector cast that gross domestic product should rise by 8.1 for higher-risk clients has sparked market turmoil, caus- percent this year, but is set to slow to 5.7 percent ing massive losses for international banks and stoked in 2009. warnings of a global slump. Analysts have regularly warned that over-rapid There are fears that the crisis could hurt the ex-Com- growth rates are not sustainable in the long term and that could cause the region’s economies to munist bloc but Hood played down the most doom-lad- overheat, sparking a crisis. en forecasts. Lithuania is also grappling with rising infla- “There are several factors that may somewhat insu- tion. The central bank has said that annual average late the countries in our region from these disturbances,” inflation this year will be 2.2 percent higher than he told reporters. predicted, hitting 7.9 percent compared with 2007, “For one thing, the countries in our region are more mainly because of rising food prices. Annual average inflation in 2007 was 5.7 per- directly linked to the EU than they are to the U.S.,” he cent compared with the previous year, and 3.8 per- explained. cent in 2006. (AFP) “The banks that serve our region are not as exposed to the subprime market as other banks have been. Czech economic growth to “And much of the strength of growth in our region slow 4.7 percent this year originates from within the region itself – private demand An advertisement from Barlinek. Czech economic growth will slow to 4.7 per- from consumption, and investment, have been the main instruments of growth,” he said. agence france-presse boom there and in Russia. EBRD. cent this year from an estimated 6.1 percent in With an 81-mln-euro ($120-mln) EBRD President Jean Lemierre 2007, the Finance Ministry said late last week in However, he cautioned that the region could be “indi- The EBRD said early this week EBRD loan, Cersanit is building a was in Warsaw for the signing of the its latest quarterly report. rectly affected by the impact on our trading partners in it had taken equity stakes of up to Growth in 2007 was previously estimated at 5.9 Western Europe. new factory in Novograd Volinskiy, financing agreements. 15 percent each in the Ukrainian percent. “There is a potential for a global contraction that northern Ukraine. The facility will “There is a new trend of Polish subsidiaries of two Polish building have output capacity of one mln sani- companies investing in other coun- Consumer price inflation was put at 5.5 percent, would affect our exports into the European markets and up from the 2007 estimate of 3.8 percent, while materials companies to support their tary ware units and seven mln square tries today,” Lemierre told reporters, there is a risk that the flows of capital that the countries unemployment was forecast at 4.4 percent, down expansion. meters of ceramic tiles per year. adding the financing accords were a in our region need to finance their fairly substantial cur- from 4.8 percent. The European Bank for Recon- Barlinek, which also has a strong good example of how his institution rent account deficits (will be) reduced,” he said. Export and domestic demand will weaken al- struction and Development said in market presence in Western Europe, could help develop Poland’s private though the country’s “favorable macro-economic He also pointed to the World Bank’s concerns about a statement that it had chosen Bar- has used a 39.9-mln-euro ($59-mln) sector. development will continue,” the ministry said. rising inflation in the ex-Communist region. The high inflation forecast for this year “is a re- linek, which is Poland’s top floor- EBRD loan to further expand op- “Cross-border investments and In addition, he noted that labour costs are outstripping board manufacturer and Cersanit, erations in Ukraine as well as Russia, the expansion into new markets are sult of higher world commodity prices and higher productivity gains, partly because of staff shortages due fees due to administrative measures,” it said, re- the country’s number one sanitary where a construction boom has gen- clearly the way forward and we stand ferring to a raft of value added tax increases and to the falling birthrates of recent decades and the emi- ware producer. Both companies are erated high demand. ready to support companies who are charges ushered in by the center-right government gration of hundreds of thousands of working-age people majority-owned by leading Polish Barlinek’s recently-commissioned taking this path,” he added. at the start of the year. to Western Europe. entrepreneur Michal Solowow, trade plant in Vinnytsia, central Ukraine, The London-based EBRD, found- For 2009, growth was estimated at 5.1 percent, After emerging from the doldrums of the early 1990s, on the Warsaw Stock Exchange and is slated to produce two mln square ed in 1991 to assist the transition of with inflation falling back to within the central most of Europe’s former Communist states have en- are currently setting up production in bank’s target range at 2.3 percent and unemploy- meters of floorboards per year, eas- former Communist nations to market joyed robust economic growth in recent years, fuelled Ukraine with existing loans from the ing capacity constraints and allowing economies, operates mainly in East- ment declining further to 4.1 percent, the ministry by rising domestic demand, growing foreign investment said. (AFP) EBRD to capitalize on a construction the company to grow further, said the ern Europe and Central Asia. and injections of EU funding. Their rates of increase in Intesa Sanpaolo buys Pravex gross domestic product (GDP) have been the envy of the for 504 mln euro EU’s West European member states. Native English Teacher Top Management In 2007, according to preliminary figures, the GDP of Italian bank Intesa Sanpaolo said early this the 10 ex-Communist countries increased by an average MINI MINI week it had paid 504 mln euro ($747 mln) for all of 6.8 percent while EU’s 15 more-established Western of Ukranian bank Pravex. countries posted only 2.7 percent. 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www.iwak.pl [email protected] Place a job offer here! Place a career resume here! [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] VACANCY RESUME FEBRUARY 7-FEBRUARY 13 BUSINESS The Krakow Post 9 Tadic victory Australian could boost mining company Serbian economy seeks clearance for Agence france-presse showed that the incumbent Tadic, who He also said that Serbia would need campaigned in favor of EU membership, to ensure as smooth as possible a transi- Czech uranium The presidential election victory of defeated pro-Russian ultra-nationalist tion in Kosovo, the country’s Albanian- pro-Western Serbian leader Boris Tadic Tomislav Nikolic with 51.1 percent of majority province which has enjoyed de could give the Balkan country an eco- the vote to 47.2 percent. facto independence under UN control nomic boost, the head of the European “Investors see it in a positive way and since 1999. Bank for Reconstruction and Develop- so do we,” said Lemierre. Both Tadic and Nikokic oppose a for- ment said early this week. “This country has very bright people, mal breakaway by Kosovo, but the prov- exploration “I hope that this vote will be a key to there is a massive potential,” he added, ince has EU support for independence. unlock the potential of this region,” Jean underscoring that Serbia’s private sec- The London-based EBRD, founded Lemierre told reporters during a visit to tor is anxious to help drive economic in 1991 to assist the transition of former Poland. growth. However, Lemierre cautioned Communist nations to market econo- “It is clear that the Serbs felt very con- that Serbia will face a major task as it mies, operates mainly in eastern Europe cerned, they made their point, and they tries to catch up with Europe’s average and Central Asia. voted in favor of a European anchoring,” level of economic development. It is the top foreign investor in Serbia, Lemierre said. “We must not underestimate the work injecting more than 1 bln euro ($1.5 bln) Initial results from Sunday’s vote to be done,” he said. into the country of 10 mln people.

FromDebate IN VITRO on Page 3 continues... In the meantime, the government’s ate clandestinely, unable to seek helpful natural pregnancy conditions] … can be decision has left left-wing politicians information or moral support from their a fatal condition. In addition, the rate of free to accuse the government of politi- communities. health problems and various congeni- cal alliances with the Church. IVF is described by the Catholic tal abnormalities among children born When first setting up the government Church as “vile,” “very harmful to health” from IVF procedures is higher and IVF committee, Zbigniew Chlebowski, head and “a form or refined abortion,” its main often results in multiple pregnancies. In Agence france-presse The multinational Australian-based com- of the ruling Civic Platform party par- objection being that the procedure re- these cases, parents get together with the pany is still waiting for a final verdict from Australian mining company Uran Limited liamentary club, said: “I believe that the quires the use and destruction of several doctor to determine which of the babies Czech authorities its initial application for an- this week launched a charm offensive to win joint committee of the government and embryos for every successful pregnancy. should be aborted.” other site in the center of the country, Brzkov, over Czechs living at a series of sites in the the Episcopate will talk even about the In fact, in contrast to other countries, no How the government’s refusal to sub- which Hobbs earmarks as one of the most small central European state where it wants to attractive mining prospects because around most difficult issues. I hope it will find unused embryo in Poland has ever been sidize IVF procedures represents a “solu- extract uranium. solutions to all the doubts that are raised destroyed. They are, instead, kept frozen tion” for those desperate to have a child 7,500 tons of uranium could be present there Company managing director Kate Hobbs and “we understand the mining area better.” in public.” for possible future use. remains to be seen. There were some early this week started public meetings with Thousands of children are born every However, other concerns remain, both 5,000 IVF procedures performed in Po- Hobbs says Uran hopes to get a foothold mayors and citizens of three central Czech in the Czech Republic because of its ability to year through the help of private IVF clin- for the health of the mother and for the land last year, 20 percent more than the towns and villages to try and win their back- use modern mining know-how. ics. However, each couple must finance fate of extra embryos, implanted to in- previous year. And, while it is, techni- ing for its new demand for exploratory min- “There has been no attempt to use equip- the treatment themselves (typically crease chances of a successful pregnan- cally, a legal procedure, it is, in reality, an ing permits. ment developed since the Soviet era,” she around 20,000 zloty per cycle), either cy. Maria Srodon of Mater Care, an in- unattainable dream for the large number “Most of the people are neutral and some explained. up-front or through private borrow- ternational organization of gynecologists of Poles who are unable to pay, and who supportive,” she said after the first meeting at But Uran cautions that the current high ing. Also, due to the still largely taboo and obstetricians, said: “Ovarian hyper- will not be helped by the recent govern- the town of Pribyslav. prices for uranium, caused by the global re- subject, the couple must usually oper- stimulation syndrome [which simulates ment statement. The meetings are being held near the site surgence of the nuclear industry for which of the only existing uranium mine in the EU, uranium is the fundamental fuel, might last operated by Czech state-controlled mining five to 10 years before easing. company Diamo at Rozna. “If we got permission to go ahead, it would Uran’s previous bid to create a joint ven- take three to four years before we could pro- ture with Diamo was rejected by the Czech duce uranium,” Hobbs added. government. During the Cold War, Communist Czecho- The new raft of applications, three in the slovakia was one of Moscow’s main suppliers central Vysocina region as well as two sites of the raw material for its nuclear warheads at Osecna and Plouznice in the north of the with a dozen major uranium mines dotted country, is accompanied by an offer to pay across the country. In the early 1990s, af- each local council 800,000 koruna (31,000 ter the fall of communism and the end of the euro, $46,300) a year while exploration work Cold War, Czech mining plummeted to 20 continues and 1.6 mln koruna a year when percent of its average over the previous de- commercial mining commences. cade as markets were swamped by fuel ex- The charm campaign is aimed at overcom- tracted from nuclear warheads. The price of ing the Czech Ministry of Environment’s right uranium has soared since the end of 2003 due to refuse permits or allow appeals against its to a revival of interest in nuclear power be- refusal partly when there is no local support cause of fears over global warming and the for mining. stability of fossil fuel supplies. 10 The Krakow Post WARSAW FEBRUARY 7-FEBRUARY 13 Blood bank saves sick animals Alicja Natkaniec Staff Journalist

Like humans, animals sometimes need transfu- sions quickly – and only the blood from an accept- able animal blood donor can save their lives. The Milus’ Veterinary Blood Bank (Wetery-

G DFL:1.2:Pleple2000 naryjny Bank Krwi im. Milusia), located in War- saw, is the only animal blood bank in Poland and has been in operation since 2003. The bank has modeled itself from similar insti- tutions in the U.S., where the world’s first animal blood banks were created. The Milus’ Veterinary Blood Bank is constantly being developed to meet the needs of the advances in veterinary medicine, the daily newspaper Metro reported. In fact, the bank has gathered monthly blood donations from over 100 healthy animals. Recently, it has opened several branches in vari- ous cities across the country – in Lublin, Torun and Wroclaw, thus making the blood available to vet- erinarians almost everywhere in Poland 24 hours a day. The bank has been to known to be very accom- modating to pet owners: accepting every dog weigh- ing more than 26 kilograms and every cat over 4 kilograms as donors. According to reports, large dogs make the best donors. German shepherds, for instance, can more easily part with a pint of blood than a poodle. For the safety and accuracy of the transfusion, each dog is screened for health and blood type. After the generous donation, honorary animal blood donors receive high-powered food and a free medical exam. According to veterinarians, it is possible to draw 450 grams of blood from a dog and 50 grams from a cat once every three weeks. Each process takes ap- proximately five minutes. Afterwads, the blood can be stored and preserved for a maximum of six weeks, therefore, the bank necessitates donations regularly. Most of the blood is given to dogs suffering from haemophilia, septic wounds, abscesses or those which have eaten poison. There are some cases when blood is used for transfusions during surgery or hemorrhage. Krakow celebrates “Fat Thursday” holiday Ania Bienkowska eating fanfare, where 12 contes- at the Michalek Bakery on ul. staff journalist tants stepped up to a plate full of Krupnicza 8. doughnuts with the goal to con- Gazeta Krakowska reported The Polish doughnut, also sume as many as possible within that the paczek from Michalek

G DFL:1.2:Fir0002 known as the “paczek,” is not to 5 minutes. Bakery received 47.5 points for be taken lightly in terms of calor- Tomasz Ibek was this year’s quality, class and simplicity. ic intake, or its significance for victor with 11 doughnuts, beat- Second place went to last year’s Catholics on Fat Thursday. ing two-time champion Marek winner Starowicz Bakery on ul. Eating the paczek signifies the Ungar. Stradomska 7. rapidly approaching Lent holiday After the contest, journalists The festivities marked the be- in the Catholic calendar. and officials from Krakow and ginning of the last days before This deep-fried, sphere-shaped the region were invited to par- Lent. Ash Wednesday marks the pastry filled with rose bud or ticipate in a mock event. This beginning of Lent and continues plum marmalade and covered time around, the participants for 40 days until Easter Sunday, with powdered sugar or icing is were only given one minute to one of most significant holidays traditionally eaten on Fat Thurs- consume as many doughnuts as in the Catholic faith. day, the last Thursday every year possible. Every Pole must consume at before Ash Wednesday. The jury at the contest also least one doughnut on Fat Thurs- Krakow’s fifth annual Dough- announced the winner for Best day, or he or she will have bad nut Eating Contest was held at Paczek 2008. Judging took place luck for the entire year, as super- the historic Wierzynek restaurant at Cafe Camelot on ul. sw. To- stition goes. On average, Poles on Fat Thursday. masza. consume 2.5 doughnuts each on Wierzynek and Gazeta Kra- According to judges, this Fat Thursday, at approximately kowska were the hosts of the year’s best doughnut was baked 200 calories apiece.

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Our repretoire of Spanish, Argentinian and Italian classical music will create the special ambience you need The Krakow Post! to maximize your guests’ fine-dining experience. Contact: Andrzej Kowalski, Marketing Manager Good rates and top quality. [email protected] +48 (0) 798-683-160 FEBRUARY 7-FEBRUARY 13 KRAKOW The Krakow Post 11 “Harry Potter Choir” to perform in Mariacki Philip Palmer system. Staff Journalist Boys wishing to join the Oratory School are auditioned at the age of 6. The world-renowned London Ora- Those who are selected by the panel re- tory School “Schola” choir will be ceive a traditional Grammar School ed- visiting Krakow next week to perform ucation that includes compulsory Latin music for the Wielki Post (“Great lessons and tuition on a musical instru- Fast”), the 40-day period of penance ment. Of the 80 or so boys who attend and reflection leading up to Easter. the Junior House at one time, only 20 The first concert, which includes or 30 will be chosen as choristers. They works by Elgar and Schubert, takes rehearse every morning at 08:00 and place Feb. 11 in the Basilica of Bozego sing evening mass every Saturday in Ciala in Kazimierz. The second, which the Brompton Oratory in the fashion- includes works my Mozart and Bach, able London district of Knightsbridge. will be held Feb. 12 in the Basilica of They also sing for major Catholic fes- the Mariacki Church in Rynek Glowny. tivals all over the world. Both concerts start at 19:00 and en- Although the majority of their huge trance is free. repertoire is naturally liturgical, they The “Schola” was established in are most famous for their forays into London in 1996, but continues a tradi- the world of film and popular enter- tion leading back to the 16th Century, tainment. Recent credits include ap- when the first oratory choir was found- pearances on the soundtracks of the ed in Rome by Saint Philip Romolo Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings film Neri. Becoming a member of the choir, cycles, a tribute to the late Pope John offers Catholic boys the unique oppor- Paul II featuring Brazilian rhythms and tunity to receive a traditional choral electronica and a project with Icelandic education within the State education pop diva, Bjork. London Oratory School “Schola” choir. Flamingo Hostel wins int’l award Ania Bienkowska and everyone has to buzz before coming in. Our a sudden you see a hostel. Sometimes I think staff journalist guests feel safe. that’s a magic word that gives people an idea for The third factor, which is also very important, a business. But, they often lower the standards Krakow’s own Flamingo Hostel recently is the atmosphere. Often we have guests sitting and price and almost give hostels a bad name. won the “Best Hostel of 2007” award at Hos- here in the common area who know nothing In reality, the standards are very variable. Even telworld.com’s 6th Annual Awards ceremony. about the city and many times they leave here as far as location is concerned, for someone that I was privileged to be invited to enjoy their with new friends, which is important because we hasn’t been here before, they have no idea where homemade cake and talk with the hostel’s try to promote tourism and try to encourage small the busiest part of the city is. Sometimes we have owner, Mr. Pawel Wawro. groups or individuals who really come here to see people that have been in Krakow for a few days the city and the area, from both the cultural and and then they walk in off the street and switch to The Krakow Post: So, you recently received sightseeing perspective. We try to recommend our hostel. Now there’s no problem with space an award for your hostel operation? the festivals and what is going on in this city. but in season there is. Pawel Wawro: Yes, and we are very happy Cleanliness is another factor. The majority of our Q: The second ranked hostel is Mama’s, also about it, because it’s a very prestigious award. visitors are Americans and Australians, mostly in Krakow, is it not? We were singled out from a list of 15,000 hostels. backpackers, and its important to them of course A: Some hostels have won in a few categories The award is given by a web service which col- that we pay attention to that as well. I think we but no one had been placed first in Poland before. lects all the reservations from the guests, and it’s are one of the few hostels that have a staff that We really weren’t expecting this and the hands the biggest service in the world right now. So it’s cleans every day to ensure cleanliness. and feet of these tourists voted, and not some a fairly prestigious award. For example, last year Q: What about marketing? outside agency. It’s the tourists who have been a hostel in Berlin won and was immediately con- A: The best marketing we can get is adver- here. After their return they get an email, inviting tacted by the Mayor of the City, so it’s recognized tising from our guests. They travel all over the them to rate us. Even when someone says that as a big promotion for the city and the region. So, place and meet people in Barcelona or Rome or we could do something better, we value those in our case, this award is not only for the hostel wherever and when they meet someone who is on comments and try to make improvements. Some- but also for the city. In my opinion, it is a very big their way here, they recommend us. It’s done by times there are even suggestions regarding minor promotion for the city of Krakow. word of mouth. This is the best marketing meth- details, like something missing from the kitchen, Q: Has anyone contacted you from the City od and actually gives us our best guests. and we go out and replace it. yet? Q: Are you from Krakow? Q: Did you qualify in tourism? A: No, not yet, but we have done a bunch of A: Yes, I love this city. My soul is here and A: No, but I do have a pilot’s license and like interviews for papers and when we got off the maybe because I love it, I try to promote it. A to travel. Every one of us used to travel and likes plane, we were greeted by a television crew. So month or two away is just fine but then all you to travel and maybe that’s where the idea came we have been very busy, but no one has contacted want to do is walk around the Main Square. from. And we realized that we could use some- us from the city. Q: Are you thinking of opening another Fla- thing like this in Krakow, so why not? Q: What was the ceremony like? mingo and creating a chain? Q: Why is the hostel called “Flamingo”? A: The ceremony itself is called the Hoscars. A: Maybe in the future. It’s hard to say. With A: First of all, we are animal lovers. We The entire atmosphere is very similar to the Os- hostels it’s like this : we won an award and every- sponsor the flamingos in Krakow’s zoo. But the cars with over 300 hostel owners in the audience. thing is great but the competition is really fierce. name itself came from the time one of our col- This year, there was no statuette, which saddened When we opened, there were 20 – 30 hostels and leagues was staying in Vegas in the States and us. The pressure builds up and no one knows for now there is over a 100 that we know of. Just he liked it so much that it stuck. So, it’s derived sure who will win until the very end. It would be like with pubs, you’re walking around and all of from those travels. churlish to expect any more from such an event. Q: Why do you think your hostel is so dif- krakowpost.com ferent? Could you reveal some of your trade se- crets? A: The single most important thing is our lo- cation. We are on Szewska Street, which is one of the most well trodden in Krakow. Also, one of the categories listed is security. Flamingo team. We have full monitoring and a security agency

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ul. Miodowa 7 Kazimierz District, Krakow Tel.: (0) 12 292-0088 www.accommodation.krakow.pl 12 The Krakow Post KRAKOW FEBRUARY 7-FEBRUARY 13 Penderecki’s album triumphs in Cannes Philip Palmer gether represent a snapshot of Penderecki’s career Staff Journalist to date. The first two compositions, “Capriccio for Violin and Orchestra” (1967) and “De Natura The album “Capriccio” which features perfor- Honoris II” (1971) date from a period when the mances of works by Polish composer, Krzysztof composer was experimenting with unconven- Penderecki has won a prize at the annual Midem tional sound textures in an attempt to portray raw Classical award ceremony held in the sumptuous emotion. The album closes with a performance Debussy Theatre of the Palais des Festivals in of the recent work, the Zmartwychwstanie (“Res- Cannes. The recording triumphed in the Contem- urrection”) Concerto for Piano and Orchestra porary Music category. This is actually the second (2001/2002), which reflects Penderecki’s contin- honor bestowed on this album as it also recently ued interest in religious themes. won Belgium’s Les Crescendo Joker Award. This is not the first time that Midem have rec- Midem is an international organization that ognized Penderecki. He was voted the “Greatest promotes music by organizing trade fairs and Living Composer” by the same organization back conferences that enable industry professionals in 2000. to network with each other and promote them- Midem have also recognized Polish musicians selves. The annual award ceremony that they host before. Recordings featuring pianist, Krystian is considered to be one of the most prestigious in Zimerman and the conductor, Antoni Wit have the world. triumphed in recent years. But these recordings “Capriccio” was performed exclusively by were released by foreign labels and this is the first Polish musicians. Soloists, Patrycja Piekutowska time that a disc released by a Polish label (in this (violin) and Krakow-based Beata Bilinska (pia- case, DUX) has been honored at the awards. no), were ably supported by the National Sym- The musicians involved on the recording have phony Orchestra under the baton of the composer been invited by Midem to further promote “Ca- himself. priccio” by performing in a concert devoted to The album features three compositions that to- the works of Penderecki. Radio gives Opinion: Is Krakow expats own voice a bike-friendly city? Iwona Bojarczuk onstrates [that] building bike paths One such project was a bike ties are very ambitious. It plans to Staff Journalist is obviously not a priority for city path built on the lower level of the have 110 and 150 kilometers of bike authorities.” Mogilskie roundabout. “Its whole paths wind around the city by the Can Krakow be bike-friendly? Fortunately for Krakow cyclists, length is over 1700 meters. Cyclists years 2010 and 2013, respectively. Krakow has half the bike path city council members intervened on will be allowed to use them as soon Krakow cyclists have protested roads as Warsaw or Wroclaw. More the issue of limited budget for bike as the end of February,” informs against the discriminating policy importantly, 12 percent of all auto- paths. The Civic Platform Party Dariusz Lanocha of City Develop- of city authorities. “Critical Mass” mobile accident victims in the city announced correcting the initial ment Agency. “It is one of the most is a collective of several cyclists. It are cyclists. budget for build- modern solutions in Po- attempts to “underline the problem The Krakow transportation poli- ing bike paths by land. The collisions of for cyclists in Krakow” says Michal cy’s discrimination against cyclists raising it to 2 mln pedestrians and cyclists Krakowiak, one of the participants. is obvious when “intelligent” traf- zloty. The presi- are minimized,” praised Solo cyclists are practically in- fic lights do not react for vehicles dent accepted the Marcin Hyla, although visible to automobile drivers and such as bikes. These “smart” lights correction. he notices apparent dis- not terribly important to decision are built with a special detector that The decision advantages of the proj- makers. The situation is different senses when a vehicle approaches. assigned 500 ect, such as narrow paths with several hundred cyclists. “It is “Regulating the detector for it to thousand zloty and steep gradients. an action of protest. Cyclists in Kra- react to a bike or motorbike is im- each to building bike roads along The city plans to put almost 200 kow are discriminated by drivers as possible.” say the workers of Kra- Tyniecka street and in the Nowa new bike stands throughout the city well as by officials responsible for kow Roads Management without Huta district, 450 thousand zloty for in places like the Kazimierz district, road infrastructure,” concludes Mi- any embarrassment. building a line from Dunajewskiego The Old Town and Vistula River chal Krakowiak. The Krakow president assigned to Armii Krajowej streets, and the Avenue. It also plans to establish The administration’s reactions 130 thousand zloty for investments remaining funds to bike lines from a net of city bike rental establish- are filled with excuses. “Several in bike paths. To compare – Warsaw the city center into the outer dis- ments to hold at least 100 bikes. planned investments which are to authorities signed almost 4 mln and tricts. The future bike path along There is also the problem of the make the cyclist situation better Gdansk twelve mln zloty for their Andersa Street received 700 thou- condition of existing bike paths. are limited because of financial and bike path projects. sand zloty as well. There are just 50 kilometers of space limits,” says Andrzej Zabor- Marcin Hyla a member of the The growing number of suc- traversable bike paths in Krakow ski from Krakow Road Manage- initiative “City for bikes” claims cessful bike line ideas supports that – most of them pot-holed and end- ment. However, sometimes just a that investing “only 130 thousand there is hope for changing the Kra- ing suddenly. little imagination is needed to make zloty for building bike paths dem- kow policy towards cyclists. The plans held by city authori- the lives of cyclists better.

Adelina Krupski Staff Journalist Krakow and encourages foreigners to get new opportunities, or simply through travel, Despite the vast community of English- nication, inviting a variety of bands and mu- involved in local activities. On air from 10, having made Polish friends abroad. While speakers in Krakow, there were no local ra- sicians to participate, exchange views, and Every Sunday morning, Radio Alfa or, shortly after, depending on the circum- nationalities include British, Polish, Ameri- dio programs addressing this specific audi- share their compositions. However, while 102.40 FM presents the English-speaking stances, the ExPat crew helps its listeners can, and Dutch, each of the members has ence or targeting expatriates in the country. music plays a central role in the program, community with ExPat Radio, an engaging ease into the day with two hours’ worth of found his or her place in Krakow. Impres- Consequently, ExPat Radio is the first pro- a wide range of cultural and political topics show that promotes the many attractions of good tunes, interviews, live performances, sively, they all speak Polish, though some gram of its kind to appear in Poland. Hav- also arises. Events announced often involve readings, news and event announcements. on a higher level than others, have lived in ing kicked off just over half a year ago, the concerts, exhibits and other cultural activi- The show is non-profit, which means the Poland for a number of years, and work - a program continues to develop and is grow- ties. During special times of the year, such people putting it together do so purely out of few of them have taken on jobs involving ing stronger. as Christmas and New Year, listeners can enjoyment and motivation to serve a need. linguistic skills, such as teaching or trans- According to Johnny Walczak, one of the learn about Polish traditions and ways to ac- Through the program, the ExPat team aims lating. ExPat originators, the team is made up of cess the local scoop. to channel information to expatriates resid- The idea for the show was initiated by amateurs, each contributing his or her bit of Currently, the ExPat crew sees building a ing in Krakow by creating awareness and two members of the current ExPat team experience. As a result, the process has been web site for the program as a priority, pro- stirring interest in local matters. In addition, who are also involved in Romantic Wave, a huge learning curve and now the show is viding more practical information to its lis- the show gives off a familiar tone, not only another yet more artsy Radio Alfa program finally coming together. Committed to the teners, such as where to find English-speak- through the use of the English language, but conducted in both English and Polish, on development of the program, ExPat mem- ing doctors, dentists or other facilities often also as a result of the friendly, relaxed atmo- air Sunday evenings from 21:00 to 22:00. bers have started meeting with focus groups sought by new arrivals. sphere created in the way the team members The proposal was brought to the attention once a month in order to receive more feed- According to Zabierzewski, ExPat radio krakowpost.com work closely together. of Zdzislaw Zabierzewski, the presenter back from their listeners and find ways in reaches out to foreigners, helping them to In a similar situation as their listeners, of Romantic Wave, was accepted, built which they can improve. In addition, they find themselves here, while also acting as the ExPat crew members themselves come on, and eventually realized. Zabierzewski are always welcoming comments and ideas a kind of “tour guide.” ExPat, now firmly from very different backgrounds and have states that twelve years ago, it was very to be communicated via phone or email. on the Krakow landscape, will continue to arrived in Poland for distinctive reasons, for difficult to find willing contributors for an ExPat Radio is very much focused on serve the growing needs of its multitude of instance Polish family history, a search for English-language show. music, which in itself is a way of commu- visitors. FEBRUARY 7-FEBRUARY 13 KRAKOW The Krakow Post 13 Bochnia invites tourists underground Joanna Zabierek Crossway has sculptures of Jesus at each Staff Journalist of these stations. The Bochnia underground route has Bochnia is famous for its salt mine. already been mapped out and sculptors The city allows visitors to witness how have begun working on the figures and miners work to excavate salt and learn reliefs. the history of salt mining. It also includes “It is a unique venture. Bochnia will be a raft that will take tourists through the the first in the whole world to have such only underground salt lake in the world an attraction,” said Jaroslaw Skrzypek, – an underground “Way of the Crossway” one of the Crossways sculptors, to the entirely forged in salt. Polish daily Polska. These attractions will be open to the Another great attraction is the replica public in three months after an extensive of an old 13th Century medieval village. promotional campaign. The village consists of several period Most of the salt mine’s construction wooden huts in imitation of those built and lighting has been completed with a ages ago. few minor details remaining. Highlanders from Podhale have been The biggest challenge remaining is working on this community for a few building the “Way of the Crossways” months using the same building materi- which is inside every Polish Church. als as would have been used in the 13th Before he was crucified, Jesus passed Century; wooden chops instead of nails, through many stations where he was wicker to insulate the walls, and roofs beaten and tortured. In Polish Churches, made of thatch. Bochnia, located 35 ki- the priest leads a reenactment of passing lometers from Krakow, was visited by this way again while reading the bible and 132,000 people last year. This year the moving from one station to the next. This city anticipates a 10 percent increase. cc:2.5:Be^2 Poles claim benefit in UK for children living in Poland

the krakow post the recipients are perfectly entitled to claim the payments. Shadow Family Welfare Min- Although Child Benefit is an

LUK Agency LUK ister, Andrew Selous recently automatic right in the UK for delivered a scathing attack on the Poles who are registered to work, Treasury for failing to halt the it is still very difficult for them to dramatic increase in Child Benefit claim Child Benefit in their home claims by those Polish workers in country. Claimants are subject to the UK who have left their chil- rigorous means testing and very dren behind in Poland with rela- few applications are successful. tives or other caregivers. Ironically, local government agen- According to the Treasury’s cies in Krakow are now inundated written response to a parliamen- with requests, asking for proof tary question on the issue, at the that Poles working in the UK have end of last September, 16,286 young dependants living in this Polish workers were claiming the region. benefit. It could be argued, therefore, On the basis of the current that, by claiming benefit in the weekly benefit rates (18 pounds UK, Polish workers are actually 10 for the eldest child and 12 trying to compensate for the rigid pounds 10 for younger siblings), welfare legislation at home. The opposition claim that an esti- But this argument wouldn’t sat- mated 21 million pounds of Brit- isfy the readers of the right wing ish taxpayer’s money that would Daily Mail, which first broke the be better invested in education story in Autumn 2006. Shortly af- and the National Health Service ter it went to press, one reader de- is drifting over to Poland every manded that the UK leave the EU year. immediately. Another claimed that Selous claimed that the situ- the UK had become the “milking ation was a direct result of mis- cow” of Europe. management of resources: “The Jo Perry of Surrey, England was government has shown no leader- even prepared to sacrifice his life- ship or political will in trying to long adherence to the Protestant sort out this issue.” work ethic: “Reading this I have Other critics of the current ben- decided to give up my job. I have efits system believe that the Poles worked from the day I left school in the UK are cynically exploiting but now I see no point in going out what is in effect a legal loophole. to work and supporting the whole In fact, under the current EU regu- world. I’m just thinking how nice lations, Child Benefit is classified it’s going to be not having to get as an “exportable benefit” and so up in the freezing weather.”

EPE Translations FOR PERMANENT, English - Polish - English TEMPORARY AND CONTRACT STAFF Agency providing translation services for IN IRELAND & UK companies working in multicultural environment as well as for private individuals. l Ireland Deliver standard, technical and sworn tel: (00353) 45 883420 translations at competitive prices. e-mail: [email protected] Also provide interpreters located in Ireland, UK and Poland. l Manchester, UK tel: (0044) 0 161 9090050 Check out www.epetranslations.com e-mail: [email protected] krakowpost.com tel: (0048) (0) 12 4212300 www.issrecruitment.com 14 The Krakow Post joie de vivre FEBRUARY 7-FEBRUARY 13 Modern art exhibit at Foto-Medium-Art Malgorzata Mleczko tive.” pecially when looking at the photos of gically. involved displays of lost luggage and Staff Journalist He created his Accident Chronicle children. Boltanski was born in 1944 in Paris other items from public spaces, such as exhibition in 1973. The approach that Boltanski took to a Jewish father of Ukrainian heritage railway stations. They memorialize the The Foto-Medium-Art Gallery is dis- The photos are all of people involved made his work a social and sociologi- and a Corsican mother. He spent his unknown owners in a cacophony of per- playing more than 100 photos of what in crimes – murders, assaults, robberies, cal exercise. He forced the viewer to early years hiding from the Nazis. sonal effects. look like normal people of different rapes, kidnappings and others. He cre- become involved in the art. No one Boltanski started painting as a teen- Boltanski lives in Paris. He has ex- ages and genders doing normal things. ated the exhibition in 1973. who sees the exhibit can feel indiffer- ager in 1958. His early paintings were hibited internationally at such museums Viewers are in for a shock, how- By cutting the pictures out of the ent about it. big. They depicted historical events or, venues as the Muse d’art modern de la ever. Some of the photos that Christian magazine, the artist deprives them of The project comes from a phase of on occasion, lonely figures in macabre ville de Paris; Stedelijk van Abbemuse- Boltanski picked are portraits. Others context. We don’t know who is criminal Boltanski’s artistic activities when he settings, such as coffins. um, Eindhoven, Germany; Whitechapel capture people in such everyday situ- and who is victim. was starting to undermine the myth of In the 1960s he began moving from Art Gallery, London; Museum of Con- ations such as conversations, playing The exhibition tells us something modernist originality by using stereo- painting to other art forms, including temporary Art, Chicago; and Museum games or sunbathing. about ourselves. Looking at the photos, typical pictures of mass culture – press film, photography and performance. of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. At first viewers may get the impres- many viewers began trying to figure out and promotional photos. The line between his life and work sion that the photographs are kind of a who is criminal and who is victim by In this case he created a nostalgic but often blurs, but not in a romantic, self- Christian Boltanski, family album. Then they realize they their looks. But some of the criminals disturbing world. At the same time he sacrificing way. Boltanski recasts in- Accident Chronicle (Jan. 30-Feb. 14). are reproductions of prints in the same can be good-looking and some of the cast a spotlight on photography as an cidents from a life he has never lived, Foto-Medium-Art Gallery, magazine, in the same colors – and sim- victims homely. art medium. The work shows how an using touched-up photographs or items ul. Karmelicka 28/12 ilar sizes. That’s because Boltanski cut Viewers also begin wondering what artist can influence the structure of the he has never possessed. Opening hours: them from the French magazine “Detec- kind of crime someone experienced, es- message by choosing this work strate- Several of Boltanski’s projects have Tues-Fri 14-19, Sat 14-18. Anyone for anglii pogoda?

John Marshall body prove you wrong? Not even plaint (I think it’s the change of Staff Journalist “the weather” itself can discredit air pressure) but I came to Poland such a theory. partly to escape all things British, You know those days when your What’s it going to do? Have and that definitely includes the brain is five seconds behind the a hurricane hover over my flat, weather. My first Krakowian rest of you and you never quite block my driveway with snow, winter (2005) was a snowy winter catch up? Well, I’ve been having blow away my Internet connec- wonderland from November to a few of those lately. No, it’s not tion? That would only upset me April, closely followed by a blis- what you’re thinking: “modera- more and prove my point. No, tering, broiling summer. tion” (it says on my desk calen- in Poland, it’s safe to blame any Like those long, sunny school dar) is the bon motte, or word of physical and spiritual malaise on holidays of my youth, I want the the day. No, the source of my be- “the weather.” weather back. And I mean the ing “out-of-sorts” is, it seems, the Of course, informed reader good stuff. weather. You see, according to the that you are, you know that the No medicocity; I want ex- Poles, any untoward feeling you British have a lot of weather of tremes. In fact, I demand them! may experience as you stumble, our own - too much, some might But am I likely to get them? Not walk or dance through your Kra- say. Greedy, even. Maybe so. But with global warming, I’m not. kowian days can all be attributed here again, I prefer to divest my At this rate, we’ll have to go to to “the weather.” countrymen of all culpability and, Norway for our skiing and the “Why do I feel so tired today?,” instead, set the blame squarely Tatras will soon become a moun- you ask. Your Polish friend smiles on mother nature and the British tain jungle. knowingly and looks up. “It’s maritime climate. Changeable, Anyway, thanks for reading. the weather,” she replies, with a unpredictable, awful: frankly, It has helped. I feel a little bet- gentle nod of the head. And it’s you’re welcome to the “anglii ter now. Hey, do you think “the such a wonderful, forgiving idea pogoda,” (English weather), as weather” works as an excuse that I’ve started using it myself. the Poles call these wet and windy for hangovers and being late for I mean, as an Englishman, I love days. But we”re all in Europe work? Minor criminal offenses? talking about the weather. I could together now, right? And, with You must excuse me: I’ve gotta go talk about it until the cows come international borders falling call the editor and ask for some home. But to actually chart and faster than the greenback, we can more time to finish this article. blame my emotions on the rise expect even more anglii pogoda in Apparently, there’s some and fall of the air pressure? Now, the future. patchy rain on the way. That that is good! How did we miss However, politics aside and ex- should be good for a couple of that one? I mean, how can any- cuse me if this sounds like a com- days. Poland looks to diversify energy supplies From ENERGY on Page 1 four countries oppose a sea route. areas. If Tusk fails to convince the Kremlin, other kinds of fuels,” he said. Sweden is worried about what would Even if Russia agreed, it could run into Poland will put even more effort into coal, The EU has a number of programs to en- to lay a pipeline through Poland rather than happen to the environment if the pipeline problems with seabed locations where including finding cleaner ways to burn it. courage member countries to come up with in the Baltic Sea. The main objective of the ruptures. The current pipeline path comes countries dumped munitions after World Economy Minister Waldemar Pawlak cleaner energy sources. One, the Intelligent Nord Stream project is to supply Russian very close to the Swedish coast. War II. has said that coal is an opportunity for Po- Energy for Europe program, provides funds gas to Germany. “This is turning out to be a huge project The pipeline will be one of the issues land, not a problem. to develop renewable energy. Nord Stream will transport up to 55 bln that involves several countries, lots of non- that Prime Minister Donald Tusk discusses The soaring price of oil means that even The European Commission says renew- cubic meters of gas a year, enough to sup- governmental agencies and big environ- in a visit to Moscow on Friday. if the coal industry spent a lot of money on able energy sources – particularly wind, ply more than 20 mln households. mental issues,” said Swedish Environment Tusk will propose that Russia lay the cleaner-burning technology, coal would water, solar power and biomass – are ex- Polish leaders see a pipeline on their soil Minister Sten Jerdenius. pipeline in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Po- still be a bargain, he told the Polish Press pected to be economically competitive as the best guarantee of their country being The Swedish Environmental Protection land and Germany, according to the daily Agency (PAP). “It’s high time to find mon- with conventional energy sources in the able to continue obtaining Russian gas. If Agency wants Russia to lay the pipeline Dziennik newspaper. His main argument ey for modernizing” the industry, he said. medium to long term. the pipeline were under water, it would be further south in the Baltic because of the with Russian President Vladimir Putin will If we can “introduce cleaner technolo- In addition, it points out, renewable much easier for Russia to cut off supplies fragile ecology of the country’s southern be that a land route will be half the cost of gies – for example, gasified or liquefied sources contribute to sustainable develop- to Poland and the Baltics – which is why all islands, which are internationally protected a sea route. coal – we can create a great alternative to ment and security of supply. FEBRUARY 7-FEBRUARY 13 CLASSIFIEDS The Krakow Post

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