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Published by: Jargon Media Sp. z o.o. Index Number: 236683 ISSN: 1898-4762 NO. 31 WWW.KRAKOWPOST.COM DECEMBER 6-DECEMBER 12, 2007 Tusk refuses to sign EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights Poles released from Swedish camp Sixty Poles say a Gdansk labor recruiting agency lured them to Sweden with promises of jobs that didn’t exist – and they ended up crushing rocks 2 War launched over in vitro fertilization Health Minister Ewa Kopacz says that she will sponsor a plan to finance in vitro fertilization for Polish couples who are childless, usually as a result of infertility 3

Michnik named Tusk is afraid that if Poland signs the rights charter, which Kaczynski opposes, the president will use his influence to prevent the reform treaty from becoming law.

Georgia monitor Kinga Rodkiewicz economic and social rights that EU residents with the charter. After the election, Kazynski let Tusk know STAFF JOURNALIST should enjoy. The rights are divided into six “I don’t notice, in contrast with some ob- he would fight charter ratification. Tusk decid- Former dissident-turned editor sections: Dignity, Freedoms, Equality, Solidar- servers – including Polish bishops – important ed to capitulate on that issue so he could obtain Adam Michnik has been made Prime Minister Donald Tusk has backed ity, Citizens’ Rights and Justice. dangers which were written into the charter,” ratification of the Reform Treaty – the first po- the EU’s mediator on press away from a campaign pledge to sign the The charter includes such traditional rights Tusk said. “In our view, The Charter of Basic litical defeat of his young prime ministership, freedom in Georgia 4 EU’s Charter of Basic Rights because he needs as the right to life, freedom of expression, Rights of the EU would be useful not only to observers say. President Lech Kaczynski’s support for a more equality before the law, and freedom from dis- our community (within Poland) but also to Po- The International Helsinki Federation for important goal – Poland’s passage of the EU crimination. It also includes rights stemming land as a part of the European community.” Human Rights, the European Commission and Reform Treaty. from recent technological developments, in- The Left and Democrats party said it also Germans to design Tusk is afraid that if Poland signs the rights cluding provisions dealing with data protection supported the charter. See TUSK on Page 13 charter, which Kaczynski opposes, the presi- and bioethics. national stadium dent will use his influence to prevent the reform Provisions in the charter that deal with treaty from becoming law. marriage and family are the ones that have A German company has won a Because most EU countries have ratified the energized Polish politicians. For example, the competition to design the treaty, EU leaders will sign it at their summit in charter recognizes ways to create a family other Lisbon on Dec. 13. Poland must ratify it before than marriage. And it does not refer to marriage National Stadium in Warsaw 7 it can hold the EU presidency position. as being between men and women, which op- Ratification of treaties requires a two-thirds ponents say is a tacit recognition of homosex- vote of Poland’s lower house. Tusk’s ruling co- ual marriage. Workers from Asia alition, consisting of his Civic Platform party Although most of the charter’s rights ap- and the Polish Peoples’ Party, has only a 10- ply to everyone, the document also recognizes seat majority in the 460-seat lower house. categories of people with special needs, in- will build in Poland Kaczynski’s Law and Justice party, the low- cluding children, the elderly and people with Poland has such a shortage of er house’s second-largest, has 166 seats. a disability. Many members of the conservative Law and Nicole Fontaine, president of the European workers that it is beginning to Justice party oppose provisions in the rights Parliament, said at the charter-signing ceremo- bring them in from Vietnam 9 treaty dealing with families, including lan- ny in Nice that the document would become guage that gives tacit approval to homosexual “the point of reference for all the Parliament marriages. acts which have a direct or indirect bearing on Although Tusk had campaigned in favor of the lives of citizens throughout the EU.” “Chechnya: The ratifying the rights treaty, he said in his 185- The Law and Justice party-led coalition that minute inaugural speech on Nov. 23 that he ruled Poland until the Civic Platform party’s Final Solution” wouldn’t ask parliament to consider it. victory on Oct. 23 announced Oct. 4 that it Poland thus becomes the second EU mem- wouldn’t accept the charter. That government An exhibit of 300 pictures with ber to opt out of the treaty. In making its deci- was led by Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the chilling name of “Chechnya: sion, the British government heeded employer the president’s twin brother. The Final Solution” opens groups. Employers had said they feared that The Kaczynski government said it feared the charter would strengthen union rights, in- that charter provisions dealing with moral and Friday in Krakow City Hall 11 cluding the legal right to strike and secondary family issues would have legal consequences in picketing. Poland because they contradicted Polish law. As a consequence, Britons and Poles who As an example, Foreign Ministry spokes- feel their human rights have been violated will man Robert Szaniawski said: “We won’t be be able to take their cases before the European able to prevent possible interpretations of law Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. made by the European Court of Human Rights The presidents of the European Parliament, which could lead to changing the definition of the European Council and the European Com- the family and force Poland to accept homo- mission signed the charter in Nice, France, on sexual marriages.” Dec. 7, 2000. At the time, Tusk said neither his Civic Plat- The declaration, which is without legal form party nor his planned coalition partner, force, specifies a range of civil, political, the Polish People’s Party, had any problems 2 The Krakow Post POLAND DECEMBER 6-DECEMBER 12, 2007

R E G I O N A L N E W S President Seven injured in new Ukraine Polish workers released names former mine blast: official Seven miners were injured late last week in foreign minister an explosion in a Ukraine coal mine, where 101 miners were killed two weeks ago in the worst as chief aide accident of the country’s post-Soviet history, of- from Swedish labor camp ficials said. Four miners were being treated at a agence france-presse hospital for smoke inhalation and three others suf- fered injuries during the blast at the Zasyadko pit Poland’s former foreign minister Anna in eastern Ukraine, said Igor Krol, spokesman for Fotyga was appointed late last week in a the Ministry of Emergency Situations. public ceremony as chief advisor to Presi- In all, 63 miners were working in the pit some dent Lech Kaczynski whose twin brother 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) underground when lost the premiership last month. the blast tore through the shaft at 04:00. Rescue Fotyga was a loyal servant of the con- workers managed to locate the men, who were all servative, euroceptic Kaczynski brothers brought to the surface, Krol told AFP. whose Law and Justice party lost October’s An explosion on Nov. 18 killed 101 miners at snap election to the liberal Civic Platform Zasyadko, one of Ukraine’s three biggest mines. after two turbulent years in government. Ukraine’s coal mines are considered among the Her nomination could exacerbate ten- most dangerous in the world, with many poorly sions between the president and Poland’s financed and employing outdated Soviet-era new Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who has equipment. Most of the country’s mine disasters pledged to focus foreign policy on repairing are caused by methane gas. (AFP) ties with the country’s neighbors, frayed by the often combative Kaczynskis. Court orders freeloading Fotyga, 50, was a favorite target for op- lawmakers to buy bus tickets ponents of the ousted Law and Justice gov- ernment because of her unconditional sup- A court late last week ordered freeloading port of the twins’ hardline policies. Czech lawmakers accustomed to using private She also faced criticism from within transport for free to pay for their tickets like other Law and Justice, but has been shielded passengers. The perk was challenged by the dis- by the president. gruntled owner of one of the country’s biggest bus Fotyga late last week denied that her ap- companies, arguing that the current law meant he pointment marked the creation of “an alter- and other passengers were sponsoring lawmakers. native source for creating foreign policy,” The Prague court ruled in his favor, saying law- but said that the presidency is “an important makers should pay their fares up front and try and factor for such policy.” recoup their costs from the state. President Kaczynski has already blasted Two lawmakers deliberately drew attention to Tusk’s first diplomatic initiatives. the 17-year-old law offering across-the-board free On Tuesday, Tusk lifted Poland’s ob- transport to all lawmakers in April by travelling on jections to Russia beginning membership a Student Agency bus for free. negotiations with the Organization for The company then tried to recoup the 270 koru- Economic Cooperation and Development na (10 euro, $15) in fares. Czech lawmakers have (OECD). Described by Tusk as a “good will talked in the past of curbing their travel perks but A farmhouse in rural Sweden. gesture,” the move is being seen as an at- without taking any final action. (AFP) tempt to overcome the deep impasse in Pol- Kinga Rodkiewicz The Swedpool labor-recruiting agency the agency’s practices. As part of that inves- ish-Russian relations which arose under two Czechs nominate Klaus for years of Kaczynski rule. second presidential term STAFF JOURNALIST “promised I’d work as a carpenter and re- tigation, they are interviewing many of the Kaczynski’s office was “extremely as- ceive a high income,” he said. That prompt- workers. tonished” by the move, insisting the gov- Czech rightwing lawmakers late last week for- Sixty Poles say a Gdansk labor recruiting ed him to leave a decent-paying job in Po- Many of the Polish workers thought go- ernment was constitutionally obliged to mally nominated President Vaclav Klaus as candi- agency lured them to Sweden with promises land, he said. ing to Sweden was the chance of a lifetime. cooperate with the head of state in matters date for the next presidential election. of skilled jobs that didn’t exist – and they However, he spent all his money on “We were promised work as skilled labor- of foreign policy. The move, five years to the day after Klaus’ ended up doing backbreaking work crushing expenses in Sweden without making any ers, mechanics, carpenters, bricklayers,” The president’s office said it was con- first nomination, was backed by all 81 lower and sidering to ask Poland’s Constitutional 41 upper house lawmakers belonging to the gov- rocks and clearing forests. income, he said. “Now I’m penniless,” he Lange said. When they arrived in Sweden, And, they say, they weren’t even paid for moaned. however, they found no skilled-labor posi- Tribunal to outline the rights and respon- erning Civic Democratic party (ODS). sibilities of both intuitions in the foreign Klaus, an avowed euroceptic who has branched the work. Thus, they maintain, what hap- The Swedpool agency has a Pomeranian tions, he said. policy arena. out by leading a crusade against environmentalists pened to them amounted to being in a slave- government certificate that suggests it is a A few days later, they said, a Swedish “We play with the cards and the instru- calling for action over climate change, is so far the labor camp for an extended period. reliable labor broker between Swedish em- employer offered them jobs in the quar- ments which we have at our disposal,” Fo- only candidate for the post and looks likely to beat The Gdansk agency counters that they ployers and Polish workers. ries for the equivalent of 25 zloty an hour. tyga told reporters in Warsaw Thursday. any possible challengers. With solid support from never promised the Poles skilled-labor jobs. A woman working at Swedpool who re- A week later, when they were supposed to “If we deprive ourselves of them we will ODS lawmakers, Klaus only needs another 19 Government investigators are trying to fused to give her name said in a telephone get their first wages, however, the company have to rely on the good will of Russia. This votes from the remaining members of the 200-seat seems a difficult situation during the elec- lower and 81-seat upper house in elections due to determine who is telling the truth. conversation with Gazeta Polska that the refused to pay. The bricklayers, mechanics and carpen- Polish workers were lying about being In 2006, Italian police freed 113 Poles liv- tion campaign (in Russia).” take place early next year. Klaus’ most likely op- Poland experienced high-pitched conflict ponent, the U.S.-based Czech-born economist Jan ters say that for several weeks they worked promised skilled jobs. “They simply didn’t ing in what amounted to a slave-labor camp with many of its EU partners, especially Svejnar, is expected to declare next week whether in a quarry without getting money or meals. want to work,” she said. She added that in Italy’s southern region of Puglia. Those western neighbor Germany, under two years he will run for the job. Svejnar has been backed by On weekends they cleared forest, they told “many of them abuse alcohol.” who refused to work were beaten with metal of prime minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski’s the biggest opposition party, the Social Democrats, the Warsaw-based newspaper Gazeta Pol- She also contended that Swedpool made batons and attacked by dogs. Some of the government. and the junior government coalition party, the ska. no promises about how much money the women at the camps were raped. It also effectively blocked the start of ne- Greens. ODS leaders were told to launch talks with “It was a labor camp,” asserted Wojciech workers would make. A joint law-enforcement operation be- gotiations on a new EU-Russia treaty due to the Greens and the remaining coalition party, the Lange of Kleszczew Koscierski in Pomera- The workers’ complaints have prompted tween Italy and Poland led to 20 arrests for a 2005 Russian embargo on Polish meat and Christian Democrats, over ensuring their support plant products. for the party’s founder, Klaus, at a party congress nia. government labor investigators to look into human trafficking. on Saturday. (AFP) Russia, Ukraine agree on 2008 gas price: Gazprom PO proposes tax abolition for emigrants Ukraine and Russia agreed early this week on the price of gas for delivery in 2008, defusing a dispute like that which disrupted supplies to Eu- Michal Wojtas Many of the 740,000 in the six countries rope last year. Russian giant Gazprom said Ukraine STAFF JOURNALIST have been reluctant to return to Poland for agreed to pay $179.50 (122 euro) per 1,000 cubic fear of having Polish tax authorities slap meters for gas deliveries in 2008. Prime Minister Donald Tusk plans to of- them with taxes and penalties on the money “The two sides agreed that in 2008 the price fer a major incentive to try to lure back Poles they earned overseas. of gas crossing the Russia-Ukraine border will be who have been working overseas to make Poland levies an 18 percent tax on those $179.50,” Gazprom said in a statement. more money. who earn up to 85,528 zloty a year – about The current price for Russian gas paid by Ukraine is $130. Members of Tusk’s Civic Platform party 23,750 euro. Workers who make more than The deal was reached by Gazprom have drafted a bill that would allow Poles 85,528 zloty find themselves in a whopping CEO Alexei Miller and Ukraine’s Energy who have worked in such high-paying coun- 40 percent tax bracket. Minister Yury Boiko, the statement said. tries as Great Britain and Holland to bring Many Poles working in the six countries Turkmenistan last week raised the price it their earnings back to the country tax-free. make considerably more than 85,528 zloty charges Russia for its gas from $100 to $150 by Zbigniew Chlebowski, head of the Public a year – and thus would face a 40 percent the end of 2008, a move that was expected to have Finance Committee in the lower house, or tax bill on their overseas earnings. The 40 a knock-on effect for Ukraine. (AFP) Sejm, predicts that parliament will vote on percent rate would apply even though they Polish minister invited to the bill in a few weeks. had already paid, for example, a 22 percent There is some question about whether tax rate on their earnings in Britain. Russia for embargo talks the courts would find elimination of the The Civic Platform party made the over- Russia has invited Polish Agricultural Minister overseas-tax provision constitutional be- seas-earnings tax waiver part of their plat- Marek Sawicki for talks on a Russian embargo on cause Poles working abroad would get the form in the election campaign that ended in Polish meat that is stalling EU-Russia talks, his tax break while those working here would October. ministry said early this week. Sawicki received not. But the government plans to try to get it If passed, it should help bring back work an invitation from Russian Agricultural Minister passed anyway. emigrants who are considering returning be- Alexei Gordeyev, ministry spokeswoman Mal- The bill would apply to all Poles who cause of a vibrant Polish economy. Emigra- gorzata Ksiazyk told AFP. “Discussions are under- have worked since January 1, 2004, in EU tion has slowed in 2007 because of the good way on the details of the visit,” she added. countries with no double-taxation agree- economy. According to a source close the Polish Agri- ments with Poland. The group consists of: The government projects 6.7 percent culture Ministry, Russian inspectors have dropped the United Kingdom, Holland, Belgium, economic growth in Poland this year, twice hints to Polish counterparts that the beef embargo, imposed in November 2005, could be lifted in the Austria, Denmark and Finland. Britain’s rate. next few days. At the end of 2006, about 1.55 mln Poles In the last two years, Poland has created Russia justified the embargo citing problems were living in other EU countries, according 1.2 mln jobs. With so many Poles working with Polish health controls. to the Polish Central Statistics Office. abroad, labor shortages are a problem. In response, Poland’s former conservative gov- About 740,000 were in the six countries That is the reverse of the high-unemploy- ernment blocked the launch of negotiations of an without double-taxation agreements with ement situation a few years ago that sparked important EU-Russia accord. (AFP) Poland. the emigration wave. More and more Poles are leaving to work in Western Europe. DECEMBER 6-DECEMBER 12, 2007 POLAND The Krakow Post 3

World Family Polish prosecutors open probe of Hotel deficit Summit stresses UN anti-poverty goals migrant’s taser death in Canada plagues EU agence france-presse newcomer A senior UN official warned late last

week that the international community сс:sa:IDuke risked missing the 2015 deadline to meet the Poland world body’s ambitious poverty-reduction goals unless efforts were stepped up. Speak- ing at the “World Family Summit +3” in Warsaw, Nikhil Seth said there was a serious “deficit in implementation” in efforts to hit the eight basic targets adopted by the inter- national community in 2000, known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDG). “The problems in realizing the MDG are very large and clearly the world needs to see a speeding up of implementation,” said Seth, the director of the UN Office for Economic and Social Council Support and Coordination (UNOESC). “Governments cannot achieve MDG’s themselves,” he said, insisting the involve- ment of NGOs and civil society was vital. The four-day family summit, which comes three years after the inaugural meet- ing in China in 2004, is due to close Thurs- day with the adoption of a declaration on stepping up efforts to achieve the goals. The event is organized by the Paris-based agence france-presse World Family Organization in conjunction with the UN and a host of international Booming EU newcomer Poland NGOs. Current and former presidential has the fewest hotels per capita in the spouses from a string of countries also at- entire 27-member bloc, according to tended the conference, and announced plans to create a formal first ladies’ association an expert report published in the Pol- which would focus on meeting the UN ish capital Warsaw late last week. goals. Poland has just 44 hotel beds per “We expect the association to be con- 10,000 residents, while Austria boasts vened at WFO headquarters in Paris before 695, Greece has 615 and Spain, 364, Christmas,” Poland’s former first lady Jo- agence france-presse ert Dzienkanski’s death, but we can’t rule Dziekanski, a construction worker who according to the ‘2007 Hotel Market’ lanta Kwasniewska told AFP. out that in a later phase the investigation spoke only Polish, had never travelled by report by Poland’s Institute of Tour- “As first ladies we want to lobby on ism. these important matters which must still be Justice authorities in Poland late last could lead to the indictment of Canadian plane and had rarely gone far from his resolved,” she said. “We will be pushing our week said they were investigating the death officials,” said Szulczynski. small home town of Pieszyce, in southwest While the overall number of ho- husbands to resolve these vital issues.” of a Polish immigrant who was zapped by On Oct. 14, 40-year-old Dziekanski Poland. tel beds in 38-mln strong Poland is Other current and former first ladies from police with a stun gun at a Canadian airport died after being shocked repeatedly by po- Police were called to the airport after a on the rise, it pales in comparison to China, the Czech Republic, Lithuania and last month. lice officers with a Taser stun gun only 60 seemingly frustrated Dziekanski blocked a Italy, with a population of 56.7 mln, Tunisia are among those who have already “The aim of the investigation is to ver- seconds after they first approached him at security door with chairs and a table, and leading the statistics with a whopping voiced support for the initiative spearheaded ify whether (Canadian police) exceeded Vancouver airport in western Canada. threw a computer off a counter on to the two mln hotel beds. by Kwasniewska’s Communication Without their authority and involuntarily caused A bystander’s video released several floor. Canadian authorities are also inves- The report predicts rapid invest- Barriers foundation. ment growth in Poland’s fledgling In 2000, the UN adopted eight goals to the death of a Polish citizen,” said Michal weeks later caused widespread shock and tigating. be met by all the world’s countries by 2015. Szulczynski, spokesman for the regional soul-searching in Canada. It showed the “We are not going to wait for the results hotel sector, with forecasts calling for They include eradicating extreme poverty prosecutor’s office in the southwestern Pol- four officers piling on top of the distraught of the Canadian investigation,” said Szul- outlays to total 1.3 bln euro by 2012, and hunger, achieving universal primary ish city of Gliwice. traveller as he lay writhing and screaming czynski. when Poland is set to co-host the Eu- education, promoting gender equality, re- “The Polish criminal code allows for in pain on the floor, before he fell still min- Poland filed a diplomatic protest with ropean football championships with ducing child mortality, improving maternal an investigation in cases which have taken utes later. Canada after Dziekanski’s death, demand- Ukraine. health, combating diseases such as HIV/ place abroad but which involve a Polish Dziekanski had travelled to Canada to ing that Warsaw receive “full and transpar- This could translate into 32,000 AIDS, ensuring environmental sustain- citizen,” he told AFP. live with his mother, but a mix-up at the ent results of the (Canadian) investigation.” new hotel beds across the country. ability and creating global partnerships for According to the Institute’s cal- development. “Foreign nationals can be prosecuted in airport forced him to wait for her inside the Canada’s ambassador to Poland, David The Paris-based WFO groups 136 coun- such cases,” he added. secure area for almost 10 hours while she Preston, has reassured Polish officials that culations, the number of visitors to tries, dozens of NGOs, universities and re- “For the moment it’s a question of clari- waited for him on the other side of a wall in the Canadian probe will be “thorough and Poland will exceed 15.7 mln this year search centers and is affiliated to the UN. fying the circumstances and causes of Rob- the public arrivals area. fair.” and 20 mln in 2012. War launched over in vitro fertilization the krakow post excuse for Polish Catholics to dis- regard church doctrine. Health Minister Ewa Kopacz They both presented official has announced that she will sponsor views of the Catholic Church that a plan to finance in vitro fertiliza- were shaped by Cardinal Joseph tion for the one mln Polish couples Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, – one in three – who are childless, more than 20 years ago when he usually as a result of infertility of was chief of the Congregation for either the wife or husband. the Doctrine of the Faith. The Vati- But her plan met quick resis- can opposes in vitro fertilization as tance on religious grounds from the human embryos are destroyed in Polish episcopacy. the process and considers artificial Kopacz said her ministry will fertilization to be inhumane. initially fund the in vitro fertiliza- The church leaders’ views were tion technique for childless couples roundly condemned by some ele- with the lowest incomes because ments of the liberal and left-wing there is not enough money to help press, especially by Trybuna daily. all of them. This, however, she add- Dziennik published a warning ed, should be a first step toward full that discord over this issue may lead financing of this type of infertility to a long war between the govern- treatment in Poland. ment and the episcopate similar to She was backed by Prime Minis- one over abortion in the early 90s. ter Donald Tusk, who said in vitro Officially 89 percent of Poles are fertilization treatment is worthy of Catholics but the number of regu- state assistance and that his govern- lar churchgoers is much smaller. ment is trying to solve one of Po- Recently many Polish worship- land’s biggest social problems: the pers have adopted views contrary shrinking population (-0.04 percent to those of the official line of their in 2006). priests. For example, Kopacz, her- Members of the Polish episco- self a Catholic, said she is not go- pacy stated their opposition to last ing to discuss the issue with the week’s announcement by Kopacz. episcopate. Kazimierz Nycz, archbishop According to the Ministry of of Warsaw, said in vitro fertiliza- Health, annually no more than 4,000 tion is unacceptable and pointed to couples decide for in vitro fertiliza- adoption as a solution for childless tion. The main obstacle is the price couples. Bishop Tadeusz Pieronek, of the treatment, which can reach a prominent member of the Catho- 20,000 zloty (5,500 euro). Govern- lic clergy, said the technique is ment help likely would increase the against official doctrine and that no number of in vitro fertilization ap- decision by the state should be an plications to 25,000, experts said. 4 The Krakow Post POLAND DECEMBER 6-DECEMBER 12, 2007

R E G I O N A L N E W S Ukraine’s Godzik the Michnik named EU’s Georgia media monitor crocodile dies after capture is an oligarch within Georgia who sympa- A small Nile crocodile that had escaped from a thizes with the opposition. Ukrainian circus died late last week, two days af- The police and Georgia’s special servic- ter its capture in a bay in Ukraine, the Emergency es first used tear gas, rubber bullets and ba- Situations Ministry announced. “Godzik,” a diminutive of Godzilla, the fic- tons on opposition party protesters, before tional Japanese monster, “died in the morning, entering and raiding the private premises of then he was incinerated,” ministry regional chief the TV station. Andri Bondarenko told AFP. Patarkatsishvili is set to run for the presi- On May 31, Godzik escaped from his cage at dential elections being held on Jan. 5 early the Donetsk Circus, where he was on display by next year. the Azov Sea, and bolted into the water. Patarkatsishvili made a public announce- The 20-centimeter (8-inch) reptile took refuge ment at the beginning of November that he on a barge in the Azov Sea, where he sunbathed all summer, without scaring other sunbathers. In would be sacrificing his last penny to re- autumn, he was protected from the cold by a steel move the current president, Micheil Saa- mill that discharged hot water into the bay. kashvili, out of power. The announcement Godzik was captured on Wednesday and the was broadcasted on Patarkatsishvili TV sta- Emergency Situations Ministry was in charge of tion. Protests by the opposition in support his care until his owner could come get him. of Patarkatsishvili soon followed with tens “We followed all the recommendations of the of thousand of people showing up to the owner and we created the conditions to make him rallies. In fear of a coup Saakshvili quickly feel well,” Bondarenko said. He was placed in a bath with warm water. “We do not know why he responded with enforcing a two week state died.” (AFP) of emergency and secret services were sent to raid the Imedia quarters, Georgia’s most Bird flu found on Polish popular broadcaster. turkey farms: official As reported by Gazeta Wyborcza, Mich- nik arrived in Tbilisi on Friday. Experts have detected cases of the H5N1 bird Talks led to a pledge made by the gov- flu virus on two turkey farms near Plock in central ernment to permit the re-commencement of Poland, the first to occur among domestic birds in broadcasting. the country, veterinary services said late last week. The country’s chief vet, Ewa Lech, told AFP that Gazeta Wyborcza has quoted its chief the national laboratory at Pulawy had confirmed editor confirming at a press conference the H5N1 strain, which can be deadly to humans. that “either I see Imedi broadcasting within Some 4,000 turkeys will be slaughtered. Authori- a week or I’ll be forced to tell the whole ties have identified virtually all the meat produced world, and, believe me, I’m in the position by the two farms and withdrawn it from sale, de- to do so, that the Georgian government claring protection zones around the affected vil- does not respect freedom of the press, espe- lages of Uniejewo and Mysliborzyce. cially during an election campaign”. The Agriculture Ministry for its part ordered all poultry to be kept indoors across the country and The Georgian government did not re- banned bird markets and shows. spond to the comments made by Michnik. The cases were the first this year in Poland. Bird The Georgian elections will be closely flu was found last year, but in wild birds. (AFP) Former Polish dissident-turned editor Adam Michnik. monitored by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Kazakhstan to get OSCE the krakow post The mediation session was supervised by press and the opposition. The Georgian government needs to im- presidency from 2010 Adam Michnik, Gazeta Wyborcza editor- On Nov. 7, the Georgian government prove on its damaged image it has succeed- Following the mediation session be- in-chief. Michnik was chosen by the Euro- raided the privately owned television sta- ed in attaining in the last weeks within the Kazakhstan will assume the presidency of Eu- tween the broadcaster and the Georgian pean Union to attempt appeasing the situa- tion and enforced a state of emergency. global community. Recommencing Imedia rope’s OSCE security watchdog in 2010, becom- government, the Georgian authorities have tion. The chief editor held talks on Friday Imedia is owned by Rupert Murdoch and broadcasting would be a first step in the ing the first country from the former Soviet Union vowed to allow broadcasting to resume. to hold the post, officials said late last week. with the Georgian government, with the by Badri Patarkatsishvili. Patarkatsishvili right direction. Greece will become chairman in 2009 while Lithuania will hold the post in 2011, Span- ish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, whose country currently holds the presidency of the OSCE, said at the end of the body’s annual meeting. Poland worried by Russian arms treaty move “For the first time, a country that is east of Vienna will hold the presidency,” he told a news agence france-presse President Vladimir Putin had conference, referring to Kazakhstan’s successful signed into law his country’s deci- bid. Finland had already been chosen to hold the Poland is “worried” by Russia’s sion to suspend adherence with the presidency next year. decision to suspend adherence to a so-called CFE treaty. The oil-rich Central Asian state has lobbied Cold War treaty limiting military The signing formalizes earlier hard to get the OSCE presidency, arguing it has a stable political scene, multilateral foreign policy forces in Europe, Deputy Foreign votes by the country’s parliament, and strong economy which sets it apart from its Minister Witold Waszczykowski which drew criticism from the former Soviet peers. But several OSCE mem- said late last week. West. ber states, including Britain and the U.S., had “We are worried by Russia’s The 1990 treaty places strict expressed reservations because of Kazakhstan’s suspension of its participation in limitations on the deployment of democratic record. Kazakh President Nursultan the Conventional Forces in Eu- tanks and other military hardware Nazarbayev’s political party Nur Otan won all the rope Treaty,” Waszczykowski was across Europe. seats in the parliamentary election held in August, which the OSCE said fell short of its standards. quoted as saying by the Polish Moscow says the accord is not But at the two-day OSCE meeting in Madrid, Press Agency (PAP). working because an updated ver- Kazakhstan promised to adopt a series of reforms “We had hoped until the very sion, agreed on in 1999 to take to its elections system by the end of next year, a last moment that there was still account of the break-up of the move which won it support. enough time to find a solution,” Communist bloc, has been rati- The country vowed to reform its election law said Waszczykowski, speaking fied by Russia but not by NATO with the assistance of the OSCE, liberalize its reg- from Madrid where he was attend- countries. istration rules for political parties and amend its media law to reflect the standards of the security ing a meeting of the Organization NATO members, led by the body it will chair. for Security and Cooperation in U.S., say they cannot ratify the “The commitments they made are quite extraor- Europe (OSCE). pact because Moscow has not dinary,” U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political “We nonetheless hope that Rus- fully complied with a related com- Affairs Nicholas Burns told a news conference at sia won’t decide to suspend its mitment to withdraw its military the meeting of the 56-nation Organization for Se- participation in all areas of the presence from former Soviet re- curity and Cooperation in Europe. treaty and will leave room for ma- publics Georgia and Moldova. “I think it is a highly symbolic step that for the noeuvre for talks that could yield a Putin ordered the moratorium very first time now a major international organiza- tion will be headed by a new democracy, a country deal,” he said. in July amid a row over U.S. plans that became independent just 16 years ago,” he “On our side, and the side of all to install parts of an anti-missile said. Kazakh Foreign Minister Marat Tazhin wel- NATO members, there is a will to shield in Poland and the Czech comed the announcement. continue with talks. We’re not the Republic, which were in Russia’s “We see this appointment as a testament to the ones avoiding talks and avoiding Communist-era stamping ground transformation our country has undergone since trying to find a solution.” but joined NATO in 1999 and the Poland is worried by Russia’s decision to suspend adherence to a Cold War treaty limiting military independence and as a strong vote of confidence Russia announced Friday that EU in 2004. by OSCE member states for the Central Asian re- forces in Europe gion as a whole,” he said. In December last year the OSCE postponed a decision on the country’s bid for a year to give Twelve-month inflation Astana time to improve its record on human rights and democracy. (AFP) rises to 3.5 percent Polish economy continues to grew strongly agence france-presse after having jumped sharply in September to 2.3 percent from Poland’s economy continued to post strong Poland’s inflation rate contin- 1.5 percent in August. growth in the third quarter, expanding a better-than- ued its steady rise in November, On a monthly basis, prices expected 6.4 percent compared with a year earlier, reaching 3.5 percent year-on- rose 0.6 percent in November official figures showed late last week. year, according to a Finance from October, the ministry said. Analyst forecasts for gross domestic product (GDP) growth had been for 5.9 percent after gains Ministry estimate published Poland’s national statistics of 7.2 percent and 6.4 percent in the first and sec- early this week. board is due to release the final- ond quarter of the year, respectively. In October, 12-month infla- ized November inflation figures Poland’s GDP grew 5.8 percent in 2006. (AFP) tion had reached 3.0 percent, on Dec. 13. Poland’s inflation rate continues to rise. DECEMBER 6-DECEMBER 12, 2007 POLAND The Krakow Post 5 Textbook helps gays and lesbians Orphaned boy come out of the closet

the krakow post Is he crazy?” asked Stefan Niesiolowski of the Civic Platform party. Author Robert Biedron is trying to get Tadeusz Cymanski of the Law and Jus- his book “Rainbow Primary,” which deals tice party told the Polish Press Agency that looks for hope, with gay sexuality, into the Polish school tolerance is fine, but it can be displayed in curriculum. The effort is causing a politi- other ways. “We shouldn’t interfere in chil- cal firestorm, the Warsaw-based newspaper dren’s education this way,” he said. Dziennik reported. Minister of Education Katarzyna Hal Biedron, who will submit an applica- said she will examine the book herself and tion in December for his book to be part of obtain experts’ opinions before deciding the school curriculum, said: “Whether you whether to include it in the school curricu- like it or not, lesbians and gays are in every lum. Meanwhile, some teachers are already new family school.” using it. They are seeking information about their “The book is very interesting and shows Justyna Krzywicka Then he found his way to Jaszkot. “This is me. It hasn’t happened. One of my sisters in- sexuality, which is often more complicated the problem in a very delicate and wise staff journalist my home, I have no other. The nuns told me vited me over and I was nearly on my way, but than “straight” sexuality. “Rainbow Prima- way,” said Marzanna Pogorzelska, a teach- that I have a mum and a dad as well as sib- somehow it didn’t suit her in the end. After that ry” is the only option for them, he said. er in Kedzierzyn Kozle. “I will read some Fifteen-year-old Patryk Budzinski is look- lings. My parents gave me away because I had she just stopped picking up the phone,” Patryk The first few chapters describe what gay parts of it during high school lessons.” ing for a foster family who will love him, pro- an illness of the bones, but I can walk now. I recounted to Gazeta Wyborcza. and lesbian sex is and also cover such top- Pogorzelska became famous for saying vide him with care and maybe help him out use a prosthesis. My mum gave me up because Upon being asked about the children’s home with his math homework. The boy turned to she was scared she would be unable to look he is living in by Gazeta Wyborcza, Patryk dis- ics as how to treat a friend who is gay and in a letter to former Education Minister after me. I once wrote to them asking if they plays a brave face, “my guardians are nice, how to tell parents you’re gay. Roman Giertych that she teaches children Gazeta Wyborcza asking for help in finding a new family. would visit me. I assured them that I am fine the nuns are good. Together with the rest of Biedron’s effort to get the text into about the equality of the sexes and about Patryk told Gazeta Wyborcza he has had now, that I go to school. I’m not sick like I was the kids, we’re one big family. The only thing schools has rankled many politicians. the equality of those with different sexual seven or eight operations and that he is a “bit when I was little. I got a reply from my sis- missing is real parents, just to keep for your- “Promoting homosexuality in school? orientations. disabled.” He added “I have trouble with math, ter Urszula who was studying at the time. She self. I keep thinking about it. I would like to one of my legs is shorter and one of my arms told me I had ten sisters and nine brothers and feel love that is just for me, like a normal kid. is disabled. But I am helpful, funny, and pretty that they’re sending me their love. But nobody Some are lucky and they have found homes good at chemistry. I’ll be on my best behavior came. After three years, I invited them to my with foster families. Even at my age, you still and won’t be loud around the house.” First Holy Communion. I prayed they would wish for a family. The nuns also want me to Poland placed in Patryk wrote a letter to the Gazeta Wybor- come and hug me, giving me their warmest find someone. I always go to Sister Estera’s cza asking for help in finding a new foster wishes just like parents of other kids did. But home for Christmas and for school holidays. I family. Patryk confirmed he had been thinking nobody replied to my invitation,” Patryk told keep pestering her and asking her how I could about it for a while now. Gazeta Wyborcza. find some parents for me.” Group B for Euro 2008 He’s heard of a boy who established com- “I thought they didn’t want to see me sick. When imagining a future family, Patryk munication with a couple over the Internet and But my health has been good. The nuns tried sees them as good and caring, “someone who now has a foster home to live in. Patryk tried making me feel better, but I was upset any- would talk to me when I have a fight with my doing the same. way,” Patryk continued. mate and someone who would help me with “I went on the Internet and immediately When asked about his parents, he is unsure my math homework, because sometimes I found the “Children for Homes” web site. I about what his dad does. His mother is a stay- have trouble with it. That’s it. I just want them started reading it and turned out to be about at-home mum. They live in a village by the to be nice.” kids like me. I wrote an email to Dorota Mazurian lakes. One year ago, Patryk turned And asked how he would introduce him- to the television program “Kochaj mnie!” self:

cc:sa:Pawel Ciesla Staszek Frontczak. I was a bit embarrassed but I wrote the email anyway,” he told Gazeta Wyborcza. (Love Me!) for help. He appeared in it just so “My name is Patryk. I have had seven or According to Patryk, the email was hon- that he could meet his family. “The television eight operations and am a bit disabled. I have est. “I wrote that I am fifteen, that I live in program found them and took me there. My trouble with math, one of my legs is shorter an institution for schooling and development family cried when they saw me, I did too. We and one of my arms is disabled… But I am run by nuns in Jaszkot and that I would really talked for the very first time in our lives. They helpful, funny, and pretty good at chemistry, like to meet a nice family,” Patryk assures. He have a small kitchen, a simple room. I didn’t biology and art.” added in his email that he “dreams of a family see the rest of the house. My mum said that she Patryk can only stay at the children’s home in which there is love and respect.” loved me. Everyone told me the same thing. until he finishes junior school. Patryk feared nobody would respond, but They thanked the television crew for bringing After that he would be placed in the care of Ms. Frontczak “replied almost immediately,” me to them. They invited me for Christmas a Caritas home for teenagers or a social care he told Gazeta Wyborcza. and for the holidays,” Patryk remembers. institution. When asked about his childhood, Patryk But so far nothing has come of it. Patryk has “But I don’t want to keep roaming about. reveals a somewhat turbulent history. From an been writing and telephoning them to no avail. If someone would support me, direct me, then infant, he was placed in the care of the nuns Sister Estera (Patryk’s legal guardian and a maybe I would have a chance to study at uni- nun in Jaszkot) has also tried. “They prom- versity. I dream of computer studies,” Patryk the krakow post matches they have played. Embarrassed fans at the Immaculate Mary order at a health care ised they would hire a mini-bus to come to see concludes. called for the team to be removed from the institution. Poland is placed in Group B for the 2008 Championships. The toughest opponent will UEFA European Football Championship. In be Germany. Poland has never succeeded in the first round, the team will play against winning against their neighbor. Artur Boruc, Germany, Croatia and Austria. Croatia and Poland’s goalie, told Gazeta Wyborcza he is Germany are bided as the favorites in the looking forward to the game with Germany Hong Kong bans group. According to the team’s coach, Dutch as it will be a chance to take revenge on the Leo Beenhakker, the Polish players are not team that quashed Poland at the World Cup complaining. in 2006. During the World Cup, when Ger- The team’s coach told Gazeta Wyborcza many scored a goal in the last minute of the Poland poultry imports that he was pleased with the line-up. game, Boruc sat on the football pitch and Most football lovers know the Euro Foot- cried. Germany’s coach Joachim Lew told ball Championship is deemed more difficult Gazeta Wyborcza he would not go so far as than even the World Cup. The level of foot- saying the German squad was enthusiastic after bird flu report ball displayed amongst the European teams about the teams selected for Group B. is incredibly high and only 16 teams take “Of course we are always regarded as the part. Given that the elimination process is favorite for the Championships, but even agence france-presse the Center for Food Safety. AGENCJA NIERUCHOMOŚCI ruthless, the teams that make it through to though we played on our own turf at the The strain was detected on two turkey www.property-krakow.com the Championships do not find themselves World Cup, we could not find a way to deal Hong Kong suspended on Tuesday the farms in central Poland on Dec. 1. there because of luck. with Poland. And now the task will be even import of poultry from Poland after War- Bird flu was found last year in the coun- Gazeta Wyborcza reports the Polish team more difficult, because the Polish team is saw reported its first cases of the deadly try, but in wild birds. is facing an uphill battle. The players will trained by the great Beenhakker.” bird flu virus among domestic birds, the Hong Kong, which was the scene of the be making a debut at Euro 2008 and will Poland will meet with Germany in Kla- government said. world’s first reported major bird flu out- have some tough matches ahead. Even the genfurt on June 8, with Austria in Vienna “The decision was taken following con- break among humans in 1997, imported Austrians are confident they will have one on June 12, and with Croatia on June 18 at firmation of a case involving the highly about 5,900 tons of frozen poultry products game in the bag. The Austrians have not Klagenfurt. Two teams out of the group will pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 on two from Poland from January to August this won a single exhibition game in the last ten proceed to the quarter finals. poultry farms there,” said a spokesman for year.

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R E G I O N A L N E W S First historical comic book Slovak police arrest three in Rift in published by Institute of radioactive material sale National Remembrance Slovak police said Wednesday that three peo- ple had been arrested for attempting to sell what is believed to be radioactive material for $1 mln foreign (around 680,000 euro). Hospitals Tests on the material were being carried out, a police official told AFP. Further details of the case are ex- pected to be given in a news conference policy scheduled for Thursday. The CTK news agency reported that two of the arrests were made in Slovakia and the third the krakow post in Hungary following a long running police ac- tion. The planned sale involved one kilogram (2.2 After the results of the recent general pounds) of suspect material, it added. elections were presented Oct. 21, many face crisis the krakow post The latest case is far from the first involv- journalists wondered about the nature of fu- ing the sale of radioactive material in Slo- ture cooperation between the new govern- It was no coincidence that on Nov. vakia and its neighbor, the Czech Republic. ment and President Lech Kaczynski. Many 26 no other than Primary School No. In 2004, for example, two former Slovak army officers were found guilty by a Czech court of feared that this relationship would be Agency LUK 28 in Rzeszow hosted the presentation attempting to sell uranium. The two men were ar- marked by quarrels and lack of good will. of the first-ever historical comic book rested by police at a hotel outside Brno, the Czech After last week’s dispute over Poland’s for- published by the Institute of National Republic’s second city, in November 2003 after eign policy, many observers believe that Remembrance. they tried to sell three kilograms of the substance. their anxiety seems justified. This is how the school commemo- (AFP) On Nov. 27, during a meeting with the rated the day of its patron, Lukasz Russian ambassador, Prime Minister Don- Cieplinski, who is the main protago- Putin party wins landslide ald Tusk declared that Poland no longer nist of the comic book. amid opposition protests will veto accesion negotiations between the Cieplinski was an officer in the Pol- President Vladimir Putin’s party won a huge former world superpower and the Organi- ish Army and a hero of the Nazi resis- majority in Russia’s parliamentary elections, ac- zation for Economic Cooperation and De- tance in World War II and the Commu- cording to partial results early this week, but the velopment. This was accepted as a gesture nist resistance after the war. U.S. called for opposition claims of vote violations of goodwill by Russia, but public opinion In 1939, he fought in the battle of to be investigated. in Poland was at least surprised when Kac- Bzura against the Germans, for which The United Russia party won 63.1 percent of zynski said he had neither been consulted he was awarded the Virtuti Militari. votes, according to official results with 40 percent nor even informed of the decision. After World War II, he opposed the of ballots counted. Tusk said that in his view the constitu- Communist regime and was the presi- The results were hailed by the Kremlin, which had portrayed the election as a referendum on Pu- tion states that he, as the head of the gov- dent of the underground association tin’s record as he stakes his claim to retain a major ernment, is responsible for the foreign pol- Freedom and Independence. He was say after standing down next year. icy of the country, while the president only sentenced by the Communist authori- “He and the party have received overwhelming represents the Polish state in relations with ties to death and executed in Warsaw support. This is extremely important from the point other countries. The chief of the president’s in 1951, at the age of 37. To this day, of view of continuation ... of the reforms started in cabinet, Maciej Lopinski, stressed that the he is considered the finest example of the last eight years,” said a Kremlin spokesman, constitution obliges both the president and Polish patriotism. The comic book is Dmitry Peskov. the prime minister to cooperate in foreign entitled, “Against Hope.” But Peskov reaffirmed that Putin will “defi- nitely” hand over the presidency after the March policy. He also said Kaczynski may bring The Story of Lukasz Cieplinski, 2 presidential election. The constitution prevents up the issue of roles in this sphere to the Alias Plug,” was created in the insti- Putin from standing again. Constitutional Tribunal. tute’s branch in Rzeszow by Wojciech United Russia and its allies, A Just Russia and More friction came up when Radoslaw Birek, a script writer, and Grzegorz the Liberal Democratic party, would enter the 450- Sikorski, chief of the Foreign Ministry, did Pudlowski, a cartoonist, in coopera- seat State Duma with a collective 78.2 percent of not attend a meeting with the president. Ac- tion with professional historians. Cre- the vote, according to an exit poll by the All-Rus- cording to presidential sources, Sikorski ation of the script and the drawings sian Center for the Study of Public Opinion. sent a fax with an excuse three minutes past Michal Wojtas tors do not accept the new work-week law. took only six months, but both authors The Communists, the only opposition party to staff journalist Konstanty Radziwil, chairman of the pass the threshold for a seat, got 11.5 percent, ac- 16:00, when the meeting was scheduled. admit it was hard work. The Foreign Ministry argued that Kaczyns- Polish Chamber of Physicians and Dentists “It is extremely difficult to fit such cording to the exit poll. The Communists said they For the last two weeks, the health-care (NIL), argues that the rescheduling would would contest the results in court because of elec- ki’s staff was informed that he would not be a plentiful biography into a mere 46 tion irregularities. able to come on Wednesday when an invi- system in Poland has been a major media not solve anything and would be followed pages,” Birek told the Polish Press The seven other parties, including the lib- tation was sent from the president’s palace. topic. And not without reason. A new law by hundreds of lawsuits by doctors before Agency (PAP). “Another difficulty eral opposition, failed to cross the seven-percent Sikorski was then roundly condemned governing doctors’ working hours, which Polish courts and the European Court of was that the script had to be absolutely threshold for a seat. It was the first time since the by the president and his twin brother Jaro- could take effect on Jan. 1, may cause a Justice. faithful to historical facts.” Soviet collapse in 1991 that the liberal opposition slaw, former prime minister and leader of labor catastrophe in hospitals throughout This could lead to high compensation For Pudlowski, the undertaking also failed to win a single seat. Poland. settlements for the doctors. The campaign was marred by accusations that the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party. turned out to be challenging, as some Also Anna Fotyga, former foreign minister The bill was approved by Sejm (the The directive of the European Commis- details, such as the physical features of the Kremlin rigged the contest, using controversial Polish parliament) last summer in order sion which led Poland to change its law has new election laws and state media to ensure a tri- and now an employee of the president’s Rzeszow, were completely unknown umph for the president’s party. chancellery, said Radoslaw Sikorski ne- to adapt Polish legislation to EU law. Its been challenged and violated by several to him when he began work. “Working “We do not trust these figures announced by the glected the head of state. consequence will be a 48-hour work week EU countries. Portugal recently proposed a on details took most of my time,” he central elections commission and we will conduct This wasn’t the first conflict between maximum for doctors – which may lead to more flexible version of the directive. said. “I particularly wished to convey a parallel count,” Communist Party leader Gen- Sikorski and the Kaczynski brothers. The a permanent lack of medics in Polish hos- It could be accepted soon, which might the atmosphere of that time.” nady Zyuganov was quoted by Interfax as saying. former BBC correspondent in Afghani- pitals. help the Tusk government change the Pol- The comic book’s story begins in a The head of the Communist Party’s legal of- According to the new law, the doctors ish law. But even so, any change can be ve- fice, Vadim Solovyov, said party observers had stan was a member of Jaroslaw Sikorski’s courtroom where Cieplinski is being cabinet as defense minister, but stepped may work longer, up to 72 hours, only if toed by President Lech Kaczynski. Health tried and sentenced to death. As the recorded more than 10,000 election violations dur- they agree to do so. The problem is how Minister Kopacz is trying to negotiate the ing voting. down after an argument over the role of hero awaits his execution, the reader Former world chess champion Garry Kasparov, controversial PiS secret service expert An- much money they should be paid for the dispute with doctors’ organizations, and the learns about his life through retrospec- now head of The Other Russia group, dismissed toni Macierewicz. When Tusk decided that additional hours. end of this week may produce a govern- tions. the elections as a “farce” and “rigged from the Radowslow Sikorski would take over the According to Donald Tusk’s govern- ment decision. “We hope that this form of publica- start.” He said he would lay a wreath outside the Foreign Ministry, Kaczynski voiced strong ment, the new legislation will mean up to If the decision is not accepted by the doc- tion will allow young people to learn Central Election Commission in Moscow early objections. 5 bln zloty (1.38 bln euro) in new expenses tors, a crisis in the Polish health care system about the newest and most difficult this week to mourn the death of Russian democ- for hospitals and, as a consequence, for the could occur. Some already are warning that racy. Kasparov spent five days in jail last week for Both quarrels have been reported by Polish history in an easy and acces- the Polish press as a fight for power in the state budget. The former government led hospitals will not have enough employees sible way,” said Malgorzata Waks- holding an unauthorized anti-Kremlin march. by Jaroslaw Kaczynski intended to cover to treat their patients. Some of the doctors “We have seen a campaign of unprecedented foreigh front by Tusk and Lech Kaczynski. mundzka-Szarek of the Institute of Na- pressure on the voters,” said Alexander Kynev at The new prime minister wants to oversee this cost from a special unemployment say they can accept a solution proposed by tional Remembrance. “We intend it to Golos, an independent voter watchdog body which diplomatic objectives for himself while the fund, but the new government does not ac- Kopacz, but they demand immediate and be a teaching aid in Polish schools, but receives EU and U.S. government funds. (AFP) president does not want to be marginalized cept this solution. high pay raises – to a level of three average I expect it will also be valuable read- That’s why Minister of Health Ewa monthly wages, or 7 thousand zloty (1,940 ing for adults,” she told the newspaper Kopacz wants to postpone the implementa- euro). Many of them work up to 90 hours a Gazeta Wyborcza Rzeszow. Depend- tion of the new law for at least six months. week and earn six times less, for example, ing on its reception, this first historical This should give the government time to than in the United Kingdom. Their disap- comic book might be one of many to calculate the funding available in the Na- pointment with the new law could lead to be published by the Institute of Na- tional Health Fund, the central institution a continuation of strikes which Jaroslaw tional Remembrance. financing health care in Poland. Many doc- Kaczynski’s government had to cope with.

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Momotown Hostel krakowpost 28 Miodowa St. tel. 012 4296929 [email protected] www.momotownhostel.com 10% discount with this ad! .com DECEMBER 6-DECEMBER 12, 2007 BUSINESS The Krakow Post 7 Germans to design EC co-finances Nuclear national stadium Rail Baltica project Kinga Rodkiewicz Experts worry about finding enough staff journalist power money to finance the whole project. EU Transport Commissioner Jacque Barrot told The European Commission plans to give the Polish Press Agency (PAP): “It is obvi- 124 mln euro to the Rail Baltica project. The ous that building this railway will continue trans-European railway – linking Helsinki, beyond 2013.” plant Finland; Tallinn, Estonia; Riga, Latvia; According to the press agency, a cer- Kaunas, Lithuania; Warsaw, and continuing emonial inauguration of the first part of the on to Berlin – is to be developed within the railway took place on the Polish-Lithuanian boundaries of the cooperating EU member border in Mockawa in July. states. Polish Transport Minister Boguslaw for Rail Baltica is designed to help reach the Kowalski said that when the railway is mod- EU goals of equality of access to services ernized from Warsaw to Lithuania, freight and infrastructure of EU member states, the trains will travel 120 km per hour and pas- development of sustainable modes of trans- senger trains almost 160 kilometers per hour. portation and the establishment of links with Currently, they travel 40 to 50 kilometers per Poland the rest of the EU rail network. hour. An analysis done in January estimated The European Commission has 8 bln euro the krakow post that the entire project will cost 1 bln to 2.4 to help finance transport projects from 2007- bln euro. 2013. The experts say that it is too little for Poland has discussed the devel- The EU money is to be spent on a techni- some 30 priority projects. opment of domestic nuclear power cal analysis of the project. So far, railway construction between Ber- energy for years. Zarnowiec was sup- The main aim of the Lithuania, Latvia, lin and Palermo has received 960 mln euro posed to be the first stage of Poland’s Estonia and Finland project is to unify the and a high-speed railway in France, Spain energy program. However, protests railway to European standards, namely a and Portugal has received 672 mln euro. from ecologists as well as the Cher- ground clearance of 1,435 millimeters. The 124 mln euro proposal for Rail Bal- nobyl disaster have delayed pursuing In the area of the previous Soviet Union, tica faces a review by the European Parlia- this route. the broad-gauge railway has a 1,520-milli- ment, with a final decision to be made at the Poland is currently considering meter ground clearance. beginning of 2008. investing in the proposed Lithuanian Ignalin nuclear power plant that is also attracting interest from Latvia and Estonia. Such a project would reduce the current dependency on Russian energy for all countries con- cerned. Net contract Poland has stipulated that its in- volvement would be dependent on the power station’s generating capac- ity. However, Baltic states may go in it alone, irrespective of Poland’s decision, said Lithuania’s President auctions Valdas Adamkus during a recent summit with fellow Baltic countries Latvia and Estonia. Conditional upon the new power plant’s development is the closure of Lithuania’s old Chernobyl-type nu- hit market clear reactor by 2009, as stipulated by Design of the Polish national stadium. the EU. The closure of the old reactor Justyna Krzywicka employees to carry out additional services is expected to increase Lithuania’s staff journalist after-hours or on the weekend should they dependency on Russian energy by 75 Joanna Zabierek old 10th-Anniversary Stadium. decide to do so, by bidding their services percent with energy prices rising up staff journalist The question is whether it will be built In the last month, the first possibility for on the auction site. The additional benefit to 40 percent. on the current stadium site or in nearby Bl- employers to auction off their sub-contracts of not having to abide by working hours or The new power station, with a A German company has won a competi- onie. on the Internet has been introduced. Accord- be bound to one place of work, means sub- total investment of up to 4 bln euro tion to design the National Stadium in War- The National Stadium will be the venue ing to Gazeta Prawna this is an efficient contractors will be able to easily provide ser- and a capacity of 1,600 megawatts, saw that will be a centerpiece of the Euro for the (June 9) opening match of the Euro method to deal with the chronic shortage of vices for prospective employers on the other is expected to be completed by 2015. 2012 European soccer championships. 2012 championships that will be co-hosted staff and workers. side of the country. This indeed is a good so- Lithuania’s government is to retain The question of where to build the sta- by Poland and Ukraine. It is expected to be Inatuz is an auctioning site whereby a lution to those living in rural or remote areas 34 percent ownership of the power dium – an issue that has been hotly debated finished several months ahead of the first company can advertise its services that need of Poland, where unemployment is high. station with the remainder to be di- – is expected to be resolved in the next match – in September of 2011. rendering to a sub-contractor. The principles One of the requirements of the Intauz site vided amongst the contributing part- couple of weeks. When the question of the stadium’s lo- are that of an auction house in which sub- is that once a company makes a request for ner countries. Competition winner GMP and JSK Ar- cation first arose, city officials mentioned contractors tender their offers with regards services on the site they are bound to carry chitects has a wealth of experience in sta- several possibilities. They included the to a specific contract being auctioned off. through with the offer. This means a com- dium architecture. One of its best-known Sluzewiec Racetrack grounds, the Luk The site allows for one-on-one negotiations pany may not be able to place an ad for the projects is the Olympic Stadium in Berlin. Siekierkowski area, the Zielona Bialoleka between an employer and the sub-contractor required services or use the site as an adver- GMP and JSK beat out 15 other firms in neighborhood near the Trasa Torunska ex- or the worker. Both parties can communicate tising mechanism. Of course if none of the the design competition. pressway, the Wesola district, and a site and define their demands and expectations offers made suffice the requirements of the In choosing a winner, the Ministry of near the planned Northern Bridge in the with regards to one another. prospective purchasing party, it is possible Sports took into consideration the designs, Bialoleka district. The efficient method of using the internet to end the auction without selecting a sub- the designers’ experience with stadiums Former Sports Minister Elzbieta Jaku- means, according to critics, the site will be contractor. and the likely cost of building a stadium biak preferred the old stadium location in able to solve the problems of worker short- According to Gazeta Prawna, the com- based on each design. the Praga district or somewhere nearby. ages most businesses in Poland are facing. pany seeking services must give detailed The ministry noted that the German Mayor Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz said Sub-contracting will mean no full-time descriptions of how the services will be company’s victory means it will design the Sluzewiec was the best location from a employment proceedings or benefits or the completed and accepted as rendered by the stadium, but the design the company sub- transportation perspective – getting fans to need to provide a full-time working environ- company. Payments for the services will be mitted may not be the final project design. and from the stadium. ment for the sub-contractor. assured through Escrow system. The mo- GMP and JSK has designed a number of New Prime Minister Donald Tusk in- Gazeta Prawna reports, the sub-contrac- ment the auction is closed and a bid accept- German stadiums plus stadiums in South tervened in the stand-off by asking those tors will have the possibility of flexible time ed, both parties are bound by agreement. Africa that were built for the 2010 World directing the soccer-championship effort to management and not be Soccer Championships. focus first on a design and then on a loca- bound to one place of work. NEW The National Stadium will replace the tion. This will allow full-time EMPLOYMENT PORTAL Hungarian Cuisine and More... LAUNCHING NOVEMBER 2007 Contact: REGISTER FOR FREE TODAY Advertise in Andrzej BE FIRST! 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R E G I O N A L B I Z French road operator appeals Poland loses in PZU exclusion from Slovak tender A consortium led by French motorway services Dutch joint company Sanef has appealed against its exclusion privatization row with Eureko by the Slovak highway authority from a $870-mln tender to build a toll system, a Sanef representative said late last week. “The consortium led by Sanef lodged an official appeal to the national highway company against its venture elimination in the tender for the national highway system,” said an advisor for Sanef’s bid, Veronika Cukasova. The Sanef offer was one of five eliminated for technical reasons from the lucrative tender, worth 20 bln koruna or 600 mln euro. The contract calls confirms for the construction and operation of a toll system for 14 years, with the possibility of a five-year ex- tension, according to local media reports. The na- tional highway office has refused to comment but said an official announcement should be made by the end of the week. project for Bids from a consortium grouping Swiss tech- nology and systems company Ascom and Slovak companies, the French-based Thales Transporta- tion System, Italian engineering and architecture company Studio Altieri and the Israeli-based group Housing and Construction were also eliminated, Slovak according to reports. That left three bids, from the Satways consor- tium, which includes Slovak Telecom and Sie- mens, Austrian-based Kapsch and Slovakpass, headed by Italian motorway operator Autostrade, still in the running. leisure park the krakow post another 21 percent, which would give ment’s delay in selling the additional The electronic toll system on 2,400 kilometers it control over Poland’s largest insur- stake at 8 bln zloty. Other avenues for (1,490 miles) should start operating at the start of Poland must be prepared to pay an ance company. A turn around by the resolving the dispute are currently 2009 for vehicles over 3.5 tons. enormous indemnity to Dutch insur- Polish government in 2002 truncated being negotiated with the new Plat- Sanef, which is part of the Abertis group, oper- ance group Eureko, after a court of ates a large part of the motorway network in north- the agreement in a move to retain forma government, “Our priority is ern France and had a turnover of 1.225 bln euro in appeal in Brussels dismissed Nov. state control over the company. to reach a compromise,’’ Michal Nas- 2005. (AFP) 26 the second petition of the Polish This triggered Eureko’s lawsuit tula, head of Eureko’s Polish unit told government to annul the unfavorable against Poland’s Ministry of the Trea- TVN CNBS Business. “With former Slovak growth figures verdict of the London Court of In- sury demanding the privatization of leaders of the Ministry of Treasury revised down for Q1, Q2 ternational Arbitration over the PZU PZU be completed and a controlling this failed but I don’t exclude a com- ownership row. stake in the insurer sold. promise with a new government. We Slovakia revised down its first and second Two years ago the London court In response to the London tribu- don’t plan to stop the arbitration pro- quarter growth figures late last week, putting the ruled that Poland, by preventing the nal’s 2005 decision, the Polish gov- cess until then.’’ gains at 8.3 percent and 9.3 percent compared completion of the privatization of with the initial 9.0 percent and 9.4 percent, re- ernment made a counter claim that Treasury Minister Aleksander spectively. national insurer Powszechny Zak- Eureko broke the agreement by suing Grad is meeting representatives of The revision was due to a change in the meth- lad Ubezpieczen (PZU), violated the for damages in an international court the company in ongoing negotiations, ods of calculation following recommendations terms of the Polish-Dutch agreement. rather than a Polish court as agreed. with PM Donald Tusk seeking as- from the EU’s Eurotat data office and harmoniza- The agreement to sell shares in As yet, no amount has been set for sistance from former PM Kazimierz tion of the data with the yearly national accounts, Polish insurer PZU SA to the consor- compensation though it is expected to Marcinkiewicz over the matter. the Slovak statistics bureau said. tium of Eureko and BIG Bank Gdan- be substantial with Eureko and BIG Eureko may withdraw their legal The change means Slovakia is still one of the ski was originally made in November Bank having paid 3.2 bln zloty ($1.2 action at any time. The second phase fastest growing economies in Central and Eastern 1999. The then Polish government of Europe, with a government battling to keep a lid bln) for the 30 percent stake eight of international arbitration has been on inflation so that it can meet its strategic target Jerzy Buzek sold 30 percent of PZU years ago. The Dutch investor esti- put in train, although its schedule has of adopting the single European currency at the shares to Eureko and promised to sell mated its losses related to the govern- not been finalized as yet. start of 2009. (AFP) Russia, Finland to step up airspace cooperation Russia, Finland and Estonia agreed late last week to increase cooperation on airspace control after several Russian military aircraft incursions into Finnish and Estonian territory. The three countries’ airforces agreed to “inten- Belarus opposition sify dialogue” and “find technical and operational agence france-presse means for the advance prevention of possible air- space violations,” said a Finnish Foreign Ministry A Dutch-backed company confirmed plans for a 100- statement. 125 mln euro ($150-$180 mln) leisure and theme park to The agreement was important because com- be built in eastern Slovakia after the project was backed mercial flights are expected to increase in coming by regional lawmakers early this week. years over the already heavily trafficked Gulf of The 450 hectare (1,111 acre) site will include three Finland, said the statement. The meeting was “positive and constructive,” themed amusement parks based on Slovak history as TV channel to said a source close to the talks, adding that a fol- well as various sporting areas and a ski slope. The first low-up meeting would be arranged early next part of the park should open in 2009. year. “We’ve seen a shift of tourism from the West to the As recently as mid-September, a Russian mili- East,” Daniel Cornelius van Eibergen Santhagens, one tary transport plane briefly entered Finnish air- the managers of the company behind the project, Darc space without authorisation. Moscow said it “regretted” the incident, insist- Leisure, told AFP, adding that it would seek to attract ing it was due to a lack of communication between visitors within the region. the crew and Finnish ground control. Under a deal to develop the site near the town of Hu- begin broadcasts Russian military planes are also known to have menne, on Slovakia’s Eastern border with Ukraine, the violated Finnish airspace on August 5, 2005 and Presov regional government should provide land and April 22, 2006. infrastructure, with Darc Leisure assuring finances and Former Soviet state Estonia, whose airspace is management. secured by NATO, has also repeatedly complained of airspace violations by Russian military planes “It is a great possibility for the development of the and helicopters. tourist trade in the Presov region,” regional council And in recent months, military jets from Britain, spokeswoman Veronika Fitzekova said. Denmark and Norway have all scrambled their jets The company said they count on hundreds of jobs be- from Poland in response to Russian military flights flying close ing created in the unemployment blackspot. agence france-presse seven percent of Belarusian homes the treatment of Belarus’ 400,000- to their airspace. On August 17, Russian President Darc Leisure is a Slovak-based company created have a satellite dish, and that this strong Polish minority. Vladimir Putin announced the resumption of long- from a joint-venture between Dutch companies Harrier A new Polish government-funded would enable around a fifth of the Poland has given strong support to range military training flights in international air B.V. and Van Daele & Friends. TV channel is to begin broadcast- ex-Soviet republic’s 10 mln people to the Belarusian opposition, providing space. (AFP) ing to neighboring Belarus, where watch Belsat. a safe haven for other anti-Lukashen- President Alexander Lukashenko “The people are sick of govern- ko media such as Radio Racja, which brooks no criticism, the station’s head ANNOUNCEMENT ment propaganda on the state’s chan- broadcasts across the border from of news said early this week. Belsat nels,” he said. northeast Poland. TV will go on air from next Monday, “This will also be the only channel A slice of Belsat’s programs will Alexei Dziekawicki told AFP. that is 100 percent in Belarusian. be made in Lithuania which, like Po- “It will be the only independent Lukashenko’s channels are mostly land, has been helping the Belarusian channel in Belarusian for Belaru- in Russian,” he added. opposition. Warsaw is also seeking to INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S sians, who don’t have access to sta- Lukashenko, who has ruled Be- bring other players on board to help ASSOCIATION OF KRAKÓW tions other than those controlled by larus since 1994 and is dubbed “Eu- cover Belsat’s annual costs of 7.5 mln the regime,” Dziekawicki said. rope’s last dictator” in some Western euro, including fellow EU members The International Women’s Association of Krakow “Initially it will broadcast for three capitals, has imposed severe restric- such as the Czech Republic, as well (IWAK) is a multicultural, social and family oriented organization providing friendship, advice and support hours a day via the Astra satellite. tions on opposition rallies. as the U.S. to its members, either in Krakow area temporary or Then, from January, it will be on Relations between Warsaw and The date of Belsat’s first broadcast, permanently. Throughout the year, there are many so- cial events on either a monthly basis. air for 16 hours a day on the Sirius Minsk have soured amid Polish criti- Dec. 10, was chosen deliberately be- satellite,” he said. cism of his regime, in part because cause it also marks World Human Our web site: www.iwak.pl Dziekawicki noted that around Poland has expressed concern over Rights Day. DECEMBER 6-DECEMBER 12, 2007 BUSINESS The Krakow Post 9 Workers from Asia LCD sets bought will build in Poland on massive scale cc:sa:Ma8thew

the krakow post opment in the electronics industry. The But as prices sink and demand rises, new type of TV sets is much better suited producers often fail to meet the demand Christmas, the busiest time for home to new standards in digital television called and delays in shipment can stretch to sev- electronics vendors, is just ahead. And high definition. eral weeks. After having chosen a specific while tens of thousands of people through- That’s why the older cathode ray models TV set, many clients learn that they have out Poland want to buy a new TV set, sur- are withdrawn from production and offered to wait. This applies especially to cheaper prisingly they may encounter problems at with special discounts by shops. models around 2000 zloty (550 euro) with shops. The demand for modern liquid crys- Producers and retailers also fight for cus- 32- and 37-inch screens. tal display TVs is so great that it can take tomers by cutting prices. Some of the LCD The distributors face a difficult task but several weeks to obtain a specific model at TVs are now up to 30 percent cheaper than will be rewarded by high benefits, most ob- home. The worldwide trend to replace old- a year ago, and before Christmas vendors servers believe. According to GfK Polonia er cathode ray tube sets with LCD models even offer special discounts. The fierce market research institute, the value of the has become apparent in Poland. According competition is good for customers. Polish LCD market rose from 1.25 to 2.7 to figures published by Gazeta Wyborcza, Every month sees further expansion of bln zloty (0.75 bln euro) during last year. the krakow post Former Prime Minister Jaroslaw distributors expect to sell almost a mln flat- Internet-based shops that save on employ- For the customers this situation in some Kaczynski’s government opened an eco- screen TVs in 2007 compared to 460,000 ee and shop rental costs and that can offer ways resembles the Communist era, when Poland has such a shortage of carpen- nomic dialogue with Vietnam, including in 2006. A total of 45 percent of this num- lower prices. the absence of a free market led to demand ters, plumbers, electricians, welders and the establishment of rules for allowing ber will be sold during the last three months Two of the biggest e-shops offering for almost all articles exceeding supply. In other construction workers that it is be- Vietnamese to work in Poland. of the year. home electronics, Agito.pl and Hopla.pl, the 80s, citizens of the People’s Republic of ginning to bring them in from Vietnam. The countries signed on agreement on This unprecedented growth of LCD even plan their stock exchange debuts in Poland had to stand in line for hours to buy Many Skilled Polish construction April 22, 2004, that deals with how Viet- sales is a consequence of technical devel- the beginning of 2008. anything – from bread to shoes. workers are in jobs overseas because of namese can work in Poland legally. The much higher wages, especially in Great agreement also covers Poland’s right to Britain, Ireland and Scandinavia. Native English Teacher Top Management deport Vietnamese who have no visas or That means a shortage of about work permits. The Polish Press Agency 100,000 construction workers just in said about 30,000 Vietnamese are work- MINI MINI the Mazowsze area, which includes ing in Poland illegally, most either in the A school of English in Warsaw. restaurant business or running their own Krakow is looking for a M 31, University degree in “Nationwide this number is much small businesses. native English teacher. engineering, 6 years higher,” said the vice minister of Labor “They are hard-working and careful The position is available of top management and Social Policy, Kazimierz Kuberski. people,” Kuberski said. “They have few immediately for a period experience in leading One solution “is to hire workers from demands and they easily assimilate.” of one year. companies in industrial Vietnam,” he said. Poland is also thinking about allow- The individual should be cooling, refrigerating sector. Hundreds of Vietnamese have signed ing in construction workers from China. Marketing & Sales enthusiastic and creative, Project management. contracts with Polish employers and are Those involved in the stadium construc- possession of a recognized Negotiations. Prepare ready to come here, the Warsaw-based tion work for the Euro 2012 soccer Enthusiasts!!! teaching qualification technical solutions. Full Dziennik newspaper said. They will earn championships are considering bringing (CELTA/TEFL) and some scope of technical about $660 per month. Employers also in about 7,000 Chinese in April of 2008. You are wanted! relevant previous experi- support: pre-planning. PC. will provide them with food and accom- Before that could happen, however, ence in work with groups Contact: jerrybarrows@ modations. Poland and China would have to have an is required. yahoo.com Hoang Van Hung, director of an em- agreement dealing with Chinese guest We are currently looking If you are interested in ployment recruiting agency, said he has workers. this vacancy or would like found construction jobs in Poland for Dziennik said the examples of Viet- further information please Place a career resume here! for people to join our [email protected] about 100 Vietnamese workers. nam and China have prompted other do not hesitate to send “When a company can’t find workers Marketing & Sales team. RESUME Asian countries to seek guest-worker your CV. from Poland, or from the EU, it has the agreements with Poland. Pakistan’s am- legal right to hire a candidate from Viet- bassador to Poland has written a letter eng_schoolkrakow@ Business/Personal Assistant nam,” Kuberski said. asking how Pakistanis could work here. Successful applicants will: yahoo.com - enjoy the art of selling MINI Place a job offer here! and meeting new people [email protected] Talented, experienced lady

- have a minimum of VACANCY is looking for a job of Business/Personal Assistant one year of sales (full- or part-time) experience Helper/Au-Pair Degree in Philology, 10 years experience in Western - be communicative and MINI companies. Very We are looking for responsible, goal flexible with a a Helper/Au-Pair. excellent organizational and Native English non-09:00-17:00 mentality speaker preferred. interpersonal skills. Please contact me at: aupair152krakow@ [email protected] If you are interested, yahoo.com please write to us: Place a job offer here! Place a career resume here! [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] VACANCY RESUME 10 The Krakow Post WARSAW DECEMBER 6-DECEMBER 12, 2007 Children’s Oxygenator returns this spring University

the krakow post The choice of the location of the proj- arrangement seemed to belong to a differ- ect was by no means accidental. pl. Grzy- ent world, she added. When Joanna Rajkowska set about re- bowski is a meeting point of several dif- Its purpose was to constitute a spot alizing her project in June 2007, she could ferent paths of memory. where people whose paths cross the area only hope it would be well received by the Situated halfway between a Polish So- of pl. Grzybowski, though mostly strang- inhabitants and visitors of the area around cialist Party commemorative stone and ers, could be together for a while, not for pl. Grzybowski in Warsaw. a monument of Pope John Paul II, the the sake of communication, but to form The oxygenated pond, with its sprin- only preserved Warsaw’s synagogue and a momentary community of passers-by. klers, water lilies, goldfish and stone-like a Catholic church known for its national- Throughout the summer the oxygenator seats, was supposed to be a temporary en- istic sympathies, the square itself is a liv- played this role perfectly. richment to the concrete surroundings of ing paradox. The installation was dismantled in the square. Yet, what has happened after It is a dead zone, Rajkowska told the November, but thanks to the initiative of three months of the oxygenator’s exis- magazine “Wysokie Obcasy.” the local people it will return to Pl. Grzy- tence, is that signatures have been col- The square is assumed to be the place bowski in spring, in a different, permanent lected to persuade city authorities to allow of the last battle of the Ghetto Uprising. form it to remain there permanently. According to Rajkowska, the area is in “We will do whatever it takes to find Children’s University. Raikowska, creator of the project, is a such a neglected, unattractive and stigma- funds for maintaining the pond,” said City renowned Warsaw artist. tized area that the artist decided to place Secretary Artur Leszkiewicz told Gazeta Urszula Ciolkiewicz located in Vienna (Austria), Bratislava Her idea in designing the so-called a small, meter-deep pond, surrounded by Wyborcza Stoleczna. Staff Journalist (Slovakia), Birmingham (UK) and Califor- oxygenator was to create a place where flowers and ornamental bushes, with spe- His opinion is shared by representatives nia (U.S.), as well as in the Canary Islands people could pause, breathe fresh air and cial devices for creating mist and filling of the local authorities who agreed to keep The university is a school for young and Colombia. Everywhere the classes are adults who like learning and don’t want gathering a multitude of little listeners. simply be together. the water with ozone bubbles. The whole the oxygenator in its place for good. to finish their education on a high school Children’s University in Warsaw was level. created by the Paideia Foundation, which The first Polish city to change this com- sponsors creative activities in culture and monly accepted view was Krakow, where education. children were invited to university classes. The foundation is a non-governmental Shops to be bought by tenants Warsaw followed in Krakow’s footsteps. organization and doesn’t use public funds. On Nov. 17 the inaugural lecture for The university project’s initiators intro- Children’s University took place. Prof. duced fees for the children’s lectures, but Stanislaw Bajtlik, distinguished Polish as- the fees aren’t mandatory and are viewed trophysicist, talked about astronomy to the as a charitable gift to the university. Tuition cc:sa:Hiuppo young people in the old building of Warsaw for a single class is 10 zloty; for the entire University’s library. semester, 100 zloty. A monthly series of Saturday lectures, Children’s University’s lecturers are linked to workshops, will begin in January. research workers and educators, who nor- The interest in the project has overgrown mally teach and lead scientific research. its initiators’ expectations. At the moment Children will also be able to listen to the the organizers cannot register any more university’s guests lecturers in such fields children. as science and art. But anyone who would like to become a In order to participate in the lectures and Children’s University student is invited to workshops, registration is required, as the visit the university’s web site (ud.edu.pl) number of places is limited. Kids aged 7 to this month. 12 can become Children’s University stu- University classes for children have been dents. successfully operating in Europe and else- No prior knowledge in a specific field is where in the world for at least five years. required. The first such children’s university is The most important factors are a child’s believed to have originated in Tybinga, interest in the subject and an ability to Germany. Similar educational centers are spend about 60 minutes in the lecture hall.

ANNOUNCEMENT CLASSICAL GUITAR MUSIC FOR TOP RESTAURANTS Zofia Owczarek On Nov. 21, the entrepreneurs achieved a year. Staff Journalist their first major success. The city council During such a long period the value of decided to allow the purchase of rented a given enterprise might change and by the This could be a business revolution: The premises after three instead of five years of end of that time it might need re-evalua- operators of shops and restaurants in the tenancy. tion. center of Warsaw will be able to buy the However, the new regulations do not in- All this bureaucracy and paperwork re- premises they occupy without having to put clude rooms in buildings listed in the Reg- sulted in only one place being sold to its them out to open bidding. ister of Historic Monuments or property tenant in 2005. Yet the new regulations, For years Warsaw entrepreneurs have having an unclear legal status. which are to take effect this month, also been urging city authorities to allow them That means the new rules affect only face opposition. to purchase their rented shops. 3,500 out of 10,000 businesses. Still, the “If the city sells the commercial prem- Our repretoire of Spanish, They said that without privatization shop operators appreciate the improve- ises to their tenants, it means some of them Argentinian and Italian there could be no long-term investments, ments in purchase procedures. They no will never be returned to their rightful own- classical music will create the renovations and development plans. longer have to seek approval of the district ers,” said Ewa Latoszek of the Warsaw special ambience you need “We are extremely eager to buy the authorities, various offices at city hall and Residents’ Society (Warszawiak). “This is to maximize your guests’ rooms,” said Piotr Wojcicki, the deputy even the president of Warsaw. Now the en- nothing short of a robbery,” she said, refer- fine-dining experience. chief of the Warsaw Chamber of Entrepre- tire process will fall under the authority of ring to the thousands of people who were neurs. “We just have to have them as our the district. deprived of their property after World War Good rates and top quality. own. That is the only way for the business The complex procedures formerly ex- II by a decree issued by the Communist re- [email protected] to go well.” tended the purchasing process to more than gime of President Boleslaw Bierut. DECEMBER 6-DECEMBER 12, 2007 KRAKOW The Krakow Post 11 Exhibit: “Chechnya: The Final Solution” Kinga Rodkiewicz ment won’t harm Chechnya’s efforts The First Chechen War, from 1994 Staff Journalist to achieve independence. to 1996, started when Russian forces “I hope everybody will remember moved in to stop Chechnya from se- An exhibition of 300 pictures with this nation,” he said. Certainly “ev- ceding. Human rights organizations the chilling name of “Chechnya: The eryone who sees this exhibition will say 4,000 Chechen combatants and Final Solution” opens Friday in Kra- become a different man.” 35,000 civilians died in that conflict. kow City Hall. The photos show many civilians The Second Chechen War started The exhibition depicts Russian who have been wounded, tortured in 1999. According to the Human military atrocities against Chechen and killed in the Russians’ effort to Rights in the Second Chechen War rebels and civilians. The Russians snuff out resistance. Some photos are were killed 45, 000 civilians. and Chechen rebels have fought two so graphic that exhibition organizers Poles have had bitter experience recent wars over Chechen efforts to covered them with black paper. View- with Russian occupation, said Profes- become independent. The Second ers are told they can look at the pho- sor Ryszard Terlecki, a member of Chechen War is still under way. tos if they want, but they are warned parliament from the Law and Justice Adam Borowski, the honorary about their graphic nature. party. Polish consul for the Chechen Re- Non-Russian war correspondents And when Poles tried to fight the public of Ichkeria, said the name of took the photos. One of the authors of Russians, the world looked on idly, the exhibition is appropriate. The text that accompanies the photos was he said. Nazis used the term “final solution” Nowa Gazeta journalist Anna Polit- “That’s why Polish people have a to refer to the mass extermination of kowska, who was murdered in 2006, special passion about supporting the Jews, and Borowski said that kind of presumably for reporting on Russian Chechen people,” he said. extermination is occurring in Chech- atrocities in Chechnya. Another text As for allegations that the Chechen nya now. author is human rights defender Sier- side has also engaged in atrocities, Poland’s new prime minister, giej Kowalow. Terlecki said that fighting alone for Donald Tusk, has said he wants to The exhibit includes reports of the freedom “causes desperation. Des- improve Polish-Russian relations. atrocities from Amnesty International peration causes a belief that all pos- Borowski said he hopes that improve- and Human Rights Watch. sible tools can be used.” Post-competition Students: exhibit opens at MCK Free reading on Internet

Urszula Ciolkiewicz live far from the big cities and don’t have Staff Journalist access to the well-equipped libraries.” With “Free Reading” it is possible either Are you a schoolboy or a schoolgirl? to read the book online or to download the Do you find it inconvenient to go to the files on a computer or on a mobile phone. library and look for the book you need? You The books can be located through sev- should visit the new Internet portal “Free eral categories: authors, literary eras, Reading,” where plenty of famous writers’ genres and themes, as well as by the con- works are available free of charge. nections between different books. The The new web service includes the au- users of this Internet portal can exchange thors whose works are mandatory reading opinions about the books on the electronic in Polish schools. At the web site address “Discussion” page. www.wolnelektury.pl can be found the The creator of “Free Reading” is the poems of Adam Mickiewicz and Jan Ko- Modern Poland Foundation in cooperation chanowski as well as the novels of Henryk with the National Library and the Institute Sienkiewicz and Stefan Zeromski. of Literary Research of the Polish Academy The Polish classical masters of the pen of Sciences. Readings on the web site are alternate with such foreign classics as Hans limited to those which have no copyright Christian Andersen and William Shake- restrictions. Commentaries, annotations speare, although the core of the “Free and explanations for the texts are provided Agata Kolomyjska creative way. Photographs exhibited docu- Norbert Roztocki’s project presenting the Reading” project consists of works written by teachers from reputable schools and re- Staff Journalist ment the present while paying tribute to vi- everyday life of the monks from Bielany in the Polish language. search workers from the Institute of Liter- sions of the past. monastery earned him a third place. “I like the idea of ‘Free Reading‘ very ary Research. One more merit of the project “Save from Oblivion” photographic Joanna Gorlach was presented the first The Krakow Post staff journalist, Adelina much,” says Artur, a Warsaw high school is that it popularizes the trend towards cre- competition winners and over 80 finalists prize and 1,000 euro at the Nov. 29 award Krupski, received an honorable mention for student.. “It’s difficult at the beginning to ative reading and that it changes the usual are now on exhibition at MCK Gallery, ceremony for her intriguing photographs of her pictures documenting the defunct Wawel get used to reading from the screen. How- school duty into a fascinating journey in the Krakow. the Plaszow Concentration Camp memorial. chocolate factory’s demolition ever, it’s very convenient for people who world of culture. This year, the Cracow Heritage Society Gorlach is mostly interested in portraiture, Krupski describes Krakow as a “para- staged its first international edition in the but calls Krakow her “inspiration” and an dise” for photographers, “It’s a gorgeous, krakowpost.com competition’s 30-year history. The society “inexhaustible treasury of locations.” very unique and visually beautiful place,” invited photographers from across Poland Second prize was awarded to Krakow lo- she said. and abroad to share their impressions of cal, Joanna Radlowska for her “Bonarka” The photographic exhibition is on display the city. series. Despite having spent her whole life at the International Cultural Center (Rynek The competition’s aim was to present the in Krakow, Radlowska says the city keeps Glowny 25) until March 2, with an accom- city’s unique nature, its inhabitants and ar- surprising her with new objects and hidden panying album of selected works available chitecture in an artistic, unconventional and details nearly every day. in Polish and English.

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ul. Miodowa 7 Kazimierz District, Krakow Andrzej Kowalski, Tel.: (0) 12 292-0088 www.accommodation.krakow.pl Marketing Manager, +48 (0) 798-683-160 12 The Krakow Post KRAKOW DECEMBER 6-DECEMBER 12, 2007 Minibus issue grows worse Grazyna Zawada surroundings every day. The prices negotiations with the minibus line Mirski, spokesman for Krakow’s STAFF JOURNALIST vary from 2.5 to 4 zloty per person, owners. The owners want the under- Road and Transport Administration. but monthly tickets and different ground parking site near the main “Negotiations are now in progress.” discounts, such as those for students, train station adapted for their mini- Minibus owners have expressed Minibus drivers protesting against are valid on the services. buses however the municipality is their concerns and needs to the City being removed from city center stops The main disadvantage is over- not supportive of the idea. Council, to which the Council will are threatening to go on strike. This crowding, and in some cases vehicle The issue has raised debate be- respond at their next meeting. would deprive thousands of people standards, however competition tween those for and against the Their main proposal involves from accessing essential transporta- between different minibus lines is minibus services amongst Krakow’s minibus access through the center tion to and from Krakow. improving comfort and quality of commuter community. along the second internal bypass Minibuses, namely passenger- services. “Minibuses are essential and there (the area marked by two-lane roads, adapted vans, with a capacity of Recently the Krakow City Coun- should be more of them. It’s high such as Aleje, Trzech, Wieszczуw), approximately 20 people, are pri- cil declared its intention to relocate time somebody organized this form where they could drop off their pas- vate enterprises providing transport minibus depots from the city center, of transport into a fleet with a regu- sengers, and then let them park at between Krakow and remote vil- like the one adjacent to Galeria Kra- lar timetable,” said Agata on forum. external parking depots outside the lages and even distant cities such as kowska, to an undisclosed location gazeta.pl. “I see what minibuses do second bypass. Jaworzno, Olkusz and Chrzanow in on the city outskirts. every day, and it’s appalling,” said Minibus owners also suggested the West or Bochnia and Brzesko in This has infuriated minibus own- “jkmm” on the same forum.“They reviewing distribution of city entry the East. This service is especially ers, who have threatened to go on don’t respect any rules, park just passes to reduce congestion at city handy when it comes to small vil- strike if the issue is not settled. The anywhere and drive overcrowded. bus stops, as well as an integrated lages that have no access to public strike would mean a lack of trans- Minibuses should be allowed only ticketing system across private transport options. It is estimated that portation for many and paralyze the to reach the city limits, that’s all.” minibus services and public buses, between 15,000-20,000 people use city, so Krakow’s Road and Trans- “All we want is to regulate traffic though this idea seems far off at this minibuses servicing Krakow and its port Administration have taken up growth in the city center,” said Wit stage. “Ciufcia” facilitates Krakow, Warsaw sigh in relief: No sepsis epidemic family communication LUK Agency LUK

Kinga Rodkiewicz sepsis each year,” he added. why she died. isn’t against the sepsis; it is only against Staff Journalists According to the experts, sepsis isn’t “It started with a cold,“ the mother one kind of meningococcus.” he said. a new illness. It is caused by a bacterium said. “Then she had high fever, vomiting Sepsis is a complex illness in which called meningococcus. It has been called and bloody skin eruptions. The doctors the body “overreacts” to an infection. A 16-year-old girl from Warsaw and “blood infection” or “blood poisoning” gave her a liquid drip feed with electro- Normally, the body’s response to an in- two men, 21 and 47, from Radom are the because the germs may be found in the lytes. But her organs didn’t react to the fection is targeted to the site of the infec- most recent fatalities due to sepsis. blood of the victims. antibiotic and she soon died.” tion. In October this illness also attacked Up to 25 percent of the human popu- On Nov. 20, Silesia began manda- With sepsis, the immune system sets patients in the delivery ward of a Kra- lation may be carrying some of these tory inoculation of 8,000 children against off a chain reaction to fight the infection. kow hospital. Fortunately, there were no bacteria, but sepsis cases are exception- germs which can cause the sepsis. The body’s response, instead of being casualties. And doctors have assured the ally rare. “Reports of sepsis in Piekary Slaskie localized to the site of infection, causes public that there is no epidemic. “The doctors in Poland are prepared are eight times higher than in other parts symptoms to occur throughout the body “In the 80s there were a few hundred to diagnose and cure sepsis,” Dr. Ste- of Poland. That’s why we have decided (this is known as a systemic response). cases of (sepsis) sickness each year and fanow said. But he said the case of the on that action,” said Anna Poplawska , Between 33 percent and 50 percent of about 80 to 100 people annually died 16-year-old girl in Warsaw could be an director of the Center Against Epidemics patients who develop severe sepsis die from sepsis,” Dr. Piotr Stefanow told exception because the sepsis was not in Bytom. from the condition. Sepsis is not conta- Wiadomości24 (News24). “Recently, promptly diagnosed. The action won’t be repeated in other gious. Meningococci are not able to sur- this number has increased, mainly be- The public prosecutor’s office has Polish cities. According to Dr. Stefanow, vive outside the human organism more cause new kinds of the germs have ap- opened an investigation into the death. there is no need for mandatory inocula- than a few minutes. That’s why we can’t peared.” According to the girl’s mother, doctors tions in the entire country. become ill just by being near an infected “In Poland we see about 300 cases of diagnosed the sepsis too late and that’s “This medical action (inoculation) person in school, at home or on planes.

Grazyna Zawada ing to Michal Dyrda, development manager at Han Galee its perils, but in a much safer environment than in reality, dren using Ciufcia can help adults understand their actions Staff Journalist and his colleagues independently continuing its develop- such as watching a computer generated pot boil over. and emotions. ment and modification. ”This is the first project of its kind in the world. And the A scientific conference is planned after the full launch of Project Ciufcia (choo-choo train) was developed by Han Ciufcia is a unique pedagogical and psychological pro- 35 activities that are available now is only the beginning” Ciufcia. It is hoped that the issue of a computer being an ed- Galee Internet marketing company over a year ago for one gram designed to develop a child’s intelligence interactive- said Dyrda. “In March next year we plan to have 150 differ- ucational and personality development tool will be widely of their clients. The client withdrew from the project lead- ly with parents via the Internet. ent activities for kids plus an Internet platform for parents discussed and bear fruit in differentiating the scientific and Ciufcia is accessed via the web site to put their profiles and comments on and exchange useful social approach to this area. www.ciufcia.pl, where children from 2 to 6 information.” ”Good communication between a child and parent posi- can find 35 different task-like activities to Ciufcia’s developers have had limited success consult- tively affects relationships between all members of a fam- be completed in cooperation with a parent, ing with specialists in the fields of communications, child ily” said Dyrda. ”It also has a powerful impact on future rather than in competition like many other psychology and Information Technology on the project’s family bonds, good relationships with people in general, computer based games/activities. benefits as they found the scientific community forming a emotional stability and success in adult life. We at Ciufcia The project’s authors stress the im- pejorative position on any engagement involving children also support the theory of positive communication being portance of parental-child interaction in and the Internet. transferred to intellectual development, and this we do by completing the activities, as the programs ”These negative theories come from outdated reports in just putting the theory into practice.” purpose is not just for keeping the child oc- the mid-80s, when a screen’s radiation was overwhelming. Ciufcia’s developers do not pursue any marketing tar- cupied. Key to the programs effectiveness is Besides, whereas in Europe children’s access to a computer gets and state their project is a non-profit one. Currently the setting performance standards, cooperation is seen as something normal, in Poland it’s seen as spoil- project is self-funded and the developers are seeking spon- and physical engagement between parent ing rather than developing” said Dyrda. “Now, times have sorship on a non-commercial basis. In the future Dyrda and and child. changed. Computers are so common that we cannot avoid his colleagues plan to move Ciufcia out of the Internet. Ciufcia activities aim to improve person- them, what’s more, we can use them for our benefit. It’s a “Our statistics show that Ciufcia is becoming more and al contact between a parent and child by en- pity some parents are afraid to explore their potential.” more popular, both with new visitors and regular users” abling the adult to guide their child through Apart from temporary entertainment, it is hoped that Ci- said Dyrda. “I just can’t wait till all the potential of Ciufcia completing a particular task. They can also ufcia can generate new data on child learning, perception is realized. It may revolutionize child psychology and open learn about the world together and explore and their worldview. Watching different reactions of chil- up a variety of possibilities.” DECEMBER 6-DECEMBER 12, 2007 ARTS & IDEAS The Krakow Post 13

*Advertorial Saint Nicholas: New patron of Chrzanow Kinga Rodkiewicz which he ruled with great care and faith. STAFF JOURNALIST He died at Myra in Lycia. By the time of Jus- tinian in the 6th Century, a basilica was built in Ancora: Where Krakow The local council in Chrzanow has accepted his honor at Constantinople. From the 9th Cen- the proposal of Mayor Ryszard Kosowski to re- tury in the East and the 11th Century in the West, gard St. Nicholas as the city’s new patron. he has been one of the most popular saints of “St. Nicholas has been for centuries the tra- Christendom and the subject of many legends. ditional patron of our city. Now, his presence The most famous legend is about three young and fine dining meet becomes more formal,” Kosowski said. “Since girls. Their father, a citizen of Patara, lost his the 13th Century this St. has been the patron fortune, and because he could not raise dowries of the parish in the center of the city. In the fu- for his three daughters, he was nearly forced to Although Christmas is invariably ture, we want to build a monument beside the give them over to prostitution. When Nicholas associated with traditions, sometimes church.” heard that, he threw a bag of gold through the it’s worth stepping outside of the box Local authorities plan to restore the historic window of the man’s house at night. crest of Chrzanow, on which there is a picture The eldest girl was married with it as her to try something new and inspiring. of St. Nicholas. The actual crest was created in dowry. Nicholas did the same for each of the Can new inspirations be found at the 1809 by the authorities of the Duchy of War- other girls. The kindness of St. Nicholas to the Christmas table? saw. The Duchy was a Polish state established three daughters is known as “The Visit of St. The answer is yes. And in an effort by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1807 from the Polish Nicholas.” to address your need for an excellent lands ceded by the Kingdom of Prussia under In 1822, Clement C. Moore wrote his fa- the terms of the Treaties of Tilsit. mous poem, “A Visit From St. Nicholas.” It Christmas, we visited Adam Chrzas- St. Nicholas is one of the most important was published as “The Night Before Christ- towski*, chef and co-owner of Ancora St.s in all Christian churches, and is important mas.” The poem is considered the basis for Restaurant in Krakow. as the patron of sailors, travelers, bakers, mer- the modern-day image of Santa Claus as a fat, When we reached Adam at his restau- chants and most importantly children. bearded man in a red suit bearing gifts. rant, his workshop on culinary secrets St. Nicholas was born probably to wealthy Santa Claus in Poland comes down the parents at Patara in Lycia, a province of Asia chimneys each year on the night of Dec. 6. The had just come ended. Participants had Minor. He was chosen bishop of the poor dio- next morning good girls and boys find gifts left been looking for new Christmas tastes. cese of the capital of Myra in the 4th Century, by Santa. We missed the workshop, but discov- ered new tastes and aromas during the course of our conversation. Should Christmas be more innovative Tusk refuses to sign EU’s or traditional? Both the former and the latter. I can’t imagine Christmas without the traditional tastes that have been present on Polish ta- Charter of Fundamental Rights bles for ages. On the other hand, this doesn’t mean that From TUSK on Page 1 we should stick to recipes from olden times. I believe carp isn’t the only choice for us. European Parliament members of the Left and Christianity, he said. Sturgeon and pikeperch are also delicious Democrats have urged Tusk to keep his cam- He said the church also respects provisions Polish fish. paign promise of seeking ratification of the of the charter connected with social and ethical We can afford to prepare light food. The charter. values such as human dignity and respect for tables needn’t be burdened with food as They contend that the Law and Justice cultural identity. they used to be in the times when apart from party’s threat to prevent ratification amounts to What it objects to are provisions that appear housework preparations Christmas meant political blackmail. to condone cloning of humans and “to a defini- hours in queues. Tusk said discussions with Lech Kaczynski tion of marriage which is against natural law,” What’s important is a table with tradi- *Adam Chrzastowski left his university philosophy studies to pursue his indicated that if the government pressed for he said. tional tastes, i.e. poppy seeds, raisins, nuts lifelong passion for cooking. charter ratification, Reform Treaty ratification A number of other Catholic countries in and figs, spices, fish, but they can all be He started his professional career at the Bristol Hotel in Warsaw. will be in danger. the EU don’t have concerns about the charter, served in a different way, with the spirit of Then, he became chef in one of the local Sheraton Hotel restaurants. In He said he needed Law and Justice’s sup- however. the times. Christmas is an opportunity to search for taste, he reached distant China, where for two years he worked port to obtain the two-thirds majority required “Malta, where the Catholic religion is writ- eat well, but not stuff oneself with food. We as a chef at the Tropicana and Hunters restaurants. Over the last four to ratify the Reform Treaty. Poland cannot be- ten into the Constitution, and as a result has should choose quality and not quantity. It’d come president of the EU in 2011, as sched- the (EU’s) most restrictive law connected with years, he was Kurt Scheller’s assistant in the Rialto hotel’s restaurant in be a great alternative for tradition. A new uled, unless it ratifies the treaty. marriage, has no objections to the charter,” ac- Warsaw. Chrzastowski was also an instructor of Polish Junior Culinary look at Christmas. Law and Justice members, the Catholic cording to Jacek Protasiewicz, a European Par- Representation and accompanied the team at prestigious competitions, Church and Polish religious groups such as liament member of the Civil Platform party. What’s most important when prepar- championships, world cups and culinary olimpics. Currently, we can try the Association of Christian Culture applauded ”Our European partners understand our situ- ing the Christmas table? his individual compositions in Ancora Restaurant, in Krakow, of which he Tusk’s about-face. ation,” Tusk said of his political dilemma. That I’ll repeat once again that no matter is not only the chef, but also the co-founder. Catholic groups were most critical of a char- argument might not convince many Poles. if you cook or only taste the most crucial ter provision that read: “Any discrimination And his capitulation on the charter suggests thing is to keep an open mind. Everyone based on any grounds, such as sex, race, color, that, once more, Poland is isolating itself from can point out several traditional Christmas This year I’ll have pickled salmon with mushrooms, probably with yogurt and curry ginger and liquorice. It takes courage to do as in the Far East. ethnic or social origin, genetic features, lan- the rest of Europe – an allegation often level tastes. You can try different combinations guage, religion or belief, political or any other against the more conservative Law and Justice and prepare something in a new way. For it! Anyway, instead of making experiments you can introduce some variations like re- And what about “pierogies”? opinion, membership in a national minority, government. instance, honey or spices usually added to property, birth, disability, age or sexual orienta- Professor Bronislaw Geremek of the Demo- gingerbread can be successfully used for placing smoked sausages with cold jellied With cabbage and mushrooms as usual. meat or preparing herrings in a different For dessert, I’ll have kutya with vanilla ice tion, shall be prohibited.” cratic party said he “doesn’t understand the making a souffle or gingery white chocolate Catholic leaders said the provision was tacit countries which are afraid of the charter.” He mousse. It’s also possible to try to mix tastes way, in mustard sauce, fruit, curry, mush- cream this year. The mix of poppy seed, recognition of homosexual marriages in Poland. said Poland’s decision to opt out “will be harm- that apparently don’t match one another, e.g. rooms or spices. The thing is not to increase wheat and ice cream is really tempting. I’ll However, charter experts pointed out, the docu- ful for Europe and Poland as well.” cabbage with mushrooms and fish. quantity, but concentrate on variety and ap- also serve noodles with poppy seed and va- ment also has a provision that says: “The right Professor Wladyslaw Bartoszewski of War- Why not? The effect of steaming fish preciate the taste! nilla cream. My mom will certainly bake to marry and the right to create a family shall saw State University said Poland’s decision over boiling cabbage with mushrooms is in- a traditional poppy seed cake and ginger- teresting. The aroma of the dish permeates How many dishes will you have on bread. be guaranteed in accordance with the national against ratifying the charter is both a sign of the fish. I strongly recommend pikeperch in your Christmas table? laws governing the exercise of these rights.” intolerance and a slap in the face against Eu- this case. Another example is “bigos.” Actu- Lots of them, according to tradition! Christmas dishes have their symbolic “The Polish church doesn’t have a negative ropean law. ally, all Polish people have their own way of There won’t be very simple dishes. If I have meaning. Will kutya with vanilla ice opinion about the charter” over-all, said Piotr Those who back ratification ask how Poland preparing the dish. fish, it’ll be jellied fish or stuffed fish, salm- cream bring happiness as well? Babiarz, a political expert who is getting a can talk about human rights with other coun- My idea is to add dried pears. on in different shapes, e.g. pickled salmon, It’ll be very tasty. doctorate degree at Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski tries, especially with rights violators such as or herrings, not only with onions, but with I can’t guarantee more. University in Warsaw. It appreciates language Belarus, if we won’t sign an EU-wide rights in the charter referring to values rooted in charter.

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the krakow post Basinskie. However, he has enough energy to “We live with our parents in a help others.” Seventy-two talented students small village. We have another two Przemyslaw Sobieszczuk has set have received scholarships from sisters who learn very well. Each of up the Fragile Touch Foundation the Silesian Fund. For five months us has aspirations to develop our- to help people with the same rare each student will be given 300 zloty selves, and that costs a lot,” Katar- genetic disease, which is character- each month. zyna told the newspaper Gazeta ized by extremely fragile skin and For many that money is indis- Wyborcza. recurrent blister formations. pensable to carry on their studying. “I dream of receiving a doctor’s The Silesian Fund was set up The Nov. 26 ceremony was degree and then carrying on a sci- in 2001 at the initiative of Adam opened by Krystyna Bochenek, di- entific career.” Krystyna Bochenek Graczynski, a senator from Silesia. rector of the fund council. told of the struggles and achieve- It has helped 350 people, giving “Thanks to the generosity of the ments of Przemyslaw Sobieszczuk, them a total of almost a half mil- donors, each year I welcome more another scholarship winner. lion zloty. (scholarship) students,” she said. “I “He is an extraordinary young The scholarships are for students hope that next year the organizers person. He has received wonderful who are permanent residents of won’t be able to find room here for degrees, although he is struggling Silesia. Candidates must show fi- you.” with a dangerous disease,” she said. nancial need, with an income limit Among the scholarship winners “He is suffering from the rare dis- of 600 zloty a month for a family were sisters Edyta and Katarzyna ease EB (Epidermolysis bullosa). member. Struggle for official recognition of Silesian nation

the krakow post

The founders of an association of people with Silesian heritage on Nov. 17 filed a second complaint with the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg against the Polish courts. They demand the right to register the association as an advocate for a Silesian minority nationality. However, according to Polish law such a minority doesn’t officially ex- ist. The 2005 law enumerates nine national minorities in Poland: Jewish, Be- larusian, Russian, Ukrainian, Slovakian, Chechen, German, Lithuanian and Armenian. There is no Silesian minority because the 2005 act specifies that such a minority should identify with a nation. There is no nation of Silesia, and that’s why authorities classify Silesian people as Polish or German. The Silesians who are fighting to become a national minority declare that their main aim is to create two autonomic regions within historic borders: Upper and Lower Silesia. They refer to pre-World War II when Silesia was autonomous. From 1920 until the war, Silesia had its own parliament and budget. After the war ended in 1945, Silesian autonomy was annulled. And under current Polish law there is no provision for autonomous territories in Poland. In July 2006, the District Court in Katowice refused registration to the Silesian minority committee. Now the committee founders have appealed the decision to the Supreme Court in Warsaw. The founders of the association cite the results of a 2003 survey in which people living in Poland were asked about their nationality. According to the Polish Central Statistics Office, Silesians declared themselves the biggest national minority. This represented a major success for the Silesian Autonomy Movement, which has long campaigned for official recognition of a Silesian nation in Poland. However, census officials have continued to refuse to accept Sile- sian as a declaration of nationality. And Polish courts consequently have refused to acknowledge the Silesian minority. Andrzej Roczniok, one of the founders of the Silesian association, said: “It is incomprehensible that in the Polish census 173,000 people could de- clare their Silesian nationality, and now these people can’t found and regis- ter the association.” The founders of the association say that legalization of the Silesian mi- nority isn’t connected with voting privileges, but they want the right to form associations of people who have similar views. According to the daily news- paper Dziennik Zachodni, the efforts to legally establish the association be- gan in 1996. In Strasbourg in 2004, the human rights court said that Polish courts had the right to refuse the association’s registration. This time, the founders claim that they have fulfilled all requirements that are needed to be registered according to Polish law. “In a new statute we have written that the association is the organization of people who declare the Silesian nationality,” Roczniok said. “We have changed the previous statement that the association is the organization of the Silesian national minority.”

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