NO. 28 WWW.KRAKOWPOST.COM NOVEMBER 15-NOVEMBER 21, 2007 WEEKLY Problems persist at city’s local musical institutions Walesa does not need transplant The health of the former president and Nobel Peace Prize winner has improved, and there is no necessity for surgery at this time 2 Sex scandal starring Andrzej Lepper The former deputy minister was questioned for two hours by prosecutors in Lodz, after being charged with soliciting sex from two women in 2001 and 2002 3 Bush telephones Polish ambassador President Bush phoned Poland’s ambassador to Iraq to wish him a speedy recovery from burns he suffered in a bombing 4 Coca-Cola plays Santa Claus to kids Coca-Cola and humanitarian organization play Santa Claus to needy Polish children at Xmas 5 Polish farmers look for EU funds Farmers from all over Poland rush to get their share of EU subsidies totaling 360 mln euro 5 For almost two years the philharmonic has had no director. Those involved in the cultural life of Krakow say it’s hard to believe that the officials who approve the selection of a director – some from Malopolski Province and some from the Ministry of Culture – have been unable to find a suitable person for a city so culturally and artistically rich. Further waiting for Alicja Natkaniec artistically rich. STAFF JOURNALIST “When such an institution doesn’t have an efficient manager, it doesn’t have a strategy Okecie terminal The Krakow Philharmonic and the Kra- and a long-term plan of artistic development Travelers using the Okecie kow Opera continue to struggle with lead- at the same time,” contended Malgorzata ership problems – and, in the case of the Pawlowska, a graduate of the Academy of Airport receive more bad news opera, a bribery scandal. Music in Krakow who now does research about when the new departure The effect? Critics of the two situations there. terminal at the nation’s largest say some productions have been of poor “Both musicians and spectators suffer airport will open 7 quality and there has been a decline in mu- from this stagnation,” she said, and “we sic lovers’ interest, artistic stagnation and a should remember that it has also a negative tense atmosphere. Philharmonic manage- effect on Krakow’s artistic image.” house of entertainment ment contend that is an exaggeration of Director Anna Oberc resigned two years the best entertainment in Krakow Office machinery what’s happening at their institution. ago. Wojciech Marchwica was chosen to re- For almost two years the philharmonic place her, but the orchestra’s unions refused piano bar museum opens has had no director. Those involved in the to accept him. live-music sessions Jan Kaluza’s 30-year love affair cultural life of Krakow say it’s hard to The second competition this summer bring card – get prize believe that the officials who approve the erupted in scandal. The winner was Adam with old office equipment has led selection of a director – some from Malo- Klocek, a young, but already renowned, to him opening the Typewriter HOTEL NOVOTEL, ul. Armii Krajowej 11 polski Province and some from the Minis- cellist and conductor. The orchestra’s musi- Tel.: +48 (0) 12 636-0807 Old Machines Museum in Tychy, try of Culture – have been unable to find a cians liked the choice. 80 kilometers west of Krakow 12 suitable person for a city so culturally and See MUSIC on Page 9 2 The Krakow Post POLAND NOVEMBER 15-NOVEMBER 21, 2007 R E G I O N A L N E W S Germany Canadian court rules Nazi Former president Lech Walesa lied to enter country gives 5 mln Canada’s federal court early this week gave a green light to strip an elderly Ukrai- does not need heart transplant euro to nian former Nazi of his Canadian citizenship and deport him to Italy where he faces jail for war crimes. Polish-Jewish “I am satisfied that Mr. (Michael) Seifert obtained entry to Canada and Canadian citi- LUK Agency LUK museum zenship by misrepresentation and nondisclo- sure of material facts,” Judge James O’Reilly said in his decision. in Warsaw “Had he told the truth, Mr. Seifert would not have been allowed into Canada,” he said. AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE “However, I am not satisfied that the atroci- ties of which Mr. Seifert has been accused Germany early this week donated have been proved on the balance of prob- five mln euro ($7.3 mln) to help build abilities.” a new Jewish history museum in the Canada’s justice minister informed Seifert Polish capital Warsaw, home to Eu- in 2001 that he would revoke his citizenship rope’s largest Jewish community be- over Seifert’s failure to disclose his correct fore the Holocaust. place of birth and his misrepresentation of “In this way, the federal government his activities during World War II when he wants to make a new contribution to applied for a Canadian visa in 1951. redressing the immeasurable suffering The minister also accused Seifert of kill- inflicted in the name of the Germans ing prisoners and committing various acts upon the Jews in this country, and thus of cruelty in a police transit camp in Italy upon Poland as a whole,” said German in 1944-45. Seifert, 83, was condemned to Ambassador Michael Gerdts at a cer- life in prison in an Italian court in November emony in Warsaw. 2000, on 18 charges of murder and torture at “The Germans remain conscious Bolzano in 1944-1945. of their responsibility for this tragic He has always maintained his innocence past,” he added. on the charges. The foundation stone of the mu- In August 2003 the high court in the west- seum was laid in June. When it opens ernmost province of British Columbia ruled in 2009-2010 it will host exhibitions Seifert should be extradited to Italy and serve spanning 900 years of Polish-Jewish a life sentence for killings and torture at the history. Bolzano Nazi camp in northern Italy. It aims to be one of the world’s three Under Canadian law, authorities can re- largest Jewish museums alongside Yad voke the citizenship of people who make Vashem in Jerusalem and the Holo- false declarations and deport them, though caust Memorial in Washington. all such suspects have the right to appeal. The museum project is also being A final decision is up to the minister of funded by the Polish government, justice. Former Polish President Lech Walesa. Warsaw city authorities, the EU, Ger- This latest court ruling clears the way for man foundations and private donors. Seifert’s extradition. Michal Wojtas flow constriction. take any official role. The museum is being built in the Canada has withdrawn the citizenship of STAFF JOURNALIST But then the condition of his heart deterio- In 2000 Walesa ran for president for a third heart of the old Warsaw ghetto, which 54 people since 1977. Seven of those cases rated. Walesa said doctors have told him that time but suffered a bitter defeat with just 1 was set up by the Nazis after they in- were linked to World War II. (AFP) Lech Walesa will not have to undergo a his heart will fail within two to five years. percent of the votes. He then announced his vaded Poland in 1939 and razed by heart transplant, at least not this year. He said that he was not afraid of transplant withdrawal from politics. He concentrated them following a failed uprising in Five radioactive trucks The health of the former president and surgery and that he will not slow down the on presenting university lectures around the 1943. In 1939, Poland counted some stopped at Belarus border 1983 Nobel Peace Prize winner has im- tempo of his life. world and running an institute, which bears 3.3 mln Jews, 400,000 of whom lived proved recently, and there is no necessity for The surgery would cost about $100,000. his name and focuses on historical studies in Warsaw. Five trucks emitting high levels of radia- surgery at this time. Walesa acknowledged that he didn’t have and the promotion of local autonomy. In Jews made up 10 percent of the Pol- tion have been stopped on the border be- However, Walesa’s medical documents the money but had received offers of finan- 2004, Walesa appeared in Kyiv during the ish population and a third of all resi- tween Poland and Belarus, state television have been sent to a cardiology clinic in cial help. so-called Orange Revolution, addressed the dents in the capital. in Minsk said Tuesday. Houston, Texas, where the late Boris Yelt- Walesa was the co-founder of the Solidar- crowd and tried to mediate between the gov- After the Holocaust, Poland’s Jew- “Four trucks arriving from Italy and Ger- sin, the former Russian president, under- ity trade union in 1980, which helped end ernment and the opposition. ish population numbered just 280,000. many with a cargo of firebricks, ceramic went heart surgery. Communist rule in 1989. He was elected Most recently he backed Donald Tusk Of those, many emigrated to the quarry tiles and food colorings were stopped This is a prerequisite for a transplant if it president in 1990. and his Civic Platform (PO) party in par- U.S. or Israel, either immediately fol- at the Polish-Belarus border,” Belarus TV is needed in the future. Walesa, 64, suffers After he lost to Aleksander Kwasniewski liamentary and presidential elections. He lowing the war or during a wave of cited a high-ranking official at the Ministry from ischemic heart disease as well as from in the second presidential election in 1995, also strongly criticized Jaroslaw and Lech anti-Semitism under Communist rule for Emergency Situations as saying.