NO. 29 WWW.KRAKOWPOST.COM NOVEMBER 22-NOVEMBER 28, 2007 WEEKLY Newly elected Tusk government to face challenges ahead Migrant center opens in Przemysl A detention center for illegal immigrants has opened in Przemysl aiming to deal with ’s surge of illegal aliens after joined the EU 4 Polish women give birth in Pregnant Polish women living near the German border are flocking to German hospitals with free delivery and more choice of childbirth procedures 5

Media: Taser death shocks Canadians Canada shamed over shocking death of Pole who was confront- ed by Vancouver airport police with stun gun 5

Poland’s new Prime Minister has formed a government and named a cabinet that, he says proudly, consists of technocrats – or subject-matter experts – instead of politicians.

Michal Wojtas Jolandta Fedak as the minister of labor and People’s Party only holds 31. That leaves the Tusk passed up members STAFF JOURNALIST as minister of agriculture coalition with 240 seats – nine more than the with national political experience such as and rural development. 231 needed for majority rule. , Zbigniew Chlebowski Poland’s new Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government will have a 10-vote The Left and Democrats Alliance, with 53 and Julia Pitera, who were previously part Tusk has formed a government and cabinet majority in the , Poland’s lower house seats, are also likely to side with the prime of PO’s shadow cabinet. that, he proudly states, consists of techno- of parliament. This suggests that barring minister on multiple issues. The Law and The appointment of Radoslaw Sikorski as crats instead of politicians. Tusk formed unforeseen developments the prime min- Justice party, led by Lech Kaczynski’s twin foreign minister irritated the Law and Jus- Poland’s 13th post-Communist government ister will be able to get most of his agenda brother and former Prime Minister Jaroslaw tice party. Until a falling-out with Kaczyn- Nov. 16 by cobbling together a coalition through parliament. Kaczynski, holds 166 seats. Its members are ski over Antoni Macierewicz’s controversial of his Civic Platform party and the Polish However even legislation which clears likely to be uncooperative since voters oust- role as a reformer of Polish counter-intelli- People’s Party. Civic Platform won the most parliament may not become law as Poland’s ed from government lead- gence units, the Oxford University graduate seats in the Oct. 21 elections. The Polish President Lech Kaczynski of the opposition ership after only two years. Fortunately for was formerly the minister of defense under People’s Party is the smallest of four in the Law and Justice party can veto legislation. Tusk the party does not have the numbers to the Law and Justice government. new parliament. Due to this significant political obstacle, stop most of his agenda. Tusk also offered a seat in the cabinet to Tusk appointed as Tusk will undoubtedly have difficulty in car- Several technocrats appointed by Tusk Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz who was prime head of the People’s Party, deputy prime rying out his political agenda. His party does have former experience in local politics but minister during the first nine months of the minister and minister of economy. Grzegorz not have the necessary three-fifths Sejm ma- not in national. They include three Civic Law and Justice government. Marcinkiewicz Scetyna was appointed second deputy prime jority (267 seats) to override a veto. To add Platform members – Education Minister declined saying he preferred to concentrate minister and interior minister, secretary gen- to Tusk’s problem Kaczynski has three years , Justice Minister Zbigniew on his current position in the European Bank eral of the Civic Platform party. remaining in office. Cwiakalski and Finance Minister Jacek for Reconstruction and Development as one Another two Polish People’s Party lead- The Civic Platform party holds 209 of Rostowski. of the bank’s directors. ers hold posts in the 19-member cabinet: the Sejm’s 460 seats whereas the Polish Political observers were surprised when See TUSK on Page 9 2 The Krakow Post POLAND NOVEMBER 22-NOVEMBER 28, 2007 R E G I O N A L N E W S Poland to Estonian small-time ex-mayor sentenced for hiring hitman Poland joins Schengen end Iraq The former mayor of a small Estonian town has received a one-year suspended sen- tence for hiring a gunman to kill a councillor mission in after a dispute over land deals, Justice Minis- try authorities said late last week. Zone in December 2008: defense Gennadi Kulkov, who was charged with attempted murder, received such a light sen- tence because the hit did not go ahead, Kris- minister tiina Herode, spokeswoman for the Baltic country’s prosecutor’s office, told AFP. agence france-presse cc:sa:Swinoujscie Kulkov, who admitted his crime, was found guilty of paying a gunman almost Poland will end its mission in Iraq 2,000 euro ($2,900) to kill Fjodor Maspanov, next year where it currently has 900 a local journalist and councilor. soldiers deployed, said new Polish The would-be gunman decided to go to Defense Minister late the authorities. last week. Kulkov ordered the hit after a quarrel “I can confirm that in 2008 the Pol- about land deals in his town, Mustvee, a ish military contingent in Iraq will be 2,000-strong community on the shore of withdrawn,” the minister, who took up Lake Peipsi in eastern where, like his post in the new liberal government the mayor and his intended victim, most of Prime Minister Donald Tusk last residents are members of the ethnic Russian week, told public radio Jedynma. minority. (AFP) He said the details of the withdraw- al would be announced next week as Russian fleet must leave Tusk outlines his government’s poli- Ukraine by 2017 cies in parliament. has been one of the closest U.S. allies over Iraq. Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, which is based Polish troops took part in the 2003 in- in southern Ukraine, must leave the country vasion, sparking a bitter verbal battle by the end of 2017, Ukraine’s deputy prime with anti-war EU members, notably minister said late last week. France. U.S.-Polish ties strengthened Olexander Kuzmuk’s announcement after the election in 2005 of the previ- seemed to invalidate an earlier statement by ous Law and Justice party administra- pro-Moscow Prime Minister Viktor Yanu- tion. Last December, President Lech kovych, who said last year he believed the Kaczynski extended the deployment Russian fleet could stay after a present agree- of its 900-strong force until the end of ment expires in 2017. this year, and the conservative govern- “The Russian Black Sea Fleet must leave ment had said it was planning to send a [its Sevastopol base in Crimea] by the end of new group of soldiers in 2008. 2017, in line with the agreement,” Kuzmuk, Tusk’s Civic Platform, which won who is considered pro-Russian, told Interfax last month’s snap general elections, news agency. has pledged a swift pull-out of Polish Under a 1997 deal the Russian fleet can armed forces from Iraq. continue to use its base at Sevastopol until Speaking to the daily Gazeta Wybor- 2017. What happens after that is a source of Poland’s Swinoujscie border point with Germany. cza earlier in the month, Tusk said it tension. (AFP) was important that Washington rec- Joanna Zabierek ropean Parliament) supported the inclusion change information on persons and proper- ognized that his Civic Platform party Czech anti-missile radar STAFF JOURNALIST of the nine countries in the zone, while only ty, and give mutual operational assistance. would win power making a pledge to protesters call for U.S. boycott 21 were opposed. When the zone expansion takes place on “end the mission in Iraq, at least in its The has approved, The decision extends the passport-free Dec. 21, Jose Sokrates, the prime minister current form, in 2008.” Protesters against Washington’s plans by a large majority, a resolution to expand travel system to Estonia, , , of Portugal, will symbolically cross the bor- Last month, Polish Ambassador to site its anti-missile shield in the Czech the Schengen Zone to nine new countries, , Malta, Poland, Slovenia, Slova- der with Slovenia, the country which will Edward Pietrzyk was seriously injured Republic called for a boycott of U.S. goods including Poland. kia and the . take the chair of the EU next year. and his driver killed by a roadside and firms at a rally late last week for a ref- This means internal land and sea bor- The Schengen system allows citizens Another enlargement of the Schengen bomb in Baghdad. A total of 22 Polish erendum on the matter. der checks will be abolished as of Dec. 21, of participating states to move freely within Zone will occur at the end of 2008, when soldiers have been killed in Iraq since “Our politicians do not listen to us, they 2007 while restrictions on air borders will the area and allows foreigners to travel Switzerland and Lichtenstein are expected 2003. The current 900-strong Polish do not respect the opinions of the major- be lifted by March 2008 providing that the throughout the zone on a single visa. to become full members. continent is stationed in the Diwani- ity in the country ... The only word that new member states fulfill all the Schengen It doesn’t mean, however, a lack of pro- They already have signed an association yah region of Iraq, where 2,600 were they understand is the word money,” said requirements. tection on the borders. agreement with the EU, but it has not taken deployed in 2003. Jan Tamas, a spokesman for the main anti- The political resolution was accepted by New Schengen members also will adopt effect yet. An opinion poll last June found that shield “No Bases” movement, as he de- the Council of the EU last week, but to be the Schengen Information System (SIS), Cyprus may fully join the Schengen zone 81 percent of Poles were opposed to manded “economic pressure” against the formally adopted it also needed the approv- a sophisticated passport database which in 2009 whereas Bulgaria and Romania their soldiers’ deployment alongside U.S. al of the European Parliament. national border-control and other customs are not expected to fully participate before U.S. troops in Iraq, with only 15 per- His call was echoed by cries of “boycott On Nov. 14, 468 MEPs (members of Eu- and police control authorities can use to ex- 2011. cent in favor. U.S.” by hundreds of protesters braving drizzle and freezing temperatures in central Prague. The rally coincided with the 18th anni- versary of the 1989 student demonstration Polish left party wants to cooperate with German SPD that toppled the Czechoslovak Communist regime. Czechs should abstain from buy- the krakow post ing “Coca-Cola, U.S. cigarettes or putting money in American banks,” Tamas added, Poland’s Left and Democratic party saying the boycott could push the center- (LiD) has signaled its intentions to right Czech government into accepting its build closer ties with the German So- www.sld.org.pl main demand – to hold a national referen- cial Democratic party (SPD) over Pol- dum over hosting the U.S. base. ish-German relations and the EU Re- The government has rejected a referen- form Treaty. dum on the issue, saying lawmakers should LiD members, have the final say. and Vice President of the European Par- Polls have consistently shown that a liament Marek Siwiec met with Kurt clear majority of Czechs oppose the U.S. Beck, the chief of SPD, and Walter plans to site a radar in the country, twinned Steinmeier, German Minister for For- with anti-rocket missiles in neighboring eign Affairs on Nov. 12. Poland, to protect against attacks from Improving Polish-German relations rogue states such as Iran. after they soured during the last Polish Washington’s plans to site facilities in government administration is the prima- former Soviet bloc countries have antago- ry goal of LiD. Conferences in Warsaw nized Russia, which has refused to accept and possibly Krakow are scheduled for assurances that the missile defense shield representatives of the political parties to mend and refresh relations between is not aimed at it, and rekindled Cold War their respective countries and also take tensions. steps towards a united position on the Tamas and other speakers drew parallels EU Reform Treaty. between the student demonstrations which Post-war reparations continue to be toppled communism and the fight against a contentious issue for both Poland and the U.S. base – with the difference that the Germany. The new LiD/SPD forum “current political elite” bowed to Washing- wants this to change. ton instead of Moscow’s wishes. SPD and LiD plan to collaborate He also called for citizens to turn off on publishing a new historical narra- their televisions for one hour a day to pro- tive that shows all sides of the check- test the lack of coverage of the “No Bases” ered history between the countries. “It movement on Czech public television. should help us and our countries to un- Organizers said the demonstration at- derstand each other,” Andrzej Szejna, tracted around 2,000 protesters. Police put member of the European Parliament, the figure at around 500. (AFP) told the Polish Press Agency (PAP). LiD member Wojciech Olejniczak . NOVEMBER 22-NOVEMBER 28, 2007 POLAND The Krakow Post 3

President heading to Several Polish soldiers accused of President Bush sends crisis-hit Georgia congrats to Donald Tusk agence france-presse agence france-presse murdering civilians in Afghanistan U.S. President George W. Bush late last President Lech Kaczynski is poised to Kinga Rodkiewicz week congratulated Danish Prime Minister meet with his Georgian counterpart Mikhail STAFF JOURNALIST Anders Fogh Rasmussen on his re-election Saakashvili, aides announced early this and Polish PM Donald Tusk on taking of- week, without saying if he would try to me- The Garrison Court in Poznan decided on Nov. 15 to arrest fice, the White House said. diate in the country’s political crisis. “President Bush called to congratulate seven Polish soldiers accused in the deaths of six civilians in www.isaf.wp.mil.pl Kaczynski’s office said the president Danish PM Rasmussen on his re-election would leave for Tbilisi on Thursday evening Afghanistan in August. and Polish PM Tusk as he assumes office,” for a one-day working visit at the invitation The public prosecutor’s office has charged six soldiers with spokesman Gordon Johndroe said. of Saakashvili, but declined to give fur- murder. Their punishment could range from 12 years in prison “President Bush expressed his desire to ther details. Saakashvili declared a state of to a life sentence. The seventh soldier is accused of attacking continue our strong working relationship emergency in the Georgian capital on Nov. civilian houses. with these two close allies, thanked them for 7 following clashes between security forces A conviction could result in 5 to 25 years in prison. The their commitment in the war on terror and and opposition protesters. It was extended soldiers’ arrests were ordered for the purpose of putting them reiterated the importance of U.S.-Danish and U.S.-Polish ties,” Johndroe said. countrywide the following day and then into preventive custody until their trials in three months. The lifted on Friday. The opposition is planning to hold a mass court explained that the preliminary custody will prevent the demonstration in Tbilisi on Sunday. The an- accused from consulting with one another on their testimony. Polish ex-rally champion nouncement of Kaczynski’s visit came as According to a press release, the tragedy occurred on Aug. two other high profile Poles were expected 16 in the small Afghan village of Nangar Khel. Prosecutors al- becomes EU lawmaker to head to Georgia: Adam Michnik, who is lege that a patrol of seven soldiers from the assault platoon of agence france-presse editor of Poland’s largest quality newspaper Task Force “C” of the Polish Military Contingent of the Army Gazeta Wyborcza, and Bronislaw Geremek, swooped down on the village and began firing mortars and A former Polish national and European a former foreign minister who is now a machine guns. Six people were killed and many others were member of the European Parliament. champion rally driver announced Tuesday that Sources close to the two men said plans wounded, including some women and children. he was taking a seat in the European Parlia- for their mediation mission were being “The attack wasn’t connected with the direct, simultane- ment after a fellow party member stepped drawn up with the EU. ous, real act of aggression from the local people or with the down to become a minister. It seemed unlikely that there was any activities which could threaten life, health or safety of the Pol- Krzysztof Holowczyc, 45, who took the link between their potential visit and the ish soldiers or the soldiers from the other countries serving in European rally title in 1997 and also has a president’s trip: while all three men were the ISAF mission,” said the prosecutor, Karol Frankowski. A string of Polish honours under his belt, will re- anti-Communist dissidents before the fall of few hours before the patrol assaulted the village, the Poles had place , who was appointed the Warsaw regime in 1989, the conserva- been attacked and two of their vehicles damaged. science minister last week by new Prime Min- tive Kaczynski fell out with the left-leaning ister Donald Tusk. Michnik and Geremek in the 1990s and they Two days earlier, on Aug. 14, Polish soldier Lukasz Ku- rowski was killed in a bombing attack. Holowczyc and Kudrycka are both mem- remain bitter political antagonists. bers of Tusk’s liberal Civic Platform, which “I would like to be killed in Afghanistan,” one of the ac- Among the demands of the Nov. 25 ousted Poland’s conservative government in a protest in Tbilisi is the reopening of Imedi cused soldiers told their lawyer, Jakub Kolanczyk. “I would snap election last month. The rally driver said TV, a popular TV station owned by anti- return as the hero, not as the war criminal. My wife would one of his goals as an EU lawmaker would be government tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili receive the pension.” and Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp., Badri to improve road safety in Poland, which has “We have come to Afghanistan like heroes and that is the one of the worst accident records in Europe. Patarkatsichvili. way we want to return [to Poland],” Maj. Janusz Gibala told Imedi stopped broadcasting on Nov. 7, “I think we can learn from the example of shortly after an announcer said government TVN24. “We all believe that it [the assault on the village] was the rest of Europe and be supported by the rest special forces had entered the building. a mistake, the unfortunate coincidence which can happen dur- of Europe,” Holowczyc, who has a reputa- Part of the station’s equipment was de- ing a mission.” tion as a campaigner in Poland, was quoted as stroyed or disappeared, reporters and diplo- Maj. Gibala said all seven soldiers were experienced, hav- saying by the country’s Polish Press Agency mats said. ing taken part in other foreign missions. (PAP). According to Polish police, around The refusal to allow Imedi back on the “Looking at their work, we can see only positives,” Gibala 4,000 people have been killed so far this air has badly strained relations between the said. “They have gained excellent results, some of the highest year in more then 36,000 road accidents, and former Soviet republic and Western coun- in our battalion.” Polish soldiers have taken part in the peace 46,000 people have been injured. tries over press freedom, striking at the pro- mission in Afghanistan since December 2006. Holowczyc, who still takes part in rallies in- Western reputation the U.S.-educated Saa- cluding the renowned Paris-Dakar, was picked kashvili has earned since winning power in The Polish Contingent of the Army is a part of the Interna- tional Security Assistance Force (ISAF), which is the NATO- to take Kudrycka’s seat because he came just the so-called Rose Revolution in late 2003. behind her in the European Parliament elec- Poland, which joined the EU in 2004, led, UN-mandated operation that was established to help the tions of 2004. once helped negotiate an end to a political Afghan government maintain security. Poland’s new Prime He will join another former world rally crisis in neighboring Ukraine. At the end of Minister Donald Tusk wants to end the Polish mission in Af- 2004, Kaczynski’s predecessor Aleksander champion-turned-lawmaker, Ari Vatanen of ghanistan by 2008. Finland, who won the title in 1981. Kwasniewski played a crucial role as me- “If it turns out that our soldiers have committed this crime diator in that country’s Orange Revolution Vatanen was first elected to the European which led to the election of pro-Western in Afghanistan, they have to be punished,” Tusk said. “Both Parliament in 1999 to represent Finland, and Viktor Yushchenko as president. the president [Lech Kaczynski] and I are really depressed then stood successfully in 2004 for a seat in about this situation.” Polish soldier in Iraq. France, where he had moved to live. Poland seeks arrest of Stalinist-era lawyer agence france-presse trial in 1952. His body has never been found. Justice authorities in Poland early Wolinska was also behind the arrest this week said they had issued a Euro- of Wladyslaw Bartoszewski. A former pean arrest warrant for an 88-year-old inmate of the Nazi concentration camp British citizen of Polish origin accused at Auschwitz, he later spent nine years of involvement in Stalinist-era show tri- in the Communists’ jails. Bartoszewski als. Polish investigators have already is today considered a moral authority in made two failed attempts to extradite Poland. He was twice foreign minister Helena Wolinska in 1999 and 2001. following the fall of the Communist re- On both occasions British courts gime in 1989. turned down the request on humanitari- Wolinska, who is Jewish, escaped an grounds, citing in particular her age. from the Nazi Warsaw ghetto after the Poland has been able to file Europe- German invasion of Poland in 1939. Af- an arrest warrants, since 2006 as a result ter escaping, she joined a pro-Moscow of joining the EU in 2004. The warrants Communist resistance movement.. are intended to speed up extradition After first serving Poland’s postwar procedures within the 27-nation bloc. Soviet-inspired regime as a prosecu- Contacted by AFP, the British Em- tor, in 1956 she became a member of a bassy in Warsaw said London had not Marxist institute attached to the ruling yet received the warrant and that it Polish United Workers’ Party (PZPR). could not comment. She moved to Britain after a wave of Wolinska, who now lives in the south- anti-Semitism in Poland in 1968, which ern English town of Oxford, worked as was sparked by one wing of the Com- a military prosecutor in Warsaw follow- munist party in order to win an internal ing the creation of Poland’s Communist power struggle. She later became a Brit- regime in the wake of World War II. ish citizen. She is accused of having been behind Wolinska, who could face a 10-year the wrongful arrest of 24 members of prison sentence if found guilty of Com- the non-Communist resistance, which munist-era crimes, has always refused battled the occupying Nazis during the to appear before a Polish court. war but subsequently fell foul of the Last month she told the Polish Press Soviet army and its Polish Communist Agency (PAP) that the case was “idi- cohorts. otic” and showed that Polish prosecu- Among the high-profile resistance tors had “nothing better to do.” She also figures who crossed Wolinska’s path said she could not count on a fair trial was August Emil Fieldorf, a general in her former homeland, claiming any from the underground Home Army hearing would be “political” and “anti- (AK). He was executed after a show Semitic.” Wladyslaw Bartoszewski. 4 The Krakow Post POLAND NOVEMBER 22-NOVEMBER 28, 2007

R E G I O N A L N E W S Czech PM vows to speed up Poland looks forward to EU farm support review Turkey’s EU membership and milk. Export of dairy products has nearly tripled since 2003 to reach an estimated 1.1 Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek bln euro this year. Milk production is one of pledged late last week to accelerate talks on Poland’s agricultural strengths. Spurred by Turkey’s EU membership bid when Prague purchases from international groups such as takes over the presidency of the bloc. France’s Danone and Germany’s Hochland, “During the Czech presidency we can Polish farmers rapidly improved the quality of intensify negotiations,” Topolanek said at their milk to attain European standards before a joint conference at the start of an official enlargement. But while they like the subsidies, visit to Prague by his Turkish counterpart the experience of dairy farmers has soured the Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The Czech Repub- country on the production limits of the EU’s lic, a firm supporter of Turkey’s bid to gain Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). EU membership, is due to take over the ro- With ready demand for their products, Pol- tating presidency at the start of 2009. ish dairy farmers immediately hit their milk Topolanek dismissed any diluted rela- quota that came into force at EU entry. tionship between Brussels and Ankara, in With production capacity of around 12 mln particular rejecting a so-called “Mediterra- tons per year (serving strong domestic con- nean Union” encompassing the EU-27 and sumption) Poland received for its first year in Turkey. the EU a quota of just under 9 mln tons, or one- “I have nothing against regional orga- third of that received by France. The quota has risen to only 9.4 mln tons this nizations but this cannot fully replace EU year. Before the big-bang enlargement of 2004 membership,” Topolanek said, dismissing the rapid growth in demand and prices for milk the proposed Mediterranean Union as “just products was not foreseen and the old members a French idea,” without much regional sup- of the bloc sought to protect their farmers by port. Turkey’s EU membership bid is pro- allocating low quotas to new members. ceeding slowly with the EU’s executive One of the main hopes of Polish farmers body, the Commission, this month calling from the European Commission, which kicks for more efforts to remedy problems con- off Tuesday its “health-check” of Europe’s gen- cerning freedom of expression, civilian erous farm support system, is for a quick relax- control of the military, judicial reform and ation of the CAP’s production limits. the fight against corruption. Polish dairy farmers hope for a rapid rise in So far, only four of the 35 negotiating their milk quotas to take advantage of booming chapters, which Ankara must complete, global demand as the production limits are due have been opened and one closed. Erdo- to be phased out by 2015 anyway. gan thanked Prague for its support over “The Polish agriculture sector is capable of EU membership and added that Prague and producing much more milk and increasing pro- Ankara “largely shared views on tackling duction very quickly,” said Wladyslaw Serafin, international terrorism.” (AFP) President of the Association of Polish Farmers. “Moreover, the milk is of excellent quality.” Estonian hits record lottery Kowalski agreed, saying “Poland has all the conditions for increasing milk production, jackpot of 576,000 euro including natural conditions, that is to say free A lucky Estonian ticket-holder has agence france-presse helping propel anti-EU parties into power, but a researcher at the Economy and Agriculture pastures and specialised farms.” scooped the Baltic country’s largest ever after three years in the bloc they have largely Institute. According to a study by Eurotat, the Poland’s production potential is also boosted lottery prize of just over 9 mln kroons Major beneficiaries of their country joining seen their hopes fulfilled. Pocketing around 2.5 EU’s statistical agency, the income of Polish by the small average size of the country’s farms the EU, Polish farmers are eagerly awaiting the bln euro ($3.7 bln) in aid from the EU and their farmers jumped 80.7 percent on average in at under seven hectares (17 acres) due to a large (576,000 euro, $845,000), organizers said launch this week of a review of the Common government last year, Polish farmers have seen 2006, compared to average growth of 12.1 per- number of remaining tiny subsistence farms. late last week. Agriculture Policy for changes allowing them their revenue and ability to invest grow. cent across the 27-member EU. An acceleration of the rural exodus, which The lucky individual, who has also won to tap growing global demand and prices. Be- “At the same time the darkest scenarios like In addition to direct aid, Polish farmers have hasn’t really taken place yet in Poland, should far smaller lottery prizes in the past, bought fore Poland’s accession in May 2004, farmers an invasion of European products into Poland also benefited from rising worldwide prices provide the opportunity for consolidation and the 8-kroon ticket on the Internet during the were hesitant or even hostile to joining the EU, haven’t come to pass,” said Andrzej Kowalski, for agricultural products including grain, meat improvements in farming efficiency. week, Eesti Loto said. The jackpot represents a fortune in Esto- nia, a former Soviet-ruled state where the average monthly salary is around 11,000 kroons. Immigration center opens in Przemysl The Viking Lotto is run jointly by the national lottery companies of several coun- Kinga Rodkiewicz illegals trying to cross Poland in that tries – , Estonia, Finland, Iceland, STAFF JOURNALIST area to get to other EU countries has Norway and Sweden. (AFP) been rising. A detention center for illegal im- In 2006 Border Guards in Bieszc- Former Nazi collaborator migrants has opened in Przemysl in zady caught 455 people trying to tra- ordered deported from U.S. southeastern Poland to deal with the verse Poland, mainly from Ukraine, surge in illegal aliens that Poland has Moldova and Vietnam. Some of their A former Ukrainian Nazi collaborator experienced since joining the EU. quests turned tragic. who assisted in the annihilation of more The 11-mln-zloty building, the This year in April, three Chechen than 100,000 Jews in Poland was stripped of second such facility in Poland, can ac- sisters – 13, 10 and 6 – died of expo- his U.S. citizenship and ordered deported to commodate almost 200 illegals – men, sure in the mountains near Bieszczady. Ukraine, officials said late last week. Osyp women and children. The girls’ mother had become lost and Firishchak, 88, migrated to the U.S. in 1949 Plans are to build three centers else- gone for help, taking her 2-year-old and became a citizen five years later, lying where in the country. son with her. about his war-time activities, the U.S. Jus- The first facility, in Lesznowa, has Police said the family had spent tice Department said. He was identified de- been open since 1996. four days in the rain and cold. cades later by a special branch of the justice Those who are detained at the The bodies were found at the 3,600- department which has identified 107 Nazis centers stay up to six months while foot level of the mountains. Their or Nazi collaborators living in the U.S. since the government considers whether to mother was in shock for weeks. the branch was founded in 1979. Firishchak give them residency. If no decision is Poland’s first immigrant center, in denied his involvement in the slaughter of made within the six months, they are Lesznowa, accommodated 331 ille- over 100,000 Jews in Nazi-occupied Lviv, deported. gals from 44 countries last year. They Poland and appealed a 2005 ruling stripping The Przemysl center has separate included people from Ukraine, Belar- him of his citizenship. rooms for men, women and families. us, Armenia, Tajikistan, India, Ghana A Chicago immigration judge upheld that Outside are an athletic field and a chil- and Congo. ruling which found that Firishchak “was a dren’s playground. The area is fenced “The centers in Lesznowa and Prze- participant in an organization that perpe- and monitored by the cameras. mysl are absolutely too little” to meet trated some of the most horrific acts against The Border Guard at Bieszczady the need, said Border Guard Major human decency ever known in history,” oversees the center. There is a fence Mark Osetek, director of the Przemysl rejected Firishchak’s “completely unbeliev- around it with monitoring cameras. center. able” testimony, and said that his “shameless Guards patrol it. The location – close That has led the government to attempt to excuse himself from an inexcus- to where the Polish, Ukrainian and draft plans to open additional centers able act is cowardly.” Slovak borders converge – wasn’t located in Ketrzyn, Bialystok and Bi- Born in Trebuszany in present-day chosen by accident. The number of ala Podlaska. Chechen refugee with wife of President Kaczynski. Ukraine, Firishchak began working for the Nazi-operated Ukrainian Auxiliary Police as a private on Oct. 25, 1941, a judge found in the 2005 ruling. He participated in forcing the Jews of Lviv into a ghetto, seizing their Government evacuated valuables and taking the ill, weak and old to a nearby forest to be shot. He also partici- agence france-presse Tusk and “the 150 people who work in the pated in hunting for Jews who attempted to building were evacuated as a precaution,” he flee the ghetto and then helping the Nazis Prime Minister Donald Tusk and 150 gov- added, saying that de-miners were called in to clear the ghetto and send its inhabitants to ernment employees were evacuated from his remove the device. concentration camps. Firishchak has until offices early this week after a World War II Shells and bombs dating from World War II Dec. 10 to appeal this latest ruling. He will shell was found in the building, an official told are frequently found in Warsaw where major then be deported to Ukraine, the Chicago AFP. The shell was discovered in the ceiling battles were fought during the Nazi German judge ruled. Should Ukraine be unwilling to “by workers doing renovation work in a recep- occupation of the city in World War II. Tusk,

accept him, he is ordered removed to either tion room on the first floor” of the government who won the Oct. 21 elections, has only been GDFL:PR state house_1.2-J23-007 Germany, Poland or “any country that will building, government guard spokesman Dari- in the building for four days after replacing his accept the respondent.” (AFP) usz Aleksandrowicz said. predecessor, Jaroslaw Kaczynski. Chancellery of the Prime Minister. NOVEMBER 22-NOVEMBER 28, 2007 POLAND The Krakow Post 5 Polish women give Media reports: Taser death birth in Germany shocks Canadians’ sensibilities

LUK Agency LUK agence france-presse “As this video makes its way around the His family’s lawyer says he spoke only world, Canada’s reputation is deservedly Polish, and had never before wandered far The shocking death of a Polish traveler tarnished. This is no way to run an airport from his hometown Pieszyce, Poland. who was confronted by policemen with or a police force,” echoed the Montreal Due to a mix-up at the airport, he had stun guns at the Vancouver airport last Gazette. The video shows Dziekanski, ap- waited for his mother for almost 10 hours in month has shamed Canada and its federal pearing distraught and frightened, mov- a secure customs area, while she waited for police, editorials said late last week. ing around furniture in the airport and at him in the arrivals area on the other side of A bystander’s video released late one point throwing a computer off a desk a wall. After unsuccessfully asking airport Wednesday showed Robert Dziekanski onto the ground. He is watched by security and immigration staff for help finding out if dying after a bizarre series of events that guards who stand back and can be heard her son had arrived, she left. culminated in police approaching him on saying, “he’s speaking Russian.” No one at the airport seemed to have Oct. 14 and, in less than one minute, zap- Then four officers from the Royal Ca- noticed Dziekanski waiting for hours in the ping him repeatedly with a Taser stun gun. nadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Canada’s secure area. The 40-year-old immigrant had traveled to national police force, enter the frame. They Friday, headlines screamed: “A mother’s Canada to live with his mother. walk toward Dziekanski and surround him. grief, a nation’s shame” and “Shocking our His videotaped death “is a source of He turns away from them, raising his hands sensibilities.” shame and disgrace for Canada and for its with his back to them. The Winnipeg Sun opined: “We are Ca- national police force,” the daily Globe and In one hand he holds what looks like a nadians after all and we like to think of Mail said in an editorial. stapler. The police close in on Dziekanski ourselves as a welcoming nation for new “The killing of Robert Dziekanski will and stun him repeatedly with a Taser de- immigrants. We forgot about that when be seen only one way: as a summary ex- vice. Dziekanski screams and writhes on Dziekanski arrived.” ecution of an innocent man for the crime the floor, and the policemen pile on top of The video “makes the RCMP officers of being disoriented, for not understanding, him and pin him down. Within minutes he look like Taser-happy thugs,” said the Ot- for being a stranger.” falls still. tawa Citizen.

FROM OUR READERS

Dear Editor, Dear Editor,

I hope you’ve received a lot of email regarding Robert Dziekanski at I wish to apologize to the Polish people for the terrible incident that Vancouver International Airport. resulted in the tasering death of Robert Dziekanski. I watched the video I am Canadian. Please ensure your audience knows most of us de- and can assure you that most Canadians are horrified with what happened plore the actions of our RCMP (our disgraced national police force). to this poor man. This is not how Canadians expect our police officers to Kinga Rodkiewicz “Before they go, they arrange everything.” Doc- The RCMP has been a corrupted (many times over) and inept police help a distraught immigrant We are very upset and hope that the use of STAFF JOURNALIST tors from both Szczecin and Schwedt encourage force for some time, regardless of the upstanding members of its force. tasers will be curtailed as a result of this incident. Our condolences. them to do so, she added. They are mostly comprised of good officers, willing to sacrifice their Polish women living near the German border Doctors in Schwedt defend the women’s deci- lives for the good of the populace. Lawrence Hystad are flocking to German hospitals to give birth sion. “A pregnancy is a special” situation, and a However, in the case of Robert Dziekanski, the worst of the worst Retired in Canada because the deliveries don’t cost them anything, woman should not have the smallest doubt about came to his rescue. they can choose the birth method, they apparently the quality of birth services, said Dr. Wlodimierz Please ensure your government presses our Harper government on think they get better care there, and the German Grobelny of the Schwedt hospital. this issue. Our RCMP has been corrupt for some time, mostly due to its Letters to the Editor facilities are more modern. “We help people who need such help the best leaders. Our government listens to the concerns of its people less and The trend is causing a problem between Ger- we can,” said hospital director Michael Juer- less, but never wants international embarrassment. many and Poland because German hospitals are gensen. “Shall we leave women in labor on the This is why the people and the government of Poland must ag- Has something you’ve read here startled you? demanding payments from the Polish govern- hospital door?” he asked. gressively pursue the issue of the murder of Robert Dziekanski at the Are you angry, excited, puzzled or pleased? Do you have ideas ment for their delivery services. He vowed that the hospital will continue deliv- Vancouver International Airport. to improve our coverage? Then please write to us. Some Polish doctors contend that Poland’s ering Polish babies. “It’s our duty as a hospital,” Now is the time to help us establish accountability, in the face of the All we ask is that you include your full name, the name of the delivery services are on a par with Germany’s, he said. 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Show the world we need change; city from which you are writing and a contact telephone number in although they concede Germany’s hospital ac- But many doctors in Szczecin say standards in we don’t need to be American “shoot first and ask questions later” case we need to get in touch. commodations are better. But some Polish doc- Polish hospitals are similar to those in German police. We look forward to hearing from you. Please write us. tors encourage women to go to Germany. ones. You, the Polish citizens, can help embarrass Canada in this regard. Every third newborn in the hospital in “The Polish hospitals aren’t equipped as well You have my sincere apologies. Schwedt, a German city 50 kilometers from the as Western ones because we don’t have enough Wojciech Zaluski Polish border city of Szczecin, is Polish, accord- money for that,” Dr. Jacek Rudnicki of the Po- ing to the daily newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza. meranian Medical Academy in Szczecin told the Sincerely, Editor-In-Chief Polish-speaking doctors and translators make the daily newspaper Metro. But he said “we try to do Eb Barton [email protected] mothers feel right at home. everything to satisfy our patients.” Calgary, Alberta, Canada A delivery in Schwedt costs 1,500 to 3,000 “Giving birth on the other side of the border is euro, depending on method of delivery and other a choice,” Rudnicki said. “If a woman prefers to factors. give birth there, we won’t try to stop her.” With hundreds of Polish women giving birth One reason pregnant Polish women go to Ger- in Schwedt, the hospital there has demanded many is the modern and more private accommo- 250,000 euro reimbursement from Poland’s Na- dations in German hospitals. A woman in labor tional Health Fund. Officials at the health fund has a room to herself. After a birth, a woman EU urges new gov’t office in Szczecin have rejected the request and shares a room with only one other women. Both have threatened to take legal action against wom- have television sets and phones beside their beds. en who go to Germany to give birth. More importantly, a woman giving birth in Ger- Theoretically, the Schwedt hospital should ad- many can choose the birth method. Rather than mit a pregnant Polish woman only when there is enduring the pain of labor, a woman can choose urgent need – for example, when a woman goes giving birth under anesthetic. to take deficit action into labor prematurely. She can also choose a Caesarian-section birth, agence france-presse vowed to adopt a strong pro-EU policy after two But National Health Fund officials say many even if there is no medical need for it. And in years of euroceptic conservative government, Polish women don’t cross into Germany until some German hospitals she can give birth in wa- The European Commission urged Poland’s which often clashed with the EC. they begin going into labor. An emergency labor ter. For the woman, everything is free. If she has a incoming government early this week to take The EC, which polices public finances in the situation means “one month before the due date, European Health Insurance Card, the Polish Na- additional action to cut the country’s public defi- EU, “invited” the Tusk’s government to submit AGENCJA NIERUCHOMOŚCI not one or two days,” said health fund spokes- tional Health Fund is supposed to pay the bill. cit amid evidence that it will rise above an EU “as soon as possible” updated plans on additional www.property-krakow.com woman Malgorzata Koszur in Szczecin. All countries in the EU plus three other coun- limit next year. Although the EC estimated that efforts that it hoped would be carried out. Thus what they are doing “is fraud,” she said. tries in Europe – Switzerland, Liechtenstein and the deficit would below a limit of 3.0 percent of Poland’s EU partners gave Warsaw until 2007 She vowed that the health fund will begin check- Iceland – make the card available free to any citi- output this year, it forecast that the fiscal shortfall to bring its deficit in line with the three-percent ing the circumstances of each birth of a Polish zen who applies. It gives the recipient reduced- would rise next year above the threshold. when the country joined the bloc in May 2004, child in a German hospital. If it determines that cost, and sometimes free, medical care in any “I therefore, look forward to seeing the mea- which the country was then supposed to respect a Polish woman went to Germany specifically to country that honors the card. sures that the new Polish government will adopt thereafter. But the EC estimated that although give birth, it will consider seeking legal punish- Because Poles get the card from the Polish Na- to put the public finances firmly on a sustainable the deficit would be cut to 2.7 percent of gross ment against her, Koscur implied. tional Health Fund, the fund is supposed to pay path,” EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Com- domestic product this year, the hole in the Polish Many “Polish women plan in advance that for care they receive not only in Poland but also missioner Joaquin Almunia said. public finances was set to rise to 3.2 percent in they will give birth in Schwedt,” Koszur said. in any country that honors the card. Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk has 2008 and 3.1 percent in 2009.

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R E G I O N A L N E W S Should German Mazeikiu refinery back Survey finds Homosexual couples to online after two-month gap gov’t pay war Lithuania’s Mazeikiu Nafta oil complex, 85 percent of the only refinery in the Baltic states, resumed have their property settled compensation operations late last week after being closed for almost two months for an upgrade, oper- ating company Mazeikiu Nafta said. Poles want The refinery, which belongs to the Polish like de facto marriages group PKN Orlen, went off line on Sept. 22. The shutdown, which was one of the longest in Mazeikiu’s history, enabled the company troops out to install new furnaces and carry out repairs to other facilities in order to save energy costs and improve efficiency. of Iraq Seiler cc:sa:Torsten The upgrade, which cost an estimated $80 mln (55 mln euro), is part of a major five-year modernization plan valued at some $1.5 bln. The refinery was opened in 1980, the krakow post when Lithuania was still part of the , to boost Russian oil exports to the Should Germany still pay a war West. It remains reliant on Russian supplies. compensation? Mazeikiu Nafta posted 138.3 mln litas (40 Winicjusz Natoniewski, from Lu- mln euro, $59 mln) net profit in January- blewo Leborskie near Wejcherowo September this year, down by 58 percent (Pomorskie), wants the German gov- compared to the same period in 2006. The ernment to pay him for the wounds results slumped this year following the clo- he suffered during World War II. Na- sure of a pipeline from Russia which has toniewski’s lawsuit would be the first forced the refinery to import crude oil by sea compensation claim filed in Poland. since July 2006. The company processed Until now similar cases were con- 4.98 mln tons of crude in January-Septem- sidered by the German courts. In ber this year compared to 6.77 mln tons in 1944 Natoniewski was a 6-year-old the first nine months of 2006. child living in a small village in east- The nine-month results for 2007 includ- ern Poland. ed $70 mln in insurance compensation for On Feb. 2, German military police a blaze which hit the complex in October agence france-presse surrounded the village and attacked 2006. PKN Orlen bought a 84.3-percent its residents in retaliation for Polish stake in Mazeikiu Nafta for $2.344 bln in Almost four-fifths of Poles want their resistance against the Nazi occupa- December 2006. country’s troops out of Iraq, and a similar tion. Germans burned all the houses The Polish company increased its stake proportion hope Polish forces will be with- and killed more than 360 people in the to 90.02 percent on Nov. 12, when it bought drawn from Afghanistan, according to a sur- village. Young Natoniewski his father the remaining shares of small shareholders. vey published Tuesday. and an aunt holed up in a dugout. The remainder of the company belongs to The poll conducted by the ARC institute But the fire reached them, and the the Lithuanian state. (AFP) for the Polska newspaper found that 85 per- boy was badly burned. (The father an cent of respondents opposed Poland’s de- aunt also survived.) questions sanctions, ployment of 900 troops in Iraq, while only His face is deformed, and scars cov- summons U.S. ambassador 12.1 percent were in favour of sticking with er his arms and legs. He has breathing the U.S.-led coalition. problems because of lung damage, and Belarus summoned the U.S. ambassador can’t move his fingers. to the Foreign Ministry late last week to pro- Poland has been one of Washington’s most loyal allies over Iraq. Around 2,600 “It won’t be an easy lawsuit; the test sanctions imposed against the country’s case is unprecedented,” Jerzy Lipski, largest petrochemical company. Polish troops took part in the 2003 invasion, a move which sparked a bitter verbal tussle Natoniewski’s attorney, told the news- “Belarus has registered a resolute protest paper Polska Dziennik Baltycki. “We against the actions of the U.S. administra- with anti-war fellow members of the EU, notably France. think, however, it is inconceivable tion,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei that in the 21st Century such injuries Popov said. “The Belarus side demanded U.S.-Polish ties strengthened after the election in 2005 of Poland’s previous con- wouldn’t be compensated. We hope that the U.S. restore the assets and property we will reach an agreement with the to their rightful owner” Belneftekhim, he servative government of the Law and Justice party. But Law and Justice lost office in a German government.” added. The U.S. Treasury said last week it Justyna Krzywicka company equally. Some lawyers from the Univer- was implementing sanctions against state- snap election last month to the liberal Civic staff journalist A crisis in the relationship resulted in liti- Platform, which has pledged to withdraw sity of Gdansk give Natoniewski no owned Belneftekhim as it was controlled by gation concerning an eviction notice and later chance of success. Natoniewski and the country’s “oppressive” President Alex- the Polish contingent from Iraq next year. The Supreme Court will rule whether it is the outstanding payments of tens of thousands A total of 22 Polish soldiers have been his attorneys, however, say they will ander Lukashenko. possible to divide up the property of a homo- of zloty. win. They cite an example of a similar U.S. officials have described Belarus as killed in Iraq since 2003. sexual couple like it is in a de facto marriage. The District Court and court of first instance The poll also found that 84.3 percent of lawsuit that succeeded. Europe’s last dictatorship and raised con- If the Supreme Court will agree with the in this matter decided there were no grounds If both sides reach an out-of-court cerns about political repression and human respondents opposed the Polish deployment decision handed down by the Appellate Court upon which to determine different principles in Afghanistan, where 1,200 troops are serv- settlement, a court resolution won’t be rights abuses. The Treasury sanctions bar homosexual couples will be able to make use when settling the property of a homosexual de needed. ing with NATO’s 36,000-strong Internation- facto relationship than when settling the prop- U.S. citizens from doing business with Bel- of the property rights given to heterosexual de For Natoniewski, that would be the al Security Assistance Force (ISAF) which erty of a de facto heterosexual marriage. The neftekhim and freeze any of the company’s facto marriages. best solution. He has waited a long is battling a Taliban-led insurgency. Currently the law does not provide separate Court ruled that in such situations the property assets under U.S. jurisdiction. (AFP) time for justice. Only 13.2 percent of respondents were in provisions regulating de facto marriages. In- has to be treated as that of a general partner- And more people could be suing Prague’s landmark National favour of the mission. stead in de facto situations the law treats the ship. The decision was appealed. the German government soon. Nato- Polish troops have been in Afghanistan relationship as a general partnership or as- The Court of Appeal dismissed the decision Theater to get facelift niewski knows several people who are since March 2002, and suffered their first signs the couple rights not dissimilar to that of the lower court, claiming it was erroneous One of Prague’s most imposing cultural fatality this year. of marital status. Dziennik reports that accord- in applying the Civil Code, although correct in determined to do so. Poland’s lawyers landmarks, the National Theater, is to un- The Afghanistan mission has also made ing to the Prosecutor General if a relationship resolving the matter. One of the parties filed have decided to help those people for dergo a three-year makeover aimed at re- headlines after Polish military prosecutors is not disallowed by the law, there is no legal for annulment taking the matter to the Su- free, “pro publico bono.” storing its original splendor, managers an- on Nov. 14 charged six soldiers with mur- impediment standing in the way of treating preme Court claiming among many elements Natoniewski is seeking 1 mln zloty nounced late last week. dering Afghan civilians during an incident the property of a couple differently simply a breach of the Constitution. in compensation, but that is only a Restoration work will primarily focus in August. The poll of 802 people was car- because of their sexual orientation. According to Article 18 of the Constitution rough estimate. on the facade of the late-Italian renaissance ried out on Nov. 16-18. In both surveys, The factual circumstances relate to an and the interpretation of it by the Prosecutor So far he has received nothing. Be- style building, theater director Ondrej 2.5 percent of respondents said they had no eleven year old homosexual relationship. The General, the state’s protection over a marriage fore Natoniewski’s lawsuit, there were Cerny explained. (AFP) opinion. two men during the relationship maintained a of man and a woman does not encompass ho- only three similar suits, and they were household together, had a hairdressing busi- mosexual couples or heterosexual couples in filed by the children of medical ex- ness together, maintained that business ven- de facto relationships. Regardless, previous periment victims and by concentration ture and invested in property together. The decisions handed down indicate that couples camp prisoners. business venture, depending on the period who form real and stable relationships where The cases all were filed in Germany, in time, resembled a general partnership or a property ownership is equal, property settle- and one has already been rejected. one-person company. Regardless of its struc- ments are needed. Establishing whether such The court said the claim was void ture the couple treated the finances within the a relationship did in effect take place, the fol- because it was too old. But Natoniews- lowing must be adjudicated: how easy it was ki’s attorney say that crimes against for the partners to part, whether there was a humanity are never out of date and real emotional and physical bond taking place, that Germany can be sued in Poland as whether such as relationship is not treated as well as in its homeland. illegal by the law.

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the Baltic Sea Agency LUK Greenpeace/Karol Grygoruk Greenpeace/Karol

the krakow post To try to keep from freezing, they wear double or even Agata Kolomyjska the Baltic marine environment.” “The plan is not strong enough” says triple layers of clothes the entire night. Unsurprisingly, Although winter doesn’t officially begin until Dec. 22, the cold and the bulky clothing rob many of them of the staff journalist He said the plan provides “concrete Greenpeace activist Steffan Daniellson. a number of Poles have already died of what appears to sleep they need to help them fight the cold. and meaningful measures” to solve all “Recovery of the Baltic is possible, but have been exposure to the cold. Although winter makes many homeless and poor Participants arriving at the Helsinki major environmental problems affect- the ministers urgently need to agree to Officials are concerned not only about the homeless people miserable, and even threatens their lives, it is a Commission’s international conference ing the Baltic Sea. Ostojski stressed that set aside a minimum of 40 percent of but also those who have homes but can’t afford to pay blessing to other Poles, such as those who work at skiing on the protection of the Baltic marine coastal countries realize that failure to the Baltic as marine reserves, protected for heat. Although some cities have “warming shelters,” areas or hotels in winter resorts. Klodawa has a salt mine environment couldn’t have overlooked cooperate will undermine both the pros- from all fishing or extractive uses.” government officials, police and social service organiza- whose rock salt is used to melt ice on streets and roads. A the 12-by-12-meter yellow banner pects for the future recovery of the sea, Greenpeace also argues that the tions ask that people keep an eye on others who might bad winter is the perfect scenario for it. reading “Polluted and Overfished and a vital resource for the future eco- plan is not legally binding, leaving its need help. They include elderly people, those who no “Last year, the very warm winter didn’t allow us to – Welcome to the Baltic Sea.” Green- nomic prosperity of the whole region. implementation open to the whims of relatives and, unfortunately, those who are intoxicated. make any profit,” said miner Aleksander Ochendalski. peace activists from Poland, Sweden “If we continue the same way as governments. The deaths of men in the Warmia and Mazury regions There were few snowy days, and temperatures were and Denmark hung the sign from the “It’s naive to believe that the govern- underscores the obvious danger the cold poses to the mostly above freezing. roof of the hotel where environmental ments will cooperate,” said Greenpeace homeless. Thousands will be seeking shelter from the The mine sold only about half the salt it usually sells, ministers and high-ranking govern- Ostojski stressed that coastal spokesman Jacek Winiarski. cold this winter. They seek refugees at railroad stations, giving it a 30-mln-zloty loss. The mine has been going full steam the last several ment representatives of nine countries countries realize that failure “We would like to welcome people in staircases and basements and at other places. What can the average Pole do to help? Sometimes a days, however, due to heavy snow in southern Poland. that border the Baltic Sea adopted an to cooperate will undermine to a clean and healthy Baltic Sea, but in phone call is enough to save a life, police say. Poles can The happy miners hope the snow continues. agreement to cut pollution in that body both the prospects for the reality all of us are faced with an almost future recovery of the sea, and also direct the homeless to shelters. of water. lifeless green soup and in some cases The Brother Albert Foundation has created a network Governments and environmental- a vital resource for the future fish that are no longer safe to eat,” said of hostels for the homeless and other poor people in Pol- ists acknowledge that the Baltic is on economic prosperity of the Katarzyna Guzek, oceans campaigner ish cities. But not everyone qualifies. Those using the the verge of ecological collapse due to whole region. for Greenpeace. “The ministers need to hostels must be sober – and many homeless are alcohol- the excessive nutrient pollution which agree a plan that will resuscitate a dying ics. leads to algae blooms, murky waters, sea. There is no time left for political Alcoholism actually plays a role in many exposure oxygen depletion, habitat destruction today, the cost of non-action will be compromises and vague promises.” deaths. A drunk passes out on the street, unaware of the and eventually results in thousands of tenfold higher than the cost of action,” Police arrested seven Greenpeace cold, and freezes to death without waking up. square kilometers of sea beds com- Ostojski said. activists, including two foreigners, for Rather than a hostel, Lodz has opened Poland’s first pletely bereft of life. However, the environmentalist their role in the protest, and released “warming house.” Anyone who is cold can go there, bask The Helsinki Commission chairman, group Greenpeace says the plan falls them after a day in jail. in the warmth as long as he wishes, drink hot tea and take Mieczyslaw Ostojski, hailed the new short of what is necessary to save the If the prosecutor decides to charge a bath. Lodz also set up a special bus to transport people to the shelter and provide it with warm food. agreement, which aims to considerably sea’s marine life. them with an “act of hooliganism” and The homeless aren’t the only victims of the cold, how- reduce the amount of phos- put them on trial, the en- ever. Some people have homes but can’t afford fuel bills phorus and nitrogen pollut- vironmentalists could face – and the government is planning to raise energy prices ants by 2021, as “a milestone NEW up to a year-long prison in January. in our joint efforts to restore EMPLOYMENT sentence. PORTAL Hungarian Cuisine and More... Get your message LAUNCHING NOVEMBER across today! 2007 OLDSMOBIL

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R E G I O N A L B I Z Estonian unemployment rate Hungary’s Gedeon Richter, drops to 4.2 percent in 3Q Podlaski region Estonia’s unemployment rate has contin- ued its steady decline, falling to 4.2 percent exports hitting East in the third quarter of this year, the Baltic Polish Polpharma to merge country’s statistics office said late last week. In the July-September period a year ago, unemployment had stood at 5.4 percent, and in the second quarter of this year it was 5.0 percent.

The jobless figures decreased across 1.2:Würfel GFDL the country in the third quarter this year, the statistics office said. The most remark- able fall was in northern Estonia, which is home to the capital Tallinn, and where the rate dropped to a record low of 2.7 percent from 4.0 percent a year earlier. Unemploy- ment remained highest in northeastern Es- tonia, a region bordering Russia where rates traditionally outstrip the national average. There, the rate decreased to 7.8 percent in the third quarter from 8.5 percent in the same period of 2006. Nationwide, a total of 29,000 people were out of work in the third quarter, which was 8,000 fewer than in July- September 2006 and 6,000 fewer than in the second quarter of this year. Estonia, which has a population of 1.3 mln people, broke free from the crumbling Soviet Union in 1991. It has enjoyed robust growth in recent years and its economy has been spurred by agence france-presse Poland, and generate enhanced growth Richter shares bounced up 3.41 per- its entry into the EU in 2004. (AFP) opportunities for Gedeon Richter,” said cent on news of the merger, to 37,600 Polish 12-month inflation Hungary’s biggest drug producer Richter CEO Erik Bogsch. forint (147.7 euro, $216.5) per share in Gedeon Richter said late last week it Richter is eyeing the large Polish early morning trading. This came despite rises to 3.0 percent was merging with Poland’s second larg- a third-quarter earnings report posted est pharmaceutical firm, Polpharma, in a late last week which said Richter’s net Poland’s inflation rate continued to climb Under the deal, Richter in October, reaching 3.0 percent year-on- deal worth $1.34 bln (913 mln euro). profit from January to September was The merger, which Richter said it down 39 percent, compared with the year, official data showed late last week. will issue 6,212,497 new would finance with the issue of new shares valued at a total same period last year. In September, the 12-month rate had shares, would create the biggest phar- In a separate statement, Richter also jumped sharply to 2.3 percent after having maceutical company in central and east- $1.34 bln for a 99.65 said it would buy an 80.62-percent stake fallen in August to 1.5 percent from 2.3 per- ern Europe with a market capitalization percent stake in Genefar, in Russian drug company Akrihin for cent in July and 2.6 percent in June. THE KRAKOW POST of 3.64 bln euro, the company said. the company under the $128 mln (87 mln euro). On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.6 per- Under the deal, Richter will issue control of Polish business- Akrihin is also partly owned by Gene- cent in October from September, the data Bialystok and the Podlaski region is quickly becoming 6,212,497 new shares valued at a total far. The sale would also be financed by released by the national statistics board $1.34 bln for a 99.65 percent stake in man Jerzy Starak that the issue of new shares, Richter said. Poland’s export center to the East. No longer exporting showed. (AFP) Genefar, the company under the control owns Polpharma. Richter recorded a net profit of solely to Ukraine or Russia, Bialystok companies are in- of Polish businessman Jerzy Starak that $248.2 mln in 2006 on total sales of Unipetrol nine month net creasing their export sales in countries such as South Ko- owns Polpharma. $997 mln. profit falls to 67.6 mln euro rea, Dubai and Mongolia. In exchange, Genefar will receive market, which accounts for 40 percent Polpharma, meanwhile, ended 2006 The biggest export market is in instillation machines. a 25-percent stake in the post-merger of the central and eastern European drug with revenues of $339 mln and earnings The Czech Republic’s biggest refinery According to Gazeta Wyborcza, the company KAN, which company. market. of $96 mln before interest, taxes, depre- and petrochemicals group, Unipetrol, said produces heating and water systems, sends 80 percent of “This transaction will strengthen The merger is expected to be com- ciation and amortization, according to Tuesday announced its net profit fell to 1.8 its exports east. Its major buyers are in Ukraine, Russia and our position in the region, especially in pleted in early 2008. the statement. bln koruna (67.6 mln euro, $98.2 mln) in Belarus, which act as middlemen, exporting further into the first nine months from 2.8 bln koruna other Asian countries. Gazeta Wyborcza reports that the a year earlier. eastern market is more attractive to KAN because of its One of the losses amounts to over 3.6 bln underdeveloped supply market. Open Superannuation Fund bringing in koruna, largely stemming from the sale of According to Boleslaw Filas, one of KAN’s directors, non-core companies, Agrobohemie and Syn- the company is responsible for most of the installation sys- thesia, which were responsible for the prof- tems in apartments, industries and public buildings in the higher retirement payments in the future its fall, Unipetrol said. Without taking into Asian markets to which they export. The countries include account exceptional items, the group would Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. The increase in the have doubled net profit to 5.47 bln koruna, it company’s eastern export sales has resulted in the open- said. Turnover during the first nine months ing of a second manufacturing plant. Production units have of the year declined by around 6.0 percent to doubled. 67.6 bln koruna, partly due to refinery shut- Another company within the Podlaski region with east- downs, the company added. Polish refinery ward exports is SaMASZ. It produces farming equipment giant PKN Orlen has an enormous stake in and machinery which is eagerly bought up by the Russian Unipetrol. (AFP) import market where the company is second in farming Czech electricity giant CEZ machinery sales after a German exporter. According to Sa- MASZ officials, the company has even sold up to 3,000 boosts nine month net profit pieces of farming equipment to one Russian company. Czech energy giant CEZ announced The only obstacle in increasing further sales is commu- Thursday a nine month net profit of 29.7 bln nication. Deals can take up to one year to be finalized in a koruna (1.11 bln euro, $1.63 bln) compared region notorious for its long negotiation periods. The prox- with 22.0 bln koruna during the first three imity of the Podlaski region to the eastern border means quarters of 2006. that the communication process is more easily carried out “Increased production, a rise in whole- than in other parts of Poland. The sale prices, cost savings and the results of Bialystok company, Promotech, has signed agreements the CEZ group abroad all contributed to the with companies in Kazakhstan and Dubai. Promotech, ac- profit growth,” the company said in a state- cording to Gazeta Wyborcza, will be the main supplier of ment. equipment for companies within those regions responsible The latest profit means that Central Eu- for the manufacture of steel constructions used in plants rope’s biggest electricity company, around and factories. When finalized, each of the contracts will be two-thirds owned by the state, exceeded its worth 2 mln euro. full year 2006 net profit of 28.8 bln after Mispol, a meat processing plant in the Podlaski region, Justyna Krzywicka OFE had to wait until the third year ums. The superannuation fund brought only nine months. exports its frankfurters to and South Korea. Pro- staff journalist of the reform before financial advan- in 31.6 bln zloty on the amount. The On the back of the latest figures, the com- cessed tinned meat and liverwurst is sold on the Russian amount continues to increase. Accord- pany increased its full year net profit fore- market. The Open Superannuation Fund The Open Superannua- ing to the Gazeta Prawna the amount cast to 36.9 bln koruna. (AFP) (OFE – Otwarty Fundusz Emerytalny) made by the fund in 2005 was 34.8 per- has increased the amount of funds for its tion Fund (OFE – Otwarty cent more than the premiums it received Fundusz Emerytalny) has from ZUS. The end of 2006 saw an in- INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S customers by half. The total investment of super funds increased the amount of crease to 45.6 percent. Currently the fig- ASSOCIATION OF KRAKÓW has increased to 142.8 bln zloty as of ures show a 49.5 percent increase. October this year. funds for its customers by A major reason for the large increase Gazeta Prawna reports since the in- half. The total investment of in funds is the lowering of OFE com- troduction of super legislation reform, super funds has increased to mission fees. Members of OFE, thanks ZUS (the national social security and to legislative control, will not be forced pension office) has transferred super 142.8 bln zloty as to pay commission fees higher than premiums to OFE at a total of 95.5 bln of October this year. stipulated by the statute. By 2014 it is The International Women’s Association of Krakow (IWAK) is a multicultural, social and family oriented zloty. This means the OFE funs has in- approximated, commission fees will not organization providing friendship, advice and sup- creased the investment capital by 47.3 exceed 3.5 percent. port to its members, either in Krakow area temporary bln zloty. Future retirees who have in- tages became obvious. By the end of Of course the other important factor or permanently. Throughout the year, there are many vested their super payments into open 2002 the monetary assets of the invest- in the fund’s increase is its steady capital social events on either a monthly basis. super investments funds such as OFE ment fund was larger than the amount fund growth. More members are signing Our web site: www.iwak.pl will benefit from the larger pension pay- received from future retirees. Some 28.1 up to the fund assisting in its investment ments once they hit retirement. bln zloty was received in super premi- capital increase. NOVEMBER 22-NOVEMBER 28, 2007 BUSINESS The Krakow Post 9 Foreign media companies see Shoplifting on rise advertising potential in press in Polish supermarkets THE KRAKOW POST has the same shoplifting merchandise trend as Europe but for the last position, which is Some 1.2 bln euro worth of goods have filled with ‘high cost and speciality food’ walked off Polish supermarket shelves such as meat, cheese and seafood. unpaid for. The UK Center for Retail Re- A customer shoplifter steals on average search in Nottingham reports in its Novem- 200 euro worth of goods in one theft. An ber 2007 edition of “The Global Theft Ba- employee shoplifts on average 1,500 euro rometer” that global shoplifting costs the worth of goods. Poland has the lowest world’s retailers some 66.6 bln euro. number of customer shoplifters (40.5 per- The report based its findings on 820 re- cent) in all of Europe. It has however the tail companies, operating some 140 shops highest number of employees who shoplift with annual sales of approximately 500 bln (35.1 percent). Six percent of goods are euro in 32 countries. stolen by suppliers and some 18 percent of The retailers taking part in the study rep- loss is due to incorrect price labeling. resented 16 percent of the total European One of the more popular methods of sales, 13 percent of the North American shoplifting in Poland is done by “price retail sales and 5 percent of retail sales in avoidance.” A cashier will form an agree- the Asia-Pacific region. ment with friends who load up shopping The highest percentage of shoplifting is carts. The cart is then taken to the cashier in India worth 2.9 percent of total sales and friend who scans only a few of the items the lowest in Austria with 0.94 percent. Po- while the majority of the products are taken land stands in somewhere in between with through the check-out unpaid for. shoplifting amounting to 1.34 percent. In 2007 stores worldwide have spent According to the study the most popular 18.7 bln euro on “shrink management” items stolen in Europe are alcohol followed plans including shop security. Poland has by cosmetics and skincare, then ladies’ ap- spent 235 mln euro on such management. parel, perfumes and razor blades. The top Loss prevention spending in North five most frequently stolen merchandise America was $12.7 bln, equivalent to 29.3 in North America, are cosmetics, ladies’ percent of total “shrink” losses. European apparel, perfumes, alcohol and designer loss prevention spending was 0.34 percent clothes and shoes. The Asia-Pacific region of retail sales.

the krakow post web site: www.dziennik.pl. Until now CNN has had a sole agreement Gazeta Prawna reports that in the third with Polsat the media channel. The American The media group Agora which owns financial quarter this year Agora commenced media giant however wants to sell advertis- Tusk government formed Gazeta Wyborcza and the www.gazeta.pl in- twelve new Internet services on its www. ing spots directly in Poland. In order for this formation site, has commenced talks with the gazeta.pl site. It has also modernized 24 of project to eventuate CNN has hired the News From TUSK on Page 1 American CNN media news company. Agora its existing ones. The upgrades include the Communications agency to undertake its ac- President Lech Kaczynski also indicated that of the political infighting. Conflicts within the plans to enrich its highly popular web site with sport media portal www.sport.pl as well as tivities in Poland. he might create problems for Tusk when he Sejm are undoubtedly unavoidable as both of the media news from CNN. the www.tivi.pl, a joint project between Agora The Polish television market is also see- snarled about the appointment of Sikorski and government’s largest parties will use Tusk’s vow According to Gazeta Prawna negotiations and the largest television production company ing media companies such as the Discovery Cwiakalski. His objection to Cwiakalski’s candi- as a platform for jockeying future public support. with CNN have been taking place for several in Poland, the ATM Group. Networks Europe introducing more thematic dacy stems from the latter’s support of Henryk Thus, political observers expect any cooperative weeks. Agora wants to include CNN content Agora plans to include further specialist based television channels. News Corp has also Stoklosa, a politician and entrepreneur accused of attitudes present during the early stages of the on its www.gazeta.pl site, the sixth largest sites that will entice a wide range of audiences purchased 35 percent of the shares in the Puls corrupting employees in the Ministry of Finance. Tusk government to progressively fade out. web site portal on the Polish Internet. Agora with various interests. This in turn will in- media channel. Cwiakalski was also member of the Communist The key question is whether Tusk’s coalition plans to develop its Internet site, claiming it crease the company’s general Internet traffic, The print media is also establishing work- party until 1982. Tusk tried to downplay the im- can retain popular support when the first political is necessary in a continually Internet driven bringing in more advertising revenue. Finan- ing partnerships with foreign media enterpris- portance of Kaczynski’s remarks, but public me- crises arise. media market. The company seeks to create cial reports of Agora already indicate that its es. The newspaper Rzeczpospolita has added dia predicts the president will use his veto power Those relying on their political tealeaves say audiovisual effects on its site with Internet in- web site is the quickest growing sector within to its regular pages New York Times lift-out. time and time again to prevent Tusk from carry- the first one could come soon – and probably in- vestments having priority by the company. the media company. Gazeta Prawna has a weekly addition of the ing out much of his agenda. volve national health-care. CNN’s current media agreement is signed Advertising revenue has brought in 6 mln Financial Times pages while the Polskapresse Tusk’s strongest political weapon is this agen- Polls indicate that voters expect Tusk to come with Axel Springer Polska, Agora’s competi- zloty in the third financial quarter. This is an Polska is in cooperation with the British The da’s growing voter support. up with funds which could improve the health- This may prompt the President to take pause care system. Jaroslaw Kaczynski’s government tor. Axel Spinger Polska hosts the media news increase of 42 percent. Times. before vetoing all legislation. faced strikes and street protests from doctors, A Gazeta Wyborcza poll carried out mid-No- nurses and other health-care practitioners who vember showed that three weeks after the elec- wanted to improve their low wages. The Tusk JOBS tions support for the 50-year-old Tusk and his government probably has little time before pro- party had grown to 55 percent among Poles. The tests resurface. party received only 42 percent of the vote during Another challenge will be reining in public Native English Teacher Top Management elections. spending. While economic growth excelled dur- The poll also showed that support for the Law ing the Law and Justice Party’s two-year rule it MINI A school of English in and Justice party plummeted from the election’s also failed to cut government expenditure, thus MINI 32 percent to 23 percent by mid-November, a helping to fuel inflation. By the end of 2007 the Krakow is looking for a discovery which unnerved the party’s officials. inflation rate will be about 3 percent or slightly native English teacher. M 31, University degree in Tusk captured many hearts after saying that he higher. engineering, 6 years wants to create an economic miracle in Poland Tusk’s experts will also deal with reforming The position is available of top management which would be similar to the one that Ireland has the currently inefficient system of public pen- immediately for a period experience in leading enjoyed in recent years. Many Poles are familiar sions. The sheer number of Poles who will reach of one year, although this companies in industrial with this “Irish miracle,” leading them to emi- pension age in the next few years makes this task may be extended. cooling, refrigerating sector. grate there in search of well-paying jobs. of particular importance. WEB Design Tusk said he wants the Polish economy to be- Poles also want the government to do some- The individual should Project management. come so vibrant that the Polish people currently thing which will help create jobs and lower un- Enthusiasts!!! be enthusiastic and Negotiations. Prepare working abroad will return to help improve the employment, polls indicate. They aren’t much creative, possession technical solutions. Full economy even more. This would be a huge ben- concerned with fighting corruption – an issue You are wanted! of a recognized scope of technical efit for Poland given the impression that almost the former prime minister tried to build his pub- teaching qualification support: pre-planning. PC. every family has someone who is working in lic image on. Tusk suffered two major defeats in (CELTA/TEFL) and Contact: jerrybarrows@ Great Britain or Ireland. 2005. He lost the presidential election, his party some relevant previous yahoo.com Tusk also extended an olive branch to the Law coming in second in parliamentary elections. We are currently looking experience in work with and Justice party, saying he wants to cooperate Even before the latest round of voting, news for people to join our Web groups is required. with its members for the good of the country. He organizations said it was Tusk’s last chance to

RESUME vowed to work for all Poles, regardless of whom become a major political power. Having won that Design team. If you are interested in they supported during elections. battle, he must now live up to the people’s expec- The magnanimous stance appears to have tations. If he succeeds he may become Poland’s this vacancy or would Business/Personal Assistant won over Poles outside his party who are tired first prime minister to be reelected. like further information Successful applicants will: please do not hesitate to send your CV to us at: MINI - be interested in good [email protected], or Tel.: 506-008-992 comunication with users VACANCY Talented, experienced lady - knowledge Adobe is looking for a job of Business/Personal Assistant Helper/Au-Pair Illustrator (full- or part-time) Degree in Philology, 10 and Photoshop We are looking for MINI years experience in Western a Helper/Au-Pair. - basics and principles of companies. Very Teaching responsible, goal HTML and CSS English will also excellent organizational and be a duty. Native interpersonal skills. English speaker Please contact me at: If you are interested, please preferred. [email protected] write to us: Please send your CV to: [email protected] [email protected] VACANCY RESUME 10 The Krakow Post WARSAW NOVEMBER 22-NOVEMBER 28, 2007 Warsaw in running Hitech Warsaw on Euro 2012 for European Capital of Culture cc:sa:Cezary p

Magdalena Lyko The information would include where to would be easy to adapt them to sports or cul- STAFF JOURNALIST switch from a train to a tram to get to the sta- tural events. dium quickest. In coming up with the best Giant screens are fun because they collect The Euro 2012 soccer championships route, the computer-based system would take large crowds. The throngs watching soccer could prompt Warsaw to go high-tech in into account such factors as how much time a matches could feed off each others’ emotion. transportation and perhaps other areas, ac- transfer would take. Die-hard fans could also easily record the ac- cording to a recent conference. If you wanted to go to the stadium partly tion on the screens. Those who organized the conference – by car and partly by public transportation, the Another way that fans could watch soc- “Infrastructure, New technologies and Euro integrated transportation system will reserve cer away from the matches is by using cell- 2012” – said Warsaw can choose a number a spot for you at a park-and-ride parking lot phones. of high-tech options to help it accommodate and tell you what time you would have to The Italians are already putting televi- the crowds the games will draw. switch from your car to public transporta- sion programming on mobiles. The service The most daring idea discussed at last tion. is likely to be available in Poland by the time month’s conference, organized by the War- Does this idea sound a little incredible? Euro 2012 begins. saw-based Media Trend consulting agency, The Warsaw-based Centrum company says A cellphone screen is so small, and a was an integrated transportation manage- it is already prepared to install the system. mobile so portable, that fans could watch ment system. Inevitably, some fans will end up not be- matches from anywhere, including buses If a soccer fan wanted to go to the Na- ing able to get tickets to a game. Warsaw and trams. tional Stadium by public transportation, he could remedy that by putting up huge televi- High-tech ideas connected with the games would buy an integrated electronic ticket. A sion screens in public places. are endless. It seems likely that Warsaw will special board at a train station would show Those familiar with the city know that adopt some. It will be fun seeing which ones him how to take the most direct route, using it already has some huge outdoor screens. will come – and how they will affect the various forms of public transportation. Right now they show advertisements. It city’s future.

A statue of to a mermaid, Warsaw’s symbol. Warsaw’s singles on prowl Urszula Ciolkiewicz ropean Capital of Culture; one country from Staff Journalist the pre-2004 expansion 15 member group, and one from the post-expansion (new) group re- Warsaw is making a bid to be the European spectively. Spain is the other country with cit- Capital of Culture in 2016. Rival Polish cities ies vying for Capital of Culture in 2016 which

for the title include Wroclaw, Gdansk, Lodz, will share the title with Poland’s successful cc:sa:Jason Hutchens Poznan, Lublin and Torun. candidate. “The competition is very strong. What is In addition to the prestige that goes with more, such a title doesn’t usually go to a can- being the Capital of Culture, cities are also didate country’s capital, but to regional cities. awarded up to 1 mln euro towards cultural en- Nevertheless, this hasn’t discouraged us” said deavours and infrastructure from the EU. Renata Czarnkowska-Listos, assistant director Agata Passent, renowned journalist and of the Municipal Culture Bureau, who is also daughter of famous Polish poet and song writer the head of the team preparing Warsaw’s can- Agnieszka Osiecka, is the leading face of didature. Warsaw’s bid. Passent, a proud Warsowian, is Competing cities have until 2010 to con- passionate about opening up Polish culture to vince Poland’s Ministry of Culture and Na- the world tional Heritage that they are worthy of being Lodz, 220 kilometers north of Krakow, is recommended to the EU Capital of Culture seen to be Warsaw’s main competition with Magdalena Lyko a small percentage of people choose to be time. Some of today’s singles are worka- selection panel. support from high profile film director An- STAFF JOURNALIST single throughout their lives. holics. They don’t have a lot of free time, From 2009, two pre-determined EU coun- drzej Wajda and Mayor of Krakow Jacek Ma- Usually, they are planning to change so they want to make the most of their tries are entitled to nominate a city each year jchrowski, Poland’s only European Capital of A few years ago, reaching a certain age this situation in the future, but not at this leisure. They don’t begrudge spending to the EU panel for consideration as the Eu- Culture winner in 2000. without finding a partner was considered precise moment. This situation may apply their money in good restaurants, and on almost a shame or disgrace. Maybe that to most of the singles in Warsaw. A report expensive clothes, home furnishings and is still the social situation in smaller, more prepared by Credit House Polska says that telephones. CLASSICAL GUITAR MUSIC traditional towns and villages and with more and more singles are buying apart- Today’s urban single is a person who FOR TOP RESTAURANTS some families. ments in Warsaw. usually has an excellent education and But in big cities like Warsaw, being sin- At one time, people waited to forge re- knows a lot about the world, culture, new gle has become a fashionable and popular lationships before making decisions like ideas, and has lots of passions. way of life. buying a house. But now people are more In Warsaw, about 60 percent of the According to definitions of relation- mobile, leaving the family home to start women are single, and they no longer wor- ships, a single person is one who is not lives on their own. ry about being called old maids. They have married, or, more broadly, who is not in an They usually have good jobs before de- wide ranges of friends, making it easier to exclusive romantic relationship. In reality, ciding to buy their own homes, choosing drink beer or coffee in groups. They also single people may engage in dating to find not to rent because they don’t want to pay go alone to the cinema or a party or even a partner or spouse. someone else if the charges are almost the a wedding without worrying about having But not all single people actively seek same,. Warsaw offers a lot for the single a partner. out a relationship. Some are content to wait person. The lives of these singles are comfort- Our repretoire of Spanish, for the “right” person to enter their lives; There are special pubs or evenings for able and easier than a long-term relation- Argentinian and Italian others do not seek relationships at all. singles, vacation trips with discounts for ship. However, for a lot of singles, this classical music will create the In fact for some people, being single is a singles, English lessons for singles, cuisine way of life isn’t intended to be permanent. special ambience you need choice. books with recipes for smaller portions and Many people are just waiting longer to get to maximize your guests’ These people may be single, but they other articles specially for singles. married and have children. fine-dining experience. aren’t alone. For others, being single In today’s cities single persons can be Should more people decide to remain Good rates and top quality. wasn’t planned. They either lost someone the best consumers. They have money single and never marry or have families, [email protected] close or they still haven’t met them, but and don’t have family obligations. Most that will present new problems. And that they are waiting. Another fact is that only of them are young and looking for a good will be a different topic. NOVEMBER 22-NOVEMBER 28, 2007 KRAKOW The Krakow Post 11 Lodziarnia Cafe opens playground for families Grazyna Zawada Tomasz Jenner, proprietor and it may clash with other clients’ STAFF JOURNALIST playground cafe innovator, pays needs, but it became apparent a lot of attention to his youngest that even lovers or those seeking Lodziarnia Cafe at ul. Grodz- clients’ security. All toys have solitude have nothing against it.” ka 13 has opened a huge indoor safety certificates, and the climb- Customer feedback is posi- playground and daycare for kids. ing construction has been made tive, “For us such a facility isn’t This is the only place in the by a qualified company. a distraction. Actually, when me Old Town that has been adapted The menu for kids is based and my wife came here today for kids on such a grand scale. on homemade recipes and is and we saw the playground, On the second floor, two continually being embellished, we decided that we’d definitely rooms have been separated with with sandwiches made from bring our kid next time” said one ball pools, slides, drawing board home-made meat and bread to be customer. and best of all – a grand, three available soon, and there are also All in all, the playground at floor maze-like construction plans for providing some extra Lodziarnia Cafe is a wonderful to run and hide in. The whole accessories such as diapers or place to play, and not only kids playground area, located in the spare underwear on site. make this claim. nonsmokers’ part of the cafe, is In contrast to other cafe and “The greatest laugh is when 100 square meters and is sepa- pub owners, Jenner identified teenagers or adults come and rated from the rest of the cafe by an urgent need for parents, both see the climbing maze and start a transparent plexi-shield so that Krakowians and newcomers, to play there” said Jenner. “A parents can watch their kids at to have a peaceful, kid-friendly couple of days after opening the play. A qualified childcare atten- place for relaxation and social- playground I started thinking of dant is on duty to watch over the izing at the same time, without opening such a thing for adults.” children at play, enabling parents worrying about their kid’s well- Lodziarnia Cafe playground to relax at the cafe or elsewhere being. is open from 10:00 to 22:00 into the evening. “Our regular clients have a with usage costs from 12 zloty The facility opened at the very friendly attitude towards the per hour per child, and young end of October, but is constantly playground and its users” said children’s entry billed upon their adapting to its newest clientele. Jenner. “At first we thought that parent’s return. Minimalist Architecture Open Doors Day at Lecture in Manggha Krakow museums GFDL 1.2:Sharx GFDL

Alicja Natkaniec sury and Armory. In a conference center, visi- STAFF JOURNALIST tors will be able to watch documentary films about Wawel Hill. Twenty-one Krakow museums and cultural Almost all branches of the National Museum institutions, together with the City Council, are will open their doors. Among the most impor- teaming up this weekend to offer a unique way tant ones: Wyspianski Museum in Szolayski to learn about history, art and culture. house, the Mehoffer House and the recently re- Open Doors Day in Krakow will be orga- stored Bishop Erazm Ciolek Palace. nized for the third time with top attractions Visitors also will be able to visit Krakow opening their doors free of charge on Sunday, Salt-Work Castle in Wieliczka, which is one Nov. 25. of the biggest mining museums in Europe, Open Doors Day welcomes both visitors the Jagiellonian University Museum in Col- from home and tourists. The visitors will be legium Maius and the Center of Japanese Art able to take part in interesting workshops, watch and Technology “Manggha.” Also open are movies, listen to the lectures of local historians smaller cultural institutions: the Museum of and join guided tours. Urban Engineering, the Museum of History of It will be possible to see both permanent and Photography, Archeological Museum, “Galicja” temporary exhibitions, with the latter featur- Museum, the Museum of Pharmacy, the Avia- ing objects usually unavailable to the public or tion Museum and many more. never shown before. The event has an educa- This year’s theme will be the art of Stanislaw tional character but it also attracts thousands of Wyspianski. The Open Doors Day is a part of veteran art lovers. the Year of Wyspianski, celebrated in Krakow Krzystof Skonieczny signs which allow the user to play as important The firm’s achievements include Innsbruck Last year more than 25,000 people visited in 2007 on the 100th anniversary of the artist’s Staff Journalist a role in their configuration as the architect. Train Station, Graz Airport, housing complexes the museums during Open Doors Day. death. The museums will present relatively Riegler studied architecture at Graz Techni- in Vienna, Berlin and Hamburg and the Fed- There are many places and attractions to unknown works by Wyspianski and souvenirs The Manggha Center of Japanese Art and cal University Austria, where he is currently eral Institute of Social Pedagogy in Baden. The choose from. On Wawel Hill, the Royal Castle connected with him. Detailed information is Technology continues their cycle of “What is teaching in the Institute for Urban Planning. architects have received numerous awards, in- will open its Royal State Rooms, Royal Trea- available on the web site: www.krakow.pl Architecture?” lectures delivered by contempo- Riewe is an architecture graduate from Aachen cluding the Austrian Building-Prize, the Austri-

rary European architects. University Germany, and currently holds a Pro- an Housing Prize and the Styrian Architecture krakowpost.com This month’s guests are Florian Riegler and fessorial position in the Institute for Architec- Award and were twice finalists for the presti- Roger Riewe from the Austro-German firm ture Technology at Graz Technical University. gious Mies van der Rohe Award. The Riegler “Riegler Riewe.” The lecture will take place on In 1987 the two architects formed the archi- Riewe firm recently won an international con- Nov. 26 at 18:00. tecture firm Riegler Riewe. test for their design of the Silesian Museum in Riegler’s and Riewes’ lecture titled “Defi- Their work represents a philosophical ten- . nite Indefinite,” somewhat describes their style dency in architecture known as the “new mini- The Manggha Center is located at ul. Ko- of emphasizing “what is unclear and uncertain” malism,” the goal of which is to bring normal- nopnickiej 26, over the river from Wawel Cas- said the architects. Their aim is to create de- ity back to architecture. tle. Admission to the lecture is free.

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ul. Miodowa 7 Kazimierz District, Krakow Tel.: (0) 12 292-0088 www.accommodation.krakow.pl 12 The Krakow Post KRAKOW NOVEMBER 22-NOVEMBER 28, 2007 Scientist strips “Lady with Ermine” agence france-presse azurite mixed with earth,” Cotte told AFP. version he built as close as possible to the pigments and brush-strokes underneath a “It’s far more beautiful than we thought,” original, suggests it is nearly 100 percent da weathered surface. After unlocking the secrets of the Mona said French art historian Jacques Franck, a da Vinci’s handiwork. “It enables us to break down the light spec- Lisa, a French scientist has turned his all-see- Vinci expert who worked alongside Cotte. “We haven’t learned anything new that will trum three levels into the pictorial layer, from ing “multispectral” camera on a lesser-known “Here we have a Leonardo da Vinci which fundamentally alter our understanding of this the ultraviolet to the infrared, and from the Leonardo da Vinci muse in Poland: the “Lady has been masked by bad restoration work and work,” said Anna Grochowska-Angelus, the visible to the invisible,” he explained. with an Ermine.” which as a result has perhaps been seen as less Czartoryski Museum’s chief restorer. “Multispectral photography provides us Engineer and inventor Pascal Cotte virtual- important than it really is,” Franck said. But Cotte’s scan confirmed the existence of with knowledge of the stratification of the ly strips away centuries of sometimes sloppy The “Lady with an Ermine,” bought by fingerprints which had fuelled Polish experts’ successive layers painted by Leonardo and re- restoration work to provide a digital image of the Czartoryski family in Italy in 1798, was long-held belief that the majority of the work storers, which enables historical understand- a painting as it may have left the artist’s stu- among the works looted by the invading was da Vinci’s, she said. ing of the way the work was constructed and dio – an abiding question among art historians Germans in 1939. It was hung in the office Cotte, who aims to help historians build of subsequent actions,” he said. and art lovers about such masterpieces. of the Nazi governor Hans Frank, who then up a global archive of digital “originals,” has In the “Lady with an Ermine,” he discov- Cotte was called in by the Czartoryski Mu- decamped with the portrait when the Germans already gazed behind the layers of around 500 ered hidden traces under the ermine’s left paw seum in Krakow in southern Poland, which is fled in January 1945. paintings, including works by Brueghel, Rem- and muzzle. home to a collection built up over the centu- The painting was discovered by U.S. troops brandt and Van Gogh. Franck and Cotte believe da Vinci may ries by the eponymous Polish princely family. at Frank’s villa in Bavaria and later returned to He recently took part in an international originally have painted the ferret-like animal His unique 240-megapixel camera uncovers Poland. study of what is arguably the world’s most lower down the portrait of the woman thought the true colours of a painting, literally: Cotte Though a major piece in the Czartoryski famous painting, da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, which to be Cecilia Gallerani, who was the mistress found that the late 15th Century wood-panel collection, nagging doubts persisted over hangs in the Louvre museum in Paris. He re- of the Duke Lodovico Sforza of Milan. portrait was not painted on the black back- how much of “Lady with an Ermine” was da vealed that her trademark enigmatic smile was Experts suggest that the ermine, an appar- ground visible today. Vinci’s own hand and how much was that of originally wider, and that he also had eyelash- ent allusion to the duke, was originally paint- “The background was deep blue, very his assistants. es, eyebrows and a blanket on her knees. ed in a livelier pose but later altered to appear lightly shaded with earth, and probably an Cotte’s conclusion, based on a virtual Cotte’s camera gives insight into colours, calmer and thus more noble. Top Polish touring bands Management hit Krakow this week of Polish Tatra

GDFL 1.2:Lestat GDFL Mountains places focus on winter safety Myslovitz.

Krzystof Skonieczny bums since 1995 with most, including of Love”) album release, which in- Staff Journalist their latest “Happiness is Easy” going cluded one of the band’s biggest hits,

platinum. “Warszawa.” Agency LUK If you’re out among the crowd this Early in their career the band was This release, as well as the follow- week take the opportunity to check out tagged the “Polish Oasis,” but have ing ones, followed a pop music style Coma at Klub Studio on Nov. 23, along maintained their own distinctive sound combining rock, glam-rock and reggae with Myslovitz and T. Love at the Ro- to stand on their own in the alternate genres with catchy lyrics from vocalist tunda Community Center on Nov. 24 rock scene. Muniek Staszczyk. and Nov. 28, respectively. They have received numerous In 2006 the band released their lat- Coma has a strong following among awards, including quite a few “Fry- est album “I hate rock’n’roll,” ironi- the heavy rock/metal scene winning deryks” and two MTV Music Awards cally, the most “rock’and’rollish” one the Fryderyk Award for both of their for “Best Polish Act.” in years. album releases in the “rock/metal” cat- During their performances they This tour, covering Poland’s biggest egory from the Polish music industry. combine the more “psychedelic” coun- towns, is linked to the publication of T. At this year’s Przystanek Wood- tenance of their later albums with the Love’s official biography, written by stock festival they were awarded the hit single songs for which they first Magdalena Patryas and Paweł Dunin- Zloty Baczek (Golden Spinning Top) became famous. Wąsowicz, entitled “Potrzebuję Wc- by festival goers for their performance. T. Love was conceived in the zoraj” (“I Need Yesterday”). At the Metal Hammer Festival in Au- shadow of Poland’s implementation of gust, Coma announced that their third martial law in 1982 as “Teenage Love Gig information: Klub Studio, ul. album is on the way, something to look Alternative,” which has since been ab- Budryka 4, near AGH’s Student Cam- forward to in the new-year. breviated to their current name since pus (Miasteczko Studenckie), tickets Myslovitz is touring through Kra- 1987. In the eighties the group released for Coma 28-33 zloty, reservations at: kow as part of the band’s farewell from only one official studio album, other- www.klubstudio.pl the music scene for at least a year. As wise staying in the punk underground. Rotunda, ul. Oleandry 1, tickets for one of Poland’s leading indie rock Their real breakthrough came with Myslovitz 28-33 zloty and T. Love 20- bands, Myslovitz has produced 9 al- the 1991 “Pocisk Milosci” (“Bullet 25 zloty from venue.

Urszula Ciolkiewicz is particularly a problem because of said Zbigniew Krzan, vice-director CALL TO STAFF JOURNALIST avalanches tumbling from the moun- of the Polish Tatra National Park. tain peaks. The avalanches can be so “We are planning the construction Management of the Polish Tatra powerful that they break through the of the special winter bypass from cc:sa:Grzegorz Koprowicz National Park will build a special thick ice on the lake. In recent win- the Wlosienica Glade to the Morskie ADVERTISE: platform to minimize the hazards ters, avalanche snow cracked win- Oko. The special platform, which from snow avalanches near Morskie dow panes in the mountain shelter will be constructed on this route, Oko, the biggest lake in Tatra. The on the lake’s edge. The avalanches won’t destroy the unique flora of the Andrzej Kowalski, platform will allow tourists to climb also often cover the road leading to Tatra National Park.” to the lake area safely. the lake, which is one of the most One-way traffic in Tatra Moun- The new winter route is to be popular hiking trails in the Tatra Na- tains has been a success. Its intro- ready next year. The new platform tional Park. Hikers frequently have duction on Orla Perc has reduced Marketing Manager, route is another change in the Tatra been forced to wait in the shelter for congestion and the risk of serious Mountains after the introduction of a few days until the Tatra Voluntary accidents. one-way traffic on the Orla Perc, a Rescue Service announced a de- “Nevertheless,” cautions Pawel +48 (0) 798-683-160 challenging hiking trail in the High crease of the avalanche danger. Skawinski, a mountain rescuer. “the Tatras. In the winter when heavy “We want to limit the danger of danger of the fatal accidents is al- T.Love. snows fall, the Morskie Oko area avalanches in this mountain area,” ways present on mountain trips. NOVEMBER 22-NOVEMBER 28, 2007 KRAKOW The Krakow Post 13

Thousands of Britons come FOOD First-class, to Poland for Christmas third-hand Sakana Sushi Bar

cc:sa:Cancre fashion flies from Krakow

to London GFDL:1.2:M.Minderhoud

Krzysztof Skonieczny STAFF JOURNALIST

Monika Drozynska, the co- owner and co-operator of the Punkt Fashion studio has won the Polish heat of the International Young Fashion Entrepreneur of the Year 2008 Award competition. The Krakow Post has written about Punkt in July this year. The studio, located on ul. Sławkowska offers its customers intriguing, original apparel with certificates of guaranteed unique- ness, boasting that there were no more than five pieces of each gar- Phoebe Ryrko tofu and a generous amount of seaweed. ment made. STAFF JOURNALIST Edyta’s soup “osuimono” was mild chicken The most important thing, noodle, perfect to prepare your palette. though, is that the clothes are cre- Sushi bars are growing in number and The elegant manageress suggested we ated in a manner the designers call popularity in Poland. I visited Sakana try two of the day’s three specials; a large “creative recycling,” which means Sushi Bar on a beautiful Krakow evening, platter of Tiger Prawns called “ebi furai“ that mainly second-hand materials although I wondered if Sushi would be my and “greshemusy” New Zealand Mussels are used. first choice as I braced myself in the icy in tempura. As they state on their homepage, breeze. Our prawns were warm and succulent, this is not mere recycling, but rather Occupying an old city location, the ex- cooked in garlic butter and were accompa- a way to revive the old things and teriors of Sakana, close to the Rynek, at nied by hot “yakisoba” fried noodles and help them to return to the world. the corner of ul. Jana and ul. Tomasza is fresh carrot with green peppers. Drozynska was born in Gorlice understated, in the best sense. The interior We washed our buttery fingers in a small and studied at the Krakow Fine Arts is light and warm with a pale golden wood bowl of water, although my napkin wasn’t Joanna Zabierek They envy us, as Poles usually have very Academy. Her graduation work interior and playful paper lanterns hanging quite up to the job after my third prawn. STAFF JOURNALIST strong family relationships. was “Blok,” a photography-based overhead. The large bamboo poles cre- The “greshemusy,” New Zealand Mussels Christmas is a holiday that offers a great performance aiming to describe the ated screens and added texture to the warm- in vibrant green shells coated in tempura Thousands of Britons are coming to Po- opportunity to see what Polish family life alienation of people living along- toned walls. batter and grilled were beautifully warm land for Christmas. Airports in England and looks like, Iglicka explains. According to side each other in a concrete block The most exciting feature of the restau- and melted in the mouth. They sat freely Ireland haven’t experienced such a rush in another sociologist, Britons also are inter- of flats. It has been presented all rant is the central eating bar. Gently curved in their shells and we popped them easily years, the daily newspaper Metro reports. ested in our religion. Many people in Great over Poland and drew significant in the outline of a figure of eight, one eats into our mouths without having to fight to For travel and tourist businesses, it will be a Britain have left the Anglican Church re- attention from the media. facing onto the chefs who work before you, detach the mussel’s foot. very merry and profitable Christmas. cently. Maybe they need something to fill The International Young Fash- creating individual surprises throughout the Sushi is not just about the food but also They owe it to Poles who are inviting this empty place. ion Entrepreneur of the Year is an evening. This experience alone is fascinat- about the experience and this, chiefly rests their British friends for Christmas Eve. What is the most interesting Christmas award granted by British Council to ing, entertaining and fun. with the chef. Waldemar Legendziewicz is Most of the tickets to Poland have already event for Britons? designers under thirty-five years of It creates an atmosphere of reverence to- the head chef and sushi master at Sakana. been booked. It has been estimated that car- Many point to midnight Mass. age, who are both creative and have wards the food, and not only that, but, as He carried himself with great serenity and riers offering routes between Great Britain They seem to be very excited by a visit to significant potential. is quite usual in Sushi bars, the food passes his actions were smooth and flowing, as he and Poland will transport more than 30,000 a church at night. And of course, Christmas As organizers stress, “the award by the customers on a conveyor belt. But in swiftly sliced the fresh fish and chatted with passengers during the holiday period. Are Eve and all the traditional dishes are also seeks to identify and nurture this the case of Sakana, the dishes pass on small the guests, creating “omakase” or chef’s airlines surprised by the migration? Not very attractive. next generation of leaders in the lo- boats floating in a narrow rill of water, each choice for them. necessarily. But it did strike them as curious British attitudes toward immigrants, par- cal sector, supporting them in their boat is decorated with a flower and the For us he made a delicate cucumber roll that Britons suddenly started to care about ticularly from eastern Europe, seem to have promotion of the best in national movement of these little boats floating past with pickled mushroom and toasted sesame Polish Christmas. changed since the first group of Poles ar- creativity, linking them with the is wonderfully calming. The crowd was a called “california maki,” we were mesmer- Why the sudden interest in our country? rived in England. We may complain about UK at this key stage in their devel- mixture of early twenties through to early ised as he peeled an avocado without any Well, having more and more Poles in the great number of Poles who leave our opment.” fifties and everyone seemed completely en- indentations made to its flesh. Great Britain, the Britons want to now more country, but the Christmas phenomenon Having won the Polish edition, grossed in the flavours as well as the visual Many of the “nigiri sushi” were highly about them. Britons want to learn about Pol- shows the positive side of emigration. Drozynska will, apart from rep- feast as the delicacies floated past them. decorative with garnishes of variously co- ish customs and tradition, Krystyna Iglicka, It has awakened an interest in our coun- resenting the country in the final The voices were hushed which allowed mu- loured roe, however our final choice was the ,professor of International Relation Cen- try as a tourist site that no advertising cam- stage of the competition, take part sic to be audible without being too loud. white on white: butterfish without garnish, ter, told Metro. paign could accomplish. A growing number in the London Fashion Week. I went with my well-traveled Polish a mild tasting fish that still managed to burst Her survey of Britons showed that our of people coming to Poland can make our As for the finals, the young de- friend and we began with a glass of sweet with freshness of flavour. affection for family and tradition is very country more recognizable in Europe. And signer is preparing a set of convert- Japanese wine called “umeshi.” Although Our meal was concluded with cherry tea. impressive to them, especially to those who that can encourage foreigners to make more ible, multifunctional picnic baskets sweet, this wine was very fresh with satisfy- Sakana offers informal dining at its best, don’t maintain close ties with their families. investments here. – but the final decision is not yet ing apple and caramel flavours. We then and as I stepped out into the cold night air, I Some of the adult Brits see their parents So there is nothing more to say but: “Wel- certain. had some soups as my feet began to defrost; felt rejuvenated and satisfied after a sojourn only once every few months or even years. come to Poland!” my “misoshira” soup was just lovely soft to a different place.

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the krakow post Thus, “Visible” refers to making visually software. Some programs are better than oth- impaired Internet uses more visible. ers; all have limits. Most companies that offer Silesians who are blind or have very lim- The first method that the Visible program them are working to improve them. ited vision are learning to use the Internet uses to help the blind use the Internet involves Pawel Pluszczyl, a 27-year-old blind resi- through an innovative Polish program that use of a screen reader. That device describes dent of Siemianowice in Silesia uses his com- will be available across the country next in speech what the screen is displaying. puter several times a day so he’s become an year. The other way the visually impaired can expert on the Visible program. Under the Visible program, the visually use a computer is through voice-based soft- He said he’s like an American in that impaired can use one of two speech-based ware. The “output” of such applications is “when there is no Internet, I’m thinking that methods to navigate the Internet. Without this speech rather than print. the computer has broken.” help, they would be able to use only about 3 “For people who are blind, or have some Poland has about 100,000 visually im- percent of web sites. serious problems with sight, the reading pro- paired people, Dziennik Zachodni said. The two groups behind the program are grams and speaking synthesizers” are gate- Though most don’t use the Internet, almost the Silesia branch of the Polish Association ways to the Internet, Dagmara Jakubowska 80 percent use computers. of the Blind and the web site creation com- of Agency Iart told the daily newspaper Dzi- In 2006 the EU ordered all member coun- pany Agency Iart. ennik Zachodni. tries to make the Internet available to the The name “Visible” refers to one of the The downside is that “this software is un- disabled – especially blind people – by 2010. aims of the program – making those with reliable,” she said. Many visually impaired The main aim of the Visible program is sight aware that some of their neighbors have people get so frustrated with the problems coming up with ways to help the visually im- trouble using the Internet because of sight that they simply give up, she said. paired use more of the Internet – and use it limitations. Many companies produce speech-based more easily. Designing vehicles to save planet

Urszula Ciolkiewicz sTAFF JOURNALIST

Polish students have the opportunity to design envi- ronmentally friendly vehicles at a 5-day workshop led by world-renowned Slovak designer Professor Stefan Klein from Nov. 19 at the Silesian Castle of Art and Enterprise, Cieszyn 121 kilometers west of Krakow. Professor Klein, director of Public Transport Design at the Academy of Art and Design in Bratislava, who has worked with Volkswagen, BMW, Skoda and Audi, will introduce participants to alternative energy vehicu- lar design concepts. “In Silesia, motor industry development is growing. More and more people are becoming specialists in this area” said Ewa Golebiowska, Castle director. “Foreign conferences about the industry are popular with Polish students…and this is a great opportunity for them to gain further insight from Stefan Klein.” Ecologically sustainable design concepts are moving from the fringe to center stage in a more environmen- tally aware world. Hybrid vehicles such as Toyota’s Primus have become an essential fashion statement in an era of carbon trading conscience cleansing consum- erism. Participants will present their vehicle designs of the future at the workshop’s closing day Nov. 23. Vehicle designed by Stefan Klein. Will colliery brass bands disappear?

Alicja Natkaniec heaps and unique miners’ housing estates. In tradi- Until today, they received regular donations for their why what some say about inevitable selection – the sTAFF JOURNALIST tional coal mining communities, the presence of musi- activity. best ones will be able to keep their position and the cians playing the wind instruments became a part of The money was spent on basic needs– rentals, scores, poor ones will disappear. The fate of traditional colliery brass bands of Sile- everyday life. uniforms, instruments and rehearsals. Beginning in “Kompania Weglowa” made the difficult decision sian coal mines are in danger. Some people even say that a coal mine cannot exist January, they will have to take care of their finances to optimize the finances of the company – its officials Starting at the beginning of 2008, the biggest Pol- without its own brass band. without regular financial support from the coal mines. choose not to support the mines’ activities, because ish coal company “Kompania Weglowa,” which owns And now it is possible that many of these bands will To hold their position, the brass bands will have to they are not directly connected with the extraction of the majority of Silesian coal mines, will not maintain have to be liquidated, even if the industry officials en- transform its legal form; for example, turn into “asso- coal. Especially since last year, the company incurred and finance its brass bands, the daily Gazeta Wyborcza sure that they will cooperate with musicians and try to ciations,” which will grant the opportunity to search for great losses. reported. maintain this unique tradition. But the musicians will funds in different institutions. For musicians, these reasonable decisions are under- The Colliery brass band is a landmark of the region be paid only for special performances, such as concerts For a professional band such independence can be standable, even if it is difficult to agree that the unique and a part of Silesian identity – together with factory during the coal mines’ ceremonies, funerals or wed- comfortable, but for an overwhelming majority – it is charm of the regions, which a brass band symbolizes, complexes, towers of mine shafts, mountainous slag dings and brass band competitions. merely the beginning of a struggle to survive; that is is slowly fading.

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