POLISH NEWS BULLETIN
October 2004
Warsaw, Hanoi, Oct. 7: Prime Minister Marek Belka arrived in Hanoi to take part in a summit of Asian and European leaders. Belka reached Hanoi on board a charter plane after a Russian made Tu 154 M government plane carrying the PM and the entire Polish delegation was grounded during a stopover in Kunming, southern China, due to engine malfunction. PM Belka and other members of the Polish delegation were transferred to a charter Chinese plane to continue their journey to Hanoi, the Government Information Centre reported.
Raciborz, Oct. 7: A CIA report naming Polish firms among companies delivering elements of weapons to Saddam Hussein's regime does not have any influence on the Polish-U.S. relations within the anti- terrorist coalition in Iraq, Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz said. The report by a group of U.S. weapons inspectors on Iraqi mass destruction weapons presented names of firms which conducted trade with Saddam Hussein's regime despite U.N. sanctions imposed on Iraq in 1991. The list includes, among others, firms from the U.S., France, Russia and Poland. Cimoszewicz stressed that the report published names of firms and not names of countries. "In case an embargo is violated without the knowledge and approval of a given country it's difficult to criticize the authorities of this state," he added.
Raciborz, Oct. 7: The Ministries of Foreign and Internal Affairs are working on ways to provide legal aid to citizens who can be threatened by property claims of former German owners. We are speaking here about claims by a group of Germans who left Poland in the 1970's and 1980's but whose names are still in mortgage registers, Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz said. "I would not rule out a situation in which a court might rule that a given property must be returned. This depends on a number of details. And such matters must be dealt with by lawyers and courts," Cimoszewicz said during a meeting on Polish-German relations in Raciborz. The meeting was attended by young people, local government officials and representatives of the German minority. Cimoszewicz said that there was a difference between possible claims by Germans who left Poland in the 1970's and 1980's and claims by Germans who were planning to take cases to courts seeking restitution of property lost following resettlements after World War II. The latter, about which the Prussian Claims Society is speaking, will not be directed against concrete citizens but against the Polish state, he said and stressed they would not be effective.
Wroclaw, Oct. 7: A team of Polish and German lawyers is working on recommendations to block the filing of successful war reparation claims by Germans and Poles, Polish foreign minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz said. He said it was too early to judge the team's progress but stressed that its members "showed unity of thought". The Polish-German team was set up under a September agreement between Polish PM Marek Belka and German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. The German Prussian Trust organization headed by Rudi Pawelka has demanded Poland compensate property lost by Germans resettled from west Poland after world war two. A group of Poles from Gdynia plan to found a similar organization to claim war damages from Germany.
Warsaw, Oct. 7: All parliamentary clubs have spoken in favour of the ratification of the European Agreement on Transfer of Responsibility for Refugees. The agreement has been signed in Strasbourg in 1980 at the initiative of the Council of Europe. Up to now, the document has been signed by 16 countries. MP Edward Plonka of the Citizens Platform addressing the Sejm during debate stressed that the majority of those applying for a refugee status in Poland are Chechens. This year, over 3,700 persons of Chechen nationality have applied for such status, last year - 5,600. Plonka added that Poland has earmarked 5.3 million euro for refugee assistance, while EU's aid in this sphere for Poland, an EU border country, reached 440 thousand euro.
Warsaw, Oct. 7: The centrist Citizens Platform (PO) has already gathered 269,000 signatures under a national referendum motion on constitutional changes, PO leader Donald Tusk told. If called out, the referendum will concern changes in the Sejm. Poles will be asked if they want the liquidation of the Senate, the downsizing of parliament by half, single-seat constituencies in parliamentary elections and the abolishment of parliamentary immunity. The signatures were gathered countrywide by hundreds of volunteers, and the result lets us state with full conviction that Poles decidedly back proposals to make Poland a country with modest-minded and financially rational rulers. According to Tusk the referendum on systemic and constitutional changes in Poland should take place as soon as possible.
Warsaw, Oct. 7: The conservative Law and Justice Party (PiS) will move for the government's resignation from planned roadbuilding contracts in favour of budget- and EU-financed road projects. The government has announced that it will contract the construction of all still pending stretches of Poland's road network by the end of November. According to PiS contracted road projects are more expensive and corruption-breeding than financed from government and EU funds.
Warsaw, Oct. 7: The Weimar Triangle countries (France, Germany, Poland) should pool forces in finding better energy exploitation methods, Polish science minister Michal Kleiber said in the break of an international energy congress in Warsaw. He also said France, Germany and Poland should expand their joint scientific research to include energy. These three countries are natural partners for such cooperation as they are Europe's biggest energy consumers. He added that the future of the power sector lay in modern energy sources, especially solar, hydrogen and synthetic nuclear power.
Warsaw, Oct. 7: High inflationary expectations and a closing demand gap represent the biggest threats to price stability, National Bank of Poland deputy-governor Jerzy Pruski said. "The biggest inflation-related threats result from a risk of transferring present high inflation onto inflationary expectations. It is a big challenge for a monetary policy. The interest rate decisions that were taken earlier, were to a considerable degree justified by the impact of inflationary expectations on the behaviour of economic entities, in particular in pay negotiations". He noted that demand pressure should be expected to be a risk factor in pursuing a monetary policy.
Passau, Oct. 10: President Aleksander Kwasniewski said that the united Europe is the only alternative to what he called aggressive memory and confrontational character of historical memories in Polish-German relations. He identified "mind denationalisation" in the two countries as one of the most important common tasks for Poles and Germans. Poland's and Germany's presidents Aleksander Kwasniewski and Horst Koehler attended a conference organised by the German media concern Verlagsgruppe Passau as part of a "People of Europe" series. Kwasniewski noted that efforts should be taken to turn historic memory into a universal value for safety and peace of the future generations. Koehler admitted that there is tension and irritation in Polish- German relations. The German president stressed that reconciliation with Poland was a priority for the German authorities. He recalled that his first foreign visit after taking over office on July 1 was to Poland. Koehler demanded that discussion about the fate of the German war- time expellees from Poland should be continued, while Kwasniewski said that Poles are very sensitive to any history revision attempts. The sides were agreed that the U.S. played a significant role in Europe's safety.
Warsaw, Oct. 8: President Aleksander Kwasniewski will pay a two- day official visit to the Netherlands on October 30 and 31, the presidential chancellery reported. October 30 the president is to be received by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. The agenda also includes meetings with Dutch PM Jan Peter Balkenende and parliamentary heads. The president will also attend memorial ceremonies marking the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Breda by Polish General Stanislaw Maczek's troops. Queen Beatrix and the Polish president will attend a mass to next lay wreaths at the Polish Military Cemetery in Breda and Ginneken.
Warsaw, Oct. 10: Prime Minister Marek Belka said that the countries of East Asia are interested in investing in Poland. The Polish PM returned from a Asia-Europe summit in Hanoi. Poland for the first time took part in the Asia-Europe summit as a full member of the EU. The meeting attracted 38 states. When in Hanoi the Polish PM met with PM's of China, Malaysia and Japan and the president of the Republic of Korea. Talks with Chinese PM Wen Jiabao focused on economic relations. The Chines PM declared readiness to carry out cooperation projects between Chinese firms and Polish firms, the issue discussed with China's president during his recent visit to Poland. During a meeting with President of the Republic of Korea Roh Moo Hyun Marek Belka pointed to a need to conclude an economic agreement between the two countries, given that the to-date agreement expired after Poland's EU entry. Talks with Malaysia's PM Dato' Seri Abdullach Ahmad Badawin centred on a planned visit by Malaysian defence minister to Poland. The Polish PM also met with his Japanese counterpart Junichiro Koizumi. The sides described Japanese investments in Poland as unsatisfactory. In 2003 Polish-Japanese trade turnover was worth 1362.2 bn USD. The summit wound up with a declaration to intensify multilateral cooperation between Asian and European countries. The participants in the meeting approved nine initiatives in the economy, investments, trade, science, IT, culture and social issues, health protection and education. The session's leading topic was the development of small- and medium-sized firms. Marek Belka said that the countries of East Asia are interested in investing in Poland. He added that the summit discussed plans to form a free trade zone between Asia and EU countries. The zone would be created gradually and could start functioning in 2005.
Warsaw, Oct. 8: The Sejm's Foreign Affairs Committee rejected a no-confidence motion against foreign minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz filed by the League of Polish Families (LPR) in connection with Cimoszewicz's refutal of a Sejm resolution concerning Polish and German mutual war damage claims.
Warsaw, Oct. 8: The Sejm resumed its debates with a series of votes, among others, on a draft law on the National Centre of Strategic Studies and a government report on the implementation of an offset agreement between the Treasury and Lockheed Martin. The chamber will also hear a report on government actions aimed at receiving and absorption of EU structural funds.
Warsaw, Oct. 8: Poland may receive from the EU almost 13 billion euros in structural funds in the years 2004-2006, deputy Economy Minister Krystyna Gurbiel told the Sejm during debate on absorption of means from EU structural funds and the Cohesion Fund. By mid-August, Poland presented to the European Commission 35 environment related projects hoping to receive from EU funds 522 million euro and 10 transport related projects for a sum reaching almost 700 million euro. The projects are to be implemented with the help of funds from the Cohesian Fund. Seven other operation programmes are financed from structural funds. The biggest operational programme implemented in Poland concerns regional development, said Gurbiel. Almost three thousand applications have been filed across the country.
Warsaw, Oct. 8: The Sejm passed a resolution in which it called on the government to prevent the construction of a Polish stretch of a road linking the Polish city of Bogatynia, Hradek on Nisou in the Czech Republic and the German city of Zittau. In the resolution, deputies stressed that the construction of the 4.6 kilometre road may be a threat to the interest of Szczecin and Swinoujscie sea ports as it will offer a better road connection between German ports and southern Europe. The government reviewing the issue concluded that the decision to sign a Polish-Czech-German agreement to this effect had been right. Deputies in the resolution claimed the document does not serve Polish interests.
Warsaw, Oct. 8: The Sejm sent a government draft on a National Centre of Strategic Studies (NCSS) to the Administration and Internal Affairs Committee for further work. The parliamentary caucuses of the Citizens' Platform, Law and Justice and League of Polish Families wanted the draft to be rejected in the first reading. Under the draft NCSS is to be headed by a president and his two deputies appointed and dismissed by the president. The term of office of an NCSS council is to last six years. The council is to be appointed by the president, PM and Sejm and Senate Speakers. NCSS is planned to prepare annual reports on the condition of the state, a socio-economic forecast and a long-term development strategy. The centre is also expected to prepare analyses concerning costs and profits linked with particularly significant drafts prepared by the cabinet.
Olsztyn, Oct. 8: A protocol regulating a mutual transborder cooperation between Poland and Lithuania was signed in the locality of Ramsowo near Olsztyn. Under the agreement the two countries are to cooperate together with the Kaliningrad district in the EU Interreg programme. On behalf of Poland the document was signed by deputy Interior Minister Pawel Dakowski and on behalf of Lithuania by secretary of state at the Interior Ministry Algirdas Astrauskas. Under the EU Interreg programme Poland will receive over 24 million euros, Lithuania - over 12 million euros and the Kaliningrad district - over 4 million euros. Both the EU funds and the signed protocol are to help improve tourist, social and economic infrastructure in the border regions of Poland, Lithuania and the Kaliningrad district. The Interreg programme aims to stimulate interregional cooperation in the EU between 2000-06. It is financed under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). It is designed to strengthen economic and social cohesion throughout the EU, by fostering the balanced development of the continent through cross-border, transnational and interregional cooperation.
Warsaw, Oct. 10: By the year-end the command of a multinational division in Iraq will be moved from Camp Babylon to Divania, Poland's defence minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski said. He added that Poland will ask "its U.S. friends" to cover convoys from Babylon to Divania. Szmajdzinski attended a meeting of defence ministers of the coalition forces in Iraq, the defence ministry's information centre said. During the talks, attended by U.S defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld, political and military situation in Iraq was analysed as were tasks for the coalition forces and issues relating to the political timetable.
Warsaw, Oct. 8: Poles will be in a group of 300 NATO instructors to train Iraq's military, colonel Piotr Pertek from the defence ministry's information service told. Earlier in Brussels NATO ambassadors passed a plan to send 300 military instructors to Iraq. Iraqi troops are to be trained in two centres. According to NATO spokesman James Apputhrai no startup date for the project had yet been set but stressed it should "begin as soon as possible". The idea for NATO specialists to train the Iraqi army was presented at the June NATO summit in Istanbul.
180,000 jobs thanks to special zones
Katowice, Oct. 8: Poland's 14 special economic zones have to date provided around 180,000 jobs and attracted over 4.26 bn USD, said participants in the 20th Special Economic Zone Conference in Szczyrk, south Poland. According to forecasts Poland's special economic zones can expect a serious influx on new projects in coming years, especially in the SME sector. The meeting focused on improvements in attracting investment to the zones. Attending the conference were zone managers, government officials, and members of the Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency (PAIiIZ).
Skawina, Oct. 8: The Polish Ferro company in Skawina by Cracow has built a several-million-dollar bathroom fittings plant in China, Ferro foreign trade manager Kazimierz Lekii informed. The ultra-modern plant was erected in 8 months in an industrial park near the city Xuhuan in Zheijang province. It is to start production next month in cooperation with a Chinese partner. Ferro currently employs 210 people, last year the company booked around 73.8 mn USD in sales.
Warsaw, Oct. 11: PM Marek Belka said that the size of Poland's military contingent stationed in Iraq will be decided not by politicians but by the military. Belka meeting with Polish local media said the Polish side is holding talks with its allies from the International Centre-South Division and recalled that starting from the 4th shift the size of the contingent will be gradually limited. The decision on the size of the next shift is to be announced at the turn of October. In early September all states whose soldiers form the international division declared their readiness to maintain the present size of their contingents until the expected January 2005 elections.
Lodz, Oct. 11: PM Marek Belka declared he agreed with Social Democracy for Poland (SdPl) leader Marek Borowski's statement that Poland was threatened by nationalistically-tinted rightwing populism. Borowski told his party's first National Conference, that their true enemies were not other leftwing groups but "Poland's squabbling, addle-headed and mentally primitive right". There is a danger of radical, nationalistic populism gaining ground in Poland. This is a realistic threat which could undoubtedly forfeit some of our achievements over the past 15 years, Belka said.
Warsaw, Oct. 11: PM Marek Belka will ask the Sejm to hold an early election in the 2nd half of May 2005. A vote of confidence in the Sejm will be held in the Sejm on Oct. 15. SdPl has said it will back up the cabinet (33 MPs). The government may count on support by some independent deputies and circles. SLD officials indicated they want elections to be held on the last Sunday of May.
2004 public debt at 52 pct of GDP, PM
Warsaw, Oct. 11: PM Marek Belka forecasts this year's public-debt- to-GDP ratio at 52 percent and adds that it may be below 55 pct in 2005. Poland's public debt will be 52.2 pct of GDP ad 54.6 pct in 2005, and including guarantees 53.6 pct of GDP and 56.1 pct in 2005 respectively. According to EU standards, the figures will be 46.6 pct and 48.2 percent of GDP respectively.
Brussels, Oct. 11: The EU should send Ukraine a positive signal after its presidential ballot, Polish foreign minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz said in Luxembourg at a meeting of EU foreign ministers. The suggestion is part of a Polish-German initiative to help Ukraine on its path towards EU membership, the first eastern policy project by both countries. Provided Ukraine's elections don't make matters worse, the EU should send out a positive signal to Ukraine regarding its position as our neighbour and partner. We must show respect for Ukraine's European ambitions, Cimoszewicz said.
Warsaw, Oct. 11: Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom will pay an official visit to Poland on October 12-13 at the invitation of Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz. The visit confirms Poland's involvement in the promotion of the peace process in the Middle East and provides an occasion to discuss bilateral issues. The two foreign ministers will chair plenary talks of the two delegations and will meet with reporters. The Israeli minister will also meet with President Aleksander Kwasniewski, PM Marek Belka and the Sejm and Senate Speakers.
Cracow, Oct. 11: Iraq is interested in purchasing Polish military equipment, especially helicopters, and tank upgrade services. Talks on starting the supplies are underway, defence minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski said. Szmajdzinski, just back from a brief Iraq visit, said he had discussed supplies of Polish army gear with Iraq's defence minister. He also reminded that Poland's Bumar company had sealed 51 million dollars' worth of firearms, ammunition and combat gear supply contracts with Iraq. Szmajdzinski added that the new contracts would be much higher. A delegation of the Iraqi defence ministry is currently in Poland.
Warsaw, Oct. 11: A Polish-Norwegian conference on the use of funds from the European Economic Area (EEA) Financial Mechanism and the Norwegian Financial Mechanism will be held in Warsaw to promote EEA Financial Mechanism in Poland and help private and state firms from Poland and Norway cooperate to seek funds for joint ventures. The programme of the conference envisages addresses by Secretary of State at the Foreign Ministry Adam D. Rotfeld and deputy Foreign Ministers of Poland and Norway Jan Truszczynski and Kim Traavik. The two ministers will speak about political aspects of Polish-Norwegian cooperation. Planned is also a lecture by Director of the Financial Mechanisms Office (FMO) in Brussels Stine Lundin Andresen. Undersecretary of State at the Economy Ministry Krystyna Gurbiel will present Polish priorities concerning the use of funds from the EEA Financial Mechanism, with particular emphasis on the Norwegian Financial Mechanism. In the years 2004-2009 Poland will receive financial aid of 533.5 million euros from the EEA Financial Mechanism and the Norwegian Financial Mechanism. Under the programme public and private institutions as well as non- governmental organizations can seek funds to co-finance their projects. The entire programme will start after Poland, Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstein have signed Memoranda of Understanding on the implementation of the two mechanisms.
Warsaw, Oct. 11: Poland and Russia received "with great pleasure the fact that Polish scientific circles will get acquainted with achievements of the Russian science," President Aleksander Kwasniewski said at a joint meeting of the boards of the Polish Academy of Sciences PAN and its Russian counterpart RAN in the Royal Castle. The meeting took place within the Days of Russian Science held in Warsaw, Cracow and Olsztyn. An agreement signed in Jablonna envisages about a 100 research projects to be realised jointly by scholars of the two academies during the nearest three years. President Kwasniewski decorated two Russian scholars Andriei Sakharov and Lev Zelyonyi with the Officers Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland. Russian Ambassador to Poland Nikolai Afanasyevsky decorated a group of Polish scientists with Russian State distinctions awarded to them by President Vadimir Putin.
Warsaw, Oct. 11: The finance ministry paid 107.1 million USD and 71 million euros worth of foreign debt interest and 548.6 million USD and 610.8 million euros in principal, the ministry wrote in a statement. "Interest and principal payments covered chiefly loans of the Paris Club" the finance ministry said. Foreign debt servicing costs have influence on the result of the current account of the balance of payments.
Katowice, Oct. 11: The EU's border regions (Euroregions) could receive legal status in several years under an EU resolution currently in preparation by several EU bodies, including the European Parliament. This would make launching cross-border projects easier, Polish MEP Jan Olbrycht, in charge of work on the resolution, said in Katowice. Olbrycht said that if the resolution became law (in 2007), local, regional and government partners would be able to seal official contracts under cross-border ventures. The idea to legalize Europe's border regions originated in the European Commission. There are over 200 border regions in the EU differing in population, geography and economic growth.
Warsaw, Oct. 11: Four to five Japanese companies are interested in placing their production in Poland. One or two of them are to make a final decision whether to invest in Poland by the end of the year, deputy head of the Polish Information and Foreign Investments Agency (PAIiIZ) Sebastian Mikosz has said. Representatives of the Japanese-Polish Economic Committee, affiliating Japanese companies present on the Polish market, met with representatives of a similar Polish committee to discuss possibilities of further development of economic cooperation. The Polish side has presented its offer to the Japanese concern to present it again during a visit by PM Marek Belka to Japan scheduled for January, said Mikosz.
Warsaw, Oct.19: President Aleksander Kwasniewski received PM of Norway Kjell Magne Bondevik. They emphasized the very good condition of Polish-Norwegian relations, and reviewed the present international situation stressing the need for consolidating the euroatlantic ties. Earlier Kjell Magne Bondevik met Sejm speaker Jozef Oleksy and talked with him about bilateral economic cooperation and cooperation in the international forum. After meeting Bondevik Oleksy told that Polish-Norwegian cooperation could develop particularly well in such fields as shipbuilding, fisheries, electronics, oil industry and the labour market. He added that Poland awaited the lifting of transitional restrictions on the access of Poles to Norwegian labour market. This will happen soon, Oleksy said. Bondevik also took part in a Polish-Norwegian Business Forum.
Warsaw, Oct. 19: President Aleksander Kwasniewski proposed to establish an international Jacek Kuron Prize "for activities in favour of freedom," to be awarded under the aegis of the International Labour Organisation ILO. The president was taking part in the conference on reforms of a welfare state, also attended by Juan Somavia, director general of the International Bureau of Labour. Kwasniewski recalled that Jacek Kuron was a man who "fought at various fronts not to lose man from one's sight" in "those great social processes taking place."
Warsaw, Oct.19: Challenges facing the new EU Commission to start work Nov.1 will be the subject of talks between the new chairman of the Commission Jose Manuel Durao Barroso and PM Marek Belka. Barroso is on a working visit in Poland, one of the stages of his European tour. The main topics in the Belka-Barroso talks will be the composition, action programme and expectations of the new Commission, the prospect of the European Constitutional Treaty coming into force, further enlargement of the EU, its eastern policy, and the Lisbon Strategy. The two politicians will review the challenges facing the Commission in the field of financial policy, coherence and competition policies, justice, internal affairs (especially protection of the EU external border and preparations of the new EU members to join the Schengen area).
Ottawa, Oct. 19: Senate Speaker Longin Pastusiak continuing his visit to Canada has met with PM Paul Martin and Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew to discuss international affairs, including issues linked with Iraq. Pastusiak said after the talks that although Canada did not send its troops to Iraq still his interlocutors stressed that their country identifies itself with the political goals of the coalition forces in Iraq. The Senate speaker also said that both sides agreed that the handing over of power to the Iraqi people should take place as quickly as possible. According to Pastusiak it is advisable to speed up training of Iraqi police and army as well as the co-participation in international structures, including NATO and the UN, in the supervision and reconstruction of Iraq.
Warsaw, Oct. 19: The Sejm adopted a resolution in memory of Father Jerzy Popieluszko (1947-1984) on the 20th anniversary of the martyr's death of the late Solidarity union's charismatic priest. The resolution was adopted unanimously. Father Popieluszko "courageously defended the ideals of truth, freedom and justice," the resolution said recalling the priest's death at the hands of communist security service officers. "His death was one of the last acts of the state terror aimed at its own citizens in the long chain of the post-war history," the resolution stressed.
Warsaw, Oct. 19: Poland's farmer subsidy payment system is in good working order and has to date channelled 5,400 money transfers, agriculture minister Wojciech Olejniczak informed the press after government sitting. Everything went smoothly with no holdups reported. The speed with which farmers receive their money will depend on the speed with which banks pay them out, the minister said. Olejniczak said he hoped most of the payments would take place this year. Our target is 30,000 transfers daily, which will get the brunt of the payments off the table this year, he noted. According to Olejniczak most farmers used their subsidy money for investments and running needs. He also reminded that rural communities without local spatial plans had a chance for aid under the EU Rural Development Programme (owners of low-yield land will be offered money from the Programme's afforestation funds). He added that the government passed a resolution to this effect, to come in force on its publication day.
Warsaw, Oct. 19: A traditional Japanese teahouse opened in the Warsaw University Library. The pavilion, a gift from Poland's honorary consul Ms Kazuko Takashima and the Kyoei Steel Company in Osaka, is one of two such objects in Europe. The other, smaller than the Warsaw one, is in London. Fronting the teahouse is a small gravelled garden in which tealovers can meditate before passing to the drinking ceremony. The inside is decorated by a handwritten scroll and the season's flowers. This gift is a small brick in the construction of universal peace, said Warsaw University rector Piotr Weglanski. Present at the opening were Japanese ambassador in Poland Masako Ono, officials from Kyoei Steel and Warsaw University representatives.
Warsaw, Oct.19: A new business magazine titled Manager Magazin Edycja Polska will hit newspaper stands at the turn of the year. It will be published jointly by Infor, a Polish publishing group, the publisher of the Gazeta Prawna, among other titles, and the German Manager Magazin Verlagsgesellschaft. Manager Magazin Verlags is a part of the Spiegel Group and publisher of Manager Magazin and Harvard Business Magazin in Germany and Hungary.
Warsaw, Oct. 19: September's industrial production rose 9.3 pct year-on-year, after a 13.7 pct growth in August, and rose 8.9 pct month-on-month, the Central Statistical Office (GUS) said. Economists expected industrial production prices to grow 8.4 pct y/y with forecasts ranging from 6.0 to 13.1 pct. Production in the mining industry fell 2.3 pct y/y, and rose 6.0 pct m/m. Production in the processing industry rose 10.1 pct y/y and rose 9.3 pct m/m. Production in the power, gas and water generating and supply sector rose 7.8 pct y/y and rose 5.4 pct m/m. Seasonally-adjusted industrial production rose 10.0 pct y/y and rose 1.5 pct m/m.
Warsaw, Oct. 19: Poland has manufactured 395,195 passenger cars during the first three quarters of 2004, up 76 percent on the comparative period of last year, Samar company monitoring the automotive market said on Tuesday. Eighty three pct of passenger cars and 89.7 pct of delivery vans manufactured in Poland has been exported. According to Samar Fiat is the biggest carmaker in Poland. The company's share in complete production reached 58.4 per cent after the first three quarters of the year. Next is Opel (21.6 pct), Volkswagen (11.2 pct), FSO (8.7 pct) and VW Caddy (7.1 pct).
Warsaw, Oct. 19: 47 % of Poles see the Czech Republic as a good neighbour, a recent poll by TNS OBOP polling centre showed. The ranking of good neighbours also includes Slovakia (38 pct), Germany (37 pct) and Lithuania (22 pct), Ukraine (12 pct), Russia (10 pct) and Belarus (8 pct). 39 % of those polled claimed that Russia is a bad neighbour. 25 % of the respondents voiced a similar opinion about Germany.
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Warsaw, Oct. 20: Poland's opposition parties reacted with indignation at president Aleksander Kwasniewski's sharp comments to last Friday's parliamentary tussles around a confidence vote on the government. Last Friday in the Sejm opposition MPs demanded a halt to a confidence vote on the Marek Belka cabinet until clearance of circumstances around a 2003 meeting between Polish enterpriser Jan Kulczyk and Russian security agent Vladimir Alganov and Kwasniewski's part in its organization. Asked about the incident today Kwasniewski accused Poland's opposition of attempting a "creeping coup d'etat" and pledged to stifle all moves to upset Poland's state structures. I will wage a relentless battle against all that voice groundless accusations and wish to destabilize the Polish state, Kwasniewski said. Renata Beger from the opposing Samoobrona Farmer Party called the president's words "an attempt to intimidate the opposition". If the president believes efforts to save, what is left of Poland's national property are destructive for the country then all I can do is congratulate him on his sense of humour, Beger said. According to League of Polish Families (LPR) leader Roman Giertych Kwasniewski's behaviour was a sign of desperation. It's never happened before for the president to walk into the Sejm and ask reporters to take down his words, Giertych remarked. Citizens Platform (PO) leader Donald Tusk said Kwasniewski would do better to help clear the Kulczyk-Alganov affair than take sides on it. He added that the president "had reason to feel uncomfortable" about such investigations but that it was nonetheless "not his job to tussle with the opposition". For Law and Justice (PiS) caucus leader Ludwik Dorn Kwasniewski's statements proved he was "prone to panic" and had "problems with formulating and articulating thoughts". The dignity of the presidency requires the head of state's words to be received with due solemnity, but this (...) just can't be taken seriously, Dorn said.
Warsaw, Oct. 20: Fifty-six percent of Poles in a CBOS survey declared confidence in president Aleksander Kwasniewski, 32 percent in PM Marek Belka. 82 percent voiced mistrust in parliament, 81 percent in the country's political parties. 55 percent trusted the media, 31 percent trade unions, 56 percent the Catholic Church, 54 percent the police. 77 percent declared trust in the Polish armed forces. 59 percent mistrusted courts.
Warsaw, Oct. 20: President Aleksander Kwasniewski said in the Sejm on Wednesday that as far as Belarus was concerned Poland should voice opinions together with other EU countries. The president made the statement in connection with his Tuesday's meeting with EU Commission new chief Jose Manuel Durao Barroso. "We discussed this with Mr Barroso (...) and I think that we should express opinions (about Belarus) as the European Union," he said. According to President Kwasniewski, as far as contacts with Belarus are concerned Poland has a more difficult situation than other EU countries. "We are neighbours and we must show determination and delicacy at the same time," the president stressed. The president expressed the hope that the EU would considerably verify its policy towards Belarus and its supporters.
Warsaw, Oct. 20: Prime Minister Marek Belka believes that Poland should continue its todate policy towards Belarus and not maintain high-level contacts with the state of Belarus. The referendum in Belarus was not held in accordance with the democratic standards binding in Europe. And one can simply describe it as a farce, the PM told Radio Zet on Wednesday. The Belarussian State Election Commission announced Monday that 77.3 percent of registered voters had backed a proposal in a referendum to lift a constitutional rule limiting President Alexander Lukashenko to two terms. The opposition accused Lukashenko's team of falsifying both the referendum and parliamentary elections. According to Belka, it is in the Polish interest not to isolate the Belarussian people. We should continue our policy of contacts with people, with Belarussians, he said and added that testifying to this policy were liberal visa procedures. The more Belarussians come to Poland the bigger number can verify their views concerning our country, Belka added.
Warsaw, Oct. 20: The European Union is a good thing for Poland and Poland is making a significant contribution to the EU, new chairman of the EU Commission Jose Manuel Durao Barroso said after meeting with Prime Minister Marek Belka. Barroso, on a working visit in Poland, one of the stages of his European tour, praised Poland's economic progress. He also stressed that it would be one of the priorities of the new EU Commission to improve competitiveness of the European economy but added it must be done in accordance with the principles of solidarity and cohesion. Barroso said the process of integration with the European Union certainly helped Poland to achieve progress and added that hopefully the EU would help maintain the development trends. Marek Belka stressed that striving to achieve higher competitiveness is a key matter for Poland. This trend should be harmoniously combined with the policy of coherence in the European economy. He invited Barroso to take part in the European Lisbon Strategy Forum to be held in Warsaw on February 4. Barroso assured that striving to economic competitiveness and socio-economic coherence should be reconciled also in the work on the future EU finances for 2007-2013. According to Barroso it would be difficult "but not impossible" to achieve the goals of the Lisbon Strategy in the envisaged time. Barroso and Belka also discussed present situation in Belarus. Belka termed the elections in Belarus as "a farce" and assured "we isolate Belarussian authorities, but do not isolate the people of Belarus." Barroso stressed that Poland brings an important contribution to shaping European neighbourhood policy. "Our neighbours' stability, democracy and freedom lies in the interest of all of us," he declared.
Warsaw, Oct.20: The condition of the Polish economy following Poland's EU accession, its prospects and attractiveness for foreign investors as well as the growth policy pursued by the government were the leading topics of prime minister Marek Belka's address delivered Wednesday at the 8th Business Round Table in Warsaw. During the two-day event organized by The Economist weekly Polish business leaders together with leading politicians try to find answers to questions on the world's economic situation and assistance for business development. Belka stressed that Poland managed to cope with challenges involved in joining the European community: Polish companies turned out to be more competitive than than had thought and the economy kept developing faster than most analysts had predicted. The GDP was steadily growing again this year and the financial situation of companies was improving. The Polish economy stands chances of a spectacular success in this region of Europe, it is simply doomed to growth, Belka declared. The debates at the meeting also concerned the government activities directed at improving the economy and plans till the end of its term of office. Much attention was given to such topics as infrastructure, financial policy and health care.
Warsaw, Oct. 20: The convent of deans of the Polish army officers corps joined the European Organisation of Military Associations (EUROMIL) during the organisation's congress in Budapest on October 15-16, the Defence Ministry reported on Wednesday. The union of former professional soldiers and officers of the Polish army was granted an observer status. EUROMIL is a politically and religiously independent, non-profit NGO of free, democratic associations representing the social and professional interests of military personnel on a European level. Founded in 1972 EUROMIL comprises at present 33 member associations from 21 countries representing nearly 500.000 individuals.
Brussels, Oct.20: Poland does not meet any of the five criteria of joining the euro zone currently, says a report from the EU Commission published here Wednesday. A key conclusion from the report says that Poland may be unable to reduce its budget deficit below 3 pc of GDP by 2007 and this would delay Poland's euro zone entry until after 2009. The report, devoted to 10 new EU members and Sweden, says that Poland fails to meet the inflation, interest rates, currency stability and legal conformity criteria. However, like the remaining countries, it has the greatest problems with reducing the budget deficit. The report claims that the savings in public spending envisaged by the Hausner's plan, could in reality be smaller than expected. Measures adopted by the parliament or under parliamentary debate account for 25 to 30 pc of the planned savings. Another threat to effective budget gap reduction is the possibility of excluding OFE pension funds assets from the sphere of public finances, a step required by Eurostat, the report notes.
Warsaw, Oct. 21: Two Ukrainian firms lodged a joint offer with the state treasury ministry relating to their investment in Warsaw FSO car maker, the ministry's press office said. The ministry said it is not an official offer as yet. The offer was submitted by two firms, Closed Join Stock Company Zaporozozhie Automobile Building Plant and Open Join Stock Company "Ukrainian Automobile Corporation". Early in October Bank Millennium sold FSO debts to the Ukrainian Automobile Corporation, which is a chief shareholder in AvtoZAZ. According to press reports, six banks are now in talks with AvtoZAZ on its buying back FSO debts. Early in October deputy minister Jacek Piechota said that AvtoZAZ would be a good investor in FSO.
Warsaw, Oct. 20: Polish shareholders of Polkomtel: PKN Orlen, PSE and KGHM who own nearly 60 percent of shares in the company, have agreed as to the intention to jointly sell blocks of shares they hold in the company, PKN Orlen said in a communique issued on Wednesday. "Polish shareholders plan to start talks on the matter with foreign shareholders in the near future. The Polish shareholders intend to sign an agreement by the end of November on the rules and time-table of preparing the sale of shares", the communique read. "At the same time a working team will be appointed to work out the details of the deal", it said.
Warsaw, Oct. 20: Nafta Polska will work out a plan to create the Integrated Logistic Operator that it will supervise. The plan could be carried out next year, Nafta Polska CEO Krzysztof Zyndul said Wednesday.
"We want the plan to form the Integrated Logistic Operator, supervised by Nafta Polska, on the basis of PERN and Naftobazy assets, be drawn up by year-end. If approval from relevant ministries is secured, the plan could be launched next year," Zyndul said. He added that the plan would not prevent Nafta Polska from carrying out its basic talks, that is the restructuring and privatisation of the fuel and chemical sector. (id)
London, Oct. 20: Poland will soon make investments in Angola's mining industry, mainly in the exploration of ornamental rocks and iron ore in the southern Huila province, according to reports on allafrica.com quoted by the Angolan Press Agency. The ambassador of Poland to Angola, Eugeniusz Rzewuski, met during his 48-hour visit to the province with its governor Ramos da Cruz. The Polish ambassador told reporters that Poland was a country with a long tradition in the mining industry and added that the co-operation would be beneficial to the both countries. Rzewuski refused to say how much his country would invest and added that bilateral negotiations were to start this year. The Huila province has a huge ornamental rock production potential. The Kassinga iron ore mine, located in the district of Jamba, has been out of operation for the last 25 years.
Warsaw, Oct.20: A majority of MPs spoke out against a reintroduction in Poland of the death penalty, proposed by PiS Law and Justice party, during Wednesday's Sejm debate. Also President Aleksander Kwasniewski is a staunch opponent of the proposal and declared he would veto the proposal if passed by parliament. The SLD and SdPl Sejm caucuses motioned for an outright rejection of the draft, while the PO, UP and PLD caucuses wanted to send he draft to committees for further work, although they oppose the death penalty. The PiS's draft was supported by MPs from the Samoobrona, LPR, RKN, PBL and PP caucuses and circles. The PSL caucus did not take a clear-cut stand on the issue. The vote is scheduled for Friday. Three fourth of the Poles are in favour of the reintroduction, according to a CBOS survey.
Warsaw, Oct. 20: The embassy of the Russian Federation in Warsaw sent a communique to PAP on Wednesday in which it thanked Polish government officials and all "organizations and people of good will" for their sympathy and help following the tragedy in Beslan."We thank for entries in the condolence book, telegrams, letters, phone calls, declarations of help and actual help, flowers, candles, toys, cards and words of support," the communique says. The thanks were addressed to organs of authority, political parties,, diplomats, businessmen, pedagogues and school students, among others.
Havel to come to Warsaw on Thursday
Warsaw, Oct. 20: Former Czech president Vaclav Havel will come to Warsaw on Thursday afternoon to attend the "Closely Watched Films" festival in Warsaw. Havel, who will spend two days in Warsaw, will receive on Thursday a honoris causa doctorate at a ceremony at the Warsaw University. Present at the ceremony will be President Aleksander Kwasniewski. The "Closely Watched Films" festival is planned as a review of the most interesting Czech films of the so-called New Wave of the 1960's. The former Czech president will also meet with students and festival organizers. He will leave Poland on Saturday morning.
The festival has been named after Bohumil Hrabal's "Closely Watched Trains" (1965) set in German occupied Czechoslovakia during World War II. The novel was also made into a highly successful film, directed by Jiri Menzel.
Warsaw, Oct. 21: Former Czech president Vaclav Havel received a diploma of Warsaw University (UW) honorary doctorate in a ceremony on Thursday. Personages gathered at UW Auditorium Maximum greeted the outstanding guest with a standing ovation. Present were President Aleksander Kwasniewski and other representatives of the Polish political scene. In his speech Havel recalled that Warsaw University was a centre of opposition against totalitarianism, violence and lies of the communist regime. He warmly greeted former democratic opposition leader Adam Michnik as his long-time friend. President Kwasniewski stressed it was an honour for Warsaw and Poland to thank Havel for what he had done "for the Czechs, for Poland, for Europe and the world, for democracy and humanity." On Friday Havel will be guest of Warsaw festival of "Closely Watched Films" devoted to the Czech and Slovak New Wave cinema. He will spend two days in Poland.
Rome, Oct. 21: Pope John Paul II will receive Prime Minister Marek Belka and Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz in audience on October 30, the Polish embassy in Rome said Thursday. On October 29 Belka and Cimoszewicz will take part in the ceremony of signing the European Constitution, to be attended by heads of state and governments of 25 EU member states in Rome. This will be Prime Minister Belka's first visit to the Vatican and the pope's first meeting with representatives of the Polish authorities in the 27th year of his pontificate. Experts on the Vatican affairs speculate whether on this occasion the Polish PM would invite John Paul II to Poland.
Warsaw, Gliwice, Oct. 21: A special Sejm subcommittee will deal with a Sejm draft resolution, submitted by the League of Polish Families LPR, on declaring void the Polish government declaration of 23 August, 1953, which said Poland resigned from war reparations. On the LPR initiative, the subcommittee was set up by the Sejm's foreign affair committee. Prime Minister Marek Belka said Thursday that "LPR's presence at Poland's political stage was based on the following method: make harm wherever possible and as painful as possible." "But this time I notice the Sejm has sobered up: there have been statements from other right-wing political parties distancing themselves from this LPR concept," he told newsmen in Gliwice Thursday. He was referring to PiS. LPR leaders want the Sejm to declare the 1953 declaration void, arguing it had been adopted under Soviet Union's pressure by a government that was imposed on Poland by a foreign power. Moreover, the declaration was signed one day after an agreement signed in Moscow by the USSR and the GDR. As such, it was not in the slightest degree an expression of sovereign will of the Polish nation and must not be binding for the present Polish state, the LPR claims.
Gliwice, Oct.21: It is the objective of Poland's economic policy to join the euro zone, but "not at all costs and at breakneck speed," prime minister Marek Belka said at a press conference Thursday. "It is an objective that should crown Poland's economic reforms and its achieving a high level of development," he explained. "Of course we would like this to happen as soon as possible." Commenting the reports published by the EU Commission and the ECB on Wednesday, Belka said that they did not take into account the actions that were taken in Poland over the past few months: "a marked progress on the road towards reducing the budget deficit that will materialize next year." The opinions presented in the reports also resulted from "the preliminary decision by Eurostat" on the interpretation of OFE pension fund assets, Belka went on. "As an economist I deeply disagree with the decision (..) Not being a statistician I have to reckon with statistical arguments, but from the viewpoint of our economic condition this decision is not important," the PM said.
Warsaw, Oct. 21: Poland will meet nominal convergence criteria by 2007, and the EU report that questions this plan is based on false assumptions, deputy PM Jerzy Hausner said."In purely factual categories, this report contains mistakes.(...) As to the conclusions (after its publication) I have an impression that instead of arguing whether we will meet (the convergence criteria or not), we should do the most that can be done to meet them," Hausner said."By 2007 we will meet nominal convergence criteria and Poland will be able to join the euro zone in 2009," Hausner said. On Wednesday the European Commission presented a report in which it questioned Poland's chances to cut the budget deficit to below 3 pct of the GDP in 2007. This would make it more difficult for Poland to join the euro zone two years later, in accordance with a government plan. According to the report, there is a risk that the budget savings to be generated under the Hausner plan would be smaller. The parliament-adopted or discussed funds account for some 25-30 pct of the planned savings, the document said. In addition, authors of the report say that the deficit may rise by 1.6 pct of the GDP (under government estimates the budget deficit will be 5.7 pct at year-end, and in case of the exclusion of open pension funds from public finances - over 7 pct) if Eurostat orders Poland to change the method of putting down domestic transfers to the pension fund. The European Commission said that Poland does not meet any of the five EU entry criteria.
Warsaw, Oct. 21: John O'Rourke of the European Commission Delegation in Poland was decorated with the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland on Thursday. The distinction was presented to him by deputy Prime Minister Jerzy Hausner. John O'Rourke was engaged in the implementation of pre-accession programmes with the use of the EU structural funds. Hausner stressed that O'Rourke's merits in preparing Poland's EU accession were so important that President Aleksander Kwasniewski decided to award him. The ceremony was attended by Ambassador Bruno Dethomas, Head of the European Commission Delegation in Poland.
Warsaw, Oct. 21: Deputy PM and Economy Minister Jerzy Hausner expects that in October the unemployment rate will fall by around 0.1 pct from September, that is to 18.8 percent.Unemployment went down by 1,000 people after mid-October while it went up by 6,000 people in the corresponding period of 2003. I believe that unemployment will be lower by 25,000 people at the end of October and that the unemployment rate will fall by 0.1 percent from September, Hausner told reporters. The Central Statistical Office (GUS) will present official data concerning unemployment in September during a press conference on Friday. According to officials of the economy and labour ministry the unemployment rate should stand at 18.9 pct.
Warsaw, Oct. 21: The finance ministry expects the 2004 budget deficit to be 2 bn zloty lower than planned, despite higher spending connected with EU project financing in last months of the year, deputy finance minister Elzbieta Suchocka-Roguska said. "The deficit should be 2 bn zlotys lower and it is realistic to achieve. This amount may be still be changed (...)," the deputy finance minister said. The government planned the 2004 budget deficit at 45.3 bn zlotys. "If the deficit is lower by 2 bn zlotys, or by 43-43.5 bn zlotys, then it should be expected that during November and December the deficit will be getting closer to this forecast. In October-November spending should considerable accelerate predominantly connected with co-financing of domestic budget, farmer subsidy payments, and other EU projects," she said. The budget deficit after September 2004 was 28,954.1 mn zlotys, or 63.9 pct of the 45.3 bn zlotys planned for the whole year. After August the budget deficit was 57.1 pct of the 2004 plan.
Gliwice, Oct.21: The 500,000th car rolled off the assembly line of the Opel Polska plant in Gliwice on Thursday. This year's production will total 100,000 units. 95 pc of all cars is exported. The Gliwice plant will start assembly of a new model next year, the Zafira. Production will grow to 180,000-190,000 units a year in a few year's time, the spokesman for General Motors Poland told. The plant employs 1,900 people and plans to hire 700 more to turn out Zafiras. The value of GM's investment in Gliwice is now estimated at over 1.6 bn zlotys (ca. 480 m USD), compared with the initial declared value of 1.2 bn zlotys.
Warsaw, Oct. 21: The Social Democracy of the Republic of Poland (SdLP) will back an amendment that introduces a 50 percent PIT rate for annual income of over 600 thousand zlotys during a Sejm vote scheduled for Friday morning, SdPl leader Marek Borowski said. Borowski said that the amendment is designed to make high income earners take part in the government austerity plan. The new tax rate is to generate 250 mn zlotys in extra revenues. The amendment was put forward by the Union of Labour parliamentary caucus. The Public Finances Committee on Wednesday issued a negative opinion about it in a vote of 12 against 10 with 12 abstentions. During Friday's votes the Sejm will consider another proposal for 50-percent PIT rate. The amendment proposed by the Self-Defence foresees the annual income threshold at 144 thousand zlotys.
Warsaw, Oct. 21: A film starring Patrick Swayze will be shot in Poland probably next year, producer Jacek Samojlowicz told PAP Thursday. The U.S. actor and his wife Lisa Niemi came to Warsaw Wednesday to attend the Polish premiere of Niemi's film "One Last Dance" starring Swayze. Samojlowicz, who is owner of NVC Felix Film, said he would like the film to be a 30-million USD project made inn cooperation wiht Columbia Studio of Holywood. The picture is to be directed by Lisa Niemi. The 52-year old Swayze on Thursday visited a Ballet School and met with students of Warsaw Film School run by film director Maciej Slesicki. Samojlowicz asked Slesicki to write a script for his project.
Warsaw, Oct. 22: The Sejm in a resolution appealed to Ukrainian authorities to adhere to democratic standards in the approaching presidential elections. In the belief that free and fair elections are a fundament of democracy in a law-abiding state, the Sejm hereby appeals to the Ukrainian authorities to maintain democratic standards in the coming elections, the resolution read.
Warsaw, Oct. 22: The Sejm in a law backed the ratification of a 1959 accord abolishing visas for Geneva Convention refugees in Europe. Under the accord persons with refugee status in Poland will be able to travel to its European signatories visa-free for 3 months, similarly refugee status granted in another signatory country will entitle to visa-free travel to Poland. Visas will be required for foreign stays exceeding 3 months.
Warsaw, Oct. 24: Customs crews at Calgary Airport Friday provided an unpleasant touch to a Canada visit by a delegation of Polish senators under Senate speaker Longin Pastusiak by running thorough checks on the Poland-departing parliamentarians and their luggage in disregard of their VIP status. Among others the senators were ordered to remove their shoes and put to meticulous body checks, their belongings, among others Pastusiak's wife's handbag, were also thoroughly inspected by metal-detecting gear. Pastusiak and a group of senators and businessmen visited Ottawa, Toronto and Calgary, Pastusiak also met Canadian PM Paul Martin, the country's foreign minister, migration affairs minister and parliamentarians. Discussed among others were visa affairs, Canada's support for Poland's strivings for membership in the UN Security Council and economic cooperation. Pastusiak, who has lodged a formal protest against his delegation's treatment in Calgary to Canadian authorities, called the visit a success and said it may contribute to livelier commercial turnover between both countries. He also said Canada had pledged to back Poland's membership in the UN Security Council in 2010-2011. Also discussed was the abolishment of Canadian visas for Poles.
Warsaw, Oct. 22: Science funding will be one of the main positions in the EU's 2007-2013 budget, PM Marek Belka told members of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Belka said EU research funds should be used for modern-day study projects (nanotechnology, security, etc.) and where possible utilized in Poland. Belka also underscored the importance of research connected with the EU's Lisbon Strategy of raising European competitiveness to the U.S. and Japanese level by 2010. The PM said this would require research outlays at 3 percent of the GDP. Belka also stressed the need for more rapport between commerce and science.
Vilnius, Oct. 22: Marek Karp, August-deceased founder and longtime head of Warsaw's Eastern Studies Centre, has been posthumously decorated with a medal marking Lithuania's NATO and EU membership. Lithuanian foreign minister Antanas Valionis presented the medal to Karp's widow Anna. Karp died last September from injuries suffered in an August auto collision with a Belarussian truck. Some Polish media suggested Karp, who was investigating Polish-Russian fuel connections, could have been killed to prevent him from divulging information. Lithuania's and Poland's strategic partnership today is largely his doing. In 2000 Marek Karp received Lithuania's Order of the Grand Prince Gedymin for furthering Polish-Lithuanian rapprochement. A concert commemorating Karp will take place on October 28 in the Picture Gallery in Vilnius.
Warsaw, Oct. 22: The Association of Polish Journalists (SDP) appealed to "governments, parliaments and non-governmental organisations of the entire democratic world" to help restore the freedom of media in Belarus and stop repression against newsmen. Indifference means a consent to depriving Belarussians of all freedoms as well as to repression. According to SDP, Poland has a debt to repay. The death anniversary of father Jerzy Popieluszko made Poles remember the price we paid for freedom of speech in an enslaved country. And in our struggle we were supported by reporters, politicians and citizens of free and democratic states, the appeal stressed. SDP sent its appeal to the Council of Europe and international journalists organisations.
Berlin, Oct. 24: Polish German scholar Hubert Orlowski and German historian Klaus Zernack received the Samuel Bogumil Linde Prize for Literature in Goettingen. The prize has been awarded jointly by the partner cities of Goettingen and Torun for nine years. In the previous years it went to Nobel Prize winners Wislaw Szymborska and Guenter Grass. It was also granted to Karl Dedecius and Marcel Reich-Ranicki. Orlowski is a German philology professor at the Poznan university and author of numerous publications on Polish-German relations. Zernack, a retired professor of the Free University in Berlin, specializes in the history of Poland and Russia.
Essen, Oct. 24: Thousands of coloured lampions lit up the downtown part of Essen, Germany in opening of the annual Essen Light Weeks festival, whose guest of honour this year is Poland. The lights were officially switched on in Essen's Willy Brandt Square by Essen Supreme Mayor Wolfgang Reiniger in the presence of the PM of Germany's North Rhine-Westphalia region Peer Steinbrueck, Polish ambassador in Germany Andrzej Byrt and thousands of Esseners. A parade through the city's streets was led by a miner orchestra from Katowice, the festival also has other Polish accents, including references to composers Chopin and Penderecki, the medieval scholar Copernicus, Solidarity and Polish bison. We want to show ourselves as a countrty bringing new ideas to Europe and show latest trends in our culture and art, the festival's Polish coordinator Dorota Keller told. Last year's guest of honour was Finland.
Warsaw, Oct. 22: Thirty five percent of those questioned in a weekly poll conducted by the Warsaw Stock Exchange expect the WIG 20 index to rise next week and 35 percent expect it to fall, the WSE said. At the end of current weak the value of WIGOMETR, the indicator presenting investors' expectations regarding bourse sentiment, is 0 point, a fall by 23 pts from previous week. The survey on the market sentiment is carried out every week on the basis of the same set of questions. Participants in the survey indicate their expectations regarding the performance of the WIG20 index for the end of next week, choosing one of the following: rise, no change and fall. This indicator may range from - 100 to + 100 points. The market sentiment survey is carried out among a selected group of capital markets' professionals: investment directors, investment advisors, fund managers, stock brokers and stock analysts.
Warsaw, Oct. 22: Sixty five percent of Poles trust Poland's President Aleksander Kwasniewski, 48 percent trust Warsaw President Lech Kaczydski and the same number of Poles trust Jan Rokita, one of Citizen's Platform leaders, a recent CBOS poll has shown. Among the least trusted were former PM Leszek Miller with 65 percent of Poles distrusting him, Samoobrona leader Andrzej Lepper (48 percent) and central bank governor Leszek Balcerowicz (47 percent). According to the poll conducted in October, the number of those trusting Aleksander Kwasniewski rose from September by 2 percentage points. Lech Kaczynski recorded a 2 percentage points fall and Jan Rokita recorded a 8 percentage point rise.
Warsaw, Oct. 25: Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma has called off a working visit to Poland because of the internal situation in Ukraine before the forthcoming presidential election, Minister of the Presidential Chancellery Dariusz Szymczycha told. The minister added that the visit would probably take place after the election, scheduled for October 31. Kuchma's visit was to be paid on his own initiative. He was to meet with President Aleksander Kwasniewski to discuss Ukraine's presidential elections. It was also planned as a farewell visit as Kuchma is nearing the end of his second presidential term. Kuchma and Kwasniewski were also scheduled for a joint press conference.
Warsaw, Oct. 25: President Aleksander Kwasniewski will leave for a three-day official visit to the Kingdom of Belgium. The planned talks are to focus on European and economic issues. During the stay in Belgium, the presidential couple will meet with King of the Belgians Albert II and Queen Paola and with PM Guy Verhofstadt. The president and the Belgian PM will discuss European issues, including the EU Constitutional Treaty, the opening of the Belgian labour market to Poles, the Lisbon strategy as well as economic issues, investments and trade. The president will also attend a Polish-Belgian economic forum together with a group of 18 Polish businessmen. Belgium is Poland's seventh economic partner among the EU countries. Belgian investments in Poland have totalled around 3 bn USD giving Belgium the tenth place among the biggest foreign investors. The Polish president will visit Brussels, Liege in the Walloon region and the Flemish Barbant where he will meet with governors of the provinces and town mayors. The presidential couple will also meet with Poles living in Belgium. The Belgian royal couple visited Poland in 1999.
Warsaw, Oct. 25: I am grateful to Poland for seeking to play the role of a bridge between America and Europe during these difficult times and for still believing in our common values, U.S. Presidential candidate John Kerry said in an interview for Poland's Gazeta Wyborcza and Nowy Dziennik published in the U.S. According to Kerry, America must give its allies a large role in stabilising Iraq. The best way to do this is by linking their interests with a peaceful future for Iraq. In economic matters, this would entail giving our tested friends, such as Poland, a share of multi-billion dollar reconstruction contracts, he stressed. Asked about his promise concerning moves designed to eliminate visas for Poles Kerry said that this was a bold idea and he realised it could run into serious bureaucratic and legal barriers. But the NATO enlargement to include Poland and other Central European countries was also a bold plan that required much effort and time. And this is a fact that visa regulations for Poles are obsolete and that they reflect neither the strategic relations between Poland and the U.S nor the tradition of close links between our people. If we cooperate with each other we will surely achieve this goal, he said.
Diwaniyah, Oct. 25: Governor of Iraq's Diwaniyah province Jamal Khadum Husoney assured commander of the Multinational Division General Andrzej Ekiert that Diwaniyah is a safe city. By mid-December the division is to move south of Camp Babylon to Camp Echo, a U.S. marines base near the city of Diwaniyah, the capital of Kadisiyah province. "This region has traditionally been against Saddam Hussein," the Iraqi official told. Province authorities count on the Multinational Division assistance in maintaining regular electricity and potable water supplies as well as the reconstruction of the sewage system and the construction of roads. Ekiert explained that concrete projects are presented by local authorities and implemented by local firms so as to prevent Baghdad from snatching better contracts. Most of Civilian and Military Cooperation (CIMIC) section has already moved over there and established contact with local authorities. CIMIC is to take over from the Americans some 150 projects aimed at ensuring stabilisation in the province. According Defence Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski, who has recently visited Echo, the base is much safer than Camp Babylon; the area is smaller and surrounded by 3.5 meter high concrete blocks. The base also has a camera-monitoring system. Transferred to Echo base will be 2,000 Polish soldiers and civilian workers and more than 1,000 Polish and Bulgarian soldiers from bases near Karbala. They will leave a Polish field hospital as its transfer would take too much time. The move implies that the division will take over responsibility for Kadisiyah province from the Americans, who will take over Karbala province.
Warsaw, Oct. 25: Poland has been discussing a future EU budget practically with all EU states but so far no quotas have been mentioned, Minister for European Affairs Jaroslaw Pietras told. Pietras denied Rzeczpospolita daily allegations about Poland holding secret negotiations on the EU financial prospect for 2005- 2013 with France, Germany, Spain and Great Britain. However, he admitted that the EU budget had been discussed on numerous occasions including a meeting of the Weimar Triangle countries. However, according to Pietras, Germany, France, Spain, Great Britain and Italy as well as Visegrad Group states are important partners in talks as they have clearly defined interests in the EU future financial prospects and equally clearly defined problems. He assured that in negotiations on the EU budget Poland would change its positions as regards the modernisation of the economy, namely structural funds, the cohesion fund, welfare fund and means for agriculture.
Luxembourg, Oct. 25: Interior Minister Ryszard Kalisz told that Poland did not support the formation of a special force protecting EU external borders though he had motioned for assigning funds for the protection of the EU external borders in the budget for 2007-2013. Kalisz argued that Polish borders are well-protected by its own border guards and the demand had been put forward by countries that lacked external borders. He was addressing reporters during a break in a two-day debate of the council of justice and interior ministers devoted to a five- year programme aimed at the introduction of a common asylum and immigration policy and improve cooperation in judiciary and internal affairs. As regards a European Asylum-granting Office the EC proposed 2010 as a date of setting up. According to Kalisz it was still too soon to speak about dates. In this respect Poland shared the view of Great Britain and not Germany, that would like to see the office operating as of 2010. In his speech the minister underlined the need for working out uniform standards for the protection of the EU external borders by the Common Unit of External Borders Practitioners. He stressed he would like to see the organisation hq. placed in Poland. The minister emphasised that there was a common consent for cooperation with third countries as regards immigration.
Katowice, Oct. 25: There should be about 400,000 less unemployed in Poland next year, bringing the country's unemployment rate down to 17 percent from the present 19, deputy PM and economy minister Jerzy Hausner told. According to the minister this year's unemployment should remain below 3 million with employment on last year's level. Hausner said consistent support of enterprise and strivings to expand the labour market could push unemployment down to under 10 percent around 2008.
Warsaw, Oct. 25: Voices for restoring the death penalty in Poland are only populistic moves designed to soften voters before the elections, justice minister Andrzej Kalwas said. Kalwas, attending a juristic ceremony in Warsaw, told a return to the death penalty would run against international conventions signed by Poland and "compromise Poland in the eyes of Europe and the world". Earlier today the Law and Justice Party (PiS) appealed for restoration of the death sentence and life imprisonment without parole. He also referred to the U.S., where abolishment of the death penalty resulted in higher and its reinstitution in lower crime rates. According to a CBOS survey 75 percent of Poles support the death penalty.
Gdansk, Oct. 25: EU-enlargement-connected tasks for European customs services are the main subject of a two-day meeting of the European Customs Union started in Gdansk. Attending the meeting are customs officials from 25 EU countries, including EC Director General of Tax and Customs Robert Verrue. Also debated will be new work regulations for customs officers, with special attention to the security aspects of border control. Polish head of customs Wieslaw Czyzowicz pointed to the importance of goods monitoring and stressed that the full employment of customs services in controlling border-crossing cargo would considerably raise global safety. Czyzowicz was backed by Polish finance minister Miroslaw Gronicki, who reminded that customs services in Poland were "one of the crucial formations in anti-terrorist protection". Gronicki also pointed out that over 40 percent of Poland's budget income came from import taxes, excise and VAT collected by customs services.
Warsaw, Oct. 25: The Freedom Union (UW) appealed to the European Parliament and Europe's democracies to pay special attention to the situation in Ukraine pending the country's October 31 presidential elections. UW also moved for an EP debate on Ukraine. We are observing the election campaign in Ukraine with rising concern. According to our information it is taking place in violation of basic democratic standards. Ukraine's democracy needs our backing. Its defeat will be a defeat for us all, UW wrote in its appeal. According to UW most worrying in the Ukrainian campaign are "stubborn attempts to (...) keep the opposition away from the media and voters and the presentation of opposition groups as terrorists". The appeal's authors also pointed to the Russian government's interference in the elections. As in Belarus, Russia (...) is trying to bend independent Ukraine to its ends, they wrote.
Based on the service of the Polish Press Agency (PAP)
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