POLISH NEWS BULLETIN
November 2004
Warsaw, Nov. 2: President Aleksander Kwasniewski and Ms. Jolanta Kwasniewska met with the Earl and Countess of Wessex, Prince Edward and Princess Sophia in the Presidential Palace. The president thanked their Royal Highnesses for hospitable reception during the presidential couple's official visit to Great Britain last May. He also thanked for the visit to Poland of British Deputy PM John Prescott during the celebrations of the Warsaw Rising 60th anniversary last August. John Prescott's speech in Warsaw reminded all Poles the Polish-British alliance during the World War II, the alliance which also binds the two countries within the NATO and the multi-national coalition on a stabilisation mission in Iraq. In conclusion of the visit the Earl and Countess of Wessex called on the Children's Hospital in downtown Warsaw.
Warsaw, Nov. 2: An agreement on economic cooperation between the governments of Poland and the Russian Federation was signed in Warsaw by deputy PM and Economy Minister Jerzy Hausner and Russian Minister for Economic Development and Trade German Gref. The agreement makes it possible to set up a bilateral commission that will solve current problems in mutual relations. The committee is to hold its first meeting between March and May 2005. The text of the agreement signed today was agreed on in September. Hausner said that bilateral economic cooperation was regulated chiefly by the trade agreement existing between Russia and the EU. As an EU member Poland had solid bases for cooperation with Russia. Gref said that the signed agreement was "a very good groundwork for further steps." He thanked the Polish side for "warm welcome and businesslike atmosphere of the talks." The ministers also discussed issues related to the power industry, support for investments, cooperation in the Kaliningrad district, border crossings, construction of transit infrastructure, trade issues, veterinary problems as well as modernisation of the railway terminal in Slawkow. Gref declared that "we will resolve the Polish-Russian veterinary problems soon. Hausner spoke also highly about trends in Polish-Russian trade this year. Between January and August it reached 5.6 bn USD, of which 1.6 bn USD were Polish exports (up 68 pc), while 4 bn were imports (up 17 pc). German Gref was received by PM Marek Belka who told newsmen after the meeting that "we do not see Russia as simply a neighbour. Russia is a strategic political and economic partner for the EU, and Poland, being an EU member state and having its national interest in mind, wants to develop relations with Russia.
Warsaw, Nov. 2: Polish and Indian Defence Ministers, Jerzy Szmajdzinski and Pranab Mukherjee met to discuss possibilities of Polish-Indian military and technical cooperation. Both sides agreed to set up a joint working group to review the issue. Both ministers stressed that such cooperation will not be limited to commercial contracts but also embrace joint staff training. Sides also want to review possibilities of production and modernization of military hardware and of know-how transfer.
Warsaw, Nov. 2: President of the European Parliament Josep Borrell at the start of his two-day visit to Poland met with Sejm Speaker Jozef Oleksy. He also met with heads of parliamentary caucuses. Oleksy commenting on the meetings said they were devoted to the composition of the future European Commission. Oleksy said that in his opinion Borrell expects more than just one change in the composition of the EC. The meeting with MPs was devoted to the European Constitution, EU's 2007-2013 financial prospects, the situation in Belarus and in Ukraine and a future EU accession of Turkey. Marek Borowski(SDPL) added that Polish MPs and Borrell discussed EU's eastern policy. The EP president shared the view that more attention should be given to Poland's eastern neighbours.
Warsaw, Nov. 2: Senate speaker Longin Pastusiak met a delegation of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts from the U. S. During the meeting Pastusiak recounted the Polish Senate's history and reviewed developments in Poland during recent years. Reminding about the historical character of Polish-U.S. relations, he also noted that political cooperation between both countries did not find reflection in the economic sphere. Referring to today's terrorist threats, Pastusiak said that all the world's countries should unite in the battle against global terrorism. Massachusetts Artillery Company Commander William O'Brien said he and his delegation were enchanted with Poland. He also praised Poland's economic successes, reminding that a strong economic position required hard work. The Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts is the third oldest military organization in the world after the Swiss Papal Guard and the Honourable Artillery Company of London.
Berlin, Nov. 2: Gesine Schwan, the rector of the Viadrina European university in Frankfurt on the Oder, will be the German government coordinator for cooperation with Poland, according to a report in the Financial Times Deutschland newspaper. The report has not been confirmed by the press office of the German government. A staffer of that office told that decisions concerning the posts of coordinators will be announced by the heads of the two governments during their meeting in Cracow. The two governments decided last September to set up the posts of coordinators whose tasks will include prompt reacting to problems emerging in bilateral relations. The climate of relations between Warsaw and Berlin worsened after some German expellees began to make claims to Polish real estate and compensations. Polish reactions to the claims, particularly the Sejm resolution of Sept. 10 on war reparations, were seen as exaggerated in Germany. Germany already has two government coordinators: for relations with the USA and with France. Gesine Schwan, 61, is a political scientist, speaks Polish, lived in Warsaw and Cracow for some time, and has been involved in the Polish-German reconciliation for several decades. The Financial Times Deutschland also wrote that Irena Lipowicz, the Polish ambassador to Vienna until recently, will be appointed the Polish government coordinator for relations with Germany.
Warsaw, Nov. 2: Poland can easily spend 4.2 billion euros worth of EU structural funds on regional development, but doubts remain whether the EU funding will boost competitiveness of Poland's local communities, the daily "Gazeta Wyborcza" announced. This is the 3rd GW report on how Polish provinces are making preparations to use EU money from the Integrated Regional Development Operating Programme. Its funds are used to finance projects connected with construction of roads, sewage treatment plants and IT networks, school modernisation and combating unemployment. More than half of the EU funds have already been distributed, and provincial governors are signing final agreements. Local government offices were flooded with applications, and experts and members of regional steering committees had to choose between good and very good projects. Local governments were also able to raise funds to contribute 25 percent of the value of the projects and secure funds for project implementation as EU funds are only paid out after a given project is completed.
Warsaw, Nov. 2: Renovations on the Polish embassy in Berlin will start next year, deputy foreign minister Sergiusz Najar told a sitting of the Sejm Public Finance Committee. Najar said upgrades on the embassy building will cost about 23.5 mn USD. The ministry originally planned to erect a new embassy building in Berlin, subsequently deciding to renovate the existing embassy and use the funds to build a new foreign ministry building in Warsaw.
Szczecin, Nov. 2: Airport in Golenow near Szczecin, north-western Poland, has launched new air connections with London and Copenhagen, spokesman for the airport Krzysztof Domagalski said. Air Polonia will fly to London twice a week and SAS planes will fly to Copenhagen four times a week. The cheapest ticket offered by Air Polonia costs 73.5 USD. According to the spokesman, some 2.5 thousand tickets have been sold so far to London for flights between November and January 2005. Apart from the newly launched connections the airport services Szczecin-Malmoe and Szczcin-Stockholm routes. In summer it services air connections with Turkey. Domagalski also said that talks on international connections with three successive carriers were underway. He added that a related decision would be made at the end of 2004 or in early 2005.
Ceacow, Nov. 2: Stana Buchowska of the La Strada Foundation and British historian Professor Norman Davies are the laureates of St. George's Medal awarded for the twelfth time this year. St. George's Medal is awarded to persons "fighting the wrong and building the good" in public life. It is awarded by a committee whose members include Adam Boniecki, Jozefa Hennelowa, Krzysztof Kozlowski. Buchowska has been working for seven years in the La Strada foundation fighting women trafficking and helping those who are trafficked for sex trade. Professor Davies was granted the award for promoting the knowledge about Poland and the eastern part of Europe among western historians. The distinctions will be handed over to the laureates in a ceremony to be held in the Centre of Japanese Art and Technology "Manggha" in Cracow.
Warsaw, Nov. 3: George W. Bush is a "tried friend of Poland", Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski said in a statement marking the U.S. president's reelection to a second term. He also underscored that Bush's presidency promised progress in the struggle against terrorism. According to Kwasniewski, Bush's re-election meant the continuation of "to-date good relations" with Poland. The coming four years, the president said, would hopefully show that Poland was a strategic partner for the U.S. It is definitely better for Poland today to continue cooperating with president Bush, Kwasniewski said. Commenting the Iraq situation Kwasniewski said he hoped the U.S. would keep to its plans of holding a January election in Iraq. He also voiced hopes for an upswing in relations between the U.S., France and Germany. Also PM Marek Belka said that Bush's victory would be "a great advantage" for Poland and "a time in which we will be able to continue what we have begun". According to Polish foreign minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz Bush's reelection will not bring major changes in Polish-U.S. relations. Bush's victory was also predicted by Senate speaker Longin Pastusiak, who said today that Americans would not risk a change in the White House while the anti-terrorist war was still on.
Warsaw, Nov. 3: President Aleksander Kwasniewski met with PM Marek Belka to discuss prospects of Polish-American cooperation and government plans designed to improve state structures and consolidate the economic growth. The PM informed the president about the meetings he held during his visit to Rome during which he signed the EU Constitutional Treaty. The two politicians discussed the EU Treaty ratification process and agreed its contents must be presented to Poles. Discussed was also Poland's position for the forthcoming meeting of the EC in Brussels, planned to focus on the Lisbon strategy and EU enlargement.
Warsaw, Nov. 3: President Aleksander Kwasniewski received Russian Federation's Minister for Economic Development and Trade German Gref to review the current state of Polish-Russian relations, the Presidential Chancellery reported. The two expressed satisfaction at the signing of an agreement on economic cooperation that would pave the way for the work of an inter-governmental commission for economic cooperation. They also positively assessed cooperation plans stemming from an agreement on mutual support for and protection of investments.
Warsaw, Nov. 3: President Aleksander Kwasniewski expressed the hope that all the irregularities would be removed before the second round of the presidential election in Ukraine. According to President Kwasniewski, it would be a good solution to organize a TV debate of the two candidates running for president, namely reformist opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko and PM Viktor Yanukovych. President Kwasniewski stressed Poland would cooperate with the new Ukrainian president. Western monitors said the poll fell short of international standards and the OSCE and the EU complained of media bias and voters being turned away from polling stations after being left off lists.
Warsaw, Nov. 3: It is a sovereign decision by Hungary - is how President Aleksander Kwasniewski reacted to the reports about Hungarian military pullout from Iraq by the end of March, 2005. "Every state has the right to make sovereign decisions and we do not deprive Hungary of it," he told. The president reiterated that Poland's position had not changed: "we want to limit our presence in Iraq and withdraw the troops but only after a very clear definition of a timetable that will not bring harm to the objective of the mission, which is restoring stability to Iraq," he said.
Warsaw, Nov. 3: While addressing the Sejm President of the European Parliament Josep Borrell Fontelles thanked Polish deputies for their efforts to develop democracy and transparency of the EU. Sejm Speaker Jozef Oleksy stressed that Borrell's visit to Poland was the first one by the president of the European parliament to a new EU member. He also said that the Sejm was interested in maintaining close contacts with the European Parliament.
Warsaw, Nov. 3: "One of the strategic goals of my cabinet is to build a state that is governed in a transparent way, a state that is more effective and more friendly to its citizens," PM Marek Belka told the Sejm presenting three government drafts concerning state and local government administration. The Sejm is planned to discuss a draft law on competitions that are to select heads of central offices of government administration and presidents of state agencies. Planned is also a debate on amendments to the laws on civil service and local government employees. "The intention of this cabinet is to separate politics from administration," the PM said and stressed it was one of his priorities.
Cracow, Nov. 3: PM Marek Belka and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder are meeting in Cracow at seventh Polish-German inter-governmental consultations. The two countries delegations are to discuss issues related to the appointment of both governments' commissioners responsible for Polish-German cooperation and the reconciliation process as well as compensation claims and the beginning of the Polish Year in Germany that starts in April 2005. No bilateral agreements will be signed in Cracow though most important cooperation goals for 2005 will be discussed.
Warsaw, Nov. 3: "Five Iraq-resident Polish women out of the eleven with whom Polish diplomats have got in touch want to return to Poland," Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz told. The minister stressed that all the women would receive necessary help after their return to Poland. "We do not want to limit our moves to air transport," he added. "We know that there are 19 Polish women with whom we must get in touch. We have already established contact with 11 of them," he said. "I have already instructed my staff to prepare everything to make it possible for the women to return to Poland. They may also spend some time at our bases in Iraq, but it is up to them," the minister said.
Warsaw, Nov.3: The minister for European affairs Jaroslaw Pietras said he was disappointed with the EU report on the implementation of the Lisbon Strategy. He also criticised the very strategy of the EU's chasing the USA. The report, compiled by a team of experts headed by Wim Kok, the former PM of Holland, was to provide an answer on why the EU failed to reduce the distance from the USA with regard to competitiveness and technological advancement of the economy. The report is too lenient in its appraisal of the Lisbon Strategy, Pietras said. He called for a better coordination between the objectives of the Lisbon strategy and EU's budget plans. He took the opportunity to indirectly criticise Germany, France, Britain, Austria, Holland and Sweden for their persistence in trying to restrict the EU 2007-2013 budget to 1 pct of the EU's GDP. Poland is among the poorest EU countries and has some of the worst indices in several areas of key importance for the implementation of the Lisbon Strategy. Pietras countered that a "dynamic perspective should be taken" meaning that what mattered most was the fact that Poland had one of the highest rates of growth and that other indices of competitiveness and technology were improving fast.
Lublin, Nov. 3: Ceremony in tribute to over 18 thousand Jews murdered in a mass execution at the Majdanek camp was held on the 61st anniversary of the Nazi crime. The ceremony brought together former inmates and representatives of the Jewish community, youth and local authorities. Rabbi of Warsaw and Lodz Michael Schudrich said a prayer for the dead and those gathered lit candles and laid wreaths at the execution site. "We come here every year to remember that horrible time and the murdered people, to remember the young people to oppose the violence and evil, Roman Litman, one of the few survivals of the Lublin Jewish population told. The execution at Majdanek was performed on 18.4 thousand Jews by German special units on November 3, 1943. On the same day Germans murdered 10 thousand Jews at Trawniki and another 14 thousand at Poniatowa, thus liquidating the last Jewish groups at the Lublin area.
Bielsko-Biala, Nov. 3: Leaders of the Ulster-based Irish Republic Army's (IRA's) political wing Sinn Fein Martin McGuinness and Gerry Kelly visited the site of the former Nazi death camp Auschwitz in south Poland. The Irish guests were shown the campsite's exhibitions, including a collection of hair, dentures, shoes and personal belongings of onetime inmates kept as evidence of Nazi genocide in the camp. The Sinn Fein leaders were also taken to the camp's Block 11, a deathsite where at least several thousand prisoners were executed, as well as the crematoria where bodies were mass burnt.
Warsaw, Nov. 3: The majority of Poles have not perceived any visible improvement of living conditions after Poland joined the EU. Over 50 percent of us believe that our living standards have deteriorated, wrote Rzeczpospolita in a commentary concerning a poll run by the Sopot Opinion Polling Centre. Poles complain nearly about everything, namely, price rises, poor living standards, higher interest rates on credits and no visible improvement in the economy. According to the respondents, Poland's joining the EU has not helped the Polish health service and education, either. Farmers are the only group that can speak about benefits. In the opinion of 93 percent of Poles prices have gone up while 48 percent say that their savings have gone down. According to Lena Kolarska-Bobinska of the Institute of Public Affairs, we have to wait a little longer to benefit from the accession. And in the opinion of sociolgist Pawel Spiewak the results of the poll do not show that Poles are pessimists. They are simply realists, he said.
Warsaw, Nov. 3: 26.1 percent of Poles over 15 and under 75 use the Internet, according to a survey by SMG/KRC Poland Media SA, conducted in the July-September 2004 period. Sixty percent of the polled use the Internet at home, 25 pct at work, 21 pct at school or university, 18 pct at their friends and 16 pct at Internet cafes. The survey showed that the website of the Onet portal remains Poland's most popular site, visited at least once a month by 72 pct of those polled. Wirtualna Polska is the second most frequently visited website (60 pct), Interia finished third (42 pct), Google fourth (40 pct). Forty five percent of the respondents use the Internet everyday or almost everyday, 23 pct use it few times a week, 15 pct once a week, 11 pct a few times a month and 4 pct once a month.
Warsaw, Nov. 4: President Aleksander Kwasniewski congratulated U.S. President George W. Bush on his re-election on behalf of Poland, the government and his own. President Kwasniewski stressed that the re-election mirrors trust the American society placed in President Bush. According to the Polish president credit for this confidence can be attributed to the U.S. president's decisive stand in difficult and tragic times as well as to his perseverance in pursuing a clear and coherent vision of his office and total war on terrorism. Kwasniewski thanked the U.S. president for his personal contribution in shaping Polish-U.S. cooperation and expressed the confidence that the strategic partnership of Poland and the U.S. would be strengthened during the second term of Bush's office. The U.S. president confirmed that settlements reached during a visit of PM Marek Belka to Washington would be implemented according to guidelines. George W. Bush thanked for congratulations and said he highly regarded Poland for support granted to the stabilisation mission in Iraq. He announced the continuation of international consultations within the coalition and outside of it. Referring to the international situation President Kwasniewski pointed out to the need for new U.S. initiatives, in the field of cross-Atlantic relations toward all EU states and in particular France and Germany. The U.S. president thanked for the suggestion and said that the U.S. administration would undertake proper actions in this respect. Both presidents said they hoped for being able to meet in near future. Meanwhile, Senate Speaker Longin Pastusiak sent a congratulatory cable to Richard Cheney, the President of the U.S. Senate in connection with George Bush's re-election. Pastusiak expressed the hope that Bush's second term would be a good time for cooperation between Poland and the U.S. especially due to Bush known commitment to the future of Central and Eastern Europe. The Polish speaker said he hoped for his U.S. counterpart to pay a visit to Poland.
Cracow, Nov.4: Consultations between several countries and a search for compromise were needed on the EU budget for 2007-2013, according to PM Marek Belka. The budget was one of the topics discussed by Belka and the visiting Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder of Germany. "We decided that we should find a sort of a compromise not only between Poland and Germany, but also between several groups of countries that clearly have somewhat differing interests and attitudes," Belka told. "To ensure that the debate goes on smoothly we resolved to set up a system of consultations to embrace several countries," the PM added. The consultations were meant to help "define, smooth out, adjust standpoints and search for compromise solutions," he added. "I believe that if we manage to reach agreement among a few important countries the process of building a new financial perspective will progress without major hindrances and delays," Belka opined. The EU budget for the years 2007 to 2013 is a matter of major controversy between net payers and the EU Commission.
Cracow, Nov. 4: There is no legal path for Germans re-settled by the Potsdam agreement to claim compensations, PM Marek Belka told reporters at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. The two politicians met to attend the 7th Polish-German inter-governmental consultations. Belka said that Polish and German experts led by former Poland's ambassador to Austria Professor Jan Barcz and expert in international law from Heidelberg Professor Jochen Frowein issued an analysis of compensation claims. Belka emphasized that attempts to win related suits in Poland, Germany or before international courts were bound to fail. "It would be a waste of time and energy," said the Polish PM and appealed to those willing to go to courts in Poland or Germany to reconsider their decisions. Gerhard Schroeder underscored that the analysis was "accurate, close and profound" and its conclusions left no room for doubts. He added that this had long been the position of both governments and would be presented to all. Both politicians stressed several times that the issue of compensation claims and war reparations was closed. The experts' report on the analysis will be published soon. According to deputy Foreign Minister Jan Truszczynski, the report is important politically and legally as it confirms the position of both states. However, Truszczynski said, it does not rule out lawsuits as democracy guaranteed everyone the right to settle conflicting issues at courts.
Cracow, Nov. 4: PM Marek Belka has announced that Polish and American common policy and joint undertakings will be continued. Belka underlined that good contacts between Poland and the United States would have remained unchanged irrespective of the name of the new U.S. The PM said that as regards Iraq the political process of transferring power to Iraqis would be pursued and striving for boosting international cooperation in ensuring stabilization of the country would be continued. According to Belka the U.S. president, not being distracted now by the presidential race can focus on the most important task of his term, namely the countering of terrorism.
Brussels, Nov. 4: The EU shouldn't remain silent now as regards Ukraine, Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz said before a EU leaders' summit. The agenda of the debates does not envisage any discussion on Ukraine but Poland is going to propose the EU to take a stand on this country. Referring to stabilization mission in Iraq, Cimoszewicz said that other states' decisions have no influence on the date of Polish troops pullout from Iraq. He stressed that Poland plays a special role in Iraq as it commands the Multinational Division. The summit is to focus on the Lisbon Strategy and its implementation. The minister said that to achieve the strategy goals liberalisation of EU labour markets should be discussed. Cimoszewicz is convinced that the summit will also tackle cross-Atlantic cooperation after the re-election of G.W. Bush though he is unsure whether new President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Durao Barroso will present his plans.
Bielsko-Biala, Nov. 4: Presidents of Israel Moshe Katsav, Russia Vladimir Putin, France Jacques Chirac and Poland's Aleksander Kwasniewski will take part in next year's ceremonies marking the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz Nazi death camp in Oswiecim, southern Poland, Andrzej Przewoznik, Secretary General of the Council for the Preservation of Monuments to Struggle and Martyrdom told. "Other invitations have not been confirmed yet but we can expect more heads of state and presidents of the countries whose citizens were kept in Auschwitz to come". Details concerning the participation of U.S. representatives are being agreed and Przewoznik is certain it will be a high-level delegation. According to the Council secretary the German side is also interested in the participation in the commemorations. The ceremonies will be held at the site of the former KL Auschwitz II-Birkenau on January 27, the day when the camp was liberated. The organisers expect 10 thousand persons to attend. Apart from international commemorations ceremonies also the Oswiecim authorities prepare local ceremonies of the liberation of the town and in tribute to the camp victims.
Warsaw, Nov. 4: The Sejm rejected legislation whereby the language of national minorities would be an auxiliary language in commune offices. This means that in the communes inhabited by national minorities, offices will not have to contact minority representatives in the language other than Polish. Sejm passed several out of 48 amendments to a national and ethnic minority and regional language bill. Deputies voted 247 to 133 with 6 abstentions to pass the bill in full. In Poland national minorities represent some 1 pct of the population.
Warsaw, Nov. 4: The Senate supported the introduction of a 50 percent income tax on Poland's richest people who earn more than ca. 176,000 USD annually. In this way the Senate approved the fourth tax bracket affecting around 4,000 Polish taxpayers. The Sejm passed the amendment on October 22. The government was against the introduction of this additional tax rate. At present Poland has three personal income tax brackets, at 19, 30, and 40 percent. The Senate-passed bill will now be again sent to the Sejm. If new tax regulations are to come into effect on January 1, 2005, they must be published in the Journal of law before November 30, 2004.
Wieliczka, Nov. 4: The Earl and Countess of Wessex, Prince Edward and Countess Sophie made a tour of the historical salt mine in Wieliczka near Cracow, southern Poland. The youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and his wife Countess Sophie are on a four-day visit to Poland during which they toured Warsaw and Cracow. The royal couple showed great interest in the 700-year old salt mine of Wieliczka and walked a two-kilometres long tourist route of corridors and chambers 135 m. deep in the ground. The tourist route of the underground corridors is 2.5 km long and leads to 20 salt chambers on the way. The Wieliczka Salt Mine has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1978. The royal guests on the last day of their tour of Poland opened an exhibition in a Cracow library before living this country.
Prague, Nov. 4: Deputy PM Jerzy Hausner said that Poland's economy may grow by 5.2-5.5 percent in the 3rd quarter of 2004 and by 5.7-5.8 percent in the entire year. Next, Hausner said he expected the unemployment rate to be 18.9-19.0 percent in December 2004.
Warsaw, Nov. 4: Thirty eight percent of Poles believe stores should work shorter hours on Sundays and national days and 22 percent are for banning trade on these days, indicates a report by CBOS polling centre. Thirty five percent of respondents were for total freedom of shopowners and five percent had no opinion on the matter. According to CBOS the number of Poles doing shopping on Sundays has gone up in recent years. In 1997 sixty two percent declared they never shop on Sundays. Now they account for 32 percent. Sunday's shops operations have aroused a heated debate in Poland recently with cities' and towns' councils debating whether or not to ban trade. A survey commissioned in September by the Warsaw authorities showed that 55 percent of residents were against any limitations in trade on Sundays. The CBOS poll run on October 1-4, 2004 on a representative sample of 988 adult Poles.
Warsaw, Nov.8: President Aleksander Kwasniewski expects there will be more terrorist attacks and military subversion in Iraq before the approaching parliamentary elections in January, but he stresses that the war of nerves must be won and elections held as planned. "We must be prepared for a growing number of attacks, for various political and military actions." "We must win this war of nerves, we must not give up holding the elections in their due time," he added. International forces should help ensure the security of elections, while the new Iraqi government will be the right partner for the international forces and for the UN in defining the future mandate of these forces. "We must decisively win the battle for the January elections in Iraq because this will be a breakthrough and will open up new positive scenarios in Iraq," the president said.
Warsaw, Nov.8: The eastern policy of Poland has been conducted correctly, responsibly and brings effects, according to president Aleksander Kwasniewski. The president stressed that Polish exports to Russia went up 60 pc this year and an important Ukrainian investor wanted to take part in the privatisation of FSO Motor company, the first such example to date. "We deal with a new stage in economic relations," Kwasniewski claimed. "As far as our eastern policy is concerned we are moving forward, step by step, despite the burden of difficult past," the president said.
Warsaw, Nov. 8: PM Marek Belka met representatives of parliamentary floor groups to discuss Polish eastern policy, especially the policy vis-a-vis Belarus and Ukraine in the context of recent elections in these countries. Participants in the meeting said the way elections had been held aroused concern. During the 2nd session of the EC in Brussels delegations' leaders and foreign ministers adopted a final document which contained remarks presented by the Polish delegation on Ukraine and presidential elections in that country. The political patronage over a mission to monitor elections by non-governmental organisations from Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary was held by the Visegrad Group of states. According to the PM this concern was expressed by a resolution on elections in Ukraine passed by the Polish Sejm. It is also a sign that a joint discussion on the eastern policy should be started and a consensus sought.
Warsaw, Nov. 8: President of Serbia and Montenegro Svetozar Marovic met with PM Marek Belka at working lunch to discuss bilateral relations and issues related to European integration and security policy. The Polish PM positively evaluated prospects for political relations between Poland and Montenegro. Belka said he was convinced that Marovic's present visit would help open a new stage in bilateral relations in politics, economy and culture. The Polish side maintained its declaration on readiness for sharing its experience in the implementation of EU standards in the administration. The PM proposed to hold inter-ministerial consultations or training courses to achieve this goal. Marek Belka underlined the importance of political consultations between Poland and Serbia and Montenegro as they helped to draw up a catalogue of the most important issues in bilateral relations and let the Polish authorities gain better knowledge about this country foreign policy.
Cracow, Nov. 8: Poland will send a successive, more numerous group of observers to Ukraine before the second round of presidential elections in that country, Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz said. The minister stressed that Poland had long been pursuing an active policy towards Ukraine as the best possible cooperation with that country laid in the interest of Poland and Europe. Cimoszewicz also said that Poland would take over the leadership of the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers. "Ukraine is a member of the Council of Europe therefore the Council of Europe has the right to expect from Ukraine certain attitudes and information," the minister said.
Cracow, Nov. 8: Poland should ratify the EU Constitutional Treaty because it is important for Europe's future. Its rejection would have negative consequences, also for the rejecting country, foreign minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz. He spoke out for the treaty, arguing that it answered a number of Polish postulates. The treaty will certainly not weaken our position in the EU, on the contrary, it may help us strengthen it, provided we know how to use the chance, he said. According to Cimoszewicz the blocking of the EU Constitution would be a signal "that Europe cannot communicate on crucial issues".
Cracow, Nov.8: Poland has been consulting other EU states on the EU budget for 2007 to 2013 for quite a long time now, foreign minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz told. The first such bilateral contacts began early this year, he added. "In our view some dozen-odd countries are partners to these bilateral consultations," the minister said, naming in particular Germany, France, Britain, Spain and Poland's neighbours. Similar consultations will also be held among groups of EU member states, Cimoszewicz expects. "It is no secret that there is a potential conflict of interest between the new members and countries such as Spain and Italy whose certain provinces were and are net beneficiaries" of EU budgets, the minister explained. "This is why we must talk in various groups because we all should be interested in a conflict-free debate on the budget," he said.
Cracow, Nov. 8: After October 2004 the unemployment rate fell to 18.7 pct from 18.9 percent at the end of September, deputy PM and Economy Minister Jerzy Hausner said. "October was the month that confirmed the positive falling trend though I am aware of the fact that there are still 2.9 million unemployed people. But undoubtedly we are witnessing a visible falling trend," the minister said. According to Hausner, the forthcoming four months will be very difficult on the labour market. "This is an objective tendency resulting from the smaller number of seasonal jobs. That is why it is difficult to expect any improvement in this period and I hope that the unemployment rate will stand at 19.0 percent at the end of 2004 and that there will be less than 3 million unemployed people," Hausner said and added he believed this was possible.
Warsaw, Nov. 8: On the 15th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall Germany's ambassador to Poland dr Reinhard Schweppe said that it enabled Poland to regain independence. "The fall of the Berlin Wall not only earned its place in the history textbooks but continues to have a great significance for Europe," the ambassador said. "Without the fall of the Wall and Germany's unification Poland might not be able to regain independence and would not be part of the EU today", he went on to say. "We owe a lot to Poland, not only to the Polish pope but also to Polish intellectuals of the 1980s who understood that only by overcoming Germany's division can Europe's division be overcome. This important moment is also significant for the future as it shows that no nation can be divided permanently. Its positive significance for us also lies in the fact that a peaceful revolution took place in our country that we had never had in our history before," Mr Schweppe said. The Germany's ambassador noted that mental walls that still exist are more difficult to pull down than stone walls. But he was hopeful that the future can be looked into with optimism. He voiced conviction that Germany and Poland would jointly play an important role in the EU.
Warsaw, Nov. 8: The U.S Defence Department decided to give free of charge 31 Hummer armoured vehicles to Polish troops in Iraq, the Defence Ministry Press Centre said, citing U.S. defence secretary Paul Wolfowitz. The vehicles will be ready to use by the end of November, the Centre's col. Piotr Pertek said.
Rome, Nov. 8: Primate of Poland Cardinal Jozef Glemp spoke to Pope John Paul II about the pontiff's pilgrimage to Poland next year. Glemp told that the pope's visit in Poland is almost certain, although its date has not been settled. In conclusion of his brief visit to Rome the primate said no formal invitation is necessary because the pope wants to come to Poland. The pope did not suggest any specific date. During the audience John Paul II asked Glemp about the situation in Poland and contacts with Ukraine. He recalled with satisfaction his meeting with PM Marek Belka in the Vatican.
Warsaw, Nov. 8: The UN Human Rights Committee asked Poland to liberalise anti-abortion regulations and not to discriminate against women. The Polish government presented a report in Geneva on how human rights are observed in Poland. U.N. Human Rights Committee voiced much criticism against Poland, praising it only for appointing a Plenipotentiary for Equal Status of Women and Men and for what it called efforts to improve the situation of women. The Committee was deeply concerned about the effects of the Polish anti-abortion law. What is more even women entitled to legal abortion (victims of rape, incest, hazards for women's health and life, damage to the foetus) often are not able to use this right due to attitudes of doctors and their religious views that forbid abortion. Besides Ireland, Poland has the most restrictive anti-abortion right in Europe, and the two countries do not allow abortion for so-called social reasons. The Committee asked Poland to liberalise the legislation and abortion practice. It wants Poland to give broader access to refunded medicines and contraceptives and conduct solid sexual education at schools. The Committee also said Polish women are discriminated against at work and demanded that this should change.
Warsaw, Nov. 8: Professor Leszek Balcerowicz, Poland's outstanding economist and co-author of Polish economic reforms will receive honorary doctor's degree of Georg Mercator University in Duisburg, Gemany, the National Bank of Poland reported. The degree will be granted in recognition of Balcerowicz's contribution to the development of Economics and practical application of scientific achievements to everyday economic life. During the ceremony Professor Balcerowicz, who has cooperated with university in Duisburg since the 1970-ties will deliver a lecture on EU enlargement and catching up with Europe's economy. This will be the 12th honorary doctor's degree in the career of the Polish economist.
Warsaw, Nov. 9: PM Marek Belka said that parliamentary elections should be held in spring 2005, but if the Sejm fails to dissolve at that time, he does not plan to offer his resignation. "My position is that elections should be held in spring. We have organized the agenda of cabinet work in order to complete major projects by spring," Belka told. He pointed out that a decision on the self-dissolution of parliament rests on law-makers. "I do not intend to resign. We have been considering such a solution," Belka said.
Warsaw, Nov. 9: The government decided to grant temporary shelter to Polish citizens and their families permanently living in Iraq, PM Marek Belka told a press conference. Belka explained that for the time being the scheme concerns five families. Fourteen persons have expressed interest in moving to Poland. According to the PM, persons in question may count on Polish government's aid for six months. They may receive food and lodging and medical care. Children will have the chance to continue their school. The action will take off soon and is linked with the "catastrophic", as the PM put it, security conditions in Iraq.
Warsaw, Nov.9: PM Marek Belka announced there will be more funding for activities in favour of the eastern nations and new initiatives in this field. Foreign minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz says Polish eastern policy has been active and consistent. Belka told about the outcome of Monday's meeting with officials of Sejm caucuses and devoted to the policy on Belarus and Ukraine. Foreign minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz will go to Ukraine in connection with the second round of the elections and also in his capacity of the chairman of the Ministerial Committee of the Council of Europe. He will meet outgoing president Leonid Kuchma, presidential candidates Viktor Yanukovych and Viktor Yushchenko, and members of the central electoral commission. Cimoszewicz took issue with recent criticisms of the Polish eastern policy, saying it was pursued "actively and consistently." "The charges levelled recently that there is no eastern policy at all, or that it is too passive, are in my opinion plain political propaganda," he said. Cimoszewicz said he watched the developments in Belarus "with great regret and disappointment. Even the fundamental rights and freedoms are not observed there, including the freedom of speech, and almost all forms of opposition activities, quite normal in a democracy, trigger reprisals." Cimoszewicz declared that Poland attempted to support Ukraine in its process of transformations and its European aspirations that were advantageous not only for Ukraine, but also for Europe.
Warsaw, Nov. 9: Poland's Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz will take over chairmanship of the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers at a special session in Strasbourg. Poland will hold the chairmanship until May 16, 2005. During the session, Minister Cimoszewicz will present Poland's priorities during its chairmanship, a list of events organised by Poland and assumptions concerning a Council of Europe summit in Warsaw in May. In addition the foreign minister will present political measures he intends to take during his chairmanship, including his forthcoming visit to Kiev on November 12.
Warsaw, Nov. 9: President of Serbia and Montenegro Svetozar Marovic visited the Polish parliament where he discussed interparliamentary cooperation and his country's EU aspirations. President Marovic met with deputy Sejm Speaker Tomasz Nalecz and deputy Senate Speaker Ryszard Jarzembowski. Nalecz stressed that President Marovic linking great hopes with interparliamentary cooperation spoke in favour for holding a meeting of MPs as quick as possible. He added that Serbia and Montenegro counting on Poland's assistance hope Poles will share with them their experiences from the process of preparing for the EU membership. Deputy Senate Speaker Ryszard Jarzembowski said Marovic's visit is a very important impulse for the development of bilateral cooperation.
Tallinn, Nov. 9: A Polish Sejm delegation led by chamber's Speaker Jozef Oleksy paid a visit to Estonian parliament. During a meeting with the foreign affairs committee the MPs stated that the EU enlargement should continue. They stressed the importance of developing neighbourly policy. The Polish delegation underscored the need for cooperation between Warsaw and Tallinn. The latter issue was also discussed by Oleksy and Estonia's President Arnold Ruutel. According to Ruutel infrastructure development, including Via Baltica and Rail Baltica, is of paramount importance to Central and Eastern Europe. Via Baltica express route is to link southern and western Europe with Helsinki via Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Rail Baltica would also go through the Baltic states linking Warsaw and Finland.
Warsaw, Nov. 9: American congressmen in a special letter sent to Polish ambassador to the U.S. Przemyslaw Grudzinski expressed "deep gratitude and recognition for the Polish soldiers of Multinational forces in Iraq," the defence ministry reported in a statement. The authors of the letter stressed the importance of the coalition of world states that united to fight against terrorism in order to build a safe world for those who want to enjoy freedom. In a special message for Polish soldiers in Iraq included in the letter the congressmen wrote that the soldiers could count on their support and prayers. The letter was signed by 83 U.S. congressmen.
Warsaw, Nov. 9: An Allied Forces Training Centre will open in Bydgoszcz in mid-2006. But it may turn out in a month or two that the 25 million euro centre, NATO's biggest investment project in the region, will open a year later. Between 300 to 400 officers of NATO member-states are set to start their training programme in mid-2006. They will travel to Bydgoszcz eight times a year to take part in training courses conducted by around 100 NATO officers. Funding for the construction of the centre will be provided by the Defence Ministry, the Western Military Alliance and private businessmen who want to build a hotel and turn a palace in Samostrzele into a recreational centre. NATO funds for centre design and preparation works have been initially awarded to Poland while the investment package will be submitted for approval to a NATO Military Committee.
Warsaw, Nov. 9: The finance ministry paid 32.6 million USD and 2.0 million euros of interest on Poland's foreign debt in October 2004 as well as 251.8 million USD and 118.0 million euros in principal, the ministry wrote in a statement. "In October Poland made early payments to the World Bank. Remaining interest payments covered mainly Brady's bonds and other credits," the ministry wrote. Foreign debt servicing costs have influence on the result of the current account of the balance of payments.
Warsaw, Nov. 9: Poland's foreign trade deficit after September 2004 went down to 9 billion and 191.2 million euros from 9 bn and 506.5 mn euros after August 2003, the Central Statistical Office said. The deficit in USD rose to 11 bn and 280.3 mn from USD 10 bn and 521.6 mn after September 2003. Exports in the surveyed period rose 22.0 pct to 42 bn and 203.0 mn euros. Exports in USD were up 35.7 pct to 52 bn and 22.1 mn. Imports in the surveyed period rose 16.6 pct to 51 bn and 394.2 mn euros. Imports in USD after the first nine months of the year rose 29.6 pct to 63 bn and 302.4 mn.
Warsaw, Nov. 9: A Foreign Investor Servicing Centre COIZ will be set up in Lodz, central Poland with a task to support direct investments in the region, spokesman for Lodz province local assembly speaker Marcin Nowicki said. "On November 10, 2004 head of the Lodz provincial assembly Stanislaw Witaszczyk will sign an agreement with the Polish Information and Foreign Investments Agency PAIiIZ on a joint project," it was written in a statement. According to the statement, the COIZ will be attached to the Lodz provincial assembly's office and, apart from servicing direct investments, it will promote region's economic and investment assets. According to PAIiIZ Lodz region rates fifth in Poland as regards the number of foreign investments. By mid-2004 investors implemented more than 160 investments mostly in logistic centres, pharmaceutical, car-making and advanced technologies sectors.
Brussels, Nov. 9: In 2003 four Polish regions were on a blacklist of Europe's most unemployment-ridden territories, the highest unemployment rate was in Lower Silesia (26 percent), the EU's Eurostat office informed. The three other Polish regions with record unemployment were Western Pomerania (25.5 pct), Lubuskie (24.56) and Warmia-Masuria (23.9 pct). Despite the high unemployment Eurostat noted a positive rise in services in Warmia-Masuria and Lubuskie and raised employment in agriculture in Western Pomerania. In 2003 unemployment was lowest in Italy's Bolzano region (2 percent), Eurostat said.
Warsaw, Nov. 9: Thirty seven percent of Poles in a CBOS survey declared they would stay away from an October election, 27 percent of them because they mistrust the country's politicians, 24 out of disinterest in politics. Seventeen percent said they would not vote as there were no parties no politicians answering to their needs. Seventy two percent of the election abstainees were between 25 and 34. Other reasons for not voting were reluctance towards politics (5 pct), protest against the current political elite (5 pct), and disbelief in the electoral system (4 pct). CBOS ran the poll on a random sample of 988 adult Poles.
Warsaw, Nov. 24: In connection with the situation in Ukraine and his appeal concerning the crisis in that country President Aleksander Kwasniewski held phone talks with Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz, who is holding the presidency of the Council of Europe, Secretary General of the Council of Europe Terry Davis and Secretary General of the Council of the EU and High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana. The talks focused on the current situation in Ukraine and issues connected with the possibility of joint initiatives of the international community which could lead to adopting democratic election standards in Ukraine, the statement said.
Kiev, Nov. 24: Outgoing Ukraine's President Leonid Kuchma declared protests staged by the opposition in his country as illegal in a phone talk with President Aleksander Kwasniewski. Both presidents discussed tense situation in Ukraine after the opposition declared that elections result giving victory to Russia-supported Victor Yanukovic were falsified. According to a statement issued by Kuchma office the Ukrainian president stressed, while speaking to his Polish counterpart that there was legal power in his country and that he called on all political forces in Ukraine to sit down at a negotiation table.
Warsaw, Nov. 24: President Aleksander Kwasniewski will attend the first meeting of the Polish-Israeli Dialogue series headlined "Polish-Israeli cooperation in international security after the EU enlargement", the Presidential Chancellery Information Office reported. The meeting has been organized by the National Security Office and Tel Aviv University. The meeting is scheduled to discuss Polish-Israeli cooperation in international security after the EU enlargement. It is also planned to consolidate mutual understanding and friendship between the two countries and create a better climate for further cooperation in security, economy and culture. The meeting will be attended by politicians, diplomats, scholars and businessmen.
Warsaw, Nov. 24: In connection with the present situation in Ukraine after the presidential elections PM Marek Belka made a phone call to Jan Peter Balkenende, the PM of the Netherlands which is currently presiding over the EU. An EU-Russia summit is scheduled in the Hague for November 25. Belka shared with his Dutch counterpart his observations and assessment of the Polish authorities as regards the course of the elections in the Ukraine and the present situation in Kiev. Poland is concerned over the development of the situation in Ukraine and the incidents of violation of democratic rights in that country. The PM stressed the historic importance of the elections in Ukraine for the European prospects of a development of that country. With a democratic future of the Ukrainian society in mind, the society which is both an eastern neighbour of Poland and of the entire Union, the Polish PM asked Balkenende to draw especial attention of the EU partners to that problem and refer to it adequately during the meeting of the EU Presidency.
Olsztyn, Nov. 24: Attempts to legalise something which cannot be honest in Ukraine can not be condoned by the democratic world, Polish foreign minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz said, commenting the result of Ukraine's presidential elections. The Ukrainians have a right to demand that their will is expressed in an honest way, Cimoszewicz stressed at a meeting with local authorities in Warmia-Masuria. He added that election results should not be tampered with "just because someone can't accept reality". Cimoszewicz said Poland has appealed to Ukraine to recount the vote in the presence of independent observers, e.g. from the OSCE. He added that Ukraine's defence of the present election results could harm its EU chances.
Warsaw, Nov. 24: New Social Policy Minister Izabela Jaruga-Nowacka said that the shape of the new draft laws on increased insurance (ZUS) rates for businesses and pensions from the Social Insurance Fund would be known after the meeting of the Council of Ministers. Jaruga-Nowacka stressed that budget savings resulting from the two above mentioned draft laws would be also known after the Tuesday cabinet meeting.
Warsaw, Nov. 24: All parliamentary floor groups have supported a draft amendment to the law on economic freedom that broadens the definition of small and medium-sized firms and enlarges the circle of economic entities entitled to subsidies from EU assistance funds. The caucuses decision came after the 2nd reading of the draft law. The law, passed by the Sejm at the end of May removed numerous limitations in running business and administration officers interference in it. It also simplified a number of procedures and cut short a firm registration procedure from 31 days at present, according to the World Bank, to a few days.
Warsaw, Nov. 24: Poles countrywide demonstrated their support for defeated Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko, who lost the country's elections in a presumably manipulated ballot. Several hundred Warsaw students gathered in front of Warsaw's Sejm building to demonstrate support for Yushchenko, in Wroclaw a group of 500 Poles and Ukrainians demonstrated in the city's Main Square, demanding Yushchenko as president and "Ukraine without Putin". The authorities of the Solidarity Union in Gdansk in a statement sent to press voiced concern over what they called "attempts to gain control of state structures" in Ukraine. Warsaw's city council at a special sitting today declared support for Yushchenko.
Warsaw, Nov. 24: The Monetary Policy Council (RPP) left interest rates unchanged. The RPP kept a restrictive bias in the monetary policy. The National Bank of Poland said in a communique that the rate of 14-day interventions will be still not less than 6.50 pct, the lombard rate will be 8.00 pct, the rediscount rate 7.00 percent, and the deposit rate 5.00 pct. The rate-setting body will hold a press conference at 1600 hrs to explain its decision.
Warsaw, Nov. 24: Inflation level predicted for the coming 12 months by private people fell to 4.0 percent in November from 4.4 percent in October, the central bank reported after a meeting of the Monetary Policy Council (RPP). In September the level of expected inflation was 4.6 percent.
Poznan, Nov. 24: Organ concerts by Danish virtuoso Allan Rasmussen with the Arte dei Suonatori orchestra wind up this year's edition of the "Early Music - persona grata" festival in Poland. The artist will perform in several major towns in south and western Poland, including Torun, Poznan and Wroclaw still this week, and next in Copenhagen. Allan Rasmussen cooperates with Arte dei Suonatori as from 2002. The Poznan-based Arte dei Suonatori is a leading Polish orchestra performing baroque repertoire on period instruments, and "Early Music - persona grata" is the greatest music event dedicated to the 17th and 18th century music in Poland. Over 30 concerts were held within this year's festival.
Warsaw, Nov. 24: Seventy seven percent of Poles said they supported Poland's EU membership, up 5 percent from October, according to a recent CBOS poll. This has been the highest result since May 1996 when support for the EU membership stood at 80 percent. Sixteen percent of the respondents said they opposed the integration (down 4 percent) and 7 percent were undecided (down 1 percent). According to CBOS, 68 percent of Poles who are willing to take part in a referendum on the EU Constitution will vote for adopting the treaty, up 12 percent from July. Eleven percent of Poles want the EU Constitution to be rejected (down 11 percent). The turnout will be 64 percent. CBOS ran the poll on November 5-8, 2004 on a representative sample of 988 adult Poles.
Warsaw, Nov. 24: Forty-four per cent of Poles think that current opposition parties will win 2005 general elections, according to a poll run by the OBOP polling centre. Sixteen per cent of those polled said they expect the current ruling Democratic Left Alliance to win the elections and remain in power. 13 per cent expects the elections to be won by a "new force". As for presidential elections, due in the fall of 2005, 34 per cent of Poles expect the new president to have opposition roots. According to 19 per cent the elections will be won by a person not involved in politics while 14 per cent say the new president will come from the same political camp as the current president-in-office. Fifty two per cent of those polled agreed that neither general nor presidential elections will bring any changes to the general situation in the country. The poll was carried out on November 4-7 on a representative group of 1,005 Poles.
Sejm unanimously passes appeal to Ukrainian Supreme Council
Warsaw, Nov. 25: The Sejm unanimously passed an appeal to the Ukrainian Supreme Council to do everything to make "the truth, freedom and democracy win" in Ukraine. The appeal was passed as a response to the situation in Ukraine after last Sunday's presidential election, which according to a considerable number of Ukrainians and international monitors could not be considered democratic according to international standards. In the appeal the Sejm wrote that the Ukrainian Supreme Council had often showed its commitment to democracy and opposed any moves to limit it. "Today, millions of Ukrainians and the entire free and democratic world is looking at you with hope. You have been elected by Ukrainians to protect their rights. History has been marked by such moments when the destiny of a nation is at stake. And such moment has come," the appeal said. The appeal stressed that reports concerning the second round of the presidential election in Ukraine coming from international monitors, the OSCE, the Council of Europe and European Parliament were leading to a justified suspicion that the election was marked by irregularities and even frauds. In the appeal the Sejm expressed the hope that the final result of the presidential election would reflect the will of the Ukrainian nation. "We are convinced that Ukrainian citizens want to live in an independent and democratic state that is governed in an honest way. And such Ukraine is needed by Europe and the entire world," the appeal stressed.
President: I am ready for mediation in Ukraine
Warsaw, Kiev, Lodz, Nov. 25: President Aleksander Kwasniewski told journalists he was ready for mediating in a conflict over elections results in Ukraine and that he may go there "in less than few days." The president, along with his Lithuanian counterpart Valdas Adamkus have been asked to mediate in the dispute by outgoing Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma. At a news conference after a meeting with one of Ukraine's opposition leaders Boris Tarasiuk, Kwasniewski said the conflict may be solved if elections results are verified, annulled where results are dubious and if force is not used by neither side. The president also said that the run-off elections in Ukraine are undoubtedly rigged in part. In his opinion, a "split of Ukraine into two communities," the western supporting the opposition candidate Viktor Yuschenko and the eastern, supporting Viktor Yanukovich, constitutes a serious problem. "This is not only a political and regional division, but also the division of the nation," Kwasniewski said. PM Marek Belka said Poland's official opinions on what's been going on in Ukraine should be "firm but cautious because we want to have a democratic partner." Belka believes that the election process in Ukraine has undoubtedly been tampered with. Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz believes there still is time to prevent possible complications in European Union cooperation with Ukraine. Cimoszewicz said that Poland refrained from stating whether or not it accepted the results of elections as "the procedure has not been concluded."
Polish politicians mediate in Ukraine
Kiev, Nov. 25: Former Poland's President Lech Walesa has said both candidates for the post of the Ukraine's president rule out the use of force. Walesa, who went to Kiev to mediate in a crisis over the contested results of recent presidential elections met with west-oriented opposition leader Victor Yuschenko in and Russia- supported Victor Yanukovich. The legendary hero of the Polish Solidarity trade union said however that while speaking to him the two could not rule out a provocation on the part of either side. Earlier Walesa addressed a 200-thousand-people meeting in the centre of Kiev to say that Poland wanted to help Ukraine and did it disinterestedly. He added that the world needed a democratic Russia and not the old-style one. Walesa thus commented on Russian President Vladimir Putin eager acceptance of the results of presidential elections, considered rigged by a number of countries including the United States. Apart from Walesa other Polish diplomats spared no effort to mediate between the two candidates.
Tarasiuk urges Polish MPs not to accept elections results
Warsaw, Nov. 25: Leader of Ukraine's opposition party Boris Tarasiuk addressed the Polish Sejm to urge Poland not to accept results of presidential elections in his country but to support the Ukrainian nation. Addressing the MPs Tarasiuk said the opposition expected from Poland "friendly mediation of the country that enjoys great authority in the Ukrainian society." He also said that 800 to 1,000 armed Russian special servicemen visited Kiev. "This way Russia braces for meeting the Ukrainian nation," he said and added that it was an act of aggression on the part of Russia.
President: Poland for consolidation of EU-Israel cooperation
Warsaw, Nov. 25: "Poland will do what it can to support Israel's further efforts to consolidate strategic cooperation with the enlarged EU," President Aleksander Kwasniewski said during the first conference of the Polish-Israeli Dialogue series. The president admitted that Europe's engagement in the region should grow as political and economic unrest in the Middle East was also becoming a European problem. The Polish president stressed that Poland's joining the EU was a good piece of news for the Polish-Israeli cooperation as it was opening up new prospects in economy, culture, science and technology. "There are also prospects of cooperation in the defence industry," President Kwasniewski said and stressed that this collaboration would make it possible for Poland to use Israel's know-how to modernize the Polish armed forces. The Polish president recalled that observances marking the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp would be held on January 27.
Polish, Colombian foreign ministers discuss cooperation
Warsaw, Nov. 25: Carolina Barco, the Foreign Minister of Colombia continuing her official visit to Poland on Thursday met with her Polish counterpart Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz to discuss development of bilateral economic cooperation. During a press conference following the meeting both ministers stressed the growing level of mutual turnover. Minister Barco said that Colombia, an important for Poland supplier of bananas, coffee and flowers, wants to expand its trade offer. In return Colombia is interested in imports of Polish buses, coal, tractors and airplanes. The country is also interested in cooperation in the mining industry. Cimoszewicz, referring to current talks between Colombia and the EU on conditions of export of Colombian goods to the EU, said that Poland supports the signing of an association agreement between the European Union and the Andes Group of which Colombia is a member. The two ministers also discussed the many-year on-going internal conflicts in Colombia, which in Cimoszewicz's words is a struggle of the government with criminal groups involved in the production of narcotics and smuggling. Barco said that combatting production of narcotics and trafficking is Colombia's basic problem. "This struggle must have its international dimension," "we count on Poland's support," stressed the Colombian Minister. Minister Barco said that Colombia sees in Poland a leader among countries of Central and Eastern Europe. "We are very interested in cooperation with such countries as Poland, which are able to understand our internal problems and the fact that we are trying to struggle for peace and democracy. It is difficult for us to find such friends," said Minister Carolina Barco.
Sejm committee calls on EU to open labour markets for Poles
Warsaw, Nov. 25: Sejm Speaker Jozef Oleksy on Thursday sent a desideratum to the prime minister with a call for immediate talks with the governments of the EU states on opening their labour markets for Polish citizens before the end of transition periods. The Committee for European Union passed the desideratum on November 17 after it had familiarised itself with an analysis of data from Ireland, Sweden and Britain, the countries that opened their markets for the citizens of new member states. The deputies concluded that the six months that passed since EU broadening had no negative impact on the labour markets or citizens of these countries. Free flow of labour force is one of the basic principles on which the European Union was built. The Committee stressed in the desideratum, and that is why it is asking the Polish government to continue activities for the "liberalisation of access" of Polish citizens to the services in all EU member states. Poland negotiated a maximum 7-year transition period for the labour market. After the first two years the EU states may prolong the period for another three years or open their labour markets.
Olejniczak: agriculture to benefit from EU financial proposal
Budapest, Nov. 25: European Commission's financial proposal for agriculture for 2007-2013 is satisfactory, the agriculture ministers of the Visegrad Group, including Poland's Wojciech Olejniczak, said at a meeting in Budapest on Thursday. "The level of funding allocated for agriculture is good, and it is optimistic for Poland and its agriculture," Olejniczak said after meeting his Czech, Hungarian and Slovak counterparts. But the minister agreed that the Commission proposals concerning reforms on the sugar market are too far-reaching. The four ministers pointed out that they should closely cooperate in order to guarantee good interests of Group member-states. "The quota and price cuts are too deep. The reform cannot take effect in 2005, and if it is introduced beyond 2005, it has to be steady," Olejniczak said, presenting the position of the four ministers. Olejniczak added that the markets of EU's new member-states are very important for Poland, and singled out Hungary as a country with which Poland's trade balance has markedly improved since May 1. "It is not good news for Hungary but a very good one for Poland. We are selling big surpluses of food output, including meat, vegetables and fruit in Hungary. Hungarian consumers highly value Polish food," Olejniczak said.
First offset Skytruck to United States
Rzeszow, Nov. 25: The first Skytruck plane produced as part of the offset deal accompanying the F-16 supply contract for the Polish air force by PZL Mielec has left for the U.S. on Thursday. The Mielec-based aircraft plant will produce a total of 100 Skytruck planes for the U.S. within eight years. PZL Mielec CEO Zbigniew Dzialowski did not disclose how much one Skytruck machine costs. Next year PZL Mielec will produce from four to nine Skytruck planes for the United States.
October retail sales up by 4 percent, GUS
Warsaw, Nov. 25: The retail sales grew in October by 4.0 percent compared to the similar period in 2003, following an 8.8-percent increase year-on-year in September. The monthly growth was 1.7 percent, the Central Statistical Office GUS reported on Thursday. The fuel sector reported the highest annual increase of 23.6 percent and vehicle sales recorded the biggest fall of 14.8 percent.
Ipsos: PO ahead of PiS in popularity poll
Warsaw, Nov. 25: If parliamentary elections were held in the first half of November the Citizens' Platform (PO) would get 28 percent of votes, unchanged from October, according to a recent poll run by Ipsos. It would be followed by Law and Justice (PiS) supported by 18 percent of Poles (up by 5 percentage points) and Samoobrona supported by 17 percent (down 1 percentage point). Next came the Democratic Left Alliance with a 13-percent support (up 5 percentage points) and the League of Polish Families (LPR) that could count on votes of 10 percent of the respondents, down 1 percentage point.
CBOS: Poles dissatisfied with president and parliament
Warsaw, Nov. 25: Fifty two percent of Poles expressed a positive opinion about the work of President Aleksander Kwasniewski and 37 percent voiced the opposite, according to a recent CBOS poll published on Thursday. CBOS stressed that never before the number of positive opinions about the president had been so small. The number of pollees declaring they were pleased with his work went down by 7 percentage points from October and the number of Poles dissatisfied with the president went up by 5 percentage points. According to the poll only 11 percent of Poles praised the work of the Sejm (down by 3 percentage points) and 77 percent voiced the opposite (up by 2 percentage point from October). The work of the Senate was negatively assessed by 61 percent of Poles (up by 6 percentage points) and positively by 18 percent (down 3 percentage points).
Warsaw, Nov. 28: Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski said he was "moderately pleased" with round table talks in Kiev between Ukrainian president Leonid Kuchma, the country's PM Viktor Yanukovych and opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko. The talks were called to help appease Ukraine's political crisis caused by presidential election, whose result the country's opposition has rejected as faked. Kwasniewski, who mediated in the debates together with Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Russian parliament speaker Boris Gryzlov, said the meeting had turned out "better than expected" but added that much still had to be done before the issue was resolved. I do not exclude another meeting in Kiev soon, Kwasniewski said. According to Kwasniewski the biggest success of the talks is a declaration on the non-use of violence in the conflict adopted by the Ukrainian government and opposition. Asked about the meeting's final declaration, Kwasniewski said it "resolved nothing but provided options for further action". Yushchenko, the opposition candidate in the questioned ballot, said after the meeting that his side was ready for a repeated second election round provided Ukraine's electoral laws are changed to give both candidates equal chances. The Ukrainian parliament passed a no-confidence vote in the country's Central Electoral Commission which was in charge of last week's vote.
Warsaw, Nov. 26: Polish Ombudsman Andrzej Zoll in an appeal to the Ukrainian Supreme Council's Human Rights Spokesman Nina Karpachova called for the employment of "appropriate legal means" in eliminating electoral violations in Ukraine. In his appeal Zoll underscored that Poles and Ukrainians were increasingly concerned over irregularities in the Ukrainian presidential election. In this situation you as Ukraine's Ombudsman have the choice of appropriate legal means to prevent further violations of electoral standards, Zoll wrote. Zoll also appealed to Council of Europe human rights commissioner Alvaro Gil-Robles to exert pressure on Ukraine to adhere to internationally - accepted electoral standards.
Warsaw, Nov. 26: There will not be major problems with carrying out the 2005 budget plan, Finance Minister Miroslaw Gronicki said. "It is a tight budget, but wasn't every budget difficult. This is a realistic budget," he said. The Sejm voted 227 to 196 with one abstention to pass the 2005 budget plan. "We have the budget that ensures sensible functioning of the state next year. There will be no problems with putting it into practice," Gronicki said.
Jerusalem, Nov. 28: Chief of General Staff of the Polish Army general Czeslaw Piatas started a four-day visit to Israel at the invitation from his Israeli counterpart general Mose Jalon, the Israeli army said in a statement. General Piatas will meet with Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz and Israeli officers to discuss regional security, the statement said. Minister Mofaz visited Poland in mid-November. During the visit the Polish ground forces received the first batch of Israeli made anti-tank Spike missiles. The ground forces will get 264 launchers and 2,675 guided missiles by 2013 as well as training gear.
Gen. Skrzypczak to replace gen. Ekiert in Iraq
Warsaw, Nov. 28: General Waldemar Skrzypczak will replace general Andrzej Ekiert as commander of the Polish-led multinational division in south-central Iraq as of January 2004, deputy defence minister Janusz Zemke told. The replacement is part of the staff rotations to take place in the Polish-controlled zone at beginning of 2005. The Polish contingent taking up service in Iraq at the beginning of 2005 will be considerably smaller but much better equipped, among others with 140 armoured vehicles and 6 Mi-24D armoured choppers, Zemke said. Polish soldiers in Camp Babylon received 12 humvee vehicles (High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle) from the U.S. In the coming days they are to receive 19 more. The U.S. defence department decided to give the vehicles to Polish Iraq forces in early November.
Five Polish troops slightly injured in car accident in Iraq
Warsaw, Nov. 28: Five Polish soldiers were slightly injured in central Iraq in a car accident, spokesman for the Chief of General Staff colonel Zdzislaw Gnatowski told. The accident occurred around near the town of Abu Gharaq, some 10 kilometers northeast of Hillah and did not involve any contact with the enemy, colonel Artur Domanski, the spokesman for the Polish-led international force in central Iraq. The five troops were taken to the Polish military hospital in the city of Karbala with injuries to their elbows, thighs and hands. After treatment two soldiers returned to their duties.
Warsaw, Nov. 28: Over 600 people visited the Polish Press Agency (PAP) during an Open Day on November 27. The visitors were shown how PAP functions, including a tour of the agency's "heart", the newsroom. They also had a unique opportunity to speak with reporters and learn the arcana of the journalistic profession. On show were pre-war newsreels shot by the then Polish Telegraph Agency (PAT), unique photographs from Central Photographic Agency (CAF) archives and equipment once used by Polish Press Agency (PAP) reporters. PAP's Open Day was part of the agency's 85th anniversary celebrations. The Polish Telegraph Agency (PAT) was founded in 1918, after the war it functioned for many years in London. It closed down in 1991 with a symbolic merger with PAP.
Warsaw, Nov. 26: Poland's Business Intelligence (BI) market is worth 28.5 million USD and is growing at a 30-percent annual rate, International Data Corporation analyst Tomasz Sloniewski said at IDC Business Intelligence Roadshow 2004 conference in Warsaw. BI systems allow the processing of corporate data from other IT systems, they are also used to generate company reports and surveys. Sloniewski said Poland's BI market was still small but growing fast. BI systems are mainly used by large banks, telecom operators and insurers, although increasingly more commercial companies are switching to them today, he explained. International Data Corporation is one of the world's leading telecom market surveyors with 700 analysts in 50 countries.
Warsaw, Nov. 26: 2004 will likely see a significant raise in agricultural revenues for the first time in the last seven years, chiefly thanks to Poland's integration with the EU, according to the authors of the report "Polish countryside after EU entry" that was presented in Warsaw. Production effectiveness in agriculture improved in recent years but price relations were unfavourable for agriculture, the report said. In 2004 price relations in agriculture improved, and 1.4 million farms will receive direct payments from the EU. In the first month after the integration exports of farm produce and foodstuffs to the EU rose 25 percent. By mid-2004 over 20 thousand agreements on SAPARD-financed projects were signed. The number of ecological farms is on the rise in Poland, it tripled in three years to some 2,000 in 2003. 38.2 percent of Poland's population inhabited rural areas in 2002, which is more than in most EU countries. In 2002 surplus of migration from urban to rural areas was 18,000 people. The role of agriculture as the main source of earning one's living is systematically decreasing. Only 17.6 percent of rural areas inhabitants support themselves exclusively or nearly exclusively from farming. Over 19 million hectares, or 62 percent of Poland's area is used for agricultural purposes. Close to 95 percent of arable land is in the hands of private owners. Fallow land, unused meadows and pastures account for over 3 million hectares, or close to 19 percent of arable land. From spring 2003 to spring 2004 moods were very bad in Poland, with dwellers of rural areas showing even bigger pessimism than the rest of population. From February 2004 moods improved in rural areas, including attitude to the EU following the inflow of EU funds as part of the SAPARD programm, rise in prices of many products sold by farmers, close prospects of the inflow of direct payments and other EU funds.
Warsaw, Nov. 26: Twenty-six percent of Poles in a CBOS poll consider the United States a true ally of Poland, 44 percent believe Poland should be wary of Russia, 35 percent of Germany. Forty-nine percent named no country as a proven ally. Eighteen percent said Poland was most endangered by the Muslim countries and terrorism, 40 percent named Iraq, terrorism and Arabs, 27 percent Russia and 21 percent Germany. Six percent claimed Poland had no enemies. CBOS ran the poll from September 17-21 on a random group of 935 adult Poles.
Cracow, Nov. 29: Our position in the EU if far stronger than our economic situation would suggest, said PM Marek Belka in a lecture in an economic university. He added that the first months of membership of the EU brought many surprises to both Polish and European public opinion. The Polish public had underestimated the benefits to be reaped by Polish farmers, food industry and transport companies from the opening of the EU agricultural markets and borders, Belka opined. The only negative impact of accession to the EU were price increases, Belka claimed. He warned that the opening of labour markets in a growing number of the "old" EU countries could lead to siphoning off young, skilled workers from Poland. Poland's position in the EU was stronger than our economic situation would suggest, Belka claimed, and the reason was our political activity and membership of NATO, good relations with the USA and the eastern dimension of our policy. "Our presence in Iraq, although controversial at home and costly, is clearly a trump card inside the EU, not a burden," Belka claimed. "There are countries which treat Poland more seriously because of this presence, even if they are not EU members and do not like the fact that some European countries are present in Iraq. What matters sometimes is not support, but respect," he emphasized.
Cracow, Nov.29: PM Marek Belka believes there are slim chances for an agreement on the next EU budget by mid-2005. He said that talks on the 2007-2013 EU budget were "a trial by fire for Poland's real position in the EU." "The talks will likely take longer than mid-2005 to finish which means that the finish will coincide with a change of government in Poland," Belka noted. "This is bad, because the new cabinet will have to learn on the job which creates the danger of losing a number of issues," he warned. Belka said Poland was among the six EU countries that engaged in consultations over the budget and proposed certain compromise solutions to the rest of EU members.
Cracow, Nov. 29: PM Marek Belka said that ongoing talks in Ukraine should also focus on ways designed to secure Ukraine's cohesion and stability. The PM did not rule out that President Aleksander Kwasniewski would go to Ukraine again in the coming days. The PM expressed the hope that there would be no split in Ukraine. He also stressed that the "winner takes all" rule would not be the best solution for Ukraine. The PM said that Ukrainians and president Leonid Kuchma asked President Kwasniewski and Poland to mediate in the talks. Belka also told that Poland's involvement in Ukraine and its role in ongoing talks was "undoubtedly consolidating Poland's prestige in the EU".
Kiev, Nov. 29: Sejm Speaker Jozef Oleksy has said Poland was firmly against any form of separatism in Ukraine. This message was conveyed to Ukraine's PM Victor Yanukovich by a Polish Sejm delegation, led by chamber's Speaker Jozef Oleksy, that went to Ukraine to present, to the Ukrainian Supreme Council, an appeal passed by the Sejm in which the Polish MP's urged Ukraine not to spare effort to let "win truth, freedom and democracy in the country." Oleksy said that Yanukowicz confirmed the willingness to repeat the run-off election in regions where its results were contested but excluded the possibility of repeating it nation-wide. After meeting Yanukovich the delegation was received by Ukraine's outgoing President Leonid Kuchma. Both meetings, held in Kuchma's residence in Koncha Zaspa, near Kiev, were held behind closed doors. Together with the Sejm delegation a three-strong "good services mission," appointed by President Aleksander Kwasniewski left for Ukraine to help solve the post-election political crisis there. According to deputy Foreign Minister Adam Rotfeld the delegation may pave the way for a possible, successive visit of President Kwasniewski to Ukraine.
Warsaw, Nov. 29: Finance Minister Miroslaw Gronicki expressed the hope that President Aleksander Kwasniewski would not sign an amended PIT tax law. In mid-November the Sejm passed the amended PIT tax law under which taxpeyers with annual income exceeding ca. 187000 USD will have to pay a 50 percent PIT rate. Over 4,000 taxpayers will be affected by the amendment. The Finance Ministry opposed the proposal during legislative work. In this way the Sejm approved the fourth tax bracket. At present Poland has three personal income tax brackets, at 19, 30, and 40 percent. If new tax regulations are to come into effect on January 1, 2005, they must be published in the Journal of law before November 30, 2004.
Cracow, Nov. 29: The government will unveil a plan to lower the basic VAT rate to 19 from 22 percent within a few weeks, deputy PM Jerzy Hausner said. "We want to find a path to lower the basic VAT rate in order to build a strong impulse to activate consumption and create a competitively better position to use structural funds and for investors to compete with investors from other countries," Hausner told. In his opinion the basic VAT rate should be 19 percent but he stressed, "if we do not want a big shortfall in the budget, we must decide to eliminate the 0 and 3 percent rates and leave only the 7 percent rate only on what is indispensable."
Cracow, Nov. 29: Deputy PM Jerzy Hausner said that the zloty would continue to firm and ruled out intervention on the forex market at present. "The strong zloty is beginning to be a problem for exporters whom we need to care for as exporters are generating the majority of our economic growth," Hausner said. He added then that the government might ask the central bank to intervene if the zloty gets too strong. "This situation cannot be ignored, so if exports slow, those responsible for the economy should take zloty rates into consideration". The zloty strengthened 17 percent against the dollar and 11.1 percent against the euro from the start of the year.
Brussels, Nov.29: A majority of EU countries, including Poland, refused to support a Greece proposal under which the EU would introduce an automatic mechanism of reducing the excise tax and VAT to compensate for growing oil prices. Deputy economy minister Jacek Piechota who represented Poland at the session of the council on energy explained later that such a mechanism would be unjust for national budgets, producing declines in revenues. He recalled that tax policy was the domain of national decisions and said the Greek proposal, supported by Italy and France, had little chances of being adopted. The energy ministers from EU states criticised a draft directive of the EU Commission calling for each country to reduce its energy consumption by 1 pc each year. Poland does not want to make such a pledge because, as Piechota explained, its energy consumption is three times lower than in the old EU countries. A growing energy use is inevitable in step with economic growth in Poland, he argued.
Warsaw, Nov. 29: "The Europeans fell in love with Polish products and representatives of foreign super- and hypermarkets sensed good business here and are boosting exports of Polish goods," the Zycie daily wrote. "The German Metro Group concern (the owner of Real, Praktiker, Media Markt and others chains) in cooperation with the agriculture ministry are planning to set up a working group to draw up a joint plan of action to promote Polish commodities on foreign markets. Next year "Polish Week" will be organised in Germany's Metro shops". "British Tesco-commissioned auditors that inspected Polish producers also noticed that the strengths of Polish producers include: large production and export potential, very good production technology, high quality of products and low risk from vermins and diseases".
Warsaw, Nov. 29: Paintings, sculptures, video art, installations and photography are on show at an exhibition titled "Beyond the Red Horizon" at the Centre for Contemporary Art (CSW). Fifty Polish and Russian artists present works created after 2000. The display is designed as a supplement to the "Warsaw-Moscow / Moscow 1900-2000" exhibition mounted earlier in Warsaw's Zacheta Gallery. Both events are part of the Russian Season currently held in Poland. The key idea behind the exhibition in the CSW are common experiences, great social and political transformations of Poland and Russia over the past dozen years or so is which link Polish and Russian artists, the curators explain. The title of the exhibition was inspired by the picture "Red Horizon" painted by Erik Bulatov in 1972, which has become a soc-art icon. The exhibition will be on show in Warsaw till mid-January and moved to Moscow in March.
Warsaw, Nov. 29: President of the International Federation of Europe Houses (FIME) Arno Krause has received the Commandor's Cross of the Star of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland for his contribution to the development of European social movements and the promotion of the idea of integration of European nations. On behalf of President Aleksander Kwasniewski, Krause was decorated by Secretary of State at the Presidential Chancellery Dariusz Szymczycha. During the ceremony Krause underlined the special role Poland plays in the EU due to its borders that are the EU external frontiers. Krause's efforts for European integration were crowned in 2000 when a FIME branch called the "European House" Polish association was set up in Poland and by Poland's admittance to the EU in 2004.
35 percent read no books
Warsaw, Nov. 29: Thirty-five percent of Poles over 15 in an Ipsos poll have not read a single book in the last 6 months. 10 percent would like to compete in a fast reading contest. 61 percent declared to have read at least 1 book in the past 6 months, women constituting 70 and men 58 percent of this group. 23 percent claimed they read fast, 58 percent said they were medium readers. Fast reading skills were declared by more women (27 pct) than men (19 pct). Ipsos ran the survey from November 5 to 9 on a random group of 1,000 Poles aged 15 and over.
Warsaw, Nov. 29: The Citizens' Platform (PO) would secure 25 percent of public support if the general elections were held late in November, the PGB polling institution has found. Runner up would be the Law and Justice with support of 16 percent, followed by the League of Polish Families (13 percent) and the Self-defence (also 13 percent). The Democratic Left Alliance would receive a 6 percent support. The Freedom Union, the National Pensioner Party, the Centre Initiative, the Union of Labour, the Catholic-National Movement and the Real Politics Union would not cross the 5-percent threshold for parliamentary representation. The poll was carried out on November 20-23 on a representative sample of 1,071 adult Poles.
Warsaw, Nov. 29: The website of the Onet portal is the most popular Internet page in Poland, known by 96 pct of the respondents using the Internet, according to a recent TNS OBOP poll. Wirtualna Polska placed second (known by 91 pct) and Interia was third (77 pct). Next came the portal of Gazeta Wyborcza (59 pct of Poles claiming to use the web regularly), Google (55 pct), Yahoo (43 pct) and Allegro (43 pct).
TNS OBOP ran the poll in October 2004 on a representative sample of 1,000 adult Poles.
Warsaw, Nov. 30: President Aleksander Kwasniewski and Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz as a representative of the Council of Europe will go to Ukraine on December, 1. They will meet there with EU's Javier Solana, Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus and an Ukrainian official. The Polish president told that while in Kiev he would be trying to win support for his five-point plan for Ukraine. The president stressed his plan has been supported by Germany, the U.S and the Netherlands which is now holding the EU rotating presidency. President Kwasniewski said that the most significant points is to avoid force to solve the conflict and to continue political dialogue to find a solution to the ongoing crisis. The president also said he was discussing the Ukrainian crisis with politicians from the entire world. He stressed that in his opinion the second round of elections should be held again in Ukraine.
Warsaw, Nov. 30: President Aleksander Kwasniewski received Sejm Speaker Jozef Oleksy who resented to him the course of a visit by a delegation of Polish MPs to Ukraine. The Sejm speaker familiarised the president with the results of Polish MPs meetings with the sides of the current election conflict in Ukraine. The two politicians also discussed the latest developments in Poland.
Warsaw, Nov. 30: President Aleksander Kwasniewski will not sign an amended PIT tax law under which taxpayers with annual income exceeding ca. 187000 USD will have to pay a 50 percent PIT rate, Head of the Presidential Chancellery Jolanta Szymanek-Deresz said. Experts have been asked to opinionate the law, she added. The Sejm passed the law in mid-November. Over 4,000 taxpayers are to be affected by the amendment. The Finance Ministry opposed the proposal during legislative work. The president has to make a decision concerning the amended PIT law by December 9. Asked whether the president was thinking of vetoing the law, Szymanek-Deresz said the president was examining all the solutions envisaged in the Constitution. And in order to do this the president wants to use a 21-day period for taking the decision, she added.
Warsaw, Nov. 30; PM Marek Belka said that Poland's economic growth may slow down because interest rates were at a 19-month high and a rising zloty threatened to "kill" exports. "We should not do anything that could destabilize the prospects of Poland's economy, one of those being an over-restrictive monetary policy," Belka said. The Monetary Policy Council has raised interest by a total of 125 basis points since June. The MPC left interest rates unchanged in October and November, keeping a restrictive bias in monetary policy.
Warsaw, Nov. 30: By May 2005 Poland's foreign ministry plans to take over foreign economic cooperation tasks currently under the jurisdiction of the economy ministry. Foreign minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz said the move was aimed at "commercializing Polish foreign policy" and making Polish economic policy more transparent and systematic. Currently Poland's economic policy is pursued by the foreign and economy ministries.
Govt on Turkey-EU talks
Warsaw, Nov. 30: The Polish government believes Turkey's EU access talks should begin undelayed but is ready to accept a deadline in the 2nd half of the year. The government expects the European Council to approve Turkey's motion for the startup of EU access talks this December, as it pledged in Copenhagen in 2002 and in line with the European Commission's recommendations of October 6 of this year, the government wrote in a statement.
Warsaw, Nov. 30: A draft law on golden share was passed by the cabinet, state treasury minister Jacek Socha told and added the draft is to cover 14 startegic enterprises. The provisions of the law will vest the ministry with an instrument of control over important companies that may be privatised in future. "Golden share" regulations will give the Treasury better control over strategic companies, or companies that either are or will be privatised. The draft has been sent to the European Commission for approval.
Warsaw, Nov. 30: The Senate is starting a three-day meeting to examine amendments to the laws on Internal Security Agency (ABW) and Intelligence Agency (AW) and the Senate-sponsored draft law on non-marital partnerships. The amendments to the ABW/AW law introduces mechanisms allowing verification of the mode of actions taken by ABW agents which might violate a citizen's constitutional privacy and freedoms. Senators will also examine amendments to the law on national investment funds and their privatisation, the law in freedom of economic activities and the National and ethnic minorities and regional language laws.
Divaniyah, Nov. 30: The Polish-led international Iraq force took over control of Iraq's al-Kadissiyah province from the U. S. Army. The takeover was officially sealed today in the coalition forces' Camp Echo headquarters in Divaniyah. This is the second time Poland has control over al-Kadissiyah, the province was in the Polish stabilization zone from September 2003 to last May after Spain withdrew its Iraq troops. The Polish stabilization force under general Andrzej Ekiert currently controls 4 of Iraq's 18 provinces: Babil, Wasit, al-Kaddisiyah and Karbala.
Higher inflation until 1st quarter of 2005
Warsaw, Nov. 30: Poland's central bank expects higher inflation to last until the first quarter of 2005 after which it should fall, deputy president of the National Bank of Poland Krzysztof Rybinski said while presenting the bank's November inflation report. Rybinski stressed that uncertainty as to further shape of inflation is considerable. We are not aware of the level of the 2005 harvest and food supply, said Rybinski adding that this is accompanied by a high foreign demand for Polish food. The uncertainty also embraces the shape of fiscal reforms, results of next year elections as well as the price of oil. Rybinski said that the current exchange rate is overestimated and the NBP expects the weakening of the exchange rate to take place during the next two years.
2nd round effects constrained by restrictive monetary policy, RPP
Warsaw, Nov. 30: The Monetary Policy Council (RPP) said in its inflation report that the tightening of the monetary policy has successfully contributed to alleviating the so-called second round effects, and their fuller assessment will only be possible in the second quarter of 2005. "The currently available data as well as results of the central bank's survey indicate that the hitherto effected tightening of the monetary policy, in the situation of a significant rise of current inflation and of inflation expectations, has successfully contributed to alleviating wage pressures (2nd round effects)," the Monetary Policy Council said. The rate-setting body added that one of the arguments that had made it refrain from raising interest rates in November were the latest macroeconomic date, which were more favourable to CPI's outlook than unveiled in a new November CPI projection. The council has raised interest rates by 125 basis points this year, and the main reference rate is not less than 6.5 percent. The MPC cited NBP's business sentiment survey results under which 8.6 percent of all surveyed companies said wage growth pressure had risen. The survey showed that 54.4 pct of the polled had not reported wage pressures, and 82.8 pct had no plans to raise wages this year.
Warsaw, Nov.30: The current account deficit in September was much higher than the market had expected, reaching 224 mn euros, the central bank announced. The market expected a deficit of only 51 mn euros. In August, the current account was in surplus of 324 mn euros. The marked deterioration from August to September resulted from a growing deficit in commodity trade (gap larger by 159 mn), in revenues (gap larger by 223 mn), and from shrinking surplus in current transfers (by 183 mn), NBP said. Exports reached 6.1 bn euros, imports 6.3 bn euros in September, up 16.2 pc and 15.2 pc on the year-ago figures, respectively. The figures are preliminary and may be subject to revisions.
Warsaw, Nov. 30: This year's trade between Poland and the Russian District of Kaliningrad is likely to reach 450 million USD, with exports accounting for 400 million USD. In 2003 bilateral trade totalled 392 million USD, with exports totalling 346 million USD, Polish Consul in Kaliningrad Andrzej Perlik told a seminar on Polish food exports to Russia. Perlik added that last year's surplus amounted to 300 million USD and after nine months of this year it was 250 million USD. He stressed that the dynamics of Polish exports in 2003 was 38 percent higher than in 2002 and also exceeded the dynamics of two main partners of the Kalinigrad district, namely Germany and Lithuania (with 29 percent and 32 percent respectively). Food produce was the biggest group of Polish commodities exported to the Kaliningrad district and accounted for 26 percent of the overall exports. Next come chemical articles (17 percent), machines and equipment (16 percent), and wooden products, including furniture (9 pct). Poland imported fuels (53 percent of overall imports) and wood, chemical products including fertilizers. Polish exporters do not try to create demand based on long-term cooperation but satisfy ad-hoc needs of importers. Perlik said that the Polish capital influx to the Kaliningrad district is inconsiderable and amounts to 5-6 million USD. Some 500 firms, mostly construction companies with Polish capital are registered there. Polish businessmen complain about long hours spent on border check-points, steep costs of gaining licenses, complicated procedures of receiving certificates and job licenses as well as a discretionary way of pricing imported semi-products.
Warsaw, Nov. 30: Over 20 Greenpeace activists from Austria, Belgium and Poland picketed the environment ministry in Warsaw in protest against imports of genetically modified maize to Poland. In September the Pioneer Hi-Bred company, one of the world's biggest GMO producers, announced it would sell genetically modified maize seed to Poland starting from Spring 2005. Also in September the European Commission agreed to the sale of genetically modified pest-resistant maize seed in Europe. According to picket participant Ewa Sieniarska from the Social Ecology Institute GMO are a threat to the environment and the economy. These are completely new, artificial organisms and it is hard to imagine what effect they will have on the ecology.
Based on the service of the Polish Press Agency (PAP)
More information is available at the website– http://www.pap.com.pl