POLISH NEWS BULLETIN
December 2004
Warsaw, Dec. 2: The Polish Year in Germany and German Year in Poland is a very important event which should become a groundwork for a serious discussion on Polish-German relations, President Aleksander Kwasniewski said. In his opinion the event should broaden the knowledge of Poland in Germany. The president took part in a meeting devoted to a discussion on the current state and future of Polish-German relations and preparations for the Polish Year in Germany 2005/2006. The debate was attended by Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz, Culture Minister Waldemar Dabrowski, Polish Ambassador to Germany Andrzej Byrt and other personages engaged in development and studies of Polish-German relations. According to Kwasniewski, Polish-German relations are good and based on the principles of cooperation and confidence. This concerns both relations between the governments and contacts between the presidents of Poland and Germany. Kwasniewski admitted that Polish-German relations were overshadowed by property claims and the question of the expelled. He recalled that 2005 will mark the 60th anniversary of World War II and all resulting political and propaganda consequences. 2005 will be a year of a debate on the history of WW2. The events of 2005 may build awareness and sensitiveness of the young generation. Polish Year is currently held in Ukraine.
Warsaw, Dec. 2: President Aleksander Kwasniewski's efforts towards finding a peaceful solution to the Ukrainian crisis are commendable, U.S. State Department transatlantic relations expert Robert Bradtke told. Bradtke said the international community was seriously considering steps to resolve the impasse around Ukraine's rigged presidential elections and admitted that several state leaders were currently in debate on the matter. He added that Washington and Warsaw were in particularly close contact over the Ukrainian situation. Bradtke called the Ukrainian stalemate a "question of democracy" and expressed hope for a "positive outcome" of the conflict. He also refuted Russian claims that the Ukrainian situation had been masterminded by foreign forces.
Warsaw, Dec. 2: PM Belka is planning to meet officials of the National Bank of Poland (NBP) and the Monetary Policy Council (RPP) to discuss the zloty rate. The Polish zloty has been strengthening since Poland's joined the EU. Since the beginning of 2004 the zloty strengthened 17.3 percent to the USD and 11.1 percent to the euro. A few days ago deputy PM and Economy Minister Jerzy Hausner said the government might ask NBP to sell the zloty if its appreciation was harmful to exports. NBP Governor Leszek Balcerowicz said that the lack of NBP intervention on the forex market served Poland well and should become a standard.
Sarnow, Dec. 2: A joint Polish-Rusian investigation into the Katyn massacre would be the best thing, but since this is impossible we must complete the case this way or another, PM Marek Belka told. The PM who is in Silesia in connection with the Miner's Day assured that he supported all efforts made to this end by the National Remembrance Institute (IPN) head Leon Kieres. The IPN launched an investigation into the 1940 Katyn crime. The investigation is planned to cover murders committed on some 22,000 Polish officers and policemen as well as civilians in 1940 in Moscow, Kharkov, Smolensk, Katyn and Kalinin (at present Tver) and other sites in the former SU.
Warsaw, Dec. 2: Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz will take part in the 12th session of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) to be held in Sofia on December 6 and 7. It is expected that the session will adopt a political declaration of the Ministerial Council which will map out the tasks and goals of the CSCE for 2005, and a CSCE Declaration for the 60th anniversary of the end of World War 2. Bulgaria ends its presidency of the CSCE in Sofia. In 2005 the post will be taken over by Slovenia's Foreign Minister.
Warsaw, Dec. 2: Foreign ministers of the Visegrad Group of states will meet in Cracow on December 7. Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz and his counterparts from the Czech Republic Ciril Svoboda, the Slovak Republic Eduard Kukan and Hungary Ferenc Somogy will adopt a programme of the Polish leadership of the group and discuss current issues between the four countries. Participants in the first meeting on the ministerial level since 2000 will also discuss European and cross-Atlantic agendas and current foreign policy issues. The ministers are to sign a resolution on next year's operations of the International Visegrad Fund, the institution promoting regional cooperation between Visegrad Group member-states and will approve the fund budget for 2005.
Warsaw, Dec. 2: The Sejm debated six proposals concerning a national referendum on the EU constitution filed by left- and rightwing parties. The bills, authored by the ruling Democratic Left Alliance (SLD), the Social-democracy for Poland (SdPl), the Citizens Platform (PO), the Polish Peasant Party (PSL), Law and Justice (PiS) and the League of Polish Families (LPR), differ in the proposed referendum deadline, SLD backing a quick referendum, SdPl suggesting it be held together with the 2005 presidential run, PSL seeing it together with the 2006 local elections, PO wishing to wait until the act's ratification by the "old" EU states and LPR opting for postponement of the ballot.
Warsaw, Dec. 2: Senators stressed that the Senate resolution on the elections in Ukraine is necessary and very much justified from the Polish interests point of view. Yet they suggested some changes taking into account the dynamic developments. A draft resolution states that the Polish Senate expresses a deep concern in connection with the presidential elections in Ukraine and above all over the violence of election procedures, threat of the use of force against citizens demanding observation of democratic principles as well as the danger of split of the state. The draft says further that the strength and scope of the protest against abuse of the elections is a historic event. Such position deserves respect and support from European democracy in the name of the deeply understood interests of Ukraine, its neighbours and the entire Europe. The senators also appealed to parliaments and governments of the EU states and the European Parliament to launch effective actions to strengthen democratic structures in Ukraine.
Warsaw, Dec. 2: Defence Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski met with Lt. General Thomas F. Metz, the commanding general of the Multi-National Corps - Iraq, to discuss Polish-U.S. cooperation in preparaing the 4th shift of the Polish contingent for the operation in Iraq. The talk also covered to-date and future cooperation of the Multi-National Division Centre-South with the American army in "Iraqi Freedom" operation. General Metz praised Polish soldiers for being professionally trained for the mission in Iraq as well as Polish communication systems and cohesive commanding procedures.
Warsaw, Dec. 2: The present rate of the zloty to the euro is not detrimental to the Polish exports owing to strong foundations of the Polish economy, believes governor of the National Bank of Poland Leszek Balcerowicz. The present zloty-euro level is more or less the same as it was in the 1st quarter of 2003. However, productivity in Poland has grown since then and, in view of moderate pay demands, the Polish economy is more competitive than foreign ones, Balcerowicz told. He added that there always will be exporters dissatisfied with the rate level but the economy at present, even with a stronger zloty rate, is more competitive than it was a year ago which is attested by excellent exports results.
Katowice, Dec. 2: Poland can receive up to 70 billion euros worth of EU structural funds in 2007-2013 for the implementation of the National Growth Plan, now being consulted, Deputy PM Jerzy Hausner said. Hausner explained that the project could be worth even 110 bn euros, including domestic public and private financing. Hausner said the government should adopt a draft document in January 2005. Hausner pointed out that the amount of structural funds was not final because no binding decisions were made. Poland is to get 12.8 bn euros in 2004-2006, contributing 6.9 bn euros worth of public and private funds.
Warsaw, Dec. 2: GDP growth has slowed down in the 2nd half of 2004 and will reach around 5 percent, after a rise of 6.9 percent and 6.1 percent, Finance Minister Miroslaw Gronicki said. The Monetary Policy Council RPP has recently reported it expected economic growth to slow down to below 5 pct in the 3Q of 2004.
Warsaw, Dec. 2: The finance ministry has prepared three different versions of VAT rates but favours the introduction of three VAT rates amounting to 0, 8 and 18 percent. Such a move will be neutral to the state budget income, Finance Minister Miroslaw Gronicki told. "This means the maintenance of a 0-percent tax rate in exports, an 8-percent tax rate on food and an 18-percent tax rate on remaining commodities and services. This will be neutral for the budget income and will considerably decrease administrative costs, Gronicki said. Deputy PM Jerzy Hausner has recently said that in a few weeks time the government will present a draft decreasing the basic VAT rate from 22 to 19 percent. At present Poland has four VAT rates: the basic 22 percent one and the preferential rates of 7, 3 and 0 percent.
Wroclaw, Dec. 2: British historian Professor Norman Davies's book "Rising '44: The Battle for Warsaw" published by "Znak" publishing house of Cracow won the title of the Book of Year 2004 and "Fredro's Pen" at the Good Books Promotion Days in Wroclaw. The jury awarded the author for the "exceptional" character of his book and his great merits in "presenting the difficult history of the Poles to other nations." "Norman Davies's excellent book realises that in 1944 a battle was waged in Warsaw for the shape of post-war Europe," the jury declared.
Warsaw, Dec. 2: Seventy-two percent of Poles in an OBOP survey believed events in the country were moving in the wrong direction, only 20 percent thought otherwise. 33 percent said the national economy was growing but only one in a hundred claimed the growth pace was fast. 63 percent said the economy was in a crisis, 28 percent that the crisis was deep. 42 percent expect a slump in general living standards within the next three years, only 19 percent see a chance for improvement. OBOP ran the survey from November 4-7 on a random group of 1,005 Poles aged 15 and over.
Warsaw, Dec. 14: The Bethlehem Light of Peace was handed over to President Aleksander Kwasniewski by scouts from the Polish Pathfinders' Union (ZHP). The president thanked the Polish Pathfinders Union for the idea to deliver the Light of Peace to the Presidential Palace for the 14th time and everything the ZHP had done for Poland and Polish youth in the passing year. We need peace, security, more people of good will and more kindness for a dialogue with Ukraine and peace to prevail in Sudan, Rwanda, various corners of Africa and Latin America, wherever hostilities and conflicts take place, the president said. Kwasniewski recalled his 2000 visit to Bethlehem, Israel and the Palestine Autonomy and his meeting with the late Yassir Arafat that gave a hope for a breakthrough in that part of the world. Since 1991 the Bethlehem Light of Peace has been reaching Polish Christmas Eve tables, churches, schools, hospitals, seniors' homes and local and state authorities. Also Primate of Poland, Cardinal Jozef Glemp was to be presented the Bethlehem Light in his seat.
Warsaw, Dec. 14: Spanish PM Jose Luis Zapatero has turned to the Polish side to postpone Polish-Spanish intergovernmental consultations scheduled to take place in Warsaw. Pawel Swieboda, Director of the Department for the EU at the Polish Foreign Ministry, told that the Polish-Spanish meeting would most likely take place at the start of next year. "This is a question of developments which have taken place in the Spanish parliament," Swieboda said explaining the cause of the postponement. The Spanish PM took part in a 14-hour parliamentary hearing during which he accused the Jose Maria Aznar government of deceiving public opinion when reporting on the authors of the March bomb attacks in Madrid. Swieboda added that a planned meeting between Polish and Spanish Foreign Ministers will take place as scheduled.
Warsaw, Dec. 14: Commander-in-Chief and head of the General Staff of the Iraqi Army, General Baderkhan Shawkat Al Zibari Babekir paid a two-day official visit to Poland during which he met with Poland's Defence Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski and deputy Defence Minister Janusz Zemke. General Shawkat Al Zibari Babekir also held talks with chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces, General Czeslaw Piatas during which sides discussed the security of Polish soldiers stationed in Iraq and the pace of training of soldiers of the new Iraqi army, the General Staff wrote in a communique. The talks also focused on the possibility of training Iraqi soldiers in Poland and the participation of Polish officers in training missions in Iraq. General Shawkat Al Zibari Babekir thanked for the presence of Polish soldiers in Iraq and for the contribution to the strengthening of security and for the very good cooperation of Polish soldiers with Iraqi society and help in the reconstruction of Iraqi infrastructure. The general stressed that the situation in Iraq is slowly stabilizing. He also firmly spoke in favour of staging Iraqi elections at the end of January 2005. The general added that he sees a wide range of possibilities for contributing of the Polish arms industry to the building and development of the new Iraqi army. During the stay, the Iraqi delegation visited the Bumar arms industry company and called on the Wroclaw Military Training Centre.
Warsaw, Dec. 14: The number of Polish soldiers serving in Iraq's south-central stabilization zone will be cut to 1,700 from the present 2.5 thousand. The reduced Polish contingent will begin its duty tour in mid-February after Iraq's government elections. Defence minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski said that 700 reserve troops will be stationed in Poland ready to join the reduced contingent within days. He added that the force's regrouping will start in January with a break for the country's January-30-scheduled elections, the actual reductions will take place after the ballot in mid-February. In September 2003 Poland took command of Iraq's south-central stabilization zone at the head of a 9,000-strong international force currently numbering 6,100 troops from 15 countries. Thirteen Polish soldiers have died in Iraq to date.
Warsaw, Dec. 14: Finance Minister Miroslaw Gronicki forecasts next year's GDP growth at 5.6-5.7 percent or slightly below the figure. According to government's conservative projections, next year's GDP rise will be around 5 percent after a 5.6-5.7 rise in 2004.
Warsaw, Dec. 14: Economists expect November's CPI at 4.4 percent. It is less than in October but they seem to be less interested in the data. Economists believe that interest rates will be determined by the zloty exchange rate and the situation on the labour market. The data indicate that interest rates will fall in a few months' time, the internet news service Parkiet said. Inflation was 4.5 pct in October, up from September's 4.4 pct but the rate-setting body Monetary Policy Council was not impressed. MPC members paid more attention to the zloty exchange rate and economic data. Therefore, investors and analysts are not excited by November's CPI data. Some experts, including BZ WBK chief economist Maciej Reluga, expect CPI at 4.5 pct. Most of CPI forecasts show that inflation will drop to 4.4 pct, and economists and investors begin a countdown before the first rate cut, Parkiet said.
Warsaw, Dec. 14: The retail business sentiment indicator has reached a five-year low of negative 3.0 in Q4 of 2004, the Institute of Economic Development of the Warsaw School of Economics announced. "The retail business has shown some signs of life since the start of 2003. They were not strong as in Q4 of 2003 there was a dramatic collapse and most of indicators turned negative," the Institute said. The Institute said the start of 2004 showed that positive trends would be maintained. The survey showed that 23.3 percent of retail businesses had evaluated their Q4 situation as improving quarter-on-quarter, 27 percent as worsening and 49.6 percent as reporting no changes. According to the survey 24.7 pct of the companies evaluated their Q4 toQ3 financial situation as improving, 25.2 percent as deteriorating and 50.1 percent as remaining unchanged. Q4 to Q3 employment rose at 10.0 pct of surveyed firms, remained unchanged at 65.7 pct and diminished at 24.3 pct. Asked about changes in the general condition of retail businesses in the next six months, 13.7 pct expect it to improve, 18.1 percent to worsen and 68.2 pct to remain unchanged. The survey has been conducted on a sample of 285 retail businesses in Q4 of 2004.
Berlin, Dec. 14: PKP Cargo has signed a letter of intent with German RAG concern to buy two companies dealing with rail transport. The value of the transaction reaches some 100 million euros, the Financial Times Deutschland reported. The two companies in question are RHB involved in rail and barge cargo shipment and DAP Barging (servicing, forwarding and shipment of goods handled in Benelux ports). According to the German daily the next round of negotiations is to take place on the middle of January while the final deal is to be signed in at the end of January.
London, Dec. 14: Since the Irish labour market opened for Poles on May 1, 2004 a total of 23,552 Poles have gone looking for jobs there, the Irish Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs reported. Poles are followed by Lithuanians (10,557) Latvians (5,257), Slovaks (4,189), Checks (2,871), Hungarians (1,614), Estonians (1,457), citizens of Malta (115), Slovenia (58) and Cyprus (22). The data, covering the period between May 1 and the 3rd week of November is based on the Personal Public Service Number PPSN issued by the ministry to Irish people and foreigners.
Berlin, Dec. 14: Polish historian Wlodzimierz Borodziej received the prize of European University Viadrina in Frankfurt an der Oder, Germany, conferred upon him for services to Polish-German understanding, in a ceremony held. Professor Wlodzimierz Borodziej, 48, of Warsaw University is the author of publications on the Second World War, history of diplomacy and post-war forced resettlements. He chairs the Polish-German commission for school textbooks. Borodziej thanked for the distinctions, but criticised the present state of Polish-German relations which, he said, look "as if the Second World War ended yesterday and the cold war still prevailed." Among causes of misunderstanding he mentioned controversies over the participation in the war in Iraq and the European constitution, and pointed to anxiety in Poland over Germans' interest in their own sacrifices of war. German historian Karl Schloegel stressed Borodziej's merits for studies in the history of post-war resettlements and praised his four-volume edition of documents on expulsions, co-edited with Hans Lemberg. Among Poles awarded by Viadrina in the past were translator Karl Dedecius, publicist Adam Michnik and diplomat Janusz Reiter.
Warsaw, dec. 14: Poles are still divided by their attitude to history, a survey by the Estimator institute showed. According to Estimator Poles remember their wartime sufferings well but compensation demands are not as widespread as generally believed. 53 percent supported the Warsaw authorities' decision to compile a war damage estimate for the city, only one in 10 rejecting the idea. A whole 36 percent said the project was neither positive nor negative. 59 percent spoke for granting Poland war reparations with only a very small group opposing, however over one-third had no opinion on the matter. Most support for war damages came from the older age groups, most doubts in this respect from the 30-year-olds.
Warsaw, Dec. 14: Over half of Poles (54 per cent) tie their sympathies with the Ukrainian opposition linked with Viktor Yushchenko. Only two per cent are supporters of PM Viktor Yanukovich, according to results of a poll carried out by the CBOS public opinion polling centre. In view of sixty per cent of Poles the involvement of Polish politicians in solving the political crisis in Ukraine was favourable for Polish-Ukrainian relations and interests of the EU. Sixty seven per cent think that Ukraine's close cooperation with the EU is in Poland's interest.
Warsaw, Dec. 16: President Aleksander Kwasniewski and Defence Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski attended a mass for the soldiers fallen in Iraq in the Polish Army Field Cathedral. We will see good effects of the stabilization mission when Iraq is no longer dangerous for itself and for the entire world, the president said and stressed that the losses were very painful. But this does not change my conviction that this sacrifice should be made to make us all more safe worldwide, the president added. Three Polish soldiers died in a helicopter crash in Iraq. The latest fatalities brought the number of Poles who have died in Iraq since September 3, 2003 to 20, including 16 soldiers.
Warsaw, Dec. 16: British PM Tony Blair thanked President Aleksander Kwasniewski for his mediation after a rigged presidential elections in Ukraine and congratulated on the success of the mediation in a telephone conversation. The sides voiced satisfaction that the post-election crisis in Ukraine was resolved without resorting to force. They stressed the significance of the future development of Ukraine for Europe. Kwasniewski and Blair exchanged views on the ongoing discussions on financial prospects of the EU and on issues relating to the ratification of the Constitutional Treaty. Blair extended his condolences to the president and the families of the Polish soldiers that were killed in a helicopter crash in Iraq.
Moscow, Dec. 16: Russian President Vladimir Putin will pay a visit to Poland in January 2005, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after a meeting with his Polish counterpart Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz. Earlier the Russian president announced he would attend the ceremonies marking the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau former Nazi death camp on January 27. KL Auschwitz extermination camp was liberated on January 27, 1945 by the Red Army. Israeli President Mosche Katsaw and Poland's President Aleksander Kwasniewski are also expected to attend the main celebrations. Kwasniewski also accepted an invitation for celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the end of WW2 on May 9 in Moscow, Lavrov said.
Moscow, Dec. 16: Polish-Russian cooperation after the EU enlargement was the main subject of debates of the Polish-Russian Cooperation Strategy Committee chaired by Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. Earlier in the day the two ministers held a face-to-face meeting. Cimoszewicz said after the talks that Polish-Russian economic relations have intensified remarkably over the past several months. The annual trade turnover between the two countries was expected to be worth some seven billion USD this year, Cimoszewicz said adding that exports of Polish goods to Russia had grown by 80 percent over the last 10 months. Before the talks Lavrov stressed that the development of cooperation between Russia and Poland might significantly contribute to the development of Russia-EU cooperation. He also said that the talks are to focus on economic issues, including power engineering sector. Cimoszewicz stressed that todate work of the committee confirmed the need for regular bilateral consultations and added that the next meeting of the committee could be held in Warsaw in spring 2005. During a press conference Minister Cimoszewicz expressed hope for progress in solving difficult issues in Polish-Russian relations. Minister Lavrov said that the Russian prosecutor's office is concluding work on documents concerning the Katyn crime which, in tune with earlier promises, will be handed over to the Polish side. Minister Cimoszewicz stressed that Poland can await with certain optimism for next steps regarding the mutual return of culture property and the very complex situation of descendants of Poles deported to Siberia. Referring to the situation in Ukraine, Lavrov stressed "the identical view" of both sides that "the Ukrainian people must solve the present situation alone, without external interference. Minister Lavrov said that the "round table" attended by President Aleksander Kwasniewski "has contributed to the solving of the conflict, or at least to the easing of tension" in Ukraine.
Warsaw, Dec. 16: The Polish Foreign Ministry condemns the decision of the Burma/Myanmaru authorities to prolong for another year the detention in home arrest of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, the ministry here stated in a communique. The decision means that improvement processes in Burma set in "The Road Map to Democracy" have been halted and the fate of detained opposition members is uncertain and so is the situation of citizens of Burma who have rights to live in a free country, the ministry said. The Polish government actively supporting international efforts, also those undertaken within the EU, will continue to take actions aimed at the release of Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi who with her National League for Democracy won the parliamentary elections in Burma in 1990. Poland's stand is that the opposition in Burma should be allowed to join the process of national reconciliation and democratisation and that all actions aimed against her by the current authorities of that country are illegal and do not serve stabilisation of the situation in Burma and the South-East Asia region, the Polish Ministry press release stated.
Warsaw, Dec. 16: As of March 1, 2005 access to Internet will be subject to 22 percent VAT rate, under an amendment to the law on VAT adopted by the Sejm. As of the start of 2004 access to Internet has been exempted from VAT. The amendment is aimed at adjusting the law on VAT to EU regulations. The finance ministry explained the move by EC official procedures for amending the law on access to the Internet binding in Poland so as it may be compatible with the EU laws. Deputy Finance Minister Jaroslaw Neneman stressed that the government had been trying to persuade Brussels to keep preferential terms for educational institutions.
Warsaw, Dec. 16. Senate Speaker Longin Pastusiak has been invited by the Union of Lithuanian Poles for a one-day visit to Lithuania. Pastusiak will meet Arturas Paulauskas, the Lithuanian Sejm President, to discuss problems of the Polish Lithuanian community. The Senate Speaker told that he will also try to find out why programmes by TV Polonia, whose licence to broadcast programmes to the country expires at the end of 2004, are not received by the local community. Pastusiak pointed out that the issue is of great importance to Lithuanian Poles whom Pastusiak received two weeks ago. Pastusiak will receive a high Lithuanian decoration in recognition of his contribution to the development of Polish-Lithuanian relations.
Divanija, Dec. 16: Two out of four Polish soldiers injured in a helicopter crash in Iraq will shortly be evacuated to Poland, spokesman for the commander of the multinational Centre-South division, colonel Artur Domanski said. Domanski added that the condition of another wounded soldier is serious but stable.
Warsaw, Dec. 16: Minister for Internal Affairs and Administration Ryszard Kalisz presented young, talented Romanies with scholarships. Scholarships were granted to 40 Roma students and 12 Roma children with singular artistic talents. Kalisz said at the presentation ceremony that scholarships are to encourage young people of Roma origin to become more active in life and set an example for others. The scholarship will amount to an equivalent of 160 USD per person a month. The 12 Roma children showing singular artistic talents received a one-time grant of an equivalent of 7.8 thousand USD each. The money is to be destined for the purchase of a computer or painting materials. The idea to grant scholarships came from the Roma community. The government implements a programme promoting education in the Roman community, covering the period up to 2013. The government subsidies are also destined for improvement of housing and sanitary standards in centres inhabited by Roma minority. According to the ministry estimates there are about 20 thousand Romanies living in Poland.
Warsaw, Dec. 16: Poczta Polska (Polish Post) will likely go public in 2006, the company's director general Tadeusz Bartkowiak said. At present the enterprise is being transformed into a joint stock company, but the process will not be concluded by mid-2005. The planned changes will not entail group layoffs. Next year some 1,200 people will be made redundant, the number similar to previous years. At present Poczta Polska implements a development strategy approved in July 2004, which foresees the strengthening of market position in its core operations, that is postal services and mass payments within the coming two years.
Wroclaw, Dec. 16: Wroclaw, south-west Poland, will compete to host the 2012 World Expo, Mayor Rafal Dutkiewicz said and pledged to ask PM Marek Belka for support. The Lower Silesia capital wants to host an EXPO with a theme, which is organised every four years. The contestants for the 2012 EXPO organisation may apply only after the host of the 2008 World Exhibition is chosen. Dutkiewicz says Wroclaw has considerable chances in the race. The theme for EXPO in Wroclaw is to be connected with culture and will be selected jointly with the BIE.
Warsaw, Dec. 16: Ninety three percent of Poles have said in a December poll that the prices of most of consumer goods have grown on Poland's entry of the EU, the results of a poll by TNS OBOP showed. The results remained unchanged from November. Fifty one percent have said consumer goods' prices have risen significantly (2 p.p. more than in November), and 42 percent have said price increases have been insignificant, vs. 44 pct. Five percent have not seen price rising and less than 1 percent believe they have fallen since May 1. OBOB has said 2 percent have no opinion on the matter. TNS OBOP indicates that 56 percent of Poles are happy with Poland's EU membership, up from November's 52 pct. Twelve percent are not content with the membership. The poll was conducted on a representative sample of Poles over 15 on December 2-5.
Warsaw, Dec. 16: Fifty three percent of Polish companies have declared they will increase investment outlays next year compared to 44 percent reported in a last year survey, according to a poll of European Economic Survey 2005 on business sentiment in Europe's regions. Thirty five percent of businessmen believe that 2005 will bring better climate for business operations, secretary general of the Polish Chamber of Commerce KIG Marek Kloczko told. Last year 20 percent counted on better conditions in 2004. Kloczko added that despite more optimistic attitudes Poland still ranked low regarding the assessment of business operations.
Warsaw, Dec. 22: President Aleksander Kwasniewski addressed condolences to U.S. President George W. Bush after the death of American soldiers in a terrorist attack on a US military base Marez in Mosul recently. The president wrote he had received with great concern and anxiety sad news from Iraq. "This tragedy, along with the recent death of Polish soldiers in a helicopter crash in Iraq should not weaken the will and determination of our states, nor to make us depart from the goal that inspires the international mission in Iraq," Kwasniewski wrote in the message.
Diwanijah, Dec. 22: PM Marek Belka and Defence Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski landed in the Echo camp in Diwanijah to meet Polish soldiers before Christmas. The delegation is also composed of Agriculture Minister Wojciech Olejniczak.
Belka met with Iraqi interim PM Ijad Alawi.
Diwanijah, Dec. 22: PM Marek Belka and Defence Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski met with Iraqi interim PM Ijad Alawi. Belka said the talk focused on the situation in Iraq, including preparations for January elections as well as on Polish-Iraqi relations. "PM Alawi thanked us for our contribution to the stabilization of the country," said Belka. The PM also briefed Alawi on Polish government's decision on the prolongation of the stay of the Polish contingent in Iraq. The two also discussed economic cooperation. "First, serious multimillion contracts have been signed and are being implemented," said Belka. Defence Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski presented to the Iraqi side a draft accord on military cooperation covering exchange of experience, military and technical cooperation, exchange of technology, training and cooperation in fighting terrorism. Szmajdzinski said new Iraqi armed forces should grow to 240 thousand men in 2005. Such level, according to Szmajdzinski, should allow states represented in the multinational division to start to think about a reduction of their contingents.
2005 budget tight but doable, Gronicki
Warsaw, Dec. 22: Finance Minister Miroslaw Gronicki said, that “the 2005 budget passed by the Sejm earlier in the day is tight but implementable”. Gronicki added that even if the last four Hausner austerity-related plan are not approved, the budget will be implemented. "For the time being I see no problems with budget implementation, but we will wait and see in the first two or three months," Gronicki said. Monetary Policy Council Halina Wasilewska-Trenkner said, however, that Poland may encounter problems in executing the budget in H2 2005, but added the government has the right to bock selected spending items if receipts turn out to be smaller than expected.
Warsaw, Dec. 22: The government approved document on Poland's energy policy by the year 2025 includes four scenarios of development in this sector, Deputy Economy Minister Jacek Piechota said. Top priority received the "treaty" scenario - a result of Poland's obligations towards the EU concerning emission limits and achieving a 7.5 per cent production of renewable energy by the year 2010. This variant foresees the building of a nuclear power plant by the year 2020. The second scenario provides for the promotion of efficiency in production, transmission and distribution of electricity. The third, coal scenario, delays requirements concerning emission levels, while the gas variant foresees keeping coal production at present level, with additional energy to be received from the gas burning process. Piechota added that treaty requirements can also be met in the coal scenario but at the cost of "enormous investment outlays" on desulphurization installations. The minister stressed that the programme assumes that the power sector will be privatized, however the state does not want to resign from the control over one element, namely that of the transmission system.
Warsaw, Dec. 22: The economy is expanding faster while exports and farming output are showing signs of life, a report on by the Office of the European Integration Committee on Poland's eight-month presence in the EU showed. Minister for European affair Jaroslaw Pietras said that the positive trends had pushed up Poles' support for Poland's EU membership, which according to some polls is over 75 percent. The entry of the EU also produced some negative effects, including a CPI rise. The prices of goods and services rose by 4.5 pct y/y from May to October, with prices of produce up 7.7 pct in October alone. The economy was rapidly developing before May 1, and GDP rose by 5.9 pct, in real terms, in the first nine months of the year. Poland received 2.482 bn euros in EU funds in the eight-month period, and paid an EU membership fee of 1.102 bn euros. Over 1.2 bn euros worth of direct payments was paid to farmers in the surveyed period, that is 17 percent of the 7.16 bn euro plan. Exports rose faster in a nine-month period than in the same period of 2003, growing 31.7 pct y/y, and imports were up 25.9 pct; foreign trade with other EU member-states rose markedly, and the Polish trade deficit shrank almost twice to 1.5 bn euros. Farm produce exports rose by over 36 pct in H1, including a 52 pct rise to EU member-states. Farm produce imports to Poland remain at a slightly higher level than in 2003. With customs borders open, the operating costs of exporting and transport companies fell. The report authors said investment should be more visible when EU-financed projects are launched in the coming months. The positive trends in the economy did not improve the situation on the labour market. October's jobless rate fell to 18.7 pct from April's 20 pct.
Paris, Dec. 22: The "Nova Polska" Polish Season in France is coming to an end. The project was designed to improve Poland's image in the eyes of French people. According to Culture Minister Waldemar Dabrowski this goal was attained. The Season started last March and most of the 600 artistic and scientific events were held between May and December, but some concerts are planned for a later date and the last exhibitions will close in February 2005. At present six Polish exhibitions are held in Paris, Dabrowski told. There are many signals that French people want to come to know new Polish art, he added. The minister expressed the conviction that the "Nova Polska" season will have a long-term effect and will boost cooperation between Poland and France.
Warsaw, Dec. 22: The number of the registered unemployed people amounted to 2,942,600 at the end of November and was by 4,400 higher than at the end of October, the Central Statistical Office (GUS) reported. The unemployment rate stood at 18.7 percent. The number of registered unemployed was by 154,300 or 5.0 percent lower that in November 2003. Deputy PM and Economy Minister Jerzy Hausner told he expected the unemployment rate to be below 19 percent at the end of the year.
Warsaw, Dec. 22: The Finance Ministry will offer eurobonds worth 1.5 billion euros on foreign markets in the first half of January 2005, Finance Minister Miroslaw Gronicki told. Last week the finance ministry announced it had chosen the issue organisers and said they would be Dresdner Kleinwort, BNP Paribas and Citigroup. Under the budget law for 2005 the finance ministry will issue bonds worth 1.25 bn euros and 1.4 bn USD on international markets next year. In January 2004 Poland sold 1.5 billion euros worth of 5-year eurobonds. In February it sold 5-year bonds worth 400 million Swiss francs and in early March bonds worth 700 million euros. In May Poland sold on the Japanese market 5-year bonds worth 50 bn yens (449 million USD) with the interest coupon of 1.02 percent. In 2003 the finance ministry sold on European markets 10-year bonds worth 2.3 bn euros and 3-year bonds worth 500 million euros.
Warsaw, Dec. 22: November's retail sales rose 4.4 percent year-on-year, after a 4.0 percent y/y rise in October. November's retail sales fell 4.3 percent month-on-month, the Central Statistical Office said. The highest annual sales growth was reported in the food, beverage and tobacco sector, by 25.3 pct, and the highest fall in the mechanical vehicle sector. The highest monthly growth, by 5.3 pct, was reported in the mechanical vehicle sector, and the biggest fall in the clothes and shoes sector, by 16.7 percent. Economists expected November's retail sales to rise 6.1 pct y/y, and to fall 2.8 pct m/m.
Warsaw, Dec. 22: Some 10 thousand people, including former prisoners and presidents of several countries, will attend the ceremonies marking the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the former Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp in Oswiecim, secretary general of the Council of Struggle and Martyrdom Remembrance Protection Andrzej Przewoznik told. The main ceremony, with president Aleksander Kwasniewski and presidents of Russia and Israel in attendance, will begin on January 27 in front of the Nations' Remembrance Monument. Former prisoners, including Wladyslaw Bartoszewski and Simone Weil will address those gathered, a special message of Pope John Paul II will be read out.
Lublin, Dec. 22: Scouts of Tomaszow Lubelski, southern Poland, handed the Bethlehem Light of Peace to Ukrainian scouts from Lvov. "It is very important to us to convey this token of brotherhood and peace. The Ukrainian scouts were moved. They promised to transfer the Light to Kiev and entire Ukraine," deputy commander of scouts from Tomaszow Lubelski Elzbieta Przybylska told. The ceremony was attended by 80 Polish and Ukrainian scouts as well as representatives of local authorities from cross border regions. Since 1991 the Bethlehem Light of Peace has been reaching Poland before Christmas. It's always been handed to the president, PM and other state and church officials. The Bethlehem Light of Peace is a symbol of joy, brotherhood, peace and community.
Warsaw, Dec. 22: If parliamentary elections were held in early December the Citizens' Platform (PO) would get 28 percent of votes and Law and Justice (PiS) 14 percent, according to a recent poll run by the TNS OBOP public opinion polling centre. Support for PO went down by 1 percentage point from November and went up by 2 percentage points for PiS. Next came Samoobrona supported by 13 percent (up 3 percentage points), the League of Polish Families (LPR) - 13 percent (unchanged), the Social Democracy of Poland (SdPl) - 7 percent (up 1 percentage point) and the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) with a 6-percent support (down 1 percentage point). The Polish Peasant Party (PSL) supported by 4 percent (down 1 percentage point), the Freedom Union (3 pct, down 3 percentage points), the Pensioners' Party and the Centre would fail to win seats in the Sejm because the parties fell short of the five percent of the vote required for parliamentary representation. Fifty six percent of Poles said they would take part in the elections, up by 4 percentage points from November. OBOP ran the poll from December 2 to 5 on a representative sample of 958 adult Poles.
Warsaw, Dec. 28: Four Poles were probably killed in Thailand and at least 28 remain missing after the tsunami disaster. According to foreign ministry spokesman Aleksander Checko, several hundred Poles may have been in the quake-hit region. The ministry is trying to obtain information from German travel agencies on Polish tourists. Checko said that bad news can be expected from Sri Lanka where no clear estimates of casualties are available. "We know that at least 15 people could have been in Sri Lanka that we know nothing about," he said. Reassuring news came form Indonesia, Malesia and India. "Our diplomats have not heard any bad news about Polish citizens in these countries," the spokesman said. Poland's ambassador in Bangkok Bogdan Goralczyk is due to release more details on the Polish tsunami disaster victims on December, 29.
Warsaw, Dec. 28: Spokesman of the Social Democracy of Poland (SdPl) caucus Arkadiusz Kasznia told that according to the SdPl Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz would be an ideal candidate for the Sejm speaker to lead parliament from the present impasse. Kasznia declined to say whether SdPl consulted Cimoszewicz on the matter. According to SLD Secretary General Marek Dyduch the party's National Board is the only body authorised to name the SLD candidate for the post of Sejm speaker if to-date speaker Jozef Oleksy resigns. The SLD National Council is meeting to elect the new national board. Apart from Cimoszewicz also SLD deputy leader Katarzyna Piekarska, Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration (MSWiA) Ryszard Kalisz and caucus secretary Waclaw Martyniuk are mentioned as possible SLD candidates. Also Sejm deputy Speaker Tomasz Nalecz expressed the conviction that after the expected resignation of Oleksy from the post the candidate for the Sejm speaker should emerge from SLD caucus as the biggest grouping in the chamber. The SLD National Council is also to discuss problems connected with the setting up of the Social Democratic Future Platform as proposed at the recent third SLD Congress, spokesman Bronislaw Cieslak said.
Divanyah, Dec. 28: Around 70 Polish soldiers in Camp Echo in Divanyah, Iraq, connected with their families in Poland via videolink, which enabled both sides to see one another. This involves visual contact so it's different than telephoning or connecting online, said major Zbigniew Muszynski from the Multinational Central-South Stabilization Force. I speak with my wife every day but I want to see her, said one of the soldiers waiting for his turn at the videolink. The videolink was provided by the Polish Military General Staff.
Warsaw, Dec. 28: A plane with humanitarian assistance to Darfur region in Sudan will leave the airport in Minsk Mazowiecki. The mission is carried out by the foreign ministry jointly with the defence ministry and the Polish Humanitarian Action PAH. "It is sort of a reconnaissance flight. We want to learn about the needs. We have asked for licence for money raising and we hope we will be able to collect enough funds to return to Sudan independently to provide further assistance," Justyna Stepien of PAH told. The plane will carry 64.5 thousand USD worth of medical equipment, 8 tents, 80 camp beds, tables and chairs as well as 810 blankets and plastic floors. Gifts, bought from means of the foreign ministry for development and humanitarian assistance will be conveyed to SUDO. Fighting in Darfur has killed 70,000 people and driven 1.8 million from their homes.
Gdansk, Dec. 28: Ex-president and Solidarity icon Lech Walesa and the city authorities of Gdansk will invite world-renowned architects to design a future European Solidarity Centre in the city. Among the invited architects are Santiago Calatrava, author of New York's new World Trade Center, Norman Foster, co-designer of the new WTC and author of the new Reichstag building in Berlin and Hans Hollein, designer of the European Volcanic Park in Auvergne in France. The centre, to include a museum, a library, an exhibition room, conference rooms, a hotel and a shopping mall, is to stand in the Gdansk Shipyard, cradle of the Solidarity movement that sparked off the fall of communism in eastern Europe.
Bielsko-Biala, Dec. 28: Spokesman for former Nazi death camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau Jaroslaw Mensfelt said that in 2004 the museum was visited by close to 600,000 people against some 400,000 visitors in 2001. "This was the record number of visitors in several years. Such big figure was reported only between 1995 and 1998 when the museum was visited by some 500,000 people," Mensfelt said. Mensfelt added the number has gone up owing to foreign visitors and Polish youth. He attributed the growing interest in the history of Auschwitz to Poland's accession to the EU, general growth in the number of tourists coming to Poland, the opening of low cost airlines and the introduction of teaching on the Holocaust into school curricula.
Bielsko-Biala, Dec. 28: 140 photographs showing the everyday life of Jews in pre-war Wadowice by Cracow, hometown of pope John Paul II, are on show at the Galizien Museum in Cracow devoted to the region's Jews. The pictures were taken by British photographer Chris Schwarz, who spent 12 years travelling through the Galizien region in search of Jewish traces. Schwarz said he came to Wadowice inspired by the pope's childhood reminiscences of its mixed Polish-Jewish community life. The pope often recalled how he played soccer with local Jewish children, he also said many positive and warm words about Christians and Jews living peacefully side by side, Schwarz told. Wadowice's first Jewish inhabitant was Baruch Thieberg, who settled there in 1867. Today the city holds few traces of its former Jewish population. The Galizien Museum was opened by Schwarz in Cracow's Kazimierz district - a former Jewish quarter - last June.
Warsaw, Dec. 28: British historian Norman Davies is to write another book about the Warsaw Rising 1944, this time about the backstage politics behind the plans of the rising. The book “How the Rising Was Made” will appear in August 2005, the publishing house Znak which is to publish the book has told. On August 1, 2004, the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of the Rising bookstores in Poland offered Norman Davies bestseller "Rising '44: The Battle for Warsaw". By this December the book sold in 107,461 copies in this country, and a soft-cover edition is planned for the coming year.
Szczecin, Dec. 28: Polish fishermen may launch protests against EC-imposed haul limits on the Baltic. On December 22 the Commission imposed a 13,000-ton limit on cod hauls, cutting Poland's to-date quota by 3,000 tons. Fishing Operator Association president Bogdan Waniewski said Polish fishermen felt "cheated by the EU and betrayed by the Polish government". Waniewski disclosed no details of the planned protests.
Warsaw, Dec. 28: A government made up of wise people was the most frequent New Year wish in a Pentor poll (42 percent). Out of those polled 38 percent wished for no unemployment, 16 percent for no poverty, 13 percent for safer streets, 8 percent for Divine providence. Pentor ran the survey on December 18-19 on a random group of 1,000 Poles above 15.
Based on the service of the Polish Press Agency (PAP)
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