Bribery scandal hits Poland

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Polish News
and
Entertainment
Friday 15th April 2011
Issue 15 (116)
Bribery scandal hits Poland
Medical giant’s DoJ
deal implicates doctors
NATIONAL
© Wojtek Stein/Reporter
U
S corporate giant Johnson & Johnson allegedly paid Polish doctors
to use their products as part of one
of the biggest corruption campaigns to hit
the country’s health service.
According to daily Fakt, the company,
which produces some of the world’s best
known sanitary and medical products,
spent millions of dollars in Poland and
involved as many as 172 Poles as part of its
international campaign to increase sales
that ran from 2000 to 2006.
It is also alleged that the payments
helped the US company make an estimated
USD 4.3 mln in sales in Poland alone.
In early April the illicit policy, which
also encompassed Greece and Romania,
reportedly earned it a USD 21.4 mln fine
and its commitment to hand over USD
48.6 mln in illegally gained profits, in
a deal brokered with the United States
Justice Department and the Security and
Exchange Commission.
However the size of the fine was
reportedly reduced owing to Johnson
& Johnson promising to provide
information on the transgressions of its
competitors.
But in Poland the scale of the scandal has
shocked investigators working on the case.
“Since June 2006 we’ve charged 172
people, including Johnson & Johnson
The scale of alleged bribes has shocked Polish prosecutors
employees at their Polish office, doctors
and hospital staff,” said Malgorzata
Chrabaszcz, from the Radom prosecutor’s
office, which is leading the investigation.
“The case started by accident,” she
continued. “We arrested one doctor for
taking money from patients, and from
his testimony we got evidence of a case,
the size of which was unbelievable. The
investigation continues and we can see no
end to it.”
Those caught in the legal dragnet
include two of Johnson & Johnson’s
Poland directors, seven of the firm’s sales
managers and 41 sales representatives.
p.5 REGIONAL
About 66 doctors have also come under
the legal cosh, and so far 37 people in
total have been found guilty with one
acquittal.
Ms Chrabaszcz said that the alleged
bribes handed out by the company ranged
from a few thousand zloty to pay for an
English course to the considerable sums
of money to pay for children to see doctors
abroad.
News of companies reportedly paying
doctors could undermine the public’s
faith in attempts by the authorities to rid
the national health service of wide-spread
corruption.
p.7 SPORT
p.9
Row erupts in Russia
Tram trouble
National team in tatters
An international row has broken out
over the new plaque laid by Russia at the
site of last year’s Smolensk plane disaster.
In a move that cast a shadow over last
Sunday’s national mourning, the Russian
government caused an uproar by replacing
the original plaque set down by Poland
and removing all mention of the Katyn
massacre that those who died were on their
way to commemorate.
A major Euro 2012 investment in
Poznan has hit trouble, as the offers to extend the city’s Rapid Tramway line are all
significantly over-budget. Even the lowest
offer from the Torpol company, is way over
the city’s projected figure of PLN 102 mln,
coming in at a whopping PLN 125 mln.
“Either we annul the tender process and
start again, or we’ll have to find the missing money.”
Franciszek Smuda must be wondering
what he’s got himself into, after a week in
which six national team representatives
have been charged with corruption and
his first choice centre back appears to be a
hate figure for his prospective team-mates.
Smuda now faces severely limited options,
as the players charged are likely to be
banned for life.
2
EDITORIAL
The New Poland Express I Friday 15th April 2011 I www.nwe.pl
Contents
News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Regional news . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
What’s on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Fromtheeditor
Quotesoftheweek
Thisweekinhistory
“Anyone who manipulatively uses
the name, ideas and legacy of Zbigniew
Herbert for their own political aims is, in
my opinion, committing an abuse, and
consequently betraying a lack of respect
for my husband and his work.” Zbigniew’s
widow Katarzyna on Jaroslaw Kaczynski
quoting the late poet’s work in relation to
Smolensk.
1947 - Rudolf Hoss is hanged at Auschwitz-Birkenau. A key figure of the SS,
when accused of murdering three and a
half million people he famously said “No.
Only two and a half million - the rest died
from disease and starvation”.
I
have written much
over the past year
on the Smolensk
tragedy. At times this
has brought accusations of insensitivity,
especially over comments suggesting the whole thing had been
hijacked by mentals.
And so one year and five days on from
the terrible accident which took the lives
of so many from across the political
spectrum, it is perhaps time to revise
those comments.
Or perhaps not. For although on paper
that sounds a fine thing to do, riding into
the equation comes this: this week alone
has seen the mentals in question blast
Moscow over a tribute plaque because it
didn’t mention Katyn; the discussion about
whether to erect a monument outside the
presidential palace or stick it somewhere
else descend into bitter arguments; Jarek
Kaczynski pinch a line from the poet
Zbigniew Herbert to refer to the crash,
causing his widow to go ape; and rightwing station Radio Maria whip up more
anger by propagating the idea that Tusk
and everyone who doesn’t agree with their
conspiracy theories is a traitor to Poland.
And so all this leads to the somewhat
depressing conclusion that rather than
a revision of previous comments, a
reaffirmation is needed.
When Bronislaw Komorowski said: “A
year has passed since the world collapsed
for many of us,” he meant it.
I, like millions of others, was there to
see the outpouring of grief from across the
political spectrum.
I, like millions of others, was there to see
the crowds flocking past the presidential
palace to pay their respects.
For a while the tragedy did indeed unite
the nation. There was a genuine sense of
shock, disbelieve and sadness. But the
behaviour of PiS and its followers has
blown that unity to smithereens.
And that is a tragedy.
“He was a good president.” Jaroslaw
Kaczynski speaks positively on behalf of
his brother.
“He does not deserve a monument.”
Typically Lech Walesa doesn’t mince his
words with regards to his views on the late
president.
Re: Kaczynski attacks German minority
Please note that there is a factual error in
your last week headline. Kaczynski did not
attack the German minority in Poland. The
Silesians are the traditional inhabitants of
Silesia (now mainly Upper Silesia). Their
national identity may be Polish, German,
or Silesian. Kaczynski does not accept
the Silesian identity and implies that
identifying oneself as a Silesian could be
a way to camouflage a German identity.
But this does not mean that he “attacks
German minority”, unless you agree with
him.
Tomasz Jurewicz – Poland
Re: Ape terrorises town
I have to admit, to switching to this
story, part in expectation, part in hope,
that this was yet another Kaczynski
story. I have noted the advice to avoid eye
contact, should I happen to bump into, Pan
Kaczynski.
Jurgen Weisse - Rybnik
Send comments and letters to
[email protected]
WIYP Sp. z o.o. • Ul. Paderewskiego 1 • 81-831 Sopot
tel. +48 58 555 9818 • tel/fax. +48 58 555 0831 • [email protected]
Editor-in-Chief: Ed Wight
([email protected])
Chief Writer: Steve Sibbald
Staff Writer: Matt Day
2001 - League of Polish Families (LPR)
is founded. Created just before the elections of that year, the LPR is renowned for
its extreme right-wing stance.
The NPE weekend QUIZ
HaveYourSay
Publisher: WIYP Sp. z o.o.
1988 - The last execution is carried out
in Poland at the Montelupich prison. Located in Krakow, the prison was mainly
used by the Gestapo to house political prisoners and foreign spies. After WWII, it became a Soviet prison where Polish soldiers
were tortured and murdered.
Ok guys, this week we’ve got a double
invitation for the Wojtek Karolak Band
performing in Sopot on April 26.
Referring to himself as “an American jazz
and rhythm & blues musician born by mistake
in Middle Europe”, when it comes to music,
Karolak is as legendary as any in his field.
A notable Hammond B-3 organ player,
he’s also a dab hand at the saxophone and
piano and as you can probably guess, his
concerts are not to be missed.
Just tell us then, in what Polish city was
Karolak born?
Well done to Hamish Potts for
being our winner last week. As always
folks, get your answers sent to: editor@
newpolandexpress.pl
Nationwide & Sports:
Graham Crawford
([email protected])
Events: Klaudia Mampe
([email protected]),
Vaughan Elliott, Łukasz Jankowski
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3
NEWS
Row erupts
in Russia
A
n international row has broken out over
the new plaque laid by Russia at the site
of last year’s Smolensk plane disaster.
In a move that cast a shadow over last Sunday’s
national mourning, the Russian government
caused an uproar by replacing the original
plaque set down by Poland and removing all
mention of the Katyn massacre that those who
died were on their way to commemorate.
According to reports in the Polish press,
the plaque had been removed by authorities
who had claimed it was only in Polish and
wanted it also inscribed in Russian.
But upon its return, the commemorative
piece was left with only: “In remembrance of
the 96 Poles including Polish President Lech
Kaczynski who died on 10 April 2010 in a
plane crash near Smolensk”, with the original
second part “on the way to commemorate
the 70th anniversary of the Soviet crime
of genocide committed against the Polish
POWs and officers of the Polish Army in
1940” having been left off in both languages.
According to Andrei Yevseyenko, a
spokesman for Smolensk’s governor, it was
“not necessary to mention Katyn at the site
of the crash”.
“I am totally shocked by this. This incident
has undermined Russia’s credibility,” said
Malgorzata Szmajdzinska, a widow of one
of the men killed in the disaster. “I believe it
was meant as a blow to our national psyche.”
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The New Poland Express I Friday 15th April 2011 I www.nwe.pl
Smolensk disaster - One year on
A
Law and Justice MP said he wants
to sue the head of Warsaw’s municipal police for libel after it stated
that the politician had told his officers to
“f**k off” during minor but emotional disturbances at events to commemorate the
first anniversary of the Smolensk disaster.
The MP is alleged to have
told officers to “f**k
off” during minor but
emotional disturbances
Joachim Brudzinski announced his
attention to take Zbigniew Leszczynski to
court after the policeman accused him of
using the insulting words, and at the same
time protested his innocence.
“I did not have contacts with the police,”
said the MP. “It would have been extremely
irresponsible of me to attend the first
anniversary - a day of strong emotions
- with thoughts of using words that are
generally considered insulting.”
Monika Nizniak, spokeswoman for the
municipal police, said her boss “was not
afraid of litigation”.
The MP is alleged to have made the
remark outside the presidential palace just
after Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the brother of the
late president, had laid a wreath in memory
of his twin and the other victims of the
Smolensk disaster.
Other Law and Justice (PiS) MPs were
involved in scuffles with police and officers
of the Polish equivalent to the US’s secret
service after they vaulted crowd barriers
in order, they claimed, to lay flowers just
after as Mr Kaczynski and other senior
members of Law and Justice had done so.
Complaining about the behaviour of
the police outside the presidential palace,
Adam Rogacki said mourners were being
treated like “football supporters”. The MPs
also argued that their parliamentary passes
should have granted them access to the
area cordoned off by the police.
In a Law and Justice statement the party
“strongly condemned the actions [of the
police] which have all the hallmarks of a
provocation” and stated that the party’s MPs
had the right to lay flowers. But the police said
only those who had passes for the cordoned
off area had the right to enter, adding that five
people who tried to get in, the Law and Justice
MPs, were removed to an appropriate area.
The justice ministry said that it would
analyse the events on Sunday to see if any
law had been broken.
But Pawel Olszewski, a Civic Platform
(PO) MP, dismissed the barrier vaulting as
a stunt, calling it “embarrassing”.
Send comments
and letters to
[email protected]
4
NEWS
The New Poland Express I Friday 15th April 2011 I www.nwe.pl
Hooligan crime Hacked off in Krakow
crackdown
T
A
gents from the CBS, Poland’s internal security agency, donned body
armour and wielded sub-machine
guns in a series of arrests made on football supporters wanted in connection with
organised crime.
The dramatic swoops involving some 300
CBS agents and police officers arrested 21
men - referred to as “pseudo-supporters”in four provinces as authorities stepped up
a campaign to purge the ranks of Polish
football supporters of criminals ahead of
next year’s European football championship
finals.
“Officers from the CBS, working in
co-operation with the prosecutor’s office
of the Warsaw district of Praga, moved
against an organised criminal group that
had been distributing drugs in several EU
countries including Poland,” said Mariusz
Sokolowski, chief spokesman for the
national police.
“Among those detained was 30-yearold Marek H. and 32-year-old Daniel W.
the leaders of extreme groups of pseudosupporters in Warsaw and Elblag,” the
policeman added. “Usually a gang consists
of members of just one football hooligan
group but supporters of Legia and Olimpia
Elblag, under a secret agreement, have
joined forces and instead of fighting
against each other they did illegal business
together.”
Police reported that during the arrests
they found drugs, large amounts of money,
weapons and ammunition.
The latest operation brings the number
of arrests to 214 since February as police
wage a two-pronged war against criminal
elements plaguing Polish football. Police
have moved to crush groups of hooligans
intent on causing violence at matches,
while at the same time fighting a war
against criminal gangs entwined with the
supporters’ groups.
According to police data, gangs from
Poznan concentrate on the drugs trade while
their counterparts in Lodz, for example, deal
in illegal alcohol.
Stories of organised crime rings
linked to various football clubs have
become common since a Krakow fan
was stabbed to death in broad daylight
earlier this year. At first the attack
was thought to be an act of revenge
by hooligans but police have now
concentrated on the theory that was
linked to a war for territory between
competing drugs gangs.
he last few weeks have seen a vast increase in the number of stag dos beginning to arrive in Krakow after the
long winter - and not all locals are happy.
While a large number of the historic
city’s bars and restaurants rely of the
type of trade such parties bring, the usual
loutish behaviour that comes with it is
often more than many locals can bare.
“Over recent weeks we’ve seen a steady
increase in the number of British groups
arriving here with the aim to party,” Albert
Walicki, Director of Krakow’s Chamber
of Tourism, tells Gazeta.pl Krakow.
“Unfortunately though, many still head
here with the idea in their heads that
Krakow is a destination full of cheep beer
and cheap women. That can, and does, lead
to problems.”
Katarzyna Aniol, a spokeswoman for
Krakow police states that while local
authorities are not out to spoil party-
goers’ fun, they will not take lightly to any
inappropriate behaviour.
“We have had reports from local residents
and workers of drunken and disorderly
acts from Brits and we’ve already made a
few arrests.”
She continues, “We have learnt from
past experience that the best way to deal
with this kind of situations is to act swiftly.
Of course, we won’t be harassing anyone,
but we will not tolerate those who do
not respect social norms. Antics such as
soliciting passers-by or indecent behaviour
will be severely punished.”
But not everyone it seems is against the
return of one of the city’s major sources of
income.
“They bring in good money and business,”
says Magda Nowacka, a waitress on Krakow’s
Old Market Square. “Ok, they can be a little
bit wild at times - but most just want a good
time and are polite and friendly.”
5
NEWS
The New Poland Express I Friday 15th April 2011 I www.nwe.pl
INBRIEF
Homophobic song hits headlines
A Polish musician has caused an uproar with
a song in which he apparently advocates the
murdering of homosexuals.
In his song ‘Weeds’ (‘Cwasty’), Silesian reggae
star Bas Tajpan sings about killing those who are
openly gay.
The song contains the lyrics: “Among beautiful
flowers grow weeds ... Exterminate them, squeeze
out the plague / An epidemic on the street, batty
men, shoot shoot straight through the heart.”
Despite being released years ago, the song has
once again pushed its way into the headlines this
week. But according to Gazeta Wyborcza, the
Polish penal code is not suited to such instances,
able only to punish for songs “inciting hatred
against nationality, ethnicity, race or religion.”
German WWII plaques in Poznan
German veterans have stated their wish to see
a plaque erected in Poznan’s Citadela Park to
commemorate the German soldiers who lost their
lives there during WWII. A politically sensitive issue
that has divided opinion, some state the dead
have a right to be remembered whilst others
claim the ground is a sanctuary to those who died
defending it.
One defender of the citadel, who lost his fingers
fighting Germans in the battle, told TOK FM,
“They attacked us and ruined the peace that had
existed here.”
According to Tomasz Stube of the Wielkopolska
Office, due to the delicate matter authorities want
to ensure they have the exact spot containing the
soldiers’ remains before a decision is made. “This
has raised emotions, so we are in no rush to act.”
Customs bag smuggled fags
Customs officials in Budziska stopped a man
attempting to smuggle 4,000 cigarettes inside a
piano into the country this week.
Border guards became suspicious when the
31-year-old Lithuanian told them he was a pianist
making his way to Germany for a gig.
According to TVN24, the cigarettes were worth a
market value of approximately PLN 35,000 and in
addition to receiving a fine the man faces losing
his vehicle.
C
M
Y
CM
A right royal cock up
F
or the last three months Polish furniture maker Dariusz Bergier has been
working flat out creating bespoke
cabinets and tables for what he believed
was the wedding bash of Britain’s Prince
Wills and Kate Middleton.
The Pole from Lodz said that he and his
team had been working non-stop to get
the pieces ready for posh furniture makers Fassbinder and English.
“We are very excited and honoured to
have been asked to make this furniture for
the royal wedding,” he told national media in Poland.
He added that he had been approached
by the furniture company during a trade
fair in Birmingham and that the pieces
would end up at the posh five star London
Stafford hotel in the heart of St. James, a
favourite hang out of Wills and Kate.
NPE_Belvedere_116.pdf
10:46:13
But Ursula
Vonplaten,1 15.4.2011
a spokeswoman
for the hotel, today told NPE: “I think this
man has got the wrong end of the stick.
Yes, we are having renovations done and
reopen next week in time for the wedding
as we’ll be hosting a party - but that isn’t
for any of the royal family or wedding
guests.”
Fassbinder and English confirmed the
mistake. “It’s absolutely not true that this
man nor we are making furniture for the
royal wedding,” said spokesman Peter
Carroll.
“We have a few contractors in Poland
and Mr Bergier is one of them, but he
has completely misunderstood what
this is for. We never once told him it
was for the Royal wedding. We have
tried contacting him after we saw his
TV report in Poland, but he isn’t answering his phone. We are very angry
with him.”
Mr Bergier was unavailable for comment.
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MY
CY
Poland a US nuisance
It has emerged that Poland considered itself a
“nuisance” in Washington as little as two years ago.
According to Polskie Radio, whistleblower site
‘Wikileaks’ claims that in 2009 then-US ambassador
to Poland Victor Ashe was concerned Poland had
become something of a thorn in America’s side.
“There is a growing fear among Polish government
elites that Poland has become an afterthought,
or even a nuisance ... and this is hard to swallow
for a country that considers itself a loyal ally and
important contributor to US strategic interests in
greater Europe and Afghanistan,” claimed Ashe.
The piece was written during the early days of
President Obama’s administration, during a
time PM Donald Tusk was attempting to set up a
meeting between the two leaders.
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6
REGIONALNEWS
The New Poland Express I Friday 15th April 2011 I www.nwe.pl
NationwidewithGrahamCrawford:
Bringing you the best from across the regions.
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WITHOuTRHYmEORREGION
“
We want the
truth!”
cried
Kaczynski and
the hall erupted into
a standing ovation.
“We want the truth
regardless of how
painful it is and who it hurts,” he continued, “Because without that truth we are a
nation without dignity.”
The strangest thing about all this is that the
truth has been as plain as the nose on your face
since the day of the accident in Smolensk. As
previously evidenced with the flight to Geor-
gia, President Kaczynski insisted the Tupolev
land at Smolensk and he sent his Airforce
General Blasik into the cockpit to ensure his
order was carried out, because he, Kaczynski,
was the head of the armed forces and he could
command the pilots to do as he wanted, regardless of common sense or procedure.
And then 96 people died.
The Kaczynski camp have spent the year
since the crash blaming fake fog, evil air
traffic controllers, the Polish government for
organising the flight, anyone, anything, anywhere, just as long as it’s not them. This is the
truth which is too painful for them to accept,
despite it being the simplest explanation, the
one that matches the facts most closely.
Instead they come up with ever crazier
theories, shift the blame, deny the facts,
make up stories, then demand “the truth”.
It’s a demand which is impossible to fulfil,
because they’ve already rejected the truth
in advance. What they want is reality and
the facts to be twisted to suit their political
purposes. William Blake described them
perfectly thus, “The Man who pretends to
be a modest enquirer into the truth of a self
evident thing is a Knave.” And they have
the gall to talk about dignity.
LODzkIE
actions had been written about by local
newspapers. All four were interrogated
in the company of their parents. None of
them had previously been noted by police.
there were problems with the tender process
leading to their purchase, and that the city
may have overpaid for the now unwanted
hoardings to the tune of PLN 200,000.
The fifty proposed new sites for the
hoardings are currently being approved
by experts from the local roads authority
before the citylights finally set off to light
the city.
Soviet gravestone scandal
A
group of three
young vandals
have devastated the
war cemetery in
Lodz’s Poniatowski
Park. Eleven headstones were overturned and although
police were alerted immediately by a passer-by the young people they approached
turned out not to be involved. Undeterred,
the officers returned the following day and
quickly identified a group of youngsters
running wild in the vicinity.
The ringleader, a 14-year-old boy,
initiated the destruction, knocking the
first monument over accidentally while
walking his dog. He then introduced his
younger colleagues to the game, competing
to see who could knock over the largest
number. The youths later boasted that their
Citylights bright future
T
he fifty infamous citylight advertising
hoardings that have led a troubled life
since their arrival in Lodz in 2009 are about
to be relocated around the city, bringing to
an end two years of shenanigans. The illuminated hoardings will be placed at busy
points of the city and hold a map on one
side, while local events will be advertised
on the other.
The hoardings were originally intended
to light up ul. Piotrkowska, but after they
had been purchased, it turned out they
would hinder pedestrians and block the
sites of summer beer gardens. Then they
were placed in Plac Wolnosci, but without
consulting the historic buildings officer, so
they had to be moved to a third home along
Al. Pilsudskiego. Then it turned out that
Terminal terminates here
L
odz’s new terminal is due to be completed this year, but the authorities are
having problems attracting the prestigious
national carriers the building was supposed
to serve. The modern, four floor terminal,
built at a cost of PLN 190 mln, is capable of
handling as many as 1,300 passengers per
hour. However, the airport currently only
serves eight routes and twenty-one flights
per week. This means that the entire passenger numbers for the last three months
could be dealt with by the new terminal in
a mere eighteen hours.
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7
REGIONALNEWS
The New Poland Express I Friday 15th April 2011 I www.nwe.pl
mAzOWIECkIE
WIELkOPOLSkIE
Still cross
Tram trouble
T
he
self-proclaimed
defenders of the cross
reappeared on the
Krakowskie Przedmiescie this Wednesday and attempted to
erect another wooden cross there, outside the presidential palace. In a gathering aimed at paying tribute
to Lech Kaczynski’s wife, Maria, by laying
tulips outside the palace, the demonstrators
brought an improvised wooden cross, similar to the one erected there by scouts shortly
after the Smolensk crash.
Police tried to move the gathering on,
as they were blocking the pavement, and
scuffles ensued. The defenders insisted they
didn’t need permission for the gathering as
there were only thirteen of them, and refused
to move on. They tried to fix the cross to
barriers, but City Guard intervened. Later
in the afternoon the cross was still standing,
propped up by the defenders’ bags. Meanwhile
City Guard kept a close watch, to ensure they
didn’t attempt anything more permanent.
Tobruk unearthed in Wawa
A
German bunker, part of a WWII defensive line in Warsaw called the Tobruk
line, has been unearthed during repair work
to tramlines along Plac Zbawiciela. The site
was visited on Tuesday by an archaeologist
and the Polish Army Museum has already
expressed an interest in putting the bunker
on display at the Warsaw Citadel.
Dawid Dziama, the museum’s press officer,
told reporters, “We have to work out how
much it will cost to move it. We know that
removing it from the ground could damage
electricity cables.”
As part of the German defensive lines round
Warsaw, there were about 60 such reinforced
concrete bunkers. They were completely
buried in the ground with a circular turret
on top from which gunners could operate.
“Tobruk” type bunkers were usually fitted
with machine gun emplacements.
On yer bike!
W
arsaw’s motorcyclists are driving nonriding residents mad with their excesses following the arrival of spring and the
new riding season. Smoking tyres, removing
exhaust silencers and high-speed wheelies
are trying the patience of the capital’s slowerpaced dwellers. “Why do they have to do it
in the centre? Why can’t they ride out into
the countryside? The whole city centre is one
great big racing track for them from April to
October,” moaned one resident.
A
major Euro 2012
investment
in
Poznan has hit trouble,
as the offers to extend
the city’s Rapid Tramway line are all significantly over-budget.
Even the lowest offer from the Torpol company,
is way over the city’s projected figure of PLN
102 mln, coming in at a whopping PLN 125
mln. “There are two ways out of the situation.
Either we annul the tender process and start
again, or we’ll have to find the missing money.
It’s hard to say which option we’ll choose,” Andrzej Nowakowski, Director of Infrastruktura
Euro Poznan 2012 told reporters.
The extension to the Poznan Rapid
Tramway is one of the flagship investments
for the football championships. The new line
was intended to enable fast travel from the
outskirts of the city right to the main station.
City authorities are still bullish
about completing the work in time,
but Nowakowski is less sure. “We were
supposed to start building in March, but as
things stand, we don’t know what to do. For
us it’s a disaster,” lamented Nowakowski.
Okraglak ablaze
O
ne of Poznan’s signature buildings, the
renowned Okraglak, was seen with
smoke billowing from it this Wednesday afternoon, with as many as five fire tenders
struggling to contain the blaze inside. The fire
ul. Limanowskiego 15
02-943 Warszawa
T:(0048) 22 842 32 81
F:(0048) 22 842 32 65
[email protected]
www.thebritishschool.pl
• Over 750 students enrolled
• Over 50 different nationalities
• Superb facilities in the heart of Warsaw
• High quality teaching provided by committed
qualified British, International and local staff
• A complete education from 2.5-18 years
• Following the English National Curriculum
• Outstanding IB and I/GCSE results
• Wide range of extracurricular activities
appears to have broken out as a result of construction work currently taking place inside.
“My colleagues were cutting something up
top using torches. It’s possible something fell
into the basement. The smoke was coming up
the lift-shaft,” explained one of the workers.
Fire officers smashed a window, trying to
get into the building, but were beaten back.
About forty people were evacuated, mostly
construction workers, while fire services
tried to bring the blaze under control.
8
REGIONALNEWS
The New Poland Express I Friday 15th April 2011 I www.nwe.pl
POmORSkIE
mALOPOLSkIE
Karnowski’s double KO
The Lady vanishes!
S
opot’s much-litigated President
Jacek
Karnowski
won a double victory in the regional
and appeal courts
this week. The appeal court upheld
an earlier verdict in a verbal spat between
Karnowski and the equally controversial
Law and Justice Euro MP Jacek Kurski. The
regional court ruled local businessman
Slawomir Julke had to pay Karnowski’s legal costs after Julke withdrew a private suit
against the Sopot politician.
The row with Kurski began back in
2008. Karnowski was being investigated
by the Central Anti-Corruption Office
(CBA) when he told reporters, “Instead
of investigating Sopot, the CBA should
look into Kurski’s forester’s hut.” Kurski
allegedly purchased a forester’s hut for PLN
22,000 from the State Forestry, only for the
same property to soon after be valued at
PLN 300,000. Kurski maintained this was
as a result of his investment in the property
and so he sued Karnowski. The original
court ruled that the comment was within
the accepted norms of political debate and
free speech, a ruling that was upheld this
week.
In the Gdansk Regional Court, Slawomir
Julke was ordered to pay PLN 4,600 legal
costs after he withdrew a private slander
suit after Karnowski accused Julke of
falsifying evidence against him and of
illegal business activities. In 2008 Julke
accused Karnowski of corruption and
presented incriminating tape recordings to
the media. Those accusations are still being
investigated by prosecutors.
What yachts!
A
French company operating in Pomorze is conquering the world of
luxury yachts. Sunreef yachts, founded in
2000, is enjoying record sales and, in the
immediate future, plans to increase employment by up to 20 percent. The company currently employs 450 people, from
architects and engineers, to carpenters and
electricians.
The company will also be moving from
the Gdansk Shipyard to a new production
hall in the village of Wislinki, just
outside the Tri-city. This will enable the
firm to expand their production of large
catamarans. “We’re at the stage of sorting
out the formalities and documentation. We
expect the move to take place in 2013,” Ewa
Stachurska for Sunreef told reporters.
K
rakow Young
Democrats
(the youth wing of
the Civic Platform
party) are running
a campaign to bring
the famous Da Vinci
painting ‘Lady with
an Ermine’ back to its home in the city’s
Czartoryski Museum. The Czartoryski
Foundation, though, is applying for permission for further foreign tours for the iconic
work, arguing that the loans are paying for
essential renovations to the museum.
A special website set up to promote the cause
announces, “We call on all Cracovians, on
everyone who cares about the Da Vinci painting:
it’s time to put a stop to the Lady’s travels. It’s
Krakow’s greatest artistic treasure, a symbol of
the city and a magnet for tourists. Sadly, art lovers
and thousands of foreign tourists who come here
to see the Lady leave disappointed. The Lady isn’t
here and nobody knows when, if ever, she will
return. For the safety of the painting it would be
better if Leonardo’s work never left Poland.”
Mateusz Slawinski of the Young Democrats
told Gazeta Krakow, “We don’t like what’s
being done to this masterpiece. We want
as many Cracovians as possible to join our
campaign. We hope to provoke the painting’s
owner to change their policy towards the Lady.”
Next week the Ministry of Culture is to
decide whether to allow the painting to go on
loan to Berlin and Madrid. The Krakow State
Museum is against the loans.
Roth off camera
A
ctor Tim Roth was in Krakow this
week as part of the Off Plus Camera
festival taking place in the city. The British
star, best known for his appearances in the
Quentin Tarantino films Reservoir Dogs
and Pulp Fiction, was here to receive the
‘Against the flow’ Award – a recognition
given to artists who, regardless of current
trends, follow their own path.
9
BuSINESS
The New Poland Express I Friday 15th April 2011 I www.nwe.pl
Poland prepares to go nuclear
N
ew reports by Polski Radio state
that this summer will see an international tender awarded to a company which can supply all the technical
know-how for Poland’s first nuclear power
plant.
The reports claim the decision, which is
rumoured to be worth somewhere in the
region of PLN 40 bln, will be announced
by state-owned power company Polska
Grupa Energetyczna (PGE) - which the
government has handed responsibility to.
According to TVN, Westinghouse, GEHitachi and Areva all consider themselves
in the running.
It is believed that the site will be built in
the northern location of Zarnowiec - the
site of Poland’s first proposed nuclear plant
until construction was halted in 1990 due to
a mixture of poor funding and local protests.
“On one hand we have to try and combat
global warming but on the other hand, a
phobia of nuclear power,” says Poland’s
Government Commissioner for Nuclear
Energy, Hanna Trojanowska. “At the same
time, economic competitiveness is one of
our priorities. I would like to declare we
have not given up on this programme.”
Send comments
and letters to
[email protected]
Pekao President Resigns
A
licja Kornasiewicz, president of Poland’s second-largest lender bank
Pekao SA, resigned this week from
her post in an unexpected move.
The resignation was announced via
the bank’s website although no official
explanation has yet been given.
According to TVN24, in a unanimous
decision, the board voted Luigi Lovaglio
(current Vice-President) to take over the
position as of May 1.
It is believed that Ms Kornasiewicz
will continue to work for Bank Pekao’s
majority shareholder, the Italian
UniCredit group, although it is likely she
will enter the boards of certain banks in
Ukraine and Hungary, also controlled
by UniCredit. In addition to this, it has
also been suggested that she may run
for a position on the Pekao’s supervisory
board.
Ms Kornasiewicz took over the
presidency in January 2010 from Krzysztof
Bielecki. Before that, she was CEO of
UniCredit CAIB Poland SA and Dept.
Treasury Minister under PM Jerzy Buzek.
BuSINESSINBRIEF
Toys ‘R’ Us to hit PL
US megastore ‘Toys ‘R’ Us’ has its sights set on the
Polish market.
With over 1,550 stores in 35 countries already, the toy
giant looks ready to move into Poland for the first time,
and, according to Puls Biznesu, its first store could be
opened by the end of the year.
With an estimated toy market of around PLN 2 bln and
a population of over 38 mln, the country would provide
a perfect opportunity for expansion after the closure of
more than 80 stores in the US five years ago.
Details look set to follow over the summer.
EU must find alternative funds
Janusz Lewandowski, European Commissioner for
Financial Programming and Budgets, has spoken
about how it is essential for the EU to find new ways
to fund expenditure next year in order to prevent
countries such as Poland ending up casualties.
While the EC wishes to increase spending in areas such
as agriculture and rural development (of which Poland
is a major benefactor), other EU nations are calling for
funding in certain areas to be reduced.
“The EU has no choice,” says Mr Lewandowski. “It must
find new ways to raise revenue.”
NBP OFFICIAL CURRENCY RATES 15/04/2011
INNumBERS
Currency
Canadian Dollar
Czech Koruna
Danish Krone
Euro
Hungarian Forint
Japanese Yen
Norwegian Krone
Pound Sterling
Russian Ruble
Swedish Krona
Swiss Franc
US Dollar
4 .3%
Symbol
1 CAD
1 CZK
1 DKK
1 EUR
100 HUF
100 JPY
1 NOK
1 GBP
1 RUB
1 SEK
1 CHF
1 USD
Mid-rate
2,8321
0,1633
0,5293
3,9479
1,4792
3,2784
0,5048
4,4584
0,0967
0,4400
3,0596
2,7293
Poland’s inflation for March year-on-year according
to GUS (Poland’s Main Statistical Office).
86%
The number of Poles who own a mobile phone,
making it the country’s second most desired
commodity.
Common
Cents
with
RossNaylor
OK, confession time. I am a financial
adviser and I hate insurance.
However, while I may hate it I recognize
that there is often an absolute need for it.
Here are some statistics that back that
need up:
• A working adult is 10 times more likely to
be unable to work through ill health than
to die before retirement.
• One in five people has a chance of being
off work due to illness for at least three
months.
• There is a one in six chance of an adult
being incapacitated for longer than six
months.
When thinking about what could cause
you to be unable to work due to ill health,
it is not necessary to look for something
serious. Think something simple, backache
for example.
It’s not all doom and gloom. Chances
are, your employer will continue to pay
you for the first 3-6 months. If a large part
of your income comes from bonuses or
commission however, you will lose out as
this will not be covered.
In addition some countries have
generous state safety nets. Here in Poland,
for example, ZUS takes over once your
employer stops and continues to pay until
you recover or reach retirement age.
Again, this won’t cover bonus or
commission income. In addition if you are
here on an expatriate contract then it won’t
cover the allowance for housing or school
fees either.
This last point is not terribly relevant
anyway, as if you are here as an expatriate
and become unable to work due to ill
health, chances are you will go back to
your home country anyway.
The questions therefore, that you need to
ask yourself are:
1) What effect would being unable to work due
to long term incapacity have on your present
finances and your future financial plans?
2) Are you prepared to take that risk? (Or
as Clint Eastwood would say - do you feel
lucky?)
Ross Naylor is a financial
planner with AES International, an
independent financial advisory group.
www.aesinternational.com/
rossnaylor
10
ENTERTAINmENT
The New Poland Express I Friday 15th April 2011 I www.nwe.pl
SOmETHINGFORTHEWEEkENDfromInYourPocket
P
olish beer. There’s a
topic that occupies
a fair chunk of our lives
what with all the bar
and club reviews we’re
obliged to do in updating the guides. And it’s
a topic that has caused tutting and headshaking more often than not as well as attracting some fairly forthright criticism of
our view that Polish beer just wasn’t very
good. As those familiar with the country
over the last decade will be aware, while
the choice in virtually every other product
increased, your choices in beer seemed to
decline. We lost some of our favourites like
Hevelius as breweries were bought out by
major international companies who then
streamlined operations and closed unprofitable breweries and brands. As these
multinationals then fought for market
share the consumer was left with pretty
much a choice between Zywiec/Heineken or Tyskie/Lech in most bars around
the country. Now while we’ve yet to turn
our noses up at a pint of any of these, you
could hardly claim (as one apocalyptic
reader tried to) that Polish beer compared
well with those of its traditional beer oasis neighbours of Germany and Czech
Republic. The beer was neither as good in
our opinion or came with the same background of tradition in beer-making. While
we don’t doubt that the Tyskie brewery at
Tychy was brewing beer in 1629 (the date
on labels and caps of Tyskie Gronie), we
remember coming to Poland in the 1980s
and never being offered (or seeing) a local
beer. Vodka was the drink then, more often than not produced in basement distilleries by family members and neighbours.
We do remember being able to buy Stella
Export in the Pewex and the stares we and
the beer received as we returned to the
family Maluch with 24 cans of the stuff.
Communism was responsible for many
things in Poland and in our opinion the
death of the beer industry seemed to be
one of them.
But as last weekend’s crawl of the
hostelries of Gdansk demonstrated this is
something which has at last been reversed.
In every single one of the bars we visited,
and by the end of the night it had moved
into double figures, we found that the
recent trend of making the beers of Polish
micro-breweries available to the masses
was gaining ground. In not one bar were we
obliged to choose one of the major brands
and instead we worked our way through a
wonderful selection of bottled Polish beers.
Perla, Ciechan (wyborne, miodowe), Lomza,
Noteckie all received the thumbs up as did
the in-house brews of Brovarnia on the
quayside, a restaurant and microbrewery
set in a renovated granary building. But
we’re a big believer of ‘when in Rome’ and
for that reason our award for the night went
to Zywe, an unpasteurised beer produced
just outside of Gdansk on what was once a
communist-era PGE collective farm by the
Amber Brewery. These chaps might have less
than 20 years of beer-making tradition, but
they’re making a bloody good go of it. We
ought also to tip our hats at their Zloty Lwy
and Kozlak beers. We are well aware that
many of the visitors to Polish cities for whom
we write would like recommendations on
locally produced foods and drinks and
for many years found it sad to impart that
despite its German connections, Gdansk
was a bit of a wasteland for locally brewed
beer. Thankfully that is no longer the case.
Find Amber beers in Cafe Faktotum, Red
Light and Flisak 76 among many other old
town bars the next time you visit.
Send comments and letters to
[email protected]
Gdynia
17 .04 Sunday - L.U.C.
Ucho, ul. Św. Piotra 2, tel. (+48) 58 343 14 05,
www.ucho.com.plQConcert starts at 19:00. Ticket
prices were undecided at the moment. Please
check our website for updates. Available in Ucho
box office (Open only during concerts).
Lodz
18 .04 Monday - 19 .04 Tuesday
Roger Waters - The Wall
Hala Arena, ul. Bandurskiego 7 (Łódź Kaliska),
tel. (+48) 12 421 89 63QConcert starts at 18:00.
Tickets 220-699zł. Available at Cultural Information
Centre, ul. Piotrkowska 102A (Open 10:00 - 18:00,
Sat 10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun).
Poznan
15 .04 Friday - Made In Chicago
David Boykin Trio
Scena Na Piętrze, ul. Masztalarska 8, tel. (+48)
12 421 89 63, www.madeinchicago.plQConcert
starts at 20:00. Tickets 35zł. Availbale before the
concert.
Sopot
17 .04 Sunday - Glen Matlock (The Sex Pistols) &
The Philistines
SFINKS 700, ul. Mamuszki 1, tel. (+48) 501 85 61
53, www.sfinksclub.comQConcert starts at 19:00.
Ticket 50/60zł. Reservations at sfinks700@gmail.
com.
Wroclaw
18 .04 Monday - Pendragon
Firlej, ul. Grabiszyńska 56, tel. (+48) 22 450 67 10
QConcert starts at 20:00. Tickets 80zł. Available at
Empik, Rynek 50 (Open 09:00 - 21:00, Sun 11:00 21:00).
Warsaw
16 .04 Saturday - I AM X
Stodoła, ul. Batorego 10, tel. (+48) 22 843 14 41
QConcert starts at 20:00. Tickets 79/99zł. Available
at the Stodoła box office (Open 09:00 - 21:00, Sat
09:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun, Mon).
19 .04 Tuesday - Belle & Sebastian
Stodoła, ul. Batorego 10, tel. (+48) 501 85 61 53
QConcert starts at 20:00. Tickets 125/110zł.
Available at www.eventim.pl and Empik, ul. Złota
59 (Open 10:00 - 22:00, Sun 10:00 - 20:00).
In cooperation with In Your Pocket city guides
11
ENTERTAINmENT
The New Poland Express I Friday 15th April 2011 I www.nwe.pl
Gdansk
Warsaw
Krakow
16 .04 Saturday
Sea Battle - Wisłoujście Fortress Siege
ul. Starowiślna, tel. (+48) 58 343 14 05
This historical reconstruction should be best
viewed from ul. Starowiślna or from the Nowy
Port shore. The plan of action goes as follows: a
privateer sailing ship is trying to get into Gdańsk
Port. First it has to negotiate with customs to
pay duty and so on. Something goes wrong
and ship’s crew opens fire on the fortress. The
brave soldiers of Gdansk will prevent the ship
from entering. Starting at 11:00 and lasting till
16:00 it features the galleon ‘The Black Pearl’,
40 cannons and 100 troops (foot soldiers and
cavalry) as well as side events like an archery
tournament, jousting and a ballista shooting
presentation. Sounds like a noisy fun day out
for all.QEvent starts at 11:00. Admission free.
17 .04 Sunday - Horseracing Season Opening
Służewiec Horse Race Track, ul. Puławska 266,
tel. (+48) 22 843 14 41, www.torsluzewiec.pl
Race meetings are relatively rare in Poland, so
it’s always good to check one out when there’s
a chance. Sunday’s card includes 8 races and,
to raise interest, is for free. Later on admission
will be 5-25 zł depending on which part of the
ground you want to sit in. Besides the races
there are other events like historic wardrobe
shows by ladies from the Bluszcz group, a riding
equipment fair and Easter decorations. The
food runs from sushi to grilled sausages, so
you won’t get hungry. The 2011 season lasts 62
days with 510 races. Tally ho!QEvent starts at
13:45. Admission free
15 .04 Friday - 25 .04 Monday - Easter Fair
Rynek Główny, tel. (+48) 32 271 88 31
Come along and get a taste of Easter at the
fair. There will be Palm Sunday parades, the
Poles like their palms big and decorative, worth
seeing just for that I’d say. Besides that listen
to Easter song contests with a wide variety of
performers as well as try some Easter cakes
and treats. Over the first three days the Easter
Małopolska Festival of Taste will run and we
have the chance to savour and take home
some special dishes and produce associated
with this festive time. On Sunday 17th, from
11:00 to 16:00 there’s also the Easter Traditions
and Customs Festival. Come and see lots more
folklore goings on - dancing, music and eggpainting are all on the programme. On 23rd
there’s a display of Easter tables. See how
it’s done in Poland from 10:00 and at 12:00
the priest will consecrate the faithful’s Easter
baskets with lots of water flying about. Good
clean fun.QAdmission free.
16 .04 Saturday - 17 .04 Sunday
Taste Gdansk - Half-price Weekend
Restaurants in Gdańsk
For the third time Gdańsk restaurants will drop
their prices half on selected meals and dishes. It’s
not only about food, besides restaurants, cafes
and clubs, the event has been joined by the
Central Maritime Museum, the History of Gdansk
Museum, Archaeological Museum, Free City
of Danzig Museum and the Roads to Freedom
exhibition at ul. Wały Piastowskie 24. Gdańsk ZKM
is offering rides on classic Konstal N trams from
1952 from Zaspa to the city centre - ticket 2zł. The
two previous editions were very popular and the
queues in front of restaurants were endless. This
is the reason for one of the rule changes: not all
meals in restaurants are half price and there is no
pre-booking. Look for posters of Neptun splitting a
5zł coin in half to recognise a participating venue.
Katowice
© www.msorchestra.eu
17 .04 Sunday
Michael Jackson Symphonically
Katowice Cultural Centre, Pl. Sejmu Śląskiego
2, tel. (+48) 32 271 88 31
This will be the first show of this type in Poland. It
features the biggest hits of pop legend Michael
Jackson performed by a symphony orchestra
with extra special singing arrangements and
multimedia visualisations in the background.
Come along and hear Thriller, Beat it, Billy Jean,
Dirty Diana, Smooth Criminal, Black or White in
what is described as an ‘energetic symphony
performance’.
Performed by the Modern Symphony Orchestra
conducted by Mikołaj Blajda, they are a group
of very talented artists new to the Polish music
scene.QEvent starts at 18:00. Tickets 80-120zł.
Available at Empik, ul. Piotra Skargi 6 (Open
08:00 - 20:00, Sun 10:00 - 16:00).
19 .04 Tuesday - 25 .04 Monday
Misteria Paschalia
tel. (+48) 12 421 89 63, www.misteriapaschalia.com
This is a festival of Early music which has taken
place every Easter since 2004. It takes Holy
Week as its theme and is a rare chance to listen
to the best performers of Early music in Europe.
This year the festival will be extended and
separated into two parts. To the mainstream,
two other subsections have been added:
Debut and Trance. The third section, Trance,
is something that should make the festival
more accessible to those who aren’t so
familiar with early music. It will be the space
where popular music will meet classical
instruments, passion related subjects and
traditional forms. It will be inaugurated
on Holy Saturday, when Adrian Utley from
Portishead and Will Gregory from Goldfrapp,
Capella Cracoviensis and Octava Ensemble
will perform music to the classic silent movie
Joan of Arc (1928) - all directed by Charles
Hazlewood.QTickets 60-200zł. Pass 900zł.
Available at City Information Point, ul. Św.
Jana 2 (Open 10:00 - 18:00). Full schedule
available at www.misteriapaschalia.com.
In cooperation with In Your Pocket city guides
12 SPORT
The New Poland Express I Friday 15th April 2011 I www.nwe.pl
National team in tatters
F
ranciszek Smuda must be wondering what he’s got himself into, after
a week in which six national team
representatives have been charged with
corruption and his first choice centre back
appears to be a hate figure for his prospective team-mates. Smuda now faces severely
limited options, as the players charged
are likely to be banned for life and over
Emanuel Arboleda he has to either give in
to player power or risk a full-scale mutiny.
The corruption charges concern a match
between Cracovia and Zaglebie Lubin in the
2005-6 season – when Smuda himself was
in charge of one of the teams involved. A
scoreless draw guaranteed Lubin a place in
European competition and put Cracovia at
no risk, so a group of Zaglebie players came
up with the idea of arranging the result.
Using a Krakow dentist as a go-between
as much as PLN 100,000 was exchanged
in return for the required result. As many
as thirteen players on both teams were
involved, though others openly refused
involvement and some of those involved
later returned their share of the money.
Wojciech Petkowicz, the Polish FA’s
(PZPN) prosecutor was talking tough,
commenting in Przeglad Sportowy, “I’ve
been given the green light by the PZPN.
I’m to put everything else aside to look
into the business of punishments for those
involved.” Later in the interview, though,
it emerged that neither club will face any
sanction for the incident and there is also a
real issue as to how to punish Lukasz P., one
of the internationals involved, seeing as he
plays in Germany for Borussia Dortmund.
Meanwhile, Lech Poznan’s centre back,
Manuel Arboleda, who is due to become a
naturalised Polish citizen in the immediate
future, was at the centre of scuffles and a
red card incident at the Polish Cup match
with Polonia this week. Afterwards three
regulars for the Polish team, Smolarek,
Mierzejewski and Jodlowiec openly
declared they don’t want Arboleda in the
team – leaving Smuda with a headache.
Ebi Smolarek was sent off for punching
Arboleda after a series of tussles, then
later got involved with the Colombianborn player in the tunnel. “He provoked
me, that’s why he was yellow-carded too.
Any player would have done the same, if
somebody tried to stick their finger up…”,
commented an unrepentant Smolarek after
the match.
Then two of Smolarek’s team-mates
lined up to support him. “It’s time to say
it out loud. None of the Polish players
likes him,” Adrian Mierzejewski told
reporters. Tomasz Jodlowiec was even
more forthright, “I wanted to do the same
as Ebi did, but I restrained myself.”
Volley of abuse
T
omasz Zadroga, managing director
of the state-owned PGE energy giant
threatened a boycott by Atom Trefl
Sopot, which PGE sponsors, following a perceived criticism by a TV pundit on Polsat. Following Sopot’s defeat in the Polish Cup, pundit Wojciech Drzyzga commented, “This is
an artificial, rapidly put together group composed of people that don’t know each other
very well.” On hearing that, Zadroga stormed,
“If that man is to commentate on my team’s
matches, they won’t go out on court.”
Atom Trefl Sopot was created only
this season by PGE, who bought the
license belonging to PTPS Pila, filling
the team with international volleyball
stars. Consequently, they face enormous
pressure to win. “It’s outrageous. I
don’t even know how to respond. I was
defending his team, not attacking them,”
replied Drzyzga, adding, “Anyway,
the most important thing is that my
commentary is completely independent. I
won’t be gagged.”
The place to spend
the weekend
Saturday 16.04.2011
Man City V Man Utd KO 18:15
Sunday 17.04.2011
Aberdeen V Celtic KO 13:45
Arsenal V Liverpool KO 17:00
Bolton V Stoke KO 17:00
Warsaw
Tortilla Factory
ul. Wilcza 46
tel. 022 621-8622
www.warsawtortillafactory.pl
[email protected]
SPORTBRIEFS
Kubica’s speedy return
F1 fans will be pleased to hear that Robert Kubica is making
rapid progress in his recovery from the dreadful crash
suffered in Italy recently. The Polish racing star is already
reported to be slowly standing and putting weight on his
operated leg.
Meanwhile, Nick Heidfeld, who placed third in the Malaysian
GP last weekend, despite having had a previously strained
relationship with the Pole when they were team-mates,
has been doing everything to encourage his colleague’s
return.
Driving in a helmet bearing the Polish flag, Heidfeld wrote
an open letter to Kubica, printed in Bild, “I thought about
you a lot during the race. When I crossed the line I was full
of positive thoughts. Lotus has a really fast car this year.
Come back as soon as possible and drive it. I hope your
recovery is going well. Get well soon!”
No away fans at Lech
Poznan’s troubled stadium faces further problems with
a possible ban on visiting fans being considered due to
safety concerns. “The roadworks on ul. Bulgarska restrict
access to the stadium. At the same time construction
of the walkway into the stadium for visiting fans is under
construction. All this means the police have difficulties
escorting away fans into the ground,” explained Maciej
Mielecki of Poznan’s Sports and Recreation Department.
As a result police have suggested that matches take place
without the participation of visiting fans. However, this
would need to be approved by the Polish FA. The next two
home fixtures, Lech v Legia Warszawa and second division
Warta v Pogonia Szczecin will definitely go ahead with fans
from both teams.
13
CLASSIFIEDS
The New Poland Express I Friday 15th April 2011 I www.nwe.pl
Classifieds:Placeyourfreeadsandcommunity
newshere.Email [email protected]
APARTMENT FOR LEASE
FOR SALE
Polish speaking foreigners wanted
New (11 years old) apartment, 126 sq. metres,
Mokotów district. Fully furnished to luxury
standards. Located in 24-hour manned security
complex. Two bedrooms (master bedroom with
en-suite bathroom). Fully equipped kitchen.
Guest bathroom. Spacious terrace + bedroom
balcony. Fitness centre, including gymnasium,
swimming pool and sauna. Underground garage
space and secure storage cellar. TPSA telephone
line. Cable TV, satellite dish + sat. TV. Hi-speed
permanent Internet access. Conveniently located
for airport, metro (Wilanowska station) and other
public transport. Stunning views (9th floor) over
city and one of the most beautiful parks in the
neighbourhood.
- Weber Genesis Silver C gas grill, with many
accessories, including all weather cover
- Weber Chill. Mobile fridge for use indoors and out.
- Teak garden table, 8 chairs, cushions and
blankets (All high quality)
I’m looking for foreigners speaking Polish to
complete a short interesting questionnaire about
expressing emotions in Polish language.
Please email me: [email protected]
If you are interested please either
call (601-366855) or mail on [email protected]
Apartment to rent
Apartment for rent Warsaw
Beautiful 2 room furnished apartment, 47 sq m,
Konopczynskiego (2 minutes to Nowy Swiat).
Marble floor & bath, 1st upper floor. 1.800,- per
month
[email protected]
Fully furnished apartment for rent located at Wiejska 20.
60 sq. m, 3 rooms: 2 bedrooms and a living room.
It has large balcony/loggia, attached kitchen.
Bathroom and WC are separate. It is on the second
floor with an elevator. Award wining building with
beautiful inside yard.
Rent: 2500 pln / month
Contact: [email protected] or [email protected]
Polish lessons in return for French
Native English speaker needed
Mercedes for sale
Professional Polish teacher will teach you Polish in
exchange of French lessons.
I am looking for English Native Speaker.
My English is ok ;) but I need to improve my
Business English. I can teach you Polish.
Mercedes 280CDI 2006 4matic for sale in Warsaw
119,000km ELEGANCE version, extras: GPS,
Xenon, Bluetooth, 5 CD, DVD player, 76,000pln
Contact: Tony, 604 555 855
Entry available early April 2011
For further information, please contact: Donald
Blair: [email protected] +44 7930 164 013
Please email me: [email protected]
Please email me: [email protected]
Stunning apartment in heart of Old Town
Apartment to let Downtown Warsaw
Pictures and webpage in return
100m + floorspace located on three floors next to
Cathedral with views over convent. Refurbished
to a very high standard with new kitchen and
bathrooms, 2/3 bedrooms, wifi; home cinema
etc.. Can be let unfurnished or furnished with high
quality furniture and art. Euro 1800 per month.
Contact: [email protected]
+48 609 100 257
200 metre’s to the Zlote Tarasy shopping mall
opposite the Holiday Inn Hotel.
Located at 54 Sienna street. 95 square metre’s.
English owner. 2500 Pln per month. Photo’s on
request.
Contact: [email protected]
As a webmaster of a Dutch forum about Poland
and an information portal I’m looking for good
pictures of Poland. In return I’ll offer you a page
on www.bigos.nl where you can promote your
business for free
Contact: [email protected] / www.bigos.nl /
www.polen-forum.nl / www.lviv.nl
Amateur Theatre in English
Editor for Academic Papers
Classical choir for amateurs
New Warsaw amateur theatre group forming.
Actors, producers, directors and others wanted.
No experience needed. For more details
Contact: Michael at [email protected]
Native English speaker, with an M.A. in English
and ABD in Polish, offers his assistance in editing
papers for grammar and style. Between 7PLN
and 10PLN per page – prices negotiated before
work commences.
Contact: [email protected]
Doubtful you are good enough?
Give it a try!
Rehearsals in English every Tuesday
at 6.30 in Nowy Swiat.
2
Contact Richard Berkeley at [email protected]
14
COmmuNITYNEWS
The New Poland Express I Friday 15th April 2011 I www.nwe.pl
CommunityGroups:Placefreelistingsfor
yourcommunitygroupshere.Email [email protected]
The Sikh Community
Role Playing Game in Warsaw
Poland Tartan Army
The Sikh Community of Warsaw meets each Sunday
at the Sikh Gurudwara in Rashyn, Ul Na Skraju
56. All are welcome. Kirtan starts at midday and
langar is served after the Bhog at about 1400. For
more information contact 22 868 4541. The Sikh
faith is about equality, honesty and standing up
to oppression. Anyone visiting the Guru’s house is
welcome, in return for due respect and consideration
of the Sikh faith.
International English-speaking group in Warsaw,
mostly foreign professionals, play tabletop
Dungeons & Dragons fortnightly. No experience
necessary but fluent English proficiency is
required. Have a good time. Play some games.
Meet new friends. Open your imagination. More
info: Facebook group: http://tiny.cc/zaffa or
CreativeCowboy[at]yahoo[dot]com
A new Poland Tartan Army Facebook group
has been created. If you are a fan of Scottish
football and our national team please
join the group by visiting Facebook and
conducting a search for Poland Tartan Army.
If anyone, who is not a part of Facebook,
is interested in this idea then please email
[email protected] to register your interest.
HASH HOUSE HARRIERS
International Women’s Group
International Rotary Club
We are a Polish and Expat social group who organise a
walk/run in a forest, park or around the city, followed by
a few beers (or whatever takes your fancy!). We meet at
the Marriott hotel on alternate Saturdays at 2pm. “Hash
House Harriers” is an international group, which was
originally established in Malaysia 70 years ago.
All are welcome. For details, call Martin at 502-052-958.
Email [email protected] or www.warsawhash.pl
Meetings are held twice a month on the SECOND
Monday at 10.30 (for location see our newsletter
or website) and on the FOURTH Monday of the
month at Restauracja Tapa y Toro located in the
Zlote Tarasy Shopping Mall (ul. Zlota 59) from
10:00 - 11:00.
For more information see www.iwgwarsaw.eu or
contact us at [email protected]
International Rotary Club - Warszawa Wilanow is
the only English speaking Rotary Club in Warsaw.
Visiting Rotarians are warmly welcomed
to join the weekly meetings held at the
Polonia Palace Hotel, Al. Jerozolimskie 45.
Tuesday’s at 12:00, except the last Tuesday
of each month when the meeting is at 19:00.
For more information: +48 601 897 731
Gospel Baptist Church
GAA in Warsaw
Expat meetings
Services are held in Polish and English
languages: Sun. 11:00, Thurs. 19:00. For more
information contact: Pastor Paul Sock, mob.
0500-270-990, e-mail: [email protected]
www.gbc-ekb.com.
Cumann Warszawa.Poland’s first and only GAA
club is up and running and is looking for players
of all levels, all nationalities and both sexes. We
offer weekly training, competitive games and
regular social events as well as fresh oranges at
half time.
Contact Eoin at 0518-425-587 or
[email protected]
Meeting English speakers in Warsaw just got a
whole load easier. We don’t teach you Salsa,
we make you pay for your own drinks, but
we do promise to give you the premier multicultural event of the week at Warsaw’s very own
Professional Wednesday Meetup.
Toastmasters club
Poznan International Church
CFM (Christian Fellowship Ministries)
Toastmasters club (Polska) invites all to its weekly
meetings. Toastmasters is the international
organization for learning the art of public
speaking and enhancing leadership skills.
Meetings every Wednesday at 19.00 at the Palace
of Culture 12th floor (premises of Collegium
Civitas) - entrance from ul. Marszałkowska side.
For more details visit www.toastmasters.org.pl or
call Etan at 696-292-451
Every Sunday at 10:00
Contact details: www.international.pl. It’s simple at P.I.C..
Come and experience God through current music and
relevant teaching. Grow in your relationship with God
and others by making friends and joining a small group.
Serve God and people by being generous with the gifts
God has given you. Go and make a difference in the
world by sharing the love of Christ.
Kościół Chrześcijański (evangelical/Pentecostal)
Location: Ul. Mała 15a (Praga Pólnoc, Warszawa)
Services in Polish and English:
Wednesday 19.30 hrs and Sunday 11.00 & 18.30 hrs
Regularly on Saturday evening: Film, Concert & Drama
Website: www.thedoor.pl
Phone: 784 653 666 (Pastor Jan-Willem van Dam)
Email: [email protected]
To advertise
your business
100zł per week
Send us 360
characters (including
spaces) with a
heading of no more
than 30 characters
Contact - [email protected] or 691535566
Place your
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