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Polish News
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Friday 8th March 2013
Issue 10 (210)
Lech Walesa criticises minorities
Nobel prize winner
comes under fire
© NPE Archive
S
olidarity legend and former president
Lech Walesa found himself at the
centre of controversy this week with
comments about homosexuals and civil
partnerships that were reported worldwide
and provoked some to call for the Nobel
Peace Prize winner to return his award.
Mr Walesa joined the ongoing debate
about civil partnerships when he appeared
on the ‘Faktach po Faktach’ programme on
TVN last Friday and faced questions on some
of major topics of the day. While expressing
wide-ranging frustration with where he
saw the country and the political system
today, President Walesa was asked about his
opinions on homosexuals for which he saved
his most controversial comments.
“They must know that they are a minority
and have to adapt themselves to minor
things” he told the interviewer arguing that
he felt “the minority cannot dictate to the
majority” in reference to things like equality
parades. When asked if he felt that minorities
should sit on the back benches in parliament
he replied “Of course. Justice is justice. (...)
And even on the other side of the wall. I am
100 percent a democrat but I will not allow
the one percent to dictate to me.”
His comments sparked an immediate
reaction from the Palikot Movement (RP)
which boasts transsexual Anna Grodzka
and homosexual Robert Biedron among
The former president’s comments have attracted both criticism and praise
its ranks. On Wednesday, the party’s leader
Janusz Palikot invited both MPs to come
and sit on the front benches in a show of
defiance to President Walesa’s comments.
President Walesa did not, however, find
himself completely isolated. Law and Justice
(PO) MP John Godson told TVN “This is an
honest man (...) He said what many people
think,” while Justice Minister Jaroslaw
Gowin said that while some of the former
president’s comments were “indefensible” he
did agree “in part” with some of the views.
According to Mr Gowin, Walesa’s
answers had two layers. “One, completely
indefensible, is this unfortunate joke about
the wall. But there was also a second,
in which Lech Walesa spoke of the vast
propaganda of the homosexual community
which is trying to impose its standards on
the non-homosexual majority. And here I
think that Lech Walesa’s right,” he said.
When on Monday President Walesa was
asked if he felt he owed some people an
apology he flatly reputed the suggestion
arguing that his comments had been
misinterpreted. “I just said that minorities,
which I respect, should not flaunt their views
and try to impose them on the majority. I’ve
had enough of this flaunting, enough talking
only about this, instead of other issues”
NATIONALp.4 REGIONALp.8 businessp.10
Poland’s mouldy meat scandal
Everybody out!
ebooks becoming bigger
A meat factory in the northern town of
Swiecie which has allegedly been accepting out of date mouldy returns and reusing them in other products has been closed
down.
The scandal was brought to the attention
of Heath Inspectors by undercover journalists of TVN’s ‘Uwaga!’ programme who
claim that the practice has been going on
for years.
As many as 370 people had to be evacuated from a secondary school in Stargard
Szczecinskie this Wednesday, after a pupil
set off a canister of pepper spray. Six pupils
were taken to hospital for observation after
the incident.
Slawomir Lagonda, for Stargard fire service, explained, “We received the emergency call at 9.53am. Three tenders were sent
to the scene.”
ebooks are becoming increasingly popular a new report this week reveals.
Last year the market in Poland was valued at PLN 24 mln, says TVN, however
this year it has shot up to PLN 50 mln,
making the entire Polish market worth an
estimated PLN 2.7 bln.
However despite this, total sales still remain
relatively low with online books making up
just 2 percent of the Polish book market.
2
EDITORIAL
The New Poland Express I Friday 8th March 2013 I www.nwe.pl
Contents
News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Regional news. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
What’s on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Sport. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Classifieds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
From the editor
Quotes of the week
This week in history
s anyone who
reads NPE will
tell you, there’s
been a fair bit over the
last few months about
gay rights in the Polish
press and every man and
his dog seems to be chipping in with their
opinion.
This week one of the country’s most
famous names (and arguably one of the
country’s most respected figures) chipped
in with his opinion and in the process,
went down in a lot of peoples’ estimations
- including mine.
Lech Walesa has refused to apologise
for his bizarre and extremely narrowminded comments, one of which was
that gay lawmakers should “sit behind a
wall”.
One of the things that helped popularise
the former President in the first place was
the very fact that he had the guts to stand
up for peoples’ rights and freedom back
in the 1980s, so to hear him not only turn
his back on such issues but to be so pigignorant about them, is not only strange
but quite depressing.
Following the comments, his son
Jaroslaw has spoken out saying that he had
his head in his hands upon first hearing
them.
“I hope that the whole family will sit
down and learn from this lesson. Everyone
has the right to be conservative. I partly
understand why my dad talks about
equality parades and that he doesn’t want
to see naked, or partly naked men kissing
in the street. That’s your right. These are
not even moral issues, but aesthetic ones.
We should not be forbidding people their
right to represent in parliament,” he said.
He also mentioned that he would be
sitting down with his father to discuss the
matter further. While we probably won’t
get to hear what the two men discuss, at
least one member of the Walesa family has
managed to speak a bit of common sense
this week.
“This is the worst government in 23 years
and everything must be done to stop them.”
PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski doesn’t mince
his words before the government survive a
vote of no-confidence on Friday morning.
1928 (11.03) - Warsaw Zoo opens its
doors. A member of both the World
Association of Zoos and Aquariums
(WAZA) and the European Association of
Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), approximately
600,000 visit each year.
A
“Horse meat has the same taste as the
meat consumed by us everyday.” Krzysztof
Szulborski, a chef of the Pomeranian
Culinary Academy, argues that most
meat eaters would not be able to tell the
difference between horse meat and beef.
“Yesterday answered a simple argument
- You can not be in one party and work for
another political project. It’s about simple
fairness.” Democratic Left Alliance (SLD)
leader Leszek Miller on the suspension of
Ryszard Kalisz.
Re: Jam plant poisoning
Jesus if it’s not jam it’s meat or something
else we can’t eat. When is it going to stop.
Polish food is bad enough anyway and we
don’t need to try and poison staff or people
who buy it. I will buy my food from Czech
Republic from now on because at least it is
tasty and it’s not going to harm me or be
made by horses. And yes before you complain
at me or whatever I am from Poland so I have
a right to complain about the food here.
F.M. - Krakow
Re: Carrot carry on
Good work to those who decided to stick up
for what they believe in by dumping all those
carrots outside the tax office. Poland has always
been good for folks sticking up for their beliefs
and not bowing down and being done over and
many others could learn a thing or two from its
citizens. Whether or not the tax problem will get
fixed is another story and one we probably won’t
find out but the main thing is that there are still
folk out there ready to stand up for themselves.
Peter - Leeuwarden, Netherlands
Send comments and letters to
editor@newpolandexpress.pl
Editor-in-Chief: Steve Sibbald
(editor@newpolandexpress.pl)
WIYP Sp. z o.o. • ul. Bohaterow Monte Cassino 6/1, 81-805 Sopot
tel. +48 58 555 9818 • tel/fax. +48 58 555 0831 • nwe@nwe.pl
Chief Writer: Steve Sibbald
1980 (14.03) - LOT Flight 7 from New
York to Warsaw crashes near Okecie.
In total 87 people were killed including
passengers and staff.
The NPE weekend QUIZ
Have Your Say
Publisher: WIYP Sp. z o.o.
1948 (08.03) - Lodz’s Wyzsza Szkola
Filmowa (Higher School of Film) is founded.
Originally intended to be moved to Warsaw
once the city was rebuilt following WWII,
the school has remained in Lodz and has
seen many prominent directors, producers
and camera operators pass through its doors.
Due to our mailbag bursting at the
seams with replies to last week’s quiz, we
wanted to give you one more chance to
bag yourselves a double invitation to see
Gregorian play live in Poznan.
The gig is on March 23 and this group
have to be seen to be believed. Mixing
up a host of well-known tunes (such as
The Killers’ ‘Human’ and Fleetwood
Mac’s ‘Dreams’) with a unique chanting
style, the band know their stuff and a
good time is guaranteed.
To win the double invitation, just tell us
from which album is ‘Human’ by The
Killers?
Last week’s prize was claimed by Mary
Hind so a big well done to her. To get
your name printed here, send those answers to: editor@newpolandexpress.pl
Nationwide:
Graham Crawford
(graham.cra​wford@newp​olandexpre​ss.pl)
Events: Anna Hojan
(events_pol​and@inyour​pocket.com),
Garrett Van Reed
Sports: Michal Zachodny
Graphic Designer: Tomáš Haman
(tomas.haman@inyourpocket.com)
Sales Director: Malgorzata Drzaszcz
(gdr@newpol​andexpress​.pl)
4
NEWS
The New Poland Express I Friday 8th March 2013 I www.nwe.pl
Poland’s mouldy Baby girl’s death blamed on 999
meat scandal
A
A
meat factory in the northern town
of Swiecie which has allegedly been
accepting out of date mouldy returns and reusing them in other products
has been closed down.
The scandal was brought to the attention of
Heath Inspectors by undercover journalists
of TVN’s ‘Uwaga!’ programme who claim
that the practice has been going on for years.
Among the scenes captured on camera was
one showing a factory employee sifting through
out of date meat that had been returned and
giving instructions to reuse it in other products.
“A whole leg of pig was returned. It was
wrapped in foil and in the middle there
was water and it was white with fungus.
It was washed and heated up and used as
new,” a company insider told a journalist.
In addition to closing the factory, meat
goods produced there are now being
recalled from shops in a number of countries
including Germany, Ireland and the UK.
The District Prosecutor’s Office in
Swiecie is now conducting an investigation
into the matter and spokesman Boguslaw
Mikolajczak has stated that the factory will
remain shut until further notice.
The factory has released a statement
saying that measures have been taken to
ensure the food produced there is safe and
to “reassure anxious consumers that such
behaviour has no place in the company”.
two and a half year-old girl from
near Skierniewice in central Poland died in hospital this week after dispatchers allegedly refused to send an
ambulance following a call from the child’s
mother.
The child, who has been named in the
press as Dominika, had reportedly been
ill since the end of January. On Sunday
evening Dominika started suffering
convulsions and her parents took her to
a clinic in Skierniewice where she was
examined by a doctor who diagnosed a
cold and sent her home.
By Monday evening the child’s condition
had worsened and her mother phoned the
emergency services telling them that her
daughter’s temperature was 41.5 degrees;
she was vomiting and had diarrhoea.
Rather than send an ambulance the
dispatcher gave the mother the telephone
number to the clinic she had visited the
night before.
Dominika’s mother told reporters that
when she called there for help the doctor
on call told her that he saw no need to send
the emergency services to the house. “I did
all I could to help my daughter. I tried as I
could, and the doctor said no, you know, I
could come, but I do not know if there is a
point, because I cannot take your child to
the hospital, I will write you a prescription,
but then you won’t be able to collect it,
because you don’t have a car,” the mother
told TVN24.
With the girl’s condition continuing to
worsen during the night the mother once
again phoned the emergency services
where she explained that her daughter was
now having trouble breathing. This call,
which has been replayed a number of times
during the week on the news channel,
showed the female dispatcher handling
the call professionally, calming the mother
and confirming that an ambulance was on
its way.
The ambulance arrived and paramedics
placed Dominika on a drip and took
action to help her breathing only to find it
could not take her to the hospital in Lodz
because it had broken down. A second
ambulance was sent which got the girl to
the hospital where it was discovered that
she was suffering from severe swelling
of the brain, heart and liver. Despite the
hospital’s attempts to save her, she died on
Wednesday.
Because
of
the
circumstances
leading up to Dominika’s death the
hospital reported the incident and an
investigation was launched which has
since seen the clinic in Skierniewic,
JMG Medyk, have its contract with the
national health service (NFZ) to provide
night and holiday care cancelled for
“gross irregularities”.
The prosecutor in Lodz is now
investigating the case with a view to
bringing charges against anyone found of
malpractice.
ul. Chocimska 7, Warszawa, tel. 22 848 12 25, tel./fax 22 848 15 90, www.restauracjarozana.com.pl
Restaurant
is an elegant, cosy and unpretentious restaurant whose delicate and light Polish cuisine
will surprise you with new flavours and specialties every day.
There is nothing else like it in Warsaw…
5
NEWS
The New Poland Express I Friday 8th March 2013 I www.nwe.pl
Katarzyna W. ‘well-mannered’ High times
not in store
T
he mother of Baby Magda who
stands accused of the murder of
the child last year was described as
“well-mannered” by her neighbour who
gave evidence at the second day of the murder trial which took place this week.
Following an initial hearing on February
18 when the accused Katarzyna W. made
a not guilty plea, the trial started to
hear the evidence from the first four
witnesses called. Among these was Aneta
J. the neighbour of Katarzyna W. and her
husband Bartosz W., who described the
couple as “kulturalni ludzie”, quiet and
smiling and that she had not heard any
disturbing noises from their apartment.
While admitting that she did not have
close contact with the couple Aneta J told
the court what she had witnessed on the
day it is believed Baby Magda died, when it
is thought that Aneta J was the last person
outside of the child’s home to have seen her
alive.
“I started to prepare dinner. I went to get
some wood and then I met Katarzyna W..
She asked me if she could leave the pram
for a moment. The child didn’t make any
sound but in my opinion she was alive. I
said that this little one is so cute. Katarzyna
W. smiled. Later, I didn’t see Katarzyna W.
go out again that day.” Aneta J. told the
court.
The first witness to give evidence on
Monday had been journalist Robert R. who
had told the court at the first hearing that
he had a recording from the apartment in
Lodz where Katarzyna W. and her husband
had moved after the tragedy. The court,
with the agreement of both defence and
prosecuting counsels released Robert R.
from his professional oath and there then
followed two hours of hearings behind
closed doors. Later Robert R. refused to
give details of his evidence to journalists
but did suggest that Katarzyna W. was
suffering from post-natal depression.
Another of the witnesses who gave
evidence on Monday was Tomasz M., a
friend of Katarzyna W.’s husband, Bartosz
W. He told the court that he had been at the
couple’s apartment where he remembers
Katarzyna W. preparing the child for a
visit to her grandparents. After helping
Katarzyna W. take the pram out of the
building he remembers that he and Bartosz
W. left by car watching Katarzyna W walk
along the road when Bartosz W. pointed
out a man with a child who he thought to
be “suspicious”.
Not long after Tomasz M. told the court
that he received a call from Bartosz W.
saying that Magda had been kidnapped
and Katarzyna W. had been beaten up and
taken to hospital. He joined in the search
for Magda before going with Bartosz W. to
collect Katarzyna W. from hospital later
that evening.
Tomasz M. will continue his evidence
when the case resumes at its next court
date of March 18.
All you need to know
about where to sleep,
eat, drink, visit
and enjoy
Print
T
he owner of a ‘Legal High’ shop in
the southern city of Opole has been
fined PLN 120,000 after it was discovered that psychoactive substances were
being sold in store.
In addition to the penalty, the shop has
since been closed down by local authorities,
reports news portal 24opole.pl.
In mid-January, the Regional Sanitary
Office received an anonymous tip-off
that some of the accessories in a shop on
Kosciuszki Street contained psychoactive
substances and were asked to investigate.
“On the products, there was no information
regarding the contents and the only
information was being used for decoration.
Inspectors found several substances in nine
of the products and all nine were taken to
Warsaw for more detailed studies,” says
Marzena Nanowska, spokeswoman for the
Regional Sanitary Office.
Among the accessories were products
known as ‘Rosemary Tree’ and ‘Mint Nectar’
which were allegedly being sold at inflated
prices - some of them as much as PLN 50.
“The results [from the tests in Warsaw]
all came back clear and the Board of
Health has already closed the store,” adds
Ms Nanowska.
However, according to the news portal, the
owner of the shop does not agree with the
board’s decision and has already appealed.
Online
Mobile
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Europe's biggest publisher of locally produced city guides
6
NEWS
IN BRIEF
Female victims of violence
A new study shows that a Polish woman suffers
from an act of male violence every 40 seconds
and that in total one in three Polish women are
victims of such acts.
The research, carried out by Prof Beata
Gruszczynska of the Department of Criminology
and Criminal Policy at the University of Warsaw,
states that only 15 percent report such incidents
to authorities. The data coincides with the
‘Help Female Victims of Crime’ Parliamentary
conference, organised by ‘Blue Line’, a helpline
for victims of domestic violence.
Cult hero hog
The escaped pig that became an internet hit
after managing to evade police officers for over
two hours has been bought by environmentalists
of the Viva Foundation for PLN 2,000.
“He’s crazy and loves extreme sports,” says the
pig’s ex-owner Wojciech Jotkowski, who has
admitted that he’s quite sad to part with him.
“He’ll join three other pigs and live in his own
paddock,” the foundation’s Cezary Wyszynski
told TVN.
SLD suspend Kalisz
Ryszard Kalisz has been suspended from the
Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) for three months
after what TVN says was an “overwhelming vote”
by a party committee.
The decision came after it was revealed that Mr
Kalisz had agreed to cooperate with Aleksander
Kwasniewski’s new Europa Plus party.
Despite making a swift exit after the meeting, Mr
Kalisz did stop to tell reporters that he “worked for
the good of the Polish Left.”
The New Poland Express I Friday 8th March 2013 I www.nwe.pl
Triumph turns to disaster
T
he head of a team of Poles scaling
the Himalayan Broad Peak says
there is “no hope” of finding two of
the mountaineers who have gone missing
on the expedition.
Maciej Berbeka (58) and Tomasz
Kowalski (27) were part of what is being
hailed as the first winter ascent of the
world’s 12th highest mountain (8047
meters) when they became separated from
the rest of the group.
“We think that Maciej probably fell
somewhere. We certainly haven’t seen
him and if Tomasz had at least got down
to a certain level then we would have
noticed him and then tried to help him,”
expedition leader Krzysztof Wielicki told
TVN24 reporters.
The other two men who were part of the
team, Adam Bielecki and Arthur Malek,
are both believed to be “in good health” and
are currently being observed descending
the mountain from the main base camp at
around 4,900 meters via telescope.
The expedition leader added that the
observation will “continue through
Friday” although there are fears that
the approaching bad weather will cause
difficulties over the weekend.
During what was to be his last official
contact with base camp, Tomasz Kowalski
had talked about breathing problems,
although it has not been established
whether or not this had anything to do
with him going missing.
“Tomasz Kowalski reported to Krzysztof
Wielicki that he had experienced difficulty
breathing and reported a general feeling
of weakness for which he had to receive
medical instructions ... This was during his
last point of communication which took
place at 6.30am on March 6. He also said
that he was able to see Maciej Berbeka at
that time,” says an official report of the
descent.
“There is very little hope at all,” said
Krzysztof Wielicki when asked about
the chances of seeing the two men
alive. “We are sitting here constantly
watching the mountain face. We are
here for the men’s families and their
loved ones.”
Mountain rescuer Jacek Jawien has
echoed the fears, stating that the human
body can only survive so long under such
harsh conditions.
“There’s a certain point where the body
ceases to fight and where you just stop,”
he told TVN24, adding that without a tent
and other essential items, the chances of
survival are extremely slim.
The news station reports that the most
recent wind speeds are 65 km/h and that
there will be further snowfall, making
chances of finding the two climbers even
slimmer.
“We’re not looking forward to tomorrow
and observing the cliff face,” says Krzysztof
Wielicki. “We have received no sign that
we will see them.”
7
REGIONAL NEWS
The New Poland Express I Friday 8th March 2013 I www.nwe.pl
Nationwide with Graham Crawford:
Bringing you the best from across the regions.
If you have any news for Graham, send him an email at graham.crawford@newpolandexpress.pl
Without rhyme or region
S
o it was all for
nothing. The bailiff at the centre
of the cock-up which
saw him seize PLN
28,000 from the wrong
Danuta B. saw the case
against him for professional misconduct
dropped this week. The Bailiff’s Council declared themselves satisfied with the decision,
and it’s business as usual. I can’t think of a
worse, or more stupid outcome.
Not that I think the bailiff needed locking
up or anything, that wouldn’t do anyone
Mazowieckie
Runway non-starter
T
he saga of Modlin’s runway took
yet another twist
this week, when it
emerged that the
constructor
Erbud
is refusing to sign an
agreement for the
necessary repairs. The company is arguing that the word “repair” in the agreement
should be replaced with the term “modernisation”. Airport authorities were still optimistic,
though. “We’re counting on work starting on
the runway on March 11,” said Edyta Mikolajczyk, an advisor to the board at Modlin.
Erbud, though, is claiming that there
are no legal grounds that might demand
they sign the agreement. The company
claims that the wording of the document
will halt attempts at explaining why the
faults appeared in the original runway.
any good, but lessons need to be learned,
and practices changed. Now, the bailiffs can
wash their hands of responsibility and go on
pretending it’s alright to seize money from
people’s bank accounts without even checking
properly if they’ve got the right person.
What’s worse, though - and what was
highlighted by the original reports - was
the callous, almost sociopathic lack of
concern displayed by the bailiff when
confronted with the evidence that he’d
taken the money from the wrong person.
The man simply didn’t give a shit.
He could have said to the reporter - really, I’m
ever so sorry, I’ll look into it and see what I can
do. What he did say was - it’s not my mistake.
This is an attitude that is repeated time and
again in officialdom here. We cocked up, but we
obeyed the rules, so sod you. Nobody apologises,
nobody tries to repair the damage they’ve done,
nobody takes responsibility, nobody takes steps
to learn from the incident for the future.
This week has seen a row about
ambulance dispatchers and their possible
role in the death of a small baby. Already
the blame game is in full flow, with officials
stonewalling - it’s not our fault. Then things
will die down, then it will happen again.
There’s nothing wrong with making
mistakes, we all make them. But wilfully
refusing to accept reality, and refusing to
learn from your mistakes - that’s outrageous.
“We don’t have to sign to start the work.
We’re ready right now to start working.
We’re just waiting for the say-so from the
authorities,” read a statement.
Modlin airport has been closed since
December last year when building
inspectors declared 500m concrete
sections at either end of the runway unfit
for use. The decision shortened the useable
length of the strip to 1,500m, meaning
planes such as the Airbus A320 or Boeing
737 cannot land there.
Piotr B., though, remains adamant, telling
prosecutors, “I’m not guilty. The entire case is
a deliberate, planned manipulation. I have very
powerfully placed enemies, whose aim is to
destroy me.” He claims that the missing elderly
Drzewinski couple are probably living abroad,
hiding from creditors and legal problems.
Lawyers for the defendant asked for the
trial to be held in camera, due to the “witch
hunt” in the media regarding their client.
The court refused the request, though,
stating that an open trial was a constitutional
principle and in the interest of both sides.
Drzewinski case opens
A
Warsaw court this week began hearing the case of Piotr B., accused of inciting the murder of Elzbieta and Wieslaw
Drzewinski and their two sons in order
to take possession of a large villa in Milanowek [see NPE 45/146 from way back on
11th Nov 2011 - Regs Ed.]. Piotr B. was a
lodger at the property which was inherited
by the Drzewinskis prior to their mystery
disappearance.
Mind the gap!
A
nnouncements on two lines of the Fast
Urban Railway (SKM) are now given
in English. Trains on the S2 and S3 lines,
both passing through Warsaw’s Chopin
Airport, announce among other things,
“Next stop Warszawa Srodmiescie” for
freshly arrived foreigners. There are plans
to extend the system to the Warsaw Underground in the near future.
W W W . F A B R Y K A Z E S P O L O W . P L
GNZ_New-Poland-Express_182x47-marzec1.indd 1
2013-02-11 12:01:23
8
REGIONAL NEWS
The New Poland Express I Friday 8th March 2013 I www.nwe.pl
Wielkopolskie
Zachodniopomorskie
Rapid response team?
Baby’s body found
Poznan
shopkeeper is outraged
after police took over
90 minutes to respond
to an emergency call
last Thursday. A drunk
young man was trying
to sell a mobile phone
in a shop just off the city’s main Swiety Marcin,
but when the owner wasn’t interested in buying
it, he became furious, smashing the door to the
shop and shouting, “I’ll f**king kill you!”
The owner followed the man out onto
Swiety Marcin and, after a brief grapple,
managed to apprehend the hooligan. Then
another shop owner called for the police.
But despite the nearest police station being a
mere 900m away, it took officers an hour and
thirty-five minutes to arrive. Meanwhile
the thug managed to wriggle free an hour
before they got there. The shop owner now
fears retribution from the vandal and says,
“I’ve lost all faith in the police.
The head of Poznan’s police, Junior Inspector
Roman Kuster, has since taken the two officers
involved and moved them from vehicle patrol
onto the beat - they will spend the next six
months patrolling the cobbled streets of the
Stary Rynek on foot. Kuster also intends to
personally visit the shop owner and apologise.
The response time was, in fact, quite
speedy when compared to an earlier
incident in which vandals destroyed a beer
garden - the owner, Krzysztof Krawiec
waited a mere seven hours for the boys in
blue to arrive. “It puts you off bothering to
phone them,” commented Krawiec.
post mortem is
expected to establish the cause of
death of the baby’s
corpse found this
Monday near allotments on the outskirts of Szczecin
after almost two weeks’ searching. The
body was found after the mother’s partner
indicated the rough location.
Four people are suspected of involvement
in the child’s death. These include the
22-year-old mother, who is accused of
failing to offer assistance, her 38-year-old
partner, who is thought to have beaten the
child to death and also the mother’s brother
and his wife, who are said to have helped
hide the body and cover up the crime. All
four have been remanded in custody.
A
A
Everybody out!
A
s many as 370 people had to be evacuated from a secondary school in Stargard Szczecinskie this Wednesday, after a
pupil set off a canister of pepper spray. Six
pupils were taken to hospital for observation after the incident.
Slawomir Lagonda, for Stargard fire
service, explained, “We received the
emergency call at 9.53am. Three tenders
were sent to the scene. It turned out that
pepper gas had been released inside the
school. The school’s administration had
already taken the decision to evacuate the
building.”
“Initial investigations suggest that the
gas was released by a 15-year-old female
pupil. She sprayed twice using a canister
for protection from dog attacks,” Lukasz
Famulski of Stargard police told reporters.
Six people were taken to hospital
complaining of stinging eyes. The school
returned to full operation before noon the
same day.
Epilepsy death
P
oznan prosecutors are investigating an
incident in which a 46-year-old epileptic
man died while police officers were trying to
restrain him. The tragic incident took place
two weeks ago when the man became violent
during a seizure. Ambulance staff were unable
to control him, the man punching a medic
and biting the driver, so they called the police.
However, while officers were trying to
restrain the man, he died. A post mortem
revealed his back was broken in two places,
he had numerous bruises and marks left
by handcuffs. Prosecutors are looking into
the matter, in particular the degree of force
used and the resulting injuries.
Big bang
R
yszard Tobys from Piotrow Drugi is the
maker of the largest revolver in the world,
and has the Guinness Certificate to prove it.
The enormous pistol took five years to make, is
1.2m long, 40cm high and weighs 45kg.
We teach smar ter – try us today!
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9
REGIONAL NEWS
The New Poland Express I Friday 8th March 2013 I www.nwe.pl
Dolnoslaskie
Pomorskie
Hooker trial begins
Interpol track poached fish
ix people went on
trial this week in
Wroclaw in connection with enticing
more than 100 young
women into prostitution. One of those
charged is Joanna B., who is the daughter
of a famous rock guitarist and a model.
Three of the six have admitted the charges
and will be sentenced next month.
The six women are accused of using social
media and modelling agencies to recruit
“young and attractive” women over several
years. Meetings with men are reported to
have taken place in Poland and abroad,
including France, Spain, Italy and Mallorca.
On foreign trips, the women’s flights and
board in luxury hotels were all paid for. The
women were able to earn from EUR 400-600
per day, though a percentage of that sum is
alleged to have gone to the six women.
“The women were not forced to have sex,
the trips were voluntary. But they were
encouraged to take the work. In most cases
the women agreed to the conditions,” said
a spokesperson for Wroclaw prosecutors.
Joanna B. wrote recently on her social
media profile that she had pleaded guilty
because she was tired of the affair. “People
forget that, apart from being the daughter
of a member of a famous rock group, which
has generated so much media interest, I’m
also a mother to a teenage girl not much
older than those girls. I can’t imagine who
I would have to be to have done the deeds
of which I stand accused. For eight years I
have totally devoted myself to my family.
The decision I have made in relation to the
legal proceedings is as a result of tiredness
and a desire to ease the burden on myself
and my loved ones. I believe deeply in
justice and the might of the law.”
altic
fishermen are bracing
themselves for increased inspections
after Interpol got the
go ahead for a massive
investigation
into illegal fishing nicknamed SCALE. “We
aim to deal with problem of illegal fishing
via an immediate global operation,” commented David Higgins of Interpol. It’s estimated that illegal fishing costs the global
economy more than USD 23 bln annually.
Grzegorz Halubek, of the Union of Polish
Fishermen, told reporters, “If Interpol are
involved, then there must be something
to it,” before adding, “It shows that EU
policies have been a disaster. They’ve put
millions of euros into inspections at sea, so
if it needs Interpol to solve the problem, the
EU system is clearly failing.”
S
Shootings arrests mount
W
roclaw police this week arrested an
eighteenth suspect in connection
with the shootings that took place in the city
last August. Residents of the Gaj estate were
startled by two bursts of gunfire, lasting
only a few seconds. Passers-by saw young
men chasing one another and a black BMW
following close by. The incident is unofficially believed to be related to gang warfare.
“We apprehended the man last week
and a court has already remanded him in
custody for three months,” commented
Pawel Petrykowski for Dolnoslaskie police.
He added that a special police group was
still working on the case and more arrests
were still possible.
B
Polish fishermen could be forgiven for
feeling slightly paranoid, as they are the
most frequently inspected fishermen in
the Baltic. “We’ve got the smallest fleet in
the Baltic, 700 ships, and in the last four
years, we’ve been inspected 11,000 times.
Finland, with a fleet of 3,300 ships have
been inspected just 25 times!” continued
Halubek.
A burning issue
G
dansk residents who flout restrictions
on burning rubbish in household
boilers face fines of up to PLN 5,000 as City
Guards wage war on local polluters. Officers have received new powers enabling
them to enter private premises and check
what’s being incinerated.
“Up to now, environmental checks could
only be carried out by officials from the
department of the environment at City
Hall accompanied by City Guard. Officers
can now carry out inspections alone,”
explained Milosz Jurgielewicz of Gdansk
City Guard.
10
BUSINESS
The New Poland Express I Friday 8th March 2013 I www.nwe.pl
ebooks becoming bigger
E
books are becoming increasingly
popular in Poland a new report this
week reveals.
Last year the ebook market in the
country was valued at PLN 24 mln, says
TVN, however this year it has shot up to
PLN 50 mln, making the entire Polish
market worth an estimated PLN 2.7 bln.
However despite this, total sales still remain
relatively low with online books making up
just 2 percent of the Polish book market.
“ebook readers and tablets have
revolutionised the market and the key to
this is easy availability and low prices,”
stated Lukasz Golebiewski, a representative
of the Research Library, at the ‘New Library
Technologies to put ebooks on Your Shelves’
national conference in Opole earlier this week.
One of the reasons for increased sales
outlined at the conference was a huge
difference in tax. Whereas traditional
paper books in Poland carry 23 percent
VAT, ebooks only carry 5 percent, thus
making them much cheaper to purchase.
Michal Mielniczuk, a spokesman for the
Ursynoteka Public Library in Warsaw, states
that the rise of ebooks will not mean an end
to libraries, but only a change in function.
“Libraries are going through a
makeover. In the past it was unthinkable,
but now libraries must have technology
departments.”
What’s going on
in Poland?
Moving?
Worldwide Activity Local Exper tise
Corstjens Warsaw
Telephone: +48 22 7377200, 7036200
e-mail: info@corstjens.pl
www.corstjens.com
Polish News
and
Entertainment
Friday 16th April 2010
Make you money online
NBP OFFICIAL CURRENCY RATES 08/03/2013
Currency
Canadian Dollar
Czech Koruna
Danish Krone
Euro
Hungarian Forint
Japanese Yen Norwegian Krone Pound Sterling Russian Ruble Swedish Krona
Swiss Franc US Dollar SymbolMid-rate
1 CAD
3,0727
1 CZK
0,1631
1 DKK
0,5565
1 EUR
4,1497
100 HUF 1,3911
100 JPY 3,3172
1 NOK
0,5581
1 GBP
4,7618
1 RUB
0,1032
1 SEK
0,4991
1 CHF
3,3583
1 USD
3,1690
BUSINESS IN BRIEF
Far more medical fraud
Last year saw a massive increase in the amount
of medical fraud taking place in Poland, claims
Rzeczpospolita this week.
Police data shows that 2012 saw a total of 2031 caseS
of medical fraud, compared to 1212 the year previous,
with forged prescriptions being the biggest problem.
An unnamed police spokeswoman told the paper that
most of the medication ends up on the black market,
with much of it being sold abroad.
Country comes together
to mourn victims
I
There was no standout group that earned
money in this way and figures showed that
people from many different backgrounds
took advantage of such means.
- Students (42 percent of which made
money this way)
- Specialists with higher education (32
percent)
- Admin staff / clerical workers (28 percent)
- Owners of private companies (27 percent)
- CEOs (13 percent)
- Pensioners (8 percent)
- Unskilled workers (5 percent)
- Farmers (4 percent)
IN NUMBERS
PLN 1 bln
The amount raised through privatisation this year in
Poland already.
PLN 7 bln
The amount to be invested by the country’s largest
mining firms, including Katowicki Holding Weglowy,
Kompania Weglowa, and Jastrzebska Spolka Weglowa,
states the Ministry of Economy.
C
End of term for schools
M
This year will see around 1,000 schools close up and
Y
down the country.
CM
According to Rzeczpospolita, primary schools will be
hit the hardest, with around 140,000 students in total
MY
being affected by the changes.
CY
“Figures do not lie and children of a certain age are
going to caught in the middle of such changes,”
CMY
says Antoni Jezowski, a spokesman for the Institute of
K
Education in Poland.
t took five seconds to transform Poland from a country bustling with
confidence into one wracked with
grief on a scale not seen since the Second
World War.
At some point on a nondescript Saturday
morning on April 10, the aircraft carrying
the president, his wife and 94 others
clipped a tree with its left wing as it
approached Smolensk airport in western
Russia. Five seconds later, now devoid of
one wing, it barrel rolled anti-clockwise,
before slamming roof first into the ground.
As news of the accident broke in Poland,
and one by one television channels
interrupted their regular services, news
readers struggled to contain their emotions
as they realised the devastating blow the
Smolensk disaster had dealt the country.
Along with President Kaczynski, and
Maria his wife, the casualty list read like a
who’s who of the Polish elite.
The head of the national bank, the
chief of the armed forces, the heads of the
navy and air force, two ministers, leading
politicians and dozens of others. Many
household names in Poland; now all dead.
The irony that the Tupolev Tu-154
crashed at it was carrying a delegation
to mark the 70th-anniversary of the
Katyn massacre, when Stalin’s henchman
slaughtered Poland’s best, was not lost.
NATIONAL
© www.prezydent.pl
A
new study has shown that a growing number of Poles are earning
money via the Internet.
The research, carried out by CBOS, found
that as many as 650,000 Polish citizens are
now using online methods in order to put
cash into their pockets, states TVN24.
The means of earning money varied
although the most popular method is
by filling in online surveys, followed
by making money by playing the stock
market. Other means included training
and consulting, online betting and
preparing documentation.
Issue 15 (66)
Poland hit by second Katyn tragedy
Warsaw’s Presidential Palace has become the focal point of the nation’s grief
“The Soviets killed Polish elites in Katyn
70 years ago. Today, the Polish elite died
there while getting ready to pay homage to
the Poles killed there,” said Lech Walesa.
Aleksander
Kwasniewski,
another
former president, described Katyn as a
“cursed place, and of horrible symbolism”.
As Poles absorbed what Donald Tusk
called the “most tragic event in Poland’s
post-war history” thousands began to
make their way to the presidential palace
in central Warsaw, which was to become
the focal point of national mourning.
p.4 REGIONAL
A small patch of flowers and candles
left by mourners expanded and grew,
carpeting the pavement and the road in
a tribute to those who had died. Political
differences vanquished by grief, thousands
upon thousands of people made their way
to the palace to pay their respects in quiet
dignity.
The outpouring of sympathy for the
victims spoke volumes for the shock
and sadness that had touched Poles; it
also spoke volumes for the decency of
Poland.
p.7 BUSINESS
p.9
Don’t blame pilot
Two frozen minutes
NBP in turmoil
The parents of the pilot in charge of flying
the presidential plane have begged the world
not to blame their son for the crash.
Captain Arkadiusz Protasiuka was the
man responsible for landing the Polish
Air Force Tu-154M safely in Russia on
Saturday 10th April, but, for reason still
unknown, he was unable to successfully
carry out his task.
At noon on Sunday across the nation two
minutes silence was observed in memory
of the people that died in the air crash in
Smolensk. The silence was then pierced by
the claxons and sirens of local authority
warning systems and police vehicles. To
this mournful orchestra of wails, the Polish nation stood to attention and reflected
on their loss in the forests near Katyn.
The tragic death of the head of the
National Bank of Poland Slawomir
Skrzypek in Saturday’s plane crash leaves
questions open about who will replace
him, and how his loss will affect monetary
policy and other issues.
The succession issue is a major one, since
both the parliament and the president
must make the choice jointly.
Get a round-up of the
major Polish news,
business, entertainment
and sports in English
each week by
subscribing free to our
PDF. Visit us at
www.newpolandexpress.pl
AGS Warsaw_In Your Pocket ad_(w)58mm X (h)47mm_Hires.pdf
1
11
ENTERTAINMENT
The New Poland Express I Friday 8th March 2013 I www.nwe.pl
SOMETHING FOR THE WEEKEND from In Your Pocket
ROLL OVER WITH BEETHOVEN!
E
by Warsaw In Your Pocket’s
Mat Fahrenholz
aster will soon be upon us and Warsaw’s cultural highbrows are already
salivating at the prospect of the 17th
Ludwig Van Beethoven Easter Festival.
The festival has been at the forefront of the
classical music calendar in Poland since
1997 and continues to grow in stature and
reputation on the international scene. In
2004 it moved from Krakow to Warsaw,
with its base now firmly established at the
Warsaw Philharmonic, ul. Sienkiewicza
10. Concerts will also be performed at the
Royal Castle in the Old Town, Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera and a two day
symposium, entitled Beethoven: Sublimity
and Enthusiasm, at the Zacheta National
Gallery of Art, Pl. Malachowskiego 3.
This is not simply a series of Beethoven
concerts. Every year the organisers devise
the programme around different aspects of
Beethoven’s Age of Enlightenment ideas of
uniting people by a core set of values, influences on his own work as a composer and
Beethoven’s influence on his musical contemporaries. Highlights of this year’s programme
include concerts commemorating the 200th
anniversaries of the births of both Verdi and
Wagner. Verdi’s opera Simon Boccanegra will
be performed at the Warsaw Philharmonic
and Act II of Wagner’s Tristan & Isolde will be
staged at the National Opera.
The festival runs for the two weeks
leading up to Easter, 17th-29th March.
The full programme and tickets are
available online at www.beethoven.org.pl
Pre-concert jitters or is your head awash
with post-concert symphonies, fugues,
sonatas, quartets and quintets? Take time
out in one of the following, all within an
easy Strauss waltz of the main venues.
Czarna Bar (ul. Sienkiewicza 4)
A superb addition to the small enclave
of eat/drink places on ul. Sienkiewicza.
Czarna doubles up as a café and art
gallery. The exhibition area has its own
space, pretty rare in a café environment.
The bar itself is worthy of discussion, it’s
designed by YPA (Young Polish Artist)
Olaf Brzeski and is constructed from green
plasterboard, plaster and unfinished tiling
around a large central mirror. The lighting
protrudes from fat cabling, a permanently
unfinished finished bar! A gold star if you
notice it’s influenced by Manet’s painting
A Bar at the Folies-Bergère. Relaxed
atmosphere, unobtrusive music, a small
permanent menu - including a selection of
squid ink pasta with various sauces - and a
different set lunch menu every day. Being
‘bean fiends’ we think they currently serve
the best espresso in Warsaw!
Gar (ul. Jasna 10)
Sometime in the not too distant future
we predict that Magda Gessler’s restaurants
will outnumber kebab shops in Warsaw!
Gar, her Italian restaurant is located directly
opposite the Warsaw Philharmonic, so it’s
a good stop off point for pre-concert eats,
especially if the Philharmonic is doing
Verdi or Rossini! Pizzas are authentic thin
crusts and the rest of the menu is pretty
much what you come to expect of midrange Italian joints in the capital. The
interior is pretty Gar-ish, what with her
penchant for anything glitzy, chintzy and
over the top. The bar looks more Turkish
bazaar rather than Italian cool and the
mismatched patterned seat coverings are
a particular visual distraction. One of the
few places that has proper, succulent New
Zealand lamb on the menu, but be warned,
it’s a whopping 86zł!
Rabarbar (ul. Wierzbowa 9/11)
Having been around for donkey’s
years Rabarbar does seem to get a tad
overlooked these days. In reality, it’s
still a fine place to drop into if you’re in
the Pl. Teatralny area of the city. Always
respected for its cocktails, elegant yet
unstuffy atmosphere and laid back staff
it manages to walk that thin tightrope of
making everybody feel relaxed in a part
of town famed for its pretentiousness.
The Italian/European menu is also well
worth delving into, especially if you are
planning a trip to the nearby theatre or
opera house as they offer a 20% discount
for ticket holders.
In cooperation with In Your Pocket city guides
12
ENTERTAINMENT
The New Poland Express I Friday 8th March 2013 I www.nwe.pl
Gdansk/Sopot
Krakow
Krakow
09.03 Saturday
Abba The Show (The Ultimate Tribute To Abba)
Gdańsk/Sopot, Ergo Arena, Pl. Dwóch Miast
(Żabianka/Karlikowo), www.abba-the-show.com
If you love Abba - the 70s Swedish Europop
group that continues to sell millions of records
a year - then apparently this experience is
better than the real thing ever was, playing a
big role in the fact that the band’s popularity
has never waned. Performed by the Swedish
group Waterloo, with the National Symphony
Orchestra of London conducted by Matthew
Freeman and original members of Abba,
the show comprises not only 2 hours of all
the greatest hits of Abba, but also theatrical
elements with a narrative that follows Abba
from their late 60s beginnings through their
meteoric rise to fame, which this show will
convince you only continues to crest. Playing
sold out shows for millions of people all over
the world, Abba lives on.QConcert starts
at 20:00. Tickets 79-200zł. Available at www.
ticketpro.pl and Empik, ul. Podwale Grodzkie 8
(Open 09:00 - 22:00, Sun 11:00 - 20:00).
08.03 Friday - 09.03 Saturday
Cracow Reggae Festival
Klub Kwadrat, ul. Skarżyńskiego 1 (Nowa
Huta), tel. (+48) 12 647 50 78, www.
klubkwadrat.pl
This is the 4th edition of Kraków’s 2-day reggae
festival, bringing the best of Polish reggae and
dancehall to this large student club in Nowa
Huta. The Day 1 line-up features Grubson &
BRK, Natural Dread Killaz, Tallib & Sztoss and
Mesajah. Day 2: Vavamuffin, Ras Luta & Riddim
Band, Tabu, EastWest Sound.QEvent starts at
18:00. Tickets 39-45zł. Available at www.ticketpro.
pl and Empik Megastore, Rynek Główny 5 (Open
09:00 - 22:00).
12.03 Tuesday - Kult
Klub Kwadrat, ul. Skarżyńskiego 1 (Nowa
Huta), tel. (+48) 12 263 40 00, www.galicja.
net
Kult are the Grandaddies of the Polish
alternative rock. Lead by the indomitable
vocalist and lyric writer Kazik Staszewski, if you
want something truly Polish and very cool, look
no further. Their music has its roots in punk and
new wave, but also includes elements of jazz
and psychadelic rock.
Originally founded in 1982 by Staszewski
and Piotr Wieteska on bass, their lyrics in
the 80s hit out at ‘the system’ which at
that time meant the communists. Since
the fall of the wall, they seem to have got
even more truculent and unpredictable nobody is safe, unique.QConcert starts
at 19:00. Tickets 55-60zł. Available at
www.ticketpro.pl, Empik Megastore, Rynek
Główny 5 (Open 09:00 - 22:00) and before
concert.
Wroclaw
08.03 Friday - Abba The Show (The Ultimate
Tribute To Abba)
Centennial Hall, ul. Wystawowa 1, tel. (+48)
22 620 19 99, www.abba-the-show.com
If you love Abba - the 70s Swedish Europop
group that continues to sell millions of records
a year - then apparently this experience is better
than the real thing ever was, playing a big
role in the fact that the band’s popularity has
never waned. Performed by the Swedish group
Waterloo, with the National Symphony Orchestra
of London conducted by Matthew Freeman and
original members of Abba, the show comprises
not only 2 hours of all the greatest hits of Abba,
but also theatrical elements with a narrative
that follows Abba from their late 60s beginnings
through their meteoric rise to fame, which this
show will convince you only continues to crest.
Playing sold out shows for millions of people all
over the world, Abba lives on.QConcert starts
at 20:30. Tickets 69-169zł. Available at www.
ticketpro.pl.
08.03 Friday - Fisz/Emade/Tworzywo
Studio Club, ul. Budryka 4, tel. (+48) 12 263 40 00
Fisz Emade is a Polish hip-hop/rap/alternative
fraternal duo. Their newest album “Zwierzę bez
nogi” (“Animal without a Leg”) is a sentimental
trip back to the hip-hop scene of the nineties,
chock-full of references to favorite artists such as
Run-D.M.C., Beastie Boys, A Tribe Called Quest,
and Boogie Down Productions as well as the
group’s own early music.QConcert starts at
20:00. Tickets 30-40zł. Available at www.ticketpro.
pl, Empik Megastore, Rynek Główny 5 (Open
09:00 - 22:00) and before the concert.
13.03 Wednesday - Live Playing - Grabek
Hard Rock Cafe, Pl. Mariacki 9, tel. (+48) 12
429 11 55, www.granienazywo.pl
11.03 Monday - Swan Lake
Kraków Opera, ul. Lubicz 48, tel. (+48) 12 263 40 00
Heard of this one? Tchaikovsky’s famous
ballet performed by the Royal Russian Ballet
company. Formed in Kharkiv (that’s actually
Ukraine) in 2007, this prestigious troupe of
Ukrainian and Russian performers has travelled
the world over, collecting many awards en
route.QEvent starts at 17:00 and 20:00. Tickets
90-240zł. Available at www.ticketpro.pl.
Grabek is a Polish multiinstrumentalist,
individualist, and “absolute master” of
his music, if one is to believe the rather
flowery description on his MySpace
page. His music would probably be most
accurately classified as electronic, but it’s
a mixture of styles; he’s been compared to
Thom Yorke, Amon Tobin, and Aphex Twin.
QConcert starts at 20:00. Tickets 12-15zł.
Available at www.ticketpro.pl and before
the concert.
In cooperation with In Your Pocket city guides
13
ENTERTAINMENT
Lodz
08.03 Friday - 10.03 Sunday - Yapa
Technical University of Lodz, Al. Politechniki
11, tel. (+48) 12 263 40 00, www.yapa.art.pl
‘Sung poetry’ is a unique musical genre
that has a long and popular tradition in the
Baltics and Eastern Europe, but especially
Poland, and refers to the live performance of
poems (often ballads) accompanied by music
written specifically for the piece. Sung poetry
performers would likely be classified as bards
or folk singers in the West, with artists such as
Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and
others loosely fitting the bill.
While there are many annual sung poetry festivals
in PL, Łódź’s Yapa Festival boasts perhaps the
biggest reputation. Consisting of four ticketed
concerts (two of them competitions) over three
days in March, dozens of artists participate
and the festival is simultaneously broadcast
on both radio and TV. Part of what makes the
atmosphere of the festival so unique is the
participation of the large 1000-strong audience,
which voices its approval of performances (and
often their disapproval of boring or long-winded
hosts) not only with cheers and clapping, but
also a variety of whistles, sirens and noisemakers.
Organised by students (thus explaining the
rowdy atmosphere), Yapa was started in 1974 by
Wojciech Hempel and has hosted or launched
the careers of many legends of the genre,
including Jerzy Filar, Elżbieta Adamiak, Olek
Grotowski, Wolna Grupa Bukowina, EKT Gdynia,
Pod Strzechą, Wołosatki, Robert Kasprzycki and
Dom o Zielonych Progach, amongst others.
09.03 Saturday - I love Italia
Atlas Arena, Al. Bandurskiego 7, tel. (+48) 12
263 40 00, www.iloveitalia.pl
Recommended as a way to celebrate Women’s
Day (March 8th), show your love for your wife or
girlfriend by recognising how much she loves
Italy (?). This concert - the first in PL of its kind brings some of the biggest stars of Italian music
(Ricchi e Poveri, Drupi) to Łódź for a unique and
romantic evening of unforgettable love songs.
QConcert starts at 18:00. Tickets 60-300zł.
Available at www.ticketpro.pl and Empik, ul.
Karskiego 5 (Open 10:00 - 22:00, Sun 10:00 21:00).
The New Poland Express I Friday 8th March 2013 I www.nwe.pl
Poznan
08.03 Friday - PALSECAM VIBRATIONS #3
Tabata Mitsuru + LXMP
Castle Cultural Centre, ul. Św. Marcin 80/82,
tel. (+48) 61 646 52 60, www.zamek.poznan.pl
A hero of Japanese underground culture
from his time with the influential 80s band
Boredoms, guitarist Tabata Mitsuru has kept
himself relevant by employing the latest
sounds and technologies, while staying true
to his underground roots. He will be joined
by LXMP - a project consisting of Warsaw
musicians Piotr Zabrodzki (pianist and
guitarist) and Macio Moretti (well-known as
the flamboyant bass player of Mitch & Mitch).
In 2010 the group released ​Trois Suites + Une
Miniature, an experimental album relying
heavily on drums, bass and two MS-20 synths,
while 2012 saw the release of two other
collaborative albums with guest artists, as
well as a reinterpretation of Hancock’s classic
Future Shock, commissioned by the Unsound
Festival.QConcert starts at 19:00. Tickets
10zł. Available at Castle Cultural Centre box
office (Open 10:00 - 21:00).
09.03 Saturday
Concordia Women - Pop up Store
Concordia Design, ul. Zwierzyniecka 3, tel.
(+48) 12 263 40 00, www.concordiadesign.pl
To celebrate this year’s International
Women’s Day, Concordia Design is turning
into a one-day pop-up store with everything
that the average woman is expected to
find drool-worthy - clothes, accessories,
fragrances, make-up artists, hairdressers,
photographers, and all else beauty- and
fashion-related; there will be workshops,
opportunities to consult with stylists, and
even a „special feminine menu”, whatever
the hell that’s supposed to mean.QEvent
starts at 11:00. Admission free.
Warsaw
08.03 Friday - Acid Drinkers
Stodoła Club, ul. Batorego 10, tel. (+48) 22
825 60 31, www.stodola.pl
One of Poland’s top thrash metal
groups. They’ve been steadily drinking
their acid since 1986. Over this period
they’ve managed to record 15 albums
and win a multitude of awards, including
a prestigious ‘Frederyk’, is that a good
thing for a bunch of fiendishly naughty
boys? One way to find out, go see ‘em.
Currently on tour to promote their latest
slice of Hell; La Part Du Diable.QConcert
starts at 18:30. Tickets 45-52zł. Available
at www.ticketpro.pl, Empik, ul. Złota 59
(Open 10:00 - 22:00, Sun 10:00 - 20:00)
and before the concert.
08.03 Friday - Women’s Day at 99 Restaurant
99 Restaurant & Bar, Al. Jana Pawła II 23, tel.
(+48) 22 620 19 99, www.restaurant99.com
If you’re female and a foodie, or just
want to celebrate Women’s Day with a
fancy, if rather expensive, dinner, then
99 Restaurant is preparing a 5-course
meal with special “feminine” dishes such
as prawns, roasted guinea fowl, and
chocolate fondant. If you’re male and
wouldn’t be caught dead eating such
chick-food, have no fear: the chef is also
preparing an alternative masculine menu
with truly and unequivocally macho dishes
like beef tartare and walnut parfait. Live
music and gifts for the ladies!QEvent
starts at 12:00.
14.03 Thursday - Hunter
Palladium Club, ul. Złota 9, tel. (+48) 22 825
60 31
Polish thrash metal band who are
regulars on the national tour and
festival circuits; including the legendary
Przystanek Woodstock festival.
Future
plans include releasing an Unplugged
album. Is that actually possible with thrash
metal?QConcert starts at 20:00. Tickets 4247zł. Available at www.eventim.pl, Empik, ul.
Złota 59, (Open 10:00 - 22:00, Sun 10:00 20:00) and before the concert.
14 SPORT
The New Poland Express I Friday 8th March 2013 I www.nwe.pl
Title race snail paced
“
Snail race” – that
Górnik Zabrze easily
was the headline
falling to Jagiellonia
on most of the
at home, and Śląsk
Polish sports webluckily drawing at
sites commenting on
Korona Kielce. Górnik
last weekend’s games,
failed to wake up early
where sides in the tiin the game and after
tle race recorded two
just thirty minutes
draws and just one win
found themselves twofrom the least expected
nil down as Quintana
contenders,
Polonia
and Dźwigała took
Warsaw. Lech Poznan
advantage of some
fell to the capital’s secsloppy
defending.
ond side at home, failA late volley from
ing not only to break
Przybylski
proved
Stokowiec’s
smartly
to be not enough, as
prepared team but also
Zahorski missed with
to produce anything
a close-range overhead
similar to their opening
in the dying seconds.
4-0 win at Chorzow. It Lukasz Piatek claimed all 3 pts for
Korona Kielce 1-1
Polonia
could have been even
Śląsk Wroclaw may be a
more goals for Polonia but in the end a very strong contender for one of the worst
fine long range strike from Łukasz Piątek games this season. Passes were misplaced,
proved to be enough to beat toothless Lech. moves were unprepared and fine shots
Legia frustrated their fans with a goalless were as rare as glimpses of top league level
draw against an ambitious but lacking in football. In the end, two fine runs from
quality Belchatow and in all fairness, it Maciej Korzym and Piotr Ćwielong proved
could have been even worse for Jan Ubran’s to be enough to give at least something
side – that’s how badly they played. Danijel for the fans to warm themselves. Śląsk
Ljuboja waved his hands all night in is unbeaten so far in 2013 but have not
frustration, while new signing Vladimer convinced anyone and the last-minute
Dvalishvili failed to create anything worth transfer of Gabon’s international Eric
mentioning as he was moved to the wing. Moulougui is supposed to give them an
Despite Legia’s attacking approach in 4-3- edge in the final stages of the season.
3, they struggled to break down a well
Round 17 was generally played in an air
organized Belchatow.
of controversial decisions – Rafał Boguski
Sunday only proved that the other was booked for diving in the box as
contenders are far from their top form with Wisła looked short against Podbeskidzie.
Round 17 results
Played
Pts
W
D
L
GD
1
Legia Warszawa
17
34
10
4
3
34-17
2
Lech Poznań
17
32
10
2
5
24-15
3
Polonia Warszawa
17
32
9
5
3
29-14
4
Górnik Zabrze
17
31
8
7
2
25-13
5
Śląsk Wrocław
17
30
9
3
5
27-22
6
Lechia Gdańsk
17
25
7
4
6
23-20
7
Piast Gliwice
17
22
7
2
8
22-26
8
Zagłębie Lubin *
17
22
7
4
6
22-18
9
Jagiellonia Białystok
17
22
4
10
3
19-22
10
Pogoń Szczecin
17
22
6
4
7
17-20
11
Widzew Łódź
17
21
6
3
8
18-24
12
Korona Kielce
17
20
5
5
7
16-21
13
Wisła Kraków
17
20
5
5
7
14-22
14
Ruch Chorzów
17
18
5
3
9
16-26
15
Podbeskidzie Bielsko-Biała
17
10
2
4
11
20-29
16
GKS Bełchatów
17
8
1
5
11
10-27
* Zagłębie Lubin deducted 3 pts for corruption in 2005/6 season
Lechia Gdańsk
Lech Poznań
Ruch Chorzów
Piast Gliwice
Legia Warszawa
Korona Kielce
Górnik Zabrze
Wisła Kraków
1-1
0-1
3-0
1-1
0-0
1-1
1-2
0-0
Pogoń Szczecin
Polonia Warszawa
Widzew Łódź
Zagłębie Lubin
GKS Bełchatów
Śląsk Wrocław
Jagiellonia Białystok
Podbeskidzie Bielsko-Biała
Round 18 fixtures
Friday 8th March
18:00
Zagłębie Lubin
20:45
Podbeskidzie Bielsko-Biała
Saturday 9th March
13:30
GKS Bełchatów
15:45
Ruch Chorzów
18:00
Polonia Warszawa
Sunday 10th March
14:30
Pogoń Szczecin
17:00
Górnik Zabrze
Monday 11th March
18:30
Lechia Gdańsk
Jagiellonia Białystok
Legia Warszawa
Widzew Łódź
Śląsk Wrocław
Wisła Kraków
Piast Gliwice
Lech Poznań
Korona Kielce
However, they should have awarded a
penalty instead of a card, as referee Marcin
Borski put his trust in the goal-line assistant
referee, who now support the usual trio in
one selected game every weekend. Three
red cards were awarded in Lechia’s one-all
draw with Pogoń Szczecin as well, drawing
attention more onto referee Tomasz Wajda
than the players and the game itself.
The place to spend
the weekend
Friday 08.03.2013
Women’s Day
Saturday 09.03.2013
Edyta Ciupak Live on stage from 9 pm
Scotland v Wales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . KO 15:30
Ireland v France. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . KO 18:00
Everton v Wigan Athetic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . KO 13:45
Manchester City v Barnsley . . . . . . . . . . . . . KO 18:30
Barcelona v Deportivo La Coruna . . . . . . . . KO 20:00
Sunday 10.03.2013
Jam session Live on stage from 9 pm
England v Italy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . KO 16:00
Liverpool v Tottenhamn Hotspur. . . . . . . . . KO 17:00
Manchester United v Chelsea . . . . . . . . . . . KO 17:30
Warsaw
Tortilla Factory
ul. Wilcza 46
tel. 022 621-8622
www.warsawtortillafactory.pl
info@warsawtortillafactory.pl
15 SPORT
The New Poland Express I Friday 8th March 2013 I www.nwe.pl
Time to retire the tainted men
O
ver last couple of days all eyes
have been on refereeing controversies in the match at Old Trafford as Nani was sent-off for high kick on
Arbeola. But Poland had its own scandals
with officials not only failing to make the
right call but even attacking the players…
before sending them off.
Śląsk Wroclaw’s cup tie with 1. Liga
leaders Flota Świnoujście was full of
controversy when after just twenty
seconds the hosts had their keeper sent
off. Later in the game both teams were
reduced to ten men – Sebastian Olszar
was booked twice and as he walked
through the mixed zone his anger was
clearl. “Bandits!” – he called Robert
Małek’s officiating team, as Flota lost the
first leg 3-2 thanks to a Piotr Ćwielong
scored in the 95th minute (despite only
three being added). He also accused
Małek of slapping (or in fact hitting)
him on the hand shortly before he was
booked – replays proved he was right as
well.
Then, on a dull Monday tie between
struggling Wisła Krakow and ambitious
Podbeskidzie, it was an increased team
of five referees which failed to spot that
Rafał Boguski was unfairly brought
down in the Podbeskidzie box and a
penalty should have been awarded. It
was the goal-line referee’s decision as the
Polish FA has decided to pick one game
each weekend to test the system with an
increased refereeing team, as it is often
seen in European games.
The yellow card for diving has since
been cleared and both Małek and
Borski suspended for some time. For the
former it’s his second suspension this
season which is surely a reason to look
at the record of the Ekstraklasa’s most
experienced referee and decide that the
time has finally caught him and the needs
of this level are too high for him.
Małek and Borski have more in
common than twenty years of combined
experience refereeing in the Polish top
flight, as they have both also been involved
in controversies during Europa League
matches in the last two seasons, with their
decisions deciding the fate of clubs in this
competition. What is more, year by year
they dominate the unpopularity charts
among Ekstraklasa footballers, winning
no less than EIGHTY percent of players’
votes for “the referee they would like the
least to officiate their games” in Canal
Plus annual surveys.
“It is quite usual that the best are also
the least liked” – ex-referee and TV
expert, Sławomir Stempniewski waved
away the claims of Borski’s and Małek’s
rising unpopularity, showing exactly what
is wrong with Polish officials. The trend of
them being at the top of controversies lists
has been growing over at least last five
years with them far from top form, not
only in giving the verdicts in situations
but also cooperating with players on the
pitch.
It is quite right that both of them are
very strict on the pitch, more likely to
give a card straight away than decide
for a simple talking-to before they hand
the yellow or the red one. But as one of
unspoken opinions among footballers
goes, both referees tend to answer the
players with abuse, rarely keeping the
official tone with the players.
Only recently Poland’s top crop of
referees, with international assistant
referee Rafał Rostkowski at the helm,
demanded more respect from players,
fans and experts – only a few years after
the match-fixing scandal was revealed
and ended (hopefully!), with both referees
that were at the heart of past controversies
still in charge of games now. Yes, the
names are Robert Małek and Marcin
Borski.
Indeed, the younger referees, fairly
new faces are showing why putting trust
in some inexperienced officials couple of
years back was the only right decision.
Szymon Marciniak, Paweł Raczkowski
and a few others deserve to be respected
but their reputation also depends on the
oldest among them – if the Polish FA
will not decide that enough is enough
with Małek and Borski, in other words
if they won’t trust the players opinion,
the respect campaigns of younger
generations of referees will come to
nothing.
After all, refereeing is as much about
making the right calls as working with
the whole environment to improve the
situation – cooperating to be successful.
Frustrations will only grow if Małek
and Borski are given yet another chance
– surely any other referee would not be
given one, as was seen with the younger
and equally mistake-prone ref Adam
Lyczmański, who was relegated following
a run of bad decisions. In this credit where
it’s due - punishment where it’s deserved
not further endorsement.
Read more on Polish football
on Michal’s blog or follow him on
Twitter @polishscout
Ekstraklasa Preview: Legia need a win
Expectations have been disappointed so far at
Łazienkowska and an away win at Podbeskidzie, who
are unbeaten so far in 2013, is vital if Legia’s title
credentials are as genuine as we all thought. The
hosts grow stronger and more confident by the week
and even if their relegation battle lasts until the final
round of games, for now they finally look like a side
committed to one goal. Legia, on the other hand, are
in all sorts of trouble with players very unhappy at the
way the team has played so far. A goalless draw with
another struggler, GKS Belchatow, last weekend had
coach Jan Urban commenting that it looked like his
players had run a marathon before the match.
Polonia Warsaw versus Wisła Krakow looks like the most
interesting game on Saturday, especially after the
hosts unexpected win at Lech Poznan last time out.
Wisła’s struggles are well documented in issue 3 of
#Ekstraklasa Magazine, and two goalless draws have
put even more pressure on players to perform. Śląsk
Wroclaw visit Ruch Chorzow and while the two sides
have recently struggled to entertain their fans with
good football it is all about the result for the visitors if
they want to stay involved in the title race. New signing
Eric Moulougui, the ex-Nice striker, should help Śląsk
if his fitness levels allow Stanislav Levy to play him at
some point of Saturday’s match.
The big game comes up on Sunday, when
Górnik Zabrze host Lech Poznan and with prior
knowledge of Legia’s result (they play on Friday)
both sides will come out aiming for three points
with the possibility of going second or even first
in the table. Górnik’s defeat against Jagiellonia
last week proved there is still a lot of work
ahead of Adam Nawałka, while Lech are still far
from completing blending new signing Kasper
Hamalainen into their side and style. One thing
should be taken for certain – after the struggles
of the title contenders last week, they will all be
going out to prove that they have quality this.
16
CLASSIFIEDS
The New Poland Express I Friday 8th March 2013 I www.nwe.pl
Classifieds:
Place your free ads and community
news here. Email editor@newpolandexpress.pl
Warsaw flat to rent
New BWY Yoga class in Warsaw
Flat for Rent Downtown Warsaw
FULLY FURNISHED APARTMENT TO LET ON
MARSZALKOWSKA STREET WARSAW. 4 MINUTES
WALK TO METRO POLITECHNIKA, OFF STREET
PARKING, FULLY MODERNISED 55 SQUARE
METRES, ONE ROOM, BATHROOM, AND
KITCHEN. SITUATED IN THE VERY HEART OF
WARSAW, RESTAURANTS, BARS, CAFE AND
SHOPS WITHIN A STONE’S THROW. PRICE PER
MONTH 2500.PLN.
On Thursday 21st February 2013 I will start BWY
Yoga Class, which will be led in English.This
class is addressed to English speaking people
or for those, who want to practise English, whilst
practising yoga. It will have a small number of
students, which allow me to concentrate on the
individuals needs. The high standard of school
provides comfort and security.
2 rooms, 37sqm, fully furnished. Located in
quiet area between Rondo 1 Office Building
and Warsaw Financial Center. 1 bedroom, open
kitchen/living room, balcony. 2,500zl per month
plus bills.
FOR PHOTOS OF THE APARTMENT PLEASE
E-MAIL michael.lutherdavies1@gmail.com AND
FOR ANY FURTHER INFORMATION (VIEWING
ETC) PLEASE CALL MONIKA LUTHER-DAVIES ON
0048 601818170 (ENGLISH OWNER).
Place: Szkola Jeannette ul.Grupy AK Polnoc 2-33,
00-713 Warszawa / Mokotów
Time: 19.45 - 21.00
Contact: More details can be found on
www.iidyoga.com, tel: 694 145542
NO MIDDLEMEN OR AGENTS INVOLVED (NO
AGENCY COMMISSION.)
Contact: email: ttmandrusco@hotmail.com,
mobile: 504 645 110
Polish lessons in Warsaw
Polish lessons with experienced mother-tongue
private teacher. 50pln/h, individual lesson,
80pln/2h, special price for long term agreement.
References available upon request.
Contact: polish.lessons.warsaw@gmail.com
+48 602 829 587
100m Flat Share In Old Zoliborz
Elementary school teacher
English Tutoring Service
Large bedroom & own bathroom. Bright
well furnished living-dining room, modern
kitchen,30m²terrace over mature garden. Free
parking. Plac Wilsona Metro(Centrum 7min)
buses, trams & shops 5 min walk. Cleaning,
laundry & shopping service available.
Contact: Sophie.evans@gmail.com
+48508269128
Meridian International Elementary School is
looking for English native speaker: early child
education teacher - grades 0-3.
I am a native English speaker offering private
English language lessons in the city of Warsaw.
Feel free to respond to this ad for more
information about private tutoring.
Contact: Please send your CV in English on
infoprimary@meridian.edu.pl
Contact: lxashley1990@gmail.com
To advertise
your business
100zł per week
Send us 360
characters (including
spaces) with a
heading of no more
than 30 characters
Place your
classified ad
here
Personal ads
are for free
To advertise
your business
100zł per week
Send us 360
characters (including
spaces) with a
heading of no more
than 30 characters
17
COMMUNITY NEWS
The New Poland Express I Friday 8th March 2013 I www.nwe.pl
Community Groups:
Place free listings for
your community groups here. Email editor@newpolandexpress.pl
American Home Study Program
Gospel Baptist Church in Warsaw Welcomes You!
Toastmasters International - Warsaw
Small group of qualified English speaking
teachers available from September to supervise
full time American home study program grades
1-8 in Warsaw area. ekverner@gmail.com
Sunday 11:00, Thursday 18:00, ul. Grochowska 324 paw. 8
(Close to Wedel chocolate and Lays chips)
Gospel Singing
Bible Preaching & Teaching
Children’s Program in English
Family oriented
Services in English and Polish languages!
For more information contact: Pastor P. E. Sock
Tel. 48 500 270 990, E-mail: paulesock@yahoo.com
Toastmasters club invites all to the weekly meetings.
Toastmasters is an international organization for
improving the art of Public Speaking. Guests are most
welcome without any obligation apart from a short
introduction. We meet every Wednesday at 19.00 at TP
S.A. building, Twarda 18, Warsaw.
For more info see toastmasters.org.pl
or call Etan at 696-292-451
English Speaking Expat Group
International community for Warsaw’s Expats
Poznan International Ladies Club
A good way to make new friends: English-language
players sought for game that constructs collective story
narratives using high-level language communication
and a few simple rules. Wholesome fun.
Contact: Aneta.Bereda@wp.pl
Be cordially invited to join Warsaw Entertain - a
networking group which brings foreigners and local
people together in order to have fun while participating
in social events and meeting up with new people
in Warsaw. We organize events or just bring people
together.
For further details feel free to contact Barbara by
emailing: warsaw.entertain@gmail.com
Meetings on the first Wednesday of the month
(September - June)
Andersia Hotel, Restaurant Mosaica, 9:30 AM
Continental breakfast (cost 30 zl)
Social time and information about upcoming
activities
http://pilc-poznan.pl
Free conversation lessons
Church of England in Poland
The Sikh Community
Free conversation lessons take place at KLUB
DIALOGU, Krakowskie Przedmieście 13/156
(entrance from Tokarzewskiego) every Saturday at
11:00 am and 12:10 pm.
Please call: 22-498-1010
or email us: info@klubdialogu.pl if you are interested
We welcome Anglicans, Episcopalians and all others
interested, to celebrate the Eucharist every Sunday
morning at 10.30 am. Join us for light refreshments
after the service to learn more about the activities
of our church.
Place: Res Sacra Miser Chapel, ul. Krakowskie
Przedmiescie 62, Warsaw.
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.
Role Playing Game in Warsaw
Poland Tartan Army
HASH HOUSE HARRIERS
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
murraymaw@hotmail.com to register your interest.
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 warsawh3@gmail.com or www.warsawhash.pl
Personal ads
are for free
To advertise
your business
100zł per week
International Women’s Group
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 Moulin Rouge restaurant 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 iwgwarsaw@yahoo.com