PKP strike causes national havoc

MBA.
mba@business.edu.pl | www.business.edu.pl
Get ready for changes!
Polish News
and
Entertainment
Friday 19th August 2011
Issue 33 (134)
PKP strike causes national havoc
Thousands left high and
dry as employees down
tools over pay
NATIONAL
© Paweł Dąbrowski / SE / EastNews
H
undreds of thousands of rail travellers across the country had to
contend with the misery of disruption after a one-day strike brought Poland’s biggest railway company to a shuddering halt.
Workers at PKP Przewozy Regionale
downed tools on August 17 for 24 hours
owing to a dispute with management over
pay and conditions. Some 2,500 services
were cancelled, affecting an estimated
300,000 passengers.
Employing some 13,000 people, PKP
Przewozy Regionale (PKP PR) transports
thousands of customers everyday on short
journeys, and forms a vital segment of the
country’s transport infrastructure.
The company laid on buses in a desperate
attempt to provide some stranded passengers
with transport, but most people had either
to endure delays or attempt to find other
ways of completing their journeys.
The strike came as talks between the
government, management and unions
stalled over disagreements on salary
increases and working conditions. Unions
have requested a PLN 280 increase on
monthly salaries this year, and dismissed a
PLN 120 offer - rising to PLN 130 next year
- from the company as “unacceptable”.
Disgruntled travellers were left seeking alternative means of transport causing bedlam in many stations
But the company reposted saying that
PLN 280 would put too much strain on its
finances.
Trade union leaders accused management
of neglecting the railways, adding that
passengers were suffering from shabby
services, and aging and dilapidated rolling
stock. Leaders also warned of further strikes
unless an agreement is reached.
Adding fuel to the dispute were claims by
Malgorzata Kuczewska-Laska, president of
PKP PR, that the unions were playing at
politics.
“By striking the unions are trying
to influence politicians ahead of the
p.4 REGIONAL
forthcoming elections,” she said. “After
analyzing the negotiations I feel the
unions are only using wages as an
excuse.”
Despite the government’s involvement
in negotiations, it distanced itself from the
dispute.
“I always feel responsible for the rail
sector, but this dispute does not really
concern the government,” said Cezary
Grabarczyk, the infrastructure minister.
“This is a labour dispute between the
company board and the unions.”
He went on to add that the strike would
cause huge financial losses for the company.
p.7 spORT
p.12
Corpse left queuing
Drink doctoring
PGE opening boosts crowds
Residents in Wroclaw were left shocked
and stunned this week after the body of a
dead man was left by police officers at a local
bus stop.
According to daily newspaper Fakt, the
60-year-old had been standing waiting
for a bus with his wife when he suddenly
collapsed from what is thought to have been
a heart attack.
A doctor and two nurses were caught
drunk on duty in the Intensive Care Unit
of the Walcz Military Hospital this week.
“All the staff are shocked,” Janusz Napiorkowski, the hospital director, told
TVN24. The three were caught after police
received an anonymous tip-off. When officers arrived at the scene, the accusations
were confirmed.
Nearly 35,000 fans turned out to watch
Lechia Gdansk’s first game in the stunning
new PGE Arena, boosting average
attendances in the Ekstraklasa to over
10,000. The extra numbers at the Gdansk
game caused average attendances in the
Ekstraklasa to jump by 3,000 fans per
game, taking the total to a record high.
2
EDITORIAL
The New Poland Express I Friday 19th August 2011 I www.nwe.pl
Contents
News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Regional news . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
What’s on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Fromtheeditor
Quotesoftheweek
Thisweekinhistory
“Civic Platform is trying to be holier
than the Pope.” Law and Justice MP
Mariusz Kaminski adding more fuel to the
upcoming elections.
1920 - The Battle of Warsaw ends.
Fought between August 12-25, the battle
was part of the Polish-Soviet war which
eventually put an end to hostilities between Russia and Poland.
T
here’s been much
made of this
week’s train strike
and the inconvenience it
caused to thousands of
people up and down the
country.
It boils my blood when I hear these
workers getting slagged off for having
the guts to actually take a stand against
something they believe in. The fact is,
the people doing the mud-slinging and
slagging off are probably the kind of
people who are themselves too afraid to
take a similar course of action, but would
never admit to jealousy being the source
of their anger.
Like most other people not employed
by PKP Przewozy Regionale, I can
only speculate over the issue, but, as
is usually the case in situations like
this, money seems to be the key factor
here.
Let’s face it, the transport industry
is one of the most important industries
in a country, without which the nation
would be up a very smelly creek without
even a hint of a paddle. It’s important
that the staff employed here are made
to feel worthy and kept content so they
perform their jobs to the best of their
ability (the health industry is another
one which springs immediately to
mind).
Now I’ve never sat in a PKP PR staff
room but I’ve spent manys a cold, wet
day in train station waiting rooms
(wondering how much longer I’m going
to be tapping my feet) and if those at the
top take as much care over their staff
as they do their trains, then I’m fully
behind them.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying
employees should be pandered to or that
unions have the right to hold a government
to ransom. All I’m saying is that people
should be treated with a bit of respect and
dignity and get a decent wage for a decent
day’s work.
“Personal appearance isn’t important to
me. A politician doesn’t have to look nice.”
Pis deputy press officer Ilona Klejnowska
(who has been hailed as the new ‘face’ of
the party) speaks out against statements
that she is ‘petite’ and ‘beautiful’.
“We are sorry there was a strike, but
after three and a half years we haven’t
reached an agreement with the board. We
don’t want to be ashamed of being railway
workers, but we just don’t earn enough.”
Leszek Mietek, a spokesman from the
strikers’ union.
1955 - Nowa Kultura magazine publishes ‘Poemat dla doroslych’ (‘Poem for
Adults’). Written by essayist and writer
Adam Wazyk, the poem was the first to
openly criticise the system and despite government efforts was not censored.
HaveYoursay
The NPE weekend QUIZ
Re: Andrzej Lepper found dead in office
Speaking from personal experience, other
Poles I have talked to and have overheard
in conversation view his passing with either
amusement or indifference.
Being a former ally of PiS, it is of no great
wonder that a conspiracy theory has now
surfaced. Anyone aware of any Russians
entering the building at the time of his death?
Hannah Arendt - Gdynia, Poland
We’ve got a
great little prize
to give away this
week, so listen
up - A double
invitation
for the Rawa
Blues Festival
taking
place
in Katowice’s
Spodek
on
October 8.
May Lepper rest in peace but what a fiasco
with Kaczynski, Giertych and him at the
helm of the Polish government. Poland was
the laughing stock of Europe with those three
stooges running the store.
tomasz - Pittsford, NY, USA
Re: Poles arrested in London Riots
It seems nobody is adverse to a bit of
social outcry now and again when it comes
to creating a name for themselves. However
is the trashing and burning of shops and
people’s homes really the right way to go
about it? I think not.
I suppose the other option is to boo
and whistle your way through a so-called
‘respectful’ ceremony aimed at remembering
those that fought during one of the country’s
most daring and spirited struggles.
H.P. - Poznan
Publisher: WIYP Sp. z o.o.
WIYP Sp. z o.o. • Ul. Paderewskiego 1 • 81-831 Sopot
tel. +48 58 555 9818 • tel/fax. +48 58 555 0831 • nwe@nwe.pl
1939 - German battleship SchleswigHolstein arrives in Gdansk under the pretense a of courtesy visit. The ship is known
for firing the first ever shots in the Second
World War and was eventually destroyed
by bombs in 1944.
Editor-in-Chief: Steve Sibbald
(editor@newpolandexpress.pl)
Chief Writer: Steve Sibbald
Staff Writer: Matt Day
It might be a few weeks away yet,
but with acts including Marcia Ball,
Shakin’ Dudi and CJ Chenier & the
Red Hot Louisiana Band you’re going
to need a bit of time to get ready and
prepare yourself for what looks set to be
a storming event.
To win, just tell us in which US state
was singer and pianist Marcia Ball
born?
You know the drill folks, get
your answers sent into: editor@
newpolandexpress.pl
Nationwide & Sports:
Graham Crawford
(graham.crawford@newpolandexpress.pl)
Events: Klaudia Mampe
(events_poland@inyourpocket.com),
Vaughan Elliott, Łukasz Jankowski
Graphic Designer: Tomáš Haman
(tomas.haman@inyourpocket.com)
Sales Director: Malgorzata Drzaszcz
(gdr@newpolandexpress.pl)
3
NEWs
The New Poland Express I Friday 19th August 2011 I www.nwe.pl
Metal man
Family massacre tragedy
Nergal not guilty
D
eath metal musician ‘Nergal’ has
been cleared in court after tearing
up a bible live on stage and calling
it “a deceitful book”.
Adam Darski, better known as the front
man of metal band Behemoth, “did not
insult religious feelings” said the court which
backed up its decision by stating that his
music was merely “a peculiar form of art”.
“The court does not intend to, in spite of
expectations, prosecute against the artistic
freedom of expression against religion,”
said Judge Krzysztof Wieckowski of
Gdynia’s District Court.
“However the court will examine whether
or not this man is a danger to society or youth.”
The case refers back to concert where Mr
Darski ripped up a bible during a concert
and scattered the pieces into the crowd
while encouraging them to burn the paper.
He then incited the audience further by
stating it was a “mendacious book”.
According to news site TVN24, the
prosecution was based on reports by a
number of Law and Justice (PiS) MPs,
particularly President of the National
Defence Committee Ryszard Nowak who
had viewed the footage via the internet.
Mr Darski was last year diagnosed with
leukemia and recently underwent a bone
marrow transplant. Reports on his current
health however are varied.
A
Polish man is being held under
armed guard in a Channel Island
hospital suspected of slaughtering
his wife, his children and three others, before trying to kill himself.
Jersey police said 30-year-old Damien
Rzeszowski had been charged with
murdering six people, including his
18-month-old son Kacper and his daughter
Kinga, aged five. Rzeszowski’s father-inlaw, a best friend and her daughter were the
other victims.
In one of the bloodiest crimes to strike
the peaceful and prosperous islands in the
English Channel, all the dead were killed
in a frenzied knife attack at a party. After
the attack eyewitnesses said the Nowy
Sacz man then stabbed himself a number
of times in the chest, inflicting lifethreatening wounds.
Four of the victims were found in a
flat while two more were found outside.
Witnesses said they heard one woman cry
“Oh God help me” as she was attacked.
Rzeszowski’s wife, Izabela, had written
that “there is nothing more precious than
life” on her Facebook page just days before
she was killed.
Police are still waiting to interview the
heavily sedated suspect, who had lived
in Jersey for about 10 years, working as a
brick layer.
“We are working closely with leaders
from both the local St. Helier and Polish
communities to support the investigation
and local people affected by the tragic
incident,” said Detective Superintendent
Stewart Gull of the Jersey State Police.
Krzysztof Hajdas, a spokesman for the
national police headquarters in Warsaw,
said the Polish police were co-operating
with the investigators from the Channel
Islands in trying to work out just what drove
a family man to slaughter his loved ones.
The doomed family had left Bydgoszcz,
the hometown of Izabela Rzeszowska, the
day before the massacre, and local police
have interviewed family members. Further
interviews were conducted in Malopolska.
Newspapers both in Britain and
Poland have reported that Rzeszowski
had suffered from depression, and that a
few weeks before the attack had taken a
drug overdose in a suicide attempt. The
Nowy Sacz local had, allegedly, also faced
financial ruin after losing his savings in a
property deal in his home town.
Papers also carried stories claiming that
his wife had been unfaithful but the two
had been trying to patch up their marriage.
“He worked very hard to support his
family and was a very reliable guy. I would
often see him in the supermarket with his
kids,” one acquaintance of the suspect said.
“This has come as a huge shock to everyone.”
The murders have stunned the local
Polish community of about 5,000 people.
A requiem mass, held in both English and
Polish, took place recently in memory of
the victims.
Ul. Chocimska 7, Warszawa, tel. 22 848 12 25, fax. 22 848 15 90
www.restauracjarozana.com.pl
4
NEWs
The New Poland Express I Friday 19th August 2011 I www.nwe.pl
Doctored pics
Corpse left queuing
drive public crazy
W
ar has broken out between drivers and the city guard after car
owners accused them of using
Photoshop to adjust photographs sent to
drivers allegedly breaking the speed limit.
Some drivers have refused to pay
speeding fines arguing photographs of
them apparently breaking the law have
been doctored by guards eager to bring in
the cash. The touched up pictures, they say,
are inadmissible in court.
Crime experts say that tampering with
photographs is against the law.
“Proof of an offence must come from
the original picture, which must be
unmodified,” said Professor Ewa Gruza,
a criminologist from Warsaw University.
“Any photograph where missing or fuzzy
numbers [on registration plates] have been
filled in or corrected cannot be accepted.”
But city guard officials deny using the
programme to adjust the pictures. Instead
they claim that filters fitted to the cameras
make the registration plates of offending
drivers legible.
Marek Sewerynski, from the firm Meron,
which supplies local authorities with speed
cameras, said the cameras come equipped
with technology to diminish the effects of
flash and sharpen the letters and numerals
of registration plates.
Stirring up the legal difficulties are other
complaints from drivers, who say they
have received pictures from the city guard
which fail to show their car.
“I was driving home one evening when
I was caught by a speed camera,” said
Gabriel Slowik, one driver who has refused
to pay a fine. “When I got the photograph
from the guard instead of the registration
plate all you could see was the flash.”
Ms Slowika argued that as there was no
way to prove it was her car breaking the
speed limit she should not have to pay.
The latest spats will further damage
the image of speed cameras in Poland.
Growing in numbers, they have attracted
scores of complaints from drivers, who
have claimed in the past they have been set
deliberately at the wrong angle in order to
over-estimate the speed of an oncoming
vehicle.
Drivers were also unhappy with the
cameras’ battleship-grey livery, which,
they claimed, was to obscure them in
order to rack up fines. They argue that
a brighter colour would have made them
obvious and make drivers reduce their
speed.
R
esidents in Wroclaw were left
shocked and stunned this week after the body of a dead man was left
by police officers at a local bus stop.
According to daily newspaper Fakt, the
60-year-old had been standing waiting
for a bus with his wife when he suddenly
collapsed from what is thought to have
been a heart attack.
Worried members of the public called
the emergency services and police
promptly arrived and announced the man
dead. However, after placing the man in a
body bag, they left the scene, and with it
the body.
Reports claim that for approximately
an hour passengers and passers-by were
forced to either walk around the bag or
step over it in order to get on and off the
bus as officers had neglected to officially
cordon off the area or even move the corpse
to one side.
In addition to this, bus drivers were not
notified of the situation and continued to
pull up at the stop.
“The whole thing was horrific and
of course extremely embarrassing,”
one angry reader wrote to the paper.
“Surely there must have been some
way to avoid such a situation from
happening.”
However according to an official
statement by the police, the officers had
acted in the correct manner and no rules
or procedures were broken as it was not
their job to remove the body from the
scene.
“The officers involved in the situation
were under no obligation whatsoever to
either move or isolate the corpse,” said
Wojciech Wybraniec, a spokesman for
the regional police. “All the formalities
were dealt with both correctly and
accordingly.”
The most fashionable place to stay in Gdańsk
w w w. d w o r o l i w s k i . p l
5
NEWs
INBRIEF
Crazed priest continues to preach
There have been stories this week of a
renegade priest who has continued to give
mass and organise confessions despite having
been suspended from duties.
Known for his somewhat odd and erratic
behaviour, one of Father Stanislaw Dziwisza’s
alleged beliefs is that Poland should reinstate
the monarchy with Jesus as King.
But despite his suspension, a petition of 1,500
names has been sent to Pope Benedict XVI by
his supporters who have continued to back
him.
Speaking to TVN, Father Tadeusz IsakowiczZaleski stated that the priest shows no sign of
backing down and there is every chance he
may soon be excommunicated or excluded
from the church.
“In my opinion the next phase will see him
creating his own religious group or sect,” he
added.
Pregnant woman attacked
A man faces up to two years behind bars for
beating and kicking a pregnant woman in the
northern town of Gizycko.
According to reports in daily newspaper Fakt,
26-year-old Emil S. attacked the woman after
she asked him to behave in an appropriate
manner instead of blocking her path in the
street.
After knocking her to the floor, he then
proceeded to kick the woman before witnesses
called for an ambulance and the police.
The assailant was soon arrested and doctors
have reported that both the woman and her
unborn child will be fine.
Poisoned pickings
A teenager was left fighting for his life this week
after being poisoned by a plate of mushrooms.
According to TVN24, 16-year-old Dawid
was rushed to hospital where he eventually
underwent a nine-hour liver transplant
operation.
Although doctors state it’s still too early to
speak of any long-term effects, the operation
is said to have gone smoothly.
The news comes one year after the case of
6-year-old Tomek, who was forced to undergo
a double liver transplant after a similar situation.
“Once again we are urging people not to pick
their own mushrooms,” says Pawel Trzcinski of
the Children’s Health Centre.
PM in prime shape
There were reports this week of Prime Minister
Donald Tusk out-running his bodyguard when
the two were out for a morning jog.
Website Namonciaku.pl published a series of
photos of the 54-year old PM and his minder
enjoying a run, with Mr Tusk leaving him
lagging behind and out of breath - not bad
considering he is 20 years his senior.
The article described him as ‘fast’ and ‘nimble’
and stated that he clearly enjoyed watching his
bodyguard trying to keep up with him.
The New Poland Express I Friday 19th August 2011 I www.nwe.pl
‘Wacky’ game to promote PO
W
ith the general elections
just two months away, ruling party Civic Platform has
put out an interactive computer game
aimed at stoking up interest come the
big day.
As reported on website students.pl, the
game allows the player to take part as one
of the main candidates to see who can
cross the finish line first.
Taking its inspiration from the famous
children’s cartoon ‘Wacky Races’, contestants have the chance to play as either
Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Law and
Justice (PiS) MPs Jaroslaw Kaczynski or
Antoni Macierewicz, Waldemar Pawlak of
the Polish People’s Party (PSL) or Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) head Grzegorz
Napieralski.
Throughout the game contestants
have to avoid a series of approaching
obstacles such as piles of newspapers,
fallen branches and other dangerous
drivers such as the controversial Father
Rydzyk who sprays characters with doses of holy water in an attempt to slow
them down.
In addition to making pit stops and collecting gold stars along the way, each character comes with their own unique power.
PM Tusk has the ability to kick footballs
at opponents to hinder them while Mr
Macierewicz has an attacking dog and Mr
Kaczynski shoots out curled up cats from
his tank.
As well as poking fun at the opposition
parties, it is hoped that the game will spark
interest amongst the more computer-savvy
and younger generation, which, as a general rule, are believed to be more liberal, thus
more inclined to vote for leading party
Civic Platform (PO).
To play the game for yourself, visit www.
platformula.pl
Gold makes me beautiful
New collections add sparkle
Enjoy yourself this autumn
– find beauty in new colours, textures and shapes.
Taste relaxation during a break in one of the cafes
or restaurants. The time which is left can be used
for yourself in the cinema. Autumn brings so much
which is new.
Galeria Kazimierz
Kraków, 34 Podgórska Street, near Kotlarski Bridge
Opening hours:
Mon.- Sat.: 10 am - 10 pm, Sun.: 10 am - 8 pm
www.galeriakazimierz.pl
6
REGIONALNEWs
The New Poland Express I Friday 19th August 2011 I www.nwe.pl
NationwidewithGrahamCrawford:
Bringing you the best from across the regions.
If you have any news for Graham, send him an email at graham.crawford@newpolandexpress.pl
WITHOuTRHYmEORREGION
A
s Lady Bracknell put it, “To
lose one parent may be regarded
as a misfortune, to
lose both looks like
carelessness.” What,
then, are we to make of the Polish police’s
SWAT teams, who have sent gangs of antiterrorists in full combat gear, armed to the
teeth smashing into private residences at
dawn screaming, “Hit the floor!”, only to
discover they are at the wrong address, three
times in less than a year? [see Mazowieckie]
Yet they barely manage the merest sorry to
the petrified residents, as they retreat with
their tails between their legs.
I realise there are some truly nasty
criminals in Poland who require serious
measures to combat them. Fighting such
thugs is for the benefit of us all. But at what
point are these uniformed goons going to
start learning some lessons and make sure
they have the right flipping address? It’d
be annoying enough if it was the postman
who couldn’t get it right, but here we have a
small army bursting in on innocent members of the public, who have their privacy
mAzOWIECkIE
capital’s police told reporters they didn’t
use force against the woman, but that she
was required to obey the instructions of the
officers. “Most importantly, the police didn’t
break into her flat, the woman opened the
door for them. Immediately the search was
ended the leader of the operation apologised
to the owner,” explained Mrozek.
The woman is still in deep shock,
though, and intends to lodge a complaint
and will demand compensation. Other
officers last Friday arrested several people
in association with the shooting.
Hit the deck! Whoops!
A
police
antiterrorist unit
terrorised an innocent woman when
they burst into her
flat looking for a
dangerous criminal,
only to discover they
had the wrong address. The police SWAT
team was following leads in the recent
shooting of a Georgian man and were directed to an address by an informant.
Officers staked out the corridor
approaching the flat and were preparing to
smash their way in, when the terrified owner
opened the doors to see what was going on.
“A group of policemen burst into my flat,
pushed me up against a wall. I was ordered to
‘hit the deck’ and ‘stay calm, we’re the police,’
the woman told reporters from TVN24. “I
cowered away, crouched down and started
screaming, ‘My God, what’s going on,” the
woman explained, crying.
“I don’t know what they were looking
for. They wouldn’t let me get up. I told them
I didn’t have any clothes on. Eventually
somebody said they’d explain it all to me.
They let me go into the small room, but I
didn’t have any clothing in there. They said
I could cover myself up with a net curtain. I
wrapped myself up in it, but I felt violated,”
she added.
The police, though, insist there was no
mistake and have nothing to reproach
themselves for. Mariusz Mrozek for the
Pigeon prison
B
uilding administrators could face up
to two years in prison after they caged
in dozens of pigeons in an attempt to deal
with with the problematic birds. Workers
placed metal cages over windows to the
lofts in a building on ul. Dynasy, but many
of the birds were still inside and as a result
faced death by starvation.
“Over 100 pigeons lived up there, and
some of them are trapped inside, including
nesting birds. Doing such a thing during
the nesting season is barbaric!” one
resident wrote to Gazeta Stolecznej, as
well as informing the City Guard. Guard
officers went to the building administration
on Wednesday to order the immediate
removal of the cages and that the birds be
released.
Pigeons are protected from February
to September, their nesting period. The
removal of nests or attempts to chase them
away require official approval from the
Ministry of the Environment.
violated, their sense of security in their
own home shattered.
Even more galling is the callous disregard for these poor people displayed by the
forces of law and order. Their pathetic excuses for an apology, frequently delivered
only when pressed to do so by reporters are
nothing short of a disgrace.
These anti-terrorist teams might think
they’re the SAS or Mossad, in their combat gear and masks, but frankly, they seem
more like a bunch of third-rate clowns who
should have their toys taken away from
them before they kill somebody innocent.
7
REGIONALNEWs
The New Poland Express I Friday 19th August 2011 I www.nwe.pl
zACHODNIOpOmORskIE
pOmORskIE
Drink doctoring
Dinner alarm!
A
C
doctor and two
nurses
were
caught drunk on
duty in the Intensive Care Unit of
the Walcz Military
Hospital this week.
“All the staff are
shocked,” Janusz Napiorkowski, the hospital director, told TVN24. The three were
caught after police received an anonymous
tip-off. When officers arrived at the scene,
the accusations were confirmed.
The doctor had 0.14 percent alcohol in
his blood, one nurse had 0.1 percent and
her colleague 0.026 percent. Police officers
also seized medical documents in order to
ascertain precisely what procedures the three
had been involved in. If it turns out that they
were treating patients while drunk, they
could face up to three years in jail.
“The doctor and nurses appeared in the
hospital this morning. I informed them that
they had been relieved of their duties. They
will all most likely be disciplinarily dismissed
from work,” Napiorkowski told reporters.
“It’s really difficult for me to comprehend,
because we’ve not had an incident like this
for almost 20 years,” he continued.
CTV cameras
in Leba caught
a policeman driving
through crowds on a
pedestrian precinct
with lights on and
sirens blaring - all to
deliver lunch to his
mother last Monday afternoon. In the crowd
of passers-by who took exception to the incident happened to be a reporter from Dziennik
Baltycki, who took the matter up immediately.
He approached the woman who received
the delivery, later established to be the
officer’s mother, asking what was going
on, and if the policeman was worried the
food might get cold. She immediately hid,
shouting, “Why don’t you worry about more
important things!” Other angry passers-by
suggested they had seen the same vehicle
delivering bread earlier in the day.
Leba’s Mayor, Andrzej Strzechminski,
was outraged. “It’s a disgrace if the police are
busying themselves delivering food around
Leba,” he told reporters. Similarly, Jan Kosciuk,
press officer for Regional Police Headquartes
in Gdansk, commented, “If investigations
show this officer broke regulations then he
will be severely punished.”
Get your knickers down!
Taxi cheats
olobrzeg authorities are waging war
on the illegal traders that are blocking up the city’s coastal promenades with
stalls full of everything from nick-nacks
to knickers. City guard have so far issued
hundreds of tickets for trading without a
license, but so far with little effect.
“I’m not telling you what I earn, but if it
wasn’t worth it, I wouldn’t be stood here,” one
illegal trader told reporters anonymously.
“We’ve issued only ten licenses for traders on
the promenades, the rest are all fly-pitches,”
Grzegorz Pytloch, head of the Division of
Property Management in Kolobrzeg City
Hall.
City Guard, though, are doing everything
to counter the plague of tawdry traders.
“A spot fine is PLN 500. Usually nobody
wants to pay. Then we send the case to court
where it rises to PLN 700. Some traders have
received several tickets a day every day since
July 7. It’s easy to work out how much they’ll
have to pay,” Pytloch explained.
So far, though, despite 90 court judgments
fining illegal traders, not a penny has been
paid. “People keep appealing, but we’ll wait
and see. The verdicts are certain to be upheld
and then we’ll see how keen they are to set
up a fly pitch here next summer,” said a
confident Pytloch.
oreign visitors to the Tricity area are being regularly ripped off by unscrupulous
taxi drivers, a young reporter from Radio
K
F
Warsawinyoourpocket_120x98_Febr2010.indd 2
Invites you to experience a panoramic tour of tourist attractions
of the capital of Poland, Warsaw, in a relaxing and comfortable
way.
Traveling over the course of approximately two hours, a doubledecker bus will take you past many beautiful and interesting
places of Warsaw, such as its interesting districts, palaces
and churches, monuments and museums, parks and historical
cemeteries, as well as the Jewish historical sites.
A GPS 12 language audio system, will give explanations and
accompany you to make your ride a more adventurous, exciting
and an unforgettable one.
Details on: www.city-tour.com.pl, tel: +48 500 033 414
Gdansk discovered this week. Posing as a
foreigner, the reporter was charged PLN 50
for a PLN 30 trip. The experience was confirmed by Karol, a Gdansk hostel worker
who told of an Australian tourist charged
PLN 240 for a one minute cab ride. The
driver had screamed at the man and threatened him with the police, so the young traveller paid up. The Gdansk Tourism Organisation, though, claim they haven’t received
any complaints about unfair taxi drivers.
04.02.2010 15:20:07 Uhr
8
REGIONALNEWs
The New Poland Express I Friday 19th August 2011 I www.nwe.pl
sLAskIE
mALOpOLskIE
Nurse rape charge
Tatras top records
A
49-year-old ambulanceman has
been charged in a sex
scandal in the Czestochowa Ambulance
Service following a
long
investigation
by prosecutors. The story broke early this
year, when union members in the service,
among others, raised the alarm regarding
the nurse’s inappropriate behaviour.
“Witold N. was charged with the attempted
rape of one of the female staff in the ambulance
service. Using force, in the form of restraining
her arms and legs as well as covering her
mouth, he attempted to force the woman to
have sexual intercourse with him. He failed to
achieve his goal due to the resistance put up by
the victim,” prosecutors stated.
According to press reports, the man
is suspected of inappropriate sexual
behaviour as long as seven or eight years
ago. There are rumours he molested
not only female co-workers, but also
unconscious women being carried by
ambulance. One case reportedly involved
a young girl who had attempted suicide.
The matter was dropped when the girl later
succeeded in taking her own life.
Another worrying aspect of the case was
the acceptance of the man’s behaviour by
colleagues. Older nurses, who had their
bottoms pinched and breasts fondled
by the man, explained it away saying,
“Witek’s like that”. Leszek Lyko, director of
the Czestochowa Ambulance Service has
no regrets over his handling of the matter.
“I have nothing to reproach myself for.
Perhaps if I’d known it would become so
publicised...,” Lyko told reporters. Despite
the serious nature of the allegations,
Lyko merely moved Witold N. to another
ambulance unit.
Bringing up baby
I
n Czestochowa this Wednesday, four
men returning from work came across
a woman sprawled on the grass with a
nine-month-old baby crawling unattended
nearby. They took care of the child, giving
him some fruit juice to drink, and called
police to the scene.
“The drunk woman was lying of the
grass, crying, the muddied child was
crawling alongside, not far from a busy
road,” a policewoman told reporters.
The child was taken to hospital where
initial tests indicate he came to no harm,
although he was kept in overnight as a
precaution. The mother had 0.2 percent of
alcohol in her blood and was arrested.
A
massive 40,000
people
visited
the Tatras last Sunday,
setting an all-time record for the number
of visitors in a single
day. Morskie Oko
alone dealt with 13,000 tourists in one day.
“The long August weekend has long
been the peak for tourist numbers in the
Tatras. We expected crowds, but the record
surprised us,” Pawel Skawinski, director of
the Tatra National Park told reporters.
Meanwhile, Friday sees the 110th
anniversary of the cross placed on the
summit of Giewont. One of Poland’s major
symbols and a massive tourist attraction,
drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors
every year, the cross stands 15m proud of
the summit has a 5.5m span and consists of
400 pieces weighing 1819kg.
In less pleasant news from the Tatras,
two tourists were struck by lightning this
Monday when they decided to set off in poor
weather. The lightning struck around 15.20,
leaving both unconscious. Witnesses to the
incident called in the TOPR mountain rescue
team who oversaw the transport of the pair
by helicopter to hospital in Zakopane.
Both are said to be suffering from shock.
“The man is in a serious condition, but is
breathing unaided. He’s got severe burns
to the back. He’s currently undergoing
cardiological tests,” the TOPR duty doctor,
Janusz Jasinski, told TVN24. The woman,
who regained consciousness first, is said to
be in a good, stable condition.
In another dangerous incident park
wardens were forced to shoot a plastic
bullet at a bear that approached a tourist
route leading to Giewont. The smallish
animal was probably there looking for
berries. When it didn’t flee at the sight of
people but approached closer to the path a
park worker raised the alarm. A single shot
was enough to put the creature to flight.
9
BusINEss
The New Poland Express I Friday 19th August 2011 I www.nwe.pl
Time to take stock
T
his week has been one filled with
nerves and doubts for investors as
Poland’s stocks dropped more than
any others around the globe.
According to reports on news site
TVN24, the situation could even have been
a lot worse; even so it has been the poorest
since June two years ago.
Thursday saw the WIG20 (Warsaw’s
main index) drop by a staggering 5.8
percent, raising more doubts amongst
many over the supposed recovery of the
world’s economy.
Official figures state that it continued its
poor form this morning with trading at
-1.85 around midday.
This has caused great concern regarding
the banking crisis as share prices decline,
bond yields fall and the price of gold rises
to record levels.
According to analysts at Morgan
Stanley, global growth this year will sit at
3.9 percent - a figure significantly lower
than previous estimates of 4.2. Next year,
this is expected to be 3.8 percent, as oppose
to earlier predictions of 4.5 percent.
Defending these new estimates, Morgan
Stanley cites the “inappropriate” actions of
politicians in both Europe and the US as a
key factor.
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
A
new report put out by the Central
Statistics Office (GUS) states that
Polish salaries are on the increase.
According to TVN, the average Polish
salary in July stood at PLN 3,600 - an
increase of 5.2 percent year or year.
“This data is consistent with our
forecasts but it appears that the increase
in wages each month are primarily due to
one-off factors,” said Karolina Sedzimir,
a economist from Bank PKO. “We’ve
had to deal with additional payments,
annual awards and the continuation of
distribution. The latter were significantly
higher than in previous months and also
much higher than last year.”
She continued, “Wage growth in
the second half should sit at around
5-6 percent. This is not a particularly
dangerous level in terms of inflation.
Entrepreneurs will continue to keep
costs in check and employees, due to
the labour market situation and a high
unemployment rate, do not expect too
much increase.”
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
58%
The number of Poles who feel pessimistic
Mid-rate
2,9618
0,1715
0,5626
4,1913
1,5313
3,8324
0,5334
4,8354
0,1000
0,4537
3,6972
2,9270
I
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
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.
Send comments and letters to
editor@newpolandexpress.pl
NBP OFFICIAL CURRENCY RATES 19/08/2011
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
Country comes together
to mourn victims
© www.prezydent.pl
Wages on the way up
Issue 15 (66)
Poland hit by second Katyn tragedy
regarding their country’s economy according to
a report by Puls Biznesu.
PLN
23 .9 bln
Total figure lent by banks for mortgages or the building
of homes during the first half of 2011 - 49 percent less
than the first half of 2010 according to Puls Biznesu.
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
BusINEssINBRIEF
Exports up
New statistics show that Poland’s exports to
neighbouring countries in eastern Europe have
risen during the first half of the year.
The report by the Central Statistics Office (GUS)
states that all in all, figures were up 36 percent on
last year, which bodes well for Polish businesses.
Despite the recent E. coli scare which saw Russia
ban the import of Polish vegetables, trade
between the two nations has grown, with dairy
products and fruit at the forefront.
Last year witnessed EUR 752 mln worth exported
to Russia, while this year the figure is expected to
reach EUR 1 bln.
iPad top choice
Reports this week claim that the iPad has
become the number one choice when
it comes to surfing the net on the go in
Poland. Rzeczpospolita states that Apple’s
recent device sits ahead of other similar
devices such as the iPhone (18 percent
compared to just over 15 percent).
The trend also looks set to grow, what with mobile
giant Orange planning to offer the latest version
of the hand-held tablet on a new contract,
allowing customers a much more flexible deal.
10
ENTERTAINmENT
The New Poland Express I Friday 19th August 2011 I www.nwe.pl
sOmETHINGFORTHEWEEkENDfromInYourpocket
L
ast week my
mother f lew
to
Warsaw
from the U.S. for
her first visit since
I joined In Your
Pocket. She gleefully exited customs at Chopin airport
and announced that her tiny carryon contained her personal items for
her stay, while the heftier suitcase she
was wheeling was filled with stuff for
me. At my apartment she unpacked
brand new tubes of toothpaste, bottles of shampoo, socks, a watch, even
a pair of winter boots – I was frankly
surprised she didn’t pull out a pack of
toilet paper. Having last visited Poland in 1968, my mother’s haul sort of
made sense. But now? No way. After
all, this is country that created Manufactura.
Opened in 2006, Lodz’s Manufactura
is, in my opinion, the mall to end all
malls. Before coming to Poland I was
living in Minneapolis, home to the
largest mall in the United States, and
I dreaded any occasion that meant I
had to enter its soulless, sterile square
footage. Not so with Manufactura. I
knew any mall that inspired David
Lynch to film part of Inland Empire on
the property had to be stunning, and it
is.
Katowice
25 .08 Thursday - 28 .08 Sunday
Tauron New Music Festival
KWK Katowice, ul. Kopalniana 6, tel. (+48) 32 730
32 20, www.festiwalnowamuzyka.plQTickets 5080zł. Pass 130-160zł. Available at EMPiK, ul. Piotra
Skargi 6 (Open 08:00 - 20:00, Sun 10:00 - 16:00) and
www.ticketpro.pl. Full schedule available at www.
festiwalnowamuzyka.pl.
Klub Studio, ul. Budryka 4, tel. (+48) 32 730 32 20, www.
klubstudio.plQConcert starts at 19:30. Tickets 119/99zł.
Available at Klub Studio and ebola Store, ul. Floriańska 13
(Open 11:00 - 18:00, Saturday 11:00 - 16:00).
Krakow
20 .08 Saturday - Dir En Grey
What was once a giant textile factory
employing most of industrial Lodz
was taken over in 2000 by a French
developer intent on transforming the
crumbling brick buildings into retail
space. A mix of new structures like the
shopping mall and restored brickwork
(45,000m2 in fact) make up a complex
that includes everything from the
15 .08 Monday - 31 .08 Wednesday
Music In Old Kraków
tel. (+48) 32 730 32 20, www.mwsk.plQFull
schedule available at mwsk.pl. Tickets 20-60zł.
Available at Kraków Philharmonic’s box office, B-4, ul.
Zwierzyniecka 1 (Open 11:00 - 14:00, 15:00 - 19:00, Sat,
Sun one hour before performance. Closed Mon).
hands-on Experymentarium museum
to outdoor beer gardens and a luxury
hotel. Need a break from shopping?
Check out the cinema, or take down a
few spares at the bowling alley. Maybe
brush up on your French at Alliance
Francaise or tour the History of Lodz
museum.
But lets be honest: it’s the shopping that’s
the main draw, and with good reason.
The 300+ stores are laid out by a system
of easy-to-navigate themes, and shoppers
haul fresh purchases on 9,000m2 of wood
flooring, a huge improvement over the
industrial carpeting I’m used to. I have
to admit that I didn’t make any purchases
on my visit – and I probably won’t for the
foreseeable future considering the haul
my mother unloaded on me last week –
but fortunately you don’t really need a
retail reason to visit Manufactura.
Sopot
21 .08 Sunday - 27 .08 Saturday
School for Improvisational Music in Zatoka Sztuki
Arts and Culture Centre Zatoka Sztuki, tel. (+48)
785 88 04 02, www.mcka.plQWorkshops 900zł 1000€. Register at www.mcka.pl.
Warsaw
23 .08 Tuesday - 05 .09 Monday - Smykofonia
Mazovia Region Centre of Culture and Arts, ul.
Elektoralna 12, tel. (+48) 22 620 39 62, www.mckis.
waw.plQTickets 15zł. Available before the concert.
In cooperation with In Your Pocket city guides
11
ENTERTAINmENT
The New Poland Express I Friday 19th August 2011 I www.nwe.pl
CIAŁO/UMYSŁ
ORGANIZER
10. INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY DANCE FESTIVAL
17.9—2.10 / 2011 / WARSAW
FINANCING
DANCE LIFELINES…
Krakow
19 .08 Friday - 20 .08 Saturday
Coke Live Music Festival
Airfield - Aviation Museum, al. Jana Pawła II
39 (Czyżyny), tel. (+48) 32 730 32 20
One of Poland’s biggest summer bashes is
finally upon us. The organisers, Alter Art, have
divided proceedings between three stages:
the Main Stage, Coke Stage and Burn Stage.
If that wasn’t enough, there’s also the Coke
Clinic where fans will be able to get a massage
and chill out, but who gets stressed out at a
festival? Coke Live has a fine tradition, last
year saw performances by Muse, 30 Seconds
to Mars, N.E.R.D and The Chemical Brothers,
Panic! At The Disco and The Big Pink.
This year the headliners are the slightly
downbeat Interpol and White Lies, but to cheer
us up there are The Kooks, pop-punkers You
Me at Six, Editors as well as hip-hopper Q-Tip
from A Tribe Called Quest. QTickets 125zł.
Pass 200-225zł. Available at City Information
Point, ul. Św. Jana 2, C-3 (Open 10:00 - 18:00)
and www.eventim.pl.
Sopot
27 .08 Saturday - S.f.i.n.k.s. 700 Grand
Opening - Pets Recordings Showcase
Sfinks700, Al. Mamuszki 1, tel. (+48) 785 88 04
02, www.sfinks700.com
Never a place to do things by half, the Sfinks
is about to be re-opened for the second,
hopefully permanent, time this year. For the
first evening the club will be taken over by the
animals from the Pets Recordings Showcase
promoting the medley Friends Will Carry You
Home. On three music stages we will see Catz
n Dogz, SLG, Pol_On, Chmara Winter, Daniel
Zachodni and their special guest.QEvent
starts at 22:00. Admission 10/15zł.
Gdansk
Warsaw
19 .08 Friday - 20 .08 Saturday
8th Flounder Pop Festival
Gdańsk, Brzeźno Beach - entrance #40
Last year this festival disappeared from the
beach, taking place in Sopot’s club Sfinks instead,
but now it’s back where it belongs on the sand,
this time in Brzeźno, head for entrance number
40 through Haffner park and follow the noise.
Despite the ungainly name, the festival reminds
us that Gdańsk and Pomerania are the cradle of
Polish alternative bands and this year organisers
have invited 15 bands, 7 performing on first day,
including A’Freak-an Project, Wojtek Mazolewski
Quintet, Deriglasoff Band and Bulbulators.
QConcerts start at 18:00. Admission free.
20 .08 Saturday
20:30 - Marcus+/ Solidarity of Arts
Baltic Philharmonic Hall’s open-air stage, ul.
Ołowianka 1
A similar project was organised during last
year’s edition and it was called Możdżer+
in which Leszek Możdżer invited top jazz
musicians for a great show. This year Możdżer
will be the host of a show prepared by the
musical director and Możdzer will again play
piano while Marcus Miller will display his
musical talents on a range of instruments,
mainly bass guitar. Other guests are Trilok
Gurtu, Angélique Kidjo, Tomasz Stańko,
Edmar Castaneda and Gil Goldstein.
Admission free.
Katowice
19 .08 Friday - Art Naif Final
Wilson Shaft Gallery, ul. Oswobodzenia 1
(Janów-Nikiszowiec), tel. (+48) 32 730 32 20,
www.szybwilson.org
After two months the festival of self-taught
artists comes to an end and to celebrate there
is a chance to see work by Erwin Sówka, who
will be enjoying her 75th birthday. This retired
miner became the most famous naive-artist
and is the last living member of Janowska
Group. To conclude there will be concerts by
KWK Wieczorek and the Piskarski Trio.QEvent
starts at 18:30. Admission free.
19 .08 Friday - 28 .08 Sunday
Mime Art Festival
Theatre On Wola, ul. Kasprzaka 22 (Wola),
tel. (+48) 22 632 24 78, www.mime.pl
Organised by the Theatre On Wola and Warsaw
Pantomime Centre for the 11th time, this is a
review of mime theatres from all over the world.
For 2011 the acts are straight out of the top
drawer and include the Derevo Theatre, the
Licedei Theatre, the Bodecker&Neander
Company and Gregg Goldston. Over ten
days we have the chance to see mime
in all its various forms - from classical to
contemporary, sometimes experimental,
from solo performances and duo and group
creations. Organised annually the festival has
become one of the most important festivals of
its type in Europe and is the only mime festival
that presents exclusively non-verbal plays. We
will also be able to see new versions of plays
that were staged during previous festivals
as well as interesting productions by groups
that will come to the Mime Art Festival for the
first time. Beside the stars there will be plenty
of new talent on display with groups from
France, Germany, Russia, USA, Switzerland,
Czech Rep and Poland. One special feature
will be the Evening of Contemporary Mime,
which includes pieces and studies performed
by artists from Europe and USA, the School of
Contemporary Mime and the Mime Studio from
the Theatre On Wola. Traditionally during the
festival there will be open mime art workshops
lead by artists presenting different schools of
mime aimed to all those who want to see what
they can do. Since 2005 the festival’s artistic
director has been Bartłomiej Ostapczuk,
actor, mime, teacher, theatre director, mime
choreographer in drama theatres.QTickets 1860zł. Available at Theatre On Wola box office
(Open 12:00 - 19:00).
In cooperation with In Your Pocket city guides
12 spORT
The New Poland Express I Friday 19th August 2011 I www.nwe.pl
European nerves jangling
T
wo of Poland’s three representatives
in Europe are 90 minutes away from
qualification for the group stages of
the Champions and Europa League, with
Wisla leading the way, taking a 1-0 lead
into next Tuesday’s match with Apoel Nicosia in Cyprus. However, Legia will have to
play well in Moscow to qualify after conceding two away goals against Spartak,
while Slask need a major miracle after losing 3-1 at home to Rapid Bucharest.
Wisla’s match on Wednesday was a
cagey affair, where the guests did much to
stifle the raucous support from the stands,
pressing Wisla onto the defensive. The
main aim for both teams was to keep a clean
sheet, which meant few genuine chances
were created. Both teams committed few
men forward in attack and doubled-up in
defence.
It was an inspired finish by Malecki
in the 71 minute gave the Krakow side a
slender advantage going into the second leg
next Tuesday. Beating the offside trap on
the right, Malecki raced into the penalty
area and faked a shot with his right foot,
dumping the Apoel defender William
Boaventura on his backside in the process.
Malecki then cut inside onto his left and
rifled the ball past the Cypriot keeper into
the far corner of the net.
Apoel, though, showed enough to
suggest the tie is far from over, and Wisla’s
players are well aware of what faces them
in four days time. “The result is good,
but it’s not over. One move could change
everything,” Wisla’s Costa Rican defender
told the website Sport.pl.
Wojciech Kowalczyk, retired Polish
international and a player who played
for Apoel towards the end of his career,
outlined the task facing Robert Maaskant’s
men. “The return leg in Cyprus will be a
massive challenge. Weather conditions
are certain to favour the home side. The
Cypriot champions have six clear days to
prepare for the match because their league
hasn’t started yet, whereas Wisla have to
play Korona on Saturday. So tiredness and
the high temperatures in Cyprus right now
can influence the result.”
Legia Warszawa face a much more
difficult task after they drew 2-2 at home
with Spartak Moscow. Despite twice taking
the lead through Radovic, the second goal
coming after great solo work by Daniel
Ljuboja, Legia were unable to hold on, both
times succumbing to incisive work from
the Moscow attackers.
Slask played a decent enough game
against their Romanian opponents, but
were unable to impose themselves against
a visibly superior team. Lenczyk’s men face
a torrid time next week in Romania.
PGE opening boosts crowds
N
early 35,000 fans turned out to
watch Lechia Gdansk’s first game
in the stunning new PGE Arena,
boosting average attendances in the Ekstraklasa to over 10,000. The extra numbers at the
Gdansk game caused average attendances
in the Ekstraklasa to jump by 3,000 fans per
game, taking the total to a record high.
In the match itself Lechia played out a
1-1 draw with Cracovia, but despite the
inauguration the stadium is still not entirely
finished and there are still plenty of problems
to deal with. “It’s true that the investment
isn’t fully completed. The stadium’s basic
management systems are still not fully
functional. The lighting still isn’t controlled
from a single point, you have to walk around
from sector to sector switching off the current
manually, which takes about two hours,”
Blazej Jenek, head of the stadium operator
told Przeglad Sportowy. The stadium will
only be fully completed by the end of the year.
The place to spend
the weekend
Saturday 20.08.2011
Arsenal V Liverpool KO 13:45
(English Premier League)
Wales V Argentina KO 15:30
Ireland V France KO 18:00
(Rugby Union Friendlies)
Chelsea V West Brom KO 18:30
(English Premier League)
Sunday 21.08.2011
West Ham V Leeds KO 14:15
Motherwell V Rangers KO 15:15
Bolton V Man City KO 17:00
Warsaw
Tortilla Factory
ul. Wilcza 46
tel. 022 621-8622
www.warsawtortillafactory.pl
info@warsawtortillafactory.pl
spORTsBRIEFs
Death on the track
A 17-year-old speedway rider for Start Gniezno
was killed during training this Wednesday
evening. The young rider died when he fell from
his bike and was hit by a colleague riding behind
him. “Despite immediate medical assistance
and being rushed to hospital, he died as a result
of his injuries. He was a novice at the sport, he
didn’t yet hold a full license,” Start’s press officer
Grzegorz Buczkowski told reporters. Neither
police nor the club were prepared to release the
victim’s name.
He loves me, he loves me not
Slask Wroclaw’s Argentinian striker Christian
Diaz landed in hot water for an interview with
Przeglad Sportowy where he accused Slask
manager Orest Lenczyk of bias. “Lenczyk keeps
saying he doesn’t have a problem, but you can
see he doesn’t like foreigners,” Diaz told the
paper, and was promptly fined EUR 2,000.
He quickly recanted, telling reporters, “I was speaking
impulsively and the words don’t reflect my relationship
with Mr Lenczyk.” He then went on to score the winner
in last weekend’s 1-0 win over Ruch Chorzow.
Told after the game that his was the 100th
goal for Slask under manager Lenczyk, the
Argentinian stated, “Well, I wouldn’t dedicate it
to him. I score goals for the club, myself, family
and friends, not for the manager.”
13
CLAssIFIEDs
The New Poland Express I Friday 19th August 2011 I www.nwe.pl
Classifieds:placeyourfreeadsandcommunity
newshere.Email editor@newpolandexpress.pl
Flat needed
Plot for sale
French teacher sought
Urgently seeking long let furnished flat in Srodmiescie
Warsaw with at least two rooms +modern
decor+standards, must have lift, not on parter/ground
floor + good access from street to enable carrying
things in+out, internet+cable a plus as well- flats up to
2500 zl a month considered
contact Steve at londynczyk41@gmail.com
or call 503 100 704
Kielpin, Lomianki.
Plot of 1300m2 on ul. Ogrodowa in Kielpin bordering
Lomianki north of Warsaw, with house 220 m2 plus
garage 40 m2 in roofed raw wall state. No façade,
windows, doors or internal works done. Septic tank and
drill hole for own water on plot, gas and electricity in
the street.
Price: 550 000 PLN.
Call Mikael: 662 164 987 or
e-mail: Mikael_kg_andersson@yahoo.co.uk
I’m an experienced Polish native teacher looking for a
French native to exchange conversation classes with.
One class in Polish, for one class in French.
For more details, please contact:
Edyta
ernominee@gmail.com
WOMEN’S FASTPITCH SOFTBALL
Searching for flat or room
Krakow apartment for sale
The Warsaw Diamonds train 2-3 times per week yearround in Mokotow and play in league games across
Poland on weekends from Apr-Jun and Sept-Oct. The
team is currently in 2nd place in the league and is
planning a week-long tour through CZ or HU to play
club teams in spring 2012.
Contact Coach Christopher at 601317432 or coach@
softball.pl for details.
Looking for small flat or room to rent for the
summer. Will consider house sitting situation.
Must have internet. Please call: 692.931.278.
Walk straight in!
Krakow apartment 373000zl*
59 m2 Two rooms – kitchen, dining, living area, one
double bedroom, bathroom. Also secure cellar storage
and small garden. Available for sale completely furnished
and well equipped. Close to public transport (buses, trains
and trams), 15 minutes from centre of Krakow.
*includes furniture, white goods and kitchen
equipment.
Email Chris: cmwbell@gmail.com for more information.
Looking for room to rent
Recreational lot
Apartment for rent
I am looking for an apartment or room to rent
from June 20th for one month in the centre of
Warsaw or not too far from it.
Please email me edyta007@hotmail.com
or call me after 5pm: 609-016-596
1/2 hour drive from Warsaw, in Pomiechowek,
Brody Parcele, Serocka Street 3 , 3720m2, Old
trees. Has acess to all media: water, sewer,
electricity. Close to train station and shops. 3km
from the Modlin Airport. Can be used for semiindustrial purpose or subdivided into 4 single
family lots.
Call: 660384 603 or mail: iga9@hotmail.com
Warsaw, City Center, Wiejska Street near
Sheraton and parks, sunny 60m2, 3 rooms, huge
loggia, fully furnished and equipped, 2200zl.
APARTMENT FOR LEASE
Telemarketing Position
Warsaw Apartment for rent
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.
This is an exciting opportunity for the right
candidates to join a select financial services
group who lead the international marketplace in
financial services.
We are expanding rapidly as a company, and
are currently looking to build on this success by
recruiting business development staff.
For more information, please e-mail
warsaw@aesfinance.com
Fully furnished apartment for rent on Wiejska
20 (next to Sheraton). 60 sq. m, 3 rooms: 2
bedrooms and living room. Large balcony/
loggia, attached to kitchen. Separate bathroom
and WC. Located on the second floor with an
elevator. Award wining building with beautiful
inside yard. Rent: 2500 PLN / month
Contact: jspeur@hotmail.com or
iga9@hotmail.com
Place your
classified ad
here
Send us 360
characters (including
spaces) with a
heading of no more
than 30 characters
Entry available early April 2011
For further information, please contact: Donald
Blair: blairdon@hebrides.net +44 7930 164 013
Call: 660 384 603 or email: iga9@hotmail.com
14
COmmuNITYNEWs
The New Poland Express I Friday 19th August 2011 I www.nwe.pl
CommunityGroups:placefreelistingsfor
yourcommunitygroupshere.Email editor@newpolandexpress.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
International Women’s Group
International Rotary Club
Gospel Baptist Church
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 iwgwarsaw@yahoo.com
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
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: paulesock@yahoo.com
www.gbc-ekb.com.
GAA in Warsaw
Expat meetings
Toastmasters club
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
cumannwarszawa@gmail.com
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 (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
Poznan International Church
CFM (Christian Fellowship Ministries)
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: Aleja Prymasa Tysiąclecia 74B (Wola, Warsaw)
Services in Polish and English:
Wednesday 19.30 hrs and Sunday 11.00 & 18.30 hrs
Every Saturday evening at 20.00 hrs: Film, Concert &
Drama or other activities
Website: www.thedoor.pl
Phone: 784 653 666 (Pastor Jan-Willem van Dam)
Email: info@thedoor.pl
Contact - asamu@sniper-rook.co.uk or 691535566
Place your
classified ad
here