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Polish News
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Friday 27th April 2012
Issue 17 (168)
A drake to catch a crocodile
Angler amazed at finding
reptile in the Warta
NATIONAL
© www.slupca.policja.gov.pl
A
65-year-old Polish fisherman has
become something of a national
legend after catching a Nile crocodile whilst fishing in the River Warta.
Kazimierz Kaczor (Kaczor being the
Polish word for a male duck) was enjoying
a spot of his favourite sport on the river
near the northern town of Slupsk earlier
this week when he hooked the reptile.
“I always dreamed of landing a great
catch but I never thought it would be a
crocodile,” joked the angler. “The world has
gone mad when you can find a crocodile in
the Warta.”
Mr Kaczor added that he did not fear the
one-and-half-metre long beast because he
realised that as it was floating on its back when
he was reeling it in, it was probably dead.
“We believe the crocodile had died about
two days earlier because there was no sign
of decomposition,” Andrzej Borowiak,
from the local police, told the newspaper
Fakt. “Now all we have to do is work out
why it was in the river.”
As police pondered just how the crocodile
ended up in the Warta, animal experts said
the reptile was probably bought as a pet on
the black market and released into the wild
when it became too big.
“It’s a young Nile crocodile,” said
Radoslaw Ratajszcak, director of Wroclaw
Zoo. “This species is bred on farms and is
The fisherman was shocked to find the one and a half meter reptile on the end of his line
commercially available. It can grow up to
six metres but in captivity rarely exceeds
three.”
Experts have warned that the Warta
crocodile will probably be not the last
exotic and dangerous animal to surface in
Poland either dead or alive.
Under law a crocodile is classified as
a Category One animal, a group which
also includes the monitor lizard and the
black widow spider. Under rule changes
introduced in November, Category One
animals have to be handed over to a zoo
or a circus within six months but for the
p.3 REGIONAL
owners of illegally bought pets this could
prove troublesome.
To handover a crocodile or other
dangerous creature without the necessary
paperwork may land them in legal hot
water, so, said Mr Ratajszczak, the owners
will probably take to dumping them in the
wild.
He added they may also try to leave them
near zoos in the hope that a prompt rescue
and transfer to expert care may spare their
former pet the long and slow death that
will befall most exotic animals released
into the Polish countryside.
p.6 busINEss
p.9
Big cheer for cipki
Move, or I’ll shoot!
Poland strengthens Chinese ties
A Polish feminist organisation is
campaigning to help promote the use of
the word ‘cipka’ - a native slang term for
the female vagina.
In a recent interview with Newsweek,
members of the Boyowki Feministyczne
group outlined their ambition to shed the
word’s negative connotations and make it
more acceptable, reports daily Fakt.
A Warsaw flat owner decided to persuade her lodger to move out by having
two thugs break down the door to the flat
with a crowbar, beat the man up and then
menace the man while he was packing by
placing a gun to his head. The woman had
demanded that the man move out by April
20th, despite his having paid rent to the
end of the month.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk made
it clear he wants Poland to increase its
business relationship with China during
a meeting with the county’s Premier Wen
Jiabao this week.
According to TVN24, Mr Tusk spoke of
“specific areas of enhanced cooperation,
which may extend to a number of political,
economic and academic links”.
2
EDITORIAL
The New Poland Express I Friday 27th April 2012 I www.nwe.pl
Contents
News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Regional news . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
What’s on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Fromtheeditor
Quotesoftheweek
Thisweekinhistory
“It’s a difficult decision and there are no
winners or losers. We all have to just face it.”
Minister of Labour Wladyslaw KosiniakKamysz on the ongoing pension reforms.
1924 (29.04) - The Polish zloty
replaces the Polish Mark as the national
currency. Introduced in 1917, the Mark
was subdivided into 100 Fennig and was
similar to the German Deutsch Mark upon
which it was modelled.
A
fter living in Poland for such a
long period of
time, whenever the eternal question crops up I
always try and vary my
answer now and again - if
for nothing else, just to keep myself amused.
Decent bread, family and friends, real
ale, pool tables in pubs, my local record
shop, proper ingredients for a full English
and (admittedly with more than a touch of
sarcasm) the weather have all been cited as
the “Thing I miss most about the UK” over
the years.
However, one thing that has never
featured on this hallowed list, yet
certainly ranks up there with any of the
aforementioned, is a lack of dog dirt every
five meters when stepping out the front
door.
Some may laugh at this. But one thing
that’s guaranteed to wind me up more than
a bunch of old grannies fighting over the
last seat on a tram is people who think that
letting their beloved pet sh*t all over the
pavement outside my flat is an acceptable
form of social behaviour. And I know I’m
not alone.
In this week’s Gazeta Wyborcza there
was a rather heartening article about
rapper Lukasz Rostkowski (aka L.U.C)
and his new initiative to help combat this
disgusting and embarrassing problem.
Installing a huge model dog turd on
Wroclaw’s Plac Dominikanski might
initially seem a slightly crude way to
go about things, but as the musician
rightly says, “It’s pointless trying to
do this in a serious way, so we want to
bring attention to the problem through
a joke.”
Whether it will do any good or not
is open to debate and we’ll just have to
wait to find out. But anything that goes
even a small way towards helping to
clean up the streets is to be commended
and certainly gets the thumbs up from
this corner.
“It’s not true that Putin is on the same side
as PM Donald Tusk and against [former]
President Lech Kaczynski. The Russians
love it when there is a brawl in Poland.”
Head of Poland is the Most Important
party (PJN) Pawel Kowal gives his views
on the Smolensk debate.
“Jaroslaw Kaczynski made Ziobro look
like a little dolphin.” Ryszard Kalisz of the
Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) reflects
on how Kaczynski shouldn’t have used
Ziobro’s ‘informal’ name when pleading
with him to rejoin Law and Justice (PiS).
1981 (30.04) - Ration cards for butter,
flour, cereal and rice are introduced. This
followed the rationing of meat a month
earlier, which continued until July 1989.
HaveYoursay
The NPE weekend QUIZ
Re: Smolensk: a “Declaration of War”
“Mr Kaczynski had accused him of
bearing responsibility for the disaster”
Look to your own brother for the cause
of the tragedy. The fact that he is buried
in the Wawel is an insult to the great and
good of Poland and those that perished in
the disaster.
PiS and its leader are without doubt
insane and trying to sleep Poland into war.
Ena Sharples - Wetherfield, England
With the Euro
2012 tournament
creeping
ever
closer, we’ve got a
cracking prize to
wet your lips this week.
The ‘Great Football Exhibition’
currently on show in Warsaw does
exactly what it says on the tin and is a
must see for any lovers of the beautiful
game.
Featuring a unique collection of
boots, shirts and many other bits
and bobs once donned by the likes
of Luis Figo and Zinedine Zidane,
the exhibition gives you a chance to
surround yourself with memorabilia
from many footballing heroes and
we’ve got two double invitations to give
away.
To be in with a chance of winning,
just tell us the names of the four Polish
cities that will be hosting the upcoming
Euros.
As always, send those answers to the
following address:
[email protected]
Re: Decreasing drunks
An interesting little story, but I find
it extremely difficult to believe that the
number of drunks in Poland is in fact
‘decreasing’.
For sure the thousands of rowdy footy
fans due to turn up this summer on
the lash will soon put an end to any of
these statistics. And that’s before you
take into account the ever-increasing
hoard of drunken yobs that occupy the
doorway of the 24 hour shop opposite
my window which do their best to keep
me awake for as much of the night as
they possibly can.
Tom M. - Warsaw, Poland
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 • [email protected]
1934 (29.04) - Okecie Airport is opened
in Warsaw. Despite being officially changed
to the Warsaw Chopin Airport in 2001, the
name ‘Okecie’ still remains in popular use
and the airport handles around 300 daily
flights and deals with just under half of the
nation’s air passenger traffic.
Editor-in-Chief: Steve Sibbald
([email protected])
Chief Writer: Steve Sibbald
Staff Writer: Matt Day
Nationwide & Sports:
Graham Crawford
([email protected])
Events: Klaudia Mampe
([email protected]),
Vaughan Elliott, Łukasz Jankowski
Graphic Designer: Tomáš Haman
([email protected])
Sales Director: Malgorzata Drzaszcz
([email protected])
3
NEWs
Big cheer
for cipki
A
Polish feminist organisation is campaigning to help promote the use
of the word ‘cipka’ - a native slang
term for the female vagina.
In a recent interview with Newsweek,
members of the Boyowki Feministyczne
group outlined their ambition to shed the
word’s negative connotations and make it
more acceptable, reports daily Fakt.
“We do not think the word ‘cipka’ is
vulgar! It is perhaps the most appropriate
word we have for this part of the body
in the Polish language and we wish to
bring it back to the general public,” says a
spokesperson for the organisation.
One of the ways that the group aims
to promote the word is with its so called
‘Cipka Days’ (‘Dni Cipki’) - the first of
which took place in Warsaw on April 1821.
“Two years ago, we came up with the
idea for the event after hearing about an
incident in which a TV presenter refused
to say the word ‘vagina’ on air whilst
announcing the name of a film,” says the
group.
During the course of the event,
documentaries were shown, discussions
were held and various workshops were
set up in order to show that there is more
to the word than just its current ‘vulgar’
associations.
The New Poland Express I Friday 27th April 2012 I www.nwe.pl
General Papala suspects charged
P
rosecutors have charged two former
car thieves with the murder of the
head of the national police force 14
years ago, in a case that has long been associated with organised crime and corruption.
Police General Marek Papala was gunned
down outside his Warsaw home in 1998 as
he was getting out of his car in a murder
that investigators believed bore all the
hallmarks of a mafia-style assassination.
But it now turns out that the policeman
may have died in a mundane car theft that
went wrong.
“This killing happened as a result of an
armed robbery with a firearm,” prosecutor
spokesman Jaroslaw Szubert told a news
conference. “They tried to steal General
Papala’s car. The lethal shot was fired
during the attack.”
The two accused, who were both in their
early 20s at the time of the murder, were
part of a gang that stole hundreds of cars
in the 1990s, and three other former gang
members face charges of armed robbery.
Police said the arrests followed new
evidence provided by a suspect arrested
last year that indicated the general was
killed by car thieves.
The arrests appear to have a brought an end
to a case that many people believed involved
organised crime and corruption, and at one
time Poland made an unsuccessful bid to
have Edward Mazur, a Polish-American
businessman implicated in the murder,
extradited from the Unites States.
Mr Mazur has now spoken of claiming
damages from Poland.
The case has also thrown into question
the crown witness programme. One of
the reasons behind the dogged belief
that organised crime was involved in the
murder was because of evidence provided
by a prized crown witness, a car thief
nicknamed “Stick”, who, it turns out, is
Igor L. one of those now under arrest for
the murder.
The car thief had originally claimed
to have witnessed the murder when he
entered the car park next to the general’s
flat with the intention of stealing a
different vehicle.
“Stick” appears to have led investigators
in a number of different directions over
12 years, and it was his supposed evidence
that prompted the attempt to extradite Mr
Mazur.
In a television interview for TVN 24,
former justice minister and now leader of
the United Poland party, Zbigniew Ziobro,
said that in addition to Mr Mazur, “Stick’s”
testimony had also implicated mafia
members and police officers.
But, he added, that given the unreliability
to previous evidence it was perhaps too
early to consider the case closed. Mr
Ziobro also pointed out that Igor L. was
a professional car thief, not a violent
criminal, and only targeted expensive, upmarket cars, whereas the general drove a
Daewoo.
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4
NEWs
The New Poland Express I Friday 27th April 2012 I www.nwe.pl
War hero honoured in US
T
he United Sates has awarded a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom to Jan Karski, a former officer
of the Polish Home Army often described
as the man who tried to stop the Holocaust.
President Barack Obama announced the
award of the medal, the highest civilian
honour in the United Sates, while visiting
the Holocaust Museum in Washington.
Karski was charged with reporting back
to the Western allies the details of Nazi
Germany’s savage occupation of Poland,
and was twice smuggled into the Warsaw
ghetto to learn about the treatment of Jews.
“We must tell our children about how
this evil was allowed to happen - because
so many people succumbed to their darkest
instincts; because so many others stood
silent,” President Obama said in a statement.
“But let us also tell our children about the
Righteous Among the Nations. Among them
was Jan Karski, a young Polish Catholic who
witnessed Jews being put on cattle cars, who
saw the killings, and who told the truth, all
the way to President Roosevelt himself.”
A diplomat by profession, Karski, who
died in 2000, had been called up as an
officer by the Polish army when war broke
out. Captured by the Soviets, he narrowly
escaped the Katyn massacre by lying
about his rank and passing himself off as a
common soldier.
Escaping from a prison camp he joined
the fledgling Home Army, and in 1942 was
given the task of reporting to the Polish
government in exile of Nazi atrocities
in Poland. His research and documents
provided both London and Washington
with some of the first and most accurate
evidence of the mass extermination of
European Jews.
He later travelled to the United Sates to
publicise his findings and met President
Franklin Roosevelt. After the war Karski
stayed in the States, teaching at Georgetown
University.
Along with his historic and dangerous
work, the bestowing of the medal on
Karski also resulted from a campaign for
recognition.
In April last year, Warsaw’s Museum
of Polish History started the “Jan Karski:
Unfinished Business” campaign to
promote his legacy and teach people about
his work and his principles.
“This high civilian award confirms the
values that Jan Karski stood to defend
tolerance and understanding between all
faiths, and had the courage to speak the
truth in the worst of times,” said Wanda
Urbanska, director of the Jan Karski
Centennial Campaign.
Other Poles who have received the
freedom medal include Pope John Paul II,
Lech Walesa and Anna Walentynowicz.
Karski was also the holder of the Order of
the White Eagle, Poland’s highest civilian
award, and the Order Virtuti Militari,
the country’s highest military award for
bravery.
Priest sex
scandal
A
priest from Podlaskie has been sentenced to four year behind bars after being found guilty of having sex
with a 19-year-old girl with developmental
disabilities.
According to daily Fakt, the priest from
the eastern village of Bocki had been
entrusted to look after and care for the girl
by her family.
However, Bialystok’s District Court
found that between July 2010 and February
2011, the priest had sexual intercourse with
her as many as eight times.
The paper claims that the main factor
behind the girl living with the priest
was her disabilities and it was these that
he used in order to get her to “submit to
sexual activity”.
The crime originally came to light
when the girl fell pregnant last year
and her mother became suspicious that
something was going on. She gave birth
to a baby a few months ago although
the father of the child has never been
officially named.
Due to the extremely sensitive nature of
the case, investigators have released very
few details and the case was carried out
behind closed doors.
Throughout proceedings, the accused
pleaded not guilty and according to the
paper, the verdict is still not final.
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5
NEWs
INbRIEF
10 years behind bras
Police in Wronki were surprised this week when
they caught two men stealing an assortment of
women’s lingerie including 70 bras.
The men, who had pinched the underwear from a
clothes shop, tried to escape when approached,
but were eventually apprehended reports Fakt.
The goods, which were worth PLN 3,000 were
returned and the men now face up to 10 years
in prison.
Lonely sailor located
Tomasz Cichocki, the Polish sailor who authorities
have being trying to contact since March 13 (see
NPE 165) has been located near the Archipelago
of the Azores.
The 53-year-old set out to sail the globe by himself
last July but communication problems meant that his
yacht has been off the radar for the past six weeks.
“When we heard from him, a stone was lifted from
our hearts,” says Krzysztof Mikunda, head of the
Around The World project in Gazeta Wyborcza.
New laws for drivers
New laws which will see drivers receive penalties
for driving whilst using a mobile are to be
introduced writes Gazeta Wyborcza.
“These regulations will help put an end to this
as it poses a serious hazard to others,” says
Malgorzata Wozniak, a spokesperson for the
Ministry of Interior.
However, the paper states the laws will not punish
those who drive whilst eating or smoking and that
only drivers of professional vehicles, such as taxis
and busses, are prohibited from doing so.
The New Poland Express I Friday 27th April 2012 I www.nwe.pl
Controversial art under fire
T
here have been a wave of online
complaints regarding the artwork
depicting the face of Anders Behring
Breivik - the man accused of mass murder
and the confessed perpetrator of the terrorist attacks in Norway last year - hanging up
in Warsaw.
The piece of art in question, currently
on show outside the Palace of Culture and
Science’s Dramatic Theatre, was actually
premiered as far back as February however
it is only now that residents are beginning
to voice their anger, reports Gazeta
Wyborcza.
Despite the portrait being slightly
blurred and including several pixel-like
prints on top of it, the image of Breivik
smiling in uniform is clear for all to see.
On Monday, one angry resident used
social networking site Facebook to post up
a photo of the piece and voice his opinions
on what he sees as a highly offensive piece
of art.
“Breivik is no ordinary murderer as we
have all learned through the media. He
shot a few dozen people and carried out the
bombing. On the scale of things, Breivik’s
crimes put him up there with Nazi
henchmen, Stalin or Muslim terrorists,”
wrote Jan Gebert, the man behind posting
up the image on the website.
“Seeing as the murderers at Auschwitz
and Katyn and the perpetrators of the
attacks on the World Trade Centre are
not the subjects of works of art, this piece
should clearly be subjected to criticism.
A poster hung up in a public space
without any comments or explained
context is merely promoting the killer
... I do not wish to see his face greeting
me, especially in the city centre,” he
continued.
Since the image was posted up, a number
of other internet users have taken to voicing
their opinions on the controversial issue.
“What the hell is this? I’ve got no idea.
This is not art, just advertising and is
totally below the belt,” wrote one blogger
after seeing Gebert’s comments.
However, the work of art has received the
backing of the Dramatic Theatre following
the recent outcry.
In an official statement, Katarzyna
Szustow, a representative of the theatre,
said that amongst other things the piece
was “an attempt to answer the question
of who is a contemporary killer” and asks
“what pushes someone to commit such a
crime”.
“The negative attitudes surrounding
certain historical figures and events
does not mean that they should not be
mentioned or pushed aside ... This is not
always the best option. Censoring images
is perhaps not a good way to help cope with
the trauma caused by the crime in question.
We need to understand these things and
see where they stem from and how we can
help prevent them from happening,” she
stated.
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6
REGIONALNEWs
The New Poland Express I Friday 27th April 2012 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 [email protected]
WITHOuTRHYmEORREGION
B
y the time
you’re reading this, thousands of Poles will
have already taken
off on a ten day holiday. The shifting calendar, and the fact of the national holidays
on the 1st and 3rd of May falling this year
on Tuesday and Thursday means that many
places are closing down for the whole of
next week.
For a long time I’ve been under the
impression that Poland has an inordinate
mAzOWIECkIE
Move, or I’ll shoot!
A
Warsaw
flat
owner decided
to persuade her
lodger to move out
by having two thugs
break down the
door to the flat with
a crowbar, beat the
man up and then menace him while he was
packing by placing a gun to his head. The
woman had demanded that the man move
out by April 20th, despite him having paid
rent to the end of the month.
The man refused to move, unless he
received a refund, so the 64-year-old landlady
decided to persuade him. She brought in her
daughter who contacted two muscular male
friends to speed things along.
The man called police to the scene on
Saturday morning, where they arrested
three of the assailants. The second man had
amount of public holidays - I’ve certainly
heard such things discussed in the local
press.
It’s always been suggested that the pile
up of free days is due to the fact that in the
transition from communism to capitalism,
all the old socialist days off were retained,
and then new days, relating to pre-socialist
traditions or to religion have been added,
leading to a situation where it’s hard to tell
whether the average Pole is working hard,
or hardly working.
So I decided to do a little research, and
to be honest, the results didn’t match
what I expected. In fact the total number
of official holidays in Poland this year is
thirteen. Add to that the fact that several
of those days actually fall on Saturday or
Sunday and things don’t look quite so bad.
The total is high compared to the UK,
with nine official holidays, but in line with
France or Germany who both had around
twelve days off. The US, Canada and India
were all somewhere in the middle.
Clearly, a ten day break isn’t going to
help the national economy much, but the
occasion only comes round once every six
or seven years. So if you’re one of those
that’s able to enjoy a longer break - go right
ahead and make the most of it.
fled, taking the large calibre, gas-powered
pistol with him, but police soon traced the
man and the weapon. All four have been
charged with intimidation.
Chopin takes the train
Lecturer fails test
A
lecturer at the Plock section of Warsaw
Polytechnic has been charged with 32
counts of bribery, in which he demanded
cash for passing grades, enabling students
to take their end of term exams. The lecturer has been suspended while investigations
into the incidents continue.
“The charges concern bribes ranging
from PLN 100-300 in return for increasing
the point score in in-class tests. Only
students with a high enough score were
allowed into the final examinations,”
explained Iwona Smigielska-Kowalska,
press officer for Plock prosecutors.
The investigation was launched in
March this year after police received an
anonymous tip-off. If found guilty, the
man faces up to eight years in prison.
W
arsaw’s Chopin Airport received the
first passenger train at its new underground station late last Friday evening.
For now, the train was empty, while rail staff
carry out technical checks. “The drivers are
familiarising themselves with the track,” explained Maciej Dutkiewicz for Warsaw City
Hall’s Investment Board.
The checks, on electrical installations
and signalling, were, according to rail
technicians, a total success. “We’ve carried
out trial journeys on both tracks and it
looks like the section is ready to receive
its certificate for use,” Dutkiewicz told
reporters.
The first trip with passengers on board is
scheduled for June 1st, one week before the
commencement of Euro 2012.
However, the track has been delayed
several times already. It was initially meant
to open in Autumn 2011, then in December,
but failed to meet either deadline.
7
REGIONALNEWs
The New Poland Express I Friday 27th April 2012 I www.nwe.pl
DOLNOsLAskIE
sLAskIE
Speeding vehicle
Dead toddler case dropped
B
order guards at
Klodzko
this
week apprehended a
man trying to smuggle 14kg of amphetamine in his petrol
tank. Officers also
managed to arrest
the intended recipient of the PLN 700,000
shipment.
The drugs were being imported from
Holland and intended for the Polish
market. The man was arrested on National
Road 33 at the Boboszow-Dolni Lipka
crossing. “Officers stopped the 32-yearold courier for inspection. It turned out
that the tank was stuffed with 28 sealed
plastic bags containing white powder, each
weighing about 0.5kg,” explained Renata
Sulina for the border guard.
Further investigation led them to a
26-year-old who is most likely the dealer,
although investigations into the man’s role
are still ongoing. Both men face up to three
years in prison if found guilty.
Fake coppers pinch copper
A
gang dressed as police officers pulled
over a truck carrying 23 tonnes of copper, worth around half a million zloty this
week. They also abducted the driver.
The incident took place on Wednesday in
Orsk, near Lubin. The Iveco truck with a
large consignment of copper was stopped
by four men in what looked like police
uniforms standing by a dark blue Renault
Traffic van with flashing lights on top.
When the driver stopped, the men
overpowered him, handcuffing him,
covering his eyes with tape and bundling
him into the back of his lorry, which they
then drove around for several hours. The
man worked his way free and made his way
to a police station and investigations are
ongoing.
Queen and Prince, but no
Skinhead
Q
ueen are being lined up to play at Wroclaw’s stadium in July as part of the
Rock in Wroclaw festival. The gig is likely to
be officially confirmed sometime on Friday,
with rumours suggesting the deal is already
done.
However, last Friday saw Prince put
back his planned concert in the same
venue by at least a month, to August, and
Sinead O’Connor has cancelled her entire
upcoming tour due to, “Bad health caused
by bi-polar depression”.
B
ielsko-Biala
Regional Prosecutors this week
dropped their investigations
into
the death of the
unidentified young
boy found dead in a
pond outside Cieszyn back in March 2010
[see NPE 12/63]. Despite over two years of
intensive efforts, prosecutors have failed to
identify either the dead boy, or those responsible for his death.
A statement from prosecutors said, “In
the course of our investigations all the
necessary procedures have been carried
out and all possible evidence gathered,
including examining the scene of the
crime, post mortem, expert analysis of
clothing and genetic material.” However,
none of these managed to reveal anything
significant about the boy or his origins.
The statement continued, “Due to
the exhaustion of leads in the case,
prosecutors have been forced to abandon
their investigations.” Investigations into
the incident have been extended several
times, and even now, officers are adamant
that despite the case being dropped, their
search will continue.
Allegro parts swindler
K
atowice police this week arrested a
27-year-old man from Sosnowiec who
was selling car parts on the Internet trading
site Allegro. The parts appear to have come
from cars that the arrested man earlier stole.
On April 5 a man reported his
Volkswagen Passat stolen. Officers
immediately began trawling the Internet
for traces of the vehicle and eventually
located parts with the relevant chassis
number on Allegro. So officers arranged a
trap and apprehended the man as he tried
to sell engine parts from the stolen vehicle.
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8
REGIONALNEWs
The New Poland Express I Friday 27th April 2012 I www.nwe.pl
WIELkOPOLskIE
POmORskIE
Turf trouble
Pervert apprehended
T
he result of the
tender for returfing the pitch at the
city’s football stadium
in time for the approaching Euro 2012
championships
has
been announced by Poznan Sports and Recreation Centres (POSiR). The contract has
been won by the Greenboss company, which
has won previous tenders for the same work.
This will be the eighth time the surface has
had to be re-laid since the stadium opened
two and a half years ago at massive cost to
the local authority. This is the last time the
local City Hall is responsible for care of the
playing surface, which after Euro2012 will
pass to the new operator.
“The cost of the work is around PLN
450,000. The contractor will be responsible
for looking after it until the end of the
championships, but it will be under
guarantee to the end of the year,” POSiR
director Ryszard Zukowski told reporters.
The work is due to start on May 4th after the
final league matches have been played there
by Lech and Warta.
The Poznan pitch has been an
embarrassment ever since the stadium
opened. It soon became apparent that
the design of the stadium roof means the
playing surface doesn’t get enough light. As
a result the turf rapidly deteriorates and the
pitch becomes all but unplayable.
“We’ve invited representatives from
STRI, who collaborate closely with UEFA
on the matter of grass pitches, to oversee the
completion of the re-turfing. The actual turf
is being inspected by specialists, and we await
their assessment. If their opinion is negative, the
contractor will have to find another solution.
P
olice remanded
in custody a
35-year-old man who
committed an indecent assault late on
Tuesday night on ul.
Pomorska in Gdansk.
However, after the attack, four members of
the public combined to chase and catch the
man, delivering him to the authorities.
“It was around 1am, when the woman
was returning home from work. The
assailant dragged his victim onto the
grass and forced her to commit a sex act,”
prosecutor Justyna Jankowska, who is
leading the investigation, told reporters.
Two men who were out walking a dog
nearby responded to her cries for help and
began chasing the man. Along the way, they
stopped a taxi and persuaded the driver
and his passenger to assist in catching the
man, which they soon managed.
The victim later identified the man,
enabling police to remand him in custody,
now prosecutors are trying to trace the
taxi driver and his passenger to take their
statements.
More charges for Arka thugs
E
ight of the Arka Gdynia hooligans who
attacked a Lechia Gdansk children’s
football team [see NPE 7/158] have been
charged with illegal assembly. “The charge
sheet is expected to be ready in mid-May.
We will also be demanding a stadium ban
for the men,” commented Dariusz WitekPogorzelski, for Wejherowo Regional Prosecutors.
Earlier two of the hooligans were
charged with assault and robbery for their
part in the incident where 12 men attacked
a group of 7-year-olds representing Lechia
and their accompanying parents, one of
who was badly assaulted. The two involved
in the assault face 12 years in prison, those
that accompanied them, up to three years.
Offers Polish Cooking Classes and Weekly Culinary Tours in various
regions and cities of Poland.
Sails unveiled
A
brand new fountain in Poznan’s Plac
Wolnosci, called Sails, was unveiled
this Thursday. The unveiling almost ended
in disaster, when the lift brought in to remove the domed tent covering the installation almost toppled over, but eventually, the
process was completed.
Construction began as long ago as in
October 2010 and was intended to be
completed by Spring 2011. Even now, the
final connections are being made for the
lights, mosaic tiles laid on the fountain’s
basin and the water installation is being
completed. Asked when the water would
be turned on, Tomasz Libich of the Urban
Roads Authority who paid for the fountain,
commented, “We don’t know yet, but
definitely before Euro 2012.”
In Warsaw join us on:
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9
busINEss
The New Poland Express I Friday 27th April 2012 I www.nwe.pl
AGS Warsaw_In Your Pocket ad_(w)58mm X (h)47mm_Hires.pdf 1
Poland strengthens Chinese ties
C
P
M
Documents and agreements were signed by
both sides, as the two nations looked at ways
of “strengthening their strategic partnership”.
“The parties are interested in developing
contact between people, especially
young people. They have stressed the
importance of bilateral relations between
the two groups,” read a statement from the
President’s office.
As well as the PM expressing his
hope that there would be an increased
amount of investment from China and
its entrepreneurs and institutions, he also
stated that the two countries should be
proud of their economic positions during
a time of global financial woe.
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
BOC agrees deal with Poland
F
ollowing on from the visit of China’s Premier Wen Jiabao, reports on
Wednesday claim that the Bank of
China (BOC) is set to open its first branch
in Poland.
Agreements were signed between
President of the Industrial Development
Agency (ARP) Wojciech Dabrowski and
BOC’s general manager Wenbo Hou
during the visit to Warsaw states TVN24,
although no date has yet been reported.
Mr Dabrowski said the two parties
plan to hold regular meetings to
exchange information on potential
NBP OFFICIAL CURRENCY RATES 27/04/2012
Currency
Canadian Dollar
Czech Koruna
Danish Krone
Euro
Hungarian Forint
Japanese Yen
Norwegian Krone
Pound Sterling
Russian Ruble
Swedish Krona
Swiss Franc
US Dollar
Symbol
1 CAD
1 CZK
1 DKK
1 EUR
100 HUF
100 JPY
1 NOK
1 GBP
1 RUB
1 SEK
1 CHF
1 USD
Mid-rate
3,2179
0,1686
0,5622
4,1820
1,4540
3,9295
0,5526
5,1244
0,1076
0,4706
3,4820
3,1666
investors and that the agreement’s
main purpose was to promote
investment using “modern concepts
of technology, organisation and
management”.
Founded in 1912, Bank of China is
one of the four largest state-controlled
banks and last year was placed 7th
on the Forbes list of largest public
companies in the world. The bank’s
total balance is an estimated USD 2
trln - around 10 times as much as the
balance of the entire Polish banking
sector combined.
INNumbERs
15,000
The number of Polish farmers that were given too many
subsidies by the EU between 2009-2010 according to the
country’s Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture
Agency (ARiMR). The estimated figure stands at PLN 6 mln.
in Poland?
Moving?
Worldwide Activity Local Exper tise
Corstjens Warsaw
Telephone: +48 22 7377200, 7036200
e-mail: [email protected]
www.corstjens.com
Polish News
and
Entertainment
Friday 16th April 2010
Issue 15 (66)
Poland hit by second Katyn tragedy
Country comes together
to mourn victims
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.
PLN 1 .2 bln
The amount that Poland’s speed cameras should make in
revenue, according to Finance Minister Jacek Rostowski.
busINEssINbRIEF
Beer exports up
Polish beer exports reached their highest ever level wrote
Dziennik Gazeta Prawna this week.
According to the paper, breweries across the country
exported EUR 76.7 mln worth of beer to foreign nations in
2011 - EUR 0.8 mln more than the year previous.
Last year also saw more beer produced by Polish breweries
- a total of 7.9 million hectoliters and a rise of 3.4 percent
than in 2010.
The paper states that Hungary currently receives the
largest amount of Polish beer (EUR 12.6 mln), followed by
the Czech Republic (EUR 10.6 mln).
What’s going on
© www.prezydent.pl
rime Minister Donald Tusk made
it clear he wants Poland to increase
its business relationship with China
during a meeting with the county’s Premier
Wen Jiabao in Warsaw this week.
According to TVN24, Mr Tusk spoke of
“specific areas of enhanced cooperation,
which may extend to a number of political,
economic and academic links”, as well
“increased cooperation between both the two
governments and two societies in general”.
Mr Wen Jiabao met with both the PM
and President Komorowski during his two
day visit to Poland - the first time that the
head of China has visited the country since
1987.
More ‘distinguished’ Polish Vodka
Last Tuesday saw a parliamentary committee looking at
amending the law regarding the way that Polish vodka is
produced.
The new draft will deal with altering how ‘Polska wódka /
Polish vodka’ is defined and determine the specific way
that the drink is made.
“With this legislation, we wish to define the geographical
indications so Polish vodka can be distinguished from
others on the European market,” commented Kazimierz
Plocke, the Deputy Agriculture Minister, in Gazeta
Wyborcza.
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
10
ENTERTAINmENT
The New Poland Express I Friday 27th April 2012 I www.nwe.pl
sOmETHINGFORTHEWEEkENDfromInYourPocket
I
s it just us, or is
it always sunnier
in Wrocław? Seriously, it’s grey and
damp in Kraków,
we hop on a train,
tremble through the
first two hours, close the curtains while
chugging through Katowice and when
we open them in Wroc it’s a revelation:
birds chirping, blue skies and puffy
white clouds with invisible cherubs
bouncing up and down on them, perfect
lighting, young couples holding hands in
every direction…seriously, it’s creepy…
like stepping off the train at Willoughby
(from the classic Twilight Zone episode)
or into an REM song (but not nearly as
obnoxious).
Really, nothing does me better than a
spring trip to Wrocław. And while all the
buzz is about Euro 2012, there are a lot
of other things shaking down in Lower
Silesia’s capital.
First up is Majówka, which for the
good people of Wrocław (and those of us
keen to join them) will start on Wyspa
Słodowa with the Thanks Jimi Festival
(May 1-2) – two days of power guitar
concerts and another attempt at the
record books for the most people playing
guitar at the same time. No sooner will
that be over than official city-organised
Majówka celebrations (May 3-5) will
occupy the island with three days of
performances by the best Polish rock
bands around, including legends like
Kult, Perfect, Myslovitz and Dżem.
The consumptive carnival atmosphere
continues through the weekend with the
Wrocław Fine Beer Festival (May 5-6) –
highlighting microbrews from PL and
abroad, plus homebrew lessons for those
who make the trip out to Fabryczna. And
last, but hardly least, the 14th edition of
the Simcha Festival – Wrocław’s Jewish
culture festival – will take place from
May 12-18, centred around one of the
city’s best nooks, the square in front
of the White Stork Synagogue where a
Jewish fair will take place every day, as
well as concerts, workshops, lectures and
more.
As if that weren’t enough to pack
into two weeks, May 1st also marks the
start of Wrocław Fountain’s regular
performances – an astounding display
of water, light and sound that takes place
every hour on the hour from 10:0022:00. If you haven’t made it out to
Centennial Hall for a few years, really,
it’s time for another visit. The whole area
has been rejuvenated, with Centennial
Hall’s restoration including the opening
of yet another new attraction: Centrum
Pownawsze, or Discovery Centre. This
new exhibit, which opened over the
winter, finally presents tourists with
a way to experience Centennial Hall
aside from looking at it from the outside
and wondering how much UNESCO
had to lower its standards to get this
concrete hatbox on its list. A multimedia
museum, Discovery Centre uses an
array of sophisticated touch screens
to present its case (a rather strong one,
we’d say) for Centennial Hall as one of
the most innovative marvels of modern
architecture in Europe. The structure
will turn 100 next year and its history
and significance is presented in detail,
including an outstanding documentary
film that gives tourists a rare glimpse at
archival footage from PRL propaganda
events staged here like the Recovered
Territories Exhibition and International
Congress of Intellectuals. In addition
to the exhibit, visitors have the option
of seeing a spectacular light and sound
performance presented on the inside
of the building’s dome using videomapping technology. Another perk
of visiting is that now, after years of
being a bit of a food desert, the snazzy
new Pergola Restaurant and Bistro has
opened in Centennial Hall, offering
two different menus depending on your
budget, both with great views of the
fountain and surrounding parks through
the wall-length windows.
With Wrocław presently at the peak
of its powers and ramping up for the
rampant hordes of football fans expected
in June, May is an excellent time to pay
the city a visit.
MAMY TWÓJ BILET.
E S S E N T I A L C I TY G U I D E S
W W W . F A B R Y K A Z E S P O L O W . P L
In cooperation with In Your Pocket city guides
11
ENTERTAINmENT
Gdansk
28 .04 Saturday - Electronic Beats
Centrum Stocznia Gdańska, ul. Doki 1ul.
So far this festival has
been organised in many
European cities like
Berlin, Barcelona and,
last year, Warsaw where
Groove Armada, The Drums and Zola Jesus
played. Stop the press - the stars confirmed
are: Jazzanova, Squarepusher, Digitalism,
James Blake, Dillon, Das Moon, DJ Spox, Mike
Polarny and Paul Randolph.QTickets 50-70zł.
Available at www.ticketpro.pl and Empik, ul.
Podwale Grodzkie 8 (Open 09:00 - 21:00, Sun
11:00 - 20:00).
Gdynia
02 .05 Wednesday
Emigration Museum in GDYNIA
Event takes place in various location.
Check description for more info., www.
muzeumemigracji.pl
Although it is still in its early stages and won’t
open till the turn of 2014/2015, the emigration
museum is already starting to organise events.
Museum in Action will become a cycle of
events focussing on emigration. The date
2nd May is no accidental: it’s Polonia day, the
day celebrating the Polish diaspora. There’s
a lot to see and do. At the Maritime Station,
12:00 - 17:00, there will be the painting of an
enormous transatlantic ship. From 12:00 - 16:00
take part in a tour of Maritime Station, every
30 minutes. From 13:00 - 15:30 next to music
theatre, Pl. Grunwaldzki, there will be a city
game in which you will have to use clues and
maps go around the town. For the whole day
on the Dar Pomorza, Al. Jana Pawła II, there
will be silent movie projections, with live music,
from 20:30 - 22:00. Come and see Chaplin’s
The Gold Rush with the music of the Wojtek
Mazolewski Quintet; one of the best modern
jazz artists is adored for his improvisations so
expect some of them during the film. Also,
12:00 - 17:00, there will be workshops at the
Maritime Station on how to make wallets and
bags from old maps, not something you see
everyday.QAdmission free.
The New Poland Express I Friday 27th April 2012 I www.nwe.pl
Wroclaw
Warsaw
01 .05 Tuesday - 02 .05 Wednesday
Thanks Jimi Festival
Wyspa Słodowa, tel. (+48) 22 632 24 78
Another edition of the Thanks Jimi festival
and the perfect chance to listen to the best
guitarists in the world. For both professional
and amateur guitarists alike, the main event
is always the attempt to break the Guinness
record for the number of people playing guitar
at the same time; in 2009 6,345 people took
part, so now you can come and become part
of history - come along on May 1st, registration
starts from 10:00. Apart from breaking the
record, there will be great concerts. On the
first day on Wyspa Słodowa there’s Lipali,
T.Love, Leszek Cichoński & Friends and finally
Europe! (I can’t imagine what the encore will
be.) On May 2nd enjoy the Marek Napiórkowski
Trio feat. Artur Lisiecki, Wojtek Pilichowski & Pi
Electro Step feat. Leszek Możdżer as well as
Marcus Miller & Band.QTickets 30-100zł.
Available at www.ticketpro.pl and Empik, Rynek
50 (Open 09:00 - 21:00, Sun 11:00 - 21:00).
03 .05 Thursday - 05.05 Saturday - 3-majówka
Wyspa Słodowa, tel. (+48) 22 632 24 78
May weekend is always a chance to take a few
days off work, go away or stay in town for a
concert or two. There’s no cleaning to be done
so we can spend three days in the company
of top Polish names like, on the first day, Łąki
Łan, Strachy na Lachy, Nosowska, Perfect, and
Illusion. The second day sees Jelonek, Acid
Drinkers, Dżem, Myslovitz and Kult take to the
stage. The final will be graced by Brodka, NDK,
Grubson, Lao che, Coma and KNŻ.QConcerts
start at 13:00. Tickets 49-110zł. Available at
www.ticketpro.pl and Empik, Rynek 50 (Open
09:00 - 21:00, Sun 11:00 - 21:00).
30 .04 Monday - 03 .05 Thursday
Fight of the Nations 2012
Fort Bema, ul. Powstańców Śląskich (Bemowo)
Something for fans of reconstructions and all
things historical. Come along for a taste of times
of yore with a medieval knights’ encampment,
there will be armour, fighting displays and jousting.
Organised for the first time in Poland, hopefully
it will attract many fans. The fights are organised
in three categories: one to one, 5 to 5, and 21
to 21, that sounds like chaotic fun. Each nation’s
representatives are chosen from various historical
reconstruction club and to Warsaw will come
noble representatives from 15 countries from as
far afield as USA, Israel and New Zealand. Events
will take place from 10:00 - 20:00. Apart from the
battles there will be a fair with authentic armour,
medieval chess, a blacksmith presentation,
traditional medieval food and archery. Sounds like
a great day out.QAdmission 40-140zł. Available
before the event.
29 .04 Sunday - Our Class
Theatre On Wola, ul. Kasprzaka 22 (Wola),
tel. (+48) 22 632 24 78, www.teatrnawoli.pl
Highly thought of all over Europe, “Our Class”
by Tadeusz Słobodzianek is the first Polish
drama to win the “ Nike” literary award. Dealing
with the growing pains of a group of classmates
who dream of becoming a pilot, a doctor or
a film star. Come and see how their lives are
affected by the events of the 20th century. This
performance is in Polish with English supertitles.
QEvents start at 19:00. Tickets 50/70zł.
Available at Theatre On Wola’s box office
(12:00 - 19:00) and before the event.
29 .04 Sunday - Stars’ Match: Poland - Ukraine
National Stadium, Al. Zieleniecka 1
This charity match will be preceded by
attractions for children as well as performances.
Polish and Ukrainian artists will meet to collect
money for orphanages in both countries. The
home team includes such stars as: Mariusz
Czerkawski, Radosław Majdan, Maciej Orłoś,
Marcin Dorociński and Tomasz Iwan and more
- a mixture of TV, music and sporting celebs.
QEvent starts at 13:00. Tickets 15zł. Available
at www.ticketpro.pl and before the event.
In cooperation with In Your Pocket city guides
12 sPORT
The New Poland Express I Friday 27th April 2012 I www.nwe.pl
Eyes on the prizes
L
egia Warszawa secured their first trophy of the season, beating Ruch Chorzow 3-0 in Kielce on Tuesday evening
in a match that was eclipsed somewhat by
events taking place in the Camp Nou. By
contrast, Legia’s victory was almost absurdly
easy, as they coasted to victory over a below
par Chorzow team. The celebrations by Legia
players were a little muted, though, as the
league title remains up for grabs.
“A year ago, winning the Polish Cup
brought us enormous joy. This time we
didn’t celebrate as much, because the main
aim is the league championship,” Legia
‘s Serbian midfielder Miroslav Radovic
summed the feelings up.
Meanwhile Ruch were left to face their
failure to show up in the final, defender Rafal
Grodzicki commenting bluntly, “Perhaps
I shouldn’t say this, because it concerns my
team-mates, but it seems to me that some of
the players were paralysed by the importance
of the occasion. The very name of it - final of
the Polish Cup. It’s a shame, now we’ve got to
pull ourselves together. Legia dominated us
and deserved to win.”
Legia went into the final off the back of a
terrible defeat at home to Lech Poznan, which
has flung the championship wide open once
again. In that match, Legia were shambolic, a
mere three days later, they were transformed,
beating Ruch players to the ball and generally
sharper all over the pitch.
The difference seemed to lie in the return
of Michal Zewlakow. His calm and authority
- ex-Poland captain with the highest number
of caps for his country plus many years spent
plying his trade abroad - makes him an
important influence on the younger players.
“After losing to Lech, this win was really
important. We had an honest discussion
and cleared one or two things up. I don’t
know if it helped, the result suggests it did.
I’ve finally won something with Legia, I
hope it’s the start,” Zewlakow told Przeglad
Sportowy after the game.
Ljuboja opened the scoring after eight
minutes, Radovic doubled the lead just
before half time and the excellent Zyro killed
the game off shortly after half time, enabling
Legia to complete their procession to the cup.
The only downside was that, once again,
as last year, the final was disturbed by the
behaviour of the fans, with abuse, flares
and the convicted hooligan and leader
of the Legia fan organisation “Staruch”
holding the cup aloft. How the Polish
FA allow their precious trophy to fall
into the hands of a wild mob of fans is
simply incomprehensible and something
that besmirches the value of the entire
competition.
Polonia for sale
C
ontroversial Polonia owner Jozef
Wojciechowski announced he was
withdrawing from football in a bitter statement to the press after a disputed 1-0
loss at home last weekend to Ruch Chorzow
effectively ruined the Warsaw side’s chances
of winning the league title. “Forget the Polish
championship. We played a good match but
the referee ruined the spectacle. I’m quitting
football totally, forever, regardless of what
results we get to the end of the season. My
ideals have been shattered,” the owner raged.
“There’ll be no money from business
going into football. Not only mine, but my
friends, too. Not if the gentleman with the
whistle is going to hold centre stage - and
that’s commonplace,” Wojciechowski went
on.
In his tenure of Polonia, since
September 2008, Wojciechowski has
hired and fired 17 managers. Now he’s
giving the Warsaw authorities first
refusal on the club for a symbolic fee
of one zloty.
The place to
spend the
weekend
Warsaw
Tortilla Factory
ul. Wilcza 46
tel. 022 621-8622
www.warsawtortillafactory.pl
[email protected]
sPORTsbRIEFs
Resovia take the title
Rzeszow’s volleyball team won their fourth league
title last weekend, dethroning the reigning
champions Skra Belchatow amid jubilant scenes.
The win gave Resovia their fifth title, but one
they waited 37 years for, after dominating men’s
volleyball in Poland in the early ‘70s. In beating
Skra, they brought to an end the Belchatow side’s
astonishing run of seven consecutive national titles.
Snap!
Thousands of Varsovians queued up for well
over an hour to have their photo taken next
to the Henri Delaunay trophy in the National
Stadium last weekend. The whole system was
tightly controlled, with only a single official
camera clicking off a single frame. Customers
then received a special code enabling them to
access the pic online.
“It’s a foretaste of the upcoming tournament.
The trophy will eventually be collected by
the victors in Kiev, but we’re the first to get
a good look at it up close,” commented
Warsaw’s president, Hanna GronkiewiczWaltz. The cup is currently making the rounds
of other major cities in Poland, including
Gdansk, Poznan, Wroclaw, Lodz, Katowice
and Krakow.
13
CLAssIFIEDs
The New Poland Express I Friday 27th April 2012 I www.nwe.pl
Classifieds:Placeyourfreeadsandcommunity
newshere.Email [email protected]
NANNY FOR YOUR BABY
APARTMENT (Sarmacka 22a) FOR RENT BY OWNER FROM JULY 1, 2012 .
Experienced, responsible, creative, loving
children, warm personality, fluent American/
English. Recommendations, CPR, driver license.
Looking for full-time job. Eva.
Contact: [email protected]
Newly furnished and equipped with home appliances, the apartment (56 m2) is in a modern building with
security in the luxury “Aura Park” complex. 2 bedrooms + living room with kitchenette, spacious bathroom
with toilet and washing machine, fitted wardrobes, balcony, access to the vault - trucks / bikes. Possibility
of renting a garage under the building.
Aura Park is a luxury estate: shops, boutiques, children’s playground, childcare, 2 public schools (SP
169, SP 261, ZS 79) and plenty of greenery. Near the palace and park Wilanów, close to restaurants and
convenient public transportation (bus: 217, 422). Price: 2600 pln
Tel: 609016596
Krakow Language Recruitment Fair
Courier
English books for sale
Largest exhibition of its kind dedicated to
bilingual and multilingual recruitment. 5th May
Sheraton Hotel Krakow. Free Tickets: http://www.
bilingualpeople.pl/get_ticket?ad=naturalposts
Contact: [email protected]
Courier required for collection of goods in
Poland,and delivery in Ireland.
Contact: [email protected]
90 plus books in English for sale as a lot.
Contact email: [email protected]
Flat to rent
Recreational / commercial large lot
Gdansk Apartment for Rent
240 sq m part-furnished top (4th) floor apartment
available for rent. 3/4 bedrooms, living room,
dining area, kitchen, bathroom. 5 mins to tube
station. Spacious and quiet. PLN 4,500 per
calendar month.
MODLIN. 1/2hr drive from Warsaw, in
POMIECHOWEK, 3,3720 m2. Old trees. Access to
all media. Close to train/shops. Can be used for
commercial, recreational or split into 4 family lots
Call: 001 780433 8989, or in Poland, after March
29, 2012 : 660 384 603, or email:
[email protected]
A 2BR(45m2+13m2 terrace),fully furnished
seaside manor for rent situated in a sunny,
comfortable complex, new, prestigious housing
estate, located in Nadmorski Dwor street,Gdansk.
It is fenced & guarded.
Contact: +48605695198/ +48514825853/
[email protected]
Bookkeeper
Flat to rent
Apple iPhone 32GB 4S
Seeking Full Charge Bookkeeper for small
family owned residential construction company.
Experience with Quickbooks, payables, journal
entries, job costing, payables, and bank
reconciliations a must. Estimate 15-20 hours per
week - flexible schedule.
Contact: [email protected]
Modern 37sqm flat to rent in the heart of
downtown Warsaw. Very quiet area. 2 min
walk from Zlote Tarasy, 5 mins from Metro
Swietokrzyszka. Fully furnished. Bedroom, living
room, kitchen, bathroom, balcony. 2300zl per
month + utilities.
Contact: mobile: 512 674 433,
email: [email protected]
Everything Included: Apple iPhone 32GB
4S (Device itself) iPhone 4S Box iPhone 4S
Accessories. (Un-opened headphones,
Un-opened USB Cable, Un-opened Wall to USB
Adapter). iPhone 4S Manual/Finger Tips/Sim
Card iPhone 4S Tray Holder
Contact: [email protected]
Looking for office space
Cards, Invites, Albums, etc
Central Warsaw Office to Rent
I’m looking for office space up to 50m2 for my
advertising agency, preferably basement or
warehouse/industrial style.
Contact: [email protected]
Looking for a personalised handmade card,
photo album or wedding/party invitations then
look no further. We can include photos too!
[email protected], 783282402
100m2 office in one of the best pre-war buildings
in Warsaw. Central location. 3 rooms.
5000 PLN per month.
[email protected]
Contact: [email protected]
for further details
Elliott Verner
14
COmmuNITYNEWs
The New Poland Express I Friday 27th April 2012 I www.nwe.pl
CommunityGroups:Placefreelistingsfor
yourcommunitygroupshere.Email [email protected]
Meeting with Polish language! :)
The English Speakers’ Club
Poznan International Ladies Club
Be cordially invited to this unique Polish language event
on Saturday March 31, 11 am where Warsaw Entertain
will present you with an innovative e-learning platform.
You will be given access to one online lesson at the
event, free of charge. Additionally, we invite you for an
outdoor “SEARCHING FOR A SPRING” lesson.
University Library
ul. Dobra 56/66, Warsaw
level -1 !!! :-)room 13
password: Warsaw Entertain
The next meeting of the English Speakers’ Club
will be on Friday 24.02.12 at Quo Vadis, PLac
Narutowicza 8 from 8pm-11pm. ‘A sociable
evening!’
Murdo MacLeod: [email protected]
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
C of E Additional Service
Free conversation lessons
Church of England in Poland
The Church of England in Poland is running an
additional service, led by Father Felix, at 4pm each
Sunday, except the third Sunday of the month, for
the period between now and the beginning of Lent.
Further extension of this service will depend on
popular demand. All are welcome.
Place: Res Sacra Miser Chapel, ul. Krakowskie
Przedmiescie 62, Warsaw.
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: [email protected] 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
Role Playing Game in Warsaw
Poland Tartan Army
The Sikh Community of Warsaw meets each Sunday
at the Sikh Gurudwara in Rashyn, Ul Na Skraju
56. All are welcome. Kirtan starts at midday and
langar is served after the Bhog at about 1400. For
more information contact 22 868 4541. The Sikh
faith is about equality, honesty and standing up
to oppression. Anyone visiting the Guru’s house is
welcome, in return for due respect and consideration
of the Sikh faith.
International English-speaking group in Warsaw,
mostly foreign professionals, play tabletop
Dungeons & Dragons fortnightly. No experience
necessary but fluent English proficiency is
required. Have a good time. Play some games.
Meet new friends. Open your imagination. More
info: Facebook group: http://tiny.cc/zaffa or
CreativeCowboy[at]yahoo[dot]com
A new Poland Tartan Army Facebook group
has been created. If you are a fan of Scottish
football and our national team please
join the group by visiting Facebook and
conducting a search for Poland Tartan Army.
If anyone, who is not a part of Facebook,
is interested in this idea then please email
[email protected] to register your interest.
HASH HOUSE HARRIERS
International Women’s Group
International Rotary Club
We are a Polish and Expat social group who organise a
walk/run in a forest, park or around the city, followed by
a few beers (or whatever takes your fancy!). We meet at
the Marriott hotel on alternate Saturdays at 2pm. “Hash
House Harriers” is an international group, which was
originally established in Malaysia 70 years ago.
All are welcome. For details, call Martin at 502-052-958.
Email [email protected] or www.warsawhash.pl
Meetings are held twice a month on the SECOND
Monday at 10.30 (for location see our newsletter
or website) and on the FOURTH Monday of the
month at 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 [email protected]
International Rotary Club - Warszawa Wilanow is
the only English speaking Rotary Club in Warsaw.
Visiting Rotarians are warmly welcomed
to join the weekly meetings held at the
Polonia Palace Hotel, Al. Jerozolimskie 45.
Tuesday’s at 12:00, except the last Tuesday
of each month when the meeting is at 19:00.
For more information: +48 601 897 731
Gospel Baptist Church
GAA in Warsaw
Expat meetings
Services are held in Polish and English
languages: Sun. 11:00, Thurs. 19:00. For more
information contact: Pastor Paul Sock, mob.
0500-270-990, e-mail: [email protected]
www.gbc-ekb.com.
Cumann Warszawa.Poland’s first and only GAA
club is up and running and is looking for players
of all levels, all nationalities and both sexes. We
offer weekly training, competitive games and
regular social events as well as fresh oranges at
half time.
Contact Eoin at 0518-425-587 or
[email protected]
Meeting English speakers in Warsaw just got a
whole load easier. We don’t teach you Salsa,
we make you pay for your own drinks, but
we do promise to give you the premier multicultural event of the week at Warsaw’s very own
Professional Wednesday Meetup.
Contact - [email protected] or 691535566