8/11/2006

Russian language classes popular in Poland!

Poles want to learn Russian freely now and both universities and language schools as well as private tutors are flooded with students greedy for knowledge. Where does this fad come from?

There were times when Poles eagerly spoke French, as the rest of Europe did. There were times in history when they were compelled to speak German or Russian, too. So, when the communist era finished in 1989, most students passionately gave up Russian until…now.

A decade and a half later it’s not a big thing to speak English or German in Poland, therefore, to be competitive on the labour market, Poles of different ages take extra courses in Russian. The demand is really growing, explains Agnieszka Ślązak of a Centre for Eastern Europe and Central Asian Languages:

We have a lot of students and business clients as we organize not only standard stationary courses but also business courses in Russian for journalists, business people, lawyers, etc. First of all our students want to learn Russian as they had these lessons in e.g. secondary school followed by a long break – sometimes 10-12 years, and now they need the language again for the job.

Universities across Poland open Russian courses where students of different profiles acquire the skills of writing job applications and having a job interview in the language, since its popularity is increased mainly by businesses. Polish companies have mushroomed on the Russian market and now they seek workers fluent in the so far unfriendly language, confirms Przemyslaw Gacek of Pracuj.pl, an on-line job agency:

There are people who find Russian as an additional important language, because now in Poland English is a standard, German is also quite popular, so if you want to show something different on the market and be more unique, then Russian is just an option. Keeping in mind how fast Russia[‘s business] is growing on one hand, and on the other hand so many Polish companies are investing in e.g. Ukraine, my guess is that the importance of Russian will be growing from year to year. At this moment we have about a hundred offers addressed just to those who speak Russian language.

Russian seems easy to most Polish people, the languages sound very similar. Several years ago every Pole would admit they had a working knowledge of the language, at least that’s what they thought… Now the developing business between Poland and its eastern neighbors encourages everybody to start their tuition all anew right from the Cyrillic alphabet.
Source:By Eliza Mickiewicz, polskieradio.pl



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Poland tightens security measures against terrorist attacks

Poland tightened security measures at its airports and Warsaw's subway on Thursday after British police thwarted a terrorist plot to blow up aircraft in mid-flight, the PAP news agency reported.

Some airports in Poland postponed or cancelled their flights to London and a crisis team led by Polish commander-in-chief Marek Bienkowski gathered in Warsaw's police headquarters.

Paweł Biedziak, head of the public transportation office, told PAP that security measures had been tightened at Warsaw Okęcie airport and other Polish airports servicing international flights as well as Warsaw's subway.

More police officers, including counter-terrorist police and plainclothesmen, were deployed to safeguard airports and subways. The number of traffic police patrolling main routes to airports has also been increased.

Zbigniew Wassermann, the Polish minister without portfolio, in charge of special services, said there were no indications of a threat of terrorist attacks against Poland. He added that the Polish intelligence services would closely monitor the situation.

Source: Xinhua



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http://www.financialexpress.com/print.php?content_id=136857

Poland has returned 40 kilograms (88 pounds) of highly-enriched uranium from one of its nuclear research reactors to Russia, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Thursday.

The two-day operation which ended Wednesday and was conducted jointly by the United States, Poland, Russia and the UN atomic watchdog IAEA, was “another critical step towards enhancing the security of fissile material, by eliminating stockpiles of HEU,” IAEA project manager Arnaud Atger said.

The highly enriched uranium (HEU), originally supplied to Poland by Moscow, was sent to a secure facility near Novosibirsk, central Russia, where it will be downgraded to low-enriched uranium which cannot be used in bombs.

Source:www.khaleejtimes.com



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A Polish NGO has decided to set up an office in Britain to provide help to those Poles who have not been able to find work and lodgings there. In resp

Leftist party Self-Defence on Wednesday renewed a pledge to back a 30 billion zloty ($9.95 billion) cap for the 2007 budget deficit, but said the fruits of Poland’s economic upturn must go to society’s worst-off. Launching a push for more focus on welfare in upcoming budget deliberations, party leader Andrzej Lepper revived much of the rhetoric which unsettled markets when Self-Defence joined the ruling conservatives as a junior coalition partner in May. But he made no new demands for spending, and said that the party would honour its commitment to back the ruling conservatives’ policy to keep the deficit limit.

“There is no reason why the deficit should be above 30 billion,” Lepper told a joint news conference with the party’s Labour Minister Anna Kalata. “(But) higher economic growth means that we can have more funds for the health service, for welfare aid. We maintain that with time we will return to a discussion of a guaranteed welfare minimum. The minimum wage must also be higher.”

The economy is expected to grow by around 5% this year, faster than 4.3% assumed in this year’s budget bill, and analysts expect growth next year will also top the 4.6% in the 2007 budget plan. While all but abandoning welfare reforms needed to ensure lasting health of public finances, the ruling right has stuck to its promise to keep the deficit figure steady in coming years. Lepper last month threatened to quit the coalition and trigger early elections unless more social spending was added to the 2007 budget plan, which the cabinet must submit to parliament by the end of September.

But analysts say Self-Defence is also keen to use a first stint in government to promote the party as a mainstream force. “Lepper wants to build an image as a statesman,” said Jacek Raciborski, sociology professor at Warsaw University. “But he is also walking a tightrope because his electorate is at heart suspicious of the political elite.” Lepper came to fame by staging sometimes violent anti-EU, anti-reform protests in the 1990s but moderated his image after last September’s general elections to become an acceptable partner for the conservative Law and Justice party. With one eye on local elections later this year, he has demanded a 500 million zloty subsidy in next year’s budget for farmers’ crop insurance. On Wednesday he said his party would continue to fight for its electoral programme, listing ideas including a turnover tax on businesses as well as generally higher benefits. Reuters

“We may have a fiery discussion on the budget,” said Grzegorz Maliszewski, economist with Bank Millennium in Warsaw. “But although Lepper may make some disturbing noises, the 30 billion cap looks secure. The key is that Law and Justice stick to their guns on capping the deficit.” Reuters

Source:.financialexpress.com



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A Polish NGO will help Poles in Britiain

A Polish NGO has decided to set up an office in Britain to provide help to those Poles who have not been able to find work and lodgings there. In response to a request by the British authorities Barka organization will send representatives to London for a reconnaissance , before opening the office in autumn. The office will be an information center, will provide food and clothing to homeless Poles and help them return to Poland. It is said that some 240 thousand Poles officially work in Britain, but the actual number of Poles there is much larger. The Barka organization estimates that 200 thousand may be in dire financial situation.
Source:Radio Polonia



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8/10/2006

Uranium moved from Poland to Russia

The International Atomic Energy Agency secretly completed the removal of 40 kilograms of highly enriched uranium from a nuclear reactor near Warsaw on Wednesday and transferred the material to a secure site in Russia for disposal, according to an IAEA document.
The operation is part of an ongoing effort by American and United Nations officials to secure and recover high-risk nuclear and radiological materials around the world. Similar operations over the past three years have returned material from Libya, Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria, Latvia, the Czech Republic and Uzbekistan to Russia, where it was first made during the Soviet era.
The IAEA wants to reduce the number of reactors around the world that still use weapons-grade uranium. The agency says that more than 100 are still in operation, including in the United States, China and India, though numbers are concentrated in Eastern and Central Europe. It wants them converted to use low-enriched uranium and to eliminate the commerce in highly enriched uranium for research reactors.
According to the IAEA document obtained by the International Herald Tribune, the operation to remove the uranium from the nuclear research reactor at Otwock-Swierk, outside Warsaw, began Tuesday. It was monitored by officials from the IAEA and the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration.
The document stated that the material was "airlifted by cargo plane in an early-morning operation that safely returned the nuclear fuel to a secure facility close to Novosibirsk. The Russian facility will dilute the fissile material to low-enriched uranium that cannot be used to make a bomb."

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Promotional Emblem Foundation "Poland Now": Gala with Miss World

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It has been for the sixteenth time that the Chapter of the ”Poland Now” (Teraz Polska) competition selected products and services to be awarded the right to use the Polish Promotional Emblem.
During the past years, the white and red logo turned into a symbol of top quality most valued by Polish consumers. With each passing year, ever more companies compete for the right to use the emblem. That is the best indication how well-aimed the idea of the Competition is. I am very well aware of the importance of such promotion. Hence as President of the Polish Republic, I decided to uphold my honorary patronage of the competition organised by the Promotional Emblem Foundation. I trust that it will contribute to the recognizability and renown of Polish trade marks in the world.

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POLAND: Casino sells Polish operations

rench retailer Groupe Casino has sold a major part of its Polish property portfolio, comprising 16 hypermarkets, to GE Real Estate Central Europe for EUR555m (US$714m), in a sale and leaseback deal. GE agreed a ten-year lease on each of the 16 properties.

In addition, Casino has sold its Géant hypermarket business in Poland to the German retail group Metro Group, a deal which remains subject to approval by Metro shareholders.

The move follows Casino’s sale of its Leader Price supermarket chain in the country to UK supermarket operator Tesco last month, in a deal worth GBP72m (US$137.2m).

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Poland, Ukraine to further intensify bilateral relations

On Tuesday Prime Ministers of Poland and Ukraine agreed to further enhance bilateral relations, local media reported.Poland, Ukraine to further intensify bilateral relations

Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski had a telephone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Yanukovych, and the two leaders agreed to intensify bilateral relations between the two countries.

Kaczynski invited Yanukovych to visit Poland in the nearest future. The PMs agreed that Yanukovych would pay a one-day working visit to Poland soon, the report said.


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Poland says it will host U.S. anti-missile site, Czech Republic too.

The Polish Defence Ministry said that Warsaw still negotiates with the USA about a possible placement of a U.S. anti-missile site in Poland, while the Czech Foreign Minister said recently that it is almost sure that the USA will ask Prague to join its defence programme.

Czech Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda made the statement on Czech Television on Sunday, but he did not specify the form of possible Czech participation in the anti-missile protection programme.

Various forms of participation include the stationing of a radar on Czech territory, or the building of a site with 10 missiles and manned by hundreds of soldiers.

The English-language weekly Prague Post quoted the Polish weekly Przegland as writing recently that the Americans tend to station the site in Poland, close to the Baltic Sea.

"We are still negotiating, no decision has been made as yet," the Polish Defence Ministry's spokesman Piotr Paszkowski said today.

He also declined to react to Svoboda's weekend statement.

A group of U.S. experts have already visited the Czech Republic and Poland to examine possible suitable localities.

The Pentagon wants to build a site in Europe that would be able to intercept possible enemy missiles launched from Iran and other risk countries.

According to available information, the site should be put in operation by 2011.

Czech politicians take differnet stands on the site. A recent Median poll showed that a crushing majority of Czechs are opposed to the stationing of U.S. missiles on Czech territory.

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8/09/2006

South-west Poland under water

The rivers of the south-western region have exceeded alarm levels in 24 places, while warning levels have been reached in further 4. Due to heavy rain last night over 100 people were evacuated from their homes. In Jelenia Gora dozens of buildings remain flooded, in Piechowice there were power blackouts. Several roads in the region, including a national one leading to the border with the Czech Republic, have been blocked or damaged by the water.

Source:



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Railway in Poland: New TEM 18 Wide Gauge Locomotive for CZH

CZH SA, the company that is the owner of the International Logistic Center in Sławków spent EUR 0.5m on a new wide gauge locomotive TEM 18. Sławków is located on the end of the 400km 1520 line going from the Ukraininan border to the International Logistic Center in Sławków. It is the first new wide gauge locomotive purchased in almost 30 years.


In March 2005 PKP LHS, the company that operates on the wide gauge line, purchased two modernized ST44 diesel locomotives with Caterpillar 3516B HD engine.

ST44-3001 and ST44-3002 were modernized by Fablok Chrzanów.

The new locomotive (named Tamara) was ordered in Bryansk Engineering plant and is currently getting new paining.


In H1 2006 International Logistic Cebter in Sławków increased turnover by 70%. In 2005 it was EUR 2.5m and in H1 2006 EUR 1.8m.
Source: Railway Market magazine



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Poland: Fed will influence the future of Warsaw Stock Exchange


WARSAW (AFX) - During Tuesday's trading in Warsaw, the eyes of all investors were on the U.S. Fed and its rate decision, reported Puls Biznesu.

WIG20 ended 0.24 pct down at just under 3,000 points.

But greater importance is place on the Fed's decision later today which will be important for the future of the exchange as a whole.

It would be best for the Warsaw Stock Exchange if interest rates were not raised today nor in the upcoming months. Otherwise, the U.S. bonds will be more profitable and foreign capital will leave emerging markets such as Poland. Meanwhile during trading the blue chips did not change in value but small and mid caps were more lively.

Centrostal Gdansk was the best performer with a 42.2 pct jump after Zlomrex bought a 30.4 percent stake from the CEO of the construction company. A tender offer will have to be announced by Zlomrex which already has over 50 percent of the stock.

Asseco Poland soared 9.1 pct to a new record of PLN 240 on very good second quarter results.

Capital Partners was the worst performer with a 13 pct loss after its Russian partner OAO Novatek withdrew from the contract to deliver gas to its subsidiary CP Energia due to the changes in regulations.
Source:



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Poland's top fuel firm PKN Orlen says it is monitoring sale of Latvian oil firm Ventspils stake

Top Polish fuel firm PKN Orlen's interest in a 38.6% stake of Latvian oil terminal firm Ventspils Nafta up for sale by the Latvian government falls under the company's standard market monitoring operations
PKN Orlen spokesman Dawid Piekarz told Interfax on Tuesday.

"It is too early to talk about our interest in this particular company," Piekarz said. "We are monitoring investment possibilities in the region and our interest in Ventspils is of this character. This is not the stage when we are talking about placing any concrete offers."
Source:



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TCL bets big on India, to shift operations here

China-based TCL, the world's largest colour TV manufacturer, will shift its operations in France and Poland to India over the next few years. The company is in advanced negotiations with various state governments for excise duty exemption and other benefits. "We will announce details of investments and plant capacities next month," said TCL's vice-president, sales and marketing, CM Singh.

TCL, which is also the largest player in the Chinese CTV market, on Monday launched 50 CTV models in India - the largest range offered by any consumer durables player in the country.

TCL India Holding's managing director Richie Liu Hongqi said India's relations with European countries are key to the decision of shifting manufacturing bases from France and Poland. Singh told FE that the move was also necessitated by high cost of operation at TCL's European plants that are part of the company's 67:33 joint venture with Thomson. The CTV plants at France and Poland have a manufacturing capacity of more than a million TVs each. TCL sold over 22 million CTVs worldwide last year.

With over 2 million manufacturing capacity being shifted to India, TCL hopes to sell at least one million CTVs this year as compared to 6 lakh in 2005-06. If successful, that would help it garner a share of around 10% in the domestic CTV market. The company has also upped its advertising budget from Rs 15 crore in 2005-06 to Rs 40 crore in 2006-07 to support the projected growth. TCL currently has a 4% market share in the domestic market.

The company will also launch products in other categories like washing machines, ACs and microwaves. These products are currently being test-marketed in the country.

Source:financialexpress.com






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Biedronka expands supermarkt operations in Poland

Jeronimo Martins, the Portuguese owner of the Biedronka discount store network, has announced plans to construct distribution centers and further expand its network.

"In the coming years we will be opening 90 to 100 shops of 600-1,000 sqm, annually. We will also be constructing distribution centers. This investment will cost us zł.500-600 million annually," said Pedro Pereira da Silva, Biedronka's general director.

Source:



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Ukraine counts on Poland’s help

Ukrainian military delegation headed by HQ chief Serhiy Kyrychenko is paying three-day visit to Poland to sign a program on rendering of help to Armed Forces of Ukraine for realization of partnership’s goals in the process of planning and estimation of forces.

Kyrychenko is going to discuss with Poland HQ chief a possibility of formation of three-sided Ukrainian-Polish-Lithuanian subdivision on the base of the peacemaking battalion “UkrPolbat.”

The visit will last till August 10. Kyrychenko is also expected to meet with Poland Defense Minister Radek Sikorski.

Source: en.for-ua.com



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Rexam Increases Global Presence in Poland - With the Opening of a Plastic Packaging Greenfield (Dedicated to the Home & Personal Care Market)


Rexam, the leading global consumer packaging company, has opened its first plastic packaging plant in Poland. The new facility, located in Lodz (130 km west from Warsaw), is the first manufacturing plant dedicated to Rexam Home & Personal Care in Central and Eastern Europe. This Greenfield project, launched by Precise Technology prior to its acquisition by Rexam last December, successfully started production in mid-April.

This new 4,000-square-meter facility will house 14 molding machines with high-speed robotics and assembly. Capabilities include plastic injection molding, manual and automated assembly, ultrasonic welding, labeling, and other value added activities. The facility will implement the Rexam Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma programs to ensure the highest production standards.

Mike Farrell, Managing Director of the Home & Personal Care division, commented that the facility is a part of Rexam's Home & Personal Care strategy to be a focused leading global leader in consumer packaging. "The Lodz facility fits in with the company's strategic plans to serve its global customers better and increase its global presence in this growth region," said Farrell. "Rexam will now be able to offer new and existing clients in the home & personal care markets fast and reliable deliveries of plastic parts to all destinations in Europe."

The facility's location in Lodz - in a city with one of the largest labor markets in the country, a strong infrastructure, and business-friendly local authorities - is a strategic bonus. The plastic packaging market in Poland and in Europe at large is rapidly expanding, and major FastMovingConsumer Goods (FMCG) corporations have recently launched new export-oriented manufacturing projects in the region, creating additional opportunities for plastic packaging players.

Rexam has two facilities in Poland, in Gostyn and Wyszkow, which are part of the Glass Sector.

Source:webbolt.ecnext.com



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8/08/2006

Railway in Poland: 10 Investors Interested in Sławków Euroterminal

Ten companies, including leading Polish and foreign forwarding and logistic services, expressed their interest in taking part in upgrading and exploiting the International Logistic Center in Sławków, Poland. Sławków is situated on the end of a wide gauge (1520mm) railway line leading from Ukraine to Southern Poland.
In September some of these companies will be chosen for further negotiations. This is supposed to lead to a complex modernization and upgrading of the International Logistic Center.

Since the hub in Sławków was built it is planned that it may be able to enhance rail transport to take over some part of the East-West freight flows, that to large extent are served by the maritime transports.

Sławków is able to handle 35.000 TEU a year. Ultimately it is planned to achieve 120.000 TEU. Soon CZH, the current operator of the terminal will start constructing a 7.000 square meters warehouse with a rail ramp and cranes to handle steel loads. The investment will cost approximately EUR 4m

In 2005 50 of 140 hectares belonging to CZH in Sławkó was incorporated into Katowice Special Economic Zone, which means that investors can expect tax concessions.

The first step of the modernization will cost EUR 12m, of which 6m will be financed by the EU. The investment plans includes building a technology park in Sławków.

Sławków mostly handles bulk loads. The train carrying containers and trailers from Antwerp to Sławków runs three times a week. Some of the loads go to collaborating Ukrainian terminal in Liski.

One of Sławków's problems is that it lacks direct access to the main roads network.
Source:railway-market.p



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Poland: Finance Minister Kluza signals fiscal slippage

In an interview with the Polish business daily, Parkiet, Polish Finance Minister Kluza indicated that fiscal policy will be looser than the government – at least officially – had been planning. Kluza stated in the interview that the government budget deficit would not been brought down below 3% of GDP – the EU limit for budget deficits – in 2009 as planned, and that the deficit would more likely be 3½% of GDP in 2009. This in itself should not be that surprising to the markets but, on the other hand, it is yet another reminder that the Polish government is becoming less and less fiscally conservative.

Kluza also said that the Polish government would send its new convergence plan to the EU Commission in November. Given Kluza’s comments, the path for fiscal policy in the new convergence programme is likely to be less ambitious than in the previous plan – this is unlikely to go down well in Brussels.

Source:www.fxstreet.com



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U.S. anti-drug agency opens Poland office

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Monday opened an office in Warsaw in a bid to help Poland's police crush drug trafficking channels.

The DEA office in Warsaw, situated in the U.S. Embassy, plans to strike strongly against Poland's biggest and strongest drug smuggling rings, Radio Polonia reported.

DEA agents will be using database and back-up facilities of their headquarters in the United States.

The agents will have access to evidence by major witnesses obtained in America, the radio said.
Source:United Press International, upi.com



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Britain develops a taste for all things Polish

A Polish babysitter takes care of my own children, my neighbours in London have had a roof truss made in Poland and everyone working in the coffee shop around the corner is Polish.

Surely it was just a matter of time before Queen Elizabeth 11 would serve food to her guests prepared by a Polish catering company.

In the two-and-a-quarter years since Poland joined the European Union, Britain has become the number one destination for Polish immigrants.

According to official statistics, 228,000 Poles have applied for a work permit in Britain. The experts estimate however that anything between 350,000 and 750,000 Poles now live in Britain. The Polish news magazine Polityka puts estimates as high as a million.

For 'Anglia', as England is known in Polish, it represents the greatest wave of immigrants from a single country since the flight of the Huguenots from France in the 17th century.

According to Demographics Professor David Coleman of the University of Oxford, 'this is the largest stream of people we have ever had in such a short space of time.'

The liberal British daily newspaper The Guardian talks of a 'Polish invasion.'

It certainly looks like Britain is set only to gain from the fact that in May 2004 it was one of the three older EU states (along with Ireland and Sweden) to open its labour market to migrants from the new member countries.

Sectors such as construction and catering would not thrive nearly as much without the cheap labour. In general, the Poles are perceived as friendly, reliable, punctual and well-qualified. In this context, any minor misunderstandings that arise can be easily overlooked.

Despite the new competition from the East, the unemployment rate in Britain is still less than half of that in other EU countries that closed off their labour markets.

Also the fact that so many young people - 83 per cent of the Polish newcomers to Britain are under 34 - has a positive effect on the country's demographic profile.

Even if the unions are put out by 'wage dumping', most experts agree that the new wave of immigration will prove very valuable. Particularly as the cliche of cheap Polish tradesman - 'Pavel the plumber' - is slowly becoming a thing of the past.

Many Poles are getting better jobs. Around 40,000 have founded their own companies. Barclays Bank in London now has a Polish employee responsible for ensuring that her compatriots receive a smooth introduction to their working lives at the bank.

The success story of Kamila Wisniewska-Galka is a favourite among Poles. The former Miss Poland now owns her own catering business, at the weekend her food was served at a polo event hosted by Queen Elizabeth.

According to Wisniewska-Galka, the company had already catered for 50 events hosted by the queen. 'I have seen the queen more often than the other royals have,' the proud entrepreneur said.

In common with many Poles living in Britain, Wisniewska-Galka is not considering a return to her homeland.

'Why in heaven's name should I?' said Rafal Stanzak, who works as a bus driver in London. 'Here I earn four times as much as at home and the cost of living is only twice as high.'

Source:news.monstersandcritics.com



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Poland Gets Shadow UAVs

Poland is buying $73 million worth of Shadow 200 UAVs from the United States. In the U.S. Army, each RQ-7B Shadow 200 UAV platoon has 22 troops who operate and maintain 3-4 UAVs and the ground control equipment. Typically, each combat brigade has one Shadow UAV platoon.

The Shadow 200 UAVs cost $500,000 each, and can stay in the air 5.5 hours per sortie. A day camera and night vision camera is carried on each aircraft. Able to fly as high as 15,000 feet, the Shadow can thus go into hostile territory and stay high enough (over 10,000 feet) to be safe from hostile rifle and machine-gun fire.

In Iraq, most Shadow missions are at a lower altitude, and over a city or town. Brigade and battalion commanders can then get a constant top down view of what's happening down below. Although this sort of thing is technically possible with a commander in a helicopter overhead, the helicopter attracts too much enemy fire to make this practical for any length of time. The Shadow UAV, however, can fly high enough in day time to be safe from enemy fire. A night, the Shadow can come down lower because they are difficult to spot in the dark.

The Poles have been impressed with the Shadow's combat record in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since being introduced three years ago, American Shadows have flown over 10,000 sorties, and logged over 40,000 flight hours in combat zones. Polish troops were able to see the Shadow in action in Iraq. Apparently, Poland is buying enough Shadows to equip all of their combat brigades with a platoon of them.
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Poland's IT company Prokom launches R&D centre, ongoing group merger speculation

Polish IT company Prokom said it is launching an R&D centre to service the whole group, partly funded by the EU.

News agency Puls Biznesu reported that the company may be interested in acquiring an R&D company for the centre.

Dariusz Gorka, Prokom deputy CEO said: 'We are planning to found such a centre, it has not been decided yet where it will be located. We need the centre in order to be able to absorb EU funds and increase tax effectiveness.

'We spend several dozen million zlotys annually for R&D', he added but refused to reveal any further details.

The deputy CEO also said he did not want to comment on mergers planned within the group.

According to unofficial sources, on August 9, the new Prokom unit formed by the merger of Softbank with Asseco, will reveal its new strategy.

Talks are also ongoing on the merger of ABG Ster-Projekt and Spin. Details will be published at the end of this month.

A merger of the new, bigger Asseco, and the company founded from the merger of ABG and Spin, is also being considered.

This merger would build the biggest IT company in Central and Eastern Europe.

'It is logical and may be considered. There are no talks concerning such plans for the time being. Both mergers will end next year. Then, we'll think what to do next', said an unnamed Prokom manager to Puls Biznesu.
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Poland's Unemployment Rate Dips

The Labor Ministry said the jobless rate was down from 16 percent in June, but it cautioned that an increase in the number of people seeking work abroad contributed to the dip.

Poland's jobless rate has gradually declined since its post-1989 peak of 20.7 percent in February 2003. However, it remains the highest in the European Union, which the country joined in 2004.

Final July jobless figures are due at the end of this month, but they rarely diverge significantly from the preliminary numbers.

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Railway Industry in Poland: Polimeks-Mostostal Buys Torpol

Polimex-Mostostal took over shares in Torpol infrastructure engineering company from the company's two private owners Małgorzata Sweklej and Krzysztof Miller. Polimex will pay PLN 24m (EUR 6.1m) for 100% share.
The Competition and Consumers Protection Office (UOKiK) approved the transaction.

Torpol is a family owned company specializing in rail infrastructure engineering. Last year Torpol made profit of PLN 2m (EUR 0.5m).

The investor plans that in three years from now Torpol will bring profit of PLN 13m (EUR 3.3m)

Polimex will pay PLN 18m immediately and the remaining sum will be transferred under the condition that Torpol will bring the expected profits.

It was the first private company to become a turn-key constructor on a section project on E-20 main corridor Waraw-Poznan-Kunowice. Last year Torpol made PLN 120m (EUR 30.6) which makes 10% of the whole rail engineering market in Poland.

By taking over Torpol Polimex-Mostostal, major player in the construction market, plans not only to enter the rail sector, but also substantiate its position in the tram lines field, road engineering, bridges, etc.
Source:railway-market.p



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