Poland should set out to diversify its fuel supplies rather than wait for EU’s common energy policy, writes Wprost.
Weekly press reviewed by Krystyna Kolosowska
Wprost comments on the Russia-Ukraine gas dispute, which disrupted gas supplies to Europe, saying it is the last chance for Europe to break free of the ‘energy leash’ held by Moscow. Russia will spare no effort to convince politicians that it is necessary to speed up the construction of gas pipelines, which will by-pass Ukrainian “thieves”, as it calls Kyiv, and at the same time Poland – that is the northern pipeline through the Baltic Sea to Germany and the southern pipeline across the Black Sea and the Balkans to Austria and Italy. Almost two months ago, Russia signaled that because of the global financial crisis it needs EU financial support to realize these projects. Wprost believes that its arguments will fall on fertile soil in Brussels. Therefore, rather than looking up to the EU and waiting for a common energy policy to materialize, Poland should realize its own projects to diversify fuel supplies.
Polityka provides a short course in gas in the form of questions and answers. ‘Is the Russian-Ukrainian dispute a threat to Poland?’ reads one of the questions. Unfortunately, it is. Though this time we have not run short of gas, contrary to Slovakia, which has, Poland may soon see the tap turned off on Russian supplies. This year, its deal on the delivery of 2.3 billion cubic meters of gas annually, is expiring. Talks are being conducted with the Russian gas giant Gazprom. When and how they will end is anybody’s guess. Fortunately, Poland satisfies 30 percent of its gas needs from home deposits, so even if all the taps are turned off, Poland will have enough gas for heating and cooking at home. Polityka also criticizes Polish politicians for dragging their feet when it comes to building a genuinely diverse supply of gas and energy security.
Newsweek writes that at least two nuclear power plants will be built in Poland in the coming years. The Chernobyl scare is no longer making Poles vehemently opposed to nuclear energy. According to a survey conducted by SMG/KRC pollsters at the end of last year, almost half of Poles want Poland to build nuclear power plants. Of that half, around 80 percent would accept such a facility at a distance of not farther than 100 kilometers from home. Even if Poles are scared of the deadly radiation, they are even more scared of increasingly high electricity bills, says Newsweek. A report on the state of the Polish energy sector signals that from 2010, Poland will have major difficulties maintaining its energy supplies at the current level. Over 30 percent of its electric power plants are old. Many plants do not meet the EU CO2 emission levels and will be closed. Poland is producing the most expensive electricity in Europe and its cost will be rising.
The Warsaw Business Journal reports that the computer manufacturer Dell is cutting 1,900 jobs in Ireland and relocating all production for customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa from Limerick in Ireland to its facility in Lodz, central Poland. The move is expected to save the company around 3 billion dollars. The Dell factory in Lodz, the company’s second in Europe, has been open since late 2007. The Polish facility currently manufactures laptops, but after expansion will produce desktops and servers as well.
Tygodnik Powszechny sounds an alarm for the media, signaling that a new era has begun for them. Firstly, in the electronic media, politicians overshadow politics. The latter is more and more often a form of entertainment, only pretending to be seriously concerned with official state matters. Secondly, opinion-making periodicals are facing an economic crisis and an outflow of readers, who prefer the internet. It is obvious that this year will spell doom for many papers. Competition will become tougher. Even from a small distance, one can see the Polish media as a constellation of besieged fortresses. What will journalism become in the internet era? Tygodnik Powszechny launched a debate on this important issue, publishing the opinions of leading Polish journalists.
Solidarnosc says that skiing is the national sport of Poles, and though it has never been a cheap hobby, more and more Poles practice skiing. About 3 million of them put their skies on at least once a year. The choice of ski lifts and slopes has been improving in Poland. Poles with thicker wallets prefer to ski in the Alps and Dolomites, but it is a much more expensive venture. Even a trip to Slovakia is more expensive, especially now that it has adopted the euro. That’s why many local authorities in the mountainous region of Poland have sprung into activity and are investing in the ski and tourist industry. A lot is happening and things are changing, says Solidarnosc.