What people think the government should (or should not) do against the crisis; Professor Bartoszewski on playing the idiot in Polish-German relations; Poland’s crime rate down and still dropping; and spring is really coming or the first storks are back!

Press reviewed by Elzbieta Krajewska

What should the government do in the face of the crisis? Answers from the public via a new research probe run by RZECZPOSPOLITA: most respondents tell the authorities to lower taxes, remove red tape and subsidies companies which create new jobs. Also, promoting Polish products. Respondents were most strongly against ideas to partially finance new cars, give money to banks as well as big business in order to save it from bankruptcy. RZECZPOSPOLITA adds that only 13% believed fast eurozone entry would help offset the crisis.

“We can’t trust Steinbach” is the headline in DZIENNIK daily, which talks to Professor Władysław Bartoszewski, the prime minister’s foreign affairs aide. Erica Steinbach is the head of the Federation of Expellees in Germany and has recently been elected to run a future Berlin-based Expellees Centre. Without mincing words, Professor Bartoszewski declared that “he couldn’t help it if someone in Germany was playing the idiot”, rejecting the idea that there was “hysteria” in Poland over Steinbach and pointing out that it was obvious that she aroused a strong response in Poland for her revanchism, but that this time it was Germany which started the whole affair. Still, “one lady won’t really harm Polish-German relations,” says Professor Bartoszewski summing up that what Poland can rely on is the position of the German government.

Good news on the pages of GAZETA WYBORCZA which writes that crime in Poland is on the decrease, citing statistics from the past two years. Crime figures are down by a whopping 40%. Since 2005 Poland has been one of the countries in Europe with the lowest crime rate, listed 19th out of 30 in the number of homicides, and 25th out of 36 in the general ranking. The crime rate in Poland is currently around the level of 1990 – and it’s still falling, writes GAZETA WYBORCZA, adding that the reason for this could be demographic: the number of men aged between 16 and 24 is dropping and they are usually the perpetrators of criminal acts.

Tabloid FAKT writes that the gold Olympic medal won by Kamila Skolimowska at the Games in Sydney has been donated by the athlete’s parents to a charity auction. The 27-year-old hammer thrower died suddenly a fortnight ago. Her father told the paper that Kamila had been always willing to help the needy and that since she isn’t here any more to enjoy her medal he hoped it would now serve others.   

And lastly back to DZIENNIK for news that spring is indeed coming: storks have been returning to Poland. The first birds have been seen in the north, in Pomerania and in the lower reaches of the river Odra, scouting for good places to nest, reports the daily…