NATO secretary speculations, a music video against domestic violence, Rospuda saved and the joy of living in a high-rise.
 
Press reviewed by Elżbieta Krajewska
 
RZECZPOSPOLITA headlines on its front page that it has unofficially learned that Poland will veto the candidature of Anders Fogh Rasmussen to the post of NATO secretary general. Warsaw believes that Canadian Peter MacKay is better, because Canada is more aware of problems such as Russia’s activity in the Arctic, and is part of the mission to Afghanistan. The Polish veto would satisfy Turkey which is against the Danish candidature but expectations are that more possible names might be appearing in the near future, writes the daily.
 
Every year, 800,000 women in Poland fall victim to domestic violence. In 2008, up to 150 were killed by their partners in their own homes. One in three has been beaten, pushed, threatened or even raped at home, reports DZIENNIK, citing Poland’s data in the global research programme Violence Against Woman. All of this will also be publicised in a special music video featuring leading Polish artists, authored by Feminoteka womens rights organisation. The scale of the problem may be much wider, as victims rarely turn to the authorities for help, writes DZIENNIK. Researchers found out that 40 percent of abused women said they would deal with their predicament alone. More than 80 percent suffered in silence. Many said they did not believe the police or the judiciary would do anything. Part of the message of the music video, writes DZIENNIK, is that there are people who can help.
 
GAZETA WYBORCZA proclaims “Rospuda Saved”! The valley of river Rospuda, a precious nature reserve in north-east Poland, was to be cut through by a motorway but since 2006 the daily led a campaign against the project. “Now with the support of our readers we have won” writes the paper, adding that it was the society’s determination, in the name of a common good, which forced the authorities to change their decision. “It’s happened for the first time in the history of free Poland – to make us proud!” writes a commentator. 
 
Over to tabloid SUPEREXPRESS which reports on yesterday’s row in Włocławek, when the church aid organization Caritas had to call in police to restore order in a crowd of people waiting for food packages. “While the people fight over food, MPs are debating on substantial pay raises for themselves! Even the administration in Lithuania, Latvia and Ukraine are on crisis measures. Ours have no shame!” rages the paper.
 
Back to GAZETA WYBORCZA which in its Warsaw section reports that while urban designers would prefer the Polish capital to look like Paris or Barcelona, local residents like their high-rises and refuse to leave them! Not for us the semis, the little gardens, narrow streets and crowded town houses. The paper found out that an absolute majority of people like the block of flats in which they live. They feel safe there, they know the neighbours and they enjoy the low rent. And the main reason why, is… that they’ve lived there for so long…