Poles want less parties in parliament and will Poland edge Ukraine out of Euro 2012?

Presented by Slawek Szefs   

GAZETA WYBORCZA focuses on Revenue Service preferences, or rather dislikes, regarding unmarried couples. Parents without an official marriage certificate cannot file a joint annual income tax statement with their children. Neither can they benefit themselves from such a statement as this right is reserved solely to those in matrimony. This could be considered a discriminatory practice, as 20 percent of children in Poland are born out of wedlock, according to official statistics. Therefore, the binding regulations deprive every fifth child and their parents of often crucial tax reliefs. A family is a family, regardless of the marital status of its adults, argues a former labor and social policy minister.

RZECZPOSPOLITA publishes results of a survey on expectations regarding political representation in Parliament. A poll commissioned by the newspaper with the GfK Polonia agency shows 60 percent of Polish society would like to see a reduction in the number of parties present in the House and Senate. Almost every second Pole thinks that none of the four political groupings currently occupying parliamentary seats represent their individual interests, while 30 percent of the respondents do not identify with political programs of any of these four parties. What could be the reason for such sentiments? Analysts claim it is not the number which determines the negative attitude, but the quality of political life in Poland with parties engaged in feuds, sometimes internal strife, petty quarrels creating the impression of chaos and disregard for expectations and rights of the public. A v-o-t-i-n-g public… is the sober reminder.

DZIENNIK reports on the disappointment of the head of Ukraine’s national football federation with the latest Polish actions in connection with the joint organization of the Euro 2012 championship finals. Hrihoriy Surkis is displeased with Polish suggestions that out of the 8 tournament sites, the matches could be staged in five or even six locations in Poland, the argument being that the Ukrainian side has considerable problems with preparations of stadiums and infrastructure. Ukraine is demanding an even split and the irritated Surkis has hinted on Polish disloyalty in contacts with UEFA. Poland’s sports minister responded to the criticism with advice for an unemotional approach. Let us all concentrate on our work and disregard speculations and accusations fueled by media in both countries,  Miroslaw Drzewiecki appealed.

As if exemplifying Ukrainian fears and serving as a case in point, the tabloid FAKT takes note in its sports section of 1,145 days left in the countdown to the joint, as it underscores, European football championships in Poland and Ukraine. But then a subtitle reading: games will be held for sure in Warsaw, Krakow and Gdansk, but Wroclaw, Poznan and Chorzow also stand a good chance, somehow adds ambiguity to that declaration. Not to mention the headline: We can handle the Euro alone!