The weeklies have been reviewed by Krysia Kołosowska.

The Russian invasion on Georgia provokes a question about the condition of democracy in the world, writes Tygodnik Powszechny. Hopes for democracy in Russia started to wane long before it attacked Georgia. It is clear now that behind the “steered democracy” stands a cynical, dictatorial clique of former KGB officers cherishing big power sentiments. But is the time of peaceful revolutions, such as the ones that rolled across Central and Eastern Europe from 1989 to 2003 and 2004 which saw Georgian rose and Ukrainian orange revolution, over? – asks Tygodnik Powszechny. Has a rollback begun, initiated by Moscow and hitting at democracy and the idea of self-determination of nations? If this is the case, the weekly predicts that sooner or later it will cause countries such as Ukraine and Georgia, which have not joined the western structures, to fall into the Russian sphere of influence.

Gazeta Polska talks to former chief negotiator in the Polish-US missile shield talks, Witold Waszczykowski. In his view NATO faces a dilemma today – whether to bolster the military strength of present and future members of the alliance, creating a strong anti-Soviet bloc or to make an attempt to change Russian attitude to the western world, not disregarding continued cooperation with Ukraine and Georgia. Signals have been coming for years of greater opening of Russian foreign policy but on the other hand we observe a situation in which Russia uses the economy, especially the fuels sector, for a political game. There has been a deficit of democracy in Russia for years, the Polish diplomat tells Gazeta Polska.

The weekly Wprost visits Redzikowo, a small town in northern Poland, which is to host parts of the US anti-missile shield. Poland has signed a deal with America to place 10 interceptor missiles on its soil, in return for a US promise of help in the modernization of its army, including the supply of Patriot missiles. The cost of constructing the American base is estimated at 600 million US dollars, writes Wprost. In order to take part in the project, building contractors need a certificate by the American army, so most Polish firms are excluded. Local shops are not likely to make a profit either, as American troops will probably have their own suppliers. The local authorities want financial aid from the government in return for hosting the shield to realize several investment projects – such as construction of an expressway to the Gdansk airport, modernization of roads in the area and even building a new civilian airport, as the old military airport will be taken over by the American base. This is rational behavior, provided that the local leaders don’t outdo it. After all there will be about 200 American soldiers stationed in Redzikowo. But the locality can expect profits from their presence too.

Let’s not complain about the performance of the Polish team in Beijing, writes Newsweek, commenting on the fact that Poles won only ten medals at the Olympic Games. In four years’ time things may look even worse, as the only sponsor of our sports are the athletes’ parents, the weekly claims. They give up holidays, spend money on boats or running shoes, become managers and drivers. Their life is turned upside down. Everything is subordinated to the training sessions of their children. That’s how it is functioning  for future Olympic hopefuls. Far from ministerial offices, with no state subsidies and scholarships. Neither the sports minister nor the sports unions or the national Olympic Committee are doing as much for Polish sports as parents are doing. But when one thinks about the future and participation of Poles in the Games in four, eight or twelve years from now, we have to ponder on how to support the best and most talented kids in an organized way.

Witches are among us, says the weekly Polityka. Marion calls herself the first stationary witch in Poland. She was initiated in Great Britain in the Wicca cult, a pagan, nature-based religion popularized in 1954 by a retired British civil servant. This petite 30 year old works in a marketing department of a big firm and doesn’t want to reveal her real name. One never knows how her colleagues and bosses would react. It is impossible to say how many Wiccans there are in Poland. They fear intolerance in the predominantly Roman Catholic society. Often even their families don’t know about it. On the other hand, job migration to the British Isles facilitates their contacts with British Wiccans and books on the Wicca cult have sold in 10 thousand copies here.