New driving regulations are to be introduced soon, writes Gazeta Wyborcza.
Press reviewed by Alicja Baczynska
Potential drivers in Poland are in for quite a surprise, as driving regulations will soon undergo a few changes to comply with EU driving regulations, writes Gazeta Wyborcza. The standardization process taking place across the continent is to lead to a pan-European driving license scheme to be introduced in 2013. According to new law anyone willing to drive quads and scooters will need a license. As for mopeds, teenagers as young as 14 will be able to take the driving exam, yet they will have to wait another four or six years for a motorbike, age requirements depending on the engine power. Also, the testing procedures will be replaced with a new driving simulation scheme. The system is expected to crop thoughtless cramming as the new test will be taken in real time, with just 30 seconds to choose the right answer and no possibility of going back to previous questions. Stricter regulations will be introduced for the newly-fledged drivers, who will have to undergo a 2-year trial period, during which they will not be able to drive vehicles by profession. The period may be extended to a further two years for offenders, whereas those with a poor driving record, that is have broken the law three times, will lose their license. All drivers will be required to renew their license after 15 years, following a medical check-up. The new document, looking a lot like a credit card, will have to be issued in place of the old license, writes the daily. The new bill is to reach the government in September, while the entire standardization process is to take place until 2030.
Entrepreneurs and residents from the environs of Warsaw’s Nowy Swiat Street, are teaming up to restore a few of the fly-blown walls of the city center, writes the newspaper’s Warsaw supplement. They have a big task ahead as the buildings of one of the city’s main thoroughfares are simply plagued with countless doodles and graffiti. Quite a large amount of rollers, brushes, and ladders will be needed to cover all the scribblings with a nice new thick layer of paint. Voluntees, along with artists and scouts, are joining in, yet the organizers are still looking for a helping hand from several dozen more people. The local authorities have given the community project a thumbs-up, and have already committed to provide the paint, whereas the historic preservation officer for Warsaw will make sure the necessary requirements are met. The action, which is to last just one day, will be held on 27 September. Joint effort is the key to success, as the residents know that if they don’t do anything about these walls, no one else will, writes the daily.
Free Wi-fi appears to be gaining in popularity in Poland, writes Dziennik. The country’s major cities are already strewn with hotspots. City authorities in Krakow and Poznan have decided to take it a step further and cover vast areas or even entire districts with wireless networks. Cities such as Warsaw, Gdansk and Katowice are soon to follow giving their residents access to the Internet for free. Setting up such a network in a large city may be costly, with prices ranging from 30 to 40 million zlotys. This, however, should not be a problem as a bulk of the expenses may be covered by the European Regional Development Fund. The biggest obstacle that local governing authorities are faced with are the commercial broadband providers, who may sue them for unfair business practices. Yet there is a way around it – which would amount to offering lower throughput for example, writes the newspaper. Experts believe this could be quite a leap forward for Poland in the times when the Internet is a standard communication facility.