Friday, 2nd January
Reviewed by Slawek Szefs
DZIENNIK headlines the Russian-Ukrainian conflict over new terms of a gas delivery contract which culminated in cutting off supplies coming from Gazprom on the first day of the year. Poland and the EU are following the argument on the Moscow-Kiev line with visible concern. After all, Ukraine is a transit route for some 40 percent of gas used by Poland and 20 percent covering EU demand. The Polish government has assured domestic users that the situation is under control, but it’s anybody’s guess what might happen in the case of a prolonged stalemate, when desperate Ukraine might decide to take advantage of the gas pumped through pipelines on its territory to Russian clients in the EU. The paper also observes that in such circumstances Ukraine would lose credibility in the eyes of Western partners, thus slimming its chances for integration with NATO.
GAZETA WYBORCZA returns to the New Year’s Eve press conference of PM Donald Tusk. Its highlight had been the concept of a national referendum on the timetable of introducing the euro in Poland strongly advocated by Law and Justice, the major opposition party. Premier Tusk said he sees no sense in considering the move. It would be similar to asking Poles whether they still want to be part of the EU, remarked the government head. And just exactly how should the referendum question be phrased, he asked rhetorically. Tusk appealed to Law and Justice for a clear stand on the very introduction of the common European currency in Poland. He reminded the task requires a change in the constitution and this cannot be attained without a broad consent of all political options in parliament.
‘Polish business does not fear an economic crisis’ frontpages RZECZPOSPOLITA. The paper quotes findings of a survey it commissioned sounding out company plans for 2009. Over 70 percent – in the small, medium and large categories - have not been considering personnel reductions. What’s more, they intend to continue investment programs. The smallest employers are even set on expanding their staff. The study also revealed that it is not the crisis itself which Polish companies find most restrictive in pursuing profitable business activity, but excessively high, in their opinion, social security and health insurance fees for their employees.
The SUPER EXPRESS tabloid has bad news for those Poles who like to celebrate long weekends on the occasion of various national and public holidays. Extended leisure time is not going to be a common expression used in the current year. The merciless calendar has deprived the less work inclined of the opportunity of inserting a free day bonus between holidays and weekends, as in the present case of New Year’s falling on Thursday with a work free Friday and adjoining weekend. The ‘horror’ of 2009 is further compounded by several holidays actually falling on weekends! That’s why the little work motivated will have to wait for the first long weekend till Thursday June 11th, Corpus Christi. Grind your teeth and endure the labor hardships of 2009, is the warning message.
The elephants, monkeys, giraffes and scores of specie representatives from all over the world bid him farewell, reports the Warsaw city daily ZYCIE WARSZAWY. Maciej Rembiszewski, the outgoing director of the capital’s famed zoo made his final inspection of the premises at noon on New Year’s Day. It makes me sad to part with all the animals and their caretakers after 26 years, but it’s time for retirement. A consolation is undoubtedly the fact that his successor is Andrzej Kruszewicz, a noted ornithologist who spent long years at the Warsaw Zoo sharing its problems and contributing to its attainments. No revolution in the new year and under the new management, he declared. The animals sighed with relief…