Fewer Poles, Polish Beer and Priests

Priests and Beer

Polish priests in Ireland are returning to Poland together with their worshippers, reports  the Irish Independent. This news has been confirmed by the Chaplain and National Co-ordinator of the Polish Community in Ireland Jarosław Maszkiewicz who ensured everyone that Polish churchgoers will not be left without spiritual care. During the period of boom when Ireland was flooded with immigrants from other EU member states, around 30 Polish priests moved to Ireland. Currently, after three years of work, some of them are returning to their home dioceses. One of them is Father Krzysztof Dulny who worked in north-western Ireland in the counties of Sligo, Donegal, Roscommon, Fermanagh and Mayo. He believes the number of Polish immigrants has dropped in this region by around 25%, from 4,000 to 3,000. According to data from the Polish embassy in Dublin, at the end of 2008 and beginning of 2009 there were around 200,000 Poles in Ireland. This number has recently fallen; however, the current figures are unknown. According to an opinion poll carried out by the Irish recruitment agency CPL, around 66,000 Poles are planning to return to Poland before the end of 2009 which equals 1/3 of the entire Polish community that lives in Ireland. The fact that fewer Polish immigrants are coming to Ireland is also reflected in the decrease in the popularity of Polish brands of beer. The chance to find a job in Ireland by immigrants has deteriorated mostly due to the collapse of the building sector and real estate market.
Rzeczpospolita

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Favourable Changes in PIT Act

Better Forms

It is plausible that in Autumn a law will come into force which will relieve people who work full time in one place from the necessity to fill out and later send Personal Income Tax (PIT) forms to the tax office. “According to government estimates as many as 2 to 5 million tax payers will take advantage of this change,” said Prime Minister Donald Tusk after a government meeting on Tuesday. “We precipitated works on changes in law which will make the life of millions of tax payers much easier,” said Tusk during the press conference. “This refers to people who receive their income from only one source, i.e. those who work in one place and currently have to fill out and send PIT forms,” explained the Prime Minister.

The PM highlighted that employees themselves, and not the administration, will decide whether they will fill out and send PIT forms or leave it to their employers. “If, however, employees want to fill out and send PIT forms on their own, then they have to inform their employers about this fact,” said Tusk and stressed that otherwise, employers are automatically obliged to send the PIT form of their employees together with any additional information that tax payers previously filled out. This will include information concerning possible tax allowance for internet, children, as well as information to which non-profit organisation the tax payers wish to donate 1% of their tax. “In order to simplify this procedure and free PIT tax payers from this inconvenient and unnecessary obligation, it is indispensable to introduce certain legal changes,” said the PM. This concerns an amendment to the PIT Act prepared by Minister of Finance Jan Rostowski and which was accepted by the government during Tuesday’s meeting. “We hope that this law will become effective this Autumn,” said Tusk.
Wirtualna Polska

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Russian TV on WWII

Denying History

Russian Channel One (ORT) broadcast a three-part pseudo-historical film on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday in which the creators of the film tried to prove that Poland was “Hitler’s first ally”. The film, entitled “The Mysteries of the Secret Protocols” informed Russian citizens that a non-aggression pact between Poland and Germany signed in 1934 made Poland, according to the authors, “the first political ally of Hitler in Europe”. The film’s director, Wadim Gasanov, did not mention the fact that a similar pact between Poland and USSR had been in force for two years prior to that. Gasanov also tried to prove that the Polish Ambassador in Berlin, Józef Lipski, together with the German Minister of Foreign Affairs, Konstantin von Neurath, at the time of signing the non-aggression pact also signed some secret protocols which, supposedly, stated that both countries, Poland and Germany, will work to the disadvantage of the USSR. That information was based on newspaper speculation, published in some Western countries at the time. Sławomir Dębski, head of the Polish Institute of International Affairs, who appears in the film and calls information concerning Poles being in league with the Nazi “propaganda” is talked over by the Russian television narrator who claims that the “Polish expert is mistaken”. Viewers also learned that Stalin was reluctant to invade Poland in 1939 and decided to do so after the Germans had begun preparations to create a sovereign Ukraine on the Polish Eastern borderlands.
Gazeta Wyborcza

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Silesians Back Russia

Anti-Polish Stance?

The Association of Silesian Nationals (ZNLŚ) has spoken out in support of a Russian critical declaration of Poland’s falsification of history. The Moscow Institute of International Relations claims Poland has been adding a political element to their writing of history in an attempt to falsify it. Moreover, Poland is waging a “historical crusade” against Russia. The Association of Silesian Nationals wholeheartedly support this stance. The Association has been trying to register themselves (unsuccessfully) since 1996. The Strasbourg Court of Justice supported Poland’s stance against the Association in a ruling in 2001. In the last census over 173,000 people declared that they were Silesians.
Gazeta Wyborcza

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Another Polish Tragedy in the UK

Fire Tragedy

A few days ago in central England someone attempted to burn a 24-year-old Polish man alive. The man survived but 80% of his body is burnt. Doctors say that the man is in a critical condition. Police officers have already caught seven suspects but all of them were released on bail. The burnt and naked Pole was found on a road in Grantham. He was taken to Selly Oak Hospital near Birmingham. Doctors say that the man’s condition is very serious. The victim is taking very strong painkillers and cannot speak. All seven suspects have been released. Police officers are trying to establish what caused such extensive burns to his body. They are looking for the man’s clothes and are waiting for any witnesses of the tragedy.
Dziennik

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Bachleda-Curuś Is Pregnant?

Bun in the Oven?

When Bachleda-Curuś was caught with Colin Farrell everyone thought that she is just another girl out of the many whom the Hollywood actor had been dating so far. However, the information about the couple buying a flat in Kraków may suggest the complete opposite. Now, according to recent rumours, Alicja Bachleda-Curuś may be pregnant with Colin Farrell. Photo-journalists have taken pictures of the couple at LAX. According to Super Express in the pictures one can clearly see that the Polish actress has a rounded tummy.  Bulwarówka adds that Bachleda has been gently touching her tummy in the same way that women who are expecting a child touch their stomachs. If Bachleda were pregnant it would be a huge sensation, especially due to the fact that Colin Farrell is a womaniser. He has dated Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Naomi Campbell, and Angelina Jolie. Is the Hollywood star going to settle down with our Alicja?
Dziennik

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Archbishop: I’ll Vote for Women

Nycz Likes Women

Members of the Congress of Polish Women met with the Archbishop of Warsaw Kazimierz Nycz yesterday. Bożena Wawrzewska, head of the Congress press office was most satisfied with the meeting claiming “Archbishop Nycz was incredibly open and agreed with us that women are discriminated against in Poland. He also said that the Congress can count on the help of the Catholic Church in trying to improve the situation of women in Poland”. The Congress wants to fight the Catholic stereotype which sees women as housewives. Wawrzewska added that the church will not get involved politically in the creation of legislation but will do its utmost in supporting women’s rights and equality. After the meeting, Wawrzewska also claimed that Nycz said that he will vote for women in the future in order to help in the fight for equality.
Gazeta Wyborcza

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Doda Dumped

Doda the Antichrist?

Polish National Television (TVP) has decided to cut short its contract with controversial singer Doda. According to the TV station, Doda (real name Dorota Rabczewska) may have hurt the feelings of Christians with her comments about the Bible. Doda recently claimed that “it is difficult to believe something (the Bible: editor’s note) written by someone drunk on wine and high on weed”. TVP released a statement saying that “due to the fact that we are a public station we are obliged by law to undertake such action that helps promote respect between people of different faiths”. Wojciech Bosak of the TVP board claims, “It is impossible for people who insult Christians to appear on TVP”. Doda will therefore not be appearing in Bydgoszcz on the 23rd August as part of TVP’s “Hity na czasie” concert.
Wirtualna Polska

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Ludo the Hero

New Polish (?) Hero

Ludovic Obraniak, the Frenchman with a shiny, new Polish passport, made a glittering debut and a dream start to his Polish football career. Poland took on Greece in a friendly on Wednesday night and deservedly beat the former European champions 2-0 thanks to two brilliant goals by Ludovic Obraniak. The first was scored in the 47th minute thanks to a deflection from a Marcin Wasilewski shot. Poland and Obraniak’s second came in the 79th after a series of slick passes and a wonderful team effort.
Wirtualna Polska

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Dyscalculia is Humbug

Maths Not Easy

Dyscalculia or calculexia is a learning disorder that affects people’s ability to do mathematical problems, write down numbers and figures and see the difference between mathematical symbols. A student with dyscalculia might write down 10001 instead of 101, for example. The Ministry of National Education (MEN) has announced that students who provide certificate of suffering from calculexia cannot count on preferential treatment in their ‘matura’ examination in mathematics. From next year onwards, mathematics will be a compulsory ‘matura’ subject. To begin with, MEN wanted to undertake research on dyscalculia to see how many students suffer from the disorder, however, the Ministry decided not to pursue this course and has since stated that dyscalculia was ‘invented’ in the 1930s and that there has actually never been evidence for the existence of this disorder. According to estimates, approximately 1% of the population suffer from this disorder.
Gazeta Wyborcza

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