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Polish report
by Euro Reporter
2010-02-09 07:34:46 |
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Cimoszewicz – dead cert for president?
If Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz decides to run for presidency, he will have high chances to win, even if Civic Platform chooses Bronislaw Komorowski as its candidate, shows a survey by the Homo Homini Institute. Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s decision not to take part in the presidential race has significantly boosted Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz’s chances to win. Although the former PM and Foreign Minister announced that he has no intentions to run for the presidency, he has also mentioned that such a scenario would be possible in case the incumbent President Lech Kaczynski had realistic chances to be re-elected.
Now that both Civic Platform’s candidates - the Speaker of the Parliament Bronislaw Komorowski and the Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski - seem to enjoy weaker support than Donald Tusk, Cimoszewicz may change his mind. According to a survey by the Homo Homini Institute, if Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz competed with Radoslaw Sikorski in the first round of the presidential elections, he would win, but it would be a narrow victory – 27.5 percent to 25.5 percent. Lech Kaczynski would gain only 19 percent and would not make it to the second round of elections. If Civic Platform decides to choose Bronislaw Komorowski as its candidate, Cimoszewicz has even more chances to win, gaining 34 percent of votes in the first round. In the second round he would face President Kaczynski, who is likely to round up 18 percent of votes. Bronislaw Komorowski would most probably lose the race with 17-percent support, the poll shows.
Meanwhile, Civic Platform is still wondering who to choose for its candidate and it seems that the party’s authorities are in favour of the Speaker of the Parliament Bronislaw Komorowski. Last week, PM Donald Tusk assessed that both potential candidates had a fifty-fifty chance to become Civic Platform’s face in this year’s presidential elections. However, Civic Platform’s MPs claim that Komorowski is more popular within the party than Sikorski.
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Silesian arms gang arrested
Nine people have been arrested by border guards in southern Poland for arms dealing and criminal activities. The regional prosecutor in Nowy Sacz stated that the group is being charged with dealing in narcotics, arms, explosives and people.
The criminal group has been working in the Silesia region since September 2009 and includes a Slovakian citizen charged with bringing illegal arms into Poland. Silesian police worked with border guards and customs officials to effect the Monday morning arrest in which 1,006 ecstasy tablets, 1.5 kg of methamphetamines, 17 capsules of ephedrine, two Kalashnikov rifles, six small arms and over 600 pieces of ammunition were confiscated. The criminals face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
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Stray cat chooses a rather daunting home...
A suggestion that a stray cat, which welcomes visitors to the former Nazi concentration camp of Auschwitz, would be better off in an animal shelter has outraged web surfers. The cute white and grey cat moved to the camp site about six months ago and immediately won the hearts of visitors. The animal loiters gracefully next to the entrance gate with the infamous “Arbeit Macht Frei” iron sign and even lets itself to be petted.
Many visitors are keen on taking a photo of this surprising addition to the grim landscape of the former death camp. The kitty even has a name or rather two names – Bruno and Rudolf – both hardly befitting a female cat. “Bruno is much liked by the staff but after this six month “service” to the museum it would be better for it to find a place in an animal shelter”, Adam Cyra, a senior Auschwitz Museum curator, said, causing a storm.
The web exploded into activity. A campaign in defence of the cat was launched, prompting the museum spokesman Jaroslaw Mensfelt to explain that the curator’s view is not official. There are no plans to take the cat to an animal shelter. The For Animals Foundation in nearby Katowice is ready to provide a cat house for Bruno, aka Rudolf.
Ovi+Europe euro-reporter Poland Europe Ovi EU |
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