2. UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED 2
Poland
US Embassy Poland
Ambassador:
Stephen D. Mull
Aleje Ujazdowskie 29-31
Warsaw, Poland
TEL: +48 22 504 20 00
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/199648.htm
AREA:
Total: 312,685 sq km
Country Comparison to the World: 70
Land: 304,255 sq km
Water: 8,430 sq km
Slightly smaller than New Mexico
National Guard State Partnership Program:
Illinois (1993)
Poland & US
currently
have a SOFA
Agreement
(2009)
3. UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED 3
US Embassy in Poland
US Embassy Poland
Ambassador: Stephen D. Mull
Appointed: Beginning Foreign Service in 1982.
Education: BS degree International Politics Georgetown Univ.
(1980)
Languages: Polish
Military Veteran: No
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/199648.htm
US Embassy Address:
Aleje Ujazdowskie 29-31
Warsaw, Poland
TEL: +48 22 504 20 00
U.S. Consulate Address:
ul. Stolarska 9
31-043 Krakow
Tel.: +48/12 424-5100
Consulate Location: Krakow
Consul General Ellen Germainge
4. UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED 4
People and Society
Ethnic groups:
Polish 96.9%
LANGUAGES
Polish (official) 96.2%
2nd Most taught language English: 67.8%
RELIGION
Catholic 87.2%
MONEY
Zlotych (PLN) per US dollar -3.175
EUROS: No
AGE
15-24 years: 11.9% (male 2,333,627/female
2,235,228)
25-54 years: 43.8% (male 8,459,153/female
8,355,491)
Pop: 38,346,279 (Ranked: 35)
8. UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED 8
Government
MAP
Poland is a DEMOCRACY, with a
president as a head of state,
whose current constitution
dates from 1997. Poland is a
PEACEFUL country. The
government structure centers
on the Council of Ministers, led
by a prime minister. The
president appoints the cabinet
according to the proposals of
the prime minister, typically
from the majority coalition in
the Sejm. The president is
elected by popular vote every
five years.
9. UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED 9
Government
Chief of state: 1) President Bronislaw KOMOROWSKI
(since 6 August 2010)
Head of government: 2) Prime Minister Donald TUSK
(since 16 November 2007); 3) Deputy Prime Ministers
Janusz PIECHOCINSKI (since 6 December 2012) and
Elzbieta BIENKOWSKA (since 27 November 2013)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the prime
minister and the Sejm; the prime minister proposes,
the president appoints, and the Sejm approves the
Council of Ministers
Election results: Bronislaw KOMOROWSKI elected
president; percent of popular vote - Bronislaw
KOMOROWSKI 53%, Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI 47%
Chief of State
Head of Gov’t
10. UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED 10
ECONOMY
Unemployment rate
10.3% (2013 est.)
Population below poverty line
10.6% (2008 est.)
GDP per capita
$21,100 (2013 est.)
Labor Force by occupation
agriculture: 4%
industries: 33.3%
services: 62.7% (2013 est.)
Exchange rate
Zlotych (PLN) per US dollar -
3.175 (2013 est.)
Imports (commodities)
machinery and transport equipment 38%, intermediate manufactured goods 21%,
chemicals 15%, minerals, fuels, lubricants, and related materials 9% (2011 est.)
Imports (partners)
Germany 27.3%, Russia 12.2%, Netherlands 5.9%, China 5.4%, Italy 5.2%, Czech
Republic 4.3%, France 4.2% (2012)
11. UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED 11
SERVICES
Banking (Services)
The Polish banking sector, the largest in central and eastern Europe as well as the
largest and the most highly developed sector of the country's financial markets, is
regulated by the Polish Financial Supervision Authority.
15. UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED 15
AIRPORTS
129 (2013)
Over 3,586 ft (5)
RAILWAYS
total: 19,428 km
standard gauge: 19,029 km 1.435-m gauge
(11,805 km electrified) (2007)
ROADWAYS
total: 412,035 km
unpaved: 131,316 km (2012)
WATERWAYS
3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2009)
TRANSPORTATION
16. UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED 16
TRANSPORTATIONAIRPORTS
126 (2013)
Over 3,586 ft (5)
RAILWAYS
total: 19,428 km
standard gauge: 19,029 km 1.435-m gauge
(11,805 km electrified) (2007)
ROADWAYS
total: 412,035 km
unpaved: 131,316 km (2012)
WATERWAYS
3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2009)
17. UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED 17
TRANSPORTATIONAIRPORTS
126 (2013)
Over 3,586 ft (5)
RAILWAYS
total: 19,428 km
standard gauge: 19,029 km 1.435-m gauge
(11,805 km electrified) (2007)
ROADWAYS
total: 412,035 km
unpaved: 131,316 km (2012)
WATERWAYS
3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2009)
18. UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED 18
TRANSPORTATIONAIRPORTS
126 (2013)
Over 3,586 ft (5)
RAILWAYS
total: 19,428 km
standard gauge: 19,029 km 1.435-m gauge
(11,805 km electrified) (2007)
ROADWAYS
total: 412,035 km
unpaved: 131,316 km (2012)
WATERWAYS
3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2009)
19. UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED 19
LAND FORCES
MAP OF
MILTARY BASES
MAJ GEN Mieczysław Cieniuch
Chief of the General Staff
of the Polish Army
The Wojska Lądowe
(Land Forces) are a
military branch of the
Armed Forces of the
Republic of Poland.
They currently contain
some 65,000 active
personnel and form
many components of
European Union and
NATO
LT GEN Zbigniew Głowienka
Commander
21. UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED 21
AIR FORCE
MAP OF
MILTARY BASES
Commander
LT GEN Lech Majewski
The Polish Air Force (Siły Powietrzne,
literally "Air Forces") is a military branch
of the Polish Armed Forces. Until July
2004 it was officially known as Wojska
Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej (literally:
Air-and-Air Defence Forces). In 2014 it
consisted of roughly 16,425 military
personnel and about 355 aircraft,
distributed among 10 bases throughout
Poland. The Polish Air Force is currently
one of the most advanced in Central
Europe, equipped since 2008 with the
Lockheed Martin F-16C jet fighter.
Chief of Staff
MAJ GEN Sławomir Kałuziński
USAF
22. UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED 22
NAVY
The Marynarka Wojenna - (The Navy) is
a military branch of the Armed Forces
of the Republic of Poland responsible
for naval operations. It has 94 ships
(including 5 submarines, 2 frigates, 3
corvettes, 3 missile boats - as of 2012)
and about 14,000 commissioned and
enlisted personnel. The traditional ship
prefix in the Polish Navy is ORP (Okręt
Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej - "Ship of the
Republic of Poland"). The Marynarka
Wojenna is one of the larger navies on
the Baltic Sea. It is mostly responsible
for Baltic Sea operations. Other duties
include search and rescue operations
covering parts of the Baltic, as well as
hydrographic measurements and
research.
Commander
ADM FL.
Tomasz
Mathea
Chief of Staff
WADM.
Ryszard Demczuk
Poland's history as a state begins near the middle of the 10th century. By the mid-16th century, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth ruled a vast tract of land in central and eastern Europe. During the 18th century, internal disorders weakened the nation, and in a series of agreements between 1772 and 1795, Russia, Prussia, and Austria partitioned Poland among themselves. Poland regained its independence in 1918 only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II. It became a Soviet satellite state following the war, but its government was comparatively tolerant and progressive. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union "Solidarity" that over time became a political force with over ten million members. Free elections in 1989 and 1990 won Solidarity control of the parliament and the presidency, bringing the communist era to a close. A "shock therapy" program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004. With its transformation to a democratic, market-oriented country largely completed and with large investments in defense, energy, and other infrastructure, Poland is an increasingly active member of Euro-Atlantic organizations.
U.S.-POLAND RELATIONS
Poland is a key ally in Central Europe, and one of the United States’ strongest partners on the continent in fostering transatlantic security and prosperity and in promoting democracy in Eastern Europe and around the world. The United States and Poland partner closely on issues such as NATO capabilities, democratization, counterterrorism, nonproliferation, missile defense, human rights, economic growth and innovation, energy security, and regional cooperation in Central and Eastern Europe. Poland contributes soldiers to the NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan; maintains troops in the Balkans, mainly in the NATO Kosovo Force; and is contributing a full battalion to the NATO Response Force, with soldiers on call for rapid deployment. On November 9, 2012, the United States opened a full-time aviation detachment in Poland to increase interoperability through joint training exercises and regular rotation of U.S. military aircraft.
Poland and the United States have signed an agreement that will allow Air Force to station its troops and aircraft permanently in Poland.
According to the memorandum, starting in 2013, a U.S. Air Force Aviation Detachment will be the first ever to be permanently stationed in Poland. It will provide support for U.S. F-16 fighters and C-130 transport aircraft.
Base location of US Service Members is at Łask Air Base
The strong U.S.-Poland relationship, and shared commitment to freedom, dates back to the American Revolution when Polish heroes such as Tadeusz Kosciuszko and Casimir Pulaski aided our cause. The United States established diplomatic relations with the newly formed Polish Republic in 1919. Poland was invaded and occupied by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II. A communist regime took power in 1947 following the war. In 2014, Poland celebrates the 25th anniversary of the 1989 end of communist rule, the 15th anniversary of its membership in NATO and the 10th anniversary of its membership in the European Union.
Poland's Membership in International Organizations
Poland and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization. Poland also is an observer to the Organization of American States.
Stephen D. Mull
(born April 30, 1958) is a Senior Foreign Service officer and United States Ambassador to Poland who previously served as Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs and United States Ambassador to Lithuania.
Mull was born in Reading, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Georgetown University with a Bachelor of Science degree in International Politics in 1980.
Mull is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service in the class of Minister Counselor. He previously served as the Deputy Chief of Mission in Jakarta, Indonesia, and has served as a Consular or Political Officer for the U.S. Missions in Poland, the Bahamas, and South Africa since the beginning of his career in the Foreign Service in 1982.
Prior to his assignment in Jakarta, Mull worked as Deputy Director of the State Department Operations Center, as Political Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw, Poland, as Director of the Office of Southern European Affairs in the Bureau of European Affairs, and as Deputy Executive Secretary in the Office of the Secretary of State.
On March 10, 2003, then-U.S. President George W. Bush nominated Mull as the U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania.[1] After being confirmed by the Senate, he assumed his position on August 26, 2003. He completed his tour of duty on July 18, 2006.[2]
On April 30, 2009, Mull testified before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee on international efforts to combat piracy off the coast of Somalia.[3]
Mull is married to Cheri Stephan. The Mulls have one child, Ryan.
Stephen Mull was appointed the United States Ambassador to Poland on October 24, 2012. He speaks Polish fluently
Embassy Staff
• Ambassador - Stephen Mull • Deputy Chief of Mission - Douglas C. Greene • Consul General - Charles Luoma-Overstreet • Management Counselor - Wayne McDuffy • Acting Political - Economic Counselor - John Schutte • Public Affairs Officer - Orna Blum • Regional Security Officer - Matt Shedd • Defense Attaché - Col Matthew Willis • Chief, Office of Defense Cooperation - Col Warren Barlow • Senior Commercial Officer - William Czajkowski • Agriculture Counselor - Michael Henney • FBI Office - Monika Wasiewicz • DEA Country Attaché - Jeffrey G. Kallal • TSA Attaché - Kevin P. Cahill-
Ellen Germain
Ellen Germain arrived in Krakow on August 22, 2012 to assume her duties as Consul General. From 2008-2011 she was deputy political counselor at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in New York, where she was responsible for issues relating to the Middle East, Asia, and non-proliferation. From 2007-2008 she served as deputy political counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Bagdad.
In Washington, Ms. Germain was the senior political officer in the State Department’s Office of Israel-Palestinian Affairs from 2003-2005. She served as deputy director and acting director of the Office of Maghreb Affairs from 2005-2006, and as deputy director of the Office of Russian Affairs from 2006-2007. Her earlier overseas tours were Tel Aviv, London, and Moscow. She joined the Foreign Service in 1995.
Ms. Germain was born and grew up in New York City. She graduated from Hunter College High School and holds a B.A. in English from Stanford University, an M.A. in English from Columbia University, and an MPd in computer science from Cambridge University. Before joining the Foreign Service, Ms. Germain worked as a computer programmer and then as a science journalist.
Consulate Staff
• Consul General - Ellen Germain • Consular Officer - Laurie Major • Management Officer - Charity Boyette • Public Affairs Officer - Brian George • Pol/Econ Officer - Andrew Caruso • Regional Security Officer – Roel Respecia
National Holidays 2013:
January 1: New Year's Day
April 1, Easter
May 1, Labor Day
May 3, Constitution Day
May 30, Corpus Christi Day
August 15: Assumption Day
November 1: All Saints' Day
November 11: National Independence Day
December 25 & 26: Christmas
The Polish Football Association (Polish: Polski Związek Piłki Nożnej; PZPN) is the governing body of football in Poland. It organizes the Polish football leagues (top division: the Ekstraklasa), the Polish Cup, the Polish SuperCup, the Polish League Cup, and the Polish national football team. It is based in the Polish capital of Warsaw.
Football History
The fully independent federation was established in April 1919 engulfing the autonomous Polish Football Union (PFU) that was part of the disintegrated Austrian Football Union. The PFU was established on June 25, 1911[1] in Lwow. Between 1911 and 1919 the national team of Poland played three games at the "Czarni" stadium. The team was composed mainly of players from the city of Lwow.
In September 2008, the leadership of the PZPN was suspended by the Polish Olympic Committee for "[violating] its statutes in a continuous and flagrant fashion."[2] A year earlier, the Polish sports ministry also made an attempt to address corruption within the PZPN, but was threatened with suspension by FIFA, which forbids any form of government intervention.[3] On 30 October 2008, Grzegorz Lato became the president of the PZPN. On 26 October 2012, Zbigniew Boniek was elected president after winning 61 votes from 118 delegates.[4]
U.S. Assistance to Poland
Poland graduated from USAID assistance in 2000 and capitalized on its successful transition experience to become a provider of assistance to other countries in the region, as well to the Middle East and North Africa. The U.S.-Poland Democracy Dialogue is a unique framework for U.S. partnership with Poland on democracy promotion. Poland is active in the EU’s Eastern Partnership and spearheaded the launch of the European Endowment for Democracy.
U.S. security assistance enhances Poland’s capability to meet its NATO obligations and to deploy and sustain professional forces in multilateral operations, often in support of U.S. deployments in places like Iraq and Afghanistan. U.S. assistance is also helping Poland to prepare for hosting NATO missile defense assets in the 2018 timeframe.
Bilateral Economic Relations
Strong economic growth potential, a large domestic market, tariff-free access to the European Union (EU), and political stability are prime reasons that U.S. companies do business in Poland. Opportunities for trade and investment have attracted foreign investors into all sectors, and the United States is one of Poland's top investors. Poland is the leading trade partner of the United States in Central Europe. As an EU member, Poland applies the EU's common external tariff to goods from other countries, including the United States. The United States and Poland have signed a double taxation treaty and a bilateral treaty on business and economic relations. The June 2012 U.S.-Poland Business Summit promoted expansion of bilateral commercial relations, and the United States and Poland have a robust Economic and Commercial Dialogue.
Poland is a democracy, with a president as a head of state, whose current constitution dates from 1997. Poland is a peaceful country. The government structure centers on the Council of Ministers, led by a prime minister. The president appoints the cabinet according to the proposals of the prime minister, typically from the majority coalition in the Sejm. The president is elected by popular vote every five years.
Polish voters elect a bicameral parliament consisting of a 460-member lower house (Sejm) and a 100-member Senate (Senat). The Sejm is elected under proportional representation according to the d'Hondt method, a method similar to that used in many parliamentary political systems. The Senat, on the other hand, is elected under the First-past-the-post voting method, with one senator being returned from each of the 100 constituencies.
With the exception of ethnic minority parties, only candidates of political parties receiving at least 5% of the total national vote can enter the Sejm. When sitting in joint session, members of the Sejm and Senat form the National Assembly (the Zgromadzenie Narodowe). The National Assembly is formed on three occasions: when a new President takes the oath of office; when an indictment against the President of the Republic is brought to the State Tribunal (Trybunał Stanu); and when a president's permanent incapacity to exercise his duties due to the state of his health is declared. To date only the first instance has occurred.
ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS
16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie (Lower Silesia), Kujawsko-Pomorskie (Kuyavia-Pomerania), Lodzkie (Lodz), Lubelskie (Lublin), Lubuskie (Lubusz), Malopolskie (Lesser Poland), Mazowieckie (Masovia), Opolskie (Opole), Podkarpackie (Subcarpathia), Podlaskie, Pomorskie (Pomerania), Slaskie (Silesia), Swietokrzyskie (Holy Cross), Warminsko-Mazurskie (Warmia-Masuria), Wielkopolskie (Greater Poland), Zachodniopomorskie (West Pomerania)
(Key Note) The president is Bronisław Komorowski. Komorowski replaced President Lech Kaczyński following the latter's death in an 10 April 2010 air crash. The prime minister, Donald Tusk, was appointed in 2007 after his Civic Platform party made significant gains in that year's parliamentary elections. In 2011, Tusk was reelected.
With the exception of ethnic minority parties, only candidates of political parties receiving at least 5% of the total national vote can enter the Sejm. When sitting in joint session, members of the Sejm and Senat form the National Assembly (the Zgromadzenie Narodowe). The National Assembly is formed on three occasions: when a new President takes the oath of office; when an indictment against the President of the Republic is brought to the State Tribunal (Trybunał Stanu); and when a president's permanent incapacity to exercise his duties due to the state of his health is declared. To date only the first instance has occurred.
The judicial branch plays an important role in decision-making. Its major institutions include the Supreme Court of the Republic of Poland (Sąd Najwyższy); the Supreme Administrative Court of the Republic of Poland (Naczelny Sąd Administracyjny); the Constitutional Tribunal of the Republic of Poland (Trybunał Konstytucyjny); and the State Tribunal of the Republic of Poland (Trybunał Stanu). On the approval of the Senat, the Sejm also appoints the ombudsman or the Commissioner for Civil Rights Protection (Rzecznik Praw Obywatelskich) for a five-year term. The ombudsman has the duty of guarding the observance and implementation of the rights and liberties of Polish citizens and residents, of the law and of principles of community life and social justice.
In 2011, Poles elected Anna Grodzka as the first ever transsexual MP in European history,[67] and the second transgender MP in European history, after the Italian Vladimir Luxuria.[68]
Human Rights:
Elements of what is called now human rights may be found in early times of the Polish state. The Statute of Kalisz or General Charter of Jewish Liberties (issued in 1264) introduced numerous right for the Jews in Poland, leading to an autonomous "nation within a nation", and the Warsaw Confederation (1573) confirmed the religious freedom of all residents of Poland, which was extremely important for the stability of the multiethnic Polish society of the time.[69] In Poland, freedom of expression is guaranteed by the Article 25 (section I. The Republic) and Article 54 (section II. The Freedoms, Rights and Obligations of Persons and Citizens) of the Constitution of Poland.
Feminism in Poland started in 1800s. Prior to the Partition in 1795, tax-paying females were allowed to take part in political life. Since 1918, all women can vote. Poland was the 15th country[70] to introduce universal women's suffrage. There are a number of issues concerning women such as the abortion rights. Abortion is legal in limited circumstances. A de facto "glass ceiling" exists, restricting the promotion of women.[71][72]
Homosexuality in Poland was never criminalised.[clarification needed] It was confirmed as legal in 1932. Poland recognises gender change.[73] A transgender Pole Anna Grodzka has become a Member of Parliament (MP) in the 2011 parliamentary elections, and is the only transgender MP in the world.
A 2010 study published in the newspaper Rzeczpospolita revealed that Poles overwhelmingly oppose gay marriage and the adoption of children by gay couples. 80% of Poles opposed gay marriage and 93% of Poles opposed the adoption of children by gay couples.[74] A majority of Poles also oppose Pride parades – a 2008 study revealed that 66% of Poles believe that gay people should not have the right to organize public demonstrations, 69% of Poles believe that gay people should not have the right to show their way of life. Also, 37% of Poles believe that gay people should not have the right to engage in sexual activity, with 37% believing they should.[75]
Serfdom was banned in 1588.[76] It has been ranked 61st in the report studying slavery by the Walk Free Foundation. Poland belongs to the group of 'Tier 1'[77] countries in Trafficking in Persons Report. Trafficking women is 'illegal and rare'.[78] Corporal punishment of children has been officially prohibited since 1783[79] in schools and criminalised since 2010, in schools as well as at home.[80]
Executive Summary
In the twenty-five years since Poland discarded communism and the ten years since it joined the European Union (EU), Poland's investment climate has improved steadily and is highly conducive to U.S. investment. Since 2008, Poland's economy has grown by over 20 percent despite the global economic crisis, far outperforming that of any other EU member state. Poland’s strong prospects for future growth will likely continue to attract new investors seeking access not just to its dynamic local market of over 38 million people, but also to the broader EU market of nearly 500 million.
Foreign investors also routinely cite Poland’s young, well-educated, and relatively low-cost work force as a major reason to invest. Other factors making Poland an attractive investment destination are its proximity to major markets and its political stability. The volume of U.S. investment in Poland amounts to more than $20 billion, taking into account the amounts routed through U.S. subsidiaries in other countries. That makes the United States one of the largest foreign investors in Poland.
Having established a solid legal foundation and tax regime conducive to investment, Poland's government is now focused on streamlining regulations and bureaucratic processes in order to make doing business easier. The government seeks to expand the economy by encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation through the use of EU funding (Horizon 2020) to support scientific research, technological development, and innovation.
There are growing opportunities for foreign direct investment (FDI) in a number of Polish sectors. In services, business process outsourcing offering accounting, legal, and information technology services, as well as research and development, is Poland's fastest-growing sector, and will continue to attract FDI. The defense industry is another promising sector, as Poland prepares to spend $45 billion program through 2022 on military modernization, and will look for domestic production and technology transfer opportunities in awarding tenders. There are also opportunities for FDI in the energy sector (nuclear, renewable and shale gas development) as Poland seeks to diversify its energy mix, and in information infrastructure as Poland implements its plan to connect all Polish households to the internet by 2020.
Issues for investors to watch include developments in neighboring Ukraine. Further turmoil in Ukraine and disruptions in trade relations with Russia could reduce Poland’s GDP growth for 2014 (projected at approximately 3%) by about 0.1-0.2 of a percentage point. To mitigate the impact of the Ukrainian crisis, Polish companies hope to diversify their export markets and take advantage of rising domestic demand to expand sales in Poland.
Banking (Services)
The Polish banking sector, the largest in central and eastern Europe as well as the largest and the most highly developed sector of the country's financial markets, is regulated by the Polish Financial Supervision Authority.
While transforming the country to a market-oriented economy during 1992–97, the government privatized some banks, recapitalized the rest and introduced legal reforms that made the sector competitive. These reforms, and the health and relative stability of the sector, attracted a number of strategic foreign investors. At the beginning of 2009, Poland's banking sector had 51 domestic banks, a network of 578 cooperative banks and 18 branches of foreign-owned banks. In addition, foreign investors had controlling stakes in nearly 40 commercial banks, which made up 68% of the banking capital. Banks in Poland reacted to the financial crisis of 2009 by restraining lending, raising interest rates, and strengthening balance sheets. Subsequently, the sector started lending again, with an increase of more than 4% expected in 2011.
Agriculture :
employs 12.7% of the work force but contributes 3.8% to the gross domestic product (GDP), reflecting relatively low productivity. Unlike the industrial sector, Poland's agricultural sector remained largely in private hands during the decades of communist rule. Most of the former state farms are now leased to farmer tenants. Lack of credit is hampering efforts to sell former state farmland. Currently, Poland's 2 million private farms occupy 90% of all farmland and account for roughly the same percentage of total agricultural production. Farms are small—8 hectares on average—and often fragmented. Farms with an area exceeding 15 ha accounted for 9% of the total number of farms but cover 45% of total agricultural area. Over half of all farm households in Poland produce only for their own needs with little, if any, commercial sales.
Poland is a net exporter of processed fruit and vegetables, meat, and dairy products. Processors often rely on imports to supplement domestic supplies of wheat, feed grains, vegetable oil, and protein meals, which are generally insufficient to meet domestic demand. However, Poland is the leading EU producer of potatoes and rye and is one of the world's largest producers of sugar beets and triticale. Poland also is a significant producer of rapeseed, grains, hogs, and cattle. Poland is the largest producer and exporter of apples in the entire world, surpassing China
Types of Farming:
In 1990 the most important crops were grains, of which the highest yields came from wheat, rye, barley, and oats. Other major crops were potatoes, sugar beet, fodder crops, flax, hops, tobacco, and fruits. Cultivation of corn expanded during the 1980s but remained limited. The northern and east-central regions of the country mainly offered poorer sandy soils suitable for rye and potatoes. The richer soils of the central and southern parts of the country, excluding higher elevations, made those regions the centers of wheat, sugar beet, hops, and tobacco production. The more accessible land at higher elevations was used to cultivate oats or was left as meadow and pastureland. In 1989 almost half of Poland's arable land was used for the cultivation of the four major grains, another 13 percent grew potatoes. All regions of Poland raised dairy cows, beef cattle, pigs, and poultry, and cultivated fruit, usually as an integral part of mixed farming.
In 1989 Poland was the second largest producer of rye and potatoes in the world. The latter were used as vegetables, fodder for pigs, and production of industrial starch and alcohol. The country occupied sixth place in the world in sugar beet, milk, and pig production. The quantity and quality of agricultural land ensured self-sufficiency and considerable quantities of various agricultural products and processed foodstuffs available for export. In 1990 Poland exported 26 percent of the bacon it produced, as well as 63 percent of the ham, 16 percent of the tinned meat, 10 percent of the poultry, 17 percent of the sugar, and 67 percent of the frozen fruits and vegetables.
Private and state farms
In 1987 about 2.7 million private farms were in operation. About 57 percent of these were smaller than five hectares. Of the remaining farms, 25 percent were between five and ten hectares and 11 percent were between ten and fifteen hectares. Only 7 percent of private farms were larger than fifteen hectares. Whereas the majority of the private farms were below optimum size, the majority of state farms were excessively large. Only 12 percent of the latter farms were below 200 hectares, and 60 percent were larger than 1,000 hectares.
In 1989 the private sector cultivated 76.2 percent of arable land and provided 79 percent of gross agricultural production. State farms, the main institutional form in state ownership, cultivated 18.8 percent of the total arable land and produced 17.0 percent of gross output. Cooperative farms, the dominant form of state agricultural organization in other East European economies, were not important in Poland. In 1989 they cultivated only 3.8 percent of arable land and contributed 3.9 percent of gross production.
In the 1980s, grain yields and meat output per hectare were higher in the socialist sector than in the private sector. An important factor in this difference was the more intensive use of fertilizers in state farms. On the other hand, the milk yield per cow was higher in the private sector. From the standpoint of overall performance, the private sector was less material and capital-intensive, and gross production per hectare and the value of product per unit of cost were higher in that sector. Besides being more efficient, private farms were also more flexible in adjusting production to obtain a higher product value
INDUSTRIES:
Before World War II, Poland's industrial base was concentrated in the coal, textile, chemical, machinery, iron, and steel sectors. Today it extends to fertilizers, petrochemicals, machine tools, electrical machinery, electronics, car manufacture and shipbuilding.
Poland's industrial base suffered greatly during World War II, and many resources were directed toward reconstruction. The socialist economic system imposed in the late 1940s created large and unwieldy economic structures[37] operated under a tight central command. In part because of this systemic rigidity, the economy performed poorly even in comparison with other economies in Central Europe.[37]
In 1990, the Mazowiecki government began a comprehensive reform programme to replace the centralised command economy with a market-oriented system. While the results overall have been impressive, many large state-owned industrial enterprises, particularly the rail, mining, steel, and defence sectors, have remained resistant to change and the downsizing required to survive in a market-based economy.[37]
Industries Companies
Lamania – clothing
Eris – beauty/skin care
INGLOT – beauty/cosmetics
Solaris – bus/tram manufacturer
Newag – train/tram manufacturer
PESA – train/tram manufacturer
Allegro – retail/online
Hortex – food manufacturer
Apart – jewelry
Wedel – chocolate goods
Nobile – sport/kite boarding
4F – sports clothing/equipment
Reserved – clothing
Vistula – clothing
CD projekt red – video game developer
PLAY – telecom
LVMH – producer/belvedere vodka
Ursus – agriculture/tractors
Prosto – music/clothing
PKO bank polski – banking
PKN orlen – petrochemical corporation
Orange polska – telecom
Netia – telecom
Getin bank – banking
Ciech SA – chemical group
Kler – manufacturer of luxury furniture
Black red white – furniture
Alma market – supermarket
Pse-operator – national power company
Polskie górnictwo naftowe i gazownictwo – natural gas/oil
Powszechny zakład ubezpieczeń – insurance company
Polsat – media
Agora SA – media
Orbis – hotels
Asseco – IT
Bioton – biotechnology
KGHM polska miedź – copper mines and mills
Kompania węglowa – mining
Echo investment – real estate development
Emmerson lumico – real estate
Pekaes – spedition
Impel – outsourcing
Tymbark – water and juices
Telforceone – telecom
Polferries – transport
Grupa lotos – petrochemical
Polish state railways (PKP) – national railway
Poczta polska – polish post
Cersanit – ceramic goods
Polnord – real estate development
TVN- media
Globe trade centre – real estate development
Elektrim – diversified utilities / mobile phone service
Arrinera – automotive
Volkswagen poznań – automotive
Fiat poland – polish branch of fiat group (former FSM), builds panda, fiat nuova 500 and fiat 600
General motors poland – automotive
Warsaw stock exchange
Tele-fonika kable – cabling manufacturer
Fakro – rroof windows manufacturer
One europe – transport & spedition
Comarch – IT
Amica wronki SA – engineering industry
Maflow – automotive components manufacturer
Polar – home appliances
Mastercook – home appliances
PMR ltd – b2b market research, business consultancy
Metro group poland – retail
Grupa tauron polska energia – energy sector
Grupa azoty – chemistry
The Economy of Poland is the sixth-largest in the EU[11] and the largest among the ex-communist members of the European Union.[12] Before the late-2000s recession its economy grew a yearly growth rate of over 6.0% .[13] According to the Central Statistical Office of Poland, in 2010 the Polish economic growth rate was 3.9%, which was one of the best results in Europe. In Q1 2014 its economy grew by 3.4% and is expected to grow by 3.4% in 2014, 3.7% in 2015 and 3.9% in 2016. Despite its GDP growth, Poland faces numerous economic issues; it has chronic high unemployment, low wages despite significant increase of productivity, massive flight of educated population abroad, low level of innovativeness and highest percentage of people working for national minimum wage among countries of European Union.[14][15][16][17] The Polish Ministry of Treasure reported in 2012 The situation on the Polish labor market gradually worsens, reflecting the decreasing pace of Poland’s economic growth.[18]
The Polish state has steadfastly pursued a policy of economic liberalization throughout the 1990s, with positive results for economic growth but negative results for some sectors of the population.[19] The privatization of small and medium state-owned companies and a liberal law on establishing new firms has encouraged the development of the private business sector, which has been the main drive for Poland's economic growth. The agricultural sector remains handicapped by structural problems, surplus labor, inefficient small farms, and a lack of investment. Restructuring and privatization of "sensitive sectors" (e.g. coal), has also been slow, but recent foreign investments in energy and steel have begun to turn the tide. Recent reforms in health care, education, the pension system, and state administration have resulted in larger than expected fiscal pressures. Improving this account deficit and tightening monetary policy, with focus on inflation, are priorities for the Polish government. Further progress in public finance depends mainly on the reduction of public sector employment, and an overhaul of the tax code to incorporate farmers, who currently pay significantly lower taxes than other people with similar income levels. Despite some continued systemic problems, Poland has made great economic progress over the last decade, and now is ranked 20th worldwide in terms of GDP.[20] The largest component of its economy is the service sector. With the economic reform of 1989 the Polish external debt increased from $42,2 billion in 1989 to $365.2 billion in 2014
Airports[edit]
The Polish airline market was until 2004 a closed market, with bilateral agreements between countries served from the national hub – Warsaw. The regional airports were mostly serving as spokes, and were controlled by PPL, the state-owned airport authority. However, in the 1990s it was decided to deregulate the airport market and abolish the dominant position of PPL. Nearly all local airports, apart from Zielona Góra airport, became separate companies, with local governments involved in their management, which led to the partial decentralisation. Soon after opening of Polish sky for competition, flights “avoiding” the Warsaw hub became more common.
There are twelve passenger airports in operation, and there is also an airport Heringsdorf in German village Garz, 7 kilometers from Polish seaside spa Świnoujście.
However, the rapid development (8% of increase of passengers served at Polish airports in 2008 compared to 2007) of the unsaturated market and the existence of vast areas of land not covered by airports within 100 kilometers of journey, allow to assume that many new airports could be necessary to properly serve this land populated by approx. 38.2–35.8 million inhabitants. Especially the area of eastern Poland should be better penetrated by airline traffic. There is a network of secondary airports that could be used, but lack of capital and expertise prohibit their utilisation (case of Biała Podlaska Airport at the Belarussian border).
Main airports
The following are the largest airports in Poland, with passenger and cargo traffic flow (2009):[5]
Warsaw Frederic Chopin International Airport, 8,282,035 passengers and 50,143 tonnes of cargo per year.
Kraków Jana Pawła II International Airport handled 2,661,294 passengers and 4,175 tonnes of cargo.
Katowice International Airport, handles 2,301,375 passengers and 7,589 tonnes of cargo.
Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa International Airport handled 1,890,925 passengers and 4,016 tonnes of cargo.
Wrocław Mikołaj Kopernik International Airport, handles 1,324,483 passengers and 989 tonnes of cargo.
Poznań International Airport, handles 1,248,764 passengers and 2,150 tonnes of cargo.
Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport, handles 383,170 passengers and 557 tonnes of cargo
Łódź Władysław Reymont Airport, handles 312,225 passengers 2 tonnes of cargo .
Szczecin-Goleniów "Solidarność" Airport handles 276,582 passengers and 873 tonnes of cargo.
Bydgoszcz Ignacy Jan Paderewski Airport handles 264,528 and 520 tonnes of cargo.
The Polish railways network consists of around 19,599 kilometres (12,178 mi) of track as of 2008, of which the vast majority is electrified at 3 kV DC overhead.
Poland is a member of the International Union of Railways (UIC): its UIC Country Code is 51.
Overview
The network is generally electrified, and the vast majority was built before World War II by different rail companies when territory was part of other countries, including the Deutsche Reichsbahn and Russian Imperial State Railways or by the Communist authorities from 1946 onwards. Due to the average age of the network and lack of maintenance, many sections are limited to speeds below 100 km/h (62 mph) even on trunk lines. There are no high-speed lines and some 500 km (310 mi) allow 160 km/h (99 mph), most notably the Central Trunk Line (CMK), which links Warsaw to Katowice and Kraków, with some sections on an alignment that would permit 200 km/h (120 mph) but not operated at that speed.
In 2008, the government announced the construction of a dedicated high speed line based on the French TGV model and possibly using TGV style trainsets, by 2020. The Y-shaped line would link Warsaw to Łódź, Poznań and Wrocław at speeds of up to 320 km/h (200 mph). This includes an upgrade of Central Trunk Line to 250 km/h (160 mph) (or more) as this line has an LGV-like profile. In December 2011 plans to build the high speed line were postponed until 2030.[1]
Motorways in Poland are identified by the letter A, followed by a number (e.g. A1). Under current plans, by 2015 three motorways will span the country, with two routes running along an east to west axis (A2 running centrally and A4 running southerly) and one motorway traversing a north to south axis (with A1 running centrally). In addition, three shorter motorway stretches (A6, A8, A18) complete the planned motorway network. The only complete motorway stretch is A8. All others are currently under construction or in various stages of planning. As of September 2013, 1,389 km (860 mi) of motorways are in use.[2]
Expressways in Poland are limited-access roads, divided into either dual or single carriageways. Expressway on-ramp signs in Poland are marked by a white car inside a blue background, while numbered designations are white on a red background, with the letter S preceding the number. Major expressways (in various stages of use, construction, or planning) include S3, S5, S7, S11, S17 and S19 running north to south, and S6, S8, S10, S12 and S74, running east to west. As of September 2013, nearly 1,269 km (790 mi) of expressways are currently in use.[2]
Under the government of Prime Minister Marek Belka, the Council of Ministers regulations issued in May 2004 detailed plans for a network of motorways and expressways totaling to 7,200 km (4,470 mi) across the republic, including nearly 2,000 km (1,240 mi) of designated motorways.[3] Further cabinet regulations under Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński published in February 2007 added S2 and S79 to the network, planned to facilitate high speed traffic in and out of Warsaw.[4] In October 2009, the cabinet under Donald Tusk supplemented plans for the construction of S61 to serve the northeastern region of the country to connect with Lithuania.[5]
Marine transport in Poland has two main sub-groups, riverine and seaborne. On the Baltic Sea coast, a number of large seaports exist to serve the international freight and passenger trade; these are typically deep water ports and are able to serve very large ships, including the ro-ro ferries of Unity Line, Polferries and Stena Line which operate the Poland – Scandinavia passenger lines.
Riverine services operate on almost all major Polish rivers and canals (such as the Danube–Oder and Elbląg canals) as well as on domestic coastal routes.
Ports and harbors
Port of Gdańsk
Port of Gdynia
Port of Szczecin-Świnoujście
Port of Police
Port of Kołobrzeg
Port of Ustka
Following the end of the Cold War the Wojska Lądowe was drastically reduced and reorganised. In 1992, the Kraków Military District was recreated. From nine divisions, the total was planned in 2001 to fall to four, plus six independent brigades.[10] Since 1 January 1999, Poland has been divided into two military districts. These are the Pomeranian Military District (Pomorski Okręg Wojskowy) with HQ in Bydgoszcz, covering northern Poland, and the Silesian Military District (Śląski Okręg Wojskowy) with HQ in Wrocław, covering southern Poland.
Participation in peacekeeping operations
From the 1950s the Polish Land Forces have contributed troops to peacekeeping operations, initially the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission in Korea. Poland contributed troops to UNIFIL in Lebanon since 1982, but it was announced in April 2009 that Polish troops would withdraw completely by October 2009.[11] Poland sent a divisional headquarters and a brigade to Iraq after the 2003 Iraq war. Poland sent ten rotations of troops, manning a significant portion of Multinational Division Central-South. At its peak Poland had 2,500 soldiers in the south of the country. Poland deployed about ten attack and transport helicopters as part of its force in Iraq between 2004 and 2008.[12] These helicopters formed the Independent Air Assault Group (pl:Samodzielna Grupa Powietrzno-Szturmowa). The division was disbanded in 2008, though Polish advisory and training personnel, seemingly a Military Advisory Liaison Team (MALT) stayed until at least 2011 (see pl:PKW Irak). One of the most recent missions was MINURCAT in Chad and the Central African Republic, where Poland despatched troops from 2007–2010. Among the deployed troops were two Reconnaissance companies, a Military Gendarmerie unit, a component of the 10th Logistics Brigade, elements of the 5th Military Engineers Regiment, and three Mil Mi-8 helicopters.
General Mieczysław Cieniuch
was born on 24 January 1951 in Bydgoszcz. He started his professional education in 1970 at the Armour Officer College in Poznań. He broadened his training experience at the Armour Academy in Moscow (1979-1982) and the Russian General Staff Academy (1990-1992). In 2000 he graduated from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at the National Defense University in Washington. In 2002 and 2004 he completed courses on peacekeeping operations and personnel resources management at the Defense Institute of International Legal Studies (Newport) and the Naval Postgraduate School (Monterey), respectively.
Gen. Cieniuch served at all command and staff levels within armoured and mechanised units. His first assignment was as a platoon leader with the 60th Armoured Regiment, 16th Armoured Division (AD), and later Company Commander and Chief of Staff within that unit. From 1985 to 1988 he commanded the 68th Medium Armour Regiment (20 AD). In 1989 he was appointed Chief of Staff – Deputy Commander of that regiment, which was soon re-flagged as the 2nd Pomeranian Mechanised Division. In 1992, at the rank of Colonel, Mieczysław Cieniuch became Chief of Operational Division and the following year Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations at the Pomeranian Military District. In 1996, he took command of the 8th Coastal Defence Division.
Since 1998 Gen. Cieniuch has held a series of joint and strategic assignments. He began in the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces as Head of the Command Directorate and, in 2000, as the J-5 Strategic Planning General Directorate. In 2003 he was appointed First Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces. Beginning in 2006 he served as Acting Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces and subsequently as the Polish Military Representative to the Military Committees of NATO and the EU in Brussels. In 2009 he returned to Poland to become Advisor to the Minister of National Defence. On 7 May 2010 he assumed the position of the Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces, the highest military post in Poland. On 15 August of that year, he was promoted to the rank of General.
General Cieniuch has earned, among other awards, the Officer’s and Cavalier’s Crosses of the Order of Polonia Restituta, the Meritorious Golden Cross, the Golden National Defence and Military Service Medals as well as the U.S. Legion of Merit. Gen. Cieniuch and his wife Danuta have one son, Jacek. The General’s interests include history and geography.
Since 1990
Polish Air Force Mikoyan MiG-29
After political upheaval and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, and a consequent reduction in the state of military anxiety in the whole of Europe, the Polish Air Force was reduced. On July 1, 1990, the Polish Air Force and the Air Defence Force were merged again (Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej – WLiOP or WLOP). The attack capability of this force consisted primarily of MiG-21s, MiG-23s, MiG-29s, Su-20s and Su-22s. The remaining Lim-6bis were withdrawn in the early 1990s, followed soon afterwards by the withdrawal of the remaining Su-20 aircraft. The small number of remaining MiG-23s were withdrawn by 1999. Throughout the 1990s, Poland had not purchased any new combat aircraft and only managed to acquire further MiG-29s from the Czech Republic in 1995 and from Germany in 2004. MiG-21s were finally withdrawn from service in 2003. In 2004, the only remaining combat aircraft flown by the WLiOP were the MiG-29 and the Su-22. As of 2010, the fleet of Su-22s is in need of modernization to retain any value as a combat aircraft and its future is unclear.[6]
In 2002, the F-16C/D Block 52+ from the American company Lockheed Martin was chosen as a new multirole fighter for the WLiOP, the first deliveries taking place in November 2006 and continued until 2008 under Peace Sky program. As of 2011 the Polish Air Force have three squadrons of F-16s: two stationed at the 31st Tactical Air Base near Poznań and the 10th Tactical Squadron at the 32nd Air Base near Łask, which will be fully operational by 2012. The acquisition of the US F-16 was not without fierce competition from European aerospace companies; the sale was hotly pursued by the French company Dassault, with their Mirage 2000 and by the Swedish company Saab, with the JAS 39 Gripen. The Polish Block 52+ F-16s are equipped with the latest Pratt and Whitney F-100-229 afterburning turbofan engines, and the avionics suite will include the APG-68(V)9 terrain mapping radar system and the ALQ-211(V)4 electronic warfare suite. All Polish F-16s will be fully equipped to carry the latest in US precision ordnance, ranging from the JDAM/JSOW to the latest in export-certificate-authorized air-to-air weaponry (including the AIM-120C-5 and AIM-9X).
As the aftermath of the presidential Tu-154 crash in 2010 and later Polish investigation the 36th Special Aviation Regiment, responsible for transporting the President and the Polish Government, was disbanded, all officials flights will be carried by two LOT Polish Airlines Embraer E-175.[7] New unit will operate new W-3 VIP helicopters. On 27 February Poland signed a €280 milion contract with Alenia Aermacchi for 8 M-346 master Advanced Training Jet.[8][9] In May 2014, Defence Minister Tomasz Siemoniak announced plans for the future acquisition of attack helicopters in response to the Ukraine crisis.[10]
Poland's entrance into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has greatly changed the structure and role of the Polish Navy. Whereas before, most of Naval High Command was concerned with coastal defense and Baltic Sea Operations, the current mindset is for integration with international naval operations. The focus is on expansion of subsurface naval capabilities, and in the creation of a large submarine force. To facilitate these changes the Republic of Poland has undertaken a number of modernization programs aimed at creating a force capable of power projection around the world. This includes a number of foreign acquisitions, including the acquisition of four Kobben-class submarines from Norway, and two Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates from the United States. The Polish Navy has also one Kilo-class submarine (ORP Orzeł). The Naval air arm has also acquired a number of SH-2G Super Seasprite helicopters. Highly appreciated is a naval commando unit Formoza (since 2007 part of the Wojska Specjalne).
The Marynarka Wojenna has taken part in numerous joint force operations. In 1999 the naval base at Gdynia became the home base of all NATO submarine forces in the Baltic, codenamed "Cooperative Poseidon". That same year joint American-Polish submarine training manoeuvres codenamed "Baltic Porpoise" for the first time utilized the port in a multinational military exercise.
Modernization 2018
The Polish Navy is undergoing a full modernisation, although with a limited spending budget of 5 billion złoty (to spend between 2010–2018).[6] It has caused project cancellations, limitations as well as severe time delays to several projects as initially a 9 billion złoty spending budget was planned. However, the Polish Navy has acquired already 36 Swedish RBS15 Mk3.[7] and 48 Norwegian Naval Strike Missiles[8] for vessels and coastal defence units. It is planned to reinforce the Navy's helicopter fleet by six ASW and six SAR units with delivery between 2015 and 2017.[9] The Gawron-class corvettes program has been cancelled with sole surviving unit to be built as a patrol vessel.[6] Latest strategy for navy consider larger warships as unsuitable for the Baltic Sea, however one Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate will be upgraded to extend its operation life beyond 2020. 12 new ships worth around 10 billion PLN are to be acquired before 2026, this include three combat ships with displacement of 1900 tons[10] and three submarines with first delivery in 2017, second submarine until 2022 and third by 2030. Also three Kormoran 2-class minehunters and three patrol/minesweeper vessels are planned up to this date.[11][12] Meanwhile, to reduce costs, serving vessels will be upgraded and overhauled to maintain operational status. Concerns have been risen about the Polish Navy, as more vessels are being withdrawn from service without being replaced in the near future.
In June 2013 the Coastal Missile Division (NDR) equipped initially with 12 Naval Strike Missiles and two TRS-15C radars achieved initial readiness.
Tomasz Mathea is a former Commander in Chief of the Polish Navy.[1]
In 1980 he was sent to Submarine Squadron 3 Flotilla in Gdynia, where he served on submarines Project 613, first as commander of the department of underwater weapons ORP "Sokol" , and from 1984 Deputy Commander of ORP "Bald Eagle" . In 1988 became Chief of Staff of Submarine Squadron. From 1991 to 1994 he commanded Submarine Squadron, and since 1995 he was a senior specialist in the Department of Operational Staff of the Navy. In 1996 he became deputy commander for training in 3rd Ship Flotilla. In the period in 1998 - 20000, he served as Chief of the Maritime Training - Deputy Chief of Navy Training . From mid-2000 he commanded the 9th Coast Defense Flotilla in Hel, and in 2003 he took a job as head of the General Directorate of Strategic Planning P-5 in the General Staff of the Polish Army in Warsaw. From 2004 to 2006 he was head of the Naval Logistics, after which he was appointed deputy chief of the General Staff of the Polish Army.
He completed postgraduate studies at the Naval Academy of the USSR in Leningrad ( 1988 ), the Royal Academy of Naval Staff of the United Kingdom in London ( 1995 ), the National Defence Academy in Warsaw ( 1996 ) and the National Defense University of the United States of America in Washington, DC ( 2003 ).
Human Trafficking:
Poland is a source and destination country for men and women subjected to trafficking in persons, specifically conditions of forced labor and for women and children in forced prostitution. Men and women from Poland are subjected to conditions of forced labor in Italy and Sweden. Women and children from Poland are trafficked for forced prostitution within Poland and also in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden. Women and children from Moldova, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, Belarus, and Russia are trafficked to Poland for forced prostitution. Men and women from Bangladesh, China, and the Philippines are found in conditions of forced labor in Poland. Men and women from Thailand, Nigeria, Iraq, Ukraine, Belarus, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Mongolia, Vietnam, Turkey, Djibouti, and Uganda are found in conditions of forced labor, including forced begging and debt bondage, and also forced prostitution in Poland.
The Government of Poland fully complies with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. The government sustained its law enforcement efforts and undertook important steps to improve victim access to government-funded assistance by establishing the National Intervention Consultation Center in April 2009. The government also made specific efforts to ensure identified male victims of forced labor were provided with shelter and necessary assistance, a notable improvement from the previous reporting period.
Prevention
The government demonstrated adequate efforts to prevent trafficking through awareness-raising activities during the reporting period. The Ministry of Interior forged partnerships with IOM and MTV Polska to develop and air televised public service announcements entitled “Trafficking is a Fact” from October through November 2009. The government funded NGOs to conduct training for school teachers to discuss the basics of human trafficking with students. The government also published and distributed 100,000 copies of a leaflet titled “You are Not For Sale,” targeted at high school and vocational students, educating them about their rights. The Ministry of Labor conducted an information campaign for Polish citizens looking to work abroad, including interactive question and answer sessions on its website that provided information about legal assistance and advice on how to determine the legitimacy of job offers abroad. The government did not conduct a specific campaign to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts targeted at potential clients of prostitution.[
Disputes - international:
as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Poland has implemented the strict Schengen border rules to restrict illegal immigration and trade along its eastern borders with Belarus and Ukraine
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 15,149 (Russia) (2013)
stateless persons: 10,825 (2012)
Illicit drugs:
despite diligent counternarcotics measures and international information sharing on cross-border crimes, a major illicit producer of synthetic drugs for the international market; minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and
Crime dynamics
Surveys in 2009 placed Poland below the European average, with crime victimization rates lower than in Ireland, England and Wales, Iceland, Northern Ireland, Estonia, Netherlands, Denmark, Switzerland, Belgium, Sweden and Norway.
Newer studies (2011) report that the crime victimisation rate in Poland is constantly decreasing, and in 2008 Poland was 25th among 36 European countries. A 2004 report on security concerns of European Union residents indicated that the Polish public is the most afraid of crime (along with Greece), a finding which does not correlate with the actual crime threat.
