Polish Market No.6 (285)/2019

PU B LISHED SIncE 199 6 No. 6 (285) /2019 :: www.polishmarket.com.pl

........................

The 60 Million Congress global Polonia suMMiT in: buffalo rzeszów new York ........................

Polish CiTies Pull in invesTors ........................

electromobility “involves a lot of costs, including the use of batteries and new infrastructure.”

jan

KuźmińsKi President of the Board, MZa

䔀堀倀伀刀吀 ⴀ 䤀䴀倀伀刀吀

䰀䔀䄀䐀䔀刀 䤀一 匀唀倀倀䰀䤀䔀匀

伀䘀 䜀伀伀䐀匀Ⰰ 匀䔀刀嘀䤀䌀䔀匀 䄀一䐀 吀䔀䌀䠀一伀䰀伀䜀䤀䔀匀 䘀伀刀 䴀䤀䰀䤀吀䄀刀夀 䄀一䐀 䌀䤀嘀䤀䰀 䄀嘀䤀䄀吀䤀伀一 䄀一䬀伀䰀 ጠ 倀伀䰀䄀一䐀 ㌀㤀ⴀ㌀㌀㄀ 䌀䠀伀刀娀䔀䰀팀圀 ㈀㐀㐀 圀圀圀⸀䄀一䬀伀䰀⸀䌀伀䴀⸀倀䰀

ONTENT

6 FROM THE PRESIDENT’S PRESS OFFICE 7 FROM THE GOVERNMENT INFORMATION CENTRE

8 NEW DEFENCE DEAL-

INFRASTRUCTURE

30 INVESTMENT GOING STRONG-

MODERNISATION OF THE YEAR AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE 21ST CENTURY OPEN COMPETITION

RAFAŁ KIEPUSZEWSKI

POLAND - THE CENTENARY OF REGAINING INDEPENDENCE

10 HAS HE STAYED WITH US? MACIEJ PROLIŃSKI

12 NEW BEGINNINGS - JERZY MIZIOŁEK,

DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MUSEUM IN WARSAW

ECOLOGY

16 CARING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT TRANSPORT

18 TURNING WARSAW INTO A SMART CITY JAN KUŹMIŃSKI, PRESIDENT, MZA

INDUSTRY

32 6TH CONGRESS OF THE POLISH CHEMICAL INDUSTRY

33 “I AM CONFIDENT ABOUT THE FUTURE OF LOTOS” - JAROSŁAW WITTSTOCK, VICE-PRESIDENT, LOTOS GROUP

35 ZERO WASTE. VAGUE VISION OR SOUND

BUSINESS? - IWO RYBACKI, BOARD MEMBER, ASSAY GROUP

36 WASTE POTENTIAL - JÓZEF MOKRZYCKI, PRESIDENT, MO-BRUK SA

HIGHER EDUCATION

38 RANKINGS ARE OUR SPECIALTY

21 ELECTROMOBILITY UNDER PUBLIC

- WALDEMAR SIWIŃSKI, PRESIDENT, PERSPEKTYWY EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

22 CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS - THE 3RD

POZNAŃ UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY. 100 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN SCIENCE AND EDUCATION

PRESSURE

INTERNATIONAL EKOTRENDY 2019 ENERGY, TRANSPORT AND ENVIRONMENT FORUM

23 FOR THE SAKE OF FUTURE GENERATIONS - JOANNA LECH, ACTING DIRECTOR, CENTRE FOR EU TRANSPORT PROJECTS (CEUTP)

24 IVECO: A CLEAR INVESTMENT ROADMAP TO CONSOLIDATE AND GROW IN ALL SEGMENTS - GERRIT MARX, PRESIDENT COMMERCIAL AND SPECIALTY VEHICLES

26 MOBILITY, NOT OWNERSHIP - JAKUB

FARYŚ, PRESIDENT, POLISH AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION

28 NOT JUST A TICKET OFFICE AND

WAITING ROOM: A POINT OF ACCESS TO THE WHOLE TRANSPORT SYSTEM TOMASZ MISZCZUK, BOARD MEMBER, POLSKIE KOLEJE PAŃSTWOWE SA (PKP SA)

40

42 MAKING POLES FEEL SECURE - PROF.

LESZEK RAFALSKI, CHAIRMAN, MAIN COUNCIL OF RESEARCH INSTITUTES (RGIB)

44 ENGINEER OF THE FUTURE JERZY BOJANOWICZ

ECONOMY

45 9TH EUROPEAN FINANCIAL CONGRESS JERZY MOSOŃ

46 OUT WITH THE OLD POLICIES 47 METLIFE INTRODUCES INNOVATIVE

INSURANCE FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES

49 PROMOTING THINGS POLISH MACIEJ PROLIŃSKI

INNOVATION IN MEDICINE

50 4TH EDITION OF THE "HEALTH FIRST" PROGRAMME

58 ROYAL CASTLE, 400TH ANNIVERSARY STAMPMACIEJ PROLIŃSKI

60 RARE TREAT - MACIEJ PROLIŃSKI

REGIONS

52 POLISH CITIES PULL IN INVESTORS EWELINA JANCZYLIK-FORYŚ

EVENT

54 WE PROMOTE POLAND - 60 MILLION CONGRESS - GLOBAL POLONIA SUMMIT

CEO AFTER HOURS

61 MUSIC IS VALUES- ADAM SANOCKI, MANAGING PARTNER, ATTENTION MARKETING

ORGANIC FOOD

62 REGIONAL ECO DELICACIES

CULTURE

56 CULTURAL MONITOR

6 (285)/2019

65 JAN MAZUREK, MICHAEL STRÖM ECONOMIC MONITOR

PUBLISHER: Oficyna Wydawnicza RYNEK POLSKI Sp. z o.o.

(RYNEK POLSKI Publishers Co. Ltd.)

Polish Market :: 6 (285) /2019

PRESIDENT: Krystyna Woźniak-Trzosek ........................

The 60 Million Congress global Polonia suMMiT in: buffalo rzeszów new York ........................

Polish CiTies Pull in invesTors ........................

“electromobility involves a lot of costs, including the use of batteries and new infrastructure.”

jan

KuźmińsKi President of Board, MZa

Cover: JAN KUŻMIŃSKI, President of

the Board, MZA

Photo source: www.shutterstock.com, www.commons.wikimedia.org unless otherwise stated

CONTRIBUTORS: Agnieszka Turakiewicz, Mirosław Wdzięczkowski

VICE - PRESIDENTS: Błażej Grabowski, Grażyna Jaskuła

GRAPHIC DESIGN: Agnieszka Charuba, Joanna Wiktoria Grabowska

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Jerzy Mosoń j.moson@polishmarket.com.pl ENGLISH EDITOR: Rafał Kiepuszewski

Oficyna Wydawnicza RYNEK POLSKI Sp. z o.o.

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WRITERS/EDITORS: Jan Sosna, Maciej Proliński, Jerzy Bojanowicz, Jan Mazurek, Andrzej Kazimierski, Janusz Turakiewicz, Janusz Korzeń

Published articles represent the authors’ personal views only. The Editor and Publisher disclaim any responsibility or liability for their contents.

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PU B LISHED SIncE 199 6 No. 6 (285) /2019 :: www.polishmarket.com.pl

TRANSLATION: Sylwia Wesołowska-Betkier, Agit

EDITORIAL

A

ccording to the latest OECD forecast, in 2019 the leaders of the world economy will be India (7.2% GDP growth), China (6.2%), Indonesia (5.1%) and ... Poland (4.2%). Poland?

Definitely so.

Since the beginning of the year the Polish economy has been proving remarkably impervious to external problems. This is not the first time.

Poland bravely coped with the global recession at the turn of the millennium, and it surprised the world with the way it successfully resisted the 2008 crisis. Now that prospects for the global and European economy are looking dimmer, analysts say that Poland still appears bulletproof. In the opinion of the OECD Economic Outlook, Poland's results definitely exceed the 1.8% average for all member states of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. What's more, this country’s prospects are assessed as favourable.

Domestic demand remains strong, private consumption is growing by leaps and bounds, the labour market is developing dynamically. New welfare spending programmes and tax reliefs, are set to contribute to further growth. Thanks to the inflow of EU funding and a flexible monetary policy, investment is also expected to accelerate.

So what else do you need? And this was one of the less enthusiastic assessments. Many experts predict an even higher growth rate of 5%. Poland’s longstanding growth record is also appreciated by analysts. Taking stock of the three decades of political and economic transformation following the collapse of communism, a report by the Polish Economic Institute states that over this period the country’s GDP has more than doubled, there has been a four-fold export growth, household incomes doubled, and the structure of the Polish economy has become similar to that of Western European economies.

Bank and rating analysts emphasise that some external risks cannot be ignored, "which to a large extent may have a negative impact on the Polish economy." These are primarily: the state of the global economic situation (such as Donald Trump's trade wars, or a possible hard Brexit, which could

lower Poland’s GDP growth by 1%), the scale and absorption rate of EU funding, the labour supply deficit and its impact on investment, the result of parliamentary elections coming up in October and its impact on public spending. Of course, this is not doom-saying by the world economics guru Nouriel Roubini, who envisages a deadly clash between populism and democracy. But the new World Bank President David Malpass appears concerned about the future of the global economy, and the director of his crystal ball gazing team Ayhan Kose is talking about a 20% chance of a serious slowdown next year.

These warnings are not ignored by the Polish government. In its State Long-Term Financial Plan for the years 2019-22, the government has adopted cautious assumptions regarding next year's budget, with a planned GDP increase of 3.7% and inflation of 2.5%. An increase in core inflation is expected, driven mainly by a high rate of wage growth. It can lead more Poles to seek employment, which should make up for existing labour shortages. According to Minister of Investment and Economic Development Jerzy Kwieciński, a significant increase in new business ventures can be expected in the next two years. New infrastructure investment projects, such as roads, railways, bridges, but also company investments, are to contribute to this in a meaningful way. The minister says that a number of Polish and foreign companies are preparing new business ventures.

They are encouraged by the law on supporting new investments which has entered into force. Although its more tangible effects are expected within two or three years, Statistics Poland has already noted a revival in this field.

The phenomenon of accelerating investments in times of global uncertainty can be explained in two ways. One is the effect of major players moving production to Poland as part of global value chains.

Another is the situation on the labour market.

To develop, you need to change manufacturing processes, namely, move towards automation, new technologies and new products. According to the Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH), the sector that has attracted the most foreign investment in 2018 was electromobility. It is a sign that Poland is heading in the right direction.

Krystyna Woźniak-Trzosek Editor-in-Chief President of Rynek Polski Publishers Co. Ltd.

6/2019 polish market

5

PRESIDENT

1989 ELECTIONS “A VICTORY FOR POLES”

P

olish President Andrzej Duda told the Senate on June 4 that the first free elections to the Upper House of Parliament in 1989 marked a great victory for Poles, a triumph that changed the world. "Thanks to these elections and the attitude of Polish people, a socio-political transformation took place in Central Europe," he stressed. "Even though the elections to the Lower House of Parliament were not fully free, the people of Poland showed that they were determined to reject communism and communists," Andrzej Duda said.

The president stressed that the 30th anniversary of the first free elections plays an important role in supporting the Polish diaspora. "Our compatriots see the changing face of Poland," he pointed out, adding that "the general balance of the changes is definitely positive." According to the president, Poland is now "free, sovereign and far more prosperous."

A COMMUNITY OF 112 MILLION

(Sources: polskieradio24.pl, president.pl, PAP)

“

The Three Seas Initiative of regional cooperation is very important and should be developed for the benefit of the societies of the region and the whole EU,” President Andrzej Duda said at a meeting in Brdo in Slovenia. The initiative, a joint project of the Polish and Croatian presidents, is a platform for cooperation of 12 countries situated between the Adriatic, Baltic and Black Seas. Its aim is to boost cooperation in the region in such areas as infrastructure, energy, transport and digitisation. A key aim of the initiative is to coordinate infrastructural efforts "so that we can coherently create connections along the north-south axis. We want to catch up with Western Europe in terms of infrastructure, and at the same time create better opportunities for transport and development, including economic

66 polish polishmarket market

development, for businesses and tourists and also for strengthening energy security," the president said.

The Three Seas Initiative brings together Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. The region constitutes nearly one-third of the EU's total area and has more than 112 million inhabitants. “The market, which stretches between the Baltic Sea, the Adriatic and the Black Sea, now has a combined GDP of EUR1.7 trillion. In a decade or so, it will increase to reach EUR2.3 trillion.

In the meantime, it will continue to grow in size at an average rate of 2.4% per annum. This means that the share of Central and Eastern Europe in the GDP of the whole EU will increase from 10 to 13% by 2030,” the Polish president underscored.

BOOSTING DEVELOPMENT AID

A

ddressing the Warsaw Humanitarian Expo in the Warsaw suburb of Nadarzyn June 11-13, President Andrzej Duda stressed that he is proud of Poland which "after the bleak communist era has been developing so successfully" and for over 20 years has been "a donor of humanitarian and development aid." He said that Poland spends over PLN 2.5 billion a year on development aid.

According to him, businesspeople should be even more actively involved in humanitarian aid projects. “Business cooperation with the government sector and international organisations creates good prospects for international development aid and should be further developed. Polish aid reaches the most distant corners of the globe,” Andrzej Duda said. “This country is involved in helping neighbouring countries, including Ukraine and Belarus, and is also present in the Middle East, where Polish volunteers have been helping the civilian population since the start of the war in Syria.

At the same time, Poland helps with humanitarian projects aimed at providing shelter and accommodation for Syrians escaping the war, in neighbouring countries such as Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey,” the president added. “The nature of humanitarian crises is changing and the threats that the world has to face are becoming more complex,” Andrzej Duda said, stressing that humanitarian aid initiatives must "be constantly adjusted to the surrounding reality.”

PRIME MINISTER

THE FUTURE OF EUROPE

“

We want the highest officials in Brussels to serve the construction of a strong EU which supports the common market, and to ensure a balanced EU budget for the next financial period,” said Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on an informal visit to the EU Council in Brussels. The leaders discussed institutional issues in the context of the European Parliament elections and the expiring term of heads of European institutions. The participants also discussed nominations for the key EU positions, i.e. the President of the European Council and of the European Commission, and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

Prime Minister Morawiecki said that the Polish government sought to ensure that the election of politicians for key posts in the EU should be based on consensus among member states. He added that the topics which are the most important for Poland are: energy, climate and economy.

SATISFACTION LEVELS THE HIGHEST IN 30 YEARS

P

rime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki attended the “Poland - A Great Project” Congress, which was devoted to changes, threats, and strategic challenges facing Poland. Addressing the congress, he stressed that in recent years the government had carried out important reforms making the state more effective, e.g. in the field of tax collection. According to Mateusz Morawiecki, the government's actions have given rise to a “small economic miracle.” “According to OECD, within the next two years Poland is set to become the fastest developing country among the 36 members of this organisation.

We haven’t achieved such a success in a long time, perhaps never. The level of public satisfaction and acceptance of economic and social policies is the highest in the last 30 years,” declared the Prime Minister. He pointed out that human dignity should be the number one consideration when it comes to economic policies.

WE WANT THE HIGHEST OFFICIALS IN BRUSSELS TO SERVE THE CONSTRUCTION OF A STRONG EU WHICH SUPPORTS THE COMMON MARKET, AND TO ENSURE A BALANCED EU BUDGET FOR THE NEXT FINANCIAL PERIOD."

2020 BUDGET FOUNDATIONS

T

he government has adopted the foundations of the state budget for 2020. It is envisaged that in 2020 Poland’s GDP growth will amount to 3.7%.

A further increase in the share of investments in GDP is expected, largely through the use of EU funding. The most important growth component will be private consumption, supported by consumer optimism and a favourable situation on the labour market.

The downward trend in the unemployment rate is expected to continue. At the end of 2020 unemployment is to amount to 5.1% against 5.8% in end-2018. In 2020, the average wage is to increase by 6.0%. Given new extensive welfare programmes, private consumption is expected to rise by 3.8%. Despite a slowdown in the economies of Poland’s main trading partners, exports are expected to increase by 4.8%. The forecast assumes an increase in core inflation driven mainly by a high rate of wage growth. In 2020 year-on-year inflation is expected to rise to 2.5%.

NUCLEAR ENERGY PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES

T

he government envoy for critical energy infrastructure Piotr Naimski and the U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry signed a memorandum of understanding in Washington on June 12 concerning cooperation in the use of nuclear energy for civilian purposes. Both parties expressed their readiness to co-operate in the Polish nuclear energy programme. Poland and the United States are to jointly define the conditions necessary for the development of the Polish nuclear programme, taking into account funding, human resources and involvement of local industry. Poland’s energy policy envisages the construction of six nuclear reactors 1–1.5GW each (6–9GW combined capacity). The first reactor is to be launched by 2033, and the remaining five by 2043. The first nuclear power plant is to be built in coastal regions.

6/2019 polish market

7

PRESIDENT

NEW DEFENCE DEAL

Rafał Kiepuszewski

8 polish market

D

uring a visit to the United States, Polish President Andrzej Duda signed a new defence agreement with US President Donald Trump at the White House on June 12, under which an additional 1,000 US troops are to be stationed in Poland on a rotational basis. Donald Trump marked the signing with a rare military display - a flyover of an F-35 fighter jet above the White House which came as Poland is taking steps to purchase new F-35s from the United States.

The US President hailed them as "the world's greatest fighter jet - most advanced plane, probably, anywhere in the world beyond fighter jet, the most advanced plane."

Donald Trump said the deployment of additional soldiers in Poland would not alter the total number of US troops stationed across Europe. He explained that the force would be taken from America's 52,000-strong contingent in Germany, and include drones and other military hardware. These rotational troops will help to develop Poland's military infrastructure to be able to receive much greater numbers of soldiers if necessary in the future. Donald Trump fell short, however, of committing

to a permanent US base in the country. The announcement came following the Polish offer to spend USD2 billion on building the facilities for a US base. Around 5,000 troops already rotate in and out of Poland. This is part of a 2016 NATO agreement, made in response to Moscow's annexation of the Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

"Poland will provide the bases and infrastructure to support a military presence of about 1,000 American troops," Donald Trump said during a news conference.

Polish President Andrzej Duda highlighted the significance of the US deployment, noting that it will include "special operations forces" and other types of US military units. "It is not one single unit. We're talking about special operation forces. We're talking about logistics components. We're also talking about division headquarters," he said. "So there is a multitude of forums in which the United States is going to be gradually ever more present in our territory from the military standpoint."

Speaking earlier from the Oval Office, Donald Trump noted that the US deployment amounts to a "statement."

"This would be a statement that the US is making," he said.

Andrzej Duda said last year that Poland is ready to spend USD2 billion to help finance a permanent US military base. Poland is one of the few NATO members that spends at least 2% of GDP on defence, meeting a target set by the alliance in 2014.

Poland has also requested to buy 32 F-35 jet fighters from US company Lockheed Martin to replace its fleet of Soviet-designed MiG and Sukhoi jets, the Polish defence ministry said on May 28. The deal would be worth about USD2.5 billion.

The Polish President’s second visit to the United States in less than a year celebrated the 20th anniversary of Poland's membership in NATO, and the 30th anniversary of communism's downfall in the country. Speaking to reporters, Andrzej Duda thanked Donald Trump for his "extreme kindness towards Poland and perfect understanding of Polish matters."

Dan Kochis, a European security analyst at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank in Washington, told RFE/RL that the United States and Poland may need more time to agree on the specifics of a deal.

PRIME MINISTER

"There are still details being worked out but, eventually, we are going to get there where the United States has a permanent presence stationed in Poland,” he said, adding a deal would likely be finalised by the end of this year.

BOOSTING ENERGY SECURITY

After leaving Washington, the Polish President went on to visit Texas, Nevada and California for talks on energy and technology. The leader of the largest economy in the eastern part of the European Union aimed to strike more energy deals to reduce dependence on Russian gas. Andrzej Duda travelled to Houston with Energy Secretary Rick Perry to meet executives of the largest US oil and gas companies.

“Today I am here, in Sabine Pass, in the gas port owned

by Cheniere which has signed a contract with Poland, with our company - the Polish Oil and Gas Company - for the supply of liquefied gas to Poland. As the Secretary of Energy has just noted, the first gas tankers will soon be leaving in order to supply the Świnoujście terminal and our part of the European gas network,” Andrzej Duda said. “I am pleased that, in addition to military security, which we receive from the United States through cooperation within the North Atlantic Alliance, there is also energy support from the United States in the form of this trade exchange. Thank you once again for all your efforts and your remarkable work to make sure that these contracts and the gas bridge between Europe and the United States - Poland and the United States - can be achieved. Undoubtedly, with this type of security and this type of cooperation together with the cooperation between us in the military field, a new era of cooperation has opened between the United States, Poland and Central Europe. I am delighted to be able to take part in these extraordinary projects for the benefit of my country,” the Polish President has underscored.

Poland has begun importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States to help reduce dependence on Russian energy. It cut its gas imports from Gazprom by 6% last year, but the Russian state-owned company still accounts for two-thirds of its imported gas. Poland’s long-term import contract with Gazprom ends in 2022, opening the opportunity to replace more Russian energy with USproduced LNG. Poland is now looking to build another import terminal to handle greater volumes. US energy companies have been ramping up natural gas production and are looking to export more.

DIVERSIFYING TIES

Among other points of Andrzej Duda’s visit to Houston was his meeting with representatives of the Polish community in the United States, combined with an award ceremony for some of its merited members. The President called on the Anderson Cancer Center in Houston for the signing of a memorandum of cooperation between MD Anderson Cancer Center and the Polish Ministry of Health.

In Nevada, Andrzej Duda opened a Polish Business and Innovation Week. At Menlo Park, he met with the leaders of new technologies to open a Polish-American Forum for New Technologies. This was followed by a visit to the Google headquarters for a meeting with the President of YouTube and Google Senior Vice President for International Relations.

• Sources: PAP, President.pl, polskieradio.pl, RFE/RL

3/2019 polish market

9

POLAND THE CENTENARY OF REGAINING INDEPENDENCE

HAS HE STAYED WITH US?

P

ope John Paul II (1920-2005) taught Polish people how to love the world, the homeland, and the Church, how to love people who look for their own way to reach the source, to find out what it means to be good. The key in his teaching is love. The ministry and teachings of John Paul II were a constant effort to build a civilisation of peace and love. They definitely contributed to the historic transformation in Poland, especially in the political and economic dimension. But the Pope’s message is universal, and it is still valid.

John Paul II answered a question once asked

by Joseph Stalin: how many divisions the Pope had. "Do not be afraid" - this quote from the Bible sent shock waves across Eastern Europe.

And it significantly contributed to changes which occurred on the map of the region which Stalin’s armies had subjugated. A revolution of

10 polish market

conscience was triggered by the Pope’s visit, which eventually led to Poland’s bloodless revolution of 1989. The Pope reminded his countrymen about their homeland’s true history and rightful place in the family of nations. He repeatedly pointed out that Poland’s culture and national heritage was of paramount importance, and that it was the most dynamic force in the nation’s march through history.

But by the turn of this century, freedom was started to be perceived by many as the ability to make easy choices that leave us neither hot nor cold. This means that we passively allow various accidental stimuli and short-term sensations, take hold of our soul, while allowing relativity to creep in. As an antidote to such attitudes (and the fears these entail,) in his seminal address to the UN General Assembly in New York on October 5, 1995, John Paul II said: “One of the greatest paradoxes of our time is that Man who

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the historic first pilgrimage to Poland

by Pope John Paul II. It took place on June 2-10, 1979. Its motto was “Gaude Mater Polonia” (Rejoice Mother Poland). Apart from taking part in the First Synod of the Kraków Diocese and ceremonies marking the 900th anniversary of the death of Poland’s patron saint St. Stanislaus, the newly elected Pope bid a symbolic farewell to his compatriots and places connected with his childhood and youth. His itinerary included Warsaw, Gniezno, Częstochowa, Kraków, Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, Wadowice, Oświęcim (Auschwitz-Birkenau) and Nowy Targ. It is estimated that as many as 10 million Poles turned out to greet John Paul II. To mark the anniversary of his visit, a number of events have taken place over the past few weeks to remind his compatriots about the life, work and message of the Polish Pope.

Maciej Proliński

had entered modern times with confidence, convinced of his ‘maturity’ and ‘autonomy,’ is now approaching the end of the 20th century with a feeling of fear of what lies in store, afraid of what he can do to himself, terrified by the future. (...) For the next millennium to witness a new flowering of the human spirit, supported by a genuine culture of freedom, humanity must learn to overcome fear. We must stop being afraid, and regain hope and trust. Hope is not vain optimism, dictated by the naive conviction that the future will certainly be better than the past. Hope and trust are the premises for responsible action, which draws strength from the hidden sanctuary of conscience, in which Man is alone with God.” The Pope’s life, work and 27 years of pontificate, provided ample answers to the question posed by his philosophical and theological master, St. Thomas Aquinas: “Does

POLAND THE CENTENARY OF REGAINING INDEPENDENCE

(...)HUMANITY

MUST LEARN TO OVERCOME FEAR. WE MUST STOP BEING AFRAID, AND REGAIN HOPE AND TRUST.

God exist?” Man creates the world along with God and has a share in his own salvation. And freedom can be fulfilled through goodness – that was the mantra John Paul II repeated time and again.

Among the Pope’s many achievements, mention must also be made of his dialogue with other religions. It was on his initiative that in 1986 the World Day of Prayer for Peace took place in Assisi, attended by representatives of almost all religions of the world. In 1999, to the astonishment of all those present, he respectfully kissed the Koran he received as a gift from a Muslim delegation. These gestures found their climax in two crucial pilgrimages: to the Holy Land and to Syria. In Jerusalem, the Pope prayed at the Western Wall. He also visited the Yad Vashem Institute. “Ut unum sint” - these were the last words uttered on his deathbed by John XXIII. John Paul II remembered these words, and he used them as a title for his encyclical dedicated to the unity of Christians. John Paul II established a unique rapport with young people. He won them over with his directness.

Young people came in droves to take part in the World Youth Day, though the Pope presented them with tough challenges. In 1995, the largest public gathering in history took place in Manila.

Almost 7 million people from the Roman Catholic Philippines and from non-Catholic Asian countries, arrived for the meeting.

John Paul II left no worldly possessions.

But he left behind about 85,000 pages of his encyclicals, books, letters, plays and poems.

On April 27, 2014, John Paul II and John XXIII were declared saints by the Roman Catholic Church. “He once said that he would like to be remembered as a family pope. I am happy to emphasise this,” said Pope Francis in one of his homilies.

To mark the anniversary of John Paul II’s first pilgrimage to his homeland, a Polish language website, www.pielgrzymka79.polskieradio. pl, dedicated to these momentous events 40 years ago, has been prepared by Polish Radio.

It provides a wealth of information, at the same time taking you on a sentimental journey to the days that changed the face of Poland. The interactive website presents each day of the Pope’s visit, featuring unique recordings of his homilies taken from Polish Radio archives. It is a perfect opportunity to once again hear the message of the Polish Pope. Experts featured in video clips included on the site, explain the historical context of the visit, and the sociopolitical and theological sense of papal homilies.

Broadcasters who reported on the visit share their fond memories of the event. A double album has been released by the Polish Radio Music Agency entitled “I trust you can hear me.”

It includes a selection of the Pope's statements made during his visits to Poland between 1979 and 2002, as well as plenty of recordings from the first pilgrimage.

An open-air exhibition "Polonia semper fidelis. The first pilgrimage of John Paul II to Poland. Italian perspective,” is on until June 19 at 34 Krakowskie Przedmieście Street in Warsaw, next to the Church of the Visitation Sisters and Father Jan Twardowski Square.

The exhibition (in English, Polish and Italian) features unique photographs by Carl Leidi (1930-1998), an Italian photographer, writer and traveller who in June 1979 followed in the footsteps of John Paul II during his first pilgrimage to Poland. The photos are accompanied by the artist’s memoirs and quotes from the Pope’s homilies in Warsaw, Kraków, Częstochowa and Oświęcim. “Every picture by Carl Leidi is a discovery of hope and emotion with which Poles experienced not only the arrival of John Paul II to their homeland, but above all, the fact that they were together, that they were a nation united by common values, the feeling that nothing would ever be the same again. Something important happened. Poles regained dignity and a sense of national pride that had been trampled on under communism.

Now we know that in June 1979, along with the first pilgrimage of John Paul II to his homeland, the Polish road to freedom began,” wrote Joanna Olendzka of the Museum of John Paul II and Primate Wyszyński, the originator and curator of the exhibition.

Another exhibition entitled “Rise and let us go ...” is on in the Grand Courtyard of the Royal Castle in Warsaw until June 20.

It features some 40, mostly unknown and previously not shown, photographs from the collection of the Primate Stefan Cardinal Wyszyński Institute, and the Institute of

National Remembrance archives. A selection of articles from German, Italian, Dutch, French and American newspapers is also on display.

Excerpts from statements made by Poland’s then communist rulers about the pilgrimage – before and after - are also on show. Director of the Royal Castle, Prof. Wojciech Fałkowski, emphasised on the opening night that this exhibition was a visible sign that the memory of Pope John Paul II's first visit to his native Poland is still alive. He added that the Royal Castle, which is a symbol of Polish statehood and of the Polish nation, was a fitting place for this memory to be documented and clearly demonstrated.

A concert entitled “Listen to the Pope” was held in Piłsudski Square in Warsaw on June 2.

During the concert, the most famous songs dedicated to John Paul II were performed, along with songs which Polish pilgrims, and the Pope himself, sang during the visit. Archive materials, excerpts from the most important papal homilies and speeches, were also shown in a multimedia presentation. In the audience was Polish President Andrzej Duda, accompanied by the First Lady.

“His visit was significant for subsequent key events that followed. John Paul II played a major role in the process of the peaceful liberation of Poland from under the Soviet influence. It was his first pilgrimage to his homeland, after being elected Pope. It was one of the breakthrough events of that time, a spark which lit the flame of freedom,” according to the organisers of the concert, the Office of the "Niepodległa" Programme.

It was in Warsaw that the Pope uttered his famous words: “Let Your Spirit descend and renew the face of the earth. The face of this land.”

This time, the people of Warsaw could hear them spoken by the popular actress Małgorzata Kożuchowska.

The concert was attended by well-known Polish vocalists, including Stanisława Celińska, Krzysztof Cugowski, Natalia Kukulska and Halina Mlynkova. Among the performers were also Golec uOrkiestra, Zakopower, the Warsaw Sentimental Orchestra, the Warsaw Boys' Choir, the Jerzy Semkow Polish Orchestra Sinfonia Iuventus, the Polish Chamber Choir, the One Heart Youth Choir, and the Polish armed forces ensemble. Marcin Pospieszalski, the renowned bass player, music producer, arranger, and composer coming from one of Poland’s most famous families of musicians, was in charge of the music side of the event. After dark, the Presidential Palace was lit up to commemorate the anniversary of the start of the memorable papal pilgrimage home. And the question, which I deliberately included in the title of this article, remains topical.

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POLAND THE CENTENARY OF REGAINING INDEPENDENCE

NEW BEGINNINGS

The National Museum in Warsaw has gained a remarkable dynamics in recent months. Gems of Polish culture which have been forgotten for years are being rediscovered. Works which used to be hidden away in storage, are now being put on display. The museum’s director JERZY MIZIOŁEK tells Jerzy Mosoń that this is not the end of changes.

The museum is to be larger and more prestigious - to measure up to other institutions of world-class culture. So what can we expect in the coming months?

How to encourage tourists to visit the National Museum?

We are working on increasing the dynamics and diversity of exhibitions, modernising the ways and methods of presentation, also using digital techniques.

We are also trying to display what the museum has kept in warehouses for years, as well as collections which were previously not shown in Poland. In March 2019, the National Museum was enriched with the collection of one of the greatest Polish sculptors August Zamoyski (born in Jabłoń in 1893, died in Saint-Clar-de-Rivière in 1970).

For years, the collection of this great artist's works was kept at the mediaeval Cistercian monastery at Sylvanès in France. From May 17 to August 25, the exhibition is open to visitors. We have managed to obtain 93 pieces of sculpture from all periods of August Zamoyski's work, as well as twelve of his drawings.

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Beginning June 14, you can visit the exhibition: "Visible Invisible / 20th Century Painting.” It is a selection of rarely shown 143 paintings from our collection of modern painting. Works on show come from the early 20th century and the post-war period. The exhibition allows you to observe how trends evolve and come back years later.

At long last you can see the great visionary works by painter Zdzisław Beksiński.

Yes, there are paintings by Zdzisław Beksiński, but also by Tadeusz Kantor, Ewa Kuryluk, Roman Opałka and Erna Rosenstein. And these are only some artists whose works can be admired until the end of November, thanks to the work of a team of six members of the Modern Art Collection of the National Museum in Warsaw. I would like to stress, however, that this is not yet another permanent gallery, but only an introduction to work on its full-scale preparation in the future.

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It begs a question: why so late and why not permanently?

You cannot show everything at once. The museum's collections, in addition to wellknown and popular masterpieces, contain numerous paintings which have been kept in storage for many reasons. First of all, it is a matter of the lack of adequate space for exhibitions. That is why we need a new exhibition and symposium space, both inside and outside the museum walls. We are also hoping to gradually take over rooms occupied by the Polish Armed Forces Museum.

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Would it then be possible to establish closer partnerships with other museums, to exchange works, to broaden the range of works on show?

Definitely, despite the fact that we have our own large collections. We are also trying to obtain the status of a research institution - as it was at the time of Professors Stanisław Lorentz, PM

Photo: Piotr Ligier

POLAND THE CENTENARY OF REGAINING INDEPENDENCE

Jan Białostocki and Kazimierz Michałowski.

But given these ambitious plans, even though we are to take over the rooms occupied by the Polish Armed Forces Museum, we are bound to run out of space. That is why we are also thinking about the museum’s branch in Nieborów and Arkadia, where a theatre awaits reconstruction, which is needed as venue for meetings, concerts and performances. Add to this the Królikarnia gallery with its sculpture collection, the Poster Museum in Wilanów and the Kristall house.

These are very ambitious plans, but when I took part in the opening of the exhibition in April entitled "Art is value. From the collection of PKO Bank Polski," what was missing was a large enough room to house opening nights.

That's right. Holding opening nights and other events in the small museum lobby is really tough. Usually many invited guests need to remain outside the lobby, in between changing rooms and ticket offices, and thus only partly participate in the event.

It is particularly difficult when security arrangements need to be made for invited VIPs who take part in the inauguration of an exhibition or another event.

The most urgent thing is the planned return of the entire building at 3 Jerozolimskie PM

Avenue, one of the most outstanding landmarks of the Second Polish Republic (1918-1039), to the National Museum. It was intended to house it from the start. But a "new opening" can only be achieved once the Polish Armed Forces Museum has moved out. I hope it’s going to happen in the coming months. We will gain room for an auditorium which can accommodate 500 people.

And what about the garden adjacent to the Armed Forces Museum? Could it also be developed for the needs of the National Museum?

This area requires immediate action. Most of the stairs on the escarpment and the other masonry structures there are in a sorry state, and so is the 18th-century Elysium adjacent to the National Museum, built into the escarpment. After various failed attempts, it is time for this facility to be renovated and adapted, to become part and parcel of the National Museum. Renovation of the area adjacent to the museum may also open up the prospect of a sculpture garden, which would feature works by Henryk Kuna, Krzysztof Bednarski, Igor Jerzy Mitoraj and, above all, the famous Warsaw artist Magdalena Abakanowicz. Along with the Elysium, it could become one of the museum’s distinguishing features. One of its featured attractions could PM

also be a work by another Warsaw artist Henryk Stażewski entitled "Nine rays of light in the sky." Work on an area to the south of the National Museum building will allow us to build another entrance from Książęca Street, next to a park, whose history - like that of the Elysium - dates back to the 18th century. The neglected, but captivating Elysium can be used as a lapidarium or it can house exhibitions devoted to the mysteries of fine arts, as 6/2019 polish market

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Photo: Michal Murawski

POLAND THE CENTENARY OF REGAINING INDEPENDENCE

NEGLECTED BUT STILL CAPTIVATING, THE ELYSIUM CAN BE USED AS A LAPIDARIUM OR IT CAN HOUSE EXHIBITIONS DEVOTED TO MYSTERIES OF FINE ARTS. a link to the image of Elysian Fields, which is an important feature of Arkadia Park near Łowicz. The vision of Elysium, or happy living, which originates from Virgil’s “Aeneid” is one of the great toponyms of European culture. It deserves to be remembered and promoted, all the more so that its symbolism was used by director Neill Blomkamp in the Hollywood production "Elysium" a few years ago.

And what about the main entrance from Jerozolimskie Avenue?

In the coming months, an equivalent of the Louvre glass pyramid is going to be designed for the space in front of the entrance. In fact, a design based on K-Dron PM

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by Janusz Kapusta is already being developed.

In addition, maybe we could reach for one of the designs by Stanisław Noakowski to build a triumphal arch over Jerozolimskie Avenue, in honor of the great Polish victory against the Bolshevik invasion of 1920. This deeply symbolic structure could also be used as a ceremonial entry point to the National Museum. The location of the arch next to the museum - on the East-West axis, near the Vistula river - seems a much better idea than to have it built over Na Rozdrożu Square, as has been recently suggested by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. An exhibition marking the 100th anniversary of the Miracle on the Vistula River of 1920, organised jointly by the

National Museum, the Polish Armed Forces Museum and the Museum of Polish History, whose new seat is under construction, could tie in with the final move of Armed Forces Museum to its new headquarters in the Citadel.

Aren’t you afraid that some might consider these projects too grandiose?

The idea of building a monumental triumphal arch may seem fanciful, detached from reality, but the truly "new opening" in the history of the National Museum in Warsaw must be closely linked with tradition, while also possessing an element of greatness and the sublime.

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How much is it all going to cost?

According to estimates, about a quarter of a billion zlotys in the next few years, including the auditorium and modern car park, which means that it goes far beyond run-of-the-mill financing. What is needed is a generous patronage of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, and no less generous sponsors, but Warsaw deserves a museum like that, an institution of a global format.

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ECOLOGY

CARING FOR THE

ENVIRONMENT Minister of the Environment HENRYK KOWALCZYK was a special guest at a conference dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management (NFOŚiGW).

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Photo:NFOŚiGW

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pening the conference, Minister Kowalczyk said: "The National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management is as old as free Poland. It is extremely important to highlight activities which have been conducted in the field of environmental protection with the involvement of the Fund. If you think of the shape of environmental protection and ecology in the late 1980s, how many rivers were polluted beyond any acceptable standards, where waste was stored, how sewage was pumped straight into rivers, it can be said with all conviction, that a huge number of tasks have been accomplished. 30 years on, we view the environment quite differently. Much credit goes to a system whereby penalties are imposed for polluting the environment and exploiting it in a harmful way. The system of penalties, and funding worthwhile undertakings, has worked very well. The National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management collects revenue on behalf of the environment and at the same time transfers funds to ensure natural equilibrium. The National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management is the leader of the environmental protection financing system in Poland. Over the 30 years of its activity, it has spent a total of PLN96 billion to improve the state of the environment, and the results of projects it has helped to finance can be seen all over the country. Thanks to NFOŚiGW, the approach to ecology and environmental management in Poland has been successfully changed.

Investments which have been made, and activities undertaken by NFOŚiGW, are carried out on a large scale. The Fund's operations genuinely support Poland’s sustainable development. It is an important pillar of financing eco-friendly investments which serve to improve the state of the environment in Poland, and thus translate into the quality

of life of the country’s residents. Having gained plenty of experience, the Fund undertakes further challenges. One of them is the Clean Air Programme, whose budget amounts to PLN103 billion. These funds will be spent over the next 10 years, among others for the thermal modernisation of single-family housing and replacement of obsolete heating systems, which will translate into the reduction of what are known as low-stack emissions. As a result, we will all be able to breathe cleaner air. The 30th anniversary allows us to look back with pride, but also to look into the future with the hope that this financing system is going to function well. It is worth mentioning that NFOŚiGW manages not only domestic resources, but is also a distributor of EU funding. The distribution of European funding under the Operational Programme Infrastructure and Environment is an important task, and NFOŚiGW is doing a good job in this respect.

It is crucial to use EU funding in a responsible

way. I am proud that the Ministry of the Environment supervises such a well-organised and perfectly functioning institution."

At the time when the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management was established, Poland was in the middle of an ecological crisis. For example, in 1989, almost 100% of municipal waste in Poland ended up in landfills, and more than 70% of municipal sewage was discharged raw into rivers and lakes.

A summary of the Fund’s activities was made by President Marek Ryszka: "The National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management was established in the period of political change in Poland in 1989. Therefore, the institution has 30 years of experience in financing projects in the area of environmental protection and water management. We are a key element of the environmental protection financing system in Poland. We implement the state's environmental policy, using our own

ECOLOGY

funds and foreign resources at our disposal.

The current level of financing environmental protection amounts to PLN4-5 billion annually. 50% of it comes from EU sources and the rest from our own funds. We are the leader in the implementation of European funding and foreign mechanisms of financing environmental protection in Poland," he said.

WHAT HAS BEEN DONE?

Marek Ryszka presented figures which show the scale of funding for completed investment projects. In the field of water and sewage management, a total of 4,125 projects have been implemented. It is worth adding that thanks to the Fund, more than 1,600 wastewater treatment plants have been built or modernised. In addition, over 83,000 km of sewage pipes have been laid, which is twice the circumference of the Earth.

A total of 1,244 waste management projects have been implemented. These include the construction of seven waste incineration plants with a capacity of 1.1 million tonnes a year. The amount of waste subjected to recycling exceeds 6.8 million tonnes a year. Air and climate protection is extremely important in NFOŚiGW activities, with 4,076 projects having been implemented in this sphere. Measures have been taken to reduce air pollution by cutting down SO2, particulate matter and CO2 emissions, and to produce energy from renewable energy sources. Climate protection also means increasing energy efficiency, such as the thermal modernisation of public buildings.

protection against natural disasters, lowemission economy (eco mobility, clean air), circular economy, energy transformation (energy efficiency, renewable energy, smart systems and heating networks), sustainable water management, biodiversity and environmental education, as well as getting ready for the new Operational Programme Infrastructure and Environment 2021-2027.

AIR PROTECTION

In the past 30 years, nearly 32,000 contracts have been signed, including 28,796 contracts financed from own funds. The number of contracts with the use of foreign funds has amounted to 3,148. As part of the Operational Programme Infrastructure and Environment 2014-2020, the number of contracts was 1,051.

President Marek Ryszka noted that two thirds of the funding came from domestic funds, and one third from foreign funds.

In total, all investments amounted to PLN237 billion, out of which PLN157 billion came from the Fund's own resources, and PLN80 billion from foreign resources. It was mainly thanks to the fund's own resources that a number of undertakings have been made to improve the environment.

The improvement of air quality is a crucial goal of NFOŚiGW activities, above all, by avoiding, preventing and reducing harmful effects on human health and the environment, as well as maintaining adequate air quality.

A key measure is the Clean Air programme, which was launched in September 2018 and will last until 2029. The objective is to reduce the emission of harmful substances into the atmosphere which arise from the use of lowquality fuel in outdated heating systems in single-family housing. A substantial sum of over PLN100 billion has been set aside for the purpose. The programme offers funds for exchanging old and inefficient heating systems for solid fuels into modern heat sources that meet the highest standards. This includes getting connected to central heating, installing a heat pump, condensing gas boiler, condensing diesel fuel boiler, electric heating, solid fuel boiler (coal, biomass), as well as the necessary thermal modernisation of the building. One of the main reasons why Poland is plagued by smog are so-called lowstack emissions, i.e. the release of harmful substances into the atmosphere from sources located up to 40 metres above ground.

The improvement of energy efficiency in enterprises and construction, the development of effective transmission and distribution of heat and cold, as well as highefficiency cogeneration, are equally important.

It would seem that renewable energy sources are back in favour. The Fund focuses on the development of energy production from renewable sources by providing opportunities for regional development and ensuring greater security of energy supplies. When it comes to energy security, mention must be made of the need to develop energy systems that ensure energy self-sufficiency of communes thanks to geothermal sources, small hydroelectric plants, rural biogas plants and photovoltaic installations with energy storage.

FUTURE PRIORITIES

WATER PROTECTION

FACTS AND FIGURES

Among future priorities are: adaptation to climate change, risk management and

The Fund is facing further challenges in this area. Although a lot has been done, there is

still a need to build and modernise wastewater treatment plants, sewage networks and local and home sewage treatment plants.

CIRCULAR ECONOMY

The circular economy is currently the most frequently discussed model of the economy.

NFOŚiGW intends to promote this model in all areas of activity. Why? To reduce pollution.

You need to upgrade infrastructure for this purpose. Therefore, the Fund will continue to modernise it, especially for the treatment of municipal waste for recycling purposes. It is vital to build installations for the treatment of non-municipal waste, including sludge and other waste produced by power and heating networks. Companies which manage hazardous waste and the development of innovative technologies for its processing, should be supported. Equally important, also for ordinary citizens, is the reclamation of degraded areas for local communities.

ELECTROMOBILITY

As the operator of the Low-Emission Transport Fund, NFOŚiGW supports the development of electromobility as one of its ecology-oriented projects. The promotion of electromobility started in Poland a few years ago when it was introduced into public transport. A government "E-bus" programme is being introduced, which provides for the construction of a factory for Polish electric buses. NFOŚiGW has already declared its willingness to help in financing such buses.

A dozen or so electric buses already roll down the streets of Warsaw, but the needs are far greater than that. In addition to public transport, electric cars should also be given attention. The challenge is to improve the necessary infrastructure. The Minister of Energy Krzysztof Tchórzewski has announced plans to make it possible to drive an electric car across Poland. For this purpose, it is necessary to develop a network of charging stations, which should make electric transport more popular. Electric transport produces almost no harmful emissions, and is therefore the most beneficial for the environment, especially when electricity comes from renewable energy sources.

A lot has been done over the past 30 years.

However, care for air and water quality, waste management and other eco-friendly activities should not result only from the need to observe laws, standards and to implement directives. We are all part of the environment.

Let us make environmental protection part • of our everyday lives.

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ELECTROMOBILITY

TURNING WARSAW INTO A SMART CITY “It is safe to say that the activities of Miejskie Zakłady Autobusowe (Municipal Bus Company - MZA) are conducive to transforming Warsaw into a modern, western city.

But one smart city feature - urban electromobility - is a challenge which is proving more difficult to implement than you could have expected a decade ago,” MZA President JAN KUŹMIŃSKI tells Jerzy Mosoń.

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TRANSPORT

In what way do recent MZA purchases, in particular the acquisition of MAN LNG buses, meet the requirements of the Act of January 11, 2018 on electromobility and alternative fuels, under which by the end of 2027, a city like Warsaw should have at least 30% of zeroemission public transport vehicles?

Two years ago, the Warsaw city council decided that only zero-emission and low-emission buses will be put into operation. We implement these provisions all the time, we purchase LNG and electric buses. As for the law adopted last year, it also provides for the introduction of low-emission and zero-emission buses. In the case of the former, it means buses driven by methane - liquid or compressed, that is LNG and CNG gas. The introduction of such a bus meets the act’s statutory requirements halfway.

Adding an electric bus to the fleet allows you to fully meet the statutory requirements. The problem is that if we wanted to introduce 1,200 electric buses in Warsaw all at once, we would face the problem of insufficient amounts of electricity we need to put these buses on the road.

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recuperation, that is energy recovered during braking. In extreme cases, diesel fuel consumption can be cut by 7-8%.

It’s a lot, considering that the last four-year tender for the purchase of diesel fuel was worth about PLN1 billion.

Add to this the benefits of a cleaner environment. Thanks to the innovative technologies we use, much less CO2 is emitted into the atmosphere.

Some alarming statistics has recently hit the headlines.

According to the Ifo Institute in Munich, electric cars emit 11-28% more CO2 than diesel cars. Aren’t you afraid that it may soon turn out that diesel buses are cleaner than electric buses, and all legal regulations will end up on the scrap heap?

A reliable calculation of emissions should take all processes into account, including those related to fuel extraction. MZA has made these calculations. According to our study, an electric bus emits a total of 7% less CO2 than its diesel counterpart.

PM

Still, 7% doesn’t seem like much. Maybe it would be better to invest in hydrogen-powered buses? They are already used in Oslo, London, Hamburg and San Remo.

It’s a great idea, but it’s for the rich. First of all, it costs twice as much to produce a bus with a hydrogen cell than an electric bus, and four times more than a diesel bus.

What's more, a bus like that burns about 12 kg of hydrogen per 100 km. With hydrogen at EUR 10-11 per kilo, this means a threefold increase in operating costs due to the consumption of a more expensive fuel alone. If we had a fertilizer factory nearby, which would produce pure hydrogen, that is 5-9 hydrogen which can only be used in hydrogen cells, then such a solution could be contemplated.

But the issue of hydrogen storage remains open - you need special materials for the tanker, to prevent hydrogen from leaking out. For now, hydrogen technology is the most eco-friendly, but I reckon that it is better to wait a bit more until it is more developed. Things are looking good, with Mercedes showing the way. The German corporation PM

What kind of figures are we talking about?

I will give you an example. We are currently getting ready to build a charging station at the Wilanów bus terminal. We need six charging points, which will need a total of two and a half megawatts of electricity.

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It's actually quite a bit. Maybe solar cells would be a partial solution?

We already use several hundred buses equipped with photovoltaic panels. However, these are diesel vehicles that meet the Euro 6 standard. On a sunny day, such buses can save up to 5% of total fuel consumption. This is a meaningful amount, because the electricity produced by bus alternators costs several times more than energy produced by a power station. Meanwhile, a bus uses up to 30% of its fuel to charge electrical devices installed in it, for purposes not directly related to propulsion.

Solar panels, however, are not everything. We also use PM

IF WE WANTED TO INTRODUCE 1,200 ELECTRIC BUSES IN WARSAW ALL AT ONCE, WE WOULD FACE THE PROBLEM OF INSUFFICIENT AMOUNTS OF ELECTRICITY WE NEED TO PUT THESE BUSES ON THE ROAD. 6/2019 polish market

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TRANSPORT

A RELIABLE CALCULATION OF EMISSIONS SHOULD TAKE ALL PROCESSES INTO ACCOUNT, INCLUDING THOSE RELATED TO FUEL EXTRACTION. MZA HAS MADE THESE CALCULATIONS.

is already introducing a fourth generation of hydrogenfuelled EVO. The first one was designed in the 1990s. The latest one is two to three times cheaper, and it can travel distances several times longer on a single refuelling. This fast pace of development makes us hopeful that in a few years’ time hydrogen buses will be comparable to electric buses, or maybe a cheap hydrogen purification technology will be developed, or hydrogen production costs will drop.

What we can do today are hydrogen bus tests to get us ready for future purchases.

Driving a bus is not easy, let alone in a depot where a lot of them are parked. Are things going to be a little easier in the new Redutowa Street depot?

The Redutowa depot, which is being built from scratch, will be one of the most modern such facilities in Poland and Europe. It will be equipped with an underground garage, environment-friendly heat pumps and almost 200 charging points for electric buses. We want the buses to self-park.

Drivers will wait for a bus at the gate and take it from there.

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Electric vehicles, monitoring, the "help" button are all part of a smart city. What other technologies used

by MZA are in line with the trend toward building a smart city?

We try to move with the times. For example, in 70% of bus doors we have installed passenger counters to collect the data we need to check how busy individual lines are at different times of the day, and then plan public transport to efficiently use the fleet, while providing travel comfort to commuters.

We first became interested in electromobility 10 years ago, and if we hadn’t been so positive about it then, we probably wouldn’t have got to where we are right now.

However, reality has shown us that it is not so simple, because electromobility involves a lot of costs, including the use of batteries and new infrastructure like charging stations and energy storage. We are still looking at new technologies with optimism, and we try to use them in an optimum way, paying attention both to the environment and investment costs.

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TRANSPORT

ELECTROMOBILITY UNDER PUBLIC PRESSURE Just as the electrification of towns and villages was the slogan of 1950s communist Poland, electromobility now seems the buzzword of the day.

It is to save us from suffocating from smog. The trouble is that plans are one thing, and the realities of financing energy industry transformations and securing large amounts of energy are quite another. Do we actually know where to go from here?

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n the third day of the 9th European Financial Congress in Sopot, experts tried to answer questions using a conceptual key, encompassing technological progress, public pressure, political promises and economic realities.

GROWING TREND The host of the meeting was the NDI Group.

Congress participants discussed, among others, energy storage technologies, barriers, the Polish electromobility market as compared with neighbouring countries, and the estimated demand for vehicle charging points. Guests were greeted by the moderator, Prof. Wojciech Paprocki, director of the Institute of Infrastructure, Transport and Mobility at the Warsaw School of Economics.

The debate was attended by Krzysztof Bolesta, Vice-President, Electric Vehicles Promotion Foundation; Rafał Czyżewski, President, GreenWay; Jerzy Gajewski, President, NDI Group; Agata Rzędowska, WysokieNapięcie. pl specialist portal journalist; and Leszek Wieciech, President, Polish Organisation of Oil Industry and Trade POPIHN. Prof. Jana Pieriegud, head of the Department of Studies on Infrastructure and Mobility, Institute of Infrastructure, Transport and Mobility at the Warsaw School of Economics, emphasised that electromobility is a growing trend, but at the same time it poses a lot of question marks. The

sector, she noted, will have a major impact on the functioning of the economies of many countries, including their finances.

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST Experts discussed the fact that Poland’s advancement in the area of electromobility can be compared with neighbouring countries’ and analyses are being conducted in this regard.

It turns out, for example, that similar trends and phenomena occur in Germany, namely car rental companies already offer popular electric cars, car sharing is being developed by large players, and a large number of start-ups are emerging related to the electromobility sector.

Rafał Czyżewski noted that when companies which operate in the sector plan development strategies they take into account factors such as the need to cut CO2 emissions. This is set to increase the number of electric cars, but also promises support in the form of subsidies for charging stations and electric car purchases.

He estimated that supply does not keep up with demand. Krzysztof Bolesta said that companies associated with the sector do not earn money on electromobility, but the strongest ones are expected to make big profits. The question is, when.

IS ZERO EMISSION REALISTIC? Zero emissions was an important element of the discussion. “Manufacturing of electric

car components also results in emissions of harmful substances, let alone in the case of electric car batteries,” noted Leszek Wieciech.

Agata Rzędowska pointed to trends which are becoming evident in Germany. She said that diesel cars are making a comeback there, and movements are emerging which bring together young people who declare they don’t need cars.

The panellist said she believed that Poland is not yet ready for electromobility, and that it was difficult to insure an electric bicycle, for example. Jerzy Gajewski emphasised the need to study the possible impact of electromobility on the environment, to be able to make rational decisions based on sound knowledge, and not vague ideas. He added that the idea of partial financing of an electric car through public funding, is something worth discussing in the future.

ECOLOGY COSTS Krzysztof Bolesta said that the purchase of an electric car does not pay off for now, and that the consumer does not realise how much it costs to maintain one. Panel participants agreed that Polish citizens are not well educated in the field of environmental protection. They noted that you can also improve air quality by changing the energy mix to include more renewable sources. Professor Jana Pieriegud declared that economists were ready to continue to study the electromobility sector and phenomena which occur in it.

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TRANSPORT

CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS

The 3rd International EkoTrendy 2019 Energy, Transport and Environment Forum held in Kraków on June 4-5 gathered a number of companies which focus on environmentally friendly solutions and whose aim is to minimise pollution.

WHY IS THE FORUM ORGANISED IN KRAKÓW?

HYDROGEN CELLS ROUND THE CORNER?

Both the Małopolskie region and the city of Kraków itself are very interested in activities that support environmental protection. The AGH University of Science and Technology is an advocate of modern, innovative technologies which do not just clean up the environmental mess, but also help curb pollution. “EkoTrendy has become a permanent fixture in the calendar of the most important events in Poland. We are going to carry on our mission,” said Krzysztof Masiuk, President of the Centre for Non-Governmental Initiatives, organiser of EkoTrendy.

In addition to informative, sometimes highly technical presentations, there was also time for discussions about the future of industry, energy-saving construction, alternative fuels, and the use of ecological solutions not just in business, but also in everyday life.

“Hydrogen cells and the hydrogen refuelling technology can provide a very important solution in the field of energy sources. It is not economically viable to produce hydrogen and to develop an infrastructure of filling stations just yet, so technology must go forward and its costs need to drop for us to be able to commercialise it,” said Łukasz Blichewicz, President of Assay Group.

WHY ELECTRIC VEHICLES? During the Forum, a number of electric vehicles were presented which can play a role in transport, recreation and sport. Electric cars significantly contribute to the development of the automotive industry.

According to forecasts, by 2030, the share of electric cars in global sales will approach 16%, and by 2040 it is set to exceed 50%. By 2050, seven out of 10 cars sold are to be electric cars. Electric vehicles are the only alternative to internal combustion vehicles, and something that can realistically replace them. Moreover, while achieving better performance and operational parameters than petrol and diesel cars, Elimen's developers and constructors announced during the Forum that at the end of this year, Elimen E-VN1, an ultra-light utility electric car, will become commercially available, to be used as a delivery van.

“It is a vehicle which can serve various sectors. It will prove useful both for couriers and, for example, local governments, as a municipal service van. We have created a platform which enables us to build the vehicle in any way the client wishes. A 100-kilometre ride will cost PLN7-8 (less than EUR2),” said Paweł Kruszyński, Assay Group board member. The total cargo area is 4 m3, and the maximum load capacity reaches 800 kilogrammes. An electric delivery van can cover up to 300 kilometres without charging, driving at a maximum speed of 75 km.

The battery allows fast charging. Within 30 minutes, you can increase the charge level by 80%.

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ECO-RALLIES? Work is underway on a car designed for rallycross - Elimen E-RX1. It has been announced that the first electric rallycross event will take place in Poland. The car is, first and foremost, an opportunity to check the high-power drive. Solutions which are developed in this way could be later applied in standard versions of the car to be used on the road.

According to the developers, testing the vehicle in rallycross races, on different surfaces, and at the same time at full power and with enormous loads, will be the best testing ground. During the forum, a debate was held with the participation of Elimen originator Przemysław Rozmysłowicz, and rally drivers Tomasz Czopik and John Taylor, the first European Rallycross champion.

ECO-FRIENDLY CHAMPIONS During the Forum EkoJanosik awards were presented by the National Ecological Council to local government bodies, private persons and businesses for the implementation of activities which have a significant impact on the improvement of the natural environment in particular regions, and on the ecological awareness of ordinary Polish citizens.

The award-winners included Dominik Dobrowolski, who won the award for the implementation of his original project Recycling Cruise, during which waste was collected from miles of riverbanks; traveller Anna Jaklewicz for her book for a rubbish bag campaign; the Katowice City Council for developing Poland’s largest network of electric car charging points; Handeerk Technologies for the development and implementation of a fuel production line which recycles plastic waste; and IKEA Poland for implementing high standards and its environmental policy.

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TRANSPORT

FOR THE SAKE OF FUTURE GENERATIONS JOANNA LECH, Acting Director of the Centre for EU Transport Projects (CEUTP), talks to “Polish Market’s” Ewelina Janczylik-Foryś.

The idea of zero emissions is becoming more and more popular. Is Zero Waste a pipe dream, a market opportunity or a good way to do business?

Current pollution statistics are alarming.

Each year over 40,000 Polish men and women die from diseases and complications caused by air pollution in cities. Using available applications, we can monitor the state of air pollution on an ongoing basis, and air pollution levels have been unsettlingly high for several years now. One of the reasons is transport.

Thanks to an act on electromobility and alternative fuels, as well as an amended act on bio components and liquid biofuels, under which the Low-Emission Transport Fund was introduced, Poland has become a country which actively supports the development of low and zero-emission transport. It is also obliged to implement EU law, which is more and more stringent when it comes to air pollution and environmental protection.

That is why, so much EU funding is being allocated for financing low-emission and zero-emission transport. Each undertaking to help people live healthier lives right now will also benefit future generations.

PM

In the current EU budget, the Infrastructure and Environment Programme provides funding for the development of low-carbon projects in urban areas. Who is the beneficiary of these funds - big cities, small towns?

In the current financial period 2014-2020 under Measure 6.1 OPI&E - Development PM

of public transport in cities, beneficiaries eligible to apply for funding include local government bodies and town councils.

Applications have also been submitted by medium-sized towns, including those in depressed areas, as well as dedicated entities which act on their behalf. Beneficiaries may also include public transport infrastructure companies, public transport operators, as well transport rental and leasing companies which provide public services.

According to the Electromobility Development Programme, 1 million electric cars are expected to roll down Polish roads by 2025. Is this number realistic?

It is difficult to say at this stage, because there is still a lot to do. We cannot fully answer this question, because we are responsible for funding projects which involve the purchase of electric buses, and not passenger cars. But the pieces of legislation I’ve mentioned, mark a step in the right direction towards cleaner towns and cities. However, a number of other measures are needed to genuinely improve air quality, and to introduce broadly conceived low and zero-emission transport. Whether the number of electric cars envisaged in the programme is realistic, depends on many factors. Fortunately, new start-ups are emerging, and co-operation is being forged among companies and other entities from the automotive, R&D, infrastructure, financial and other sectors, which is shaping a new business environment in the field of electromobility.

PM

What should we pay attention to in Poland - buses and rolling stock, or infrastructure?

These two elements are considered as inseparable when we examine applications for funding. Applications for EU financing for the purchase of electric buses and trolleybuses are currently being assessed. In the current EU budget within the OPI&E in the abovementioned Measure 6.1 dedicated to this area, EU funding is designed for projects which involve the purchase of buses, trolleybuses and rolling stock, as well as for the development of the necessary infrastructure.

PM

We know that the EU financial policy for the coming years is still under discussion.

But in the next budget, do you think that large amounts of funding are going to be earmarked for low- and zero-emission transport?

You can never say that there is nothing more to be done, there are always new solutions and opportunities, as well as new challenges that are sometimes difficult to foresee at the planning stage. That is why it is so important that resources for sustainable and environmentally-friendly transport should be guaranteed. This will ensure the continuity and consistency of projects implemented by Polish towns and cities, and long-term strategies which are meant to improve infrastructure and transport, but also the quality of life for all of us. CEUTP believes that in the next EU budget, funding should continue to be available for such solutions in Poland, all the more so as they are relatively • expensive.

PM

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INDUSTRY

IVECO:

A CLEAR INVESTMENT ROADMAP TO CONSOLIDATE AND GROW IN ALL SEGMENTS GERRIT MARX, President Commercial and Specialty Vehicles, talks to "Polish Market".

Last January, CNH Industrial launched a new organizational structure. Can you explain in some details how it works?

The new organization simplifies the structure by strengthening our five global segments – Agriculture, Construction, Commercial and Specialty Vehicles, Powertrain, and Financial Services. Each segment is fully responsible for the global growth and performance of its business, which gives us more focus and accountability.

The new set-up brings the businesses closer to the customer and facilitates a faster decision-making process. In our specific case, having regrouped trucks, buses, coaches, off-road and quarry vehicles together with firefighting, protection and civil defence vehicles, all under one roof, will boost the drive on internal synergies and brand empowering.

In addition, the five operating segments are supported by streamlined global functions, focused on core Company tasks such as strategies, emerging technologies, systems and processes, and the supply chain. They PM

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have the task to support the segments enabling faster decision-making and guaranteeing the adequate synergies inside the organization.

With this set-up, we aim to become more customer-centric, by enhancing focus on our five operating segments; more entrepreneurial, by reducing complexity and empowering these segments; leaner and more agile, through simpler, more streamlined decision processes; and more innovative, by enabling faster and more market focused innovations.

What changes does this new organization involve? What benefits for IVECO customers?

First of all, the new organisation brings together the Group’s IVECO commercial vehicles business with the bus and coach, firefighting and defence vehicles brands to create the new Commercial and Specialty Vehicles Segment.

It will build on the strong heritage of the brands that are coming together, which have deep European roots and have made important PM

contributions to the history of their respective sectors – illustrious brands such as Magirus, an internationally recognised authority on firefighting and emergency vehicles.

By giving us full accountability for the global growth and performance of our business, the new set-up gives us the freedom to change, anticipating and adapting to the fast-changing environment we operate in.

The leaner organisation also gives us the flexibility to innovate and the speed we need to be more effective, more focused on being close to our customers and providing the solutions they need, addressing the key industry trends that matter to them and make a difference for their businesses.

The key to success is presenting the customer with an offer that goes beyond a commodity: a vehicle complemented by a whole range of services. Our customercentric mindset will drive our organisation to continuously improve the aftermarket support we offer our customers, aiming to provide them with a complete solution that addresses their operational and business needs.

TRANSPORT The press release announcing the new structure says the Company will accelerate its activities in the areas of, amongst others, automation, vehicle electrification, digitalization and servitization. Some of these words sound pretty new in IVECO’s language. What does it mean for IVECO and the IVECO product portfolio? Is it a strategic change?

Automation, vehicle electrification, digitalization and servitization are not new to IVECO: just think about our Daily Electric or our market-leading buses; the TCO2 Live services that we introduced with the Stralis in 2016, which were already a first example of servitization; our participation in the EU Platooning Challenge.

The new organisation enables us to accelerate our progress in these megatrends, to anticipate and meet even better our customers’ demands. It is focused on offering them a whole range of services enabled by digitalization.

In April 2019 we launched the New Daily with a range of new services that leverage digital technology to maximise the uptime, productivity and fuel efficiency of our customers’ vehicles. And we will continue to develop and expand these new services, which will become an increasingly important part of the complete package that our vehicles will offer our customers.

The new organisation will also allow us to continue to innovate in vehicle electrification, as we have been for some time, and accelerate this process.

I will just mention one of many awardwinning innovations we have made in this field: the IVECO Bus CREALIS In-MotionCharging, which won the “Move Green” innovation award at the Paris Public Transport Show and the Sustainable Bus of the Year title at the IAA Show. This bus is seen as the e-bus solution with the highest operational potential, because it never needs to stop for charging. It has a small set of batteries, which enable it to operate free of the overhead lines and recharge in motion when the bus is reconnected to the lines.

Electric traction technology in its current state of development is viable for urban mobility; it has an important role to play especially at low speed, low energy intensity stop-and-go missions – and particularly in high-value missions such as people transport in city centres.

However, it is important to remember that electricity is clean only if it comes from a clean generation process. A vehicle running on electricity generated from coal is only moving polluting emissions from the city to the site of the power plant.

PM

Another important consideration is about the battery and its material extraction, its cost, its weight, its end of life, recycling and ultimate overall environmental balance.

Long-haul applications will follow in the longer term, and in the coming years we will see an evolution that will transform the industry.

What role will gas vehicles and LNG technology have in IVECO’s future in the long-haul segment?

We have a clear investment roadmap for IVECO to consolidate and grow our position in each segment - light, medium and heavy commercial vehicles. We are leading the way in natural gas technology, and we will continue to invest in order to maintain this leadership in the LNG vehicle market.

In the medium term, we see LNG as the only sustainable traction for long-haul transport that presents a viable alternative to diesel from the point of view of Total Cost of Ownership. We see it as the best technology in this segment both for the CO2 reduction it achieves and for the new European policies supporting the use of gas, such as the motorway toll exemption in Germany, or the decrees to promote the use of biomethane from cow manure and agricultural waste in France and Italy.

The necessary infrastructure is also developing, creating increasingly favourable conditions for the use of natural gas: overall, the gas distribution network today covers the main European freight routes with over 300 truck gas refuelling stations and by the end of 2019 it is expected to extend to more than 500.

It is also worth considering the opportunities of biomethane, which can reduce well-to-wheel CO2 emissions by as much as 95%. The transition from low emissions to zero emissions opens the door to a circular economy approach based on the generation of energy from organic or agricultural waste.

PM

EU has set highly ambitious CO2 reduction targets for trucks. This could mean a rapid uptake of, say, electric / hybrid vehicles.

How does this decision affect IVECO’s product development and product offer?

The targets set by the EU are indeed highly demanding, and it is very likely that electrification will come. However, this doesn’t depend only on vehicle manufacturers, but requires the infrastructure to be in place.

The charging infrastructure for electric vehicles is easier to develop in urban areas – a process that has started – while coverage of regional and longer distance routes will follow further in the future.

PM

At IVECO we will continue to work on developing electrified vehicles for urban missions, where our customers will be able to find the infrastructure they need.

As for natural gas, the EU Parliament and Council recognize the key role of renewable gas in the transport sector, and have called upon the European Commission to develop a methodology which we urge must be applicable by 2025 to include the CO2 emissions reduction effect from bio-CNG and bio-LNG in the computation of average fleet emissions.

At IVECO, we see natural gas as the mature solution available today to achieve sustainable heavy-duty transport, and we will continue to invest in this technology to enable our customers to operate their fleets profitably while meeting these ambitious targets.

What do you expect from the introduction of the new products in the coming months?

This year we have important launches, in all ranges. They are the end result of significant investments and big projects involving our engineering and manufacturing teams.

You will see that they introduce some key innovations, and we expect them to be very competitive on the market, setting the foundation for our future growth.

We have launched the New Daily earlier in the year. This product family has a long history of 40 years of success, and the latest arrival is more competitive than ever. Very soon we will follow up with great news as well on our heavy line.

IVECO is here to stay, compete and win across the segments where we compete today – from light to heavy trucks, buses and specialty vehicles.

PM

Do you think the New Stralis – or whatever is its name - will be able to boost IVECO’s sale volumes in EU markets? And, say, boost IVECO’s market share to a doubledigit figure in the heavy duty segment?

Yes, absolutely. The market is coming out of a difficult time, and we are bringing in an extremely competitive product. We have invested heavily in the Stralis, and the new range will raise the bar in fuel economy, comfort and reliability.

The new organisation will also play a role, and will help us to be more aggressive on the market. We are confident that these factors together will enable us to increase our volumes and improve our market share.

We definitely have the right size, the right footprint and – I would add – the technological advantage to remain competitive in the market on our own and face the industry’s upcoming challenges.

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TRANSPORT

MOBILITY, NOT OWNERSHIP The automotive market is undergoing transition toward emissionfree cars. Poland cannot afford not to join in on the transitional stage, warns JAKUB FARYŚ, President of the Polish Automotive Industry Association. In an interview with Jerzy Mosoń, he highlights changing customers' needs and expectations, as the approach to buying a new car is being redefined.

You can get the impression that the market is flooded with cars which are similar to each other, and the owners exchange them for new ones every couple of years. Where does this trend come from?

Currently, the vehicle's life cycle is definitely shorter than before. There are several reasons for this. Customers expect more and more new products. Forty years ago, there were far fewer types of car bodies on the market. In addition, the need to improve safety and the environmental record means that designing a car requires considerable investments. That’s why, manufacturers enter into alliances with each other and produce "twins." This means that quite similarly designed vehicles are available under different brands.

PM

How big is the Polish automotive market?

We estimate that this year the entire production of cars, automotive parts and subassemblies in Poland will be worth about PLN140 billion. There is no Polish car brand.

But taking into account the fact that the automotive industry is the most globalised industry in the world, there are hardly any cars designed and built by a single company anymore.

PM

How serious a threat to Poland as a large component manufacturer is posed by the flooding of the European market with car parts from Asia?

The real problem are only parts that do not comply with the car manufacturer's technological regime, because these parts can be dangerous for users.

PM

PM

What is the biggest challenge for the automotive industry right now?

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THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR THE AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR IN POLAND IS TO SHIFT FROM COMBUSTION TO ZERO-EMISSION CARS. The automotive market will soon undergo a complete overhaul, because customers' expectations are changing. Once, most drivers wanted to own a car because they needed to be mobile, and at the same time it was a sign of material status. Currently, more and more people want to be mobile and do not necessarily have to achieve this by owning a car. Just use your smartphone to see where car rental is available. The service provider takes care of insurance and service. This trend is also a challenge for producers, to move on from being a manufacturer only, toward becoming a mobility service provider. All the more so that more and more people work in cities and live in the suburbs. This, in turn, forces communities to develop public transport, which clearly does not satisfy all commuters. So to avoid gridlocks, cities tend to make access difficult by imposing fees. Thus, car rental companies stand to gain, above all by using more environmentally friendly vehicles, whose purchase is already subsidised in some countries.

So in a few years’ time, will you still be able to hear a passenger car’s combustion engine revving up loudly?

There are more and more restrictions imposed on vehicles with internal combustion engines - hence the development of PM

hybrids and electric cars. The approach to diesel engines has also changed. Many years ago, the European Commission came up with the idea of reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

The diesel engine produces significantly lower carbon dioxide emissions than a petrol engine, so manufacturers were encouraged to switch to diesel production. Diesel cars have quickly become a European specialty. But of late European officials have recognised that petrol engines are more eco-friendly overall, and some European cities have even banned older diesel cars. However, it must be said in all honesty that diesel cars which comply with the latest Euro 6 standard, are as environmentally friendly as petrol engines. Nevertheless, the market is going to continue to evolve.

Are Polish manufacturing plants prepared for this change?

Here we come to the heart of the matter. Polish automotive plants primarily manufacture parts for cars with traditional combustion engines. The biggest challenge for the automotive sector in Poland is to shift from combustion to zero-emission cars. It's time to start thinking about switching to parts for zero-emission vehicles, otherwise Polish automotive plants will need to shut down in • a few years’ time.

PM

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TRANSPORT

NOT JUST A TICKET OFFICE AND WAITING ROOM

A POINT OF ACCESS TO THE WHOLE TRANSPORT SYSTEM

PKP SA carries out a large-scale investment programme covering railway stations. It encompasses some 200 facilities throughout Poland. Railway stations are being transformed right in front of our eyes.

That’s right, within the framework of the Station Investment Programme for the years 2016-2023, the construction of new, innovative stations is underway, and at the same time old buildings are being modernised. Many of them are historic buildings, which will regain their former splendour thanks to revitalisation. These facilities will be functional and modern, as befits the 21st century. Take waiting rooms. We would like them to be both open spaces and enclosed spaces with air conditioning. Besides, another very important issue is adapting stations to the needs of all groups of travellers, including people with limited mobility.

We want to include, among others, floor markings and other space labelling for the blind and visually impaired.

PM

Of course, it is crucial to modernise existing buildings to adapt them to the needs of the disabled. But you have also mentioned innovative stations. How to bring in innovation to railway stations?

New technologies accompany us every day. Why not at railway stations? We want to implement technological PM

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TOMASZ MISZCZUK,

Board Member of Polskie Koleje Państwowe SA (PKP SA) talks to Ewelina Janczylik-Foryś.

novelties. We want to create a station which is also open to technologies which do not yet exist. Wi-Fi, charging sockets and USB sockets are standard features. The question of artificial intelligence and all the facilities for passengers are crucial. Innovative stations are buildings which use environmentally-friendly solutions, such as photovoltaic panels, rain water collection for flushing toilets, LED lighting and heat pumps.

Who would have thought. But regardless of whether new technologies are applied at a railway station or not, we are always going to use it anyway, aren’t we?

Not necessarily. That’s assuming that travelling is limited to railways. And this is not the case at all. Railways need to fight for passengers. As a means of transport, they must become the passenger's first choice. Maybe railways are normally associated with longer travel, while short trips aren’t. We often choose car travel. We must fit into society’s business model. We need to visualise all sorts of clients, what dilemmas they face, and think about why they choose to travel by other means of transport, for example by car, by plane, and not by rail. And besides, we have an archaic approach that the station is just a ticket office and a waiting room. Perhaps in some cases a food outlet as well.

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TRANSPORT

I BELIEVE THAT THE STATION IS THE POINT OF ACCESS TO THE ENTIRE TRANSPORT SYSTEM. WE CANNOT VIEW A JOURNEY ONLY IN TERMS OF RAILWAYS.

In that case, what is a railway station?

The world is moving forward and stations no longer play such a role. Passengers do not need to go to the cash desk to buy a paper ticket. We have a ticket office inside the smartphone, we buy an e-ticket. Should the station act as a waiting room? Of course, it happens that you need to wait for a train. But waiting rooms are not that important anymore. Our lifestyle and pace of life is very fast. If we wait a long time for a train, next time we will choose another mode of transport.

PM

The station’s role has changed.

Of course. We want railway stations to become cityforming, to be vibrant with life. Stations in large cities are very well situated, but in smaller towns they are of great importance because they bring the local community to life.

It is important to keep in touch with the local community, consult plans, and talk about the role of railway stations in towns and cities. Ordinary citizens come up with great ideas. And that's what we do. We are open to society. The whole process begins with creative workshops, that is, public consultations which we undertake before we start work on a project. Representatives of local communities, nongovernmental organisations, a group of stakeholders and local government officials, are invited to these meetings. During the meetings we ask simple questions: What does the local community expect from the station? What can this station add to the local community? How to organise the space inside the building, but also around it? And very interesting ideas often come up. Sometimes it depends on those who lease commercial space intended for retail and service outlets, such as supermarkets and Poczta Polska postal outlets. But also very interesting ideas appear, such as in Łuków, where a community centre is to be created. In Chełm, on the other hand, we are in negotiations to show National Museum art pieces at the railway station. At the National Museum, many art works are kept in storage, they are not on display, and each traveller will now have the opportunity to admire them at the station.

PM

The Central Railway Station in Warsaw offers a mix of shopping and the arts. An exhibition dedicated to the Polish composer Stanisław Moniuszko has been mounted on the upper level of the concourse.

That is what city-forming is all about. Shops at railway stations are the first thing that comes to mind. Let me repeat, why not the arts?

PM

Has PKP already completed a project of this sort?

Innovative system stations will be ready within a year.

Work is in progress. We have recently modernised a railway station in the Warsaw suburb of Pruszków. It is a building constructed in 1924. That is why the station was given a new roof, new installations, fire protection and surveillance systems and a passenger lift. Some of the rooms are airconditioned. A PKS bus company ticket office will also be opened there, selling public transport tickets. In addition to commercial premises, the station’s upper level will be developed by the Pruszków town council. A modern carport has been built next to the station where cyclists can leave their bicycles.

PM

And what is your vision of the railway station?

Stations have all the functions which are necessary today. I believe that the station is the point of access to the entire transport system. We cannot view a journey only in terms of railways. We must think about it more broadly. We need to look at the journey from the point of view of the traveller, that is, door to door, from leaving the house, to entering the workplace. Once we understand this process, we will also notice how important the station’s other functions are. It is important to integrate other means of transport with the station. You need to build a Park & Ride car park. You need to adapt the station to new technologies such as augmented reality, Internet of Things, crowd management technologies in order to increase safety, and introduce beacons, which will lead us to the platform from which our train is supposed to leave.

Then comes energy efficiency. In a nutshell, stations must be adapted to passengers’ needs in every way.

PM

For several years we have been observing a dynamic increase in the number of Polish rail passengers.

Yes, it’s been achieved through great efforts made by the PKP group and constant change. We try to create the best model for a railway station and train travel. We take into account time, which is so important to our passengers, reliability and punctuality, as well as travel comfort. When it comes to travelling by train, we need to take the entire travel process into account, and not just think about the time it takes inside a train that rolls down the tracks.

PM

And this is the most important challenge.

It is the most important challenge - creating a comprehensive, functional transport system.

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INFRASTRUCTURE

INVESTMENT GOING STRONG MODERNISATION OF THE YEAR AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE 21ST CENTURY OPEN COMPETITION It is better to look for spectacular evidence of new architectural design and revitalisation projects not in big cities but in small towns and villages. A genuine leap forward toward top-shelf solutions is taking place over there.

G

rand investment projects in big cities may be impressive, but over the past few decades, ordinary Polish citizens have already got used to them.

Skyscrapers, ring roads, bridges and new housing investment projects, have become the everyday reality of life in cities with a population of hundreds of thousand of residents. They have ceased to impress with their scale and striking designs, because they have become commonplace. They leave Poles neither hot nor cold. They improve the standard and quality of life, but they do not cause emotions. The same applies to the modernisation and revitalisation of the existing urban fabric. Landmarks are brought back to their former splendour, and road improvements are made. Even if marble curbs were to be laid, few would bat an eyelid.

However, when you travel to the countryside, in thousands of towns and villages, you can see great things which cause huge emotions.

Does the comprehensive modernisation of a railway station in the village of Teresin, just over fifty kilometres from Warsaw, with nearly 3,200 residents, deserve attention?

Absolutely. For the commune, which is inhabited by almost 12,000 people, an overhaul of the former PKP railway station makes a lot of difference. Not long ago, the abandoned small station building of great historical value was off-putting, just like its immediate surroundings. Thanks to a costly renovation worth PLN 5.2 million, it is no longer just a railway station. It has become a modern community centre with a cinema and multimedia room, a library, reading room, debate club, room for film and art workshops and a terrace where summer concerts can be held. The building is now surrounded by greenery planted in a carefully designed, landscaped space. Teresin now has a new centre which was not there before. It is

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currently the most important and the most attractive building in the village. The project was executed with great taste and flair. Several dozen architects from all over Poland took part in a competition for its implementation.

“Investment projects like this not only make places look nicer, but they also go a long way toward improving the quality of life.

We don’t just successfully conserve existing, valuable buildings, but we also breathe new

INFRASTRUCTURE life into them,” says Roman Pikuła, President of the Association for the Protection of National Heritage and Commissioner of the "Modernisation of the Year & Construction of the 21st Century" National Open Competition.

Several hundred investment projects like Teresin are undertaken in Poland each year.

For 23 years, the competition has granted awards for the best investment projects.

This year, Teresin was one of the first stops along the route the jurors of the "Modernisation of the Year and Construction of the 21st Century" competition took. Their task is to select the best projects in several categories: modernisation and renovation of historical buildings, schools, construction of roads and bridges, thermal modernisation of public utility buildings, urban space development and many others.

“This year, a panel of experts will visit nearly one hundred sites qualified for the final stage of the competition,” says Robert Plewiński, director of the "Modernisation of the Year and Construction of the 21st Century" competition. “506 projects have been submitted to this year's 23rd edition.

One fifth have qualified for the finals. The main prize is a golden statuette. Each year, it is increasingly difficult for jurors to select winners. With each subsequent edition of the competition, not only new investment projects are added, but their quality constantly improves. It proves that the competition participants understand the idea behind the competition. We are convinced that each new project is a perfect example for others to follow. Good examples encourage others to act, and thanks to that, not only in big cities, but also in small towns, the number of quality projects keeps growing. "Modernisation of the Year and Construction of the 21st Century" is a project which promotes successful local government investment and highlights the achievements of Polish architects and contractors.

EUROPEAN AWARD INTERNATIONAL CONSTRUCTION CONTEST It is a one-of-a-kind undertaking in Europe. The European Award International Construction Contest honours the best European new construction and modernisation projects for their execution, design and investment process, as well as respect for the achievements of previous generations, and the natural environment.

Investors and contractors from Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Belarus have been presenting their investment achievements for over a year now. The competition is gaining popularity, and in

Reconstruction of the building of Kryzhanivsky village council, Ukraine

the near future, there will also be participants from other European countries.

The ultimate goal is always to carry out new investment projects which prove useful and are easy on the eye, and to preserve the original values of old buildings, thus preserving the architectural heritage of European countries.

The programme supports and motivates investors, contractors and designers and awards prizes for their joint efforts. This is what makes it so unique. It is a grassroots initiative that brings together and enlivens regional communities, levels out differences, as well as increasing the competitiveness of regions, thus setting fresh social, construction and architectural trends in the countries which lie between the Adriatic, Baltic and Black Seas.

The competition promotes the functionality of modernised and renovated buildings and structures, modern technology and design solutions, the use of new techniques, effective and safe modern equipment, high quality of construction and conservation work, the use of new high quality construction products, positive environmental impact, and in the case of historical landmarks, care for architecture and cultural heritage, and preservation of the original value of buildings.

In the previous edition of the European Award, there were 50 entries, which were joint undertakings by investors, construction companies and architects. They competed for the title of the best modernisation project in Europe.

88 participants from Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Belarus and Slovenia have entered for the current third edition of the European Award. 12 projects have qualified for the final round.

GALA CEREMONY The results and prizes will traditionally be announced at the Royal Castle in Warsaw, the former residence of Polish kings, on September 5. The award ceremony will feature the Śląsk Folk Song and Dance company. It will be attended by representatives of the Association of Polish Districts, the National Union of Village Administrators, Regional Marshal Offices and Regional Funds for Environmental Protection and Water Management. Honorary patronage over the 23th edition of the competition has been extended by Andrzej Adamczyk, Minister of Infrastructure, Marek Gróbarczyk, Minister of Maritime Economy and Inland Navigation, Minister Paweł Ciećko, head of the Chief Inspectorate for Environmental Protection, Minister Norbert Książek, Chief Inspector of Construction Supervision, and Andrzej Konieczny, general director of State Forests.

Media patronage over this year's edition of the competition has been assumed by “Rzeczpospolita,” “Inżynier Budownictwa,” “Murator Plus,” and “Polish Market.”

• For more details: www.modernizacjaroku.org.pl www.europeanaward.eu

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INDUSTRY

6

CONGRESS OF THE POLISH CHEMICAL INDUSTRY TH

Representatives of the entire chemical sector, presidents of the largest companies, government officials and parliamentarians met in the city of Płock on June 5-6 to discuss the current situation of the industry, challenges facing it, and the most important global trends which have a growing impact on the future of the sector.

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he message of the congress was expressed by President of the Polish Chamber of Chemical Industry (PIPC) Tomasz Zieliński: "The Polish chemical sector is facing a great challenge. There are many trends which affect the functioning of the industry on a daily basis. Ecology is the main trend to which we need to adapt because it does not just concern regulations, but also client requirements.

Another one is Industry 4.0. It still seems to be a distant prospect, but many systems which can help us make a leap forward in the industry, are already in place. A huge challenge is a proinnovation approach, which means growth through innovation. It must become a fact.

One should also remember about strengthening competitiveness in geopolitics," he said.

During the congress, this year's title of Ambassador for the Polish Chemical Industry was presented to Synthos. For four years, this distinction has been awarded to companies, individuals, institutions and organisations which promote the chemical industry and actively contribute toward its development.

The congress was opened by Tomasz Zieliński, President of the Polish Chamber of Chemical Industry. "Without the contribution of the chemical industry, other sectors could not develop. That is why clear regulations and support for our competitiveness are so important for us. The congress is the best place to work out a common stance, and to talk about how to effectively act not only for the development of individual companies but also of the entire sector," he said.

Rafał Kos, advisor to President Andrzej Duda, read a message from the Polish head of state.

"The congress is a very important and necessary initiative which concerns a field that affects all aspects of our life, and is crucial for the Polish economy. I am glad that the problems, challenges and opportunities for the development of the Polish chemical sector are the subject of an event in which so many excellent experts and industry representatives take part. The fact that the chemical industry is our great asset is also demonstrated by the congress, its scope,

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impact and the number of its participants," wrote Andrzej Duda.

Senator Marek Martynowski read a letter from Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki: "Investments in the chemical industry stimulate growth in demand for goods and services in many industries. They provide a powerful incentive, not only for economic growth, but also for improving the level of innovation and creating demanding new competences and jobs.

The industry includes 10,000 entities of various sizes and fields of specialisation, from large integrated chemical groups to medium-sized and small chemical processing plants. They all give substantial added value to our economy and have an impact on creating a better tomorrow for Poland. " The opening strategic debate was led by PIPC President Tomasz Zieliński. It focused on the future of the chemical industry and key directions for development. It was attended

by Mateusz A. Bonca, President, Lotos Group; Zbigniew Leszczyński, Board Member for Development, PKN Orlen; Jan Filip Staniłko, Director of the Innovation Department, Ministry of Enterpreneurship and Technology; and Wojciech Wardacki, President, Grupa Azoty.

Panellists and the moderator pointed out that the chemical industry of the future requires staff training, digitisation and customisation. It also needs research and continuous development.

Regulatory restrictions are a huge challenge which will continue to mount and with which enterprises will need to deal, it was observed.

Participants of the congress also took part in debates on investment in the sector. During the global strategic debate devoted to the impact of global investment on investment opportunities and the competitiveness of Europe and Poland, panellists focused on whether and how EU regulations affect the competitive position of this part of Europe. Is it ready for the changes that European technocrats have in store for us? How do Polish investments shape up in the light of global realities, the participants asked. Company representatives emphasised the need to invest in technologies, taking into account technological changes which occur

on world markets, and pointed to the need for dynamic action. Entrepreneurs at every stage of activity should remember about regulatory challenges, as well as about the principles of competitiveness and market diversification, it was pointed out. During a panel discussion on pro-environmental investment, panellists noted that ecology is the leading trend, which is why sustainable development is part of the strategy of many companies, and their investments are environment-friendly. It was underscored that PIPC member companies implement new legal regulations by respecting the environment with a view to reducing emissions. Ecology, renewable energy and electromobility were among topics discussed in a debate on raw materials of the future.

Another thematic block was devoted to the safe chemical industry. Experts who took part in a panel discussion on investments in critical infrastructure in the chemical industry looked at what critical infrastructure is and what it means in the context of the chemical sector. What should successful investments look like, they asked. They also tried to define the needs and challenges faced by the sector in the development of critical infrastructure. The participants indicated that the biggest barrier in the development of critical infrastructure in the chemical industry, is the lack of a longterm state strategy. The thematic block was also devoted to transport safety.

The final strategic debate on new raw materials - solutions for a plastics ban - was devoted to questions whether the ban is a temporary fad or the only path of development, whether alternatives to plastics work, and how to reconcile the trend with consumers’ needs and requirements. It was noted that there must be a change in the product structure, but to achieve this, a lot of barriers need to be overcome and the process is likely to be very expensive. Although Europe is not the main source of pollution, the European drive toward the circular economy is very forward-looking, it was noted. Participants of the congress were confident that in the next 20 years, good alternatives to conventional raw materials can be found.

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INDUSTRY

“I AM CONFIDENT ABOUT THE FUTURE OF LOTOS” JAROSŁAW WITTSTOCK, Vice-President of the LOTOS Group for corporate affairs, talks to “Polish Market” about the strengths of the Gdańsk-based group and the philosophy of sports sponsorship.

The planned merger between the LOTOS Group and ORLEN is widely discussed in the media. At what stage are you in this process?

There is a lot going on in this matter. In fact, a number of meetings between the ORLEN and LOTOS management and social partners have just been held. Discussions were conducted with members of the Regional Council for Social Dialogue in Gdańsk and representatives of trade unions, both at the national, local and company level.

The initiator of these meetings was PKN ORLEN, because it is in charge of the process, it plays the leading role. LOTOS supports this process to the best of its abilities.

We do our best to make the Polish market transparent for Brussels officials, to make sure that the merger plans do not contravene competition laws. At the beginning of July, the final merger request will be sent to the European Commission. The details of the merger will be revealed once the Commission approves it. This is expected to last at least five to six months. I want to emphasize that I am confident about the future of LOTOS. PM

What about the consequences of the merger when it comes to sponsorship and corporate social responsibility? Isn’t it going to affect the company's involvement in the Pomerania region?

What it’s going to be like after the merger is up to ORLEN. However, it is clear from assurances given by President Daniel Obajtek that the company’s role in Pomerania, as well as in other regions in which we operate, including in Jasło and Czechowice-Dziedzice in the south of Poland, will not decrease. In fact, it will continue to be strengthened. This approach makes us very happy. I would like to make it clear that LOTOS does not address its CSR activities toward any particular part of the community, a selected group or formation. We address them to Polish society as a whole, to the whole community.

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INDUSTRY

In terms of sports sponsorship we envisage no problems, because in line with an unwritten rule, the two companies have always avoided sponsoring similar sports. For now, ORLEN is our most serious competitor in the fuel industry. You can thus say that thanks to the merger, our business activities will be present throughout the country. It will also allow us to synchronise our activities in the areas of marketing, sponsorship and CSR. Which of the sports sponsorship projects you support are you proud of the most?

It’s a very difficult question, despite appearances. Each sponsorship project brings great value to us, and each project is important in its own way. Kajetan Kajetanowicz comes to mind first. We cheered him on in mid-June during the Sardinia Rally. And we succeeded. Kajetan, together with his pilot Maciek Szczepaniak, achieved their best result to date in the World Rally Championship. The LOTOS Rally Team came second in the WRC 2 category. Kajetan is an outstanding sportsman we have been working in partnership with for many years. We are happy that he represents our brand in this extraordinary and demanding sport. His example proves that talent and hard work, combined with our support, do bring results.

It is worth noting that we do not always focus on world champions, those who win top prizes. We also work with athletes who sometimes go through a difficult moment in their sports career, who do not make it to the podium for a while. It’s all about building a culture, values, bonds and solidarity. We support athletes who often show perseverance, overcome barriers, thus setting an example for young people to follow.

We support those who, besides becoming winners whose successes are applauded, are also humble and modest human beings we can be proud of.

At the same time, we invest in the physical education of young people. An event summing up another season of the "Football of the Future with LOTOS" programme, was held at the Energa Gdansk Stadium on June 23.

The programme’s mission is not only to help young footballers acquire skills, but also to shape health-oriented and patriotic postures.

We are pleased that this programme has become a success. Many footballers have been selected to the Poland youth team, for example. We are aware of it, and that is why we are constantly developing this project.

Last year we opened a new training centre in the city of Białystok - it was a team from the Podlasie region that won this year's cup.

Young people from Czechowice-Dziedzice and PM

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WE WERE THE FIRST TO ENABLE ELECTRIC CARS TO CHARGE ALONG THE WAY FROM WARSAW TO GDAŃSK. LAST AUTUMN, OUR BLUE TRAIL TOOK OFF. Jasło have also recently joined the programme.

We currently have a total of 17 centres.

Talking about helping young footballers to learn the ropes, let me ask you this, is there anything ORLEN can learn from you?

It seems to me that we should look at it from both sides. I am convinced that both ORLEN can learn a lot from LOTOS, and we from ORLEN. But there are a few issues that I would like to pinpoint. We were the first to enable electric cars to charge along the way from Warsaw to Gdańsk. Last autumn, our Blue Trail took off. It’s a network of 12 charging points for electric vehicles on the A1 and A2 motorways. In line with the adopted strategy, we have plans to build another 38 charging stations by the end of the first quarter of next year. Thanks to this, we have shown those who are thinking about buying an electric car that you can not only drive it around the city, but can also get from Warsaw to the Baltic coast.

Another area we are proud of is hydrogen.

Half a year ago, we obtained funding from the European Union for the construction of an installation which will allow us to produce pure hydrogen for use in fuel cells.

In addition to this installation, the first two filling stations will also be built in Gdańsk and Warsaw by 2021 where you will be able to refuel with hydrogen. It is worth mentioning the Cluster of Hydrogen and Clean Energy Technologies which was set up on the initiative of the LOTOS Group in 2018. We would like to invite “Polish Market” readers to the 2nd Polish conference on hydrogen technology in Gdynia on October 1.

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Another thing is LNG. One of the main reasons for the growing interest of shipowners in this modern and environmentally friendly fuel, are tougher and tougher environmental regulations. Under what is known as the Sulphur Directive, ship-owners are obliged to use fuels with a sulphur content not exceeding 0.1%. As a result, more and more vessels are converted to LNG fuel. We are based right on the Baltic coast, close to sea ports. We know how to supply this fuel.

LNG is our natural advantage.

LOTOS emphasises its coastal location. Is it an advantage only in the development of LNG-related projects?

The excellent location of the LOTOS refinery in Gdańsk gives us an edge over the competition in the logistics of raw materials and products. It also creates natural conditions for the continuous development of commercial competences. This, in turn, allows us to help Poland diversify its energy supplies with the use of sea transport. In other words, the company’s coastal location strengthens its economic efficiency, while positively affecting the country's energy security.

Proof of this is the way we managed to survive the period when Russian oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline were disrupted.

We passed this test with flying colours. We proved that we can function even when fuels reach us only by sea. We did not need to lower our production capacity - and as we have shown - it applies to the entire Polish refinery sector, which also confirms the value of merger plans of the two Polish fuel companies.

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ZERO WASTE

ORGANIC FOOD

VAGUE VISION OR SOUND BUSINESS? IWO RYBACKI, Board Member of the Assay Group, talks to “Polish Market” about lifestyle, business and start-ups.

Do we eat to live, or do we live to eat?

Of course I eat to live. What's more, I want to live in a world without rubbish and pollution, especially without threats of ecological disasters. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation and McKinsey estimate that if the mass production of waste is not checked, by 2050 up to 13 billion tonnes of waste could end up on rubbish heaps polluting the natural environment. It is not a distant prospect which will impact future generations, it matters for our generation as well. That is why I have become interested in projects which contribute to the reduction of environmental pollution.

PM

The main goal of a Zero Waste lifestyle is to cut down the amount of waste to a minimum, thus reducing environmental pollution. How viable do you think is it to use the Zero Waste method in the food sector?

I’m not in favour of extreme solutions, I prefer a common sense approach to promote certain habits. Let us not buy more food than we are able to eat, let us choose biodegradable or multiple-use packages. Let's make informed choices, let's plan our shopping.

PM

On the business scale, what’s the reaction of the catering sector to the idea?

It is basically easier to plan in business than in your private life. When we go shopping, each of us often makes impractical decisions by buying more products than we are able to consume. Business is ruled by inexorable economics, profit and loss, everything is planned to minimise the cost of purchase, PM

transport, storage, etc. I take it for granted that a properly functioning company optimises processes.

The Assay Group invests in start-ups which address their products to the food sector.

That’s right. We are involved in several interesting projects. GastroJob is an innovative recruitment application for the HoReCa sector.

It is an original idea byAntoine Azais, who has been working in catering for many years. He has observed a major problem employers in this sector are struggling with, namely the sudden need to recruit additional staff or stand-ins.

For this reason, GastroJob has been created as a tool to look for temporary staff. Following numerous consultations with our business clients, we have decided to expand our product to cover permanent and seasonal work. The application works in Warsaw, and as of this month, in Kraków. GastroJob has been very well received by business clients and already has over 150 satisfied partners.

Another project is Robin Food, a non-cash payment system in the catering industry. With the help of the application, customers can pay the bill, and additionally receive discounts they can use in a number of ways. For a restaurant it is a form of a marketing-cum-loyalty platform, combined with CSR features which build a positive brand image.

PM

And now, there is another project for this sector.

We have become interested in Xvibe, a platform which is the management hub of a catering establishment. In the initial stage, PM

the project will develop in two areas in parallel, while maintaining the synergy of functions.

The first task of the Xvibe platform will be to promote the catering offer and reach the largest group of customers, tailoring it to their needs. Another area in which the platform will operate is a marketplace for group purchases by restaurateurs, thanks to which it will be easier to buy a quality product at a reasonable price and to plan its delivery.

But the catering industry is not the only area of interest for the Assay Group, is it?

Our portfolio includes companies from various sectors. We devote a lot of attention to electromobility. Electric cars have become more than a fad which is discussed only in terms of pros and cons. They have become a real factor in the development of the automotive industry. According to forecasts, by 2030, the share of electric cars in global car sales is expected to reach 16%, and by 2040 it may exceed 50%. By 2050, seven out of 10 cars promise to be electric cars.

Our Elimen Racing team is a team of rally drivers, technicians and automotive technologists who want Poland to become a leader in modern motor sports. Przemysław Rozmysłowicz, a constructor experienced in the implementation of R&D projects in the field of electromobility, and Daniel Śliwka, a designer of microchips, have developed the first Polish electric rallycross car, E-RX1.

We are now moving a step forward to combine business with a hobby. Elimen Racing is launching the world’s first Rallycross Electric league in Poland.

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ECOLOGY

WASTE

POTENTIAL JÓZEF MOKRZYCKI, President of Mo-Bruk SA, talks to “Polish Market.”

Is modern waste management, which is very much “in” at the moment, an example of what is known as the circular economy?

The circular economy is important in building the environmental awareness of society. It is necessary to manage waste to achieve a maximum level of recyclable materials such as plastics and waste paper. The circular economy makes sense, its principles have been mastered. There are technologies which enable the efficient recycling of secondary raw materials.

However, the circular economy is not just about plastics and waste paper. There remains a large stream of waste whose recycling is not possible, for example, waste paints and solvents.

In a process of thermal treatment in an incinerator, they can be used to produce heat and electricity. Another group of waste is inorganic waste such as slag and dust. In line with a technology patented in Poland, after physiochemical stabilisation, they can be processed into aggregate, which can then be used in road construction and the reclamation of areas degraded by industry. To answer the question whether a modern economy is a circular economy, a modern economy cannot be built without adequate pressure to develop a circular economy. These terms are interlinked. Their practical application enables responsible use of natural resources while streamlining the economy.

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INDUSTRY

Amendments to the Waste Act and the Environmental Protection Inspection Act adopted last year were in reaction to irregularities in the waste processing industry, including, among others, storage of waste in places not intended for this purpose, and often uncontrolled waste incineration. These pathologies appear to have been eliminated. But are there any other consequences of this amendment?

I can’t agree that pathologies have already been successfully eliminated, but we can see a lot of progress. The new regulations have primarily put pressure on all entities involved in irregular practices. They have also given the green light to relevant services to prosecute those guilty of irregularities. In the future, waste producers will be more diligent in activities related to the transfer of waste.

Under the amended pieces of legislation, a number of obligations has been imposed on waste management companies. It will thus be more difficult for dishonest operators to enter the market. Many companies have been closed as a result of law enforcement activities, and a number of entrepreneurs have given up illegal practices. Due to the obligations imposed by the laws, and the reduced number of entities that provide waste treatment services, waste treatment prices have gone up, in line with the law of supply and demand.

MO-BRUK PROVIDES A NUMBER OF UNIQUE SOLUTIONS. ONE SUCH SOLUTION IS THE PRODUCTION OF AGGREGATE FROM INORGANIC WASTE. HERE, THE USE OF AGGREGATE PRODUCED IN THE WASTE TREATMENT PROCESS HELPS TO CONSERVE NATURAL AGGREGATES.

PM

Waste is not just a problem for companies, but also for households. How to deal with it? Housing cooperatives and tenants’ associations seem to be struggling with waste separation.

It should be wise to collect as many secondary raw materials in sorting plants as possible on a mass scale. Cooperatives and tenants’ associations should sort waste as carefully as possible, which will make it more economical for treatment plants to process it. Consequently, it will push down waste collection prices for residents.

Waste should primarily be collected in bins and inside roofed waste disposal enclosures to prevent it from becoming damp. There should be room for bins or skips for all categories of waste.

PM

Are there enough modern waste incinerators? What about waste landfilling facilities?

Waste landfilling should be the last resort. It should apply only to those types of waste which cannot be used in any other way. In Poland, unfortunately, despite many undertakings by state authorities, a significant part of waste is still landfilled. The Environmental Protection Inspection has a lot of work cut out for it. It is necessary to introduce more detailed controls of landfilled waste because it is quite common that legal regulations are not observed, for instance in terms of required standards. For example, the law prohibits the landfilling of municipal waste whose calorific value exceeds 6000 kJ/kg (foil, plastic and paper). But in practice, it is quite the opposite.

Modern waste incineration plants, on the other hand, are professional installations which are used to recover energy from the combustible fraction of waste. Selected secondary raw materials should be recycled. Flammable waste recovered from municipal waste should be recycled to produce alternative fuels used by the cement industry, energy PM

industry, or should end up at modern incineration plants.

Such plants include installations intended for the production of energy from hazardous waste. Incineration plants which operate in Poland and the EU are technologically advanced.

They meet all safety and environmental protection standards.

What new recycling technologies are noteworthy?

The industry is evolving all the time. Legal regulations require better and better solutions. Mo-Bruk provides a number of unique solutions. One such solution is the production of aggregate from inorganic waste. Here, the use of aggregate produced in the waste treatment process helps to conserve natural aggregates. Funding available in the form of government grants for specific purposes is of great importance in this case. The National Centre for Research and Development (NCBiR) funds research projects aimed, among others, at the development of waste treatment technologies.

Last year, in conjunction with the AGH University of Science and Technology, the Warsaw University of Technology and the Krakow University of Technology, Mo-Bruk completed a research project partly financed by NCBiR to the tune of PLN8.5 million. It was aimed at developing technologies for stabilising and solidifying inorganic waste used in the production of aggregates. As a result of this project, seven patent applications have been filed. We are currently getting ready to implement the innovations we have developed on an industrial scale.

Another unique solution is drying alternative fuel obtained from waste with the use of energy generated from other waste. Dried alternative fuel can be used in the clinker firing process in cement plants.

PM

You are keen to develop your business on European markets. Have you already held any talks on this matter?

In Poland, the waste management market is becoming more and more mature. We still have a lot to do, especially compared to Western Europe. But the countries of southeastern Europe perform far worse than Poland. They are slowly waking up to the need to adjust their laws to EU law. They are beginning to see the potential of using waste dumped in landfills for energy generation, their authorities are thinking about the need to improve the state of the environment. This approach creates foreign expansion opportunities for us as a company with innovative waste treatment technologies.

We analyse foreign markets in terms of potential investment outside Poland.

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HIGHER EDUCATION

RANKINGS

ARE OUR SPECIALTY The 20th Perspektywy Ranking of Universities, is an opportunity to take stock and consider the state of Polish higher education. Rankings are now something quite ordinary, but in 2000 it took a lot of courage to assess and classify universities.

In fact, we'd been getting ready for this ranking for nine years. When we launched a professionally developed Ranking of Warsaw High Schools in 1992, we were convinced that we would make it easier for all those interested - and, above all, students - to pick a high school in an informed way. The popularity of our Warsaw and nationwide high school rankings exceeded all expectations. So we decided that - under the motto "Rankings is our specialty" we have the right to take another step further to start assessing universities.

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Poland was experiencing an educational boom at the time.

Studying for a university degree had become an in thing, and it was great that it happened, but you needed to spread more information about what and where to study.

A climax wave of 19-year-old baby boomers was approaching university gates, and the offer of Polish universities had become so rich, versatile and diverse that finding out about it and required making a choice, required a lot of effort. That is why, to make it easier for high school graduates to make educational choices, we came up with the Ranking of Universities.

PM

WALDEMAR SIWIŃSKI, President of the Perspektywy Educational Foundation, which has published the prestigious Ranking of Universities for 20 years now, talks to “Polish Market.”

Weren’t you afraid of the reaction of the academic community?

I was very afraid. We had to solve the dilemma: how to build a ranking which would be useful for university candidates, but also acceptable to universities. The ranking of high schools offered us the initial trust of students, parents and teachers. But assessing universities was something completely different. That is why we approached the ranking of universities with particular care. We had a series of meetings with the rectors of the largest universities, as well as with the Conference of Rectors of Polish Universities, during which we discussed the need to prepare the ranking and its main principles. The results of these meetings proved encouraging, but also made us aware of the need for annual consultations with universities and compliance with previously established rules of the game.

PM

And that’s where the Board of the Ranking comes in.

Each ranking has two subjective elements: selection of criteria and deciding on proportions according to which they will be taken into account. Everything else can be objectified, but the criteria and their weights will always be determined arbitrarily. This is how the Board of the Ranking was born. It is one of the main guarantees of the quality and independence of the ranking. Over the past 20 years, the Board has been headed by: PM

Grzegorz Wójtowicz, Ph.D., Prof. Marek Safjan, Prof. Bogusław Smólski and Prof. Michał Kleiber.

During the past 20 years, the role of the ranking has evolved, its role has been expanded.

From the beginning, our ranking was a consumer-oriented ranking, we were primarily interested in how universities are rated by graduates. As it gained acceptance and recognition, its another role grew in importance: it became a reflection of the state of Polish higher education, an assessment which is performed regularly, every year, using criteria which are by no means accidental. Some universities turned out to perform better than others. There were spectacular successes and equally spectacular failures, although the top of the list has not changed radically for years, and the No.1 spot has always been occupied either by the University of Warsaw or the Jagiellonian University (sometimes they jointly held the top spot.) As the methodology was improved and the ranking was based on external data sources, another function was strengthened, which could be described as a diagnostic or monitoring function. Observing changing positions of particular universities, it became possible to determine which one has adopted the right development strategy (because it moves up the ranking,) and which one is stuck at the same spot, which in practical terms means that it has been left behind. Because to stay in the lead, you need to run faster than your competitors.

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U N I V E R S I T Y O F WA R S AW F I R S T J A G I E L L O N I A N U N I V E R S I T Y S E C O N D

T

he Perspektywy University Ranking covers 30 indicators grouped into seven criteria: prestige, graduates on the labour market, scientific potential, scientific effectiveness, innovation and internationalisation. This makes it one of the most extensive and transparent educational rankings in the world. It is also one of four which possess the IREG Approved international quality certificate. Its methodology has been developed by a board headed by Prof. Michał Kleiber, former president of the Polish Academy of Sciences. The Board makes sure that procedures are observed while compiling the Ranking and that the results are reliable. It also approves and announces the results. The board consists of representatives of

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key academic communities and employers who hire graduates.

The ranking is based on data coming from official sources, such as POL-on, Statistics Poland, Polish Patent Office databases, Elsevier databases, as well as on surveys sent out to universities and own research (opinions of the academic staff, research workers).

The President of the Board Prof. Michał Kleiber says that the jury takes into account the voice of the academic community and modifies indicators accordingly. “We are facing a major challenge because the reform of higher education and science confronts us with the need to introduce some additional changes,” he emphasises.

•

NAME OF THE UNIVERSITY 1 University of Warsaw 2 Jagiellonian University 3 Warsaw University of Technology 4 AGH University of Science and Technology 5 Adam Mickiewicz University 6 Wrocław University of Technology 7 Gdańsk University of Technology 8 = University of Wroclaw 8 = Medical University of Gdańsk 8 = Lodz University of Technology

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HIGHER EDUCATION

POZNAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

100

YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN SCIENCE AND EDUCATION

For 100 years of its activities the Poznan University of Technology has been constantly developing to become a strong and modern university. Its scientific achievements and the range of courses it offers have made it one of the best universities of technology in Europe.

POZNAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY - PROGRESS, MODERNITY, RATIONALISM RIGHT FROM THE START

In 1919, following the victory of a national uprising in Wielkopolska (Greater Poland) which had been ruled by Prussia, the region became part of newly independent Poland.

At that time, the Supreme People's Council established the State Higher School of Mechanical Engineering in the region’s capital Poznań. Regular classes, initially attended by a small number of students, began on September 1 of that year. Unfortunately, before the first year reached graduation, the status of the school was lowered and the adjective “higher” was deleted from its name. Immediate efforts were made to restore the school to a university level. In 1921, the “Wiadomości Techniczne” magazine published a “Memorandum on the need to establish

40 polish market

a university of technology in Poznań,” which explained why such a university was needed.

However, it took many years for that dream to become reality. The University of Technology was not set up in Poznań until 1955. The State Higher School of Mechanical Engineering operated since 1919 (in 1922 its name was changed to the State Machine Building School).

In the autumn of 1929, it was given a new statute and renamed the State Higher School of Machine Design and Electrical Engineering.

In that shape, the school operated until the outbreak of World War II, during which time 716 students received university degrees. In 1937, the ministry formally agreed to establish a university of technology in Poznań, but the war thwarted these plans. After the end of the war, the school's activities were reactivated in 1945. It was transformed into an Engineering School. The year 1955 turned out to be a breakthrough. The Engineering

School was transformed into the Poznan University of Technology under a decree of the Minister of Higher Education. This was great news not just for the academic community, but also for the whole Poznań. In fact, this was only the beginning of efforts to give this institution a rank corresponding to its name.

A new structure was developed, whereby the University of Technology took over four faculties from the existing Engineering School, along with all interfaculty units. In 1968, the Faculty of Chemistry was established, followed by the Faculty of Technical Physics in 1997, the Faculty of Architecture in 1999, the Faculty of Computer Science and Management in 2001, and the Faculty of Electronics and Telecommunications in 2006. In 2010, the Faculty of Computer Science and Management was reorganised. Two faculties were created: the Faculty of Computer Science and the Faculty of Engineering Management.

HIGHER EDUCATION INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION - AN EFFECTIVE INTERNATIONALISATION STRATEGY

The implementation of the university's mission allows it to put into practice a vision of the Poznan University of Technology as Poland’s leading university of technology, with aspirations to be a partner of European and world universities in terms of the quality of education and the level of scientific research. For several years now the Poznan University of Technology has been consistently implementing an internationalisation strategy, among others through regular participation in foreign educational missions. The priority targets are strategic educational markets, i.e. the Eastern Partnership countries, especially Ukraine, countries with high demographic potential (China, India, Turkey, Kazakhstan) and emerging markets - potential sources of foreign students such as Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan, including countries with extensive scholarship systems.

In addition, as part of a new project, the university is planning to raise its profile in countries where its presence has been negligible or none, and from which no students are enrolled. These countries are Vietnam, Thailand, the United States, Peru and Ecuador.

The Poznan University of Technology is implementing over 400 bilateral agreements within the Erasmus + programme, which allow over 1,000 students and several hundred academic staff to travel abroad. More than 150 agreements have been concluded with foreign centres around the world, covering joint research and exchanges of university students and staff. The Polish-Chinese New Silk Road Research Centre has been established at the Poznan University of Technology. Its main tasks will include the transfer of science, education, culture and, consequently, business.

SCIENTIFIC POTENTIAL - FOCUS ON EFFECTIVENESS

Top-quality scientific research is an integral part of the strategy of the Poznan University of Technology as a higher learning institution in the rank of a university of technology. Proof of the high academic position of the university is the assessment of academic units according to a set of parameters by KEJN (Committee for Evaluation of Scientific Units) for 2013-2017, as a result of which six faculties of the Poznan University of Technology received category A, and only four category B. In 2018, a total of 181 research projects were implemented at the Poznan University of Technology.

Over 1,300 academic teachers work at the university. It is entitled to confer doctoral degrees in 19 areas of study and postdoctoral

The opening ceremony of the New Silk Road Research Centre

degrees in 14 disciplines. Every year, over 2,000 articles, monographs, textbooks and other publications add to the scientific achievements of Poznan University of Technology staff.

The Poznan University of Technology was awarded the ELSEVIER Research Impact Leaders 2016 award in the medical sciences category. The prize goes to higher learning institutions whose publications have had the greatest impact on the perception of Polish science in the world. The award was granted for research and publications in the field of biomedical engineering. In the webometric ranking compiled by the Concejo Superior de Investigaciones Scientificas (CSIS), the Poznan University of Technology is ranked third among such universities in Poland in terms of how frequently its publications are cited in other studies. In the latest edition of the QS World University Ranking, there are 14 Polish universities, including the Poznan University of Technology. In January 2017, it was the only Polish university to receive the H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Global Fellowships in that edition. The university has three winners of the Foundation for Polish Science award known as the Polish Nobel Prize, and its scientists are among the authorities of the Polish Academy of Sciences and numerous international learned societies.

FIELDS OF STUDY - GRADUATES READY TO ENTER THE LABOUR MARKET

The Poznan University of Technology offers education in 10 faculties, encompassing a total of over 30 fields of study. More than 17,000 young people study at the university. For the Poznan University of Technology, introducing students to the practical side of their future careers is of great significance. An innovative programme of dual studies is conducted, which combines theoretical knowledge with practice

at leading companies such as Volkswagen Poznań, Solaris and Phoenix Contact.

STUDENT LIFE - UNLIMITED DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Students choose studies at the Poznan University of Technology because of the high level of teaching, perfectly prepared staff, the opportunity to fully implement their scientific and non-scientific interests as well as because of the friendly atmosphere at the University. Plenty of opportunities to pursue intellectual interests are provided to students by science clubs. Each student will also find room for themselves in one of the many student organisations which exist at the Poznan University of Technology. The Afera student radio station operates here with great success.

The Academic Sports Association which has existed since 1919, can boast many successes.

Students who are active there, are among the winners of the Polish Championships of the Universities of Technology, the Polish Higher Schools Championships and the Academic Championships in the Wielkopolskie province.

Poznań inhabitants and audiences in various foreign towns and cities are fond of the Poligrodzianie Folk Dance Ensemble, which was set up in 1973 to present authentic folklore.

The Volantes Soni mixed chamber choir is also scoring successes at home and abroad with its repertoire of religious music, folklore and contemporary music, as well as Gregorian chants in new arrangements.

The Poznan University of Technology keeps developing, and it has plenty of projects up its sleeve. It is strengthening its scientific potential, improving the teaching offer and undertaking new investments. It builds the image of a solid university with a rich background. It constantly takes up fresh challenges and is open to change in the future.

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HIGHER EDUCATION

MAKING POLES FEEL SECURE PROF. LESZEK RAFALSKI, Chairman of the Main Council of Research Institutes (RGIB)

M

an's natural instinct is to strive for future peace, equilibrium and certainty which will not be disturbed by the vision of an impending attack by hostile armies and loss of freedom. Man does not want to live in fear of threats lurking for children, drivers, miners, anti-terrorist squads and firemen.

Man does not want to fear losing property and home as a result of plunder, cyberattack, fire, floods, landslides and other natural and man-made disasters. Man’s innate need is to care for clean air, to eat safe food, to be protected against lifestyle diseases, and be confident that medical help will be available when required. Threats to our sense of security may be posed by disturbances in various spheres of life. Things can go wrong in state administration, economy, society, politics, natural environment, as well as in our own micro worlds. Threats

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may come from outer space, they can be caused by global and local issues, as well as by deadly bacteria and viruses. In response to numerous threats faced by human beings and the natural environment nowadays, research institutes do their best to provide a wide range of solutions. At conferences and in its publishing projects, the Main Council of Research Institutes examines these threats and tries to come up with solutions. It also does its best to publicise individual security innovations, which are often developed through the joint effort of a number of institutes. This highlights the possibilities of interdisciplinary research in the field of dual military and civilian applications.

A series of conferences has been organised

by RGIB in recent years, including “Civilian research institutes support Poland’s security” (March 2017), and “Civilian research institutes for national defence”

(July 2018). The latter was held on the initiative of the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Defence Tomasz Zdzikota and in conjunction with the Ministry of Defence.

At these conferences, research institutes presented a wide range of issues in the areas of technology, computer science, materials science and biotechnology. In the application of research results, several areas have been distinguished, including vehicles and equipment, weapons, hazard identification, protection and defence systems. Many of them are typically military applications, others serve more general purposes, but after modification and adaptation, they can be used for the needs of the armed forces. Numerous presented solutions are implemented, also by leading Polish defence industry companies. The presentation of the achievements and potential of civilian research institutes at the Ministry of Defence turned out to be a very good idea, since it

HIGHER EDUCATION is important for the ministry to develop research and implementation facilities. An important result of the conference was also the conclusion that there is a need to launch comprehensive interdisciplinary projects whose results can be used by the military.

The next edition of the conference has already been planned.

The latest RGIB initiative is a bilingual Polish-English publication Research Institutes Make It Safer. Defence Economy - Environment - Food - Health, in which security is widely discussed. The publication contains a selection of the

achievements and topics dealt with by research institutes. 220 research topics, projects, implementation work, laboratory and training capabilities available to the armed forces, other uniformed services, state and local administration, farmers, employees of various occupational groups, patients and others, are outlined. This brief publication makes readers aware of the great diversity and range of practical applications of work conducted by research institutes.

If the materials, technologies, equipment, devices, methods and systems presented in the publication were to be available on

a mass scale, the various threats would be minimised, not to mention the economic, social and cultural progress which would stem from the implementation of these innovations.

An electronic version of the publication can be found at www.rgib.org.pl.

I would like to encourage you to read the publication to find out more about the research institutes’ work, which is meant to improve broadly conceived security, and to take advantage of their creative resources and research and implementation capabilities. •

www.rgib.org.pl

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HIGHER EDUCATION

ENGINEER

OF THE FUTURE

Jerzy Bojanowicz

“The imagination of engineers changes the world and human life in all its aspects. You are able to predict threats and set the course of progress to serve the human being in the best possible way,” Polish President Andrzej Duda wrote in a letter addressed to the organisers and participants of the 4th Congress of Polish Engineers, organized jointly with the 26th Congress of Polish Technicians. The two events were held under the president’s patronage within the "Niepodległa" programme marking the centenary of Poland’s rebirth as an independent state.

A

t the end of the letter read out by Andrzej Dera of the President’s Office, the Polish head of state wrote: “It brings me great satisfaction that the community of Polish engineers in Poland and abroad undertakes joint initiatives to integrate and exchange experiences. (...) I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for keeping in touch with your Polish roots, for the fact that you are keen to share your knowledge and that you hold Poland dear.”

A letter by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki was read by science broadcaster Krzysztof Michalski. At the end of the letter, the prime minister wrote: “I hope that your series of meetings gives rise to inspiring conclusions which will have an impact on our future, whose success largely depends on engineers and technicians.”

An honorary patronage over the event, which took place at the AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow and the Krakow Technologists’ House, was also extended by the

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Speaker of Parliament Stanisław Karczewski, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Minister of Science and Higher Education Jarosław Gowin, the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Technology, the Ministry of Investment and Economic Development and the Małopolskie Province Governor.

The organisers of the two simultaneous congresses were: AGH, the Chief Technical Organisation, the European Federation of Polish Scientific and Technical Associations, the Council of Polish Engineers in North America, the Conference of Rectors of Polish Universities of Technology (KRPUT,) the Krakow University of Technology, the Krakow FSNT-NOT Council, the Warsaw University of Technology and the Engineering Academy. Their participants were greeted by KRPUT Chairman Prof. Tadeusz Słomka and Rector of AGH. The combined event was attended by about 300 participants, including Polish engineers from Canada, the United States, Australia, Lithuania, Austria, Greece, Germany, France, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, as well as numerous

representatives of Polish universities of technology, research institutes and innovative companies.

On the first day, inaugural lectures were held under the mottoes "The Engineer in the Regaining of Independence and Building of Statehood" by Ewa Mańkiewicz-Cudny, President of FSNT-NOT, Editor-in-chief of "Przegląd Techniczny", and "Engineering of the Future " by Prof. Jan Szmidt, Chairman of the Conference of Rectors of Polish Universities and the Rector of the Warsaw University of Technology. They were followed by two sessions: "Engineers of the Future on the 100th Anniversary of Regaining Independence" and "Polish Engineers in the Independence Effort."

The latter marked the 100th anniversary of AGH. In the evening, an Engineering Gala took place. It featured the Krakus Song and Dance Ensemble and the AGH Con Fuoco Choir. During the ceremony the titles of "Przegląd Techniczny Golden Engineer" and "FSNT-NOT Master of Technology " were awarded.

The second day was devoted to thematic sessions: "Engineer and the Environment," "Engineer – Young People’s Contribution", "Engineer and Medicine" and – in reference to the main slogan of the event - "Engineer and Infrastructure," "Engineer in the World of machines (Industry 4.0)" and "Engineer in IT." Those taking part in the sessions emphasised that the digital revolution, which has given birth to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT,) lies at the root of what is known as Industry 4.0. It requires many changes, also in the education of future engineers, it was pointed out.

During the Poles Together gala, Piotr Stanisław Drzewiecki medals were presented.

Drzewiecki was the first Warsaw mayor in independent Poland and president of the Warsaw Association of Technicians and the initiator of the construction of the Technologist’s House.

The TECHNICUS 2019 competition awards for the best book and technical guide, marked the 15th anniversary of the European Federation of Polish Scientific and Technical Societies. Partners of the two congresses were: the National Centre for Research and Development, the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development, KGHM Polska Miedź and Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe Publishers.

•

ECONOMY

9 T H E U RO P E A N FINANCIAL CONGRESS

To coincide with celebrations in the city of Gdańsk marking the 30th anniversary of Poland’s free elections of June 4, 1989, the neighbouring Baltic resort town of Sopot served as the capital of Polish finances. The 9th European Financial Congress, which took place on June 3-5, gathered hundreds of guests. The range of subjects dealt with by the panellists went far beyond the world of banking and financial institutions.

A

very positive aspect of the three days of debates was the high level of professional expertise, and the fact that politics was left aside.

This made it possible to discuss arguments in a global format, avoiding local differences.

ROUBINI MOVES THE AUDIENCE

The first day was marked by debates on threats and challenges facing the financial sector and the global economy. Among those who shared their opinions with the participants of the congress was Prof. Nouriel Roubini, a worldrenowned economist who in 2006 predicted the impending crisis in the global economy.

Roubini, a guest of Pekao bank, emphasised the high risk of a trade war between the US and China. According to him, global control over new technologies and artificial intelligence is at stake in this showdown. He stressed that, faced with considerable uncertainty, European states should strive for even stronger unification. He added that Europe as a community can play a very positive, peaceful role in this conflict.

Brexit also figured prominently on the agenda.

Panellists agreed that a possible hard Brexit could have disastrous consequences for the European economy and financial markets.

Professor Nouriel Roubini said that one positive thing that can come out of the British chaos, could be an increase in the number of supporters of the UK remaining in the European Union. And as a result, this could lead Britain to give up the idea of ​​leaving the EU.

companies. They pointed out, among other things, that financial services are moving towards greater mobility. This will, in turn, require traditional banks to be transformed into tech companies with a bank license. An important element of this year's congress was also a discussion on responsible finances and ethics on the financial markets. The organisers invited experts to a debate on irregularities in the financial market, the effectiveness of safety regulations and threats to the economy posed by market irregularities.

THREATS TO THE POLISH ECONOMY

The second day was dominated by the regularly held EFC Macroeconomic Round Table and EFC Technological Round Table. During these discussions, invited guests exchanged views on challenges facing the economy and banks in the coming years. According to a bank economists’ forecast published to tie in with the congress, in 2019 the Polish economy is expected to grow by 4.3 % year-on-year.

In the next few years, however, economic growth may slow down. Economists pointed out the risks to the economy, which include, for example, increased public spending. In their opinion, this is a dangerous phenomenon, which, may not yet lead to problems in the state's finances next year, but in the following years, the budget deficit may grow beyond acceptable limits.

Experts who took part in the Technological Round Table decided that the biggest IT challenges for the banking sector for the next three years are posed by cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and cloud computing.

The third day saw speakers drawing conclusions from previous debates, but panellists also wondered if banking, and the rest of the financial community, is ready for the post-digital era and how to encourage investors to spend more money. One of the most captivating debates concerned electromobility. We present a separate, extended account of this meeting on page 21. •

CHANGING BANKS

On the first day of the 9th European Financial Congress, those taking part also had the opportunity to listen to panellists' opinions on new technologies, and above all on competition between banks and tech 6/2019 polish market

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BRAND: POLAND

OUT WITH THE OLD POLICIES The insurance industry is undergoing major changes. It is the consequence of new regulations concerning electromobility and automobility, and the implementation of the EU Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD). But this is just the tip of the iceberg. The product range offered by insurers will also be affected by Brexit, climate change and even the development of the Internet of Things.

Jerzy Mosoń

I

nsurers cannot seem to have a moment’s peace. The market has just dealt with the implementation of the GDPR data protection mechanism, and fresh challenges are coming right along. The scope of changes is so large that it must affect the product range and insurance prices.

type and price of insurance to a specific customer. This approach is also perceived as the promotion of safe driving. It is worth noting that failure to comply with the new law entails sanctions for insurance agents - for a legal person, the penalty may amount to as much as 5% of income, and for a natural person about PLN 3 million.

COMPUTER ERROR

HOW TO IDENTIFY THE CLIENT AND DAMAGE

Regulations that lay down conditions for the development of electromobility and automobility have recently come into force. In particular, the appearance of driverless cars on our roads will affect the shape of full coverage insurance policies, because in the event of an accident they will need to take into account the liability of software, and that is part of the car manufacturer's responsibilities. Therefore, automotive companies, software producers and even service stations will need to take out insurance policies. Premiums for the insurance of new mobility vehicles may thus need to be higher.

The main challenge for the insurance industry seems to be the need to develop a common standard for electronic identification of customers, which will make it possible to process claims remotely. In view of recently implemented GDPR regulations, this will be a particularly demanding test for medium-sized and small players. On the other hand, the development of the Internet of Things offers a chance for the emergence of new products and services. Imagine that an electrical or water installation fails – a microchip will be able to communicate with the insurer to provide information about the malfunction, and provide relevant data about its cause, which will facilitate the decisionmaking process in paying compensation. It will certainly speed up repairs. If you can remotely control a washing machine or a vacuum cleaner with the help of a smartphone, there is no reason why a car failure or accident report should not reach the insurer in the same way.

TAILOR-MADE POLICIES The Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD), which came into effect on February 23, 2018, imposes on insurance agents the obligation to provide more information to clients. Insurance agents are required to adapt the product to the customer's needs. They are also discouraged from accepting incentives from insurance companies to sell as many expensive products as possible. This may seem vague in legal terms, but it may reduce the number of insurance products.

SAFE DRIVERS TO SPEND LESS Insurance agents should take into account the prospect of lowered profit margins. It is difficult to predict how these changes will affect the pricing system, but those who drive less and safer will most likely benefit, all the more so that the insurance industry is increasingly exploring the possibilities of installing car software which will provide information about the way the owner drives the vehicle.

Perhaps based on the collected data it will be possible to match the

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MORE CHALLENGES TO COME Employee Capital Plans (PPK) are about to be introduced to allow workers to save up for their retirement. Although in the first stage, only large companies will be involved, insurers can play an important role in this programme by providing information to the public.

The obligation arising from the introduction of employee capital plans will primarily concern the largest players in the insurance industry - their opinion may therefore affect the success of the entire reform. Other challenges faced by the insurance industry include Brexit and climate change. The latter results in alternating droughts and floods as well as water shortages, which increasingly plague not only farmers and industrial plants, but also individual residents.

•

METLIFE

ECONOMY

INTRODUCES INNOVATIVE INSURANCE FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES

MetLife in Poland has recently introduced innovative insurance for small and medium-sized enterprises. “MetLife Każdy Ważny” (MetLife Everyone Matters) is an alternative to traditional group insurance. It provides individual and personalised life and health employer insurance protection to employees and their family members.

T

he new “MetLife Każdy Ważny” insurance is a unique solution in the Polish market, which combines the simplicity of group insurance with the flexibility of individual insurance. The product is intended for companies employing several or over ten people, but it can also be used by larger companies. Owners, employees, family members or other eligible individuals can join this programme. The insurance is designed in a way that everyone can choose exactly the coverage they need for themselves or their family.

“According to the survey that MetLife has recently carried out in Poland, almost 90% of employees of small companies are of the opinion that their relationship with the company will become significantly more sustainable if the employer adjusts benefits, such as additional insurance, to their individual, specific needs,” says Mirosław Kisyk, President and General Manager of MetLife in Poland.

The basis of “MetLife Każdy Ważny” insurance, is term life insurance, which can be extended by up to nine additional options.

The insured person can obtain financial support for the diagnosis of cancer or other serious illnesses, hospitalisation, permanent

disability, incapacity for work or the need to treat a child, etc. One new feature is the possibility to insure against bodily injury caused by an accident.

“It is important for the employer to be able to adjust the scope and amount of protection to the needs of their employees as best as possible. With a typical group insurance, all employees receive the same insurance coverage and scope. Our product provides an individual approach, with the flexibility to select additional benefits depending on the life situation or expectations of employees.

Customers will be able to benefit from different options, including bodily injury coverage due to accident. This is our new insurance risk and an important part of the offer. We are prepared for the frequent payment of benefits for various bodily injuries including fractures, dislocation, spraining, damage to soft tissue, injuries treated surgically, burns and frostbite, as well as endoscopic or preventive treatment,” says Bożena Trzaska, Insurance Product Development Manager at MetLife.

“MetLife Każdy Ważny” also provides access to free-of-charge assistance services tailored to the scope of protection and sum insured, such as assistance in the fight against cancer, after accident, disease or

rehabilitation, or support in organising funerals. An additional benefit for those covered by the insurance is a bonus in the form of free telephone consultations with e-doctors 24 hours a day or access to the internet platform with discounts for shopping in traditional and online shops.

Furthermore, each employer receives access to an assistance package for free legal services.

•

ABOUT METLIFE MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), through its subsidiaries and affiliates (MetLife), is one of the largest life insurance companies in the world. Founded in 1868, MetLife is a global provider of life insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management.

Serving approximately 100 million customers, MetLife has operations in more than 40 countries and holds leading market positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

In Poland MetLife began its operations in 1990 as the first insurance company with foreign capital on the Polish market. The company offers life insurance, pension and investment funds. For more information visit www.metlife.com and www.metlife.pl.

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BRAND: POLAND

PROMOTING THINGS POLISH

The 29th Teraz Polska (Poland Now) gala took place at the Teatr Wielki - Polish National Opera in Warsaw on June 3. During the event the Teraz Polska Polish Promotional Emblem Foundation presented awards honouring the best Polish companies, services, innovations and local governments. Teraz Polska is a slogan, logo and prize which is recognised in Poland, but it also recognisable beyond Polish borders. The competition is seen as one of the most prestigious quality competitions in Poland. This year, the Competition Jury awarded the emblem to 13 products, seven services, three innovations and two municipalities. The titles of an Outstanding Pole were also awarded. They went to basketball player Marcin Gortat, graphic artist Andrzej Pągowski and film director Krzysztof Zanussi. The honorary mention went to the Polish Olympic Committee (PKOl).

“

The Teraz Polska Competition has existed for almost 30 years. It is the oldest initiative which honours and promotes Polish business people. Its aim is to highlight and publicise the best in the Polish economy,” said Krzysztof Przybył, President of the Teraz Polska Polish Promotional Emblem Foundation, the organiser of the competition. And Michał Kleiber, Chairman of the Competition Jury, added: “I have been personally convinced of the importance of Polish success for over 10 years, chairing the jury of the Teraz Polska Competition.

We have already selected over 700 winners of the Teraz Polska Competition and 26 winners of the Outstanding Pole Competition. Watching the evolution of Polish entrepreneurship is an extraordinary experience. Following the change of the political system, whose anniversary is celebrated this month, Polish companies have not only needed to keep up with expectations at home, but have also had to catch up with the world. The Teraz Polska Competition is great proof that enterprising and creative Poles have done a great job in this task.”

This year, the winners of the competition represented modern industries, including the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries. They have demonstrated that, while developing in Poland, they also have the ambition not to give in to the global players. The laureates of the competition emphasise that they have found themselves in an elite group, and they say this distinction motivates them to discover new solutions, at the same time serving as

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Maciej Proliński a confirmation that they are going in the right direction.

There is a great need to promote the activities of eminent personalities who, through their achievements and commitment, contribute to promoting and strengthening the positive image of Poland and Poles in the world, and become the ambassadors for Brand Poland.

For the 10th time, the Outstanding Pole title was awarded to those who, through their activity and numerous successes, promote the image of Poland and Poles in the world.

The distinction went to Marcin Gortat, Poland basketball team player and founder of the MG13 Mierz Wysoko (Aim High) Foundation, Andrzej Pągowski, graphic artist, designer of over 1,400 posters, and Krzysztof Zanussi, film director, screenwriter, and producer who has won awards at many international festivals, including in Cannes, Venice, Locarno, Moscow, Montreal and Tokyo.

“I am very honoured and glad that I have received this great distinction, the title of an Outstanding Pole. Every day I try to proudly represent this country in the international arena. During my previous career in the NBA league for 12 years, I did all I could to bring Polish culture closer to the Americans and give them the opportunity to learn more about our homeland. For years, I've been organizing the Polish Heritage Night, a unique event which is a great opportunity for me to show what a great country Poland is, what captivating history it has,” said Marcin Gortat.

“I would like to dedicate this award to the Polish poster school, thanks to which I am here, my professor Waldemar Świerzy, who died prematurely, and all artists who have shaped me,” Andrzej Pągowski said emotionally.

“Maturity means that we have different, better motivations and that they connect us: those who create material goods and those who work on a spiritual level. We all work for the common good, to make the world a better place, to help people live better, more wisely and in a more fulfilling way. So that they can share in the wealth of the surrounding reality, which we cannot grasp using reason, but which enchants us all the more,” noted Krzysztof Zanussi.

For the eighth time, the Competition Jury also awarded the Honourable Special Mention to an institution which promotes Poland at home and abroad. The Honorary Emblem this year went to the Polish Olympic Committee, which spreads the Olympic idea and promotes sport. It is also responsible for preparing Poland national teams for the Olympics and maintains contacts with the international Olympic movement. “The country's development mission cannot be limited just to business. An important role in building a community and future successes, is played by sport. The Polish Olympic Committee has been representing this country in the international arena for 100 years. We are happy that the jury of the Teraz Polska Competition has noticed our efforts to promote Poland through sport,” said Adam Krzesiński, Secretary General of the Polish Olympic Committee.

•

CLINIC,

BEAUTY & RESEARCH EXPAND REAL POSSIBILITIES

INNOVATION IN MEDICINE

THE

4TH EDITION OF THE

"HEALTH FIRST" PROGRAMME

H

earing d i s ord e r s a re increasingly referred to as diseases of civilisation. The development of the modern civilisation is associated with all-encompassing noise, the use of earphones and frequently prescribed ototoxic drugs, which means that the number of people with various hearing problems is growing drastically. That is why hearing screening and health-oriented education are so important for each of us. The latest programme which can help promote screening tests and shaping pro-health attitudes in Polish society, is the Multidisciplinary All-Year Programme for the Prevention of Diseases of Civilisation and Health Support for Poles "Health First." This programme, which is implemented jointly with numerous experts from various fields of medicine, as well as Polish Television and Polish Radio, encompasses the world’s longest diagnostic trail, and the largest preventive medicine project in Poland.

Epidemiological research conducted by the Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing shows that about 20% of children and adolescents experience various hearing problems. As many as one third of them suffer from persistent or transient tinnitus. These are the first, very important signals that something disturbing is happening with their hearing. Screening tests for early detection of hearing impairments in 7- and 12-year-olds clearly indicate that noise-related hearing losses are common in older students.

“The scale of the problem of hearing disorders increases significantly with age,” emphasises Prof. Henryk Skarżyński, initiator and director of the World Hearing Center of the Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing, initiator of the “Health First" Programme. “In the neonatal period, the problem of congenital hearing disorders affects 1 to 2 children per 1,000 births, in school age various hearing problems affect one in 5-6 children, while in older people even over 75% are affected. So up to 20% of schoolchildren have various hearing problems.

Increasingly, these are the consequences of upper respiratory tract infections, the growing number of allergies, and side effects

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of pharmacotherapy, including antibiotic therapy. It is also worrying that over 60% of parents of children with some hearing loss are not aware of the problem, and only 19% of parents notice hearing problems in their children,” adds Prof. Skarżyński.

From the very beginning, the mission of the Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing has included preventive and screening tests. One of the priority undertakings of the team of the Institute’s specialists, is a hearing screening programme for children of all ages. Thanks to these undertakings, hearing screening tests have been carried out in Poland, covering over 1 million schoolchildren in early grades of primary schools.

Screening tests are an excellent example of broadly conceived early prevention and detection of various diseases that affect human development and a person’s ability to communicate with the surroundings. One important example of undertakings initiated and coordinated by Prof. Henryk Skarżyński in the field of Polish science and medicine, was a programme entitled "Equal opportunities for children with communication disorders in European countries." It became one of the priorities of the Polish presidency of the EU in 2011.

“On my initiative, since 2016 experts from a dozen or so specialties, have been implementing the Multidisciplinary Programme for the Prevention of Diseases of Civilisation and Health Support for Poles "Health First.” Every year we directly reach over ten thousand people in all regions of the country,” says Prof. Skarżyński. “As of this year, these activities are carried out all year round. It is the largest preventive, multidisciplinary programme which supports the health of the Polish nation, shaping pro-health attitudes and intergenerational solidarity, especially in support of senior citizens.”

The programme was developed to support activities undertaken by the national health service, mainly because the results of last year's studies and consultations conducted by specialist teams, indicate that such a coherent, well-conceived programme is very necessary to all of us.

“I am deeply convinced that we can make a real difference in shaping pro-health attitudes among Poles. Ordinary citizens are often unaware what tests they should take to stay healthy, and where they can be performed. Especially in smaller Polish towns, preventive health care is an area where a lot remains to be done,” adds Prof. Skarżyński.

The “Health First" programme has received the support of Orlen. It is implemented under the honorary patronage of the Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy and the Minister of Health.

•

Comprehensive Cardiovascular Care Early prevention of cardiovascular lesions is what we call modern medicine. Let’s be modern, let’s follow this trend and let’s live for a long time in good health and happiness.

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ECONOMY

POLISH CITIES

PULL IN INVESTORS

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survey conducted by Antal shows that the number of foreign direct investments in Poland is on the way down. According to EY's European Attractiveness Survey, Poland now ranks 9th in terms of the value of FDI in Europe, down from no.5 last year.

This is mainly because recently investors have mostly reinvested their profits in Poland, which proves that they have made the right choice by betting on Poland. Unfortunately, there have been fewer new investments of late.

Still, by all indications, Poland is regarded by investors as a dynamically developing country.

The biggest investors on the Polish market come from Germany (PLN167 billion), the United States (PLN91 billion), France (PLN 8.1 billion) and the Netherlands (PLN 73 billion). The Top 5 closes with the United Kingdom with investments amounting to PLN 48 billion.

The intention of the authors of the report is to encourage investors to take a plunge in Poland by highlighting its strengths. For this purpose, labour market experts Antal, as well as Cushman & Wakefield and Vastint who deal with infrastructure and real estate, have compiled the second edition of the Business Environment Assessment Study (BEAS.) In it, they zoom in on the investment potential

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of eight Polish cities. As President of Antal Artur Skiba emphasises: “Companies with huge foreign capital are looking for partners in Poland who will share their valuable experience and market knowledge, and help decide on where to invest. So we have decided to join forces with leaders in their fields, to make it easier for investors to choose Poland.”

innovative solutions and products. All these factors create a completely new investment reality, which we present in eight reports on the investment potential of Polish cities,” says Artur Skiba, President of Antal and VicePresident of the Association of Employment Agencies.

LABOUR MARKET-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT

Best-rated urban areas (average for all factors studied, on a 10-point scale):

If the job market is attractive to the employer, it also becomes attractive to the employee.

The employee starts earning well, buys real estate, a car, consumption grows, and so does the economy. That is why, apart from typical investment incentives, such as human capital and real estate rental prices, other factors such as the cost of public transport tickets, and the number of places in nurseries and kindergartens in individual cities, have been taken into account for investors’ benefit.

“The business environment in which a company operates has a significant impact on how dynamically it is able to develop.

Factors such as infrastructure and office space potential translate into financial performance.

Equally important are the potential of human capital in the region, high competitiveness, a well-developed business environment and

CITY RANKING

7.4 points GDAŃSK-GDYNIA-SOPOT (Tri-City) 7.4 points LUBLIN 7.1 points WARSAW 7.0 points WROCŁAW 7.0 points KRAKÓW 6.9 points POZNAŃ 6.8 points ŁÓDŹ 6.2 points SZCZECIN

REGIONS What does Lublin’s high position mean? It means that it can expect more investors in the next few years. It will be interesting to see in what way the city authorities are going to use the results of the report to promote the city.

In what way can they encourage developers to build more office space? To what extent will they be able to encourage universities to ensure a steady supply of specialists to the labour market, exactly where they are needed?

Lublin is moving in the right direction.

It invests in infrastructure. It capitalises on its proximity to Warsaw and good transport links, which means that investors are bound to find it more and more attractive.

LABOUR MARKET - THE STRENGTH OF HUMAN CAPITAL

The most important factor is human capital.

It is rated the highest by decision makers, it is a magnet for investors. Educational potential is perceived as the availability of future employees, the number of higher education institutions, as well as the quality of education, coupled with foreign language skills and an efficient vocational education system. Investors find information about the number of students in a given field important, because it means that the labour market will not be short of specialists when they need them.

When we talk about the availability of employees, we think about the future. But it is important to also think about here and now. Well-educated cadres are now available in individual cities. According to the report, Lublin is the leader in terms of specialised personnel. Why? Because it features low staff turnover. Lublin residents are reluctant to migrate in search of work. At the same time, one in five of them has changed a job only once in their life, and one in three works in the same place all their life.

“This series of reports describing the specific features of the largest Polish cities, comes in response to numerous questions regarding the market potential of companies which are already present in Poland and plan a further development strategy, and potential new investors who are eying Poland as the place to locate their business. Naturally, there is no ideal location for all companies, and the choice of location depends on individual economic considerations. And so, some entrepreneurs mainly prefer to rely on lower business operating costs, while others focus on good access to niche qualifications. That’s why, in the reports we show a subjective assessment of the situation by company managers, taking into account various factors which characterise each city. At the

FOR YEARS, POLAND HAS HELD A HIGH POSITION IN PRESTIGIOUS RANKINGS OF ATTRACTIVE LOCATIONS FOR INVESTORS." same time, we enrich the material with hard market facts,” says the initiator of the project, Agnieszka Wójcik, Manager of Antal Market Research.

The strongest investment incentives apart, mention must also be made of the weakest link, namely insufficient support provided by public administration. This, however, seems to be gradually improving.

GOOD VALUE OFFICE SPACE

In analysing the attractiveness of real estate in individual cities, the following factors were taken into account: access to the office by public transport, quality of available office space, availability of office space, quality of additional services located in the building or in the immediate vicinity, as well as the attractiveness of real estate prices.

Depending on the type of investment, it is worth choosing a city which is ranked the highest in terms of individual factors. Some managers look for reasonable office rental cost, others focus on creative interiors.

Rental rates in Lublin are EUR12 per square metre on average, while in Warsaw they are twice as high at EUR24 per square metre. The rates given are the highest prices charged in the cities concerned.

“For years, Poland has held a high position in prestigious rankings of attractive locations for investors. One example is Warsaw, the largest office market in Poland, which in recent years has proved to be an ideal place for several large international financial corporations. Kraków and Wrocław are recognised by investors as European business services leaders. The most important factors which encourage foreign companies to pick Poland are numerous business support institutions, the availability of qualified personnel with a good command of foreign languages, slightly lower costs of living, and, above all, a wide selection of modern office space in almost every regional market. Working on the BEAS project, we wanted to create a mix of best practices for

representatives of various, often related business areas. By presenting individual city reports, we show that both domestic and foreign companies are looking for places to further develop in Poland. The best proof is last year's demand for office space, which was the highest in history,” says Krzysztof Misiak, International Partner, Director of Office Space Department at Cushman & Wakefield. When it comes to Lublin, he adds that Cushman & Wakefield opened their office there two years ago.

NOT SO BAD

A favourable business environment conducive to development is a key factor for both local entrepreneurs and foreign investors. Poland’s advantage is, above all, the high quality of its workforce, availability of subcontractors, and a developed business infrastructure.

Investors are looking for an alternative to major cities, and smaller cities like Lublin fit the bill perfectly.

Poland’s attractiveness is confirmed by the latest National Bank of Poland data. Last year it recorded a 20% increase in foreign investment transactions, as compared to 2017.

In fact, Poland's strong position is confirmed by Krzysztof Misiak, who says that there is no other country in Europe with several so strongly developed urban areas. This is a unique strength, especially from the point of view of foreign investors.

Thanks to decentralisation, Poland has fairly evenly spread purchasing power, business infrastructure and qualified manpower in most major urban areas.

ABOUT THE STUDY

588 decision-makers in companies present in Poland took part in the survey. They included CEOs, board members and department directors of companies which have invested in Poland over the past two years. Eight factors which affect the attractiveness of cities and encourage investment were analysed, including infrastructure, labour market indicators, educational potential, assessment of the location as a place to live, and public administration support. Respondents were asked to evaluate the business environment in cities in which they operate on a scale of 1-10.

In addition, the report also takes into account market data such as living costs in individual cities, housing prices, rental rates, wage levels, cost of a public transport season ticket, and even the number of places in nurseries and kindergartens, all of which turn out to matter to investors.

• (Sources: “Polish Market” own reporting, Antal, Cushman & Wakefield) 6/2019 polish market

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EVENTS

WE PROMOTE POLAND

Zbigniew Klonowski opens the Congress in Berlin

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he 60 Million Congress - the Global Polonia Summit is an initiative aimed at integrating business communities in Poland and diaspora communities in foreign countries. The name of the event refers to the total number of ethnic Poles (60 million) who live all over the world.

The programme of each congress covers many areas, to enable wide-ranging discussions about Poland and the Polish diaspora, and exchange experiences to serve as an inspiration for all participants.

Three editions of the Congress took place last year. The first of them was held at the Eden Roc Hotel in Miami Beach in February, the second in Buffalo in July, and the third at the G2A Arena, the Exhibition and Congress Centre of the Podkarpackie Province in Jasionka near the city of Rzeszów in August.

This year sees six consecutive meetings of the 60 Million Congress in six cities in four countries on two continents,

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thanks to which the idea of Polish dispora business activities will reach an even wider audience.

On Thursdays, the majority of events scheduled in the programme include meetings with local business, such as the South Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Florida. On Fridays, a day filled with panel discussions is scheduled, often preceded by an introductory presentation. This is followed by an evening gala event, and on Saturday, there are sports activities such as a golf tournament, sightseeing, etc.

In the past three weeks, two editions of the 60 Million Congress took place. The first of them, which was held for the fifth time, took place in London May 30 - June 1. The ceremonial opening of the congress was held at the Polish embassy, with ambassador Arkady Rzegocki welcoming the guests. On Friday, the first part of the congress was held at the House of Commons. Topics discussed there were Brexit and its influence on the Polish community in

EVENTS

the UK. Business panels were held at the Chelsea Harbour Hotel. The event was attended by over 200 participants. They had the opportunity to participate in inspiring debates on Brexit, the development of brand Poland and its promotion on the international market, business and medical tourism, prospects facing the financial market and the real estate market, as well as legal aspects and technological activities in the functioning of Polish businesses, Polish community organisations and Polish diaspora associations. The role of Polish culture and media in the promotion of Poland was also discussed. Guests taking part in the congress also took part in accompanying events, such as an evening cruise on the Thames, during which the Krakow Komedia Theatre company performed a play about a visit by Thaddeus, the central character of a national epic, to a high rise flat. The 60 Million Cup golf tournament was also held, with a golf academy as a side-line event.

Two weeks after the congress in London, the 60 Million Congress took place in Berlin June 13-15. The event began with a Polish-German networking evening co-organised by the Polish-German Business Club BERPOL e.V. The official opening took place a day later and was held at the Nhow Hotel. The guests were greeted by the Consul General of the Polish Embassy in Berlin, Piotr Golema. The Berlin edition also abounded in high-profile discussions. Key speakers tackled issues related to future Polish technologies, future solutions in transport and logistics, new technologies and digitisation in the health market, accounting and legal counselling, digital future, tourism, and the role of the women’s business network.

The congress is intended to support co-operation between Polish and Polish diaspora entrepreneurs. The organisers were especially pleased with a declaration by Orlen Germany board member Oskar Skiba (the company operates under the name Star in Germany) that Star intends to introduce Polish products at their gas stations in Germany, and that construction companies with Polish capital are to be invited for maintenance and construction work at the network’s filling stations. The company is also aware of the need to promote the Star network among the Polish diaspora.

"We are extremely grateful to all the participants of the congresses in London and Berlin for their openness, and for the wonderful atmosphere they created. We are very pleased with such a large turnout in London and Berlin already at the first editions. It promises to be even better next year. At the end of the congress in Berlin, I asked who was going to be with us next year, and everyone raised their hands. It's probably the best reward for the organisers, and I would like to thank all those who have worked hard for the success of these two editions," said Zbigniew Klonowski, Chairman of the Organising Committee of the 60 Million Congress.

Nearly 400 participants from all over the world took part in both editions of the 60 Million Congress. Events attracted not only many well-known figures of Polish origin who live in Europe, but also businessmen and activists from around the world.

The events were organised by the company 60mln.pl and the Stowarzyszenie Wspólnota Polska association. The Organisational Partner was Gram-x Promotions. The main partner of the event was LOT Polish Airlines. Strategic partnerships included Fracht FWO Polska and Sami Swoi www.przekazypieniezne.com. The honorary partner was

Organisers of the Congress in Berlin

Panel discussions about Brexit at the House of Commons, London

PolishCityClub. Teraz Polska served as a consulting partner.

The partners of the organiser of the Berlin edition were Polki w Berlinie e.V. and Poland Business Center World. Other partners included Betamed S.A., Trias S.A., Marvipol S.A., Polish Heritage Days, European Space Agency ESA, Polish German Business Club – Berpol, Collegium Balticum, BKK VBU, Netto Arena, Bravecare, Winiarski - tradeoffice24.com, MNB Legal @ LTC Alliance, Medical Centre Słowik, GIA Trust GmBH and R+V Versicherung. Honorary patronage over the event was extended by the Speaker of the Senate, Minister for Family, Labour and Social Policy, Ministry of Investment and Economic Development, Polish Chamber of Commerce, Ministry of Sport and Tourism, Ministry of Digital Affairs, Polish Olympic Committee, Polish Investment and Trade Agency, KlasterIT, Polish Tourist Organisation and the University of Humanities and Economics in Łódź.

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CULTURAL MONITOR

JULY 2019 THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF EXCITING EVENTS IN POLISH ARTS DURING THE SUMMER AND AUTUMN SEASON. HERE IS A LOOK AT WHAT’S COMING UP BY “POLISH MARKET’S” RESIDENT ART CRITIC MACIEJ PROLIŃSKI. AT THE THEATRE Bilety na teatrpolski.waw.pl

Dyrektor Naczelny Teatru Polskiego im. Arnolda Szyfmana w Warszawie Andrzej Seweryn

reżyseria Peter Stein premiera 24 maja 2019 PARTNER STRATEGICZNY

Spektakl „Borys Godunow” dofinansowany ze środków Samorządu Województwa Mazowieckiego

Mecenas Teatru

Mecenas spektaklu

Patroni medialni Teatr Polski im. Arnolda Szyfmana w Warszawie jest jednostką organizacyjną Samorządu Województwa Mazowieckiego współprowadzoną przez Ministra Kultury i Dziedzictwa Narodowego

"AIDA" AT THE ROMA

Fot. Katarzyna Chmura

Postprodukcja/retusz Mateusz Kurek | Eyedea

Aleksander Puszkin

BORYS GODUNOW

CM

Pushkin's drama "Boris Godunov," directed by internationally renowned Peter Stein - who produced "Faust" shown at the EXPO in Hanover in 2000 and "Broken pitcher" featuring Klaus Maria Brandauer at the Berliner Ensemble - opened at the Polski Theatre in Warsaw at the end of May. The play returns in October. The Warsaw production of this forgotten work tells the story in a classical, fast-paced and communicative way. It conjures up images of Russia’s past, as well as bringing out universal themes, disguised in period settings and costumes.

The production involves a group of nearly 50 actors, with Polski Theatre Director Andrzej Seweryn in the title role. It is a gory, yet surprisingly lyrical and metaphorical, tale of power struggles based on the life of Russian Tsar Boris Fedorov Godunov who ruled in the years 1598-1605. It starts with his election as tsar by the Moscow Council following the death of Fyodor I and ends with his sudden death, the murder of his son Fyodor II and the rise to power of Pseudo-Demetrius I. Stein's directing is consummate. Godunov, performed by Andrzej Seweryn, is a hesitant man with a conscience who has nightmares about the crime he has committed. Other actors such as Jerzy Schejbal, Mirosław Zbrojewicz, and Dominik Łoś, give brilliant performances, too. Audiences will be impressed not just by acting and directing, but also by the grand scale and pace of the production. One actionpacked scene follows another in a modern setting designed by Ferdinand Wögerbauer. The stage design is in fact one of the production’s many strengths.

The highlight of the autumn season at the Roma Musical Theatre in Warsaw will be the famous "Aida." After a long search, the entire cast was unveiled in June. The opening night is on October 26. "Aida" is a musical written by pop music legend Elton John to lyrics by Tim Rice, who has scores of hit musicals under his belt. “Aida” is set in ancient Egypt, and tells the story of forbidden love between Aida, a Nubian princess taken captive by the Egyptians, and Radames, captain of the Egyptian army who is engaged to be married to Amneris, the pharaoh’s daughter. "My dreams have come true. I’ve been the company’s director for 20 years now, which doesn’t always happen. ‘Aida’ is my next big dream - Elton John's wonderful music, plus the lyrics by Tim Rice who has written such musicals as ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ and ‘The Lion King.’ There’s also a wonderful story, which we know from Verdi's opera, a love triangle between Radames, Aida and Amneris. The story is presented in a very contemporary way," says the head of the theatre and the production’s director Wojciech Kępczyński.

“Aida” stars Natalia Piotrowska / Anastasia Simińska / Basia Gąsienica-Giewont as Aida, Jan Traczyk / Marcin Franc / Paweł Mielewczyk as Radames, and Zofia Nowakowska / Agnieszka Przekupień / Monika Rygasiewicz as Amneris.

AT THE MOVIES

The moving, visually sublime, and thought-provoking "Day of Chocolate,” based on a book under the same title by Anna Onichimowska, has already hit cinemas across the country. It is directed by Jacek Piotr Bławut, son of the excellent Polish documentary filmmaker Jacek Bławut. It is the story of Monika and Dawid’s adventures. The two kids try to learn how to turn back time, and how to escape the witch who steals memories.

The film is the first Polish movie to win the Kieślowski ScripTeast Award for the best script from Central and Eastern Europe. The cast includes Magdalena Cielecka, Dawid Ogrodnik, Tomasz Kot and Marek Bukowski, partnered by young actors Julia Odzimek and Leo Stubbs who make their screen debut. The director, who also makes his debut in a feature film, realises that children are very demanding audiences. His movie is a poetic story full of magic realism. The two children experience problems which seem impossible to solve for someone of their age, and too difficult to solve on their own. It is a parable of loss, an exciting and wellstructured work. “Day of Chocolate” has become a hit with Polish younger cinema-goers. It leaves you deeply moved, with plenty to think about. Just like a true art movie should.

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CULTURAL MONITOR

"WODECKI JAZZ" - PIOTR BARON - POLISH RADIO - CD Piotr Baron is a leading Polish saxophonist, composer and music teacher. He made his debut at the age of 16, and a year later he was honoured with a major prize at the prestigious Jazz nad Odrą festival in the southwestern city of Wrocław. For several decades he has worked together with some of the best Polish European and American jazz musicians. He is also involved in several original projects. His highly enjoyable latest album features popular pieces by the late Zbigniew Wodecki (1950-2017), one of the most popular Polish singers.

These catchy and timeless songs are performed by Baron with gusto, as jazz standards. The recording also features leading jazzmen: Robert Majewski on trumpet, Michał Tokaj on piano, Maciej Adamczyk on double bass and Łukasz Żyta on drums, as well as singer and violinist Sebastian Karpiel Bułecka. On the album you can find Wodecki’s familiar hits, catchy ballads, mixed with a bit of good old jazz. It’s Polish jazz at its best.

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"LOVE" - SORRY BOYS - MYSTIC PRODUCTION - CD The number of good-looking ladies in Polish pop is on the rise. Sorry Boys is one of those bands that have breathed new life into Polish pop. They took the club and festival scene by storm. The band was set up in Warsaw in 2006 on the initiative of Tomasz Dąbrowski and Piotr Blak, together with vocalist Bela Komoszyńska. Their songs are sometimes compared to the best songs by Kate Bush, who is one of Komoszyńska's idols. But Komoszyńska is a character of her own, giving the Sorry Boys great originality. The band's latest album "Love" is the first one with lyrics written only in Polish. The proportion of songs on album is the highest to date. There are 11 tracks, the music is easy on the ear, the lyrics are well-crafted and meaningful, looking at love from a personal and universal angle. The special guest on the album is megastar Kayah, who joins Komoszyńska in one of the songs.

"MAKES YOU FEEL ALIVE" - ALICJA MAJEWSKA - SONY MUSIC – CD Alicja Majewska, a popular and award-winning Polish singer with a longstanding career, has released a set of completely new songs. The lyrics to some wonderful music by Włodzimierz Korcz were written by Magda Czapińska and Artur Andrus. A formerly unpublished poem by the late legend Wojciech Młynarski served as an inspiration for one of the numbers. The song "Heavenly sorrows," with lyrics by Monika Partyk, pays tribute to Majewska’s late friend, multi-instrumentalist Zbigniew Wodecki who died two years ago. The bonus track is "Before the night and fog set in" whose tune comes from the cult 1970s Polish cop TV series "07 Come in." Once recorded in Polish Radio studios, the track is now performed by Alicja Majewska in a new version, adapted by Włodzimierz Korcz, and featuring Henryk Miśkiewicz on the saxophone. Majewska's new release is a stylistically varied album, at the same time compact and consistently paced. There are flashbacks to ballads written in Majewska’s familiar style. It’s a diary compiled with a sense of humour, offering you a glimpse of the intimate world of a mature woman. The artist’s impeccable voice, combined with some brilliant music and striking arrangements, makes it one of the best albums released in the first half of the year.

MASTERPIECES BY AUGUST ZAMOYSKI. CONSERVATION WORK. NATIONAL MUSEUM IN WARSAW, UNTIL AUGUST 25.

The collection of works by August Zamoyski (1893-1970) was purchased for the National Museum in Warsaw at the beginning of the year. It is an exceptional collection, featuring works by one of the most important Polish sculptors of the 20th century, spanning all of his life. It consists of 93 pieces, from early works executed in the artist's family estate at Jabłonie in the Lublin region, to works coming from the final years of his life, including the Resurrection project, which he designed for his tombstone in Saint-Clar-de-Rivière in the south of France. The National Museum presentation also allows you to see art conservators at work, as their craft is normally concealed from public view, hidden away behind the closed doors of their studios. Until the end of August, the works are being cleaned, washed and subjected to other conservation work in front of the visitors. Then, the restored pieces will go to the Museum of Literature in Warsaw, where beginning October 17, they will become part of an exhibition entitled "August Zamoyski. Thinking in Stone. " August Zamoyski first became an apprentice with the local blacksmith and carpenter in the village of Jabłonie, where he learned the basics of his craft. During World War I, he worked in Berlin as a stonemason's assistant. In 1918 he settled in the mountain resort of Zakopane in the High Tatras in the south of Poland, where he joined the bohemian community there. He became part of the Polish expressionist (formist) movement. His works went on show in a number of Polish cities - Kraków, Warsaw, Lwów (now Lviv in Ukraine,) and Poznań. In 1923 he moved to France. He gained the recognition of critics and the public before World War II. Between 1940 and 1955 he lived in Brazil, where he founded and ran sculpture schools, at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rio de Janeiro and an independent school in São Paulo. From 1955 until his death he lived and worked in France.

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CULTURE

ROYAL CASTLE

400TH ANNIVERSARY STAMP A Poczta Polska (Polish Post) stamp entitled "400 years of the Royal Castle in Warsaw," with a value of PLN 3.30, was released on May 29.

It shows a view of the Royal Castle from the side of the Vistula river, based on a famous drawing by Erik Dahlbergh (1625-1703), a Swedish field marshal and cartographer who executed a series of drawings and panoramas of Polish towns and cities.

The stamp is printed in the offset technique on fluorescent paper. The sheet contains 12 stamps.

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his year marks the 400th anniversary since the completion of the reconstruction of the Royal Castle in Warsaw. It was commissioned by King Sigismund III of the Vasa dynasty which ruled Sweden (1523-1654) and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (1587-1668). To celebrate the anniversary, 2019 has been declared Vasa Year.

It is possible to find out more about the architectural transformation of the castle in the period of King Sigismund III Vasa thanks to an extraordinary document which was placed on top of the castle tower on February 4, 1619. It testified to the completion of work on the project which was started at the end of the 16th century. The original parchment featuring a description in Latin of the deeds of Sigismund III Vasa, including construction work at his main residence, has not survived to this day. Its contents are known from a 19th-century translation published by Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz in one of the volumes of his "Collection of memoirs about old Poland."

Wishing to join in the year-long celebrations, and to highlight the achievements of Polish rulers from the Vasa dynasty, Poczta Polska has issued a stamp depicting a fragment of Dahlbergh’s famous Warsaw Panorama from the mid-17th century.

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Maciej Proliński This invaluable iconographic source shows the Castle in the architectural shape which it was given during a comprehensive reconstruction by the Vasa rulers. It is, in fact, one of the greatest cityscapes of old Warsaw.

The first day cover envelope features a fragment of the "Stockholm Scroll" from the Royal Castle collection in Warsaw. The scroll is about 15 meters long and is over 400 years old.

It shows the ceremonial entry to Krakow of the wedding procession of King Sigismund III and the Archduchess Constance of Austria. Made by an anonymous artist or a group of artists, it is a watercolour and gouache work, with the use of gold paint. It shows a procession attended by nearly 600 people.

The date of issue of the stamp also saw the opening night of a unique jewellery exhibition entitled "To Rule and to Dazzle.

Jewels and Jewellery in the PolishLithuanian Commorwealth in the 16th and 17th Centuries." The new stamp release thus accompanies another anniversary exhibition dedicated to the pearls of Polish Vasa culture, next to the "Stockholm Scroll." Both events were featured in “Polish Market” editions earlier this year.

As part of the anniversary celebrations, in addition to numerous special events, lectures and concerts, before the end of the year other

exhibitions will also be held: "The World of Polish Vasas. Space - People - Art" and "The Kings and Queens of Poland. Images of Rulers on Medals and Coins.”

The stamp "400 years of the Royal Castle in Warsaw" is not just a new Poczta Polska issue, it is also an excellent idea for a gift.

"Despite the dramatic turns of fate, the Royal Castle is still a Warsaw landmark, standing high on the Vistula embankment as a sign of Poland’s size and sovereignty. At the same time, it is a visible confirmation of our presence in the sphere of Western civilisation.

The works of European art collected here constitute a wonderful collection, which has been dispersed and lost over the last centuries, and is now being restored and expanded.

Excellent Enlightenment era interiors, some of the best in Europe, are complemented by Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces, which gave rise to a new gallery of modern art. On their part, the King Stanislaus Library and the Copper-Roof Palace symbolise the decline of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and usher in the 19th century. The castle is a harmonious whole encompassing culture and art cherished by successive Polish monarch until the loss of independence," says Prof.

Wojciech Fałkowski, director of the Royal Castle.

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CULTURE

RARE TREAT Tomasz Konieczny, the Polish bass-baritone who is no stranger to the world's most famous opera houses, gave a performance at the Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera in Warsaw on June 6.

He sang the most famous songs by Stanisław Moniuszko in a symphonic version. It was the only concert during the Moniuszko Year to feature these delightful songs in an entirely new version.

Maciej Proliński

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omasz Konieczny is known as a great ambassador for Polish art. He has sung at the Viennese Staatsoper for 10 years now.

In July 2018, he was the first Pole to perform at the Wagner festival in Bayreuth, and in March he made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. He first took up acting as a career. He studied at the Łódź Film School. He also attended a solo singing class at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, and at the Hochschule für Musik in Dresden. While at the Łódź Film School, he even starred in a movie by the world-famous Polish filmmaker Andrzej Wajda ("The Crowned-Eagle Ring," 1992).

He started out as a bass. Now music critics around the world are delighted with his voice, referring to it as bass-baritone, which allows the artist to perform in a much richer repertoire. He has successfully performed many parts, but is primarily considered a Wagnerian singer. He masterfully interprets even the most difficult parts, from "Tristan und Isolde” and “Lohengrin" to "Der Ring des Nibelungen."

In music capitals around the world, he is applauded for his fine voice, professionalism and acting skills. His performances on opera stages, concerts, recitals and recordings enchant audiences and record buyers in many countries. The concert at the National Opera in Warsaw was no exception.

Konieczny sang well-known songs by Stanisław Moniuszko, accompanied by the orchestra of the Teatr Wielki - Polish National Opera. The concert included "Do You Know the Country," "The Cossack," "The Old Man and the Old Woman", "Old Corporal" or "The Three Brothers Budrys," all in a symphonic version. The Teatr Wielki company entrusted the instrumentation task to Rafał Kłoczka, an up-and-coming young opera conductor. The night’s repertoire was complemented by orchestral

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pieces such as an overture to Moniuszko’s lesser-known opera "Paria," and the flamboyant mazurka from "The Haunted Manor." The Teatr Wielki orchestra was conducted by Grzegorz Nowak.

Konieczny also moved the audience with his encores. The first was Aleko’s aria from Rachmaninoff's opera under the same title. Then there was only Wagner - Wolfram's aria "O du, mein holder Abendstern" from "Tannhäuser" and “Wotan - farewell to Brunhilde” from "Die Walküre."

The event was held as part of a series of concerts which precede premieres at the National Opera in Warsaw. During such concerts, known as preludes, lesser-known works by featured opera composers are performed, complementing the headline event. Preludes bring together music lovers who seek a thrilling experience and deeper understanding of works produced for the opera stage. So intimate and symphonic, unique in terms of mood, they carry on the glorious concert tradition of this opera house, broadening the repertoire concept of the National Opera.

A few days later, the Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera saw the opening night of Moniuszko's "Halka" in the original version, known as the Vilnius version, directed by Agnieszka Glińska, and featuring students of the Opera Academy. This version of the composer’s bestloved work was first staged in Vilnius in 1846 at the outset of his career. This is symbolically considered as the beginning of the Polish national opera. The original version of the work is a chamber opera, which lacked the glamour and flourish of the later Warsaw version.

There were no characteristic dances which provide a distinct link to highlander culture. But the pure, smaller format, allowed the composer and his librettist to create a work full of intense emotions and gripping drama.

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CEO AFTER HOURS

MUSIC IS VALUES

ADAM SANOCKI, Managing Partner at the Attention Marketing consulting company and President of the Attention Marketing Institute, talks to Ewelina Janczylik-Foryś.

You have professionally shaped your consultancy company, you deal with business and communication consulting, and in your spare time you are a rock guitarist in the Band of Endless Noise.

I've played guitar in rock bands since 1990.

Together with friends I've played in the Band of Endless Noise (BOEN) for almost 30 years.

We have released 10 albums and we've played hundreds of concerts in Poland and abroad.

For 4 years I also took part in the So Slow project I started. During this time, in addition to concerts, we released 4 albums. The band So Slow is a bit different from BOEN, it is closer to post-hard-core aesthetics, while BOEN is definitely closer to me when it comes to values which have allowed us to meet and play together as a band for many years.

PM

What shaped you as a musician? Who among Polish and foreign artists are you fascinated by?

My first contact with ambitious music was in primary school. The band was Pink Floyd.

Later, I listened to alternative Polish punk bands. I mainly drew energy from their roughsounding music, which was written in protest against the realities of the day in a funny and clever way. Then came the turn of hard core straight edge, combined with a philosophy of living without any stimulants, including meat. I published fanzines. We promoted a healthy lifestyle, including vegetarianism and veganism. It was a wonderful time because all that counted was music.

PM

In what way is the rock world useful to you in your professional life?

Punk music and hard core are values, ideas.

It’s good music, it is also very wise and bold PM

lyrics. And it has had a strong influence on me. It is thanks to music that I have developed my approach to business and management.

At Attention Marketing we think outside the box. We go into uncharted territory. We want our clients’ marketing and communications departments to look for unconventional options which break the rut, which question existing realities, as in punk rock. Besides, we don’t want to work with all industries.

We don’t take part in the advertising of meat and arms, it’s against our beliefs. Music has a huge impact on me and it also translates into our business.

Very noble, but at a time when everyone fights for clients, is it a sound business approach?

In our business contacts and in developing a communication strategy we rely on values. We work mainly with B2B clients. We show them that each business partner is a conscious entity.

That’s why we have decided that the most important thing is to provide value at every stage of communication. It must be educational, informative in the form of useful, interesting and attractively presented content. All the rest is spam. We explain to clients that building an image and brand is not just about a large logo, but also the values that stand behind it.

PM

You record and perform gigs not only in Poland. Is your music better received at home or abroad?

I have the impression that foreign bands are still much more interesting to Polish audiences, though we have great bands with great potential. You can see it in the line-ups of all Polish festivals. It’s different in Iceland, France and other European countries. Our CDs PM

have been distributed in the US and Western European countries. We were one of the first Polish avant-garde bands to be distributed by Midheaven / Revolver in the US. I remember friends calling me to say that they saw our records in a music store in New York’s Times Square. Our track "We, Wearing the Sunglasses" was featured on the John Peel BBC Radio 1 show. It was a great honour for us. He picked just a few Polish bands, including Maanam and Brygada Kryzys, and we found ourselves among them.

You've performed, among others, at the Off Festival, one of the best festivals of alternative music in Europe. How did it make you feel?

I had the opportunity to play three times at this cult festival, which is an absolute must for me. The first time when it was still held in Mysłowice, we were invited by the organiser Artur Rojek. It was an amazing experience, to play on the big stage, meet the musicians you listen to every day, and interact with the audience, which gives you incredible energy.

I envy large bands, these emotions, the energy of the audience. I admit it’s very addictive.

PM

Can you lead the life of a rock'n'roller while being a managing partner at a marketing agency?

Music is my passion, not a profession. My family and the company tell me to hang the guitar up on the wall, but I always go back to music. I got two guitar effects units for Christmas, so I have to use them and make a record this year (laughs). I believe that my friends will manage to join me. Music is something that gets me going and I owe a great deal to it.

• PM

6/2019 polish market

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ORGANIC FOOD

REGIONAL

ECO

DELICACIES “

We operate locally, we promote globally, we look ahead to the future” is the motto of the Polish Ecology Association, whose forthcoming project is the Thaifex World of Food Asia fair in Bangkok. This year marks a new chapter in the Association's activities. As a collective representative of the Polish bio food sector, it has promoted EU organic food in the United States, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. It is the second programme the Polish Ecology Association implements as part of the “Enjoy It's from Europe” promotional campaign.

The target Asian countries are huge markets with a total population of 767 million, where the percentage of customers looking

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for eco quality food is constantly growing.

The project has been carried out jointly with the Italian BioAgriCoop association of organic producers for three years now under the motto "Organicity. Taste the Wellness of EU Organic Food," which is meant as an encouragement for consumers to try European organic food. Both organisations focus on promoting knowledge about the high quality of eco products, production requirements, EU certification systems and the importance of the EU organic logo, the green Euro-Leaf. The aim is to increase the competitiveness and consumption of EU agricultural products through participation in trade fairs, seminars, lectures, B2B meetings, workshops, presentations and food tastings

in supermarkets. One-week study tours are organised in Poland for Asian buyers. To this end, a joint website is planned, along with advertising and publications in agri-food industry magazines. These will be aimed at consumers, importers, distributors and restaurateurs.

Local events also play a part in promoting Polish eco food. A picnic organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development was held in May under the slogan: "Get to Know Good Food." As part of the picnic, the Polish Ecology Association implemented a “Polish Regional Flavours" project. At the Warsaw Horse Racecourse, there were tables groaning with food and crowds of people visiting individual stands,

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ORGANIC FOOD

where various regional dishes vied for their attention. Food for picnic guests was provided by 100 exhibitors who laid out sumptuous buffets. The sponsors were the Pork Meat Promotion Fund and the Grains and Cereals Promotion Fund. Regional food from the Podlasie, Podkarpacie and Cieszyn regions ruled the day, including the hearty fireman’s pea soup, and the highlanders’ favourite kwaśnica, made of smoked meats cooked with sauerkraut and plenty of sauerkraut juice. And how did it all taste? "At last white sausage without foreign flavours," "Delicious," you could hear in front of the stall from the Wielkopolska region featuring the white sausage 10 pork butchers are authorised to make.

In 2017, this cooked pork delicacy won the EU Protected Geographical Indication certificate. The recipe, passed from father to son, includes top quality pork, garlic, marjoram, salt and pepper, sealed in natural casings. Although the Polish market seems saturated with pork, it is hoped that if all producers follow traditional recipes and use the freshest ingredients, the consumption of pork could still exceed the present annual amount of 38.2 kilograms per person.

The "Polish Regional Flavours" pavilion was visited by thousands of gourmets. Among them was Minister of Agriculture Krzysztof Ardanowski who popped in for a bite. Director of the Department of Promotion and Food Quality Michał Rzytki also called at the stand, joined by large numbers of breeders, farmers and producers. Practical advice on the breeding of Polish pigs was provided by Paweł Radomski of the National Research Institute of Animal Production in Kraków, an expert in Polish pig breeds. The picnic, which was rightly called a feast of Polish food, pulled in scores of foodies, especially to the organic food zone, where the companies grouped in the Polish Ecology Association, showed tasters the difference between eco quality food and mass-produced varieties. Visitors found confirmation of studies by scientists from the Swiss Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL,) who presented 90 arguments in favour of organic food. The Sadkiewicz Institute based in the city of Bydgoszcz, which is actively involved in raising consumer awareness, encouraged foodies to look for a bio bakery, and to bake bread at home using their own creative ideas, for instance involving herbs and prunes to seek new flavours. Józef Sadkiewicz explained how the quality of bread depends on the quality of flour. He called on mills to place clear labels on various flours to implement the slogan: “Tested flour is a guarantee of good taste.”

Master baker and Polish Ecology Association activist Czesław Meus is known for promoting eco bread, and encouraging customers to find bakers who have the ambition to bake real bread. He makes his own contribution by training bakers and helping them acquire eco certificates for their bakeries. He told visitors that, unable to buy a decent loaf, he himself decided to have complete control over the ingredients and quality of the bread he eats. He argued that one hour per week could be set aside in each household to bake your own healthy bread. He emphasised that organic ingredients must be used for the best result.

According to the Cereal and Grain Promotion Fund, Poles are more and more aware as consumers, and their health is one of the highest values for them. A significant part of Polish society pays more attention to the conscious and

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healthy preparation of meals and to healthy eating habits.

That seems the most fitting message of the picnic.

Over the 12 years of existence, the association has managed to conduct presentations at national and international fairs, hundreds of culinary workshops and meetings with consumers. By all indications, it has done a good job because Poland is experiencing a growing wave of interest in organic food. The president of the Association is Paweł Krajmas, an experienced organiser, master pork butcher, an authority on organic food production, an award-winning and well-known public activist from the Podkarpacie region. General Director Jolanta Lyska takes care of the Association’s practical activities. Organic food production methods contribute to society’s health, they help to preserve biodiversity, in line with the slogan: Euro-Leaf, the symbol of a top-quality product.

•

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