The Warsaw Voice, Spring 2022, No. 1228

Spring 2022 No. 1228

Focus on Poland | Published since 1988

Energy Independence Needed – Now! Page 18

Ukraine Conscience of ISSN 0860-7591

the free world The global crisis caused by the barbaric war unleashed

by Russia on Ukraine has become, in its essence, a conflict over the fundamental values of democracy Pages 3-17

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Table of contents POLITICS AND SOCIETY A Time of Turbulence Refugees Must Keep All Options Open Warsaw Recovers “House of Spies”

3-7 8-11 12-13

ECONOMY We Simply Have to Endure Energy Independence Needed - Now! Connecting Minds, Creating the Future

14-17 18-19 20-22

THE BUZZ | 24-31 Butik Meet the Addams Family in June Aida Musical Returns to Roma Theater Showcasing Richness of Jewish Cuisine Artistic Tribute to Survival Architecture Pastor’s Dracula Ballet Sensation to Premiere in Warsaw Not Only for Geeks Surrealistic Exhibition at Andel’s Art Gallery in Łódź

Promoting Emancipated Craft Domains Poland’s Modernist Architecture in Focus

MOTO New Cars of 2022

32-37

IN BRIEF | 38-39 Porsche Breaks Another Sales Record in Poland Nokian Green Step Ecological Tire Kia EV6 Wins Car of the Year 2022 Title Highest Level of Cyber Security

GREAT GEAR | 40-41 Smartwatch Garett Sport Factory RT A Guarantee of a Flawless Picture Amplifier with Wireless Streaming Polk MagniFi Mini AX Soundbar Bittium Tough Mobile 2 WEareONE. “Stand for Ukraine”

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OF TURBULENCE

POLITICS AND SOCIETY

A TIME Professor Adam Daniel Rotfeld, former Polish minister of foreign affairs and long-time director of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, talks to Witold Żygulski.

S

omething hard to imagine has happened: There has been war in Europe for almost two months. Why did Vladimir Putin decide on such an unprecedented invasion?

It is seemingly simple and yet unimaginable. After the end of the Cold War, the entire international security system, all its institutions, were aimed to build an order whose basic premise was to prevent a sudden and unexpected attack by one state on another member of the international community. Russia has made such an attack. However, it was neither

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sudden nor unexpected. The Russian president had been talking about it for at least 12, maybe even 15 years. In 2014, at a meeting of the Valdai Club to which the Russians invite former politicians, analysts, and experts known to be sympathetic to Russia or at least those who try to understand it, the highlight, as usual at this forum, was Putin’s speech. The title of the debate was “The World Order: New Rules of the Game, or a Game Without Rules?” The Russian president’s main idea boiled down to this: If the new order were not to include Russia as a global power co-determining the fate of the world, then why do we need such an order? Why do we need such a world? This confirmed, in an unusually brutal or indeed simplistic way, an idea that Russia had formulated before, for example in the famous speech at the Munich Security Conference in 2007. Putin criticized the current world order as allegedly being built for a group of Western countries that are trying to impose their system of values on the rest of the international community. Meanwhile, Russia has its own original values. At a meeting with then Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski in Warsaw in 2008, Sergei Lavrov developed this idea: It is worth, Lavrov argued, going back to old, proven principles, those that worked at the Congress of Vienna (1815) for example, according to which great powers have the right to privileged zones of interest or their spheres of influence. He repeated this during several inaugural lectures at his alma mater, the Moscow State University of International Relations (MGIMO).

This mindset recurred repeatedly in subsequent official Russian statements.

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IN RESPONSE TO RUSSIAN DEMANDS ABOUT THE NEED TO “DENAZIFY” UKRAINE, WE SHOULD RATHER CONSIDER THE NEED TO DEFASCISTIZE RUSSIA AND TO RECOGNIZE THE IDEOLOGY OF IVAN ILYIN AND HIS FOLLOWER ALEXANDER DUGIN AS CONTRAVENING CURRENT DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL LAW Until the invasion of Ukraine, everyone thought that Russia was a country with the phantom pains typical of all declining empires. France had them, having suffered defeat in Indochina at Dien Bien Phu in 1954 and then coming to terms with the breakaway of Algeria, which it considered its “overseas territory.” This was done by Charles de Gaulle in defiance of France’s influential political and military elite, who rebelled against the president’s decision. However, he was a statesman and a leader of such stature that he faced up to it. He was willing to walk away rather than succumb to those who were pushing France to regain what was irretrievably lost. To some extent, the expedition of the British fleet in the Falklands War was a manifestation of a similar phantom pain. We generally and primarily relate the concept of colonialism to overseas territories subject to the states of Western Europe. In fact, though, the three continental European empires - Austro-Hungarian, the Ottoman Empire and Tsarist Russia - also captured vast areas in Europe and Eurasia. The Soviet Union, of which modern Russia is the legal successor and continuation, became such an empire in the 20th century.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was unthinkable, and yet it became a fact. The reasoning of European political elites and entire nations had long shifted away from the idea that if a great power, even a nuclear one, believes it is entitled to something, it has the right to resort to force in pursuit of its interests; that if someone does not like the way power is exercised in a neighboring country, they can bomb that country and drive tanks into it. A rational person takes into account the consequences of the strategy chosen by an aggressor.

Russia’s behavior, in my view, is counterproductive. If Russia believes that Ukraine does not have the right to self-determination because it is not a separate nation, this means that the invasion of Ukraine is a domestic civil war, a fratricidal war. Consequently, Russia has imposed a semi-legal ban on the use of the term “war.” In its place, it obliges its citizens to use a new linguistic norm, namely “special military operation.” This is a semantic and political rhetoric. To some extent, it is embedded in the orthodox Russian tradition in which words are more important than reality.

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The negation of Ukraine’s national and cultural identity was not born in Soviet times. In tsarist Russia, the very word “Ukraine” was forbidden, another term was in use: “Malorus” (Little rus) For centuries, everything possible was done to prevent the emancipation of the Ukrainian national community.

What Putin and his elite have done now will be regarded years down the line as a great - albeit unintentional - contribution to building a lasting sense of Ukrainian cultural and civilizational identity, not only ethnic, but also national and statehood-related. This is already an irreversible effect today: for all Ukrainians, including those in regions that were pro-Russian for centuries, the awareness that they are part of a separate nation has become dominant as a result of the armed aggression.

Otherwise, there would be no need for such violent repression and assault. There would be no consent to exterminating, to killing Ukrainians, and to eliminating them once and for all.

Putin’s official claim is that though Ukraine does not exist, the West has turned it into “anti-Russia.” This is not so.

At its core, the invasion of Ukraine is a war of values, a clash of political cultures and two separate worlds.

Ukraine has made a choice in favor of the values held by the states of the Western democratic community. The effect produced by Putin and his entourage is that there has even been a significant change in attitudes in countries that were fascinated by Russian culture and civilization and referred

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POLITICS AND SOCIETY

to Russia with friendliness, kindness, and respect for its culture. As a result, Russophobia is growing in the world, which in my view is an undesirable and even harmful trend.

Hatred, which evokes similar negative emotions in response, becomes a source of a toxic infection of the minds and behavior of people who are opponents on battlefields.

At the beginning of the 1990s, when you were the CSCE special envoy in the war-stricken Transnistria, you talked and negotiated with the Russians. Would you agree that today, listening to Putin’s entourage and Putin himself, there seems to be nothing to talk about?

The current Russian narrative on Ukraine is generated artificially for the purposes of war propaganda. The enemy must be hated and destroyed. This narrative is meant to convince the Russians that there is no alternative to the path of development that Putin’s Russia has chosen. If the transformation in Ukraine had been successful, as it was in Poland between 1989 and 2015, Ukraine would have become such a model and example for the Russians as Poland was for the Ukrainians in its time.

Volodymyr Zelenski has grown into one of the main world leaders before our eyes, gaining popularity equal to that of Lech Wałęsa years ago. Russian propaganda must therefore - firstly - repeat that Ukraine does not exist as an independent state at all, that it has always been an integral part of Russia. Political technologists have created a new entity called russkiy mir (mistranslated as “Russian peace”).

In its essence, this concept defines the “Russian world” (the root of the adjective comes from the word Rus’). The parts of this world are supposed to be Great Rus’ (Russia), White Rus’ (Belarus) and Little Rus’ (i.e. Ukraine). According to some Russian thinkers (e.g. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn), this world also includes northern Kazakhstan. Meanwhile, Ukraine chose the direction of Europeanization and respect for the universal values of Western civilization.

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There was a chance that the new order in Europe would eliminate wars on our continent for good. In Russian thinking, however, it is not the force of law but the law of force that has been and remains the decisive factor. The elites of modern Russia see a free and democratic Ukraine as a threat and a challenge. Russia would like to shape Ukraine in its own image and likeness. The Russian historical gene - autocracy and authoritarianism (samoderzhaviye) - was defined in the first half of the 19th century by the minister of education during Nicholas I’s reign, Count Sergei Uvarov, who formulated three principles for the exercise of power in Russia: autocracy - orthodoxy - peoplehood (samoderzhaviye - pravoslaviye - narodnost). In a sense, the invasion of Ukraine is therefore not so much an attempt to stop the course of history, but rather to return to what history has verified negatively and, it seemed, once and for all. Russia has not come to terms with the fact that it is the last great colonial area in the world, and that the process of decolonization of this area began with the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Some of the countries that emerged from the ruins of the Soviet Union built their statehood practically from scratch, often without any experience of their own statehood. The Central Asian republics, for example, have a tradition of nomadic communities organized in the form of tribes, great families and principalities.

How might this war progress, then, and how might it end?

I do not aspire to be futurologist, an author of optional scenarios. What is certain is that the negotiators will strive to reach a compromise that the leaders of both countries in conflict can present to their public as a success. Otherwise, they could expose themselves to charges of treason and selling out national interests. There are many indications that Ukraine is ready to declare itself a neutral state, provided that it receives international guarantees of respect for this status. In turn, the territories seized by the Russian army Spring 2022

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in the Donbass will probably remain under Russian control.

This also applies to the Crimean Peninsula seized in 2014.

One thing is certain: No one has the right to or should impose any solutions on the Ukrainians. It is up to the Ukrainians to decide what is in their best interest and what concessions they can afford. The resistance and determination of Ukrainian troops to defend their independence has meant that the Russian side will present piecemeal territorial gains as the realization of the “special operation’s” objectives.

Russia will have to accept that Ukraine cannot be eliminated and has to be recognized as having the right to exist.

The 1994 agreements concluded between Ukraine and Russia, the United States and the United Kingdom in Budapest stipulated that, in exchange for giving up post-Soviet nuclear weapons deployed on Ukrainian territory, the powers would guarantee the inviolability of Ukraine’s borders and territorial integrity. The document, to which China and France appended their signatures, was registered as a UN Security Council decision on Dec. 19, 1994. The five nuclear powers thus agreed to guarantee Ukraine its independent and sovereign state existence. This document could play an important role in the search for a solution to the crisis under the auspices of the OSCE, within which it was developed nearly 30 years ago in Budapest. The new peace accord will certainly not bring a solution to all the problems. It can be assumed that it will be characterized by what diplomatic language calls constructive ambiguity.

It is natural that Ukraine expects guarantees from both the nuclear powers and those states that are actively involved in seeking peaceful solutions. The essence of even a provisional agreement will be the cessation of hostilities and respect for Ukraine’s right to exist independently. In practice, this would mean that only the citizens of Ukraine - without any external intervention - will decide who will govern their country and in what form.

In response to Russian demands about the need to “denazify” Ukraine, we should rather consider the need to defascistize Russia and to recognize the ideology of Ivan Ilyin and his follower Alexander Dugin as contravening current domestic and international law. Great-power chauvinism and para-fascist views, which the current Russian authorities see as “intellectual” background and justification of the 6

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new mission Russia has to fulfill in the world, should be stigmatized on a par with the ideology that guided the NSDAP elites in the German Third Reich.

In the process of creating a new state in Russia, the special services took responsibility for staffing the entire country’s management apparatus. The result has been what is ironically called a “democratorship” (diemokratura), in which the position of the secret police, intelligence and counterintelligence services occupies a special place. When Putin became prime-minister, he addressed the heads of the secret services in a humorous speech with the words: “I report that the task assigned to me under the codename ‘Creation of the Government of the Russian Federation’ has been completed!” The response from the room was applause and a standing ovation. The words of the new PM, until recently a lieutenant-colonel in the intelligence service, were received with full approval. Shortly afterwards, Putin posted his programmatic article “Dictatorship of Law” on the Internet. In it, he presented his vision of the state.

I was working at SIPRI at the time and recommended that my colleagues read this text. I added: “Fifty percent of this announcement is in the bag; there will certainly be a dictatorship in Russia, while whether the law will be respected remains an open question.”

All democratic institutions function as a façade in the Russian state, as an ornament of no importance. An opposition does not exist in Russia. The loyalty of subordinates is based not so much on a community of opinions as on fear and corruption. Instead of democratization, oligarchization has taken shape in the country, and instead of modernization there has been militarization. Disinforming society also plays a significant role. Pervasive lies and propaganda have replaced honest journalism, where corruption, inherent in the system, plays a major role. For example, the chief TV-propagandist of the Putin regime, Vladimir Solovyov, has two villas in Tuscany and several luxury apartments in Europe for his children. Pseudo-scholars also join in the propaganda tone: a month before the invasion of Ukraine

by Russian troops, the dean of the Faculty of World Economy and Politics at the Moscow School of Economics, Sergei Karaganov, wrote that “NATO is a cancer.” He called for “limiting the metastasis of this cancer with the simultaneous application of therapeutic measures, that is, military radiation and political chemotherapy.” He advised territorial

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POLITICS AND SOCIETY

curbing of this disease at first, and after that - we will see.

Karaganov creatively developed this surgical advice already during the “operation”...

You have considered issues of the European and global security system for several decades. How will the war in Ukraine affect the new shape of this system?

Very many people say that we are dealing with a new Cold War. You can also put it another way: Today’s world is not so much divided by ideologies (like communism vs. anti-communism) as by ways of exercising power (democracies vs. dictatorships). China in Asia, Venezuela in Latin America and Russia in Eurasia are examples of countries that have chosen nondemocratic paths of development. The aggression against Ukraine has simply made Russia the pariah of nations. The outcome of the vote on the United Nations General Assembly resolution on the war in Ukraine was an obvious manifestation of this. This body is composed of all the countries of the world, i.e. 193 nations. Of these, Russia was supported by four: Belarus, Eritrea, North Korea, and Syria.

The new order that is emerging before our eyes is not the realization of some ready-made model. It is an order in statu nascendi. It will contain some elements of all previous orders - from the Peace of Westphalia (1648), through the Congress of Vienna (1815), the Treaty of Versailles (1919), to the Yalta and Potsdam conferences that ended World War II (1945), and the Final Act of the CSCE (1975). Today Russia has put forward a revisionist agenda concerning not only territorial disputes, but also a “new” historical truth in which wars of aggression are presented as wars of liberation. It also negates internationally recognized values, such as the liberties and dignity, the obligation to respect human rights or the sovereign equality of states. Recalling his youthful years as a Leningrad street urchin, Putin considered it a virtue that he understood early on that it is not the person who is the biggest and has the strongest muscles who has the advantage in a fight, but the one who attacks first. We are witnessing a policy based on exactly such a philosophy: Russia made such an attack, and its leader seemed not to understand that it was leading Russia to inevitable disaster.

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Erroneous premises lead to false assessments and decisions with far-reaching fatal consequences. The Russian president hoped to disintegrate and destabilize the West. He did not believe that his actions could strengthen the unity and solidarity of the West. The unprecedented sanctions now being imposed on Russia are testimony to this. He underestimated US President Joe Biden, who was ridiculed by the Russian media. Today he is the respected leader of the entire democratic world. The speech he gave at the Royal Castle in Warsaw (March 26, 2022) will go down in history. The American president emphasized that the current conflict in its essence is not a dispute over territory or access to nonrenewable energy sources, but a dispute about principles: about morality, about the choice between good and evil.

In other words, Ukraine, Europe, and the whole world have entered a period of serious turbulence. Biden’s appeal delivered at the Royal Castle in Warsaw was a kind of pilot’s message: “Fasten your seatbelts!”

Polish society has shown that it is ready for solidarity and sacrifice. Poland has taken in nearly 3 million refugees from Ukraine. It also supports Ukraine’s defense capabilities in many other ways. There is a prevailing awareness in the European Union that rebuilding Ukraine after the barbaric Russian attacks on civilian structures - schools, hospitals, residential buildings - is on the agenda. Some kind of new Marshall Plan will be needed to strengthen this country, enabling the entire international community to provide tailored assistance in rebuilding a free, sovereign, democratic and strong Ukraine.

Adam Daniel Rotfeld is a professor at the Faculty of “Artes Liberales”, University of Warsaw, the author of many books, studies and reports on international law and international relations. From 2008 to 2015 he co-chaired the Polish-Russian Group on Difficult Matters. He has been a member of the United Nations Secretary General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters (2006-2011) and many other international panels and working groups. His last monograph is In Search of a Strategy (2018).

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REFUGEES MUST KEEP ALL OPTIONS OPEN Professor Paweł Kaczmarczyk, director of the Center for Migration Research, University of Warsaw, talks to Witold Żygulski.

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n recent weeks we have been dealing with an unprecedented migration wave in Central and Eastern Europe, which started after the Russian invasion of Ukraine; how does it differ from the one from a few years ago in the southern part of Europe, when refugees from North Africa were trying to get in?

There is, of course, one thing in common: we are dealing with a massive influx of people who are, directly or indirectly, victims of warfare. But that is where the similarities end.

The first fundamental difference is the temporal framework.

The influx of refugees from North Africa, first to Turkey and then to the countries of southern Europe, was a process spread over months or even years. Now, however, we are dealing with an extremely rapid process. In Poland alone,

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more than 2.2 million refugees have arrived in a month, while the total number of people who have fled Ukraine already exceeds 4 million.

Another difference is that the current movement of people threatened by war into the European Union is happening extremely easily. Even before the Russian invasion, Ukrainian citizens were able to enter Poland freely under very liberal regulations. The Polish labor market was wide open to them. The EU also launched protection procedures that allowed Ukrainian citizens not only to enter its territory, but also to move freely between member states, without activating the refugee status application process, which is formally complicated and takes a very long time.

The third and most striking difference is the demographic structure of the current wave of refugees. Data from the registration of Ukrainian citizens in the Polish PESEL system, with a total of over 800,000 applications as of the beginning of April, shows that 49.5 percent of them are children, while among adults 44.5 percent are women. The share of men and elderly people does not exceed a single-digit number.

This is because men have stayed to fight the Russian invaders, and even those who would have liked to leave have been unable to do so due to exit restrictions imposed by the authorities in Kiev.

During the 2015 migration wave, the opposite was true.

At the time, we were frightened by images of numerous groups of young men from North Africa and a few other countries such as Afghanistan making their way into Europe, but research and analysis shows that this was primarily an offshoot of cultural conditioning and the migration strategies of men trying to be the first to get to Europe, hoping to someday bring their families over. All the data from refugee camps at the time suggests that the demographic structure of that migration was radically different from that of today.

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ends, what the new reality of the Ukrainian state will be like, what the political, economic and social situation will be.

Today we can only speculate on this. In my opinion, three scenarios are possible. The first one sees us dealing with a prolongation of the war and a kind of stabilization. Then we can expect that the population of refugees will not increase dynamically, and probably about 1.5 million people, mostly women, will stay in Poland. In practice, this would be economic emigration, combining employment with various forms of assistance from the host country. After 2014, i.e. after the annexation of Crimea and the start of the armed conflict in the Donbass, we already had to deal with this.

Few of the Ukrainians who came to Poland then chose the refugee path with all the relevant procedures; the vast majority chose economic emigration.

The second scenario assumes an end to the war and a quick, efficient and decisive reconstruction of Ukraine. In that case, in my opinion, there would be a massive wave of returns, obvious in view of the fact that Ukrainian families are separated. It would also probably be fostered by a massive movement to rebuild the country.

The third scenario is if the war ended but the reconstruction process was slow and difficult. Then a significant proportion of those who have come to Poland would probably decide to extend their stay. Migration could turn into something long-term, perhaps even taking the form of settlement.

Regardless of the development of events, the stock of immigrants in Poland will be much higher than before the out-

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POLITICS AND SOCIETY

In your opinion, do Ukrainian refugees intend to stay in Poland or do they treat it as a transit country, heading for countries with a large Ukrainian diaspora such as Canada or the United Kingdom, for example?

Let me start from the fourth difference between the 2015 migration and the current one, which I have not yet mentioned.

It is no coincidence that most of the Ukrainian refugees, about 60 percent, end up in Poland. It is not just a matter of a long-shared border; even before the war broke out, we had a large group of Ukrainians in Poland who had been connected to the Polish labor market for what was often a long time. Their number was estimated at 1.5-2 million people.

We can therefore safely say that we had a large Ukrainian diaspora, incomparably larger than in any other European country. It is capable of absorbing a new large group of compatriots. It was evident that the Ukrainians already in Poland immediately, in the first days of the war, joined in helping the refugees by organizing their stay. Moreover, they will continue to assist the new refugees, helping them not only to find a place to live, but also to obtain temporary employment in Poland.

As for the future, we continually analyze the phenomenon of Ukrainians returning home and the directions of their departure to other countries. We estimate the number of those who remain in Poland today at about 1.5 million. However, we can already observe a small but visible wave of returns to Ukraine. How it will develop depends, above all, on how the war situation will develop and, in the event that the fighting

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break of the war. The question is whether we will be talking about a few hundred thousand people or a few million. Unfortunately, we cannot exclude the latter option.

What can the Polish authorities do to improve the situation of Ukrainian immigrants on the one hand and, on the other, prevent possible negative consequences of their arrival for Poland’s domestic, especially economic, situation?

Of course, I don’t know about all of the government’s actions or their complexity, but I assume that they are ongoing, comprehensive and based on the best possible knowledge.

I also think that they must be of a long-term nature. I fear, however, that on the one hand, they are somewhat overdue; on the other, they are not as deep as might have been hoped.

What I find most lacking is something that was crucial in the first weeks of the war, namely an efficient response to the crisis situation. It is not even a question of creating new state institutions, but simply of making good use of those that already exist, at various levels of administration, both central and regional, of an active stance of the crisis management center. Meanwhile, what was happening in Poland was a spontaneously organized grassroots help operation launched by ordinary people: Poles, but also - as I’d like to underline - Ukrainians already living in Poland. It involved citizens, NGOs, international organizations and private business, which was also heavily involved in helping the refugees from the first days of the war. Ukrainians were provided with food, a place to sleep, their basic needs were satisfied, their 10

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relocation within Poland and further travel to third countries facilitated and, finally, they received help with the formal procedures for the legalization of temporary residence. Local governments, especially in large cities, were well prepared to act on behalf of migrants; they had dealt with them before, although obviously not on such a large scale.

By comparison, the actions of the authorities can be considered insufficient, they appeared relatively late, there was - and probably still is - a lack of coordination of assistance.

First of all, the authorities should have acted effectively to provide the refugees with a place to live, not just for a few days after they had fled the war zone, but for a longer period of time. Meanwhile, a bizarre situation has arisen: most of the refugees from Ukraine have found a place to live with private individuals. This was especially the case in the first phase of the crisis. This solution gave the government and local governments some time to organize themselves, to create a housing base for refugees. But more weeks have passed and no solution to the problem is in sight. We are reaching a point where both the refugees themselves and their Polish or Ukrainian “temporary hosts” are on the verge of endurance, mentally or physically as well as financially. Aid has a cost; it is not only time and a place, but also very real spending to buy not only food, clothing or personal hygiene products, but also all those goods that the refugees did not manage to take with them when fleeing Ukraine. It is therefore necessary to create opportunities for them to leave their temporary homes and find a place for longer.

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cade shows that Ukrainian workers find their way around it very well. They have been a significant and valued group in at least several sectors of the economy (construction, transport, trade, etc.). This does not mean, however, that one should not quickly and efficiently act for even better involvement of Ukrainians in work in Poland. We should also try to make sure that working at Polish companies gives them an opportunity to gain additional professional competencies which they will be able to use after returning home to Ukraine.

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The housing market in Poland was not working well before the war, the rental system was far from efficient, which was especially experienced by young people starting their careers outside their place of residence; now, not only have prices skyrocketed, but there is simply no housing. This means that the spontaneous help which the Ukrainians and their hosts imagined would last a few days has lasted several weeks and may last much longer.

The second issue is education. This is an extremely controversial topic today and there is a lot of discussion about the ideas of the Ministry of Education and Science. There seems to be an attempt to deal with the problem at the lowest possible cost or to shift the cost to local governments. Especially the intention to force Ukrainian children into the Polish education system and Polish curricula seems dangerous and senseless. For the vast majority of the refugees, their stay in Poland was supposed to be temporary; some of them are already returning, even though there are still military operations around their places of residence. I hope that there is close cooperation between the two countries’ ministries of education today, so that schooling in Poland makes sense for the young refugees’ continued education in their homeland.

Healthcare is another issue. There are people coming to Poland who have not been vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 at all, or if they have, it was without booster shots. We do not know the scale of this, but we do know that the vaccination level in Ukraine was much lower than in Poland. We also know that since the beginning of the immigration wave, there have been numerous cases of infection. As for vaccinations, it is not just about those related to the COVID-19 pandemic, but also other kinds, and this concerns children in particular.

There are problems related to general access to medical care, but also much more specific issues; from the information we are getting, there is a serious over-representation of people with disabilities among the refugees. Specific, sometimes 24-hour care is often needed. There are wounded people as well, who also require specialized care. Finally, a significant number of refugees need psychological help after the tremendous stress they have endured. It seems to me that we are still unable to fully cope with all of this.

In last place - completely deliberately - I would mention the labor market. First of all, it is absorptive, there is still a shortage of workers, and secondly, the experience of the last de-

WE SHOULD CREATE CONDITIONS THAT LEAVE THEM WITH VARIOUS OPTIONS OPEN, SO THAT THESE PEOPLE CAN RETURN TO UKRAINE AT ANY TIME, BUT ALSO - IF THEY WISH - STAY IN POLAND FOR LONGER The final thing that is necessary is a clear message about how the government intends to deal with the crisis. In my opinion, it is very important to explain to Poles what we are dealing with and why we are doing it, what the prospects are, as well as to make it clear that coping with the current crisis will require costs and sacrifices. Poles need to be informed about what help they can count on from the authorities. This is extremely important also to help avoid giving ground to populist parties and movements that undoubtedly might try to use the current crisis for their political goals and short-term gains.

From a demographic and social point of view, do you see any threats to Poland in the face of the likely long-term presence of a large group of refugees?

As I said, everything depends on how the war situation develops and what happens after the war ends. If more refugees from Ukraine stay in Poland permanently, it will obviously mean a drastic demographic change in both countries. In Poland, an aging population would become less of a problem, while the bigger problem would be ensuring that the new members of the community have access to public services and that they enter the labor market in the best possible way.

However, I would be very far from sketching any such scenarios today; the fundamental issue is what to do here and now, how to provide support and assistance to these people.

As migration researchers, we always try to emphasize the need to avoid situations in which we try to bind Ukrainian immigrants to Poland by force, whether through the education system, teaching them Polish and Polish culture, or simply by encouraging them to stay. We should create conditions that leave them with various options open, so that these people can return to Ukraine at any time, but also - if they wish - stay in Poland for longer.

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WARSAW RECOVERS „HOUSE OF SPIES” F

orcibly opening the gate, sealing the premises, putting in new locks - Warsaw, assisted by a bailiff, took over the so-called “Szpiegowo” (House of Spies) - a complex of buildings once belonging to the embassy of the Soviet Union, and then to the Russian Federation, so far illegally occupied by wRussia. The building is to serve refugees from Ukraine. ”As I announced, ‘Szpiegowo’ is passing into our hands.

It is extremely symbolic that we are closing this process now, at the time of Russian aggression. I am committed to ensuring that this building can serve our Ukrainian friends. Together with the Embassy of Ukraine, we will decide how best to manage it. I hope that the Polish government will show empathy and will financially support the renovation works. I will ask for it,” said Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski.

“This is a special day not only for Warsaw, but also for all Ukrainian citizens who came here. The Russians have greatly neglected this building. A lot of work is needed to make it usable. We have a lot of ideas for this place, surely you will not regret allocating “Szpiegowo” for our needs.

I was planning to go up on the roof and put our flag there, but I will wait with this until all the formalities are completed. Unlike the Russians, we respect the law,” said Andriy Deshchytsa, Ambassador of Ukraine to Poland.

The deadline for Russia to voluntarily hand over the complex expired on April 11 at 9:00 a.m. At that very hour, the bailiff, acting on behalf of the mayor of Warsaw, made one last attempt to recover the property without using force. This one also met with refusal. During the execution each of the hundreds of rooms in the building was secured.

“Legends had long circulated about this place. No one

Rafał Trzaskowski, Mayor of Warsaw

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The Warsaw Voice

THE BUILDING AT 100 SOBIESKIEGO STREET HAS BEEN OCCUPIED BY THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION FOR OVER FORTY YEARS knew what we would find inside, whether there would be dangerous substances, people resisting, documents requiring special handling. We were and are prepared for any scenario. I sincerely thank the services cooperating with us for the efficient conduct of the action,” concluded Trzaskowski.

The capital city is planning to dedicate the complex to the needs of refugees from Ukraine. In the coming days, inspections will begin in order to determine the technical condition of the building and the scope of works necessary to adapt it to new needs. Construction companies and design offices have already declared their willingness to support Warsaw in preparing premises for refugees free of charge.

The building at 100 Sobieskiego Street has been occupied by the Russian Federation for over forty years, originally under international agreements providing for the use of the building for diplomatic purposes. “Szpiegowo”, however, has not served such a function for a long time, and therefore the District Court in Warsaw, in a final judgment issued in 2016, ordered the Russian Federation to return The Warsaw Voice

POLITICS AND SOCIETY

Rafał Trzaskowski with Andrij Deshchytsa

the illegally occupied property and to pay more than PLN 7 million in dues plus interest. In view of the Russian party’s unwillingness to fulfill its obligation, the Mayor of Warsaw filed a motion for bailiff enforcement.

As Tomasz Bratek, deputy to Mayor Trzaskowski, explains, the decision to initiate debt enforcement is directly related to Russia’s attack on Ukraine.

“Over the years, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Warsaw City Hall have made a number of attempts to settle the ‘Szpiegowo’ case. Court procedures were underway. The Polish side did not want to contribute to the conflict, so they refrained from using coercion. The situation changed when Russia bestially attacked Ukraine. There is no room for leniency anymore,” added the vice president.

Rafał Trzaskowski with Andrij Deshchytsa

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WE SIMPLY HAVE TO

ENDURE Jacek Piechota, president of the Polish-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce, former minister of the economy (2001-2003) and minister of the economy and labor (2005), talks with Witold Żygulski.

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he war in Ukraine is affecting all areas of life in the CEE region, including economic exchange; what is the biggest problem in this area today for Poland as a direct neighbor of Ukraine, which is fighting the Russian invasion, and probably the country most involved in providing assistance?

In the first place I would mention the problems of Polish companies which have invested and engaged in trade and cooperation with Ukraine. We ended last year with great success in terms of growth of our economic relations. An exchange value of over USD 12.5 billion had seemed hard to achieve not so long before. Today we are having problems with supplies for the Polish machine-building industry, which has been drawing semi-finished products from Ukraine, or with products for Polish steelworks.

Another problem resulting from the war is the outflow of Ukrainian workers from Polish companies. These men have returned home to fight. In Poland, they worked in sectors

LET’S HOPE THAT UNDER THE NEW LEADERSHIP, THE MINISTRY OF DEVELOPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY WILL FINALLY TAKE OVER THE ROLE OF AN INSTITUTION COORDINATING SUPPORT FOR POLISH ENTREPRENEURS AFFECTED BY THE WAR 14

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such as construction and transport in a broad sense. Polish employers are having lots of problems with this today: some construction sites are deserted, the trucks of some companies have been standing in parking lots for weeks.

The third area is the agricultural and food sector. Ukraine used to be the granary of Europe; grain exports covered a significant part of the needs of many countries. The situation now is very complicated; over 70 percent of Ukrainian agricultural export was carried out by sea, which has become impossible due to the blockade of Ukrainian ports by the Russian fleet. Polish logistics faces a huge challenge: there are now tens of thousands of railroad cars standing on the Ukrainian side of the border; receiving and unloading them exceeds the capacity of Polish railroad terminals. With the continuation of hostilities, these problems will inevitably get worse.

Overcoming the crisis in economic exchange depends on the war ending and some kind of agreement being concluded between Kiev and Moscow; what, in your opinion, are the possible future scenarios?

Looking at the situation of Ukraine and the Ukrainians with a cool eye, I do not foresee, neither today nor in the long

The Warsaw Voice

The Warsaw Voice

How can Poland prepare today for a scenario of operating in a frontline economy?

Already in the first days of the conflict, we asked Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki to quickly appoint a government plenipotentiary for the situation related to the crisis in Ukraine, not only someone to deal with refugee issues or emergency aid, but all issues, from nurseries, preschools, education, social welfare, healthcare, to the economy. Today there is only a plenipotentiary for refugees, whereas what we need first and foremost is to see full coordination of all of the Polish state’s activities. It is necessary to monitor the situa-

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run, the possibility of any agreement that [as the Russians want] would sanction the Russian Federation’s occupation of the currently occupied territories. The Ukrainians are determined in their struggle, and I think that with Western support for Kiev, the conflict will continue until they regain their lost regions. How long this struggle will go on is difficult to predict today.

In the Ukrainian economy, we are now seeing a tactic of relocating manufacturing enterprises to the west of the country, so far a region less industrialized than the eastern part of the country. Locating such enterprises in western Ukraine will definitely foster partnerships with Polish companies. Assuming a positive scenario of a quick end to hostilities and Ukraine’s maintained independence, economic prosperity might quickly follow. What Vladimir Putin has certainly “succeeded” in doing is promoting Ukraine internationally, also in economic circles, and consolidating the West, which for the time being is supporting Ukraine tremendously in its fight, but in a short while will be supporting it just as intensively, I am convinced, in the country’s postwar reconstruction. It will be a great challenge for Western civilization to show Russia and its people that life is better and more profitable under Western conditions. Many Polish companies are already trying to find their place in this and participate in rebuilding Ukraine. This is the positive scenario.

On the other hand, a prolonged conflict and a positional or guerrilla war will pose the task of close cooperation and constant assistance, especially in the defense industry, in whatever will be necessary for the survival and defense of the Ukrainian people. This will require many companies, carriers, logisticians to address completely new realities and situations. There is no one wise enough to predict today how this process will play out.

WE WERE UKRAINE’S SECOND-LARGEST TRADING PARTNER, BUT DESPITE ITS HUGE TURNOVER, UKRAINE WAS ONLY THE FOURTH NON-EU PARTNER FOR US. RUSSIA WAS IN A DISTANT POSITION; IF IT WERE NOT FOR GAS AND OIL, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH FURTHER DOWN

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tion of all Ukrainian companies. We have set up a Business Relocation Center at our chamber, with the aim of supporting Ukrainian entrepreneurs who are considering moving their production or other business activity to Poland. Of course, the government in Kiev does not support the relocation of their companies outside of Ukraine, preferring to relocate them to the west of the country, participating in the costs of transporting the means of production to safer areas. But the entire structure of the Ukrainian economy will inevitably change, and Poland must be prepared for this. This requires consistent and coordinated actions. Meanwhile, until recently we did not even have a minister of development and technology; he was only appointed by the prime minister a few days ago. Let’s hope that under the new leadership, the Ministry of Development and Technology will finally take over the role of an institution coordinating support for Polish entrepreneurs affected by the war.

Already on the first day of the war, the Polish Export Credit Insurance Corporation (KUKE) abolished insurance limits to support exports to Ukraine. Government instruments reducing the risk of economic exchange with Ukraine are essential today. This is something that the Ministry of Development should be working on intensively, and I hope that we will see the effects of this work.

What can the private sector do?

The private sector, which I say with great admiration, has been fantastically involved in helping Ukraine, its war-torn inhabitants and Ukrainian refugees in Poland. From the first moments of the Russian invasion, we have seen fundraising and aid convoys.

As far as economic cooperation is concerned, I am optimistic. We already know our Ukrainian partners very well.

After years of various problems for Polish business on the Ukrainian market, our turnover started to increase rapid16

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ly; we already have well-tested contractors and practiced paths. One would just like to say: “keep it up!” We understand the challenges that Ukrainian entrepreneurs face as a result of the war situation. We will certainly continue to develop cooperation in all possible fields. If, alongside our willingness, knowledge and experience, there will be some instruments of assistance from the Polish government - and I hope this will happen - I do not see any threat to future Polish-Ukrainian economic relations.

Can we risk saying that Poland will be a kind of window on the European Union for Ukraine, an ambassador of its interests and an intermediary in their positive fulfillment?

We already are such a window. Today there are over 20,000 companies with Ukrainian capital registered in Poland, and about 6,000 companies with Polish capital in Ukraine.

Ukrainians have discovered that the possibility of operating on our market gives them wide access to EU markets. Long before the war, we became a very important and valued partner for Ukrainian business, and today the belief in our value is even stronger. You can even see it in circles that were critical of the Poles. We are in top place among the Ukrainian economy’s partners. In Ukrainian public opinion surveys many months before the war broke out, we invariably came first on ranking lists of countries and societies friendly to Ukraine and its people. After February 24, this process has only intensified. It would be good if our government started thinking about a strategic partnership, about cooperation between large entities, such as state treasury companies, and Ukrainian partners, about supporting cooperation between companies, and also joint investment projects. Such a partnership strategy has very strong foundations for rapid implementation today. It only needs to be filled with concrete, well-prepared projects.

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IF WE MANAGE TO COMPLETE THE GAS PIPELINE CONNECTING US WITH THE NORWEGIAN DEPOSITS AND THE AMERICANS KEEP THEIR WORD REGARDING THE OFFER TO EXPORT SHALE GAS THROUGH THE GAS PORT BUILT ON THE POLISH COAST, WE WILL MANAGE However, another very serious challenge arises: what should we do with the capital that has been brought to Poland by refugees? Ukrainians fleeing the war converted their possessions into cash and brought it with them in an informal way, uncontrolled by any financial institutions or other services. It is mostly in dollars, for years considered the most reliable way to keep savings safe in Ukraine. According to various estimates, it could be several hundred million, perhaps even more than a billion dollars. The question is how to legalize these funds. Banks cannot accept such large sums, due to regulations protecting against money laundering. It would therefore be useful to have some kind of extraordinary, temporary regulation, some kind of abolition that would make it possible to put this money into legal circulation. Otherwise, it will remain in the shadow economy, which would certainly be harmful to and undesirable for economic processes.

them to our Aid Fund for Ukraine. Let’s hope that all of us - Ukrainians at home, and we through aid campaigns – will be able to carry on if the armed conflict were to drag on for months.

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How do you assess the assistance activities of the Polish financial sector, led by the National Bank of Poland?

Very positively. The National Bank of Poland’s decision to allow the exchange of hryvnias at selected Polish banks was a way for Ukrainians to obtain funds to survive under conditions of emigration in Poland. In turn, the NBP’s SWAP agreement with the National Bank of Ukraine [worth USD 1 billion] strengthened the Ukrainian financial sector in difficult wartime circumstances.

This is obviously a politically sensitive topic, but does the Polish arms sector stand to gain from the war across our eastern border?

Definitely. Ukrainian demand for armaments is incomparable with what it was in peacetime, and I am sure that talks are being held with Polish armament companies, that we are involved in the process of arming the Ukrainian forces with modern equipment enabling effective defense.

How are economic relations between Poland and Russia and Belarus looking now, and what might they be like in the future?

If the conflict continues and nothing changes on the Russian and Belarusian sides, we will have to continue operating in a situation of European sanctions and restrictions. Fortunately for the Polish economy, we have already successfully reoriented it toward the West. We were Ukraine’s second-largest trading partner, but despite its huge turnover, Ukraine was only the fourth non-EU partner for us. Russia was in a distant position; if it were not for gas and oil, it would have been much further down. The government’s decision to end dependence on imports of these resources from Russia practically closes the topic. If we can manage without Russian hydrocarbon supplies, if we end energy dependence, there will be no problem.

Is such quick independence realistic?

If we manage to complete the gas pipeline connecting us with the Norwegian deposits and the Americans keep their word regarding the offer to export shale gas through the gas port built on the Polish coast, we will manage. As for crude oil, it has long been technically possible to import it by sea through the oil port in Gdańsk. It is just a matter of cost, which of course will be higher than oil from the Druzhba pipeline. But we must bear these costs, because we can no longer pay the “price of blood” by financing the actions of Putin’s Russia.

Can Poland count on support from international financial institutions or other foreign partners today to help Ukraine rebuild its economy and reconstruct trade relations in the future?

Of course; the recent Stand Up For Ukraine campaign brought in over USD 9 billion. As a matter of fact, the entire Western world with all its institutions has gotten involved in helping, consolidating in a way that is probably unprecedented over the last many decades. At the Euro Chamber of Commerce level, we as the Polish-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce, in cooperation with the Polish Chamber of Commerce, are intermediaries in many aid operations. Western companies collect funds and donate The Warsaw Voice

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ENERGY INDEPENDENCE NEEDED –

NOW!

By Paweł Wojciechowski*

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ontrary to predictions, at the Versailles summit in March Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki did not urge European Union leaders to block oil and gas imports from Russia. But it is also hard to imagine such a reckless charge from a Prime Minister who constantly torpedoes climate policy. Now that the tables have been overturned and the EU

POLAND’S SECURITY DEPENDS ON ACCELERATING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A ZERO-EMISSIONS ECONOMY BASED ON MILLIONS OF INDEPENDENT RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

has decided to use climate-policy weapons to cut itself off from Vladimir Putin’s fossil fuels, it’s time for the Polish PM to admit that the energy security strategy has to take the green route, that Polish security depends on renewable sources of energy.

The previous energy security paradigm was based on interdependence. This was supposed to prevent not only using gas as a weapon but also escalating of conflicts.

However, it turns out that it was only part of a bigger plan in Putin’s cynical game. As a result, oil and gas keep flowing while the aggressor is killing people. No one is turning off the tap: neither Russia, whose 40 percent of budget revenue depends on hydrocarbon exports, nor the European Union, which fears the effects of the embargo on its economy, which is why at the recent EU summit it only decided to gradually turn down but not turn off the tap.

Now, the Versailles Declaration adopted in March by the EU heads of states is more than just about shutting down interdependence. The breakthrough in this declaration is the announcement of gaining independence from fossil fuels in two ways: not only independence

* The author was Poland’s representative at OECD (2010-2014) Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs (2008-2010), Chairman of Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency (2007) and Finance Minister (2006).

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The Warsaw Voice

The Warsaw Voice

The green economy means a future not only without the dilemmas of feeding the Russian bear, but also without perks and sinecures - those created by an energy industry based on companies controlled by the state Treasury.

Poland needs to end the myth that its security is based on coal or on giant power plants that will never be built. Such thinking only fossilizes the old system and impedes the development of a network adapted to renewables.

The whole world is turning away from fossil fuels because this makes economic sense. Even China, where the share of investments in coal- and gas-fired power plants has dropped below 10 percent. And nobody is forcing them into anything. Green transformation simply pays off. Renewable energy is becoming cheaper, and conventional energy is becoming more expensive.

In the face of security threats, Poland should resolve the conflict over the rule of law with Brussels as soon as possible, and quickly mobilize funds from the National Recovery Plan, the lion’s share of which is supposed to go to the energy transformation. Especially now when the Green Deal gives us a double dividend: development and security.

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from Russian imports, but also the economy’s general and lasting independence from all fossil fuels.

Suddenly Putin has caused climate policy to become a weapon for improving security. Climate defenders have become his unexpected enemies, as the acceleration of the energy transition will make European Union countries less dependent on imports of Russian energy resources.

Also, Poland’s security depends on accelerating the development of a zero-emissions economy based on millions of independent renewable energy sources.

Paradoxically, these less predictable sources, like wind and solar systems, allow Poland to build a resilient scattered system that is difficult to attack. The security is a broader issue than just a possible supply shock from reduced imports. Dependence on fossil fuels is also creating risks for a system based on large-scale energy. And if the problem is the power balance because power supply from prosumers is highly unstable, the solution is self-balancing regional energy clusters consisting of windmills, solar panels, biogas plants and power storage.

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CONNECTING MINDS, CREATING THE FUTURE Story and photos by Barbara Deręgowska from Dubai

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The EXPO 2020 World Expo that ended in Dubai was officially named the World Registered Exhibition and was a truly revolutionary edition. It was not only the first EXPO to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region but also the first to be organized after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Every two days up-to-date tests were required, which could be done free 20

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of charge at the sanitary points located just outside the entrance.

Every 5 years organized in different places around the world EXPO exhibition, the first of which was held in 1851 in London, from the beginning had a global purpose. It is an attractive form of presenting the latest solutions in various fields of life by the participating countries. It is an excellent platform for exchanging experiences and cooperation. ConThe Warsaw Voice

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tacts are made with representatives of governments, entrepreneurs, and ordinary people.

The leading slogan of this year’s EXPO 2020 was “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”. In nearly 200 pavilions, visitors had the opportunity to explore a piece of the interesting world from October last year until March.

During these 182 days, each of the exhibiting countries tried to present itself in the most interesting way possible.

There was a certain regularity that the most imaginative presentations were made by small and less known countries. The larger ones, such as Canada, limited themselves to building a huge, interesting from the outside, and inside they offered visitors only a short showcase of the country. Fortunately, most countries rose to the challenge and made a significant contribution to this huge incubator of original concepts from around the world. The most interesting pavilions, as evidenced by the long queues lining up every day, included those from Germany, Japan, United Arab Emirates, Sweden, Australia, Peru, and Poland.

Presentations were generally interactive and focused on designing the future that awaits man in a few decades. You could get acquainted directly with many innovative technologies.

Poland focused primarily on promoting its economy and domestic business. There were also elements of culture and art, including culinary. The guiding motto was: “Polish creativity inspired by nature”. The main presentation arena was an original pavilion entirely made of wood, which greatly distinguished our country from other steel and glass pavilions. The fanciful wooden architecture occupying an area of over 2,000 square meters, with kinetic carvings reminiscent of the great bird migrations between Poland and the Arab countries and the rest of the world, was assessed as one of the most spectacular exhibition spaces. Inside the pavilion there was a multimedia instalThe Warsaw Voice

THE MAIN PRESENTATION ARENA WAS AN ORIGINAL PAVILION ENTIRELY MADE OF WOOD, WHICH GREATLY DISTINGUISHED OUR COUNTRY FROM OTHER STEEL AND GLASS PAVILIONS lation entitled. “Polish Table” composed of 120 wooden blocks, imitating the topography of Poland. At the same time temporary exhibitions were held, where about 400 institutions and associations from many regions of Poland presented themselves. In the pavilion there was also space for a restaurant, where visitors could taste traditional Polish dishes. At the same time, every day both adults and children visiting Poland at EXPO2020 could take part in many interesting events, such as programming workshops or Chopin concerts. Every day the Polish Pavilion was visited by as many as several thousand people and in total it welcomed over a million visitors.

“It was a great opportunity to promote our country and for our entrepreneurs to build new business relations,” said Commissioner General of the Polish section at EXPO 2020 in Dubai, Adrian Malinowski. “More than 1,000 meetings were held in our conference hall, and 120 entrepreneurs promoted their companies as part of the ecoSpring 2022

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nomic and tourism promotion of the regions. This is also an opportunity to attract new investments to Poland. We are focusing on the Middle East and Africa and on sales in non-European markets. The exhibition was to help build a solid and innovative image of Polish companies,” added the Commissioner.

Visitors to this year’s EXPO 2020 were able to attend more than 60 events each day. The obligatory entertainment stage was the centrally located Ai Wasi Plaza amphitheatre, where attractive performances and concerts took place from early morning. Meanwhile, in the evening, multimedia shows in 360-degree projection with magical interplay of sound and lights gathered crowds of delighted spectators.

THE POLISH PAVILION IS AN ARCHITECTURAL WORK OF ART SHOWING THE POWER OF POLISH DESIGN AND THE CREATIVITY OF POLES The Polish Pavilion at the World EXPO 2020 Dubai received the silver award for interior design in the medium-sized pavilions category. Peru was the winner in this category, which encompasses pavilions built by the exhibitor itself with an area between 1,750m2 and 2,500m2, while the bronze medal went to Egypt. The award was given by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the intergovernmental organization responsible for overseeing and regulating World Exhibitions.

The list of awardees was announced on March 30 at the BIE Day Awards Ceremony, the conclusion of the six-month World EXPO 2020 in Dubai. The Bureau of International Exhibitions Awards have a long tradition dating back to 1851, when the first World Exhibition was held in London. They are an integral part of World Expositions and play a key role in honoring official participants for their contributions and efforts to advance the EXPO theme, sustainability and educate the public.

“Our entire team was extremely pleased to be awarded. It is the culmination of our years of preparation and six

months of active promotion of Poland at EXPO 2020 Dubai.

The Polish Pavilion is an architectural work of art showing the power of Polish design and the creativity of Poles. It tells the story of Poland’s economic successes, our culture and technology, extraordinary nature, and above all, our creativity and entrepreneurship,” said Malinowski.

This was the second such important award for the Polish pavilion, which earlier won in the category of large pavilions in the World EXPO Awards competition organized by EXHIBITOR Magazine, which has been presenting its awards for over 30 years.

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2 1/ Caressed by the wind The House of Creed has introduced its latest creation Wind Flowers, a gourmand female perfume inspired by graceful movements of a dancer. Floral and fresh, this fragrance opens with sweet jasmine, wrapped around the zesty scent of Tunisian orange blossom and softened by a fruity peach note. A flurry of warm sandalwood is twisted around the floral heart of a delicate jasmine flower, tuberose petals and a sweet rose extract which adds depth and texture to this fragrance.

A haze of iris and musk deepen the base.

Wind Flowers bottle, with the embossed brand’s heritage Fleur de Lis, represents the contrast between strength and grace. The oval cap gives dimension and depth to the rest of the packaging.

during the day and replenishing at night for extraordinary cosmetic effects. A powerful prebiotic and antioxidant cocktail helps the skin’s hydration barrier maintain a healthy condition and reduce the appearance of signs of aging. The cutting-edge duo formed by mastic crystal tear oil, obtained from the drops of resin from a tree of the Greek island of Chios - and the peptide ingredient Peptixyl ProYouth helps the skin recover a youthful-looking appearance.

Diamond Extreme Serum is formulated with the innovative Smart Energy Complex which features three ingredients including Artemia salina, obtained from plankton and peony root extract to help recharge your skin, as well as Chrono Skin designed to complement the skin’s rhythms and preserve a flawless and radiant complexion.

2/ Give your skin a boost of energy

3/ Fill your home with scent of luxury

Age and environmental damage cause skin to lose energy over time, which leads to aging signs. For skin that lacks energy, Natura Bissé has formulated the Diamond Extreme Serum. This powerful infusion is reinforced with ingredients that complement the skin’s natural rebalancing cycle

Scented candles are no longer just a passing trend, they have become a way of life.

Present in all the most beautiful interiors, they not only bring us an atmosphere but also create a feeling of well-being and escape. The house of French perfumer Pierre Montale has created a luxury can-

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dle collection, unique objects of great olfactory richness that bring together the art of perfume and the art of living.

Made in France with meticulous care from noble raw materials, Montale candles come in a selection of refined fragrances inspired by Montale signature perfumes.

Aoud Ambre emanates top notes of agarwood and French labdanum. Gentle notes of rose add an enticing hint of sweetness, while the deep amber and woody base lends a subtle sense of the exotic.

Day Dreams releases aromas of fresh orange blossom and honeyed neroli brightened with sparkling nuances of mandarin.

Heady white florals bloom at the heart, mingling an intensive, hypnotic tiare flower accord with night-blooming jasmine.

Roses Elixir features a captivating rose at the center of a composition of citrus, strawberry leaves, jasmine and orange blossom to create a soft and comforting atmosphere.

Featuring a burn time of nearly 65 hours, Montale candles will keep your living space filled with these amazing scents for a long time.

Available at: www.perfumeriaquality.pl The Warsaw Voice

Compiled by Marzena Robinson

BUTIK

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4/ Get your skin to glow from inside out The Maison Valmont, a luxury Swiss cellular skincare and spa brand, has launched the Luminosity line inspired by powerful natural ingredients grown in the pure and unspoilt environment of its native Switzerland.

The range’s formula is underpinned by the Swiss Phyto-Complex, a cocktail of seven Swiss-grown plants: Melissa, Achillea millefolium, Veronica officinalis, Primrose, Peppermint, Alchemilla and Mallo, known in pharmaceutical science for their benefits on the skin. These ingredients work together to help fix skin imperfections in order to create a more even complexion. Valmont has also incorporated extracts of white mulberry, an ingredient revered in Japanese skincare, to help smooth the skin and enable it to reflect light.

The product line features four components LumiPeel, LumiMask, LumiSence and LumiCream.

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LumiPeel is a new generation of peeling lotion, featuring a rich, exfoliating fluid that helps to resurface and refine the skin’s texture.

LumiMask is a velvety and enveloping rich cream mask which injects a much-needed dose of radiance into dull complexions.

LumiSence is a water serum that aims to reduce the appearance of pores.

LumiCream is a veritable complexion enhancement treatment applied as a second skin. Featuring a mother-of-pearl sheen thanks to its soft-focus pigments, it imbues the skin with an instant luster while its potent ingredients work their magic deep down.

Luminosity has been designed for the next generation of women “who live in perfect harmony between the technology they have grown up with and a desire for nature that calls to their very core”, says Sophie Vann Guillon, CEO of Valmont.

“Unlike previous generations, she refuses to hide behind layers of makeup. Aware that truly embracing her skin without artifice calls for an immaculate approach to beauty care, she has built a routine in her image. Minimalist but effective, and of course rich in sensory pleasure,” she adds.

The new skincare range comes in a 100 percent recyclable frosted glass pump bottles and a jar, with metallized pink caps finished with a holographic lacquer.

The Luminosity collection has been launched in combination with a 60-minute spa ritual, Luminosity of Ice, grounded in facial reflexology.

The treatment begins with a complete cleanse, followed by facial massage to encourage detoxification and the application of the iconic Regenerating Mask Treatment collagen veil. The ritual finale involves relaxation through the sounds of the Swiss mountains and therapeutic sound frequencies, in collaboration with Swiss musician Ripperton.

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THE

Meet the Addams Family in June The Warsaw Syrena Theatre will show in June “The Addams Family” (Polish title: Rodzina Adamsów), a great hit musical, which premiered on Broadway in 2010.

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he show, featuring a fusion of the Broadway tradition and excellent Latin American style, had its first Polish premiere in March 2015 on the stage of the Gliwice Musical Theatre in southern Poland. On September 8, 2018, the musical was brought to the stage of the Syrena Theatre and two weeks later it was presented to audiences in the western city of Poznań. The Polish production is directed

by Jacek Mikołajczyk, a longtime literary director of the Gliwice theatre and currently the director of the Syrena Theatre. Tomasz Filipczak is the music director, Ewelina Adamska-Porczyk is responsible for the choreography, Grzegorz Policiński is the set designer and Ilona Binarsch has designed the costumes.

Since its Broadway premiere The Addams Family has always attracted good crowds. The musical has been shown almost all over Europe and America. It tells the story of a ghostly family living in the swamps in an old Victorian castle. The main characters are Gomez and Morticia, whose daughter Wednesday, called the ultimate princess of darkness, grows up and falls in love with a lovely boy named Lucas. She asks his father to keep it secret from his beloved wife. Everything changes one evening when the two families from two different worlds meet at one table.

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The Addams Family was created

by American cartoonist Charles Addams. In the 1930s, the adventures of the ghostly family began to appear in the form of a cartoon in the popular American weekly The New Yorker.

The cartoon inspired a TV series broadcast in the years 1964-1965, and later, in 1991, a movie starring Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia and Christina Ricci.

The Syrena Theatre will stage the Addams Family on June 4 and 5.

The Warsaw Voice

BUZZ Aida musical returns to Roma Theater The Polish production of Aida musical, that became one of the greatest hits of Warsaw musical stage in the recent years will be brought to the stage of Roma Theater on April 21.

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ida musical’s lyrics were written by Time Rice, one of the most celebrated British lyricists, who also penned songs for such musicals as “Jesus Christ Superstar”, “Evita” or “The Lion King”. The show has music by the pop legend Elton John, also the composer of

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“Billy Elliot” and “ The Lion King “ musicals and book by Linda Woolverton, Robert Falls and David Henry Hwang. It was originally produced by Walt Disney Theatrical.

Aida premiered on Broadway on March 23, 2000, running for nearly 2,000 performances in over four years.

The musical won four Tony awards, including Best Original Score and was named by Time Magazine as one of the top ten theater productions of the year 2000.

The show was later produced in Australia, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Canada, Korea, Japan, Peru, Switzerland, as well as Hungary and Italy.

The Polish production, directed by the directors of Warsaw’s Roma Theater, Wojciech Kępczyński, premiered on October 26, 2109. A 44-strong Polish cast of actors, singers and dancers was selected from nearly 500 candidates through open auditions.

Aida takes place in ancient Egypt, and tells the story of the forbidden love between Aida, a Nubian princess taken captive by the Egyptians, and Radames, captain of the Egyptian army engaged to Amneris, daughter of the pharaoh.

The story, based on Giuseppe Verdi’s opera of the same name, is told in a stateof-the-art musical and theatrical form.

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Showcasing Artistic tribute richness of to survival Jewish cuisine architecture “What’s Cooking? Jewish Culinary Culture” is a new temporary exhibition at the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews takes the audience on a journey across time and space introducing Jewish culinary culture in various parts of the world.

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The new exhibition at Zachęta National Gallery of Art – “Hideouts. The Architecture of Survival”

by Natalia Romik is an artistic rendition of the hiding places built and used by Jews during the Holocaust. They used tree hollows, wardrobes, urban sewers, caves or empty graves to create temporary shelters.

he project presents the diversity of traditions and dishes, consumed by Jews residing in the diaspora over the centuries, the way they are prepared, their origin and symbolism. The exhibition demonstrates how certain dishes and products became widespread as a result of numerous migrations, from the Middle Ages to the great waves of migration in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It shows the religious foundation which holds Jewish cuisine together - the rules of kashrut which inform the way certain dishes are prepared, as well as breaking away from that tradition today and rediscovering culinary roots.

Culinary culture is a vital element of the Jewish identity while enhancing the sense of belonging to a community, it testifies to Jewish distinctiveness. Shaped over millennia in different locations all across the globe, it has remained very diverse until today. That is why the tale about Jewish food is simultaneously a tale about Jewish religion, culture, and history.

Till December 12.

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he visitors to Zacheta will see mirror casts of nine hiding places from Poland and present-day Ukraine.

Artistically modifying models of the hiding places, which by definition must remain invisible, Romik plays with visibility as an essential feature of their architectural form. The tragic history of the Holocaust is the starting point for a universal reflection on methods of survival in situations of existential threat, their bodily, social and architectural dimensions. The installation pays tribute to the daily toil of those in hiding and those who provided hiding places, their creativity, solidarity, and will to live.

It also problematizes the theme of commemorating invisible architecture which, despite its invisibility, is an important historical testimony. At the same time, models of the hiding places connote a place of human seclusion. They can also be read in a broader existential perspective, such as the tragedy of refugees and giving them shelter during migration or persecution in countries threatened by military conflicts.

On view through July 17 28

Spring 2022

The Warsaw Voice

THE BUZZ Dracula, created for the West Australian Ballet in 2018 by Krzysztof Pastor, an internationally renowned choreographer and Artistic Director of the Polish National Ballet, have garnered a string of rave reviews and awards. On April 28, it will open at Warsaw’s Teatr Wielki, Poland’s grandest opera and ballet theatre.

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t is a two-act ballet adaptation of Bram Stoker’s world-famous horror novel and its 1992 Oscar-winning film version by Francis Ford Coppola with a score written by Wojciech Kilar.

Pastor decided to go beyond Coppola’s movie and showcase a wider selection of Kilar’s music in his production.

A carefully arranged score, put together

by Michael Brett, features themes from Kilar’s soundtracks for Andrzej Wajda’s The Promised Land and Chronicle of Amorous Accidents, Hoffman’s Leper, Krzysztof Zanussi’s Wherever You Are, and Janusz Majewski’s Jealousy and Medicine, as well as such self-standing works as Kościelec 1909, Symphony No. 5 (Advent Symphony), and Concerto for Piano and Orchestra. The libretto was written

by Paweł Chynowski after Stoker’s novel. The orchestra is conducted by Patrick Fournillier, the set and costumes have

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Pastor’s Dracula ballet sensation to premiere in Warsaw been designed by Charles Cusick Smith and Phil R. Daniels.

Pastor’s Dracula is a moving period show about love that survives death. The eponymous count goes to war and fights bravely. Having received a false message of his death, Dracula’s wife Elizabeth commits suicide. When a smug bishop refuses to bury her, the tormented count kills him with his rapier and tears a crucifix from his own neck. Possessed by evil, he turns into a broken-down old man. He departs to London, where there is a wonderful ball scene unfolding to Kilar’s score for Leper. Dracula, still in the guise of a beautiful young man, meets a girl by the name of Mina who bears unsettling resemblance to his beloved late wife. She will help the poor soul free himself from evil. For the love of her, Dracula will make the ultimate sacrifice.

The character of a pale aristocrat in a red-lined black cape endowed with demonic sexuality who drinks human blood was first introduced by John William Polidori in his 1819 short story The Vampyre, inspired by Southern European legends. The author, a young English physician with artistic aspirations, was so deeply in love with Lord Byron that he modelled his titular vampire, Lord Ruthven, on the famous Romantic poet, traveler and dandy.

In the 20th century this portrayal became part of the popular culture thanks to a succession of film adaptations. The vampire featured in the novel by Irishman Bram Stoker, the eponymous Count Dracula, loosely inspired by Vlad the Impaler, a medieval voivode of Wallachia, had a different mien, including a long white moustache. Pastor’s vampire draws on the English archetype: he is a beautiful aristocrat, with a slender figure and long dark hair, a man haunted by a terrible curse that only love can break.

Pastor’s Dracula was nominated for the prestigious Helpmann Award for Best Ballet and received three Performing Arts WA Awards, for Best New Work, Best Costume Design, and Best Musical Arrangement.

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Not only for geeks The National Museum of Technology in Warsaw is staging two exciting exhibitions for the inquisitive.

Surrealist exhibition

at the Andel’s Art Gallery in Łódź The Vienna House Andel’s Lodz hotel-gallery hosts an exhibition entitled „Surrealism and Magical Art”. Tomasz Sętowski, Jarosław Jaśnikowski, Karol Bak and Jacek Szynkarczuk, among others, will show their works.

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hantasmagoric paintings combine realistic poetics with elements of fantasy and reveal unknown worlds to the viewer. Admission to the opening and the exhibition is free. The exhibition will run until 28 April and will conclude with the Surrealism and Magical Art Auction. It is organized by the Vienna House Andel’s Lodz, Rebelia Media and the Art in House auction house.

The Vienna House Andel’s Lodz is a hotel that has been a patron of the arts for years. The permanent exhibition consists of more than 200 works by contemporary artists and can be seen both in the common areas and in the suites of the hotel. They include works by, among others, Andrzej Pągowski, Magda Hueckel, Maurycy Gomulicki, Ula Tarasiewicz and Joanna Sarapata.

Temporary exhibitions are also held periodically.

Andel’s Art Gallery, Vienna House Andel’s Lodz (17 Ogrodowa Street, Łódź).

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he history of transport - by sea, land and air” embraces the global development of human movement techniques, from the dawn of history to the present day. It consists of three parts presenting the history of land, water, and air transport. It also shows the development of road construction from Roman times to the present day, as well as the vehicles that traveled on them.

“The history of computers. Counts!” displays a collection of mechanical adders, office and pocket calculators, modern computers, and those from the beginnings of computer science. The exhibition brings together the most interesting, often one-of-akind, Polish and foreign constructions of the last two centuries.

It also reveals what is inside them, showing the craftsmanship and ingenuity of their designers.

Both exhibitions can be viewed by January 1, 2023 30

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THE BUZZ

Promoting Poland’s emancipated modernist craft domains architecture Female joiners and carpenters are the protagonists of the Gildia exhibition at the Museum of Warsaw which presents the works of Olga Micińska, a Polish sculptor and woodworker.

in focus

A new exhibition at the History Meeting House, Seeing the Cityscape, presents close to 100 works by of one of the most outstanding Polish architectural photographers Czesław Olszewski.

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he artist used her own sculptures-objects and items selected from the museum’s collection, supplemented with photographs of female woodworkers to arrange a temporary base for an itinerant female craft guild at the Rynek 30 Gallery.

Born in 1987 in the central Polish city of Łódź, Micińska is a visual artist currently living in Amsterdam. She graduated from the MA Art Praxis programme at the Dutch Art Institute and holds an MFA diploma in Sculpture from the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw.

Micińska works in wood, ceramics, fabrics and other materials.

She designs and makes custom objects and frequently collaborates with a number of craft studios working in a variety of disciplines.

As a member of the Timber Framers Guild, she has participated in several community-building projects in Poland and the USA. In Amsterdam, she co-founded The Building Institute: an artistic and mentoring project that trains and supports young women to engage in the previously male-dominated world of woodworking crafts.

“Having been performing simultaneously as an artist and a builder in recent years, I (still) see the urgency to emancipate the position of the female worker, which too often is trapped in the old-fashioned patterns of gendered labor,” Micińska said.

Gildia is on view through Aug. 28.

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lszewski (1894-1969) generated the broadest known collection of images of modern Polish architecture. On several thousand negatives, he recorded how the Polish state was modernizing in the 1930s and its reconstruction after World War II. He belonged to the generation that founded the professional photography movement for the purposes of the modern press, government institutions and visual propaganda in newly independent Poland. In the 1930s he cooperated with the most important trade publication in Poland, titled Architektura i Budownictwo (Architecture and Construction) and the luxury lifestyle monthly Arkady, which covered a wide spectrum of visual and material culture, and the arts. These magazines regularly featured Olszewski’s photographs documenting the cityscape of pre-war Warsaw, its newly erected structures, the interiors of shops and luxury villas.

The exhibition at the History Meeting House is the first such large presentation of Olszewski’s photography. The displayed works come from the archives of the Institute of Art of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw, the National Museum in Warsaw, and the Museum of Warsaw, as well as private collections. It includes photographs taken in Warsaw, Gdynia, Ciechocinek and Nowa Huta - both pre-war and previously unpublished post-war photos.

Open until September 25.

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NEW CARS OF 2022 The life of the automotive world revolves around two seasonal events - autumn sales and spring novelties.

Story and photos by Bartosz Grzybiński

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t the turn of each year, we witness a special celebration of the pursuit of customers by automotive companies. On the one hand, they convince customers with discounted prices of models already on the market, offering additional equipment or arguing that they are proven and have an established reputation. On the other hand, they are tempted with new cars, which are in principle better, more modern and more fashionable. How to smoothly combine this time and prepare offers for sale and for novelty is known only to marketing specialists and public relations officers. Fortunately, customers benefit from this, as they make their final choice guided only by their own criteria.

Although the sale period is over, the time for novelties is still ahead. Already at the turn of the year many new models appeared on the market or underwent a facelift of the body, interior or equipped with new drive units.

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Among this year’s novelties we can notice two definite trends. The first is electromobility. Today, virtually every brand has at least one model with an electric drive and several models with a hybrid drive. There are both “soft” hybrids - internally charged - and “plug-in” hybrids with the ability to recharge the battery using an external charger. Some of the automotive brands such as Volvo are even announcing that from 2025 they will offer cars with only hybrid or electric drive.

The second trend that has been noticeable for several years now concerns the type of car body. For many years, the market indivisibly rules the SUVs, which today have their representatives in each automotive segment. Even city cars are styled as SUVs. Models with this type of body are still the most popular and willing to buy.

Here are some automotive novelties from different automotive segments. This is in no way a ranking of values, but only an example of the wide range of models available in Polish showrooms.

The Warsaw Voice

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DACIA LOGAN LPG D

acia Logan is a four-door sedan from the segment of urban cars (B), aspiring with its size and equipment to C segment. It debuted on the market in 2004, and last year its third installment appeared on the market. Although Logan is not among this year’s newcomers, it has been included in the list of newcomers due to the fact that its wide sales began this year. The body is 4.39 meters long and has a wheelbase of 2.65 meters. The silhouette may not be a particular design achievement, but it can hardly be denied a modern look. The interior is spacious and has room for five passengers. They have at their disposal a large trunk with a capacity of 528l./1361l./ The dashboard, although stylistically a bit from a distant era, is clear and ergonomically

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arranged. Only one power unit is used: a turbocharged 1.0 Tce three-cylinder engine with 100 hp and factory LPG system. The fuel filler and gas charge are hidden under a single flap on the rear fender. The car is started with the petrol engine and then automatically switches to gas. The gas cylinder itself is hidden in the trunk. Thanks to the gas installation, this model can travel a distance of well over a thousand kilometers. Drive to the front wheels transmits 6-speed manual transmission. Logan is available in two equipment versions Essential and Comfort. It is surprising that even in the basic version its equipment is sufficient for comfortable and safe driving. The cheapest version costs about 53,000 PLN which makes Logan one of the cheapest cars offered on the market.

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PEUGEOT 308 1.2 PURETECH, GT T

he Peugeot 308 is a five-door hatchback that falls into the compact car (C) segment.

It debuted in the market in 2007. In 2013, the second generation appeared, which was such a successful model that it was honored with the title “Car of The Year 2014”. Last spring, the new third generation of the car was shown for the first time. The dynamic silhouette with a body length of 4.37 meters and the brand’s trademark headlights and daytime running lights in the shape of lion’s tusks also received a new logo.

The dashboard is very modern. Peugeot has consistently used the so-called I-Cocpit on its new models, with clocks positioned high on the under-panel, a 10-inch screen supporting multimedia systems and a small multifunction steering wheel. A wheelbase of 2.67 meters provides com-

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Spring 2022

fortable travel for five adult passengers. They have at their disposal a luggage compartment with a capacity of 412l./ max.1234l./ In versions with hybrid drive its capacity is smaller due to the electric motor and is 361l. The powertrain is turbocharged gasoline, diesel and hybrid. There is a 1.2 PureTech petrol engine delivering 110 - 130 hp, a 1.5 BlueHDI diesel engine delivering 130 hp and a 1.6 PureTech Hybrid plug-in engine delivering 180 - 225 hp. Drive is transmitted to the front axle using a 6-speed manual transmission or an 8-speed automatic transmission. A fully electric model is also planned and will join the range next year. The cheapest version 1.2 PureTech/110KM with basic Active Pack equipment costs about 88,000 PLN. The most expensive hybrid version with GT Pack costs about 140,000 PLN.

The Warsaw Voice

MOTO

NISSAN QASHQAI

1.3 DIG-T MHEV,TECNA+ N

issan Qashqai is a five-door crossover in the compact car (C) segment. It appeared on the market in 2006. Since 2013, the second generation of the model was available, and last year the third generation debuted, just launched as model year 2022. The body silhouette with a length of 4.42 meters and a wheelbase of 2.66 meters is dynamic. The body has numerous ribs that further enhance the aggressive lines of the exterior. Nissan has developed an unmistakable style that is most evident in the design of the brand’s signature radiator grille and the narrow, led headlights. The dashboard is modern and “digital”. It is equipped, among others, with 12.3-inch digital clocks and a head-up display. Space in the passenger cabin is ample for five adult passengers. At their disposal is a trunk with a capacity of 436l. to 504l., depend-

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ing on the version of equipment and drive. The Qashqai is powered by a so-called soft hybrid (MHEV) - that is, a 1.3 DIG-T petrol engine with 140hp supported by a 12-volt generator. There are four engine versions to choose from. The weakest one of 140 HP, with a 6-speed manual gearbox and front-wheel drive (2WD), the same unit but with power increased to 158 HP, and two versions with a continuously variable transmission Xtronic of 158 HP, one with frontwheel drive and the other with a double-wheel drive (4WD).

The new Qashqai is offered in five equipment versions: Visia, Acenta, N-Connecta, Tekna and Tecna+. The cheapest version 1.3 DIG-T MHEV 140KM 6 MT, with basic Visia equipment package costs about 105 thousand zlotys, the most expensive - 1.3 DIG-T MHEV 158KM Xtronic 4WD with Tecna + package, is an expense of over 180,000 PLN.

Spring 2022

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KIA SPORTAGE

1.6 T-GDI HYBRID, BUSINESS LINE

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he KIA Sportage is a five-door compact SUV classified in the C-segment. The brand is one of the forerunners of the SUV segment. The first Sportage model appeared on the market back in 1993. Subsequent generations from 2004, 2010 and 2015 gained recognition for their high build quality, technological advancement, and increasingly interesting styling. The fifth generation, offered for the 2022 model year, is the culmination of more than three decades of all this experience. The extremely attractive, almost avant-garde styling of the new Sportage is inspired by the EV6 electric model. The car is 4.51 meters long and has a wheelbase of 2.68 meters. The dashboard is modern and clear. Five passengers have at their disposal a trunk capacity of as much as 591l./1780l. The powertrain is powered

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Spring 2022

by a full range of petrol, hybrid and diesel engines, ranging from the entry level 1.6 T-GDI/150 hp petrol unit to the soft hybrid 1.6 T-GDI MHEV 150 or 180 hp, the 1.6 T-GDI Hybrid/230 hp petrol engine. also offered in a 265 hp plug-in version, all the way to the “classic” 1.6 CRDi diesel/115 hp. and its 136 hp. version of the 1.6 CRDi MHEV soft hybrid. Drive is transmitted to the front axle or to both axles via six-speed automatic transmissions (6AT), or seven-speed dual-clutch transmissions (7 DCT). The richly equipped new Sportage is available in four equipment packages: M, L, Business Line and GT Line. The cheapest model 1.6 T-GDI with front-wheel drive and M package costs less than 106,000 PLN, the most expensive and powerful version 1.6 T-GDI Hybrid Plug-in/265 hp., with GT Line package and AWD - more than 200,000 PLN.

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SUMMER NOVELTIES 2022

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1/ Michelin Primacy 4+ The new Michelin Primacy 4+ summer tire is designed for sedans and SUVs for both city driving and longer trips. It is available in 82 sizes from 16 to 19 inches. The new Michelin tire stands out for its improved braking performance on wet roads, offering even greater safety, from the first to the last kilometer. This is thanks to Michelin’s EverGrip Technology, which, through an intelligent combination of two layers of rubber, ensures self-healing of the tread and allows for better water evacuation while driving. www.michelin.pl

2/ Continental UltraContac TM The Continental UltraContact is a summer tire with very long life, durability, and low noise levels, adapted to the needs of fleets and individual users, very well suited to electric vehicles. The tire has The Warsaw Voice

achieved the highest rating of “A” for braking distance on wet surfaces and a “B” rating for rolling resistance. For noise emissions, it is rated “A” or “B” depending on the size. The UltraContactTM is available in 100 sizes for rims with seat diameters from 14 to 20 inches.

Depending on the size, the speed indexes reach up to 300 km/h. www.continental.pl

3/ Pirelli P Zero The new Pirelli P Zero summer tire is designed for premium cars. Tailored to their modern construction to ensure the highest levels of safety and control on the road. The Pirelli run-flat system uses reinforcements built into the structure of the tire sidewall, which are able to carry the load of the car and ensure safe driving even after a puncture or damage. The P Zero tires are available in passenger car

sizes of 17-24 inches and SUV sizes of 18-23 inches. The tire maintains high performance on both dry and wet roads. Available in speed ratings up to 300 km/h. www.pirelli.com.pl

4/ Nokian Outpost AT The new Nokian Outpost AT is an all-season tire for crossover, SUV, and pick-up vehicles. The new Outpost AT tire provides drivers with versatility whatever the weather. The tire’s tread helps to cope with off-road challenges. It’s reinforced with Aramid Shield™, a puncture-resistant aramid fiber construction that provides extreme durability against bumps and other road hazards. New tread design elements help drivers push the limits and enjoy the thrill of driving on any terrain. The tires are available in 45 sizes from 15 to 22 inches. www.nokiantyres.pl Spring 2022

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IN BRIEF

Compiled by Bartosz Grzybiński

PORSCHE BREAKS ANOTHER SALES RECORD IN POLAND LAST YEAR, 1994 PORSCHE CARS found buyers in Poland. Compared to the year 2020 when 1592 models were sold this is an increase of 25%. The most popular last year was the Macan compact SUV. The keys to the new car were handed over to 705 customers, which is an increase of 33% compared to 2020. Sales were undoubtedly boosted by the summer premiere of the third generation Macan - about half of the new registrations concern the last combustion version of the SUV. The next generation Macan, as announced by the manufacturer from Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, will already be completely electric.

Second place went to the large SUV Porsche Cayenne, in both body versions.

In 2021, 280 new Cayenne Coupé (up 13% year on year) and 180 Cayenne (down 10% year on year) were registered.

Porsche’s first all-electric sports car continues to enjoy unabated success, with 211 new cars registered last year, roughly a fifth of which were the off-pavement-capable Cross Turismo variants, which - like the Macan III - also premiered. In the case of the Taycan, the

increase is most impressive, as 106 registrations were recorded the year before, so demand grew by a staggering 99%.

“This proves that our electrification strategy is right,” says Wojciech Grzegorski, the brand’s director in Poland, and recalls that already in 2025 half of all cars produced by Porsche worldwide are to be electric or hybrid. He also points out that customers are less and less concerned about insufficient infrastructure for electric cars.

“This is also due to our activities.

We are constantly expanding the Porsche Destination Charging partner network and will soon be launching Porsche Turbo Charger fast chargers at dealerships. We are also a shareholder in the Ionity network, which opened its first stations in Poland last year,” Grzegorski emphasized.

NOKIAN GREEN STEP ECOLOGICAL TIRE FOR DECADES, NOKIAN TYRES HAS BEEN STRIVING to make the world a safer place. The company presents its most eco-friendly tire. The Nokian Tyres Green Step concept tire is another milestone in sustainability. It consists of 93% renewable or recycled materials. This brings the company even closer to its ambitious goal that by 2030, 50% of all raw materials used in Nokian Tyres will come from recycled or renewable sources. The Nokian Tyres Green Step concept tire is a testament to the ingenuity of the R&D department and the company’s ambition to make driving more sustainable. ”Drivers are increasingly interested in the environmental impact of the tires they choose. This creates demand for us to create tires that meet the highest standards. It also puts pres-

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sure on the industry for companies to develop more environmentally friendly materials, and for tire technology to match.

With a concept tire like Green Step, we can realize these ambitions and intentions. It is a win-win solution for everyone and especially for the environment,” says Jouko Ilomäki, Development Manager at Nokian Tyres.

All the rubber used in the Green Step concept tire is natural, and renewable oils such as rapeseed oil are used in its production. Almost all plasticizers, resins, and additives come from renewable resources. In addition, natural rice husk ash acts as the main filler for the tread and sidewalls, and renewable cord fibers are used to increase the hardness of the Nokian Tyres.

THE NEW KIA EV6 HAS WON THE Car of the Year 2022 title in the prestigious Car of the Year (COTY) competition. The innovative electric crossover won with the votes of a 59-member jury of respected automotive journalists from 22 European countries. Initially, the Kia EV6 was shortlisted for the title along with more than sixty other models that debuted in 2021. In November, the COTY jury selected seven finalists, six of which are electric vehicles (EVs). This shows the growing importance of these types of cars to consumers as societies shift towards new mobility.

The Kia EV6 received a total of 279 points, winning the Car of the Year 2022 title, followed by the Renault Mégane E-Tech (265 points), Hyundai IONIQ 5 (261 points), Peugeot 308 (191 points), Škoda Enyaq iV (185 points), Ford Mustang Mach-E (150 points) and Cupra Born (144 points).

Frank Janssen, Car of the Year jury chairman, said: “It is a pleasant surprise that the Car of the Year title is won by the Kia EV6. It’s about time the Korean brand and group were rewarded. They have worked hard on

this car. Kia’s pace of development is really impressive.”

Jason Jeong, president of Kia in Europe, said: “It is a great honor to earn the title of Car of the Year 2022, and the EV6 is the first model in the history of the Kia brand to win this prestigious award. The EV6 is a truly groundbreaking design that has been

IN BRIEF

KIA EV6 WINS CAR OF THE YEAR 2022 TITLE designed from the outset to make electric mobility fun, convenient and affordable. This model combines long range, ultra-fast charging, a spacious and technologically advanced interior, and outstanding driving characteristics. The EV6 is an exciting preview of models to come in our rapidly expanding electrified car range.”

HIGHEST LEVEL OF CYBER SECURITY BITTIUM’S DEVICES ARE ENTERING the Polish market. It is a recognized Finnish company with over 35 years of experience in advanced connectivity and bio signal processing. It provides state-of-the-art solutions for secure communication for the defense sector as well as for companies, organizations and institutions requiring the highest level of security. Bittium’s products include reliable mobile devices from the Tough Mobile 2 family and proven cyber security solutions certified to CONFIDENTIAL level.

The company also offers products dedicated to tactical communications that provide broadband data and voice to soldiers on the battlefield. In 2021, the The Warsaw Voice

value of sales of services and products of Bittium reached EUR 86.9 million and operating profit was EUR 3.2 million. The company is listed as Bittium (BITTI) on Nasdaq Helsinki. ”There is a strong interest in secure communication measures in Central Europe, which is particularly evident among business and institutional customers. People are increasingly aware

of the threats lurking in cyberspace, including potential surveillance through Pegasus software. Bittium is able to provide organizations with comprehensive cyber security solutions. We offer both a continuously updated secure environment and ‘hardened’ appliances,” says Thomas Ziger, vice president of sales at Bittium Defense Security.

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GREAT Compiled by Bartosz Grzybiński

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1/ Smartwatch Garett Sport Factory RT

2/ A guarantee of a flawless picture

Smartwatch in a classic design that will fit both women’s and men’s wrist. This is the Garett Sport Factory RT. With it you will not miss any incoming call or message from an application, even when the phone is in the backpack.

Sport modes will help you accurately monitor different types of activity, such as cycling, stepper or running and make your training even more efficient. Thanks to its waterproof casing, no adventures will frighten it. And after them, you can replace the strap with a bracelet and give your smartwatch a more formal touch. www.garret.com.pl

The Mio MiVue 886 has a larger 1/1.8 sensor than other video recorders, HDR function and the proprietary MioT Night Vision Ultra. Only the combination of the highest quality components and the right technology guarantees brighter, clearer and more color-saturated images even in low-light conditions. It has a real viewing angle of of 160 degrees, which allows you to capture details on the roadside. What distinguishes the MiVue 886, and is crucial to the credibility of the recording, is the smoothness of the reproduced image and its detail. The user has up to

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6 resolution settings, including the ability to record at 120 FPS at Full HD resolution. www.mio.com/pl

3/ Amplifier with wireless streaming The masters of Marantz sound processing have created a masterpiece of audio architecture. The Model 40n stereo amplifier with built-in wireless streaming capabilities offers the most musical sound from any source. With HDMI ARC input, you can even connect it to your TV, and the HEOS Built-In platform allows you to play all your favorite tracks from hundreds of streaming services, but also those stored on your devices via The Warsaw Voice

GEAR 5 4

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Bluetooth or Apple Airplay. www.marantz.pl

4/ Polk MagniFi Mini AX Soundbar Compact but powerful soundbar with Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and wireless subwoofer. Ideal wherever you want to watch movies, play immersive games, and listen to music, but you have limited space. Fill your entire room with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X surround sound. You’ll hear every word with VoiceAdjust™ to help you hear dialogue. You can play your favorite tunes using Apple AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Spotify, Bluetooth and more. www.polkaudio.com The Warsaw Voice

5/ Bittium Tough Mobile 2

6/ WEareONE. “Stand for Ukraine”

Bittium Tough Mobile 2 smartphones are secure, rugged, and designed to be used for years. They are made in Finland from components of strictly controlled origin. The casing is magnesium alloy with IP67 dust and water resistance.

The devices have modified Android with secure end-to-end communication options, significantly reducing the risk of eavesdropping or stealing critical data. They are probably the best choice for institutional and business users, aware of the Pegasus and similar spyware threads. www.bittium.com

In the collection of the Lithuanian brand Vostok Europe just last year appeared the WEareONE watch, which was designed independently by a community of brand lovers.

This year, circumstances forced the appearance of a product that confirms the unity of Vostok Europe with all watch lovers. It is the “Stand for Ukraine” model from the WEareONE line. Specially designed watch, from the sale of which all money raised is donated to help Ukraine fighting for its freedom and independence. In this way Ukraine is helped by people who buy the watch, stores, distributors, and their manufacturer. www.vostok-europe.com Spring 2022

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