Must Vote, but for Whom?

This Sunday responsible Poles of legal age are going to make their way to the voting booths. The two prime candidates for the position of President are Bronislaw Komorowski and Jaroslaw Kaczynski. If we look at statistics the other eight candidates don’t stand a chance. The race is on between the two PO and PIS candidates. Who to vote for?

It’s a tough question. Listening and watching their campaigns makes my stomach turns. My trust in Polish politics is limited. After three years living in this country and taking an interest in politics I am shocked as to the behaviour of many of the politicians here and the rules that apply to them. From what I can see is that there aren’t rules. Candidates who should be removed from politics immediately are allowed to run for President. Lies, bribery and charges seem to be irrelevant here. I try to keep a positive outlook on all this but at times it does get difficult.

I’d like to see Poland become the country that it can be. To prosper and grow. To give equal opportunity to all its citizens. To develop the agriculture, tourism and construction industries. There are so many opportunities and talents that are wasted due to a lack of knowledge, resources, support or all of the above. It’s a shame because the potential is there. Poland is a beautiful country.

Poland requires a leader. Komorowski and Kaczynski as leaders are questionable. They are the only two candidates that are the most appealing and suitable but not necessarily ideal. They have their strengths and weaknesses but I don’t think that their abilities weigh up to the requirements of this country’s needs at the present time. Poland needs someone who isn’t just going to be charismatic and persuasive with the public. Poland requires a President who can make independent decisions irrespective of which party he belongs to. A President who will be able to assess the current situation in Poland and make educated and logical decisions in relation to education, the health care system, welfare, infrastructure and the future of the country. Someone who will put the people’s needs first, and their own second.

In order for Poland to become the best it can be, the country is going to require a strong leader with good intentions. A leader who can make those intentions into reality. Both candidates have made promises about what they intend on doing once they are in the Presidential seat. However, these are just words, and history tells us that during the campaigns, many of these words are empty.

I hope that every Pole that is legally allowed to is going to vote on Sunday. I think this election is one of the most important ones in recent years, especially due to the recent tragedies in Smolenski and with the floods. The people need a President who they can rely on and trust not only in times of tragedy and sorrow, but also in times of prosperity and change for the better. A President who will stop looking at the past and start thinking about the present and beyond.

Voters need to look at this objectively and without emotion. The future of Poland will be determined by the result of these elections. It’s a shame that we don’t have a leader who we’d like to vote for without a doubt.

XXI Bieg Niepodległosci

Yesterday marked the 91st anniversary of Poland's Independence. Many people celebrated on the streets and at home. Millions of homes hung the Polish flag out in front of their homes as a sign of patriotism and pride. Others took part in the parades. While seven thousand Poles, along with hundreds of their family and friends, took part in the XXI Bieg Niepodległości (21st Independence Day Run).

The 10km run takes place every year on 11/11. Thousands of people join in to run around Warsaw to celebrate Independence Day. This year Jarek and I took part as well. All the runners were dressed in red or white tshirts to represent the colours of the Polish flag. The aerial view would have been amazing.

I was very pleased with my result as I beat my last year's record for the 10km (56mins) by over five minutes, this years' 10km result was 50:51. I am extremely pleased especially considering the weather - overcast, cloudy, 6 degrees and raining. But it was fun.

Smoking in Public Places

Smoking kills. Well duh. Unfortunately the Poles are yet to fully take countries like England and Australia and ban smoking in shopping centres, bars and restaurants. It's a free country after all. So smokers can pollute others and what can the non smokers do? Not breath?

Many smoking Poles are against banning smoking in public places. It'd be like taking away an important freedom they feel entitled to. Since they hadn't had much in the past, they refuse to agree with it. But why do non smokers have to suffer in the process? Don't they have rights too?
A friend informed me the other day that a woman at her workplace asked for a lighter and when my friend replied with a 'No. Sorry I don't smoke', the women responded rudely, 'Well maybe you should start,' and stormed off to find someone else to lend her a lighter for her cigarette. The mentality of some people continue to leave me in awe.

I commute by train and bus. Last week a man blatantly lit up a cigarette on one of the lovely air conditioned trains without giving it a second thought. Of course there was no security or conductor to tell him off.

Sitting in a café between lessons, sipping a yummy Chai Turtle Latte – green tea, honey, steamed and frothed milk – and trying to write as the table across from me lights up for a second round in five minutes, while I suffer and inhale the fumes. Yes I can pick up my latte and disappear but shouldn't I have a right to enjoy my coffee without worrying about someone else's cigarette smoke damaging my health?

According to the European Environment and Health Committee, tobacco control is one of Poland's top health priorities. It mentions that the health protection authority is responsible for ;
“ - protection of non smokers rights to live in an environment free from tobacco smoke...
creation of legal and economic conditions conducive to reduction of tobacco product use...”

To my understanding, banning smoking in public cases should be the next logical step in order to fulfil these responsibilities, not just in and around educational institutions but also in shopping centres, all buildings, bus stops and other public areas. Making a ban is not enough. Someone needs to control the ban and make certain that it is adhered to.

While it's prohibited to sell tobacco products to people under the age of 18, it's clear and evident that this law is not adhered to. Only at the weekend I witnessed a women cashier in one of Warsaw's exclusive supermarkets selling two packets of Marlboros to a young buy who was clearly under the legal age. She didn't even bother to check his identification. All three parties involved, the shop, the cashier and the boy, should be charged for this minor offence. They won't be. Every day young people are damaging their health because even though there are laws in place, they are not followed nor are they controlled.

„In 2000 34% of the total population e.g. 10 million Poles, (24% of Polish women and 44% men over 15 years old) smoke cigarettes. It is alarming that an increased proportion of young teenagers start smoking. In Poland every day about 500 juvenile boys and girls start smoking, and every year about 180 000 children try smoking. 52% women are passive smokers at home, and 27% - at work. 15% of Polish smokers smoke in the presence of children. Every year 100 000 deaths in Poland are related to smoking.”
http://www.euro.who.int/eehc/implementation/20050525_1

These statistics are shocking, however in recent news announcements, smoking bans are in the works. While smoking will be banned from schools, shopping centres, bus stops and airports among others, when it comes to restaurants and bars, the owners will be free to decide when they ban smoking completely or provide smoke free zones separated by closed doors in their venues. When this will be in place, and whether it will be adhered to and controlled, is something different altogether.