The Warsaw Voice, Winter 2023, Nr 1035

Winter 2023 No. 1235

Polish Cities Continue to Help Ukraine Page 12

Focus on Poland | Published since 1988

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Table of contents POLITICS AND SOCIETY

Returning to the European Family Polish Cities Continue to Help Ukraine

BUTIK | 27-29

4-11 12-13

ECONOMY

Doing business on the dream island

THE BUZZ | 16-26

GREAT GEAR | 34-35

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Managing & Online Services Editor

IN BRIEF | 36-41

Polish consortium to take over Italian port Passenger care ranking: LOT on the podium Bicycle manufacturers try to climb out of the hole Polish jewelry chains are looking at foreign markets New kid on the block Uber takes over Warsaw’s Central Station With Emirates Airlines to seek the sun The Treasury Mint enters investment diamonds Prologis Park Łódź with Bream Excellent Certification

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30-33

14-15

Returning to Arcadia Modern Medea in Warsaw Best young European cinema at mouse click Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel comes to Poland Musical treats at Collegium Nobilium Theater International take on Komeda Moi Ver – genius of avant-garde photography Synth pioneers return to Poland Sacred and profane Lviv treasures on display Hollywood film music feast

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RETURNING TO THE EUROPEAN FAMILY

Radosław Markowski, professor of social sciences at SWPS University and the Polish Academy of Sciences, talks to Witold Żygulski.

A

fter eight years in government, the United Right lost power as a result of the Oct. 15 parliamentary elections. After two more months of fruitless attempts by Law and Justice (PiS) to win a majority, a coalition formed by the Civic Coalition (KO), the Third Way [an electoral coalition of the Polish People’s Party (PSL) and Poland 2050] and the New Left took over government. What does this change mean for Poland?

I hope that for all citizens politically disheartened for the last eight years it will mean that the country will return to the European family - a democratic, liberal, and tolerant family; that we will return to our rightful place among European and world countries, “boxing” in a weight class slightly above our economic status; that we will quickly settle the shameful situation we face today on the Polish-Belarusian border and Poland will abide by international agreements and conventions; that we will gain the funds due to us from the European Union, frozen for many months due to Poland’s failure to abide by the rule of law; that we will stop paying horrendous fines for disregarding 4

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the rulings of European courts. Finally, I hope it means that a substantive debate about the dilemmas and challenges of the modern world will return to everyday public discourse: about the war in our neighboring country and how to help it effectively, and about the future of Europe, which will soon become a small demographic island on the world map. We have a lot of hard work ahead of us to reject the newspeak, the illusions which several million Poles were effectively fed over the past eight years; to reject that vision of external threats, of Germans - almost equated with Nazis out to destroy Polishness, to seize Polish sovereignty. Today there is not a single country, maybe except Hungary which is an even worse case, with which Warsaw improved its relations during the rule of the so-called United Right. The pipe dreams of the outgoing ruling team on international issues, all those Three Seas and Intermarium concepts, turned out to be a complete political failure. Today hardly anyone treats Polish politics seriously; in the past, before 2015, most countries like Moldova or Georgia looked to Poland for help when they wanted to get something done in the European Union. Now such a thing does not occur

PiS media have been a sewer of lies about the EU, confabulations about economic issues, ramblings about civilization processes; in short, all this was a great blow to Poles’ knowledge of the world and their public sophistication.

And using [Israeli spy system] Pegasus-obtained, illegally obtained and created information to fight inconvenient people is beyond any standards of the civilized world. Returning to a calm narrative, to showing what the world is really like, is a national imperative, and especially showing it to those more than 7 million Poles who voted for PiS.

POLITICS AND SOCIETY

to anyone; they call Berlin, Paris, or try to arrange something by themselves. There is also a need to turn back the disastrous policy toward our mono-ally from across the ocean, which has its own global interests. Of course, Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty exists and will be activated, if need be, but the outgoing team consistently supported Donald Trump in the presidential race, expressing a far-reaching dislike of Joe Biden. Now the nightmare of Trump’s return to power may come true. Then we will bear the consequences of this strategic ineptitude, this bootlicking attitude to a single superpower, blindly supporting it in the international arena. The United States has different interests, not all of them coinciding with European ones.

We should look for friends and partners where they really are, in our neighborhood, in the north, in the west.

As a university lecturer, it wasn’t until about two years ago that I realized I was teaching a sixth or seventh year of students who had not lived at all in a normal, democratic, decently governed country. Fortunately, in those years universities - apart from those founded by the people in power and their followers - were one of the last refuges of autonomy and rational thought. This, by the way, is also a serious problem: how to liberate science from the clutches of mediocrity, ideological or religious fundamentalism, from this mass of pseudo-scientists whose works are unpublishable anywhere in the world, from all the pseudo-science industry still in operation.

It is essential to recover the public media, which have been nothing more than a tool of blunt, pro-government propaganda. These are the media that reported the death of [film director] Andrzej Wajda at the end of the day’s news and did not consider it worth broadcasting the lecture of our latest Nobel laureate, [writer] Olga Tokarczuk. These

THESE PIS MEDIA HAVE BEEN A SEWER OF LIES ABOUT THE EU, CONFABULATIONS ABOUT ECONOMIC ISSUES, RAMBLINGS ABOUT CIVILIZATION PROCESSES; IN SHORT, ALL THIS WAS A GREAT BLOW TO POLES’ KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORLD AND THEIR PUBLIC SOPHISTICATION

A good face to a bad game: Mateusz Morawiecki before losing vote of confidence for his new cabinet

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The beginning of a difficult cohabitation: President Andrzej Duda (left) and new Prime Minister Donald Tusk after the swearing-in ceremony of the new government

What changes are taking place and will take place on the Polish political scene? Will it cease to be solely an arena of acrimonious fighting and constant fueling of conflicts?

I think that over a long period of time the new government may make mistakes in various policy areas, but none of the more than 13 million citizens who voted for change will forgive one mistake: failure to settle accounts for the last eight years. The new team must do this in accordance not so much with the letter but with the spirit of the law. There are already lawyers and experts looking at every paragraph and saying, for example, that we must be careful about attempting to remove Julia Przyłębska from her post as president of the Constitutional Tribunal.

I don’t understand this attitude; after all, most established constitutionalists say that she was defectively appointed to her position, and even if she wasn’t, her term is over.

When dealing with a pathological system, you evaluate the institutions of the state differently. In Poland, constitutional principles have been violated, so there is no need to ask under what paragraph we will now reform the state, removing officials appointed through an undemocratic, corrupt route. It is necessary to rise above this, to look from the point of view not of the letter but of the spirit of the law at what has been happening in Poland.

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A very clear public reaction is also needed. We have always been outraged when hearing about how, in Scandinavian countries or in Germany, people denounce their neighbors for parking inproperly or for burning forbidden materials in their furnace; however, this is something that keeps the Poles from being responsible citizens.

I also imagine that in certain circles, anyone who came to power illegally, who was appointed to some position

Time has passed...

United Right leader Jarosław Kaczyński

helped sabotage the country’s development may function in particular professional circles as if nothing untoward had happened in the years 2015-2023.

Therefore, the new government cannot rely on the new ministers merely fixing what was broken; this must be accompanied by a great public and professional support.

I imagine changes in public television will be introduced, and consequently PiS’s “journalists” will be effectively removed from this institution.

LOCAL ELECTIONS HAVE THEIR OWN PECULIARITIES; WE ARE USED TO TREATING THEM AS A SINGLE PHENOMENON, LOOKING AT WHAT GOES ON IN PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLIES, BUT THE ELECTIONS IN A MUNICIPALITY IN A GIVEN PROVINCE WILL BE FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE ELECTIONS IN BIG CITIES

In 2024, Poland is facing local elections (April) and elections to the European Parliament (June), so the first six months of the new government will be a period of election campaigning; doesn’t this carry risks for the sustainability of the coalition, which consists of four parties?

This unfortunate situation in which the new government will not have time to enjoy normal politics but will instead have to immediately proceed in electoral campaigns, has been caused by the earlier cunning of PiS, which is now likely to turn against them. We know that in local environments, where the Polish domestic product is created and where hard-working people pay high taxes that are spent on redistributive goals, on numerous so-called “transfer classes,” i.e. in large conurbations and large urban centers, we should expect the Oct. 15 winning coalition to win these upcoming local elections.

Local elections have their own peculiarities; we are used to treating them as a single phenomenon, looking at what goes on in provincial assemblies, but the elections in a municipality in a given province will be fundamentally different from the elections in big cities. The coalitions that are formed could be – and in reality are - very diverse. I believe that none of the four coalition partner

POLITICS AND SOCIETY

illegally, will simply be isolated. Shaking hands with these people should become problematic. I very much hope that former ministers of the government that trampled on Poland’s constitution will experience difficulties in their return, for example, to the Polish Academy of Sciences or to decent universities: I’m counting on the collective wisdom of their scientific councils and directors. Such people should be isolated for what they have done, and it should not be condoned that such obvious villains who

The new government of the ”October 15 Coalition”

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parties will form an alliance with local PiS politicians in any significant district; this might only happen in small municipalities due to some local specificity.

Nor do we know what the collaboration between the government coalition partners might look like at the local level, whether the various parties might not issue joint lists somewhere or support joint non-party candidates drawn from local communities.

As for the elections to the European Parliament, the electoral law is such that it forces parties to join forces and run together.

The Third Way has already announced that it may run under the same banner in the local elections and is also the only grouping that has been rising in the polls since Oct. 15. On top of that, Szymon Hołownia, the leader of Poland 2050, has ambitions to fight for the presidency in 2025; won’t this create a situation in which the Third Way will want to play its own fiddle in the new coalition?

We are dealing with a coalition in which each of the groupings that form it has its own ideas about Poland and specific interests they pursue. It is important to maintain a balance between them and work together to rectify the situation in Poland after eight years of PiS. After all, the threat from Jarosław Kaczyński’s party is

Szymon Hołownia

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not over. Some commentators, who have probably never done any sociological research, are claiming with conviction that gimmicks from the election campaign period, such as constantly attacking then-opposition leader Donald Tusk or trying to scare the Poles by speaking of approaching waves of immigrants from the Global South, have hurt PiS. Meanwhile, 7.6 million people did vote for PiS, practically the same number as in the 2019 elections (meanwhile, the number of Poles eligible to vote declined by about 750,000). Thus, PiS did not suffer any resounding defeat; moreover, we do not yet know the results of surveys that will show the reasons for such a result at the ballot box. Those who are saying that they know the reasons are making it up. PiS is still strong, so the task I keep talking about is to show the public all this dirt, this plain thievery, because the neutral term “kleptocracy” is far too delicate. Of course, one cannot hope that 7.6 million people will suddenly lose faith, but it is enough for 20-30% of them to see the light for us to be reassured about the results of the next elections. Please keep in mind that for several years now the PiS electorate - and this is a description, not a judgment - has primarily comprised elderly, lost, poorly educated people from outside the labor market, people with traditional values, strongly connected to the Catholic Church. Their world is disappearing, we can see this in the census: over the

POLITICS AND SOCIETY

Włodzimierz Czarzasty

past 10 years, 7 million Poles stopped identifying themselves as Catholics. This is a world record. And great credit for this goes to [former Minister of Education and Science Przemysław] Czarnek, [United Right leader Jarosław] Kaczyński, the Episcopate of Poland that has lost touch with 21st-century reality, religious fundamentalists disguised as journalists, the originators of the 2020 regulation of the abortion issue...

NEW LEFT CO-LEADER WŁODZIMIERZ CZARZASTY DID A GOOD JOB, DELIVERING SEVERAL REALLY INTERESTING AND ORIGINAL SPEECHES BOTH IN PARLIAMENT AND DURING THE TWO BIG OPPOSITION MARCHES ORGANIZED IN WARSAW. ONE COULD EASILY SUBSCRIBE TO WHAT HE SAID AND HOW HE SAID IT The Warsaw Voice

I dare not offer tips, but if PiS had found its political reason, it would have taken advantage of today’s situation to return to the days of the Centrum Alliance [created by some of today’s PiS politicians headed by Jarosław Kaczyński, a political party with a conservative profile, founded 1990, deregistered 2002], a grouping that admittedly had many nationalist leanings, yet was a conservative party of the type found in many European countries.

If PiS understood 21st-century developmental tendencies and the changes in the mores of younger-generation Poles, this is how it would present itself today. It might not have had majority support then, but it could have secured a stable 20% in the coming years and counted on the possibility of ruling within a coalition. If, on the other hand, the former ruling party shows such a face as it has in recent weeks, if it is embodied by the unquestionable arrogance of politicians such as former Deputy Prime Minister Jacek Sasin or former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro and peculiar political thinking à la MP Marek Suski, then the new coalition may feel very much at ease.

In your opinion, is such a change in PiS strategy even possible?

I think it is unlikely. Looking from the point of view of political sociology, the study of political regimes offer, Jarosław Kaczyński’s party was and is a sultanistic-type grouping. The leader, who has tried to be charismatic but is a civilizational illiterate, is fine for the Polish backyard and for his electorate. He has been surrounded by coworkers who, if it weren’t for the party, would have had no chance for any meaningful jobs because no one would have hired them due to their total lack of qualifications.

This is a group loyal to the sultan, people who could not Winter 2023

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Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz

thrive in most meritocratic circumstances. The second group of the sultan’s associates were those who could be blackmailed: some well-paid position or other was given to those on whom the party had some dirt and who could be kept under control. This worked; the only exception who escaped from under control is the chairman of the Supreme Audit Chamber (NIK), Marian Banaś, who went to war with PiS and refused to be persuaded to resign or expelled by force.

The problem in such sultanistic groupings is that leaders are devoid of reliable information. This is the daily reality of most authoritarian regimes. Incidentally, the smarter ones, like China’s, figure out ways of not relying only on their own security apparatus and party officials; they let a little sociology or political science tell them what people really think. But I don’t think PiS is capable of this. Over the next period, things are likely to remain the same; after further defeats, changes may occur, perhaps even a split in the party. It’s not clear how the politicians of [former junior coalitionist] Sovereign Poland will behave, and it’s hard to judge what means of survival leading PiS politicians will choose. In his last programmatic speech [the parliamentary policy speech after which he did not get a vote of confidence], former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said things previously unheard of. The “democracy package” he presented gave the impression he seriously applies for a job in a cabaret; he spoke in support of everything that he had fought against during his six years as head of government. But it is not out of the question that there are people in PiS who are capable of reasoning this way about the party’s future tactics.

When we spoke a few years ago, you talked about the situation of the Left in Poland, a situation different from the vast majority of European countries, where it usual10

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ly has support of 30-40%; could the New Left’s first entry into a governing coalition in years herald a revival of this formation?

Regarding the election result itself [8.61%], the Left was certainly hoping for more. According to surveys, the percentage of people with progressive-left views in Poland is 30-40%. As long as the turnout in Polish elections oscillated around 50%, one could say that the left-wing electorate was out there somewhere, latent, for some reason not voting at all or choosing other parties. But when almost 75% of those eligible went to the polls, the remaining 25% is also already the Western European norm of those who do not vote. In this group, progressives and leftists are few. The question for the left is: why does what it represents not translate into support from the electorate? I don’t have a good answer here; it even seemed to me that in the last year, New Left co-leader Włodzimierz Czarzasty did a good job, delivering several really interesting and original speeches both in parliament and during the two big opposition marches organized in Warsaw [the June 4 March attracted about half a million participants, the Million Hearts March on Oct. 1 almost twice as many].

One could easily subscribe to what he said and how he said it.

On the other hand, there is Adrian Zandberg [co-leader of the radical-left party Razem (Together)], who has the disadvantage of being perfectly suited to be the head of the left’s intellectual base or discussion club, but not suited to be a politician.

In the current situation, I think that the rise in the Left’s ratings can be significantly influenced by the work of female activists who have been given ministerial portfolios, as well as Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski.

Donald Tusk and the Civic Platform (PO) have behaved decently, the leftist coalition has received a large number of posts. Leftist politicians will have a chance to speak about the country’s affairs with their own voice. New Minister

Can the radical-nationalist Confederation, just a few months ago predicted as possibly “tipping the balance” of the new ruling system (it reached 15% support in polls, but ended up at just over 7%) still play a significant role in Polish politics?

In my opinion, the 15% support was an error in methodology or a coincidence from a single poll; realistically, the Confederation could count on more or less 10% of the vote. They did worse in the elections. When the data of the Polish General Election Study is compiled soon, we will know more about why this was so. When you look at the history of the movement over the years, it has consistently been under the 5% electoral threshold. This was the case with the various political initiatives of the doyen of the Confederation [now outside its ranks, intending to establish a new party again], 81-year-old Janusz Korwin-Mikke. For several years now, right-wing radicals have crossed the electoral threshold. The question facing researchers is whether the reason for the rise in the Confederation’s ratings was that the party’s politicians were the only ones in the election campaign to speak with the voice of the politics of monetary policy responsibility, curbing the state’s no-refund handout policy [in which the PiS government excelled], the politics of belt-tightening and responsibility for labor. No other party spoke like this. Did young and middle-aged men (that’s the core of Confederation’s electorate) support it because they don’t want to mainThe Warsaw Voice

tain “freeloaders,” or because of the strong antisemitic or xenophobic accents present in the campaign and statements of the party’s leaders? We don’t know. If the latter prevailed, it’s bad news both for the Confederation and for all of us.

However, in a country of 38 million people, a few hundred thousand radicals are not a tragedy: they are troublesome but still within the norm. Besides, support for parties highlighting fear and aversion to foreigners is boosted by the war being fought in the immediate vicinity of Poland’s borders. After two years of fighting, we are still happy as Poles to be helping the Ukrainians, but in big cities, middle-class residents have the right to feel uncomfortable when they see young Ukrainians getting out of luxury cars and spending vast sums in expensive restaurants. “It’s good that we are helping, but why aren’t they on the front lines?” is an understandable question. The immigration problem, by the way, is gaining strength; the PiS government did nothing about it, having had - at a time of demographic catastrophe - no ideas for an immigration policy, apart from importing [under unclear, corrupt circumstances that will be investigated by a special parliamentary investigative committee - the so-called visa scandal] tens or hundreds of thousands of workers from Asia and South America to specific Polish companies.

POLITICS AND SOCIETY

of Education Barbara Nowacka of the KO, whose leftist roots are unmistakable, also entered the government with a leftist repertoire. She once developed ambitious political plans with current New Left co-leader Robert Biedroń. So, there is enough of this leftist current in the new coalition.

One example of an urgent issue to be dealt with is, of course, the abortion catastrophe that occurred in Poland after the ruling of the so-called Constitutional Tribunal [in 2020, the constitutional court ruled that one of the conditions of legal abortion - congenital and incurable damage to the fetus - was unconstitutional]. It remains to be seen what regulations the new government will propose, whether it will just be a return to the rules from before the Constitutional Tribunal’s ruling (the so-called abortion compromise that has been in place in Poland since 1993 [the legal termination of a pregnancy for three reasons: rape, threat to the woman’s health, and harm to the fetus] to me is a medieval solution), or whether the left will succeed in bringing about more liberal changes.

The second pressing issue is to start dismantling the theocratic state, i.e. ensure that the church returns to its proper place. Nationwide today, we are seeing a massive shift away from this institution, with an ever-decreasing percentage of students attending religion classes in schools in many large cities. This is a good time for change. Here, on the other hand, Poland 2050 leader Szymon Hołownia [himself twice a novice in a Dominican order in his younger years] sounded like an ultra-leftist in recent years. Instead, the leader of the agrarian PSL Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz may act as the brake.

A leftist party last held power in Poland almost 20 years ago; success in the 2001 elections was followed by defeat in 2005, and since then leftist politicians have never held government positions. Now they have a chance. Everything is in their hands.

THE IMMIGRATION PROBLEM IS GAINING STRENGTH; PIS GOVERNMENT DID NOTHING ABOUT IT, HAVING HAD - AT A TIME OF DEMOGRAPHIC CATASTROPHE - NO IDEAS FOR AN IMMIGRATION POLICY A year and a half before the presidential elections, can one already be tempted to make predictions about their outcome or at least the course of the campaign?

It is far too early for responsible predictions. We don’t even know who will run. If the incumbent president could run, that would be a starting point for such a discussion [Andrzej Duda completes his second and final term in 2025].

In 2014, it seemed that a second term for then-President Bronisław Komorowski was a sure thing. Note that all the major parties at the time fielded figureheads, including Andrzej Duda of PiS, who eventually emerged as the winner. Usually, leaders run in such elections. Today we don’t know whether Donald Tusk or [Warsaw Mayor] Rafał Trzaskowski [who minimally lost to Duda in the second round in 2020] will run for president from the PO, whether Szymon Hołownia or Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz will run, or both of them. We also don’t know whom PiS will field. I think the main issue will be Tusk’s decision: whether to run himself from the position of prime minister or let Trzaskowski try to repeat and better his success of five years ago.

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POLISH CITIES CONTINUE TO HELP UKRAINE After the outbreak of war in Ukraine, local governments across Poland rushed to help both those Ukrainians who sought refuge in Poland, but also those fighting at the front.

Ukraine can still count on Polish support - more buses and building materials will soon be sent across the eastern border as part of the ”Polish Cities for Ukraine” campaign.

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irst of all, I would like to thank all Polish cities very much for their active involvement in helping Ukraine. We decided to symbolically end this year with information about how our cities supported Ukrainian cities this year. All the cities of the Union of Polish Metropolises have joined very effectively in this cooperation. There are local governments that de facto still carry out aid projects to this

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day, e.g. Gdańsk and Warsaw,” said Deputy Warsaw Mayor Michał Olszewski.

“Today we will hand over the next tranche of medical equipment that was purchased from the grant realized by the City of Warsaw. Rehabilitation equipment worth nearly one million zlotys will go to Kiev. Last month, we completed the transportation of the last, tenth car that went to the Kiev metro. Besides, we are on the verge of signing an

POLITICS AND SOCIETY

FOR THIS ISSUE, THE UKRAINIAN ISSUE IS CRUCIAL. FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF DEFENDING UKRAINE, EVERYONE SHOULD DO THEIR PART. BECAUSE THIS IS A GAME FOR THE SECURITY OF POLAND, POLISH CITIZENS, AND POLISH CITIES agreement with Kharkiv for the transfer of three more Russian-made trains,” he added.

From the first day of the war, Warsaw assisted Ukrainians who arrived in the Polish capital - hundreds of thousands of people received the necessary support, including accommodation, food and psychological assistance. One of the first decisions of Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski was also the introduction of free travel on Warsaw Public Transport for Ukrainian citizens, and a city bus was set up at the East Railway Station to take Ukrainians to aid stations as needed - in the first weeks of the war it made more than 6,000 trips and transported almost 157,000 people.

Among other things, 23 Type 105 streetcars and 60 subway cars were also sent to Ukraine.

The Warsaw Voice

“There is no Ukrainian issue, there is a Polish issue, it is a matter of our security. For this issue, the Ukrainian issue is crucial. From the point of view of defending Ukraine, everyone should do their part. Because this is a game for the security of Poland, Polish citizens, and Polish cities. Some are going to the U.S. today to ask for military support for Ukraine in Congress, while others are doing their part, which is to support the civilian population, so that they don’t lose heart,” said Civic Coalition (KO) MP Paweł Kowal, chairman of the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee.

“Standing firm in the feelings of Polish cities is a key issue. Tonight, bombs fell on Kiev, which were picked up by air defenses. This war is going on all the time. Our friends from Ukraine are also defending Poland from the Russian invaders all the time, so Polish cities are all the time solidarity and constancy of feelings,” said Piotr Grzelak, deputy mayor of Gdańsk. “This aid does not end, seven buses filled with, among other things, aggregates, fleece, bags, construction equipment, a water treatment station and paraffin for making trench candles will leave for Ukraine in a moment. We are operating under an agreement with the Union of Ukrainian Cities. This assistance continues all the time,” he added.

“Polish Cities for Ukraine” is an initiative born out of a declaration on cooperation to ensure the security of Ukrainian residents and restore peace, signed on behalf of the Union of Polish Metropolises, the EU Committee of Regions and the Union of Polish Cities, as well as the Union of Ukrainian Cities.

As part of the initiative, Polish local governments have so far donated to Ukrainian local governments, among others, six pneumatic tents with equipment, dozens of power generators, construction materials and tools, hygiene products, foodstuffs, 13 buses, dehumidifiers, fans and chainsaws with a total value of several million zlotys.

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DOING BUSINESS ON THE DREAM ISLAND The Republic of Cyprus offers a unique business environment for setting up and expanding a business in both traditional and new economic sectors.

C

yprus is a growing tech hub in the European Union and a promising location for business at the crossroads of Europe, North Africa and Asia. Already home to many international tech companies, Cyprus provides numerous advantages for setting up your innovative startup, establishing your headquarters, launching a regional office or for expanding your business.

Cyprus is a well-established European Financial Centre in the Eastern corner of the Mediterranean, connecting Europe to high-growth markets in the Middle East, Asia, and the wider region. The country enjoys a robust and

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transparent legal system, an attractive tax regime, as well as offering companies’ easy access to a highly qualified and multilingual talent pool.

As a European Union Member State, Cyprus benefits from the harmonization of EU financial services regulations, offering high quality cost-effective solutions to the financial services industry.

The funds industry within Cyprus’ financial services industry have experienced remarkable growth and is becoming one of the leading high-growth fund centers in Europe. This continuous growth and enhanced competitiveness are the result of transparency, well-developed

ECONOMY

ΤTHE “BUSINESS FACILITATION UNIT (BFU)” IS THE SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT FOR NEW AND EXISTING COMPANIES WISHING TO OPERATE OR EXPAND THEIR BUSINESS ACTIVITIES IN CYPRUS supervision, and the burgeoning opportunities offered for international expansion. It is supported by the joint efforts of the Regulator, the Government, and the industry stakeholders all of which promote Cyprus as a reliable jurisdiction for investment funds and fund managers.

Family Offices are seeing growing popularity, as they offer efficient safeguarding of wealth, greater control, and operate at a lower cost than alternative types of investment. When choosing a location, Family Offices look for the availability of skilled staff, a modern tax regime, a robust and up-to-date regulatory framework, and political stability. Cyprus offers all of these and more.

Cyprus is considered one of the most attractive tax jurisdictions in Europe offering multiple incentives and The Warsaw Voice

advantages to international companies and high-networth individuals.

The Government of the Republic of Cyprus has introduced a new strategy for attracting foreign companies and skilled talent to Cyprus. The strategy mainly focuses on high technology, shipping, pharmaceutical, innovation, and research and development companies. This strategy includes a series of new incentives concerning residency, taxation, and employment, through a fast, simple, and streamlined procedure.

In this context, the “Business Facilitation Unit (BFU)”was established in January 2022 under the Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry, within the framework of the government’s new strategy to attract investment and talent.

It is the single point of contact for new and existing companies wishing to operate or expand their business activities in Cyprus. (https://www.businessincyprus.gov.cy/businessfacilitation-unit/) The Unit provides services related to the establishment of companies, guidance, and mediation with the governmental Competent Authorities regarding the necessary licenses for the operation and establishment of businesses in Cyprus. The BFU is also responsible for the registration of companies in the Register of Foreign Interest Companies under the new government policy.

In addition, Invest Cyprus the National Investment Promotion Authority of Cyprus, provides fast and efficient services to attract and facilitate foreign direct investment into the country. The team stands ready to support businesses and investors while providing facilitation and after care services when it comes to setting up your business, relocating your staff or expanding your operations in Cyprus.

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THE

Returning to Arcadia T

he myth of Arcadia has been a permanent fixture in European culture since modern times.

Its various interpretations, including Arcadia as a metaphor for freedom and space of creation, are presented at a new exhibition at the National Museum in Warsaw.

The Arcadian myth, rooted, among others, in Virgil’s Bucolics (Eclogues), envisions an ideal world governed by unchanging order, filled with serenity, happiness, eternal youth, freedom and uninhibited eroticism. The exhibition brings together different renditions of the theme, which has left a lasting mark on European culture. From the modern era onward, artists have revisited Arcadian motifs, depicting the charming realm of shepherds, shepherdesses, nymphs and satyrs. They have also metaphorically related to these themes, communicating, in various ways, the human longing for happiness. The Arcadian topos found expression in images of courtly gardens, rural noble

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estates, exotic lands and picturesque regions, where one could feel a harmonious bond with nature.

The exhibition showcases more than 300 artworks from Polish and foreign collections, ranging from the early Renaissance to the present day: paintings, sculptures, drawings, engravings, photographs, and exquisite examples of decorative arts, tapestries, ceramics and costumes.

With works of such prominent European artists as Claude Lorrain, François Boucher, Camille Corrot, Henryk Siemiradzki and Jacek Malczewski the viewers will be transported to an idyllic land of freedom, youth, and casual eroticism.

The exhibition concludes with works by the youngest generation of artists and collectives active at the intersection of arts and social issues. Through their practice, they breathe new life into the classical Arcadian myth, reflecting on the state of the earth and technology’s devastating impact on the natural world.

On view through March 17, 2024

BUZZ Modern Medea in Warsaw

I

talian composer Luigi Cherubini’s masterpiece opera in three acts, Medea, is set to premiere at Teatr Wielki - Polish National Opera on January 21, 2024, in co-production of the Salzburg Festival.

Based on the Euripidean tragedy of the same name, it retells the story of the sorceress Medea, who embodies the archetype of a woman betrayed by powerful men and shunned by society. She embraces her rage, in the end murdering her own children as a supreme act of vengeance against her unfaithful lover, their father.

The director of the Warsaw production, Simon Stone, managed to modernise the story and give it a cinematic flair. He achieved that with the use of hyperrealistic set The Warsaw Voice

design, black-and-white projections summarising complex emotional relationships, and replacing spoken dialogue with excerpts of phone conversations. Médée follows people in positions of power: in Stone’s production financial elites take the place of ancient rulers and Medea is portrayed as a contemporary woman who fell prey to marital betrayal.

When Cherubini’s opera was first staged in Paris in 1797 it was well-received but did not win wider recognition and was pulled after twenty performances. Despite earning considerable popularity in Germany, it did not make a big comeback until the mid-20th century when Maria Callas stunned the world with her interpretation of the title character.

Ever since then, the opera is regularly staged across the world, putting the abilities of the greatest sopranos to the test.

The Polish production will be performed in the original French with Polish and English surtitles.

The cast includes Rafal Siwek, Joanna Moskowicz, Ariam Hernandez and Izabela Matula as Medea.

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Best young European cinema at mouse click T

hroughout the whole of December, Polish viewers will be able to see for free ten acclaimed feature films by young European directors as part of ArteKino Festival streaming on arte.tv platform.

The event aims to popularise European cinema and support promising filmmakers. The festival programme includes films from Germany, Portugal, Greece, Spain, and Norway which raise various issues that modern societies face, searching for gender identity, dealing with loneliness and complicated family relationships.

“The Sibyl” by Eduardo Brito, an adaptation of Agustina Bessa-Luís’s novel which portrays the relationship between a young writer and her aunt, and other vibrant characters inspired by real people, living in the northern Portuguese countryside in the mid-20th century.

“Dog,” Yianna Americanou’s first feature film, shown during the official selection at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, tells a story of Dimitris, who believes he can establish a deep relationship with his father released after many years in prison. But when his father shows his true colors, Dimitris must face a great dilemma.

“My emptiness and I” by Adrian Silvestre, presented at the Rotterdam International Film Festival, is a story of Raphi, a young trans woman in Barcelona who deals with her transition, dating and daily life.

“Sister, What Grows Where Land is Sick?” is a moving story of a complicated relationship between sisters, which is put to a great test by the mental illness of the older one. The film also provokes new consider18

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ations on the relationship between man and nature. Its director, Franciska Seifert Eliassen, was hailed by critics as the hope of independent Norwegian cinema.

In the road movie Vamos A La Playa, Bettina Blümner tells the story of three German friends travelling to Cuba to find the brother of one of them. In search of fun, self-determination, love and lust, they face a lot of different dilemmas.

“The titles selected this year represent the voice of the young generation of filmmakers and Europeans,” said Berenika Wyrzykowska-Novi, editor-in-chief of the Polish version of arte.tv.

“On the one hand, they show that our continent is a multidimensional creation, on the other, they prove how many issues connect us and concern us all. Even though we speak different languages and live in different countries, we are part of a European community and culture that is non-homogeneous,” she added.

Each of the presented films offers an opportunity to look at the world from a different perspective and expand the vision of a diverse Europe.

Some of these productions have won nominations and distinctions at various international film festivals.

ArteKino Festival audience can vote for the best European production.

The winning film will be awarded the European Audience Award and the director will receive a prize of EUR 20,000.

THE BUZZ

Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel

comes to Poland T

he greatest treasure of the Vatican Museum, the second most visited museum in the world, the famous Sistine Chapel whose ceiling and walls were decorated by Michelangelo, has been inspiring artists, researchers, and tourists for over 500 years. The 34 breathtaking frescoes are considered one of the most important works of art in the history of mankind.

Thanks to the multimedia exhibition “Sistine Chapel. Heritage”, which came to Poland on November 18, you don’t need to fly all the way to Italy any more to catch a glimpse

The Warsaw Voice

of this timeless work of art. Full-sized, high-definition photographic replicas of the iconic Michelangelo piece will give visitors the chance to get up close and personal with every detail and brushstroke.

The exhibition is one of the most technologically advanced of its kind to date. It is intended to replicate a real building with the entire area of paint work covering over 1,600 square meters. The images are displayed not only on the walls, but also on the ceiling of the exhibition space to reflect the beauty of the interior of the original facility.

“The exhibition is a multi-sensory experience that will also allow visitors to learn about the history of the Sistine Chapel, as well as other works of Michelangelo,” said Bartłomiej Feluś from Manuscriptum Publishing House, the organizer.

Visitors will have the opportunity to experience a ‘spectacle’ with all their senses thanks to nearly 50 highest resolution laser projectors, he added.

Until Feb. 4, 2024, at the National Stadium in Warsaw.

After Warsaw, the exhibition will travel to other Polish cities.

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Musical treats at Collegium Nobilium Theater S

tudents of the National Academy of Dramatic Art in Warsaw are staging two musical plays as part of their diploma.

The first, Instructions, directed by Konrad Imiela, is a set of songs inspired by instructions for assembly, operation, baking, and life. The music draws from the energy of Asian funk or Frank Zappa’s songs.

The musical is an artistic commentary on today’s reality, which is packed with instructions and leaves less room for imagination and its own, unique expression.

Device user manuals are only a small part of the huge world of guides, regulations and training that determine the right and proven paths that we should follow. As it turns out our individual personality types are quite easy to define by analysing our attitude towards instructions. Some people love them and cannot live without them, others despise them and feel their freedom is limited.

The play asks questions like, for example, can the assembling of a wardrobe be the most appropriate test for matching partners in a relationship?

We are surrounded by lots of objects equipped with instructions. We don’t even notice that much of our behaviour is dictated by instructions from the creators of the consumer vision of the world who seek to influence our decisions. The musical challenges this by asking whether perhaps this system has limits that are worth crossing? But leaves as with another question: where can we find instructions for these exceedances?

The cast includes Julia Bielińska, Maja Kowalska, Karolina Klich, Sandra Naum, Kamil Owczarek, Julia Piklik20

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iewicz and Marek Zawadzki. Music was written by Grzegorz Rdzak, Sambor Dudziński, Konrad Imiela and Cezary Studniak. Imiela is also the author of the lyrics and stage design. The play is choreographed by Jacek Gębura, costumes are designed by Anna Imiela-Szcześniak.

The other musical proposition by theatre academy students is a play called w.a.s.o.w.s.k.i. Fotoplastykon, a tribute to the late Polish composer Jerzy Wasowski.

“I have been fascinated by the works of Master Wasowski for years, but this work is special to me because I decided to tell stories with the Master’s songs using one instrument - the human voice, its sound and power,” said Ewa Konstancja Bułhak who directed the show.

Olga Lisiecka, a former student of Warsaw’s theatre academy, arranged

several songs by Wasowski for six voices a cappella, three female and three males.

The melodic layer is preserved, and actors use their voices to emulate instruments. The cast, Karolina Gwóźdż, Mary Pawłowska, Wojciech Melzer, Tomasz Osica, Mikołaj Śliwa, and Lisiecka, all are phenomenal.

As the subtitle Fotoplastykon suggests, the songs are not part of any particular story. Each is a kind of frame, freezing some situation or experience related to love, hope, or other strong emotions. The stage movement designed by Partycja Grzywińska creates the drama of the whole.

“Welcome to the world of quality and tenderness and sensitivity, thanks to which our stage existence makes sense.”

Bułhak said.

For upcoming shows check: tcn.at.edu.pl

THE BUZZ

International

take on

Komeda P

iotr Schmidt International Sextet along with an acclaimed Polish jazz pianist Leszek Możdżer and a French jazz percussionist will have a set together in the southern city of Katowice on January 7. The aim of their unique music project is to bring to the audience new contemporary arrangements of lesser-known songs by Krzysztof Komeda, a pioneer of modern jazz in Poland. The concert will feature material from Schmidt’s latest album Hearsay, a continuation of his musical adventure with Komeda’s compositions.

The Warsaw Voice

Previously, in 2022, Schmidt took on six previously unpublished compositions by Komeda, arranged them and released them on the “Komeda Unknown 1967” album.

Schmidt International Sextet features Piotr Schmidt on trumpet, Paweł Tomaszewski on piano, Grzech Piotrowski on saxophone, David Dorużka on guitar, Michał Barański on double bass and Sebastian Kuchczyński on drums.

January 7, 8 pm at the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra building in Katowice, 1 Wojciecha Kilara Sq. Winter 2023

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T

he exhibition devoted to the life and work of Moshe Vorobeichic—a photographer, graphic artist and painter who belonged to the forefront of the 1920s European avant-garde can be viewed at the Museum of Warsaw.

A graduate of the Bauhaus School, Vorobeichic was active in Paris where he adopted the pseudonym Moi Ver. He returned to his native Vilna and Poland many times. During these visits, he photographed the Jewish world which would soon cease to exist.

The Moi Ver exhibition presents a total of 300 photographs, posters, publications, design projects of books, paintings, and documents. Thanks to years of research in the artist’s archive, Polish audience will have an opportunity to see for the first time Vorobeichic’s rich and versatile oeuvre.

In his art, he combined an innovation of form with social sensitivity and political commitment. He employed the language of the avant-garde in his photography and graphic art. His visionary and uncompromising projects devoted to the Jewish quarter in Vilna, to Paris or to kibbutzim in Poland or in Palestine are a true manifest of his worldview. In the 1920s and 1930s, Vorobeichic took over 1,500 photos of traditional Jewish communities in towns and cities of Poland and in the vicinity of Warsaw. He photographed market squares and genre scenes; he took tightly framed, unposed street portraits of bearded Jews and of Polish peasants. Polin is a truly comprehensive and original collection of photographs documenting the daily life of Jews in East-Central Europe.

The artistic quality of the photographs is exceptional, too, and their aesthetics is strikingly modern. A broad selection of hitherto unpublished and scattered photographs is available for viewing for the first time at the Museum of Warsaw.

When, in 1929, Vorobeichic moved to Paris, aside from taking painting lessons with Fernand Léger, he attended the Technical School of Photography and Cinematography. His design projects for photographic books titled Paris (1931) and Ci-Contre (1931) are amongst the biggest achievements of world avant-garde photography. For Vorobeichic, photography was also a source of livelihood—he joined the Photoglobe agency and published in both French and Polish 22

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Moi Ver - genius of avant-garde photography

illustrated press. He never stopped travelling back to Poland and taking photos of Jewish culture and everyday life of local Jewish communities.

Vorobeichic also photographed hakhsharot, places where the Jewish youth in Europe prepared to emigrate to Palestine by working in the fields as well as by taking lessons in Hebrew and geography of the region. In Poland of the late 1930s, there were about two hundred such places, the highest number in Europe. The largest hakhsharah was located in Grochów, a district of Warsaw. Vorobeichic visited almost twenty hakhsharot and took over 500 photographs of young people at work, while studying or resting.

Having emigrated to Palestine in 1934, Vorobeichic worked for local Zionist organisations. He took hundreds of reportage photos showing the construction of Tel Aviv as well as documenting the life of pioneers in the kibbutzim. He designed posters, information expositions and illustrated publications using his own photomontages.

In 1951, Vorobeichic changed his name to Moshe Raviv. In 1953, he settled in the town of Safed in northern Israel where he joined an art colony. He abandoned photography altogether and instead returned to painting and drawing. His paintings draw on the Kabbalah, mystical writings, Hasidism and Jewish folklore, even if references to his years at the Bauhaus can be traced in his late works, too.

Moi Ver exhibition is organised by Centre Pompidou in cooperation with the Museum of Warsaw and Art Museum in Tel Aviv.

Till February 4, 2024.

THE BUZZ

Synth pioneers return to Poland T

he cult British band Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark (OMD) will come to Poland again in February 2024. They will play three concerts as part of their anniversary tour.

OMD was formed in 1978 by two teenagers - Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys. They were one of the first to bring electronic synthesizer sounds to the mainstream and one of Britain’s bestloved pop groups. Almost every song that appeared on the music market became

The Warsaw Voice

a hit. In the 1980s, OMD sold over 25 million singles and 15 million albums. Their 13 albums include re-issued ‘Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark’ (1980), ‘Organisation’ (1980), ‘Architecture & Morality’ (1981) and ‘Dazzle Ships’ (1983).

OMD’s last new studio album ‘Bauhaus Staircase’ was released on October 27, 2023. This expressive, glam-tinged album was created in collaboration with rock producer David Watts, bringing exciting new elements to the OMD style with bold electronic sounds.

OMD will perform in Gdańsk on February 6, in Warsaw on February 7, and in Kraków on February 8. The setlist will include the songs from Bauhaus Staircase and their greatest hits including: “Enola Gay”, “If You Leave”, “So in Love” and many others.

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Sacred and profane Z

achęta National Gallery of Art has staged an exhibition of works by Jerzy Nowosielski, one of the most famous Polish painters of the 20th century, to mark the 100th anniversary of the artist’s birthday.

The exhibition covers four main themes present in his oeuvre: landscape, body, abstraction, and icon. Each of the themes reveals a fascination with geometry as a frame for depicting spiritual sensations and utterly real experiences. Each also represents a mystical vision of reality replete with symbols.

Nowosielski’s landscapes, composed using flat, geometric forms and paint-

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ed from various perspectives, bring to mind film shots. The body is not an object of aesthetic contemplation for the artist but becomes an almost geometric form. It is simplified, rhythmic, anonymous as he sought to depict a sanctified body, abstracted from earthly reality. The third theme, abstraction, refers primarily to the divine being, transcendence, whose emanation is light, including the light of knowledge and epiphany.

Three icons by Nowosielski are presented in a separate room. “Here we are left alone with the mystery, with the most important moment for the artist’s work, when it combines the sacred with the profane,” said Anna Budzałek, the exhibition’s curator.

Through the modern “iconic” perception of reality, the artist introduced one universal norm, both for early representations of secular and later religious motifs. Two icons depict the same figure, Saint Nicholas, in different versions. The third one is dedicated to Saint. Paraskeva, patroness of women and home.

Till 4 February 2024

THE BUZZ

Lviv treasures on display T he Royal Library at the Royal Castle is hosting an exhibition The Genius of Lviv depicting artistic treasures and legendary uniqueness of Lviv, the largest city of Western Ukraine.

The displayed collection includes painting and sculpture from the 17th to the 20th century.

The uniqueness of Lviv as a centre of artistic and cultural life over the centuries was determined by its location on one of the main trade routes connecting Europe with the East. The city was therefore a cultural melting pot, where the influences of different nations and religions mingled. It was inhabited by Poles, Ruthenians/Ukrainians, Jews, Armenians, Tatars, Germans, Czechs, and others. It was at the meeting point of many traditions that the unique syncretism of forms and means of expression characterising the art created in the sphere of Lviv’s influence, especially in the era of Mannerism and Rococo, could develop.

A particularly vivid representation of this specificity are Rococo sculptures - bursting with expression, manifested in bold deforma-

The Warsaw Voice

tion, thanks to which the figural representations gained a dramatic feature not found in contemporary European sculpture.

The genius of Lviv was also manifested in an atmosphere conducive to the creation of outstanding collections. Some of them were created by art enthusiasts coming from aristocratic families residing in the sphere of cultural influence of Lviv: the Rzewuski, Ossoliński, Lubomirski, Mniszch and Lanckoroński families. Their collections included custom-made portraits as well as outstanding specimens of European painting, such as The Adoration of the Magi by Peter Coecke van Aelst or Pearl and Coral Fishers by Jacopo Zucchi, both present at the exhibition.

No less impressive are the collections gathered before 1939 by Lviv public institutions, most notably the National Gallery of the City of Lviv. It is the largest permanent collection of 19th- and 20th-century Polish paintings outside of Poland, and includes works by such major figures as Artur Grottger, Jacek Malczewski, Jan Matejko, Magrit Sielska-Reich and Henryk Siemiradzki, which can also be seen at the exhibition.

The objects on display are from two of the city’s most important museums - the Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery and the Lviv Historical Museum.

On view through January 14, 2024 Winter 2023

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THE BUZZ

Hollywood Film Music Feast T

he Warsaw Philharmonic will host on January 11, 2024, a music event entitled “The Music of Hans Zimmer & Others” featuring an orchestral performance of such famous Hollywood soundtracks as “Top Gun”, “James Bond”, “The Lion King”, “Pirates of the Caribbean”, “Gladiator”, “The Dark Knight”, “Inception”, “Interstellar” and more.

No other composer has influenced the film world in the past two decades as much as the Oscar, Globe, and Emmy winner Hans Zimmer with his staggering music compositions. He first became famous with his score for “Rain Man” and since then has helped to leverage numerous Hollywood mega-hits to success and dramatic-emotional impact. For the film score for Chris-

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topher Nolan’s “Dunkirk” Zimmer received his eleventh Oscar nomination in 2018.

The Warsaw concert’s program also includes music from “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” and “Once Upon a Time in America” by Ennio Morricone whom Zimmer regarded as his idol and role-model.

The film scores will be performed by an international orchestra and choir, and soloists who will sing songs from “Gladiator” and Morricone’s „Ecstasy of Gold “, as well as excerpts from The Lion King, Zimmer’s most recent box office-smash-hit. The musical evening will be complete with light installations, laser projections and selected film clips.

BUTIK

Quality Missala opens another elite perfumery O

ne of the leading luxurious niche perfumeries in Poland and Europe, Quality Missala Perfumery, opened its Warsaw’s fifth boutique on a prestigious Mokotowska street on the last day of November.

Quality Missala is a family business founded in 1991 by Stanisława Missala, as a pioneer in offering exclusive, elite fragrances, skincare and make-up products in Poland. Over the years, the company, now run by the whole Missala family, has been constantly developing its elite portfolio. Today, Quality Missala offers more than 70 brands of artisan perfumes and skincare cosmetics along with superior service standards in its ten elegant and stylish boutiques in key Polish cities. Among those high-end brands are Amouage, Bellefontaine, Clive Christian, Creed, Maison Micallef, Maison Francis Kurkdjian, Memo, Menard, Montale, Nasomatto, Natura Bissé, Olivier Durbano, Puredistance, Rancé, Roja Parfums and Xerjoff.

In 2011, to celebrate its the 20th anniversary, Quality Missala Perfumery launched its first fragrance, Missala Qessence, a result of many years of Stanisława Missala’s relations with the exquisite and abundant world of perfumes, olfactory journeys and meetings with the world’s most outstanding perfumers. Qessence symobilises her philosophy, the essence of her values, aspirations and thoughts. The fragrance owes its additional depth to the passion and research of Michał Missala who immersed himself in the historical heritage of perfumery, exploring the most valuable ingredients used for centuries.

The opening of the Mokotowska boutique coincided with the premiere of two new fragrances of the Missala brand - Qamour and Qmentis, which The Warsaw Voice

joined the cult Qessence perfume creating a beautiful trio for the soul, heart and mind.

Qamour, contained in a red flacon, is an olfactory reflection on love.

Filled with aphrodisiacs, it reveals the full spectrum of feelings - from subtle infatuation to passionate love.

Qmentis, presented in a white flacon, is a tribute to the creative development and unlimited possibilities of the human mind. The composition captures the essence of genius, stimulates reflection and inspires creative effort on the way to great achievements.

The round, gold-plated metal cap refers to the shape of the earth, which gives life to aromatic plants, and symbolizes fullness and perfection. The letter “Q” in the names of the fragrances is a reference to the tradition of the Quality Missala Perfumery, as well as to the high-quality ingredients. All three fragrances were created in Grasse, the world capital of perfumes.

Stanislawa Missala says of her own collection of perfumes: “Missala is more than perfume - it is a philosophy of life, a manifesto of love for yourself, people and the world around us. Each bottle holds a ray of hope, courage and inspiration that we need every day.”

The newly opened perfumery on Mokotowska is the tenth Quality Missala boutique in Poland. Apart from Warsaw (Marriott Hotel, Westfield Mokotów, Klif Fashion House and Bemowo Perfume House) it offers its exquisite products in major Polish cities Wrocław, Łódź, Gdańsk, Poznań and Opole.

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BUTIK

Compiled by Marzena Robinson

2 1 3

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1/ Add warm magic to your holidays

A trio of colorful and gorgeously scented candles 1, 2, 3 Noël! from Maison Francis Kurkdjian will make your perfect Christmas time complete. Let the three magical fragrances fill the air in your home as you count down to starting the festivities.

The woody, subtly resinous aroma of Mon beau Sapin candle invites you for a pleasant walk deep in a snowy forest.

Rose des Neiges candle is a promise of delectable freshness, entwines tangy, gourmand Raspberry notes with elegant Rose to delicately add charm to all your most festive moments.

Jasmin d’hiver candle reveals the poetry of a snow-capped flower garden where generous notes of Jasmine are paired with the fullness of Mango inviting you to indulge in delicious Christmas treats.

2/ Essence of bold womanity

Carmina, the latest addition to the portfolio of the Anglo-French niche perfume 28

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House of Creed is an intensely feminine composition that will quickly steal your heart. This floral and woody fragrance captures the spirit of a passionate heroine ready to take on her next adventure.

With powerful silage, Black Cherry and pinch of spicy Pink Pepper add modernity to Violet and muted Rose de Mai. A bit of Saffron, layered with a cocktail of delicate Musks and sensual Amber give the composition a seductive warmth. Finally, the luxury notes of Cashmere Wood make Carmina very captivating.

3/ Passionately Arabic scent

A new floral-oud creation by Julien Rasquinet for Contes de Parfums, a brand of individual fine fragrances by notable perfumers, takes you on a journey to the ancient home of frankincense - Salalah.

Opening with subtle Plum and Rose Essentail, Contes de Parfums Salalah offers a gentle floral entry into a heart of the

luxuriously enveloping Turkish Rose Absolute and Patchouli.

Rich, woody base notes of Oud Accord, soft Labdanum and spicy Gurjun further reintegrate the exquisitely rounded elegance, strength, and depth of this modern creation with Arabic roots.

4/ Simply delicious

With a refined exterior appearance and customary exquisite content, Xerjoff Erba Gold plays true to the philosophy of Sergio Momo’s elite niche brand which combines exquisiteness and sensual complexity. Sophisticated and full of layers, this appetizing juicy creation delights with the scent of refreshing citrus fruits, Amalfi Lemon, Calabrian Bergamot, Brazilian Orange, and invigorating Ginger. The top notes are in ideal harmony with a spicy heart of Guatemalan Cardamon and Madagascan Cinnamon which make way for an enticingly warm base of White Musk, Amber and Madagascan Vanilla.

All products available on https://perfumeriaquality.pl/en

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The exquisite notes of Erba Gold are beautifully presented in a glamorous flacon with a unique silk neck scarf designed

by Xerjoff and produced by renowned silk factories on Lake Como.

5/ Smart and loving skin care

Natura Bissé, Barcelona-founded luxury skincare brand, has launched an exclusive set of three miraculous products as part of its Diamond Extreme line, designed to offer new cutting-edge, multi-dimensional, anti-aging solutions.

The first in the intelligent trio, Diamond Cream Rich Texture, has a formula enhanced with Smart Energy Complex, an ingredient that complements the skin’s circadian rhythms of daytime protection and nighttime reparation, by providing extra energy to the skin and delivering unbeatable age-defying results.

Another treasure in the fabulous family, Diamond Extreme Eye, is a deliciously rich multi-action cream that powerfully The Warsaw Voice

energizes and hydrates the delicate skin around eyes while fighting wrinkles, providing elasticity and firmness. Packed with ingredients such as Centella Asiatica, Calendula and Licorice that have a draining effect, it miraculously reduces the appearance of puffiness and darkening in the eye area.

The third member of the jet set, Diamond Glyco Extreme Peel, is considered

by Natura Bissé, a scientific masterpiece.

This revolutionary exfoliation system contains 5 AHAs (glycolic, malic, tartaric, citric and lactic) together with salicylic acid to effectively remove dead cells and impurities from the skin’s surface while acting on its deepest layers. An amazing peel that is a must-have for beauty routine and key to revealing transformed, amazingly firm and luminous complexion.

6/ All you need is glow

The Swiss premium skin care brand Bellefontaine has added a new gem to its inno-

vative anti-aging Cellstemine collection - 24H Glow Repair Mask.

Formulated with the carefully selected vegetal stem cells of Edelweiss and Alpine Rose, which stimulate the production of collagen and elastin, this 24H mask repairs the skin barrier for a firm appearance and glowing complexion. Enriched with skin-protecting probiotic, it erases signs of fatigue, while natural phytosqualan restores suppleness and comfort. Hymagic 4D provides instantly three-dimensional moisturizing efficacy making skin smooth and elastic. The skin is renewed, rehydrated and plumped.

Elegant and creamy texture provides nourishment and protection, while the powerful mix of natural minerals and antioxidants blocks the free radicals at the same time reinforcing the skin barrier against external aggressions. Fine lines and wrinkles are diminished for a visible improved skin tone, and a younger, healthier appearance.

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A SIGN

OF THE TIMES Maserati Grecale is another model of the brand, after Levante, which joined the ranks of luxury cars with SUV bodies. This is a sign of the times and proof that even brands previously associated with sport and luxury are expanding their offerings to include today's most fashionable and perhaps most profitable segment, the Sport Utility Vehicle.

Maserati Grecale GT Story and photos by Bartosz Grzybiński

M

aserati, along with Lamborghini and Ferrari, is one of Italy’s bestknown luxury automotive brands.

The brand with the trident logo has a tradition of more than a century. It was founded in Modena, Italy, in 1914 and was associated until recently as a manufacturer of dozens of sports and racing car models. Until recently, because in 2016 it unveiled the Levante, a large mid-upper class (executive) SUV, thus following the path set by Porsche, which as early as 2002 added a large SUV to its lineup: the Cayenne model. What two decades ago was a novelty and even a shock to many, today is treated as a natural thing. The sight of Lamborghini Urus or Ferrari Purosangue four-door SUVs no longer shocks, but rather curiosity. A sign of the times.

Maserati Grecale is a luxurious, modern SUV available in three equipment versions: GT, Modena and Trofeo. The first two models are equipped with two-liter in-line gasoline engines and hybrid drive with 300 or 330 horsepower. The Trofeo version, (probably the closest to the brand’s fans) has a three-liter forked six with 530 hp.

Maserati Grecale debuted in the spring of 2022. The car was built on FCA’s new “Giorgio” platform, used by the Stellantis concern (which owns the Maserati brand) in the Alfa Romeo Stelvio or Jeep Grand Cherokee models.

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its main elements are electronic displays. The displays are not only the driver’s cockpit clocks, the main 12.3inch touchscreen on-board computer display on the center console and the smaller 8.8-inch climate control display, but also the electronic watch display on the top of the dashboard. Even the small watch only pretends to be analog, as it too is a display. A sign of the times?

I guess so, because in modern cars, displays have long since replaced the traditional speedometer and tachometer clocks in the driver’s cockpit, and now reign supreme on the dashboards of all new models. So do the gearshift rods/levers, which until recently were located in the center tunnels, between the driver’s and passenger’s seats.

Today, the gearshift rods have replaced PRND’s “selectors” for driving choices, which are placed in various places on the dashboard in the form of buttons or knobs.

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In contrast, in the Maserati Grecale the platform has been lengthened and the wheelbase increased to 2.9 meters. And this is immediately striking, as the 4.85-meter-long body is even a dozen centimeters longer than its competitors in the compact luxury SUV segment.

Fans of the brand may be a bit disappointed, as the body is more elegant than sporty. At the front, attention is drawn to a large grill with a trident logo with sensors and a camera hidden between the ribs, as well as narrow headlights that to some mischief-makers resemble those of Ford’s popular SUV. The side line is quiet, not to say boring, and without unnecessary embellishments, well, except maybe for the stylized initials “GT” and triple air intakes on the front fenders (unfortunately, it’s an imitation) or the trident logo on the rear pillars (C). Just this styling accent adds elegance and distinction to the car. The rear end features narrow lamps and two dual exhaust tips, these accoutrements are fortunately real. The body is set on attractive 21-inch aluminum wheels, which further emphasizes the large dimensions of the car.

The interior is spacious. Taking a seat in the front seats or the rear bench seat is very easy. The car can comfortably accommodate five adult passengers. They have at their disposal a large and spacious trunk with a capacity of 535 liters. If necessary, after folding down the rear seatbacks, its capacity can increase to 1625 liters. The passenger cabin is not only spacious and functional, but also comfortably equipped and finished with top-quality materials. These include natural leather, velour or aluminum and wood inlays. Passengers have four-zone air conditioning, heated seats, and the mood is taken care of by a professional audio system from Italian brand Sonus Faber. The dashboard is very modern, which means that

THE PASSENGER CABIN IS NOT ONLY SPACIOUS AND FUNCTIONAL, BUT ALSO COMFORTABLY EQUIPPED AND FINISHED WITH TOP-QUALITY MATERIALS. THESE INCLUDE NATURAL LEATHER, VELOUR OR ALUMINUM AND WOOD INLAYS

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Across the Maserati, these are the buttons located on, what else, the center display.

Probably the most common type of propulsion system used today is a hybrid, i.e. a combination of a traditional internal combustion engine with an electric motor supporting it. This is also the case with the described Grecale GT model. This is another sign of changing preferences when it comes to drive types. In the case of Maserati, a two-liter turbocharged gasoline engine supports a 48-volt electric motor (e-Booster). What does such a combination provide?

In the simplest terms, thanks to the extra newton meters from the electric motor, acceleration is very smooth both when starting - before the turbocharger of the combustion engine even engages - and while driving - when the electric motor assists the turbocharger when accelerating. The combined output of the hybrid system is 300 hp. obtainable at 450 Nm, with maximum power available between 2000-4000 rpm. The drive is electronically distributed to both axles, but most of it is transferred to the rear axle. According to the specifications, the Grecale GT accelerates to 100 in 5.6 seconds and can run at a top speed of 240 km/h.

Average fuel consumption is 9.2 l./100 km.

These are dry data, but what subjective impressions did the car leave during test drives?

Let’s start with the position behind the wheel. Visibility in all directions, also thanks to the large exterior mirrors, is very good. The heated and ventilated front seats are comfortable and have a wide range of adjustments. Any driver, even a very tall one, will find the right position for himself, especially since the steering column is also horizontally and axially adjustable. The three-spoke multifunction steering wheel itself fits well in the hands, and the buttons and switches on its arms allow you to fully control your driving or use the on-board computer. Both a round engine ignition button (Start/Stop) and a driving mode selection knob (Comfort, GT, Sport) have been placed under the steering wheel arms. This is a small nod to the motor sports 32

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MASERATI, LIKE MANY OTHER BRANDS, IS MOVING WITH THE TIMES AND USING MANY WIDELY AVAILABLE AND INCREASINGLY CHEAPER TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS heritage and a “honey on the heart” of many drivers. Using the “Sport” mode while driving allows you to get a taste of the sporty experience, and at the same time learn about the car’s technical capabilities. The steering becomes more direct, the suspension stiffens, and the slightest touch of the accelerator pedal gives an immediate response from the narrated engine. One small knob, and so much joy. On this occasion, it is worth mentioning one more element that causes a smile on the driver’s face, namely the large aluminum sequential shift paddles - located under the rim of the steering wheel. It’s true that using them doesn’t shorten the time of shifting gears, because in automatic mode the eight-speed transmission does it faster, but the touch of metal and the characteristic clicks during shifting give a lot of pleasure, and the impression of being in control of the car, the engine and the entire drive. After all, I guess

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the point is to let the driver decide the driving style, not the various systems installed in the car.

Maserati, like many other brands, is moving with the times and using many widely available and increasingly cheaper technological solutions. This is understandable, but also a bit sad, because in a world ruled by corporations and accountants, the spirit of motoring and its heritage is lost somewhere along the way. A sign of the times?

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GREAT Compiled by Bartosz Grzybiński

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1/ eXc COOL headphones

Since 2004, eXc mobile Polska Sp. z o.o., has continuously and successfully supplied the market with accessories for cell phones such as USB cables, car holders, USB chargers and others. For those who appreciate original style and “life without cables”, eXc COOL wireless headphones were created. Thanks to their minimalist form and rich color palette, they are quickly expanding their circle of followers. Users will also appreciate them for their neutral sound and slightly emphasized bass, which comes from 13 mm drivers of 0.5 W each.

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A certified Bluetooth 5.0+EDR module is responsible for connectivity with devices, providing high-quality transmission up to 10 meters. The eXc COOL in-ear headphones interoperate with iOS and Android and cope with Siri and Google Assistant support. Their operation is intuitively simple. From the headphones you can touch control the volume, music player and phone calls.

2/ Superior quality of recorded video

The Mio MiVue 803 is a driving recorder that is equipped with a powerful 2.5K 1440P lens and an F1.8 aperture, and provides extraordinary quality of recorded

video, capturing even the smallest details of your trip. The lens’ wide, true viewing angle is 140O and guarantees that no part of the recorded route will be missed and will make its way into the recording, which, if necessary, can be great evidence at the police or in court.

The MiVue 803 video recorder not only offers higher resolution, but also captures very smooth and detailed recordings. It captures Full HD 1080P videos at 60 frames per second, which gives double the data density (compared to 30 frames per second), ensuring extremely accurate and smooth recordings, even when recording at high speeds. The MiVue

GEAR 3

803 also performs well at night, thanks to Mio’s proprietary Night Vision technology. Thanks to integrated Wi-Fi, the MiVue 802 and MiVue 803 cameras allow instant synchronization of camera recordings to a smartphone in real time. The device is equipped with a smart parking mode.

If you get a bump, scuff, scratch or other unusual situation while parked, the camera will record the incident. Parking mode requires connection to a Smartbox, which is not part of the kit.

3/ Speed and stable connection

The ZTE T5400 router is a device that raises the bar for Wi-Fi in the home and The Warsaw Voice

office. It is equipped with a dual-core 64-bit Qualcomm main processor and a 12-thread network processor. Such a solution greatly increases the computing power of this device, which ensures incredible performance and connection stability. Dual WAN and zLink Boost dual-channel technology doubles the speed of the network connection by merging the speeds from two modems. This innovative solution allows you to make even better use of the available Internet even from two operators at the same time. The ZTE T5400 router is equipped with 6 high-gain antennas, which, combined with the automatic channel optimization function, en-

ables maximum throughput and increases signal propagation through walls. Thanks to this, the Wi-Fi signal of one router can easily cover a larger area of an apartment or a small office. The T5400 also supports Easy Mesh technology, which allows you to easily expand your Wi-Fi network and increase the network coverage practically at will. Thanks to the NFC function, the device allows instant Wi-Fi pairing without entering a password for all NFC-equipped Android smartphones. Up to 256 users can use the ZTE T5400 router! There are also classic LAN ports for a 10/100/1000Mbps wired connection. Connecting to Wi-Fi has never been so easy and fast.

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POLISH CONSORTIUM TO TAKE OVER ITALIAN PORT The Chinese-controlled strategic port of Taranto in southern Italy is to be taken over, with US backing, by a Polish consortium, which is to invest EUR 60 million in the waterfront, the Italian daily La Verita wrote.

A consortium of three companies operating in the logistics industry is to be behind the investment, and the whole thing is to be tied together by Poland - U.S. Operations sp. z o. o.

(PLUS Ops). The company’s president is Ronald Farkas, a former U.S. Air Force officer and former senior official for aviation programs at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw.

According to the consortium’s website, “his responsibilities included managing and coordinating foreign military equipment sales programs worth more than USD 4 billion between the United States and the Republic of Poland.”

A partner in the investment in the Port of Taranto is to be the shipping company Pol-Mare from Gdynia, which has been in the transportation business for more than 15 years. The consortium is also to include a third entity, which was not disclosed.

The investment site is to be the so-called Eco/Park zone in the port

of Taranto. An inter-modal terminal with full infrastructure services is to be built for EUR 60 million.

The Polish entry into Taranto is being made with the help and at the request of the Americans, who are watching with concern the Chinese influence in the ports of Europe. The presence of Chinese capital in the ports of European Union countries is a risk of cyberattacks, espionage

and theft of sensitive data, not only at the local level, but could also pose a broader risk to Europe, especially to the armed forces of EU and NATO member states. Chinese companies have spent more than EUR 9.1 billion on European seaport acquisitions. The largest investors are Ocean Shipping Company (Cosco) and China Merchants. Cosco fully controls the port of Piraeus in Greece.

Compiled by Bartosz Grzybiński

PASSENGER CARE RANKING: LOT ON THE PODIUM

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LOT Polish Airlines took third place in the AirHelp Score 2023 world ranking, with Qatar Airways remaining the leader, followed by low-cost Eurowings in second place.

LOT scored very well in three categories that were taken into account for the overall AirHelp Score, namely: punctuality, passenger feedback and efficiency in handling compensation claims. This year, during the summer months, the most difficult for passenger transportation, LOT proved to be the most punctual airline in Europe.

In economy class, service on board

place). In this case, passengers rated punctuality, quality, and stores and restaurants.

The global ranking of the best airlines and airports - AirHelp Score has been published since 2015 by AirHelp, a law firm specializing in airline compensation recovery. This year, in preparing the ranking, the law firm took into account the opinions of more than 5,300 passengers, 83 airlines and nearly 200 airports from around the world. This translated into 15,300 ratings. The ranking was based on air traffic data from around the world for the period from January 1 to October 31, as well as passengers’ opinions about the airlines and airports they used.

IN BRIEF

has improved. The planes are clean. LOT is one of the few European carriers offering free snacks and drinks.

LOT is flying for the highest profit in history. It plans to close this financial year with a profit in the region of one billion zlotys.

The best Polish airport, like the year before, was Gdańsk Airport - it took eighth place. Warsaw’s Chopin Airport was ranked 52nd, followed closely by Kraków-Balice. In fourth and fifth place in Poland were airports not listed in the previous edition of the ranking - these are, respectively: Wrocław (62nd in the global ranking) and Katowice (86th

BICYCLE MANUFACTURERS TRY TO CLIMB OUT OF THE HOLE Poland’s unicycle factories have run into trouble. After the COVID-19 pandemic, demand has plummeted - sales have plunged by 35%, production has shrunk by almost half, and warehouses are filled to the brim.

Data showing the year-on-year condition of the sector cannot be optimistic. Production of two-wheelers, which has been a Polish specialty for years, shrank by as much as 48% between January and October 2023.

Sales of domestically produced bicycles year-on-year have declined by more than a third.

Certainly, industry leaders Kross and Romet have no reason to rejoice.

But analysts caution that in practice the situation is not so dramatic, as sales are back to pre-pandemic levels.

Before the pandemic, the Polish bicycle market was growing at a stable rate of several percent. The COVID-19 period caused demand to shoot up. When the sharp deceleration came, many companies woke up to a different reality.

Companies’ warehouses are full of unsold bicycles today. But next year may finally bring the awaited normalization.

Nevertheless, many businesses in this sector have found themselves in a difficult moment. Less (which replaced the Groclin brand) in 2022 launched an ambitious project to sell electric bicycles for every pocket. Despite the initial good fortune, the concept did not stand the test of time.

The Polish Bicycle Association (PSR) also speaks in a similar vein and points out that such vehicles are increasingly used for commuting to school and work or, for example, The Warsaw Voice

among couriers. PSR also points out that the promotion of bicycles will be helped by EU policy (the European Bicycle Declaration), which will “unleash the potential” of two-wheelers by supporting investments in infrastructure or bicycle subsidy policies (projects of this kind would make the purchase of two-wheelers more attractive and convince Europeans to switch to a saddle).

However, many manufacturers are not going to wait for these additional impulses and are starting to look for new ways to win customers themselves. Among others, online sales are gaining, which has not been so obvious in the case of unicycles until now.

TrybEco has been partnering with Ladybug.Home, an online discount store, since April to sell electric bicycles.

TrybEco has taken the strategy to target niches - local markets and small agglomerations. The company wants to hit the rural market, for example. It recently signed an agreement to cooperate and sell bicycles in the Grene chain of agricultural stores (the chain has 180 outlets).

TrybEco has set its sights on yet another innovative formula for gaining customers - it intends to offer the bikes on a subscription basis. The rental model is based on business partnerships with platforms specializing in the rental of electronic equipment, among others: Gleevery and Plenti.

Such a formula gives the user the opportunity to use the bike without having to buy it and cancel the service at any time. It’s a model that is also offered as an employee benefit.

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POLISH JEWELRY CHAINS ARE LOOKING AT FOREIGN MARKETS

Polish jewelry companies, in search of affluent customers, are starting to venture more boldly into other markets in the CEE region.

Two stores of the oldest Polish jewelry brand, W.Kruk, are already operating in Budapest and Segedin, Hungary. These are the first foreign outlets of the Polish brand, although not the first attempt to appear outside the home market.

According to a recent report on the high-end goods market in Poland, sales of luxury jewelry and watches

increased by 10.3% in 2022 compared to the previous year, to PLN 540 million. According to forecasts, the jewelry segment of the luxury goods market will exceed its pre-pandemic value as early as this year.

The jewelry market is already worth almost PLN 4 billion, but it is based on products from lower price segments, where competition is much higher and market saturation is incomparably higher.

All jewelry chains are present in most shopping centers, we are even

talking about small galleries next to hypermarkets.

As a result, companies are increasingly boldly peeking at other markets, and W.Kruk’s entry into Hungary is not the first such initiative by Polish jewelry chains. No surprise for them, as the domestic market is already approaching saturation. According to data from the business intelligence agency Dun & Bradstreet Poland, the number of salons of this type is currently around 3,800 and has not changed for several years - in 2019 it was 3,700. For that, in 2023 the number of companies in this sector that suspended their operations doubled - 119 entities did so.

Therefore, companies are looking for new opportunities for growth.

This is being done, among others, by the leader of the domestic market, namely Apart. The company already has more than 20 of its stores in the Czech Republic, although a few years ago it began its conquest of foreign markets with the opening of a showroom in Madrid.

Another Polish jewelry chain, YES, which has more than 100 stores in the country, is also developing on the Czech market. Several of them are already operating in the Czech Republic. Another company, Lilou, also already operates in several European countries.

NEW KID ON THE BLOCK In 1983, the Renault brand unveiled the Espace model, which can be considered the first car to give a sense of full life. Although, as a pioneer of the genre, it was often copied, but none of the copies ever matched the original. Its five successive generations made it a true automotive icon.

The Espace has always moved with the times - first it was revolutionary, and then it became visionary. The new Espace takes the form of an SUV with an athletic and elegant silhouette, in an esprit Alpine version that impresses with its sporty character. At the same time, it doesn’t lose its DNA: it is still a large, 5- or 7-seater, a car for long journeys and the most spacious among Renault models. And that is precisely what sets it apart. The choice of refined materials and the 38

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quality of assembly and finish go hand in hand with top-ofthe-line equipment, such as a panoramic glass roof of more than one square meter - one of the largest on the market.

In keeping with the spirit of the times, the New Espace is high-tech both in the cabin and under the hood. The model reflects concern for users, to whom it offers attractive solutions with connected multimedia, as well as for the environment. It is more compact on the outside and 215 kilograms lighter than its predecessor. It features an ultra-efficient, fully hybrid E-Tech engine with 200 horsepower. Its low normalized fuel consumption (4.6 l/100 km) allows it to travel up to 1,100 kilometers on a full tank, without recharging.

IN BRIEF

Like previous family models, the w offers the highest level of on-road performance and safety for the driver and passengers thanks to features such as the Allied’s CMF-CD platform, specially designed suspension and 32 driving assistance systems. Driving pleasure is enhanced by MULTISENSE and 4Control Advanced, a four-wheel steering system designed by Renault.

The new model is available in Poland from October.

UBER TAKES OVER WARSAW’S CENTRAL STATION The popular platform that connects drivers and passengers has won the bid to operate Warsaw’s Central Station. The giant is already gearing up to roll out brand new services.

The capital’s Central Station has become a symbol of carriers operating on the edge of the law and cab drivers conning passengers - for decades it has witnessed numerous abuses involving drivers, who have come to be known as the cab mafia.

Now the Polish State Railways (PKP), which operates the facility, wants to end this unfavorable image. And it is to be helped by Uber.

The American giant has won the tender for the lease of parking spaces at the station. It’s a contract of indefinite duration. The operator of the app that connects passengers and drivers

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wants to enter more transportation hubs in Poland. It already has more locations in its sights - including Krakow and the Tri-City. Uber also intends to tighten cooperation with railroads when introducing brand new services.

Central Station is Uber’s second collaboration with a strategic transportation hub in Warsaw, after Fryderyk Chopin Airport. Entering the port at Okecie turned out to be a hit.

Uber is also considering putting up so-called Uberomats - special kiosks where rides can be ordered without having a phone or the corresponding app installed on it. The first such machine has stood for the time being at Prague airport (the Czech Republic is the first country in Europe to introduce such devices).

It is possible that Uber will expand its cooperation with PKP. After all, the company does not intend to focus exclusively on railway stations. An example is the Uber Travel service, which the ride-hailing app operator has implemented jointly with the Ukrainian Railways (Ukrzaliznytsia - UZ). It integrates Uber rides with UZ train travel and offers passengers 10% cashback on rides to or from Kyiv train stations.

For now, Uber Travel in Poland includes a feature to link a user’s Google account to the Uber app and sync itineraries for easier booking.

Potential expansion of this service is one of the tasks for 2024. Next year, Uber also announces the development of Uber Parcel deliveries in Poland.

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WITH EMIRATES AIRLINES TO SEEK THE SUN With the arrival of the winter months, many travelers swap the ski slopes for hot beaches. Vacation plans sometimes vary, but during this period they often have one thing in common - the search for the sun. Many tourists want to celebrate Christmas on a tropical island, others plan a romantic getaway to warm regions or welcome the New Year with the family in Dubai. All of these dreams can be realized with Emirates. The world’s largest international airline has prepared a list of must-visit destinations for the 2023/2024 season.

Emirates Airlines invites you to Dubai, a bustling cosmopolitan hub

and one of the most desirable destinations for a year-round vacation.

The United Arab Emirates features warm beaches, attraction-filled water parks and desert safaris. This destination is loved by all those who miss the sun the most in December and January. In addition to its famous cities and beaches, Thailand offers travelers many hidden gems. For unique landscapes, take a trip to the Red Lotus Sea and see the extraordinary sight when, between November and February each year, Udon Thani transforms into a sea of pink lotus flowers.

Other interesting destinations are Bali, the Maldives or Mauritius. Pristine beaches, coral reefs, dense jun-

gle, rich cultural heritage, make these places a true paradise on earth.

Emirates’ extensive route network includes 140 destinations on six continents. The carrier offers its customers an unparalleled culinary experience in the skies with menus that are inspired by the regions and developed by a team of award-winning chefs.

Emirates, an airline serving international passengers, began operations in Poland in 2013, filling a niche in the long-haul flight segment. Daily flights from Warsaw to Dubai are operated by ultra-modern Boeing 777-300ERs in two- and three-class configurations, offering passengers a new dimension in travel.

THE TREASURY MINT ENTERS INVESTMENT DIAMONDS Starting in December, the State Treasury Mint is introducing a new product: diamonds. This is the result of a global boom in investments in such products.

The Treasury Mint reports that the investment diamond supplier is Monte Carlo Diam, a company that is a member of the Antwerp Commodity Exchange, 40

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the largest diamond trading platform in the world. The company’s project is a response to changing investor preferences and growing market demand for investment portfolio diversity. According to the management of the Treasury Mint, the new offer to investors will contribute to increasing the company’s revenues, but also the cus-

IN BRIEF

tomer base looking for alternative forms of investing their own funds.

Investment diamonds, unlike jewelry diamonds, are selected mainly for their quality parameters - such as cut, color, clarity and carat weight. They also have a developed certification system with a unique number and precise description of the stone’s parameters, which guarantees their quality and investment value.

All diamonds offered by the Treasury Mint come with full quality guarantees and are certified by GIA, IGI and HRD, confirming their authenticity and parameters. For interested investors, the Company also offers comprehensive diamond storage and insurance services.

PROLOGIS PARK ŁÓDŹ WITH BREEAM EXCELLENT CERTIFICATION

The 17,000-square-meter DC1 building at Prologis Park Łódź is a buildto-suit manufacturing and warehouse facility that was developed according to the individual needs of Ziehl-Abegg, a leading manufacturer and supplier of ventilation, control and drive technology.

Ziehl-Abegg’s priorities were the facility’s location in the center of Poland, a transparent and simple lease agreement, and environmental isThe Warsaw Voice

sues. That’s why the warehouse was designed and built in accordance with the idea of sustainable development and was BREEAM certified.

Confirmation that it exemplarily meets international requirements for sustainable construction is the receipt of a rating of Excellent.

“At every stage of the design and construction of the DC1 warehouse at Prologis Park Lodz, we strived for excellence. Our goal was to create a fac-

tory of the future that is both an efficient distribution center and, above all, a place that is friendly to employees and the planet. The BREEAM certification achieved at Excellent level is confirmation that the goal has been realized. I would like to thank the Bremer team, the investment’s general contractor, for achieving this success together.” - Michal Stankiewicz, Senior Development Manager at Prologis, said.

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