Rydzyk and PiS - the twilight years!

To many used to recent Polish politics, the close connection between church and party will not come as a surprise. However, recent developments have seriously questioned the understanding of Jesus’s teachings. It has become public knowledge that Father Tadeusz Rydzyk, the self styled leader of Radio Marya has laid out an ultimatum to PiS with regards to the currently debated Lisbon Treaty. F. Rydzyk has proclaimed that if PiS do not stop the treaty from being ratified by the Polish parliament, then he will withdraw his support from the party. This means in effect all the listeners to Radio Marya who amount to the majority of votes PiS hold. This would in effect cripple PiS in any future elections.

The boundries between church and politics clearly seem to have been croosed by this recent move. While I grant that such matters as abortion law have an ethical and therefore religious aspect, the Treaty of Lisbon has a purely political dimension and as such is not part of the Church’s remit. This interfering by F. Rydzyk seems to contradict one of Jesus’s teachings where Jesus states: “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.”

This statement by Jesus has become the cornerstone of European secularism and the separation of Church and State. F. Rydzyk seems to show either a profound ignorance of the bible (which would be strange coming form a monk) or perhaps a more sinister ability to pick and choose the bible’s teachings to fit his personal plans. Either way Poland needs to resist the ever present grip of F. Rydzyk and his ilk.

Serbia decides!!!

We are now staring to see the real fallout form Kosovo’s declaration of independence last month. After failing to agree on a common front the Serbian Parliament has been dissolved and elections called for the 11th May by Serbian President Boris Tadic.

The main problem lies in their (Serbia’s) relationship with the EU, where most member states recognized the independence of Kosovo. Some political groups want to break off relations with the EU where as others see this as too drastic.

The new elections could mean that pro-EU groups gain power and we could see a new and refreshed Serbia. However, the opposite could of course happen and Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica may receive an endorsement of his stance regarding the issue.

Making money - Part 2

I am just updating any readers on the events concering my speeding fine as i wrote about in Febuary. Well i did get a letter form the court, but the bizzare thing was that it did not inform me as to where i should actually pay my 100zł fine.

Convinced that a second letter containing the actuall bill and payment details would come i sat tight. After two weeks i had received nowt! Therefore being the honest citizen i am i went to the local police station. The guy on duty was as bafflled as me and said he didin't have a clue and that we should either wait orring a telephone number on the letter.

He actually spent more time complaining that the new spped cameras were causing him a lot of hassle as he had to chasse people up after they had broken the speed limit by a couple of k. This was seriously eating into his peoper police duties and staring to get on his wick!!

The story just gets more and more bizzare!!!

Wackey races

I was surprised to see the following article on Top Gear's Website:

Lodz of fun
Crudely informed stereotype it may be, but we'd never have
flagged the Polish police force as a progressive bunch.
However, news
reaches us that police in Lodz, Poland's second city, plan to cordon off
sections of the town at night to allow street racers to compete without speed
limits.
It's all part of a bid to keep youths from organising illegal night
races, and police believe the measures will help to cut down accidents in the
city.
"We've come to an understanding with the organisers of the illegal
races," said Lech Ryszewski, head of the Lodz motoring club, which has been
working with the police force to get the night races up and running.
"The
motoring club has created a Street Legal section, which will organise the races
in closed-off streets, under the supervision of licensed organisers and judges.
In return, participants are obliged to make sure no one organises similar races
on city streets."
Understandably, some sections of the Polish media have
likened the measures to organising a piss-up in a brewery and not expecting
people to get drunk outside. But just imagine all those pimped-up Ladas and
Trabbies...

I think the idea is both great and terrible. Generally finding alternative ways for young men (mainly)to get excitement is great. But surley the streets have houses and the likes next to them. Can't a race track be found?

If anyone knows if this is going ahead then please let me know. Perhaps TG has got the wrong end of the stickshift.

That said, perhaps TG should update their info on Poland as Ladas and Trabbies are not too common these days!!