Mexicans fight Polish hooligans on the beach

Dramatic video footage shows a group of Mexican sailors battling against Polish football hooligans on a beach in Gdynia.


Sound in second half of video
Supporters of the Ruch Chorzow team, who were in the town of Gdynia for a cup match, clashed with 56 Mexican navy cadets from the Cuauhtemoc training ship who were taking a break from their drills.

Riot police in helmets and padded protection clothing were called, and used their shields to separate the two sides.

About 40 people in total were involved in the brawl, which happened August 25. A local police spokesman, said that three Poles were detained, and two of them were charged facing a sentence of five years in prison for assault. "It's still not possible to say who started it," he added.

The soccer fans said the Polish men had tried to help a woman who had been hit in the face by one of the sailors. But, the Polish prosecutor contradicted the fans, saying the Poles were to blame.

At the current level [of investigation], it has been established that the attackers were Polish citizens, and the injured party were Mexicans two with serious injuries.

Obamacare EU style

Poland is becoming a medical tourism hub as more foreigners come for treatment using the European Health Insurance card.

In the first half of 2013, foreigners received medical treatment worth zł 30million and Polish hospitals admitted some 17,000 German patients, mainly in the provinces close to the Polish-German border.

Poland has become attractive for German and Austrian cardiology patients, especially those who have not bought additional insurance in their own countries, but Polish hospitals complain they are not fully reimbursed for costs incurred during the treatment of foreign patients.

Probably fat Germans with clogged arteries are causing the problem.  

Surgery robots built in Poland

At the Foundation of Cardiac Surgery Development in Zabrze, Poland they are building medical robots for carrying out cardiac surgery with semi-automatic movements and a 3D virtual training system.

Called the Robin Heart tele-manipulator, the system is designed to use precision robotics to improve surgical accuracy and maneuverability.

Lots of Apples

According to the World Apple and Pear Association (WAPA),  Poland is expected to produce 3.2 million metric tons of apples in 2013. This will be the highest volume among EU member states. Total apple production in the EU is expected to be 10.8 million tons.

Last year, Poland produced 2.9 million tons of apples, according to WAPA, which made Poland an uncontested leader in the EU. The second largest EU apple producer was Italy with over 1.9 million tons, followed by France with 1.5 million tons and Germany with 800,000 tons.

Polish experts quoted by the Polish Press Agency are less optimistic than WAPA and estimate that apple production in Poland will fall to 2.6 million tons in 2013. This volume will still make Poland the largest apple producer in Europe and the third largest in the world (after China and the US).

Poland is also the largest producer of raspberries

Big spender for arms

International arms firms are lining up as Poland aims to spend billions over the next decade to modernize their military, but they will have to cooperate with Polish companies to be successful.

Poland is spending  zł.139 billion and is one of the few EU countries that has not only has maintained its level of its defense spending since the beginning of the global financial crisis, but even plans to increase it in the coming years. 

The Polish Constitution demands the country spend at least 1.95 percent of its GDP on defense. With the number of Polish troops shrinking to below 100,000 soldiers in 2012, more money has been freed up to better equip those who remain.

Equipment spending will double and money has been earmarked for a new missile defense system, new vessels for the navy, new tanks, new training equipment, 70 new helicopters, drones and new state-of-the-art equipment for ground troops.

Poland's defense ministry has clearly stated that the bulk of the contracts will go to Polish companies or foreign firms working with Polish partners. Contracts will also go to foreign entities that offer technology transfers or place production in Poland. The Defense Ministry expects that Polish companies will take up to 80 percent of future contracts (compared to 50 percent currently). 


See Sikorsky Blackhawk helicopters made in Poland

Kid production slow-down

In the mostly Catholic country of Poland, 80 % of Poles declare that family is the most important thing to them. But, they are increasingly refusing to have children and start a family.

In the past decade the number of divorces increased by 30 % and the number of unmarried people living together doubled.

This, combined with the economic slowdown, has further dragged down the Polish birth rate to 1.3 children per woman, already among the lowest in the EU where the average is 1.58, is putting stress on economic growth.

In the past societal stability was in part due to close and expanding family ties. While quality of life has improved after the fall of socialism and even though Poles long for stability, they are afraid to live formalized lives and commit themselves to traditional social relationships.

Poland's Surplus Money

Poland will record a quarterly current-account surplus next month, which will be a lure for investors as the European Union’s biggest eastern member shifts its economy to focus on exports.

The current account is the broadest measure of payments balance in an economy. May's number is expected to come in at close to $800 in May after April’s record similar figure.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government is relying less on consumers to drive the economy amid the worst slump in more than a decade. While domestic demand will probably recover as the outlook brightens, some parts of the improvement in the current account may be sustained, central bank Marek Belka told lawmakers July 24. The finances supported the zloty’s 2.1 percent gain against the euro in July, the biggest advance among 24 emerging-market currencies tracked by Bloomberg.

Silence like clock work

Poland's capital went silent for one minute on Thursday to pay tribute to those who died in the Warsaw Uprising. More than 200,000 Poles lost their lives in the failed 1944 rebellion against Nazi Germany's occupation. he Russian army was a stone's throw away and the U.S. Air Force stood down when the Home Army pled for help. The 63-day uprising is seen by Poles as the most significant insurrection in their history. The silent remembrance is observed each year at 5:00 p.m., known as “W hour”.