Warsaw Voice - Car of the Year

26 November 2003

We're #1
An international panel of judges made up of 58 senior automotive journalists representing 22 European countries selected the Fiat Panda as the Car of the Year 2004. Winning 281 votes, the Fiat Panda outdistanced the Mazda 3 (241), Volkswagen Golf V (241), Toyota Avensis (219), Opel/Vauxhall Meriva (213), BMW 5 (144) and the Nissan Micra (111).

The idea behind the Car of the Year award was born in 1964. Its object is to acclaim the most outstanding new car to go on sale-in at least five different European markets-in the 12 months preceding the date of the title. In selecting the car of the year, the judges use the following criteria: design, comfort, safety, economy, handling, performance, functionality, environmental requirements, driver satisfaction and price. Technical innovation and value for money are particularly important factors.

At first, all new models introduced on European markets over the year are short-listed, and seven finalists are admitted to the final stage of the selection. Each judge has 25 points at their disposal to be distributed among the seven cars, of which number one can claim a maximum of 10 points.

This year, the largest number of judges voted for the Fiat: 55 of 58 judges made it their top preference, and 16 awarded it first place.

For the first time ever, the most prestigious title went to a model classified in segment A. Also for the first time, a car produced in Poland has been awarded. This is the fifth Fiat victory in the past 10 editions of the competition: the Punto won in 1995, Bravo/Brava in 1996, Alfa Romeo 156 in 1998, Alfa Romeo 147 in 2001 and finally the Panda was chosen in 2004.

The Car of the Year award ceremony, which this time will be held under the patronage of the French magazine L'Automobile Magazine, will take place in Paris Jan. 19.
Bartosz Grzybiński

Economically Thinking
The seventh edition of the President's Economic Award has entered its first stage and will continue through the end of February 2004. In April, the Award Chapter will choose nominees in seven categories; President Aleksander Kwaśniewski will then select the winners. The presentation ceremony will be held during a grand concert celebrating "Polish Day" at the Poznań International Fair June 14, 2004.

"The criteria for the selection of candidates are very broad and rigorous, so that the winners are the best enterprises, farms and invention teams," said Jerzy Mackiewicz, a presidential adviser and secretary of the Award Chapter. "Ones that have achieved stable success and offer high-end products. The main focus is on economic results, but other equally important factors is investment in development, innovation and activities for the natural environment and local communities. We also try to choose companies that consolidate their brands in Poland and abroad."

Kwaśniewski established the Economic Award in 1998 for the thousands of Polish businesspeople, managers, engineers, workers, farmers, inventors and foreign investors who have contributed to upgrading and developing the Polish economy.
More information on the award is available at the president's website: www.prezydent.pl; click on Nagrody.
A.R.

Inflation Growing
The prices of consumable goods in October were 0.6 percent higher than in September, and the inflation rate rose from 0.9 percent to 1.3 percent. By the end of the year it will probably grow slightly, but is not expected to exceed 1.5 percent.

Analysts believe that the current level of inflation provides no reasons for worry. The faster growth of prices than in September resulted first and foremost from the situation on the food market, where products went up by 1.5 percent over a month. This is mainly seasonal growth, related primarily to vegetables, fruit and dairy products. The prices of fuels that often contributed to the growth of inflation this year dropped slightly in relation to September.

Most economists expect that at the end of 2004 inflation will be 2.5 percent and later may approach 3.5 percent.
L.Ż.

Eco Fair
How should one separate cardboard from paper mixed with other materials? Can you build a pump that will heat your house by collecting heat from the ground? Those interested in these issues flocked to Poznań Nov. 18-21 for the Poleko International Ecological Fair. Visitors included Belgian Crown Prince Philip and Princess Mathilde (pictured, center).

We all use plastic utensils, cups and plates that later end up on landfills and take years to decompose. But if we made them from potato starch, the problem would be solved, at least in part. It would be even easier to deal with edible plastic wrap made from strongly condensed vegetable-and-fruit puree. Such edible packaging could come in different flavors such as tomato, carrot and peach; it could also be used as seasoning so that meat taken out of the freezer, for example, would not even have to be unpacked and spiced.

The fair was an opportunity to find out about various issues involving environmental protection. One could see various containers for collecting and segregating waste, in addition to garbage trucks and equipment for monitoring the purity of water. Theoretical knowledge was supplied by seminars dedicated to issues such as recycling, generation of energy from renewable sources and the financing of environmental protection projects using European Union funds.
D.P.

Trade With Ukraine
Polish/Ukrainian foreign trade turnover in 2003 will probably be around $2 billion, compared to $1.5 billion a year ago. Over the past eight months of 2003, exports grew by 124 percent. The growth of imports was even higher-160 percent. Poland mainly exports to the Ukraine machines and mechanical equipment (13 percent), vehicles, including passenger cars (13 percent), plastics, chemical products, foodstuffs, and textile products. In terms of imports, metal products, raw materials, including iron ore, and chemical products, dominate.
L.Ż.