THE SHAPE OF THE FUTURE SPECIAL ISSUE POLISH-AMERICAN TIES W W W.W PROST.PL. February 8-11, organized by: strategic partners:

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1 W P R O S T 3 5 Y E A R S W W W.W PROST.PL SPECIAL ISSUE organized by: February 8-11, 2018 strategic partners: The Honorary Patronage of the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda over the #PALS conference on Feb 9th, 2018 POLISH-AMERICAN TIES THE SHAPE OF THE FUTURE

2 Politics Poland USA. A New Opening We are emerging as one of the key allies of USA and its main partner in Central-Eastern Europe. These relations are so far even immune to the Poland Israel crisis. Anna Gwozdowska 2 FEBRUARY 8-11, 2018 WPROST

3 STRATEGIC ALLIES American Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Warsaw at the end of January. In the picture: a meeting with Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki WPROST 3

4 Politics When at the end of September 2016 Donald Trump then still a republic candidate for the president office met with American Polish Diaspora in Chicago, probably no one suspected that soon he will move into the White House. He made a great impression on the gathered. I will never fail you he said on leaving and asked to spread information about the meeting to the Poles in Ohio and Pennsylvania. As it later turned out, these were the states that decided about the most unpredictable victory in the modern electoral history of USA. However the American establishment was not, to put it mildly, pleased with the outcome of the presidential elections, a new streak began for Polish- American relations and as proved by the recent visit to Warsaw by the Secretary of State Rex Tillerson it is a winning and a lasting one. I have a feeling that an awareness of Poland s importance has emerged in American politics and it is a new phenomenon - Neal H. Pease, a history professor on Wisconsin-Milwaukee University and an editor-in-chief for The Polish Review, convinces in an interview with Wprost weekly. The current administration treats Russian threat very seriously, which is why Poland is perceived in America as a foundation of European defense, its buffer he adds. charge him with suspicious connection to Russia and even accuse him of a secret agreement with Vladimir Putin, who supposedly helped him win the election, the American president clearly strengthens NATO s east flank and not only in the military sense. Not half a year after the inauguration, he came to Warsaw, where he delivered the most important speech in his presidency to the point, in which Poland s history was presented in an extraordinarily positive light. As professor Pease convinces, who has been invested in history of Polish-American relations for years, no American president has This was confirmed by Tillerson, who met in January in Warsaw with President Duda and Prime Minister Morawiecki and assured that US is opposed to Nord Stream 2, second line of gas pipeline connecting Russia with Germany. Previously, the topic of energetic diversification was touched by President Trump in Davos, when he convinced that no country should be made dependent on only one source of energy. Americans are aware that Nord Stream and TurkStream [which is supposed to pump gas from Russia to Turkey Ed.] are projects of strictly political nature and that they will weaken Europe s safety, DIVERSIFICATION Few years back, it would have sounded improbable, but nowadays, in view of numerous American analysts, Poland emerges as a main player in Central-Eastern Europe and as one of USA s the most significant allies. That is why United States wish to sell Poland weapons and share with us new technologies Adriano Bosoni, an analyst for the American think tank Stratfor. President Obama s administration took a rather different approach. It reacted slowly to threats coming from Russia and made the mistake of resetting its relations with Moscow. Everybody in Poland remembers the day, when president Obama nullified the project of creating an anti-ballistic shield for Poland and Czech Republic, exactly on the anniversary of Soviet aggression on Poland. The White House woke up only when Russian troops invaded Crimea. Meanwhile, although Trump s political adversaries Orzysz. President Andrzej Duda welcomes American soldiers from NATO s Multinational Battle Group expressed himself about Poland in such a manner. After all, Obama happened to use the term Polish concentration camps, during his laudation in honor of Jan Karski. Trump has also expressed support about the Three Seas initiative, which aims at strengthening nations of Central-Eastern Europe both politically and economically, as well as given green light for exporting American liquefied natural gas into Poland. It did not end on words. The first ships with American gas have already reached Świnoujście and, although as explained by Adriano Bosoni from Stratfor the real sale price will eventually be set by producers, who will opt for the best market option, the current American administration clearly cares about diversification of the energy market in Poland. especially of our allies in Central-Eastern Europe explains Daniel Kochis, an analyst for the American think tank Heritage, in an interview with Wprost weekly. So far the American pressure has turned out to be ineffective. Nord Stream 2 has informed last week that they have been granted permission for construction and exploitation of the marine section of the gas pipeline on German territorial waters. I remain skeptical whether Nord Stream will be held off but United States will remain opposed Kochis comments newest information. Construction of the Russian-German gas pipeline is also opposed by the Congress, which plays a major role in shaping American policies. Trump and the Congress don t see eye to eye on everything. So far, the president has managed to agree with PHOTOS: PAWEŁ WIŚNIEWSKI/EAST NEWS, ANDRZEJ IWAŃCZUK/REPORTER 4 FEBRUARY 8-11, 2018 WPROST

5 STRATEGIC ALLIES congressmen only in terms of the tax reform, accepted at the end of The President and the Congress differ at least in view of the liberal media in the matter of sanctions imposed on Russia. The senators stand strongly behind them, while Trump apparently remains ambivalent. DETERRING RUSSIA Sanctions are but one element of the political puzzle piece, which is supposed to convince Russia that it s not worth to mess with NATO. This year, in the face of the Russian threat, the White House has gained Congress s approval to spend almost 5 billion dollars (1,4 billion dollars more than previous year) for the so-called European Deterrence Initiative (Eng. European Deterrence Initiative, during Obama s presidency known as European Reassurance Initiative), which aims at supporting Europe s defense capabilities, especially its Eastern flank. This means that there will be funds for allocating American troops in Poland, on which the Polish government counts very much. At the moment, over 4 thousand American troops are stationing in Poland, among which are 3.5 thousand from the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, whose troops station in Żagań, Świętoszowo, Skwierzyna and Bolesławiec. In Powidz stations also a task force for Battle Aviation Brigade. The Americans decided to move the so-called Mission Command Element of the Atlantic Resolve operation, which commands American troops in Poland and other countries in the region, from Germany into Poznań. This year, an American BMD (Ballistic Missile Defense) installation will be activated in Redzików, which will provide NATO with defense against ballistic missiles. And this is a concrete move, which Poland has requested for a long time, presenting it as an effective way of deterring Russia says professor Neal H. Pease. It is exactly the presence of American troops near Vistula that strengthens the relations between USA and Poland. Quite few congressmen have soldiers, who station in Poland, in their families. It is an amazingly strong signal, which is why the awareness of Poland s importance in NATO keeps increasing in Congress - Daniel Kochis from Heritage explains. SKWIERZYNA ŻAGAŃ REDZIKOWO The Ballistic Missile Defense installation will be activated this year ŚWIĘTOSZÓW POZNAŃ BOLESŁAWIEC POWIDZ The presence of American troops in Poland: Of course, it is not without importance for the current enclosing relations between Warsaw and Washington that Polish and American governments have a lot in common: both emphasize the role of patriotism, protection of national interests and traditional values. I think, that the current administration also shares with Polish government a rather skeptical approach to the European Union Daniel Kochis adds. One more matter brings both administrations together. Both Trump and Law and Justice (PiS) have to ward off media attacks. That is why a good rapport with the White House is a gift for the Polish government, whose image was lately tarnished by frictions with Brussels and Berlin, as well as by the recent crisis with Israel. During his visit, Tillerson has given Warsaw his strong support. He referred to Poland as a glorious, democratic ally. In comparison with Obama s presidency, Trump s administration seems little interested in internal affairs of countries within Central Europe says Bosoni. The Department of State, with its previous staff, as well as American diplomatic outposts were more outspoken in matters of current political situation, in countries such as Poland, Hungary or Romania. Having said that, USA might want to speak up when they fell like the countries of Central and Eastern Europe cross that thin red line. Which is what happened last Wednesday. United States Department of State has released a declaration, in which it called for a repeated analysis of the IPN bill novelization and warned that the new law may influence the relations with Washington. 4 thousand soldiers 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team Task Force for the Battle Aviation Brigade Mission Command Element of the Atlantic Resolve operation Americans treat the Russian threat very seriously and perceive Poland as a foundation of European defense. Can the crisis in relations with Israel actually jeopardize our connection to America? The answer coming from commentators is unanimous: because Polish-American alliance is based on a similar approach to security matters and American soldiers station in Poland, it is safe from harm. Quite the contrary, during Trump s presidency these relations will become even stronger claims Daniel Kochis. The critique in American media, such as Washington Post or New York Times, in which a lot is written about authoritarian and nationalist government in Warsaw, also hasn t caused any irreversible damage. In Kochis opinion the bad press could permanently worsen our image only if the media offensive would go on and accusations against us start to become buried in America s mind. Which has not yet happened Kochis convinces. And adds: - Since the moment, Matuesz Morawiecki became the prime minister, I have noticed a slightly more delicate tone in the press, when discussing Poland. That is why, as professor Pease says, there is actually one way of challenging the Polish-American Alliance: testing its durability. The US-Poland partnership may not last if a real threat to the west NATO flank will not be met with an unhesitating response from the American ally However, I am under the impression that the steps, undertaken within last months, lead to avoiding such confrontation professor Neal H. Pease calms down. g All rights reserved. WPROST 5

6 Event The information meeting about Polish-American Leadership Summit took place in the Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE). Polish delegation has their flight planned for 8th of February. In the photo is the initiator of the summit, Michał M. Lisiecki Summit of friendship Despite some setbacks, the Polish-American relations are increasingly better. Now, the time has come for a new dynamic in economic relations. The summit taking place in Miami will be a significant impulse in this field. Grzegorz Sadowski In the scenario, when in 30 years Germany will no longer be perceived as an economical power, when Russia will be in shambles, Poland, with an amazingly educated society, will rise to the role of a regional power, with ambition of playing an important role on multinational arena said by a famous American political scientist George Friedman, during the recent European Forum for New Ideas. He will be a guest of the plenary session dedicated to strategic economic cooperation between United States and Central Europe, especially Poland as a leader of the region. It will take place this week within the scope of the first Polish American Leadership Summit: Investment Zone (Polish American Leadership Summit PALS) in Miami. The plan for the session is impressive. 300 participants, nine discussion panels, three days of discussions in plenary, networking and evening sessions, plus an award gala and a grand Polonaise bal. And, as a final treat, a special exclusive VIP session, which will take place in Mar-a-Lago, called by Donald Trump The Winter White House. It is a first initiative to connect political and economic relations between the two countries. The idea of the meeting is a strong support on the lever of business decision makers of various political declarations, which span between Poland and US. We would like through this meeting to put them into practice says Michał M. Lisiecki, president of PMPG ( Wprost publisher) and initiator of the summit. The event has strategic value to Poland, as it facilitates dialogue on both highest government levels and business fields, including knowledge transfer between enterprises says Zbigniew Pisarski, president of the Casimir Pulaski Foundation, which co-organizes the summit. Invited guests are representatives of Polish establishment. Among them are Jerzy Kwieciński, the minister of investment and development, Anna Maria Anders, the secretary of state in the Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland, Adam Hamryszczak, the under-secretary of state in the Ministry of Investment and Economic Development, Mariusz Orion Jędrysek, the leading geolo- PHOTOS: RADOSŁAW NAWROCKI/PMPG POLSKIE MEDIA SA, DAVIDOFF STUDIOS/GETTY IMAGES 6 FEBRUARY 8-11, 2018 WPROST

7 PALS IN MIAMI gist in the country, Andrzej Piotrowski, the vice minister of energy, or Paweł Soloch, the director of the National Security Bureau. But the directors of biggest Polish companies are going to be present as well: President of PGE Henryk Baranowski, President of KGHM Polska Miedź Radosław Domagalski, Filip Grzegorczyk, president of Tauron, Marcin Jastrzębski, president of Lotos, or Mirosław Kowalik manager of Poznań Enea. Paweł Borys, president of Polish Development Fund, will be present as well. The conference has been put under the honorary patronage by President Andrzej Duda. Luxurious residence Mara-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida. Donald Trump s associates call it The Winter White House. POWER INDUSTRY IS THE KEY Despite the recent crisis connected with the IPN bill novelization, economic and business relations between Poland and USA are very good. Over the last 25 years American companies have invested 91 billion zloty in Poland. High level production, technology and innovations are a big plus of the Polish market says Tony Housh, president of American Chamber of Commerce in Poland. Krzysztof Szczerski, presidents foreign policy advisor, says that Poland - US relations are already an advanced partnership. This will result in positive effects for the security of our region, for the security of Poland, for Poland s economic development and may even radiate all over the region and Europe he explains. At the end of January, Poland was visited by the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, whose business experience is vast. For years he has been a director for a petrochemical company ExxonMobil, one of world s leading corporations. The talks including those with Jarosław Kaczyński revolved around military and energy cooperation. Tillerson assured that US is ready to supply Poland with liquefied natural gas LNG. He also reiterated that United States is opposed to construction of the northern gas pipeline Nord Stream 2. This is why two out of three key discussion topics on the summit will be devoted to power industry and military cooperation. POLISH-AMERICAN ATOM Among the expected participants of the summit is the Vice Minister of Energy Andrzej Piotrowski, who is responsible for the construction the new atomic power plant. Who will build it? Unofficially it is known that currently there are two offers on the table, including one from USA. It was supposedly presented personally by Donald Trump during a visit in Poland. USA might be a valuable supplier of technology for Poland s atomic power plant, as well as an excellent technological partner in the scope of new technologies and branches such as energy storage, electro mobility or block chain technology - says Zbigniew Pisarski from Pulaski Foundation. The matters of importing liquefied natural gas LNG from US are no less important. Last year Poland brokered a long-term contract for its supply between PGNiG and American Cheniere Energy. It is the first contract of this kind between United States and a country in Central Europe. Owing to this, Poland as evaluated by the experts may become an export window for the US for supplying and transporting natural gas to Southern Europe. It is increasingly louder about the cooperation in terms of supplying oil for Polish fuel concerns, as well as spot supplying of coal, of which first shipments from US were carried out by Węglokoks. There are other topics, which, although without such a broad media coverage, are crucial from the perspective of new technologies. Poland has, for example, plots in the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. Polymetallic nodules with key elements, such as manganese, vanadium, molybdenum, nickel and copper, are situated there. Mariusz Orion Jędrysek, Poland s leading geologist and a government representative in matters of national mineral policies, will discuss the extraction works. SECURITY AND TECHNOLOGY Second key topic for discussion is security. The ongoing modernization of Polish military is a grand opportunity for exploiting the potential of American arms industry. The purchase of antimissile Patriot system might be an example. Unofficially, Americans say they are willing to lower the price and shorten the delivery period. The offset negotiations, which are supposed to be a technological transfer for Polish companies, are still ongoing. The offset document is over 5 thousand pages long and contains detailed projects descriptions, as well as precise letters of intent, containing names of technological transfer receivers. These letters include a wide range of technologies, from command and control systems to missile launchers as assured by John Baird, the vice president for integrated antimissile and antiaircraft systems for the region of Poland in Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems. The president of BBN Paweł Soloch will discuss political aspects of Polish security at the summit, while the American military presence in Europe will be covered by Susan Elliot, a deputy commander of US military forces in Europe in years The forum of entrepreneurs, politicians and media representatives organized by you will constitute an excellent opportunity for discussing and strengthening Polish- American economic relations as was written in a letter from the Chancellery of the President to the organizers of the summit. g All rights reserved. WPROST 7

8 People Anna Maria Anders, since January 2016, has been president s representative for international dialogue PHOTOS: MACIEJ ZIENKIEWICZ/FORUM 8 FEBRUARY 8-11, 2018 WPROST

9 INTERNATIONAL DIALOGUE America needs Poland Our people s image in United States is very much different than from years ago Anna Maria Anders ensures. INTERVIEWER: Eliza Olczyk This week you will be an honorary guest at the Polish- -American business conference in Miami. The interest for Poland in America is very big and the attitude very positive. Recently, owing to the work of my office, the state of Nevada has signed a proclamation of cooperation with Poland. I was in Atlanta and Georgia, where same talks are being held. I wish that other states would follow in these footsteps. There is a group of several dozen of congressmen in the American Congress, who take a particular interest in Poland. It is possible that they will visit our country in March. I encourage all American to do the same, as it is the best way of building proper relations. Those, who come to Poland, are under a great impression of what they saw. What will be the nature of the conference in Miami? It is a business conference. But not only businessmen have been invited. A few politicians will attend on Poland s behalf, i.a. the Minister of Investment and Development Jerzy Kwieciński and myself. There will be a number of politicians on American side as well. The whole point is to allow businessmen to lead talk within their own as well as political lieu. Such meetings and back room talks are invaluable. Isn t it so that for a common American Poland and Holland sounds all the same? (laughter) Surely, it is changing. It has changed to a great degree, since Donald Trump s last year visit to Poland. During his campaign, he met with the Polish American Congress and some commentators even emphasized that it as owing to the Poles that he won the election. Aside from that, the image of our people is different than in years before. Once, they used to be perceived as poorly educated immigrants but nowadays they often hold very high positions. We have to remember that we have a huge Polish diaspora in the US. My office would like to start a discussion on how to convince them to invest in Poland. How does the Polish diaspora perceive our country? In my opinion, American Polish diaspora takes a great interest in Poland and would like a closer relationship with the country, while sometimes there is no reciprocity. Poland lives with a conviction Anna Maria Anders She is the daughter of General Władysław Anders, commander of 2nd Polish Corps during the years of II World War. She was born in London. After the death of her mother Irena Anders became the president of the board of the General Władyslaw Anders Foundation, which, among others, funds scholarships for students of Polish descent from the countries of former USSR. In 2015 she ran as a PiS (Law and Order) candidate for the Senate, yet didn t succeed. She has won the mandate in the by-elections in that Americans of Polish decent are doing excellently on their own. Or, since they do not speak Polish, they are basically American. It is a faulty way of thinking. One can speak hardly any Polish and still be a patriot. Such often is the case in the USA. Poland was recently visited by Rex Tillerson, American Secretary of State. Was it an important visit, in your view? Absolutely. In my opinion, this visit was supposed to show that the words of the President Donald Trump about the Polish-American friendship, delivered in Warsaw, were not just a summary courtesy. Those mutual relations are being deepened. We are connected with America over two key matters military safety, due to a NA- TO contingent stationing in Poland and energy affairs. Such as a common, skeptical position on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. I think Poland hopes that Americans will help us block that investment. The construction of this gas pipe, in view of our American allies, is precarious, as it endangers many European countries to the dependency on Russian supplies of gas and, in result, a possibility of energetic extortion. In the context of relations with the United States, it is important that America also needs Poland. Most of countries within the European Union are not so pro-american, so we can be sort of a bridge between US and EU. g All rights reserved. WPROST 9

10 People 10 FEBRUARY 8-11, 2018 WPROST

11 AN INTERVIEW WITH MARCIN GORTAT My wife must be Polish I want to divide my life between US and Poland. I am Polish and proud says Marcin Gortat, basketball player, the most known Pole living in the USA. INTERVIEW BY Szymon Krawiec WPROST 11

12 People I got a bit sad reading your last interviews. You say basketball stopped being you passion, that you don t have as much energy as you used to and that your time in the NBA runs short. Physically, I feel great. I m doing everything to stay in shape for as long as I can, but I m not getting any younger. Basketball is a very straining discipline. During the season, I play almost every two days. Sometimes I can play even 120 games in a couple of months. Add to that everyday training in the gym and on the court. I don t know what is going to happen in a year or two. It is important to remember that my future in the NBA doesn t fully depend on me. My current contract runs out in a year plus some. Then, it will turn out whether some team would like to sign a new one with me. NBA itself has changed over the last few years. There are no centers, which means players like me playing cover and staying near the hoop. Nowadays everyone throws for three, something that is outside my repertoire. The era of players playing in the old style slowly becomes history. Michael Jordan finished his career, when he was 40 years old. This month you will be 34. Isn t it too soon to quit? Why shouldn t I say that Marcin Gortat won t be running on the court for the best league in world forever? I have my years and my own dreams but it s hard to keep them both together with this pace of work. Besides, I have been playing professionally since I was 19. I have dictated my whole life to basketball but life isn t just work. I have other goals and non-basketball ideas, I d like to realize. Then why NBA? Surely, I won t be doing anything that requires my dedication 365 days a year. Unless we re talking about family. Commercials? I don t want to spread myself too thin and put my face on every product. Or to endorse with my name just about anything. I prefer to focus on developing my own Schools of Sports Mastery, of which I currently have four. Marcin Gortat, the coach? I will help young basketball players in honing their skill but it won t be a full time job. I also want to do something for my home town of Łódź. I d like to have some influence on city s development. I definitely don t want to be Mr. CEO, governing from behind a desk. Simply because I can t sit long in one place. Even on vacations after laying on the beach for an hour I feel I need to vent my energy. Perhaps a position in the Polish Basketball Association? I am not going to spoil my retirement with involvement in the PBA. It is a rigid organization that should be rebuilt from the ground up. But I have a feeling it isn t doable for now and it still won t be for some time. You have been saying for years that a family is your biggest dream. To have a wife, four children who run around and pull your beard. This house and the family do you imagine them in the US? I want to divide my life between Poland and the US. I conduct my business in the USA, which won t end with my retirement from the NBA. Besides, I can t imagine a wife that isn t Polish. We really have intelligent, exceptional, beautiful women who share similar values. I also want for the kids, if they ever come around, to speak perfect Polish and know their parents country very well. You are probably the biggest private Polish ambassador abroad. You organize the Polish Heritage Night in Washington, appear on One of the first things I had to learn, after earning my first million dollars, was the word no. American television talking about Poland, show America our history, invite and introduce Polish veterans. What s the point in all this? Why wouldn t I do that? I am Polish and proud. The yearly Polish Heritage Night is the best proof that Americans take interest in our country, yet still know little about it. Every year, during the Night, the stands are filled with more and more people from the US, which is why it s not only a sport event, but also a lesson about Poland, its history and tradition. Other Poles, who made a career in the States don t promote Poland so willingly. They say that they have full filled their American dream, that America has given them success, as they start speaking Polish with an American accent. Where does it come from? 12 FEBRUARY 8-11, 2018 WPROST

13 AN INTERVIEW WITH MARCIN GORTAT This January, Gortat organized the Polish Heritage Night in the US, for the seventh time. In the picture with minister Anna Maria Anders and a veteran of the battle for Monte Cassino - major Wincenty Knapczyk, with his wife Helena On the one hand, I want to laugh at this, on the other - I grind my teeth pretty hard when I hear about such cases. I have met many such people personally but I don t stay in contact with them. The American dream doesn t exclude being Polish. It is owing to the help and support of many people from Poland that I managed to achieve professional success. I met a lot of helpful people in the US too, but motherland always comes first. These Poles, who forget Polish after a few month or hide their origin must have some big personal issues. I pity them, but I won t tolerate stupidity, so I keep my distance. You say you re a patriot but you have experienced the Polish hate first hand. It was when you were asked to participate in the fund raiser for sick Antoś. Polish web surfers mocked that Gortat has millions and he ll probably donate a hundred zloty. You paid the whole remaining sum of 125 thousand zloty. This donation shut their mouth. Hate is all over the world, but I have a feeling it is more brutal in Poland. If I were to care, I wouldn t go anywhere in my whole life. If somebody sees me as an enemy, because I help those in need and promote my country the best way I can that means,it s them who s got a problem, not me. What I am actually seeing for some time now, are more divisions among Poles. And I m not only talking about politics. I hope we ll finally understand that strength comes with unity and that if we do not start to take care of our country, the effects might be dramatic. But I believe in Poles, we have spunk. And how are we perceived by the Americans? Contrary to the popular opinion, which I have heard many times in Poland, Americans see us in a great light. They take us for reliable partners. But they also see the divisions, which are getting stronger for some time. Looking at the Polish Diaspora living in the US, I see that Americans appreciate us more than they used to. Poles start to work at higher positions, owing to which they live better than ever. You, playing for the Washington Wizards, earn over 45 mln zloty per season. You invest your money in real estate, joint-stock Wall Street companies, even in horse racing. Do you have managers whispering into your ear: Mr. Marcin, it would be wise to invest here or do you make these decisions yourself? For years, I have been working with trusted people, but when it comes to business, the last word has to be mine. Also, I will never invest in some business on a whim, because that s just burned money. Do you remember you first job and first earned money? My first job was de facto playing basketball. In school I focused on learning and training. I didn t have the time to work somewhere else. Even during summer. I had some pocket money and an occasional job at helping a family move, which was enough opportunity to earn some cash. When did you make your first million? First million dollars, not zloty appeared on my account when I was barely 25. Of course I bought myself my dream car, but I stuck most of the money under the mattress. I knew from the start that I could be a professional sportsman for some years max, so I tried to spend my money wisely. I didn t waste them on unnecessary things, though certainly things have happened. And what was the case with the restaurant you bought in Orlando? You just walked in for a meal, liked it and said to yourself: Ah, I ll buy myself a restaurant. After all, I always wanted to have my own joint. I would have never decided on the gastronomy branch on my own but I met WPROST 13

14 People Gortat funds trips to the US for the most talented kids from Poland. They have a chance of playing basketball with NBA players and go sightseeing in Washington and New York. a man, who has successfully stayed in it for the last couple dozen of years. I received a properly crafted business plan. I convinced myself to this investment. It was risky, but, on the other hand, there aren t any risk free businesses. What was your best-spent money? Those invested in real estate in the US and in Poland, obligations, shares of technological companies. Worst-spent? Tuning my beloved BMW, which I drove very shortly, for instance. Nowadays I look at it this way: I wasted money I could have spent sending couple dozen of kids to sports camps. Over half of NBA players end up their career in bankruptcy. Why? They entrust their finance to wrong people. They are often cheated by their managers, even by bankers. They decide to keep their whole families on their salary. They invest badly in real estate or waste their fortune on incredibly expensive, unnecessary things. Luckily, nowadays these cases are fewer than before. Do they train you how to avoid going bankrupt? If you re afraid that girl is a gold digger, give her a sandwich with pate and cucumber and watch her react. The NBA has been organizing seminars for years, where we learn the stories of those who went bankrupt, but we also meet with people professionally handling finances. They teach us how to make proper use of the money we earn. Thanks to these meetings I know that in my case, I probably won t fall into the wrong category. Besides, I had the luck to meet really rich people, during my NBA career, whom I gladly spoke with about how to invest, what to avoid, when to risk it and when to let it go. Now, I think three times before investing my money somewhere. What is money to you? An addition to life. It can be very pleasant and give joy. Definitely not health, but surely joy. Money is also strictly tied with responsibility and teaches assertiveness. One of the first things I had to learn, after earning my first million dollars, was the word no. When everybody knows how much you make, everyone wants a piece an investment in their business, a loan PHOTOS: AGATA SERGE/ EMBASSY OF POLAND IN WASHINGTON DC, DOMINIK MIKOŁAJCZYK, PIOTR KUCZA/FOTOPYK, PAP/RADEK PIETRUSZKA 14 FEBRUARY 8-11, 2018 WPROST

15 AN INTERVIEW WITH MARCIN GORTAT to finish an apartment or to pay off loans made in a casino. Have you ever felt lonely because you are rich? I have never felt lonely, at all. Well, unless I needed it. I mean here both the girlfriend and the friends. I have plenty of friends, but these are the people I know since childhood or met at the beginning of my career in NBA. It s owing to their support that I am, where I am, and I know they didn t stick with me for my money, because I simply had none, back then. Do you know now, how to see if a girl likes you for yourself or for your credit card? There is no golden rule. If you re afraid that she is a gold digger, take her for a kebab as a date or give her a sandwich with pate and cucumber and watch her react. (laughter) Have you ever felt used for money? It has never happened to me. I ve got enough brains to see when someone is in my corner because he likes me or because of some financial gain. You engage yourself strongly in charitable work. Have you ever summed up how much you spend on charity, in a year? Yearly, if it s through my foundation or from my private assets, we allocate around 2-3 million zloty for veterans, education, helping those in need or supporting the families of the fallen soldiers. Your box must be exploding with letters from people in need. These are hard decisions: I ll help this one, but not that one? For over 11 years of the MG13 Aim High Foundation, we learned to meticulously verify each request. There were many cases, when someone fabricated a tragic story, just to wheedle some money. People think that we will help by directly transferring a sum of money. It doesn t work like that. We need to keep invoices, hospital bills and stay in direct contact with the facilities that are engaged in, e.g. the treatment of a sick child. Nowadays we check every request very carefully, to avoid getting scammed by cons, who unfortunately appear increasingly often. g All rights reserved. Marcin Gortat Media speculate about a relationship between Gortat and an actress named Alicja Bachleda-Curuś. They both appreciate their privacy and do not comment on these rumors. Born The only Polish NBA player. He wanted to be become a soldier or a mechanist. He became a soccer player, as a goalie. Due to his height of 213 cm he wasn t much suited for the job, so he began to play basketball. His debut was in 2002, in a local club ŁKS Łódź. Then came a move to Germany, where he played in Köln RheinEnergie (today RheinStars Köln). In June 2005, he took part in the NBA draft, where the best basketball league in the world acquires players. He was picked by Arizona Phoenix Suns but quickly transferred to Florida Orlando Magic. He played for them till 2010 and then came back to Phoenix. Since 2013, he has been playing for the Washington Wizards, a club, where the basketball legend Michael Jordan finished his career. Gortat engages himself strongly in charitable work and representing Poland. He helps sick children, equips hospitals, supports constructions of hospices. For the youngest, he organizes camps under his name, where gifted students from the whole Poland can train with the NBA players. He supports financially the veterans and families of fallen soldiers. Every year, he organizes the Polish Heritage Night, where NBA fans can learn about Polish history and culture. He owns two estates in US: two houses in Arlington, in the suburbs of Washington and another two in Windermere, Florida. Year and a half ago he invested in the Urbain 40 restaurant, in Orlando. He also locates money in shares of American companies. In Poland, he bought a few real estates in Łódź and Warsaw. He has signed contracts with construction ceramics producer Röben, an international car rental company Hertz, curated meats producer Sokołów and water company Primavera. In total, these contracts earn him around 5 mln zloty a year. Add to that a prolonged contract with Nike, worth a million dollars. He was featured on the last year s list of 40 richest Poles, who are less than forty years old, as 15th - with a fortune of 251 million zloty. WPROST 15

16 Politics To the States without visas When it comes to abolishing visas to the US, we take the matters into our own hands. A new campaign is supposed to help Poland to enter the Visa Waiver program. Artur Grabek 160 dollars, a photo, a filled out on-line form, few days of waiting and an hour and a half long visit to the US consulate in Warsaw or Krakow. This is the shape of the visa application procedure for the United States. Statistically, one can say that almost everybody goes through this process successfully. According to the latest data, 94 percent of Poles applying for a visa were granted one. 5.9 percent were rejected. Unfortunately, the whole fight is for these few per cent. For years, our country leads a debate as to why Poles such close partners of the United States need to have a visa, to visit this country. The whole affairs boils down to one simple and clear regulation. USA, if there are no political counter arguments, removes the visa requirement for these countries, where the number of rejections does not exceed 3 per cent. Since 2004, there has been a significant progress in this matter, as earlier each fourth motion was denied and nowadays it is less than each sixteenth, but still we exceed the standard set by American authorities. The social campaign by PLL LOT and other five non-government and business partners aims at changing this situation. Among those are: Poland Innovative Foundation, The Polish Promotional Program Foundation, Cichociemni (Eng. The Silent Unseen) Foundation, Schuman Thought Institute and MasterCard Company. For the next few months, this coalition will Thousands of Poles living in the US take part in the yearly Pulaski Parade on New York Manhattan. encourage to apply for an American visa and will clarify the rules of acquiring one, so that complicated application will be successful and boosts our statistics. If we find ourselves below the 3 percent bar, we will join the Visa Waiver program and be able to travel to US visa-free. So far, we are one of few outcasts in UE a country, whose citizens, next to Bulgarians, Romanians, Cypriots and Croatian, need to apply for an US visa. There are a lot of emotions and myths connected to visas. Our goal is to debunk these myths and encourage Poles to apply for a visa within the next months but to do it thoroughly, as each incorrect application ends in denial. Meanwhile this disrupts the statistics and causes Poles to travel to US PHOTOS: WOJTEK ŁASKI/EAST NEWS, MORNE DE KLERK/GETTY IMAGES FOR WORLD SOLAR CHALLENGE 16 FEBRUARY 8-11, 2018 WPROST

17 Diploma made in USA P OLISH VOYAGE S with a visa in their passport says Adrian Kubicki, director of LOT Communications Office and the initiator of the action. PLL LOT intends to include all passengers in their informatory campaign, as well as place appropriate information in the airports. As it turns out, rather a small amount of rejections is connected to formalities. Americans, as a rule, deny entrance to anyone, who has committed certain offences. Those, who had previously committed visa infringements, such as, remaining in the US for a longer period of time, than was settled by a civil servant upon entry, can lose their hopes of getting a visa. A motion may also be denied if the applicant has any relatives that reside illegally in the US. According to prof. Zbigniew Krysiak, the director of Shuman s Thought Institute, our visa statistics are lowered by another factor. Usually, it is errors in forms. Applications given on a wrong form, errors when declaring the purpose of the journey says Krysiak in a conversation with Wprost. He adds that in such cases, applicants are usually granted the visa when re-applying. For them, it means additional costs, as every next motion is another 160 dollar fee. For Poland, it means worsened statistics. he emphasizes. It is not hard to make a mistake. The most common touristic visa is a B1/B2 form. But students who would like to connect leisure travel with a possibility of work should fill out another, especially designated, Work&Travel form. In the past year, most rejections concerned motions from Subcarpathia, Lesser Poland and the Eastern Wall. A high percentage of rejections applied to motions from the Polish Diaspora in UK. Denied applications most often contained formal errors. The Institute of Schuman s Thought considers creating a guide, as a part of the informatory campaign, which would help avoiding the most common mistakes. Meanwhile, Poland Innovative and The Polish Promotional Program Foundations aim at popularizing visas among Polish entrepreneurs, thus increasing the number of approved applications. Over the next few months we will join forces in promoting USA visas motions and clarifying the rules of application. As a foundation, which, every year, rewards Polish entrepreneurs in the Teraz Polska competition, we are able to address directly that group of businessmen as Krzysztof Przybył, president of the board for The Polish Promotional Program Teraz Polska Foundation, tells us. The Poland Innovative Foundation follows a similar lead but aims at reaching the youngest among entrepreneurs and start-uppers. Both foundations have no doubts that Poland entering the Visa Waiver program would mean a great chance for business to develop and for young businessmen to gain an unlimited access to newest technologies and research data. MasterCard Company has also involved itself in the campaign, wanting to promote tourist travels to United States. We will be encouraging to pick USA as a travel destination this year, thus creating more positive visa applications decisions says Marta Życińska, marketing director of the Polish division in MasterCard. A group of students from MIT (The Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and their selfconstructed solar vehicle diploma from an American university paves the path for career. As shown by A increasingly more examples, graduates from Polish high schools should have no complex, when applying to top universities. American universities mean not only the prestige of learning at the same place where Noble Laureates, the contact with top research facilities or the possibility of having practices at world s biggest corporations. Above all, they possess an enormous budget for scientific experiments involving students. MIT America s most known technological school allocates over 2 billion dollars, every year, for this purpose. It is more or less as much as the Polish government allocates for all our national scientific sector. Yearly cost of living and tuition in United States settle around 200 thousand zloty. It does not mean that financial issues stand in the way of extraordinary students when applying at best universities in the world. Eight out of these, including Harvard, Princeton and MIT, carry out enrollment in the need-blind form, which means that only skill-related aspects are taken into consideration. If a candidate passes the enrollment process, yet his family income does not exceed 65 thousand dollars a year, he will be granted a full scholarship, not only to cover tuition fees, costs of food and living, but also pocket money and costs of flights. Scholarship offer for students from abroad can be found here: Preparation for enrollment into an American university should be began even two years ahead. One has to pass language certificates and the SAT exam (American high school finals) early, which are necessary for studying the US. The SAT exam may be taken repeatedly, without the need of leaving the country. In Poland, three centers organize this exam: in Warsaw, Cracow and Gdansk. There are six available dates in a year. We have until September to change these disreputable statistics. Then, fiscal year ends in the US and with it come yearly recapitulations. Similar campaigns were previously launched in the Czech Republic and South Korea, where they turned out to be successful. Above all, the number of motions, delivered by applicants with the greatest chance of receiving a positive answer, was raised. Our southern neighbors travel to the US without the need for visas since Our participation in the visa free movement is supported by the European Committee. This February, another round of talks with Donald Trump s administration, regarding this matter, is scheduled. In May, there will be a meeting between ministers of justice and internal affairs of EU and US, where the matter will be discussed. g Wszelkie prawa zastrzeżone WPROST 17

18 Opinion Time for a strong alliance The Polish-American relations are better than ever. It is worth mentioning that we share over two hundred years of common history. Ryszard Czarnecki Millions of Poles emigrants over the great water have been building America s economic position, even before there were United States of America. First ships arrived there already in the 17th century. Washington has played an important role on the international area, helping Poland in returning to the maps as an independent state. President Woodrow Wilson s declaration was of grave importance, which is why he was justly made a patron for a square in Warsaw s Żoliborz during the 2nd Republic of Poland and has returned as one to his place, after the communist era. DIFFICULT TIMES, HARD MEMORIES But there were also difficult moments in our common history of two nations adoring freedom so much. One of the most exceptional presidents in American history, assassinated in 1865, Abraham Lincoln, unfortunately bet on a close cooperation with tsar Russia. John Appleton, his ambassador in Petersburg, praised the enlightened reform of Tsar Alexander II, as well as understood Russian frustration with the stubborn Poles. The Secretary of State William Seward ill-spoke about the Polish people after the January Uprising and refused to support the French idea of sending out a diplomatic note to Russia s authorities; the note called for a peaceful resolution to the Polish Question, guaranteeing independent Polish education, justice and administration systems, as well as granting freedom of religion. Lincoln himself has welcomed Russian fleet officers into the White House, revisited their ship Aleksander Newski and raised a toast to the tsar. Aleksander Milewski, a Pole and a sailor for the tsar naval fleet, President of United States Donald Trump came with his first national, bilateral visit to Poland. Crowds gathered to listen to his speech. who deserted and joined Confederate army, was given away to the Russian by the Americans. Our countryman was hanged. Whereas, the 20th century black dates in Polish-American history were November-December 1943, January-February 1945 and June-July 1945 r. During the conferences in Teheran, Yalta and Potsdam, US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, with acceptance from Her Majesty s Prime Minister Winston Churchill, gave away the Polish ally to Stalin and the Soviet influence. At the time, the author of the New Deal and the only president in the American history to be elected thrice for the same office, was a synonym of betrayal of friendship. However, three and a half decades later, another president, also a Republican Ronald Reagan - became a symbol of what is best in American history. The former actor, frowned upon by the New York and Washington elites, as much as their successors frown upon Donald Trump, has been justly perceived as a conqueror of communism and the Soviet Union, on par with the Polish Pope John Paul II. Meanwhile, America has once again become a symbol of freedom for many nations fighting Moscow s influence. COMMON HEROES: MILITARY MEN AND. AN ACTRESS We, Poles and Americans, have common national heroes. Does it stem from the mutual PHOTOS: MARIUSZ GRZELAK/REPORTER, STANISŁAW KOWALCZUK/EAST NEWS 18 FEBRUARY 8-11, 2018 WPROST

19 POLISH-AMERICAN RELATIONS love of freedom? When, in September 2017, Donald Trump passed October 11th as Kazimierz Pułaski s Day in USA, we reminded ourselves about the role this extraordinary soldier and strategist, who died in 1779 under Savannah, has played in both countries on two continents. His short life was like a Hollywood movie scenario, which caused our countryman, who died for America, to fall deeper into American memory than builder of West Point, Tadeusz Kościuszko, younger virtuoso of the Polish piano. Instead, I will write how Paderewski, a pianist from Europe, became a celebrity among music connoisseurs of the United States. American girls passed out during his concerts, years before their granddaughters did the same druing another European group s concerts the Beatles. Who, among the fans of the first pop culture American star, knew that they were listening to the future Polish Prime Minster? Newport, was a breaking point when it comes to the presence of American troops in this region of Europe. Their number systematically rises and their stay shifts from temporary to more permanent. USA and allied forces also station in other three Baltic countries. It has significant meaning, knowing that Russians can take the Estonian capital, Tallinn, within less than twenty hours. This American military shield is beneficial to both sides. It strengthens Polish safety and American area of influence but also opens up the Polish arm market, with its great demands and offers, to the offers of our ally. They are an obvious priority but it does not mean that we will buy everything for any price. Friends can and should negotiate hard, as far as their interests go. Both our countries are tied with a special bond said President Trump, under the Warsaw Uprising Monument, at Krasińskich Street, on 6th of July who came back to Europe unharmed. It is characteristic that in 18th century our common heroes were great Polish military men, while in 19th century it was an artist and a great actress. Helena Modrzejewska (or, as Americans put it, Modjewska). On a side note, her son, Rudolf (Ralph) Modrzejewski, although born in Bochnia, Poland, became, at the beginning of the 20th century, the most renowned bridge constructor in USA he created almost 40 of them. The impressive life biography of the great lady of American theatre brings us to another great character in shared history Ignacy Jan Paderewski. I will refrain from writing about the affair of the American star of the stage of the 20-s with a 20 years BETTER THAN EVER Talk about the devil, let us move into politics. Our bilateral relations are better than ever, I am writing this both as a historian and a politician. Warsaw and Washington have a common ground not only in terms of geopolitics but also economics. After a period of errors and perversions in the foreign policy of the first term of President Barack Obama, which saw a fatal reset in the American-Russian relationship and, consequently, lack of interest in the Central-Eastern Europe, came a return from the virtual into the real world with the second term. Warsaw NATO summit, whose arrangements exceeded those accepted two years earlier in Welsh COMMUNITY OF BUSINESS Because nothing brings closer than common business. We are also close in matters of energy security. The Republic of Poland wants a diversification of energy resources, which when translating from the language of diplomacy into concretes means independence from Russia. And USA wants to sell Europe its natural gas: today liquefied, tomorrow shale. The new, 45th American president came with his first national, bilateral visit in Europe precisely to Poland. It is also important that the American Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited our country as the only one in the region. But also canceled Donald Trump s visit to London, planned for February. In the language of politics, this means one thing Poland has replaced Great Britain as the ally no 1 on the Old Continent. This strengthens the position of our state very much also within the European Union: they won t pat us on the back, as the limit was reached by their predecessors, but we can count on more respect. It also facilitates our leadership in the region of Central-Eastern Europe. Polish-American alliance has a strategic character. It constitutes a solid frame of a picture, which remains to be painted with our everyday proceedings. The conference in Miami is an example of just that. g All rights reserved. WPROST 19

20 Opinion On January 1st Poland has taken a non-permanent membership in the UN Security Council, where we will reside for two years. President Duda s speech during a debate concerning anti-spreading of weapons of mass destruction. Mission amongst the global players Poland taking a part in the US strategy would be beneficial for the country. The membership in UN Security Council opens up additional opportunities. gen. Waldemar Skrzypczak The world is gaining momentum and the competition between global superpowers gains severity. It is already visible that tools and political operations will not influence the economic expansion of new global players or the accompanying arms race. The problems of the newly developing world order overshadow the authors of the order that lasted practically since the end of World War I. NEW WORLD ORDER President Trump foresees changes, in his new Security Strategy from December, and warns not only Americans but also all those, who hold dear the democratic ideals of the Western civilizations. Next to economic expansion, he emphasizes the threat accompanying military conflicts of big magnitude, which can be strictly connected with fights over new zones of economic, and in consequence political, influence. The US President sees hazards for his country. Yet they are not just confined to the United States. They apply to Europe, which has been living in relative peace for the last 70 years. The faith in everlasting peace has weakened our continent. Without a doubt, it is a consequence of believing in the politics of love, created, as one can conclude from PHOTOS: PAP/EPA/JUSTIN LANE 20 FEBRUARY 8-11, 2018 WPROST

21 A STRATEGY FOR POLAND the past decade, for the need of imperialistic politics of Putin. Which is why the West has practically disarmed itself. Consequences of which may be drastic. Sobering up, apparently, is a slow process. The European Union cannot follow the world trends, busy with itself and its internal affairs, created as an effect of Western inefficient policies, over the last two decades. Let me just mention the failed interventions in Iraq and Libya, creating an unimaginable chaos in the North Africa and the Middle East. Plus, an uncontrollable mass emigration. So far Europe s menace. Coming back to Trump s new strategy, it is worth to notice the strong emphasis put on modernizing USA s military potential. I prefer keeping peace by the means of force. This sounds very confrontational but I doubt whether it is deterring to Russia or China. One has to appreciate that this strategy places its durability in cooperation with allies, of which Americans will have fewer and fewer. A good example is Turkey under rule of Erdoğan a country hostile toward EU and unstable in NATO. We are then witnesses to historical events which will shape the future and world to the next dozen of decades, maybe even few centuries. I hope it will not come to cataclysms such as wars. OPPORTUNITY TO ACT Poland stands in front of a historical challenge. How to find our place in what is coming? How to assure a strong and stable position for Poland in the world? Economic and military safety? Strong political position? In terms of international politics we need to make use of our position in the UN Security Council. There are a few global problems, which it would be wise to involve ourselves in and gain allies in favor of normalizing the situation. Poland is well perceived in many countries. It would make sense, as a part of finding a place in the new strategy of our main ally USA, to play an active role as an initiator of stabilizing the relation with Iran and, if it s possible, with North Korea, on the UN forum. It isn t hard to notice that Iran broaden its influence in the Middle East. It is supported by Russia and, lately by China, in alliance with Pakistan. It is an opportunity for the Polish diplomacy to act. I am convinced we can do much more in relations with that region than Americans. Additionally, there is the problem of millions of refugees in the area. Poland can become an author and a leader of an international long-term program of rebuilding Syria, Iraq etc. We could set up an international shield of security over this region. This would go along well with the policy of solving the emigration problem, so much expected by everyone in Europe. The actions of US and EU are ineffective. Humanitarian help and camps for refugees are a temporary measure; without future. Plus, the key players up to now, including US and the nations of the west, are not welcomed there. It is an opportunity for Poland, for our diplomacy. Maybe even for the Visegrád Group. I am convinced that Americans would happily support such an initiative on the UN forum. As always so far - we can count on China. MILITARY AND POWER INDUSTRY President Trump has radically increased budget spending on army modernization and development of new technologies, including ones with a double use: both military and civil. While the Polish arms industry, due to ineffective management, is in shambles. If we do not focus our efforts on its development, it will fall to a technological bottom. And the tax payers will lay money for an unproductive sector. So it would be worth to try and join the American army development programs, in our most desired fields. We need to catch every opportunity of military and industry cooperation. Polish universities, research and development facilities and companies within the arms sector, both state and civil, should become participants of such programs, under the auspices of the Polish government. It is in such initiative that I would see Poland s leading role. Especially within the countries of Eastern Europe. It is also an element of building credibility as an ally. Americans, on the other hand, should create a plan of preferential cooperation for their allies. Another issue worth of engaging is the energy safety. It is one of political priorities often listed by Trump. Europe, dependent on supplies from the East, is looking for alternatives. One might be natural gas import from the USA. Especially since Trump wishes to use its low price as a weapon in the fight for European markets. Poland has taken its first step. We have a reloading base in Swinoujscie. As few nations in the world, we have developed the technology of production cisterns used for transporting liquefied gas. Polish companies invest in the technology of devices used to reduce the pressure of gas and its distribution. It would be beneficial to convince American companies to invest in Poland in distribution systems and construction of local networks. This could a beginning of a bilateral strategy, beneficial to both sides. One that could be even broadened to other countries. It is but one of many examples of Polish involvement in USA s security strategy. We are and should be a part of it. The question remains, can we make proper use our chance. WHAT ABOUT OUR SECURITY A key element in our notion of security is the presence of allied forces, most importantly American troops, on the eastern flank of NATO. Since Trump s new strategy emphasizes the necessity of America military presence abroad, it is worth exploiting. This is, of course, a task for politics and diplomats. But it is worth considering what should be done in order to convince US Congress to increase the US military presence in Poland. An important factor, outside of military aspects, are costs. We need to recognize, what Americans would expect in term of logistics. Especially since the reduction of bureaucracy and its derivatives is strongly emphasized in US strategy. It may be an opportunity for Polish service providers. A question of several permanent bases is something worth considering. Making some effort to cover part of construction costs near military bases for the American, and in future, Polish troops as a part of the plan to move the military out of developing city agglomerations. Our security has a collective nature. We should remain faithful to that. We have a historical opportunity to take a permanent place in the global system of security and peacekeeping. And it is not a fantasy from the category of dreams of power, but a realistic vision. g All rights reserved. The author was a commander of Polish Land Forces WPROST 21

22 History 22 F E B RUA RY 8-11, 2018 W PR O S T

23 POLISH FRONT IN THE WHITE HOUSE Presidents of our dreams Poland has always treated the tenants of the White House with a special care. Sometimes over the top special. But there were a few individuals who did Poland much good. Jakub Mielnik Every child in the US and Poland knows that Puławski and Kościuszko fought for the freedom of the Unites States. Valiant Polish military men at the side of the Founding Fathers is a great myth of a grand not to say eternal love that flows for the American presidents in Poland. However, in the first years of the US, it was love one-sided. There is no fault on the American side in that matter. The young nation was too distant and too insignificant internationally, to play a real role in supporting Poland at the moment of the fall of the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth or even later, during our numerous freedom uprisings. The presidents, concerned with important matters, were less empathetic with the Polish cause, than regular, though not common, Americans. Few people know that the great Edgar Allan Poe was ready to join the Polish army in the November Uprising, while his wirier friend, James Fenimore Cooper, petitioned for the American support to the voluntary army that was supposed to march from France to help the up-risers. POLAND BETRAYED American politics didn t have the patience for convoluted affairs of the Central Europe for long. In the end, pragmatic aspects prevailed. Although Abraham Lincoln privately supported the January Uprising, as well as other Polish freedom ambitions, he did nothing officially, fearing that the invasive powers would support the Confederate States of America, which were at war with the Union. Especially since Russia supported the North in the Civil War. The Polish question behind the ocean was not helped by the fact that a Polish anarchist Leon Czołgosz shot, in 1901, President George McKinley. It wasn t until Woodrow Wilson, during the First World War, that an American president took interest in the fate of the divided Poland. It was greatly owing to Ignacy Paderewski, who lobbied successfully for Polish cause in Washington. We covered that story extensively in our text Virtuoso of independence (Wprost 3/2018 r.). Who knows, how Poland would look today, if it weren t for Wilson s perseverance to put the rebirth of an independent state of Poland into the famous, 14-point peace plan, which established post war order in Europe. Wilson also played a key role in shaping Woodrow Wilson was the first US president to make the question of Polish independence a matter of American international policy. Ronald Reagan and John Paul II kept a constant diplomatic contact. Their actions were aimed at the empire of evil. the borders of our state, pressuring other powers, not only to give Poland access to the sea through Pomerania but also Gdansk itself, which, in view of the White House, should have had become an integral part of the country. Eventually, it was due to British protests that a Free City of Gdansk was created, where, although retaining the appearances of balance, Germans played the key role. Sadly, then Polish-American love withered. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt is rather frowned upon in Poland, where his image is connected to the Yalta agreement, when the whole Central Europe was given away to Stalin. The mechanism of this agreement, which meant rejecting Poland as an ally not only by the US but also by the Great Britain, was aptly described by the first post-wwii US ambassador in Poland, Arthur Bliss Lane, in his book, under a perfectly phrased title I have seen the Poland betrayed. CONQUERORS OF COMMUNISM Post War presidents treated our country as a part of the Soviet Block, regardless of how enthusiastically Nixon, Ford or Carter were welcomed in the streets of Warsaw. The Big Brother in Kremlin was too powerful at the time and US too involved in the far from Poland fronts of the Cold War, for us to play any major role in the diplomatic game between Washington and Moscow. However, we need to remember that owing to President Nixon s visit, Coca Cola was introduced in socialist Poland, while owing to President Gerald Ford PPR (Polish People s Republic) was granted loans. Without the WPROST 23

24 History loans, graciously given by Ford, and Gierek s big expenditures, there wouldn t be an economic crash that created Solidarity and brought Communism to its knees in Europe. It is surprising that President Jimmy Carter had the least influence on Poland s situation in the Soviet Block, since he always emphasized having Professor Zbigniew Brzeziński, a Pole, as his internal security advisor. Even though Carter picked Poland as one of his first international visits, he was mostly remembered due to an awful translator, who kept mixing Polish and Russian. Waves of laughter, brought on by the strange translation, were long remembered in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It all changed with President Ronald Reagan, who claims the first spot amongst American presidents who foster Polish affairs. Reagan, hated by his political adversaries, decided to confront Soviets in the heart of their political influence in Central Europe. A lot of credit goes to Pope John Paul II, who, as it turned out years later, cooperated strictly with Reagan in battling communism in the world. However, we owe to Reagan the political and financial support of Solidarity. It was provided efficiently, but most importantly quietly, not to discredit Solidarity as a part of imperialist intelligence agencies. After all, such was the image of In July 1975, Warsaw was visited by Gerald Ford. He came to Poland straight from Moscow. democratic opposition propagated by communist authorities in Poland. Reagan s administration has also pressured Brezhnev on the matter of eventual intervention of Warsaw Pact troops in Poland, threatening with retaliation in case of aggression on the territory of PPR. Even though mocked by General Jaruzelski s propaganda, Reagan came to Poland as a former president in 1990, after the fall of communism, which he played a great role in. THE BEGINNING OF THE CADENCY Few people nowadays remember that at the beginning of 90-s, even members within the Solidarity movement couldn t imagine existence outside the Soviet field of influence. President Lech Wałęsa even proposed creation of NATO-bis a sort of no man s land, where Poland could reside. Formally free from Moscow supervision but still susceptible to its influence, because not fully integrated with NATO. We owe it to Bill Clinton for bringing us closer to the idea of joining NATO, as he consequently supported Polish efforts in this matter. It was him, who, in 1997, brought to Warsaw an official invitation to join the Alliance. Our country became a member of NATO right before end of Clinton s cadency, breaking all dependent ties with Moscow. Clinton, although perceived poorly for his indecisiveness, which led to genocide in the former state of Yugoslavia, has done Poland many great deeds, erasing Roosevelt s blame, who, along with Churchill, sold us to Stalin in Yalta. Newly acquired nobility obliges, which is why Poland, only few years later acceptance, has eagerly answered the call from the next American President and went to war to Iraq with its ally. It was in Warsaw that George W. Bush proclaimed the birth of the new Europe, ready to support USA unconditionally, unlike such countries as France or Germany, who strongly opposed American involvement in the Middle East. Bush didn t gain much in Iraq; neither did Poland, but the president, who was criticized for his every move, turned out to be a visionary in one aspect. We re talking about the anti-missile shield, which he intended to install in Poland to deter Russia. It was back, when only a small group of experts foresaw Russia s return to aggressive international politics. His successor, Barack Obama, although praised in the US for breaking the cultural taboo of an African American entering the White House, threw the anti-missile project away and proclaimed a reset in relations with Russia. It created some peculiar situations. In 2011, USA organized a big historical exhibition looking for striking similarities between Abraham Lincoln and Tsar Alexander II. Supposed parallels pointed to the fact that when Lincoln abolished slavery in the US, the tsar lifted the serfdom in Russia. Besides, they both died assassinated. The exhibition, same as the whole reset, wasn t the beginning of a great friendship between the two countries. Obama quickly learned about the scope of Russian ambitions, which even led to electoral manipulations in the US. Will Donald Trump, a successor of Obama, turn out the president of our dreams? A lot of signs from the White House point to the fact that Poland takes a special place in US strategy. The strengthening of US military s presence in Poland itself is the biggest breakpoint since acceptance to NA- TO, because without Alliance s installations we would be something short of NATO-bis that Wałęsa talked about. And this is just the beginning of the cadency. g All rights reserved. PHOTOS: AFP/EAST NEWS, HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES, PAP/JAN MOREK 24 FEBRUARY 8-11, 2018 WPROST

25 POLISH AMERICAN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT POLAND INVESTMENT ZONE The idea behind this business meeting is to create strong support at the highest level of business and policy making the level where meaningful political declarations can be made, as they have often appeared in the past and have been historically borne out in relations between Poland and the United States of America. We are inspired by the positive energy accompanying the celebration of 100 years of Polish independence. This independence, as well as Polish history, was uniquely and substantially influenced by individuals such as US presidents Woodrow Wilson, Herbert Hoover and Ronald Regan and their relations with Polish leaders as Prime Minister Ignacy Jan Paderewski and Pope John Paul II. The first Polish-American Leadership Summit will continue this amazing history. says Michał Maciej Lisiecki, president of the Program Board and the Summit Organization Committee. The Honorary Patronage of the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda over the #PALS conference on Feb 9th, 2018 Projekt realizowany w ramach obchodów stulecia odzyskania niepodległości

26 POLISH AMERICAN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT POLAND INVESTMENT ZONE To Polish American Leadership Summit Patrons, Attendees, Supporters, and Partners: As organizing members of the Honorary Program Council and Co founders of RTMx (Round Table Mixer), we would like to extend our warmest invitation to the inaugural Polish American Leadership Summit in Miami, Florida. In devising this event, we have aimed to deliver the first ever bilateral Polish and American business-centered conference that endeavors to strengthen the commercial and economic ties, as well as the security ties, of this important geopolitical and historical alliance. It is well understood by students of history that the Polish and American alliance effectively dates to the American Revolution, and is thusly America s first notable transnational alliance. When Polish freedom fighters Tadeusz Kosciuszko and Casimir Pulaski joined the American revolutionary war effort and came to the aid of the fledgling democracy s fight for self-determination, a relational mark had been set. This was the sort of existential battle that Poles had fought for, and would have to continue to fight for, throughout Polish history. Soon after shedding the yoke of imperial tyranny, the newly minted United States of America guaranteed natural rights, those rights ordained by God, not government, by codification in the first post-enlightenment constitution (1789). Poland adopted this framework merely two years later (1791) in the creation of its own constitution, which was the first in Europe to uphold these universal values. This seminal alliance proved integral to both nations security and larger geopolitical stability many times over. In 1918, the American-devised Fourteen Points plan, as the adjudicating framework after the First World War, gave Poland its independence for the first time in the industrial age. Two years later, in 1920, American fighter pilots flew alongside their Polish counterparts in the Battle of Warsaw to beat back the Russian Bolshevik scourge hellbent on installing global communism against the will of free nations. During the Second World War, America fought, sacrificing much and suffering greatly, to liberate the European continent from the German Nazi designs on continental despotic hegemony. Over the entire length of the multi-generational Cold War, America consistently labored to set free those nations behind the Iron Curtain suffering under the jackboot of Soviet oppression with Poland serving as ground zero for the cultural information war strategy of promoting freedom and resistance via Radio Free Europe. And just recently, newly elected President Donald Trump s first visit to a sovereign capital to meet with

27 POLISH AMERICAN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT POLAND INVESTMENT ZONE a national government was to Warsaw in July 2017 to stand in solidarity with a government elected on the same thematic platform as he was- that of nation state sovereignty preservation and conservative patriotic values. This historic visit reinforced the Polish and American commitment to bilateral relations around joint security issues but also focused on the deepening bilateral economic relations between Poland and the United States which is key to evolving this relationship in the 21st century. In this inaugural Polish American Leadership Summit, we aim to serve this integral component of contemporary global diplomacy and societal advancement- that of interdependent free trade between allies. Since 1989, when Poland liberalized from a communist command economy to a market based one, the economic ties between the nations have continued to strengthen. But we believe that the surface has been barely scratched and the potential for commercial and intellectual transfer exists far more than what has heretofore been consummated- accruing to the material benefit of both economies and societies writ large. It was not coincidental that President Trump s Warsaw visit coincided with the opening of Europe s newest large-scale LNG offloading depot in Swinoujscie. President Trump and his administration recognized what then-minister of Development (and now Prime Minister) Mateusz Morawiecki believed in bringing this facility online- that energy policy, and the security which comes from raw energy source diversity, is an integral guarantor of safety and stability with direct security implications. In contemporary Europe, there exists a dominant continental supplier willing to use their capacity to trade energy as a political weapon in contravention of market based incentives with the clear goal of destabilizing their adversaries in order to gain an upper hand in revanchist military operations. This clear and present danger, ignored by the previous Polish and American governments, but now astutely appreciated by the Trump and Morawiecki administrations, is best countered by free and robust trade in the energy sector. Poland, as a growing counterparty for the consumption of American goods and services, technology transfer, OEM industrial production, knowledge-based service sector employment, and education exchange, is also uniquely positioned to become the leader of the developing Three Seas Initiative regional trade and security bloc. This project enthusiastically ties together a dozen sovereign European Union member nations, between the Baltic, Black, and Adriatic Seas in Central/Eastern Europe. This multilateral arrangement aggregates 112 million Europeans of the fastest growing economies who worry about the undermining risk to their sovereignty from the politically centralizing and oftentimes coercive spheres of power that lay both to their East and to their West. Poland has asserted itself from inception as the political and economic anchor and driver of this project as the largest nation state by both economic output and population and the primary public stock exchange listing marketplace in the region.

28 POLISH AMERICAN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT POLAND INVESTMENT ZONE Given these evolving dynamics, we believe this is the perfect moment to bring together Polish and American business interests from the energy, defense, technology, telecommunications, and consumer sectors, as well as economic thought leaders, defense and security strategists, investors with access to capital pools, and all those interested in the economic growth story of the Polish Miracle and the historic and ever-developing Polish-American alliance. We hope you join us in Miami in February 2018, the 100th anniversary of Polish independence, to increasingly develop, for mutual benefit, the economic ties that can further secure our two nations prosperity and bind our two societies ever more tightly together- politically, economically, and in the perpetual shared desire for peaceful stability for the coming generations! Michał Maciej Lisiecki & Matthew Tyrmand RTMx Co-Founders & Honorary Program Committee Chair & Co-Chair Polish American Leadership Summit 2018

29 POLISH AMERICAN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT POLAND INVESTMENT ZONE POLISH AMERICAN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT: POLISH INVESTMENT ZONE UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND Polish-American Leadership Summit: Polish Investment Zone (Polish-American Leadership Summit: Polish Investment Zone, #PALS), organized on 9th of February in Miami, has been taken under the honorary patronage by the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda. It will be a pivotal event in Polish-American economic relations in 2018 and first initiative of such kind joining economic and political relations between the two countries. The president has not only taken the conference under his patronage but also decided to present the organizers with a special diploma, commemorating 100th anniversary of the Restoration of Poland s Sovereignty. The forum of entrepreneurs, politicians and media representatives organized by you will constitute an excellent opportunity for discussing and strengthening Polish-American economic relations as was written in a letter addressed to the president of the Program Board and the Summit Organization Committee. Among confirmed distinguished guests of #PALS are Vice Marshal of the Senate Adam Bielan, Senator Anna Maria Anders, Polish ambassador to the USA Piotr Wilczek and Paweł Borys, the president of Polish Development Fund, as well as Paweł Soloch, secretary of state in Chancellery of the President and head of the National Security Bureau. On the American side representatives of the administration of the President of the United States have been invited as well as the President Donald Trump himself. The agenda of the forum includes, among others, opening VIP statements, 9 sessions in business mixer format, 2 plenary sessions, 3 evening sessions, an award gala, as well as an exclusive VIP meeting and additional attractions. The program of the conference is dedicated in particular to topics connected with knowledge and technology transfer between the USA and Central Europe, as well as strategic energy security. The crowning of the official part of #PALS will be the 46th edition of the annual International Polonaise Ball at Eden Roc entitled 100 years of Poland s Independence and Centuries of Polish American Relations. The special exclusive VIP session of the Summit will take place at Mar-a-Lago, referred to by Donald Trump as Winter White House. The honorary Program Board of the Polish-American Leadership Summit: Polish Investment Zone includes i.a. (in alphabetical order) Rafał Antczak (vice-president of PKO

30 POLISH AMERICAN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT POLAND INVESTMENT ZONE POLISH AMERICAN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT: POLISH INVESTMENT ZONE UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND BP), Ian Brzezinski (foreign policy and national security expert), Rita Cosby (journalist), Jonny Daniels (president of From The Depths Foundation), Paweł Dobrowolski (economist), Jadwiga Emilewicz (vice-minister of development), George Friedman (chairman and founder of Geopolitical Futures), Marta Gajęcka (vice president of PGE Energia Odnawialna), Maciej Golubiewski (general consul of the Republic of Poland in New York), Tadeusz Kościński (vice-minister of development), Paweł Lisicki (editor-in-chief of Do Rzeczy ), prof. Piotr Moncarz (Stanford University), Jacek Pochłopień (editor-in-chief of Wprost ), Andrzej Sadowski (Adam Smith Centre), Matthew Tyrmand (publicist). Over 100 members from Poland and USA will reside within the Honorary Board. Strategic partners of the Polish-American Leadership Summit: Polish Investment Zone are LOTOS group and KGHM Polska Miedź. The event partners are TAURON, ENEA, PHN and Supra Brokers. Program and content-related partners of #PALS are Casimir Pulaski Foundation and Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PFR Group). This event is organized under the auspices of The American Institute of Polish Culture. Media patronage over the conference is provided by Telewizja Polska, TV Polonia, Wprost and Do Rzeczy weeklies, Historia Do Rzeczy monthly, Wprost.pl and DoRzeczy.pl bulletins, television Inwestorzy.tv as well as Polonaise Nowy Dziennik. The event organizers are PMPG Polskie Media, Round Table Mixer (RTMx) and European Centre for Innovative Public Idea. Details of the event and information concerning attending the conference are available at the website:

31 POLISH AMERICAN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT SPEAKERS POLAND INVESTMENT ZONE REPUBLIC OF POLAND Secretaries of State: Anna Maria ANDERS Sekretarz Stanu w Kancelarii Premiera Rady Ministrów Adam HAMRYSZCZAK Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Investment and Development Tadeusz KOŚCIŃSKI Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Republic of Poland Mariusz ORION-JĘDRYSEK Secretary of State, Ministry of Environment, Chief National Geologist Paweł SOLOCH Secretary of State, Head of the National Security Bureau, Republic of Poland Mikołaj WILD Secretary of State, Plenipotentiary for the Central Communication Port, Republic of Poland Ambassadors: H.E. Andrii DESHCHYTSIA The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Poland H.E. Ovidiu DRANGA Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Romania to Poland H.E. Piotr WILCZEK Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to the United States of America Polish Parliament Representatives: Piotr MISIŁO (Nowoczesna) Member of the Parliament Arkadiusz MULARCZYK (Law and Justice) Member of the Parliament Norbert OBRYCKI (Civic Platform)Member of the Parliament Paweł PUDŁOWSKI (Nowoczesna)Member of the Parliament Adam BIELAN (Law and Justice) Deputy Speaker of Senate Dignitaries: Profesor Andrzej ZYBERTOWICZ Security Policy Adviser to the President of the Republic of Poland Piotr WŁODARSKI Director of the Strategic Analysis Department, National Security Bureau, Republic of Poland (invited) Business and Academia: Henryk BARANOWSKI CEO, PGE Paweł BORYS Chairman of the Board, Polish Development Fund Jan Marek CHODAKIEWICZ historian Radosław DOMAGALSKI CEO KGHM Filip GRZEGORCZYK CEO Tauron Marcin JASTRZĘBSKI CEO Grupa Lotos Mirosław KOWALIK CEO ENEA Tomasz PISULA Polish Investment & Trade Agency Krzysztof KAMIŃSKI Managing Director, Warsaw Institute UNITED STATES: Ewa BLAISDELL Founder of California Space Center Ian BRZEZINSKI Principal, Brzezinski Group LLC Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council Peter DORAN President & CEO, Center for European Policy Analysis Arnold C. DUPUY, Ph.D Adjunct Assistant Professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University contractor US Department of Defense, OUSD Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics Susan ELLIOTT US Forces Europe (EUCOM) Deputy to Commander ( ) George FRIEDMAN Founder and CEO, Geopolitical Futures David KRAMER United States Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy and Human Rights RADM Brigham McCOWN Nouveau Corporation Matthew TYRMAND Journalist, Investor, Political Activist & Advisor Others, pending confirmation: Elon MUSK CEO Tesla, SpaceX Richard PIPES Polish American author and academic Katy KAVALEC Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, US Department of State Eric STEWART President, US-Mexico Business Coalition Elaine CHAO Secretary of Transportation, USA Lt. Gen. Charles HOOPER Director, Defense Security Cooperation Agency Kirstjen NIELSEN Homeland Security Secretary

32 POLISH AMERICAN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT POLAND INVESTMENT ZONE INVITED GUESTS OF HONOR HONORARY PROGRAM COUNCIL Mateusz Morawicki Prime Minister of Poland Anna Maria Anders Senator, Secretary of State, Plenipotentiary for International Dialogue Adam Bielan Senator, Deputy Speaker of Senate of Poland Lady Blanka Rosenstel Founder & President of The American Institute of Polish Culture, Honorary Consul of The Republic of Poland in Florida Piotr Wilczek Polish Ambassador to the United States Paweł Borys CEO of Polish Development Fund (PFR) Paweł Soloch Secretary of State, Head of the National Security Bureau, Minister in the Chancellery of the President of The Republic of Poland BRZEZINSKI Ian Resident Senior Fellow, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security FRIEDMAN George Chairman and Founder of Geopolitical Futures ANDERS Anna Maria Secretary of State at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister BRZEZINSKI Ian Resident Senior Fellow, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security ANTCZAK Rafał Vice-President PKO BP COSBY Rita Journalist DANIELS Jonny Founder and Executive Director From the Depths DOBROWOLSKI Paweł Chief economist of the Polish Development Fund EMILEWICZ Jadwiga Minister of entrepreneurship and technology FRIEDMAN George Chairman and Founder of Geopolitical Futures GAJĘCKA Marta Advisor to the President of Poland, Vice-President of PGE Energia Odnawialna S.A. GARBOS Raymond VP and Chief Technology Officer, Engineering Fellow ecollaborative Ventures, Inc. GAWĘDA Marcin Chairman of the Board, Warsawsec GOLUBIEWSKI Maciej Polish Consul in New York (MSZ) GRZESIAK Mateusz, Doctor Personal Development Coach HEJKA Anna CEO of Heyka Capital Markets Group JASTRZĘBSKI Marcin President of the Management Board of Grupa Lotos SA KOŚCIŃSKI Tadeusz Undersecretary of State in Ministry of Regional Development KOWALSKI Janusz CEO of Warsaw Institute Fundation KUSIŃSKI Greg, Dr President of Polish American Chamber of Commerce in Texas, Chevron KUCHTA Kamil Managing director PMPG Ventures KUJAWSKA Hanna Finance & Capital Market Expert, Advisor to the Board of PMPG Polish Media LASOCKI Dariusz Chairman of the board, Warsaw Institute of Strategic Studies LICON Horacio VP International Trade and Investment, Greater Houston Partnership LISICKI Paweł Editor in Chief, DoRzeczy weekly MAZURKIEWICZ Jim, Dr President of Polish American Council of Texas, Professor and Leadership Program Director, TALL Program, Texas A&M University MONCARZ Piotr, Professor Stanford University, US-Poland Trade Council NIETYKSZA Anna CEO of Eficapital sp.z.o.o. Cloud Community Europe PL NIZIOŁ Robert HalCash North America NOWAK Dariusz, ProfessorOCIEPA Marcin Collegium Nobilium Opoliense PISARSKA Katarzyna Director and Founder, European Academy of Diplomacy (EAD), Poland POCHŁOPIEŃ Jacek Editor in Chief, Wprost weekly PODSKARBI Mateusz Global Strategic Marketing Manager, Yokogawa; Technology Investor PRIEBE Waldemar, Dr Professor at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center SADOWSKI Andrzej Adam Smith Center SADOWSKI Grzegorz Head of Business Section, Wprost weekly SADOWSKI Nick Media Expert, CoPublisher of Nowy Dziennik in New York SCHMIDT Dominik QVT Financial Silicon Valley SKULIMOWSKI Marek CEO and Managing Director of Kosciuszko Fundation SOLOCH Paweł Secretary of State, Head of the National Security Bureau, Minister in the Chancellery of the President of The Republic of Poland TYRMAND Matthew Journalist, Investor, Political Activist & Advisor WESOLOWSKI Zdzislaw, Prof Dr Founder and President, Retired Florida Polish American Chamber of Commerce WITUCKI Maciej CEO Work Service SA

33 POLISH AMERICAN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT POLAND INVESTMENT ZONE AGENDA The Honorary Patronage of the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda over the #PALS conference on Feb 9th, 2018

34 POLISH AMERICAN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT POLAND INVESTMENT ZONE FEBRUARY 8TH 2018 (THURSDAY) FEBRUARY 9TH 2018 (FRIDAY) 7:30 PALS GUESTS MEET AT THE WARSAW CHOPIN AIRPORT DEPARTURE TERMINAL 10:00 PALS FLIGHT DEPARTING FOR MIAMI, FL 16:00 LANDING IN MIAMI AIRPORT 16:00 16:30 CUSTOMS, PASSPORT CLEARANCE Transport to JW Marriott Hotel :00 WELCOME DRINK JW MARRIOTT, MIAMI, FL Message from the Event Partner REGISTRATION JW Marriott, Miami, FL WELCOME REMARKS MICHAŁ LISIECKI - Founder & President PMPG Polskie Media, Chairman of PALS Honorary Program Council ZBIGNIEW PISARSKI - President of the Casimir Pulaski Foundation, Vice-Chairman of PALS Honorary Program Council MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND A video message from the President of the Republic of Poland - ANDRZEJ DUDA - to the guests of the Polish-American Leadership Summit. 9: OPENING SPEECH JERZY KWIECIŃSKI - Minister of Investment and Economic Development, Republic of Poland 9:50 10:10 KEYNOTE SPEECH Special Speaker to be announced during the conference. PALS CENTURIES OF FRIENDSHIP Tadeusz Kosciuszko, Kazimierz Pulaski, Ignacy Paderewski, Woodrow Wilson, Herbert Hoover, Ronald Reagan, John Paul II, Lech Walesa, Donald Trump, Mateusz Morawiecki, Andrzej Duda, Jarosław Kaczyński, Donald Tusk. 3

35 POLISH AMERICAN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT POLAND INVESTMENT ZONE FEBRUARY 9TH 2018 (FRIDAY) 10:10 10:35 LEADER BRIEF I INNOVATIVE ENERGY US LESSONS LEARNED FROM U.S. DISASTERS IN 2017 RISKS FOR THE ENERGY SECTOR DANIEL KANIEWSKI, PH.D. - Acting Deputy Administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, United States of America 10:35 11:00 LEADER BRIEF II INNOVATIVE ENERGY PL RTMx FORMAT CHALLENGES TO THE POLISH UPSTREAM INDUSTRY GRZEGORZ PYTEL - Chief Advisor to the Board, Lotos Group 11:00 11:20 LEADER BRIEF III INNOVATIVE ENERGY US RTMx FORMAT RTMx FORMAT ADVANCING THE GOAL OF EASTERN EUROPEAN ENERGY INDEPENDENCE CHARLES MCLAUGHLIN - Senior Advisor, Overseas Private Investment Corporation., The U.S. Government s Development Finance Institution 11:20 11:45 LEADER BRIEF IV INNOVATIVE ENERGY PL RTMx FORMAT ACCELERATING THE POLISH ECONOMY POLISH DEVELOPMENT FUND AS AN INVESTMENT BOOSTER PAWEŁ BORYS - President of the Management Board, Polish Development Fund 11:45 12:30 FIRST PANEL DISCUSSION TRANSATLANTIC DEFENSE AND ENERGY COOPERATION AS THE PILLAR OF CEE SECURITY MAREK JAN CHODAKIEWICZ, PH.D. - The Kosciuszko Chair in Polish Studies, The Institute of World Politics ANDRII DESHCHYTSIA - The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Poland OVIDIU DRANGA - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Romania to Poland BRIGHAM MCCOWN, RADM (RET.) - Chairman, Nouveau Inc. MODERATOR: JACEK BARTOSIAK - Director, Wargaming and Simulation Program, Casimir Pulaski Foundation, author of Pacific and Eurasia. On War 12: NETWORKING LUNCH EVENT PARTNER: RAYTHEON 13:30 13:55 LEADER BRIEF V INDUSTRY & TECH TRANSFER PL CENTRAL COMMUNICATION HUB PROJECT OPENING A NEW GATE FOR INNOVATION AND COOPERATION MIKOŁAJ WILD - Secretary of State, Plenipotentiary for the Central Communication Port, Republic of Poland 4

36 POLISH AMERICAN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT POLAND INVESTMENT ZONE FEBRUARY 9TH 2018 (FRIDAY) 13:55 14:20 LEADER BRIEF VI INDUSTRY & TECH TRANSFER US ECONOMY VS. SECURITY - THE BALANCED APPROACH FOR POLAND HOWARD BROMBERG, LT. GEN. (RET.) - VP, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Republic of Poland 14:20 14:45 LEADER BRIEF VII INDUSTRY & TECH RTMx FORMAT TRANSFER PL THE POLISH INVESTMENT ZONE POLAND AS A CEE INVESTMENT HUB TADEUSZ KOŚCIŃSKI - Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Technology, Republic of Poland 14:45 15:10 LEADER BRIEF VIII INDUSTRY & TECH TRANSFER PL RTMx FORMAT RTMx FORMAT HOW DO POLISH COMPANIES SUCCEED GLOBALLY? RADOSŁAW ŁABĘDZKI-DOMAGALSKI - CEO, KGHM 15:10 15:35 LEADER BRIEF IX INDUSTRY & TECH TRANSFER PL RTMx FORMAT ELECTRIC ENERGY LEADERS IN POLAND: THE WAY FORWARD TOMASZ JARMICKI - CEO, PGE Nowa Energia 15:35 16:00 LEADER BRIEF X ALLIES IN DEFENSE US RTMx FORMAT ENHANCED FORWARD PRESENCE & THE CREDIBILITY OF NATO S ARTICLE V IAN BRZEZINSKI - Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Europe and NATO Policy ( ), Distinguished Fellow at the Atlantic Council 16:00 16:25 LEADER BRIEF XI ALLIES IN DEFENSE US RTMx FORMAT US FORCES IN EUROPE THE PILLAR OF STABILITY SUSAN ELLIOTT - US Forces Europe (EUCOM) Deputy to Commander ( ) 16:25-16:50 LEADER BRIEF XII ALLIES IN DEFENSE PL RTMx FORMAT SOCIAL ISSUES AND DEFENSE READINESS: POLISH-AMERICAN COOPERATION IN ADDRESSING DIVISIVENESS RON FARKAS - Instructor of Security Cooperation, Defense Institute of Security Cooperation, United States Department of Defense. President and Founder, Poland-U.S. Operations 5

37 POLISH AMERICAN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT POLAND INVESTMENT ZONE FEBRUARY 9TH 2018 (FRIDAY) 16:50 17:40 SECOND PANEL DISCUSSION AN EVER-STRONGER BOND: THE POLISH - AMERICAN ALLIANCE ANNA MARIA ANDERS - Secretary of State at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, Republic of Poland PETER DORAN - President & CEO, Center for European Policy Analysis DAVID KRAMER - Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Department of State, United States of America ( ) ERIC STEWART - Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce ( ), President, U.S.-Poland Business Council MODERATOR: KATARZYNA PISARSKA, PH.D. - Director of the European Academy of Diplomacy 20:00-22:30 GALA DINNER MESSAGE FROM THE EVENT PARTNER TOMASZ SZYPUŁA - President, Ptak Warsaw Expo POLISH-AMERICAN EAGLES - AWARDS CEREMONY Inspired by the Coat of Arms of the President-in-Exile Ryszard Kaczorowski Honorary Guests: ANNA MARIA ANDERS - Secretary of State at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, Republic of Poland ADAM BIELAN - Deputy Speaker of the Senate, Republic of Poland ADAM HAMRYSZCZAK - Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Investment and Economic Development, Republic of Poland TADEUSZ KOŚCIŃSKI - Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Technology, Republic of Poland JERZY KWIECIŃSKI - Minister of Investment and Economic Development, Republic of Poland MIKOŁAJ WILD - Secretary of State, Ministry of Infrastructure, Plenipotentiary for the Central Communication Port, Republic of Poland 22:30-23:30 NIGHT OWL SESSION 1 CAPITAL MARKETS IN THE US & PL THE WAY FORWARD? 6 RAFAŁ ANTCZAK - Vice-President, PKO BP: PROSPECTS OF THE BANKING SECTOR IN POLAND PIOTR HOFMAN - President of the Board, Grupa Invest: CREATING NATION- AL CAPITAL WITH POLISH FIRMS KRZYSZTOF SENGER - Deputy Chairman, Polish Investment and Trade Agency Representative: DESTINATION POLAND: OPTIMAL INVESTMENT PLACE IN CEE VOYTEK SIEWIERSKY - Managing Partner at Silicon Valley Venture Partners MODERATOR: ANNA HEJKA - Founder and Managing Director, HEYKA Capital Markets Group: THE END OF IPOS? BLOCKCHAIN AND THE FUTURE OF CAPITAL MARKETS

38 POLISH AMERICAN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT POLAND INVESTMENT ZONE FEBRUARY 9TH 2018 (FRIDAY) FEBRUARY 10TH 2018 (SATURDAY) 22:30-23:30 NIGHT OWL SESSION 2 CARBOHYDRATES CHOOSING THE RIGHT TRANSITION FUEL FOR CEE BRIGHAM MCCOWN, RADM (RET.) - Chairman, Nouveau Inc. GRZEGORZ PYTEL - Chief Advisor to the Board, Lotos Group PAWEŁ PUDŁOWSKI - Representative Of The Lower Chamber Of Polish Parliament MODERATOR: PAWEŁ POPRAWA - AGH University of Science and Technology, Cracow, Poland 22:30-23:30 NIGHT OWL SESSION 3 POLAND S HIGH-TECH INDUSTRY LEADERS TODAY AND TOMORROW INNOVATIVE MINING, SEMI-CONDUCTORS, ELECTRIC CARS, NEW ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES AND ALL IN BETWEEN PIOTR CZAK - CEO, PGE Ventures RADOSŁAW ŁABĘDZKI - DOMAGALSKI - CEO, KGHM PIOTR MONCARZ, PH.D. - Professor, Stanford University. Founder and President of the US-Polish Trade Council ALEXANDER ROCKY NAWROCKI - CEO, Airspeed Equity DOMINIK SCHMIDT - QVT Financial Silicon Valley MODERATOR: MACIEJ KOWALSKI - Defense and Security Program Coordinator, Casimir Pulaski Foundation 22:30-23:30 NIGHT OWL SESSION 4 THE POWER OF FEMALE ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN POLAND AND THE US KAROLINA DEHNHARD - Esq Attorney, Budd Larner, 2016 winner of Leading Woman Entrepreneur BEATA DRZAZGA - President of BetaMed S.A, Director of Polish-American Chambers of Commerce in Nevada MAŁGORZATA KACPRZAK - Security & Privacy Program Manager, Google USA SABINA KLIMEK - Consul, Trade Commissioner, Head of Trade and Investment Section of Polish Consulate ANNA STASIAK-APELSKA - Vice-Chairwoman of the Damy Radę z Kulturą! Foundation MODERATOR: AGATA GOLUBIEWSKA - Chairman & CEO of Polish-American WE in USA :00 NETWORKING BRUNCH AT JW MARRIOTT INVITATION ONLY 19:00 20:00 JOINT NETWORKING COCKTAIL - EDEN ROC HOTEL, MIAMI BEACH OPENED TO POLONAISE BALL AND FAREWELL DINNER GUESTS 20:00 23:00 THE 46TH INTERNATIONAL POLONAISE BALL - EDEN ROC HOTEL, MIAMI BEACH 100 YEARS OF POLAND S INDEPENDENCE AND CENTURIES OF POLISH AMERICAN RELATIONS 7

39 POLISH AMERICAN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT POLAND INVESTMENT ZONE FEBRUARY 10TH 2018 (SATURDAY) A FEBRUARY 11TH 2018 (SUNDAY) 20:00 23:00 PALS FAREWELL DINNER - EDEN ROC HOTEL, MIAMI BEACH DESTINED TO LEAD: BUILDING POLAND S GLOBAL POSITION THROUGH ALLIANCES GEORGE FRIEDMAN - Chairman and Founder, Geopolitical Futures, USA 11:00 15:00 FREE TIME MIAMI SIGHTSEEING 11:00 14:00 WORKING LUNCH EDEN ROC HOTEL MIAMI BEACH MAR-A-LAGO EXECUTIVE DIALOGUE AGENDA Summit and next-steps summary at Donald Trump s Winter White House. Maximum attendance: 30 persons 10:00 PARTICIPANTS DEPART JW MARRIOTT INVITATION ONLY INVITATION ONLY 11:00 11:30 RECEPTION AND MAR-A-LAGO SIGHTSEEING 11:30 12:00 COFFEE BREAK NETWORKING 12:00 14:00 SUMMIT CLOSING DISCUSSION - VIP MEETING PHOTO OPPORTUNITY JERZY KWIECIŃSKI - Minister of Investment and Economic Development, Republic of Poland MAREK JAN CHODAKIEWICZ, PH.D. - The Kosciuszko Chair in Polish Studies, The Institute of World Politics 14:30 BUS DEPARTURE FOR AIRPORT (FROM MAR-A-LAGO) 14:30 BUS DEPARTURE FOR AIRPORT (FROM JW MARRIOTT) 8 18:45 MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT #PALS FLIGHT DEPARTING FOR WARSAW

40 POLISH AMERICAN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT POLAND INVESTMENT ZONE The Casimir Pulaski Foundation is an independent, non-partisan think-tank specializing in foreign policy and international security. The Pulaski Foundation provides analyses that describe and explain international developments, identify trends in international environment, and contain possible recommendations and solutions for government decision makers and private sector managers to implement. The Foundation concentrates its research on two subjects: transatlantic relations and Russia and the post-soviet sphere. It focuses primarily on security, both in traditional and non-military dimensions, as well as political changes and economic trends that may have consequences for Poland and the European Union. The Casimir Pulaski Foundation is composed of over 60 experts from various fields. It publishes the Pulaski Policy Papers, the Pulaski Report, and the Pulaski Commentaries. The Foundation experts cooperate with media on a regular basis. Once a year, the Casimir Pulaski Foundation gives the Knight of Freedom Award to an outstanding person who has promoted the values represented by General Casimir Pulaski: freedom, justice, and democracy. Prizewinners include: Professor Władysław Bartoszewski, Professor Norman Davies, Alaksandar Milinkiewicz, President Lech Wałęsa, President Aleksander Kwaśniewski, President Valdas Adamkus, Bernard Kouchner, and Richard Lugar, President Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, President Mikheil Saakashvili, Radek Sikorski i Carl Bildt and President Toomas Hendrik Ilves. One of the leading projects in the field of international security is the annual Warsaw Security Forum, organized in partnership with the Polish and foreign partners and institutions, which is bringing together policymakers from European Union and NATO countries to discuss major security challenges. Casimir Pulaski Foundation received an award Think Tank Awards 2017 in category Best EU International Affairs think tank, awarded by Prospect magazine. The Casimir Pulaski Foundation has a partnership status with the Council of Europe. In today s world, countries need to deal with both military and non-military threats. Security issues has therefore risen to the top of the agenda. The gradual reduction of America s presence in Europe and lessening defence spending among many European allies has made it necessary for a wider take on security issues in Central Europe. Due to its geopolitical position, Poland is a perfect location to undertake a discussion on European security issues. The Warsaw Security Forum addresses these issues through an international gathering of experts who specialize in security. Its purpose is to exchange professional experiences as well as to present solutions to complex regional security challenges confronting the Central and Eastern European region. The two day forum consists of numerous plenary sessions dedicated to security issues, particularly those related to the future of NATO; the Common Security and Defence Policy of the European Union, including relations with the Russian Federation; energy security; border states of NATO and the European Union; new threats and security in the economic, military and politic dimensions. 9

41 POLISH AMERICAN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT POLAND INVESTMENT ZONE PMPG Polskie Media S.A. is a holding company operating on the market of traditional and new media. Today the capital group PMPG consists of Publishing and Advertising Agency WPROST, publisher of the opinion-forming polish weekly WPROST and the company Orle Pióro, publisher of Paweł Lisicki s Tygodnik Do Rzeczy and monthly magazine Historia Do Rzeczy. The strategy of the company is to develop in the new media. Web services of PMPG reach over 8 million users and are growing at the high double digit rate. The company started in 1998 with PLN initial capital publishing magazine for students. In 2005 PMPG bought MACHINA magazine from Barrings investment fund. In 2007 from Hachette Filipacchi group monthly FILM. At the and of 2009 PMPG bought 80 percent shares in AWR WPROST. In 2011 PMPG got license under which it launched polish edition of Bloomberg Businessweek magazine. PMPG had been publishing Bloomberg Businessweek Polska since September 2011 until October In January 2013 conservative weekly Do Rzeczy was introduced on the market. Since 2006 PMPG Polskie Media is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. The president of PMPG SA is Michał M. Lisiecki publisher, manager, businessman, expert of the media market and marketing communication. Round Table Mixer is a format for handling meetings where presentation and exchange of ideas as well as letting the participants getting known each other are the main goals. All participants seat at the round tables fitting between 6 to 10 people. In order to make the agenda flow smoothly and at the right tempo it follows specific rules. Each topic on the agenda has a dedicated time slot broken into following parts: Introduction 2 min Presentation - 13 min Q&A - 5 min Between the blocks there is a 5-minute-long technical break during which participants change the tables and introduce to each other exchanging business cards. Background: Round Table is a symbol of constructive dialogue and the largest peaceful political and economic transformation in Poland. It s been almost 30 years that have passed since the victory of Solidarity movement. Meanwhile Poland became a member of NATO and the European Union. Looking back at the journey that is behind us but even more at the challenges ahead of us we feel that we need a creative discourse that will mobilize us to constantly raise the standards of public and economic life. We need consensus, but also discussion about shared values. That is why we are promoting the idea of the Round Table. The initiators and organizers of RTMix meetings are: Michał M. Lisiecki, entrepreneur, publisher of two opinion weeklies, Matthew Tyrmand - American economist, financier, author of the book Jestem Tyrmand, son of Leopold. 10

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43 POLISH AMERICAN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT POLAND INVESTMENT ZONE EDEN ROC MIAMI BEACH HOTEL 4525 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL United States Tel MAR-A-LAGO 1100 S Ocean Blvd, Palm Beach, FL United States Tel JW MARRIOTT MIAMI 1109 Brickell Ave, Miami, FL 3313 United States Tel CASIMIR PULASKI FOUNATION Oleandrów 6 street Warsaw CONTACT PMPG POLSKIE MEDIA S.A. Al. Jerozolimskie 212 street Warsaw ZBIGNIEW PISARSKI President of the Board Vice-Chairman of PALS Honorary Program Council zpisarski@pulaski.pl MACIEJ KOWALSKI Coordinator of the Program Council mkowalski@pulaski.pl (+48) MICHAŁ M. LISIECKI President of the Board Chairman of PALS Honorary Program Council mml@pmpg.pl EWA RYKACZEWSKA PMPG e.rykaczewska@pmpg.pl (+48)

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59 POLISH AMERICAN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT POLAND INVESTMENT ZONE #PALS BĄDŹ NA BIEŻĄCO: Śledź aktualności na naszej stronie internetowej: Twitter: Uczestnicy #PALS mogą też komunikować się z organizatorami i pomiędzy sobą w aplikacji Attendify. JAK TO ZROBIĆ? Należy pobrać aplikację Attendify wyszukując w sklepie Appla lub Google Play. 1. Zainstaluj aplikację. 2. Zarejestruj się w aplikacji (podaj swój , wybierz hasło do aplikacji). 3. Uzupełnij profil (możesz to też zrobić później). 4. Kliknij DOŁĄCZ. 5. Otrzymasz weryfikacyjny. 6. Po zweryfikowaniu w mailu przejdź do aplikacji pojawi się w niej wydarzenie z logo PALS dołączyłeś właśnie do wydarzenia! 7. Korzystaj z aplikacji (zachęcamy do pełnego uzupełnienia profilu). Podstawowe funkcjonalności aplikacji to: komunikowanie się z cała grupą oraz indywidualnie z uczestnikami, harmonogram wydarzenia, lista speakerów, ustawianie przypomnień.

60 POLISH AMERICAN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT POLAND INVESTMENT ZONE INFORMATION JW Marriott Miami 1109 Brickell Avenue, Miami, Florida USA Phone: Fax: This brochure is a subject for further changes and updates. The current version is always available at

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