POLAND

Economy

Poland today stands out as one of the most successful and open transition economies. The privatization of small and medium state-owned companies and a liberal law on establishing new firms marked the rapid development of a private sector now responsible for 70% of economic activity. In contrast with the vibrant expansion of private non-farm activity, the large agriculture component remains handicapped by structural problems, surplus labour, inefficient small farms, and lack of investment. The government’s determination to enter the EU as soon as possible affects all aspects of its economic policies. Improving Poland’s worsening current account deficit also is a priority. To date, the government has resisted pressure for protectionist solutions and continues to support regional free trade initiatives. The government export strategy emphasizes a more aggressive export assistance programme. Warsaw continues to held the budget deficit to less than 2% of GDP. Further progress on public finance depends mainly on comprehensive reform of the social welfare system and privatization of Poland’s remaining state sector.

Police

When in 1918 independent Poland appeared on the European map (after being divided for two hundred years between Russia, Prussia and Austria) there wasn’t one professional police force. In different regions and even towns different militias and municipal police forces were founded. Step by step those forces and militias were united. In 1919, with the Police Act, the only State Police was founded. Step by step those forces and militias were united. In 1919, with the Police Act, the only State Police was founded. In the autonomic police of Silesian Voivodship, developed from the Plebiscitary Police in 1922, some women served from the beginning until World War II. They had no special units. Some women were members of the militias mentioned before, but they left the forces when the situation became stabilised. Within the State Police in 1925 a women’s police force was set up. After three months of training 30 policewomen began to work in the criminal police in the biggest cities. Their tasks were to fight white slavery, to control prostitution and to fight crimes connected to prostitution and drug related crimes. The policewomen at that time were uniformed. The first commander of Polish policewomen was (till 1939) Stanislawa-Filipina Paleolog. In 1935 women also began to work as uniformed police (contro over problem youth, crimes against children, control over prostitution). In 1939, before World War II, there were about 170 policewomen within the State Police.

After the war in 1944 only one centralised police force was created. Its name was Civic Militia. There were (few) female officers working in uniforms as well as in plain clothes, but no special female units. In 1990, after democratisation, Civic Militia was converted into the Police, and more women were accepted to change the culture and the image of the organisation.