Weekly news:

CONTENTS: FINANCIAL & ECONOMIC NEWS

NEWS

Poland gets nearly EUR 4 bln net in EU funds in 2008

PRESS: Polish prime minister to convince Davos forum that Poland is safe from recession

MONETARY POLICY

Poland’s Monetary Policy Council cuts interest rates by 75 basis points across the board

COMPANY NEWS

METALS

PRESS: Polish copper maker KGHM’s unions plan to demand 8% salary raise this year

CHEMICALS

Polish chemical firm Ciech likely to post losses for 2008 – analysts

Polish chemical firm Ciech’s unit inks PLN 256.3 mln credit deal with Unicredit’s Bank Pekao

FOOD, BEVERAGE & AGRICULTURE

Italian highway restaurant chain Autogrill to spend PLN 20 mln in Poland by end-2009

REAL ESTATE

Polish engineering firm Pol-Aqua’s boss quits, plans to keep more than 50% of company shares

Polish blue-chip Cersanit to post PLN 11.7 mln losses from futures in 2008

PRESS: Polish developers forced to cut profit margins to 10%

Poland’s 2008 real estate investment volume reaches EUR 1.75 bln, down 42% Y/Y

ENERGY NEWS

OIL & PETROCHEMICALS

Russia wants to supply oil to Poland without intermediaries, offers help in solving gas problems

GAS

Polish gas monopolist PGNiG unlikely to keep current gas price tariff until end-year –analysts

Poland, Qatar to define agreement on natural gas during Qatar sheik’s visit in April – Polish PM

Polish gas co. PGNiG may be forced to agree to gas price hike under Gazprom pressure – analysts

Polish gas monopolist PGNiG to apply to regulator for new gas price tariff valid until year-end

Polish gas monopolist PGNiG’s shareholders approve know-how sale on Baltic Pipe project

Polish gas monopolist PGNiG gets new vice-president in charge of exploration, production

RosUkrEnergo’s failure to deliver gas to Poland not to affect domestic gas market – EconMin

Polish PM to talk about natural gas during Davos meeting with Russian PM Putin

Polish gas company PGNiG plans to join Nabucco pipeline project

Ukrainian, Polish presidents, Czech premier to discuss energy security on Wednesday

Gas deliveries to Poland from eastern direction drop to 76% of planned amounts

PRESS: Gas firm Aurelian sees annual gas production in Poland at 500 mln cbm by 2013

PRESS: Nabucco gas pipeline construction could start in 2010 – Polish media

COAL

PRESS: Unions at Poland’s largest coal producer Kompania Weglowa demand 14% salary raise

HEAT, POWER & SEWAGE

Polish power group Tauron to complete share conversion process by February 2010

IT & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

LANDLINE/MOBILE TELECOMS

PRESS: Polish telecoms sector among worst in Europe – European watchdog survey

Poland’s mobile penetration at 115.45% in Q4 2008

BANKING & FINANCE NEWS

BANKING

Polish privately-held financial group Getin Holding to merge two of its banks

INSURANCE

Polish Treasury considers Eureko’s suggested price for insurer PZU "unrealistic"

Dutch insurer Eureko files new offer to Poland in dispute over PZU, wants IPO by end-November

CAPITAL MARKETS

Poland may reach deal with Qatar in early April on investments, incl. stock market privatization

Nb: This news report features only the headline of each news.

Agency Interfax