Polish Experience Research Articles

Direct Recall as an Instrument of Political Liability of Public Authorities Before Voters in the Republics of Poland and Latvia

The direct and participatory democracy is becoming increasingly popular in recent years in Europe. States are introducing new institutions into their constitutional systems, which, on the one hand, strengthen the ability of citizens to influence decision-making processes and, on the other hand, allow them to control the actions of public authorities. One of such institutions is a “recall”, which provides citizens with the right to recall, by way of voting, the public authorities elected directly by citizens. The institution of recall may take either direct or indirect form. Nevertheless, only a “direct recall” that takes place at the request of citizens can fully satisfy their interests. The direct recall at the national level is a relatively rare institution, hence, Latvian solutions in this area that allow for the recall of parliament before the end of its term may be considered unique, whilst in Poland the institution of direct recall occurs at the local level. Polish experiences with the practice of recalls indicate that for this institution to function effectively, it is necessary to adopt appropriate legal regulations. For example, the high turnout threshold adopted in both countries, which determines the binding nature of the vote, may be a factor that significantly reduces the effectiveness of this measure. The authors present the current legal regulations concerning the institution of direct recall in both states, as well as provide their critical assessment.

Abusive constitutionalism in Poland - on the self-delegitimisation of the judiciary

The concept of abusive constitutionalism became widespread in legal scholarship after David Landau's famous publication. The author defines abusive constitutionalism as "the use of constitutional amendment mechanisms to make a state significantly less democratic than it was before" . He refers to actions that make a particular regime "significantly less democratic" . The result, he points out, is to move away from democracy . He pointed to 2013 as examples of this trend - Honduras, Venezuela or Hungary. "De-democratisation" of constitutional mechanisms is also, in my view, relevant from the perspective of the Polish experience, though viewed differently than usually presented in the political debates. It turns out that democratic mechanisms and their implementation are undermined by those judiciary representatives who, simultaneuosly, accuse the authorities introducing solutions in line with democratic principles of violating the rule of law.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation with Navitor Titan device: First Polish experience.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation with Navitor Titan device: First Polish experience.

The First Polish Experiences in Examining Self-Assessment of Nuclear Security Culture in a Medical Institution Using Radioactive Sources and Materials

The First Polish Experiences in Examining Self-Assessment of Nuclear Security Culture in a Medical Institution Using Radioactive Sources and Materials

Increased interest with the introduction of fast-track diagnostic pathway is associated with the regionally increased frequency of giant cell arteritis in Poland: a study based on POLVAS registry data.

Slavic populations, such as those in Poland, are considered to have a low prevalence of giant cell arteritis (GCA), although epidemiological data are sparse. The study aimed to compare the reported frequency of GCA in various regions of Poland and analyze the differences between them. We conducted a multicenter, retrospective study of all GCA patients included in the POLVAS registry-the first large multicenter database of patients with vasculitis in Poland. The data from the POLVAS registry were compared with the reported prevalence provided by national insurers from the corresponding regions. A 10-fold increase in the diagnostic rates of GCA was observed in Poland between 2008 and 2019, reaching 8.38 per 100,000 population > 50 years old. It may be attributed to increased interest accompanied by improved diagnostic modalities with the introduction of ultrasound-based, fast-track diagnostic pathways in some centers. However, regional inequities are present, resulting in 10-fold differences (from 2.57 to 24.92) in reported prevalence between different regions. Corticosteroid (CS) monotherapy was the main stem of treatment. Further cooperation and education are needed to minimize regional inequities. This observational study suggests some potential for further increase of the recognizability of GCA and wider use of other than CS monotherapy treatment regimens. We hope that the Polish experience might be interesting and serve as some guidance for the populations where GCA is underdiagnosed.

Emergency response and preparedness among Polish human milk banks: a comparison of the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2022 Ukrainian refugee crisis.

In recent years, Poland has faced two major emergencies: the COVID-19 pandemic, a global-scale public health emergency in 2020, and the outbreak of a full-scale war in Ukraine, which forced over 9 million Ukrainians-mostly women and children-to flee from their country through the Polish-Ukrainian border in 2022. In 2020 and 2022, we conducted two online questionnaires with human milk bank personnel to assess the impact of these emergencies on the human milk banking sector and its preparedness to face them. All 16 human milk bank entities operating in Poland were contacted and invited to participate in the study. For the first questionnaire, which was distributed in 2020, we obtained a 100% response rate. For the second questionnaire, the response rate was 88%, i.e., 14 out of 16 human milk banks completed the questionnaire. We compared these two emergencies in terms of the extent to which the potential of the Polish human milk bank network was exploited to support vulnerable infants who were not breastfed. Our findings indicate that recommendations to provide donor human milk to infants separated from their mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic were never fully implemented. Meanwhile, during the refugee crisis, national legislation allowing equal access to public healthcare for Ukrainian citizens were rapidly implemented, enabling a more effective response by human milk banks to support vulnerable infants. However, no specific measures were introduced to support refugees outside the standard criteria for donor human milk provision. Our results highlight the limited response from the sector during emergencies and the underutilization of the potential of a nationwide network of professional human milk banks. Drawing on Polish experiences, we emphasize the importance of having procedures and legal regulations regarding human milk banking in place even in non-crisis settings, which would facilitate a rapid emergency response. We also emphasize the need to include the implementation of emergency procedures in building a strong and resilient human milk banking system.

Training of Specialists in the Field of Information and Library Science in Polish Universities (Experience of the First Decades of the 21st Cent.)

The aim of the article is to review the areas of training specialists in library and information science in higher education institutions of Poland at the beginning of the 21st cent. Research methods. The offered research is based on the analytical and synthetic analysis of scientific publications by leading Polish scientists who studied the issues of higher library and information education. The author’s presentation of the current state of university education in the information and library sphere in Poland is based on the processing of materials from the official web portals of higher education establishments that provide specialised training for their applicants. Among a complex of special research methods, the method of content analysis is used to identify the views of certain scientists on the problems of development of information and library education in Poland. The scientific novelty of the article lies in the formulation of the problem that is practically unresearched in Ukrainian science, and requires studying in view of the practical significance of the Polish experience in reforming higher education of the information and library sphere. Main conclusions. In the process of this research, it is found that in Poland the process of transforming the training of information and library specialists in accordance with the needs of modern information society has not yet been completed. There are still scientific discussions on optimising the nomenclature of the training areas at universities, as well as variants of creating interdisciplinary specialities are being considered, some of which have been tested for several years in some higher education institutions. The analysis of the official websites of 11 state universities in Poland has highlighted tendencies toward a rapid reduction in the classical programmes of training in the field of information and library science, which is primarily caused by the demands of potential employers and the increased integration of the latest technologies into all spheres of society activity.

Measuring Social Economy in Public Statistics: Introduction to the Polish Experience

This article presents the objectives, scope, and evolution of the research on social economy conducted by the Research Centre for Social Economy at the Statistical Office in Krakow (Statistics Poland). It highlights the experience and achievements of public statistics in Poland in surveying social economy entities, including social enterprises.

The Reform of Local Self-Government in Ukraine in the Context of the Polish Experience

The Reform of Local Self-Government in Ukraine in the Context of the Polish Experience

Liability for Violation of the Obligation of Care in the Criminal Code of the Republic of Poland

The problem of non-fulfilment or improper fulfillment by parents (persons who replace them) of childcare responsibilities exists in all countries, regardless of the form of government, state system, and income level of the population. Ukraine has been in the process of integration with the European Union for a long time, so it is useful to study the foreign legislative approach to the regulation of responsibility for the violation of these obligations. The purpose of the article is to study the Polish experience of establishing criminal liability for non-fulfilment of child care obligations. In the research dogmatic, systemic-structural, statistical, historical-legal, formal-legal methods were used. Attention is paid to the legislation of the Republic of Poland, which provides for the right and duty of parents to care for and raise children. The genesis of the criminal law regarding responsibility for violation of these duties in the Criminal Code of 1932, 1969, and 1997 is given. Statistical data on the number of criminal proceedings and persons convicted of this criminal offense (2009–2020) are summarized. The peculiarities of the structure of the crime composition provided for in Art. 210 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Poland were studied; objective and subjective signs. The analysis was carried out on the basis of the doctrine of Polish criminal law and the practice of courts of general jurisdiction, in particular the Supreme Court of the Republic of Poland. The practice of the Constitutional Tribunal of the Republic of Poland was used. Based on the results of the research, conclusions were formulated regarding objects of criminal law protection; objective and subjective side and subject composition. The differentiation of criminal liability in case of causing death to the victim was noted. The legislator also provided in cases of this crime the possibility of notifying the competent family court about the expediency of deprivation or limitation of parental or guardian rights in case of committing a crime to the detriment of a minor or in complicity with him. The separation of an independent structural section (subsection) in the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which includes criminal offenses against the family, as well as the improvement of criminal legal measures against persons who have committed such crimes, is supported.

Self-taxation as a form of participation of citizens in expenditures of the territorial community: the experience of the Republic of Poland

The article is devoted to the analysis of the Polish experience of legal regulation of self-taxation as a form of citizen’s participation in local community expenditures. It is shown that the Institute of self- taxation in the Republic of Poland has a long history. Borrowed in the 1950s in the USSR, it continues to be successfully used today as a tool to further mobilize financial resources to address local issues. The peculiarities and mechanism of establishing self-taxation are disclosed. It is shown that today the mechanism of establishing self-taxation is significantly complicated and the only acceptable form of its introduction is a local referendum. The author emphasizes the existence in Polish law and the financial and legal doctrine of a clear position on the distinction between self-taxation and taxes. Self-taxation is intrinsic to the target character, its own form of legalization, its own entity and its voluntary nature.
 It is substantiated that self-taxation is an independent form of non-taxable compulsory payment and is used to resolve issues of local importance, its size and order of introduction and use are determined independently by the population in a local referendum. At the same time, local referendums for Poland remain a rare occurrence. This is due to both the cost and the complexity of the procedure. In addition, the widespread use of self-tax referendums was blocked by court decisions and the opinion of financial law experts, who stated that the self-tax institute in its current form had no legal basis.
 The analysis shows that the Polish communities most often use self-taxation of the population for the purposes related to the construction of infrastructure networks (water and sewerage networks) or municipal waste management (sorting, disposal and storage). Introducing self-taxation is essential for the development of territorial communities. Self-taxation allows territorial communities to receive additional funds, increase civic activity of residents, and increase the level of responsibility of local self-government bodies.

‘I Don’t Want to Be Other. I Want to Be Normal’: Mental Boundaries and the Polish Experience in the UK in Agnieszka Dale’s Fox Season and Other Short Stories

Borders and frontiers are often problematized in Agnieszka Dale’s Fox Season and Other Short Stories (2017), where mental borders seem to be more divisive than spatial boundaries. Many of these narratives feature Polish immigrants in Britain who struggle with their displaced condition in various ways. As some of the stories in the collection reveal, the scenario of post-Brexit Britain compromises conviviality amongst different groups, including the Polish community. Special attention is placed upon how several narratives in the volume underscore the prevalence in British society of Polish stereotypes as the crystallisation of the still widespread animosity against non-Europeans. Homi Bhabha’s notions regarding the formation and dynamics of stereotypes will be helpful in understanding the mechanisms beneath such constructions. Likewise, some of the major tenets of social theory, as well as Edward Said’s notion of ‘Orientalism’, will contribute to shedding light upon this resentment towards the Polish minority, occasionally adopted too by already established immigrants against their former compatriots. This article will ultimately intend to draw attention to the cautionary nature of Dale’s collection as a call for harmony and the appreciation of difference among nations, thus preventing the gloomy perspectives the dystopian futures of some of these stories forecast upon Europe.

Aquacritical Vistula: the deep mapping of literary sources within the emerging historiography of flooding (1934)

This article focuses on an aquacritical reading of literary sources within the emerging historiography of flooding. In 1934 the largest flood in the history of the Second Polish Republic (1918–1939) happened. After summer torrential rains the tributaries of the main river in Poland, the Vistula River, disrupted the functioning of the centrally-managed and newly recovered state. By using a deep mapping tool for river-related discourse analysis and for historical river management approach, the authors discuss different accounts of the 1934-flood: firstly, works from the historical period (J. Kurek, K. I. Gałczyński, relevant newspapers) and secondly, a contemporary reference to 1934 and flood narrative in prose (M. Płaza). All these literary sources contain numerous renamings of the Polish flood management dictionary but have one historical feature in common: they anchor the modern militarization of language in flood narratives (the fight against the river) and the symptomatic discourse of power and control (ruling over the river). Finally, these sources led the authors to the conclusion that both the Polish experience of World War I and later subsequent armed conflicts, as well as the impact of militarized state policy left their stamp on the flood lexicon and deepened the divide between humans and disempowered rivers.

Methods and technologies for evaluating the quality of higher education in the context of international standards: A comparison of the Ukrainian and Polish experience of creating ratings

The need to study the methods and technologies used to assess the level of educational services is primarily due to constant transformations in educational processes, improvement of the system of criteria used to rank higher education institutions. The purpose of this study was to analyse the tools used to assess the performance of higher education institutions in the context of international standardization of educational processes. The main methods used in the study were statistical analysis, comparative and contrastive and analytical and synthetic methods. The comparative and contrastive analysis revealed that research activities were among the main indicators that influenced the creation of the rankings: Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings (60%), TOP-200 Ukraine (42%), Perspektywy (42%), and prestige and reputation: QS World University Rankings (40%), Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings (30%), TOP-200 Ukraine (12%). The methods used to create the rankings included statistical, pedagogical analysis, analytical and synthetic methods, and surveys. To create the Ukrainian ranking, 6 international (Webometrics, Scopus, Times Higher Education World University Rankings, Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings, UniRank, QS World University Rankings) and 4 national (participation in research project competitions, number of patents received, awards for young scientists, the ratio between the number of applications and the competition score) indicators were used. The Polish ranking was based on 29 indicators divided into groups: prestige, scientific effectiveness, scientific strength, scientific and educational potential, internationalization, graduates on the labour market, innovation, study conditions, and economic cooperation. In Poland, there was a balance between international and national criteria, while in Ukraine, about 70% of international criteria and 30% of national criteria were used. This work can be used in the future to improve national and international systems for assessing the quality of higher education, and to develop a unified mechanism for creating ratings

Clinical characteristics and long-term outcomes of patients with heart failure with improved ejection fraction. First Polish experience from LECRA-HF registry

PurposeHeart failure (HF) with improved ejection fraction (HFimpEF) is a new category of HF introduced in the newest European Society of Cardiology guidelines. However, clinical characteristics and long-term outcomes of HFimpEF patients remain insufficiently elucidated. We sought to characterize Polish HFimpEF patients and determine their long-term mortality. Material and methodsOf 1186 patients enrolled in the single-center Lesser Poland Cracovian Heart Failure (LECRA-HF) registry between 2009 and 2019 and hospitalized due to HF decompensation, 340 (28.7%) were those with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Based on follow-up echocardiography, 61 (17.9%) of them were classified as HFimpEF and the remaining as HFnon-impEF. ResultsHFimpEF patients were more frequently females (P ​< ​0.001), had higher baseline left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF, P ​< ​0.001), had less often a history of diabetes (P ​= ​0.024), severe chronic kidney disease (P ​= ​0.026) or prior myocardial infarction (P ​= ​0.008) than HFnon-impEF patients. By multivariable analysis the HFimpEF diagnosis was independently predicted by baseline NYHA I/II (odds ratio [OR] 2.347, 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 1.020–5.405), non-ischemic etiology (OR 3.096, 95%CI 1.587–6.024), lack of diabetes mellitus (OR 2.016, 95%CI 1.059–3.846) and higher baseline LVEF (OR 1.084, 95%CI 1.042–1.126, per 1%). Within the median 49 (25–77) months all-cause mortality was lower in HFimpEF than in HFnon-impEF (10.8 vs 16.4%/year, P ​= ​0.004). ConclusionsOur findings indicate that every sixth Polish patient with HFrEF has a chance to improve LVEF during follow-up and to become a HFimpEF patient. Baseline characteristics of HFimpEF patients are different from HFnon-impEF. Simultaneously, the HFimpEF diagnosis is associated with higher long-term survival.

Municipal Tax Policy in State Emergencies

Abstract A significant part of the revenue supplying municipal budgets in Poland comes from taxes that are subject to municipalities’ constitutionally enshrined powers. This income is mainly generated by contributions connected with the right of property ownership, among others. Apart from a fiscal function, taxes may also stimulate specific processes. Positive stimulation within the scope of tax policy is mainly based on various types of tax preferences. They may be applied as a tool of tax policy which fulfils specific economic and social objectives. These issues have become particularly important during emergencies taking place in the state, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the migration crisis or the war in Ukraine. In the wake of the recent occurrence of such types of quasi-extraordinary measures, it is reasonable to ask a question about the need to adjust the legal limits of municipal tax powers in this regard. Concurrently, the necessity to maintain balance between support provided to specific categories of entities and the financial needs of municipalities may not escape notice. The Polish experience shows that as a consequence of emergencies, ad hoc solutions of a merely occasional nature have been introduced to the tax law system. Hence a thesis may be formulated according to which it is reasonable to approach this kind of phenomenon in a systemic way, which should be reflected in the introduction of standard and stable tools that could enable municipalities to undertake specific action. The purpose of this study is to verify this assumption, relying, most of all, on the experiences and needs that have emerged in Poland in recent years.

Preservation of the Historical Kadetskyi Hai Ecosystem During A Military Threat Using Polish Experience

The article is devoted to the study of the historical eco-systems preservation problems. The aspect of the negative impact of the Russian-Ukrainian war on natural eco-systems is emphasized separately. Using the example of a unique natural area – the historical Kadetskyi Hai (Cadet grove) in Kyiv, the condition of this area, the problems of its existence and the ways to solve them are evaluated. The history of the Osiedle Oficerskie (Officers’ Residential Complex) in Cracow, its condition and problems, and the possibilities of applying Polish experience in arranging the territory of the Kadetskyi Hai are separately analyzed.

Robotic surgery in endometrial cancer: first Polish experience.

In Poland, robotic surgery is nowadays perceived as a new method of surgical treatment in endometrial cancer patients. We aim to present the first Polish group of endometrial cancer patients treated using robotic surgery. The analysis was based on 79 patients with mean age of 59.72 ± 11.709 (range 27-83) years and endometrial cancer scheduled for surgical treatment. Mean BMI was 31.38 ± 8.78 (range 19.03-65.97)kg/m2. The data were collected based on a questionnaire consisting of 19 questions concerning the patient's perception of robotic surgery before the procedure. Patients with a family history of neoplastic diseases indicate precision of movements as the most important reason for choosing robotic surgery (p = 0.0035). Patients after surgery procedures in the past named shorter hospitalization as a major benefit (p = 0.0037). Patients who chose robotic surgery for financial reasons stressed the cosmetic effect as a priority (p = 0.0319). Shorter length of hospital stay, less blood loss, enlarged view, and good visualization were statistically significant reasons for choosing robotic surgery (p < 0.05). Women who consider work, good material status, and well-being as the most important aspects of their lives cited the cosmetic effect as a benefit of robotic surgery (p = 0.0029 vs. p = 0.0074 vs. p = 0.01745, respectively). In the follow-up after operations, no patients regretted choosing robotic surgery. Good visualization, precise movements, less blood loss, and cosmetic effects are the most frequent reasons for choosing robotic surgery. Even patients after other types of surgery in the past decided on robot-assisted radical hysterectomy because of the clear benefits of this approach.

Improvement of Ukraines innovation policy based on the experience of Poland

The strategic and program documents that defined the goals and tasks for the activation of innovative development of Poland since joining the EU were analyzed. The content of institutional reforms to ensure the effectiveness of the innovation strategy and directions for improving the financial mechanism for supporting innovatively active enterprises and stimulating the innovative activity of small and medium-sized businesses in Poland are considered. A comparative analysis of the indicators of research and innovation activity of Ukraine and Poland for 2016–2022 was conducted. The positive dynamics of indicators of the financial and personnel components of research and development activity, the growth of the effectiveness of innovation activity in Poland in recent years were revealed. Based on the analysis, a conclusion was made about the effectiveness of the state innovation policy of Poland, in particular in terms of the application of fiscal instruments and the implementation of the mechanism for expanding cooperation between research organizations and entrepreneurs. The study of the dynamics of the main indicators of scientific research and innovation activity of Ukraine showed that during the studied period there was a significant decrease in the level of financing of scientific research, a reduction in personnel potential and a decrease in the competitiveness of domestic enterprises on foreign markets of high-tech products. The expediency of implementing the Polish experience in Ukraine for improving the state innovation policy based on the introduction of measures to stimulate the innovative activity of enterprises, improving the financial and information support of scientific research and innovation activities is substantiated. Based on the Polish experience, it is proposed to introduce in Ukraine a mixed system of financial support for innovative enterprises, which includes subsidies, tax discounts, technological credits, grants for research and innovation. The importance of applying organizational and informational measures for the formation of innovative thinking of entrepreneurs, expansion of cooperation of enterprises with research centers and commercialization of research results is substantiated.

Determination of Organizational and Economic Determinants of the Current State and Development Trends of Agricultural Producers in Poland and Ukraine

The experience of highly developed countries proves that agricultural producers are one of the stabilizing factors of the socio-economic relations of states as a whole. In the context of effective management of agricultural producers in Ukraine and Poland, it is important to find out the features and trends of their modern development. A number of tools have been involved to stimulate the development of agriculture, which include: improvement of institutional support; infrastructure development of rural areas; implementation of financial instruments for the development of agriculture; provision of personnel at agricultural producers. The subject of our economic research interests is the characterization of organizational and economic determinants and a comparison of the development trends of agricultural production in Poland and Ukraine in the context of modern food security challenges. The results of the calculations can be taken into account for operational and strategic planning of the behaviour of agricultural producers. The aim of the investigation is to outline the development trends of agricultural producers in Ukraine and Poland and to develop approaches to ensure their effective functioning. A systematic approach to the study of conditions and factors that comprehensively affect the development of agricultural producers has been applied. The research uses a comparative analysis of the main economic indicators of the activity of agricultural producers in Ukraine and Poland. A comprehensive approach allowed us to conduct a study of the main indicators of the activity of agricultural producers with the inclusion in their production activity of the entire set of social and production components. The study confirms the better performance of the Polish agricultural sector than the Ukrainian one in 2010-2020. It suggests potential benefits from the use of Polish experiences by Ukrainian producers. Integration processes are characteristic of all sectors of the economy, but in agriculture, based on the specifics of the sector, and as the experience of enterprises in Poland and the Lublin Voivodeship shows, provide positive results, both for agricultural producers themselves and for society as a whole.