Love and hate in Poland

What do Poles think of the world more than 15 years after the fall of Communism? A new poll provides some insights:

“According to a new survey, Poles most like Italians, the English and the Spanish, while prejudices remain about Arabs and Roma people. And Americans, too, are slipping down the list.

“A year and a half after Poland’s EU accession ‘love thy neighbour’ is still the rule put into practice by many Poles not only towards their closest neighbours but also other fellow EU member states – shows the latest opinion poll by CBOS research centre.

“According to the survey, every other respondent in Poland likes the Italian and the English (52 and 50% respectively), while almost half of the general number of them like the Spanish and the Czech. As for other attitudes, 70% of Poles continue to express negative feelings towards Arabs, 65% of respondents show dislike towards Roma people while 62% towards the Romanian.”

A British journalist based in Warsaw explains some possible reasons behind rising anti-US feeling:

“If George W. Bush is stuck for a few ideas for Polish Christmas presents this year, then may I suggest that a plane ticket to Washington, but without the usual queue at the Embassy in Warsaw for a visa, would slip inside the Polish stocking very nicely.”