Happy New Year - public optimism reaches six year high

Some 40% of those polled stated that the year was a good one personally, a result similar to the one in the same period of last year. The surprising fact is that 21% of the public said that 2004 was good for Poland, while 36% believed that it was a bad one. Although this is a poor result, it is still much better than in 2001 when only 8% declared that year a good one for the country, while 55% said it was a bad year. The public's optimism is also on the rise, with a majority saying that 2005 will be better not only for them, but also for the country as a whole. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 2) A.K.