In the first days after the introduction of visas, the Polish media regularly reported on the number of crossings of the eastern border, on queues near Polish consulates in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, as well as on the situation at the Europe fair. "Despite the introduction of visas," reported the largest Polish news agency PAP, "trade turnover at the bazaar around the 10th-Anniversary Stadium in Warsaw has not decreased. At the same time, prices for some goods have risen slightly."
Indeed, cartons of cigarettes and alcohol went up in price by a few zlotys, that is, by $0.5-1. But even after that, their price remains more attractive than in duty-free shops. So, for a liter of Johnnie Walker whiskey (red) they ask 30 zlotys (about $9) at the bazaar, and for a liter of 95-percent alcohol - $4.6. A carton of cigarettes with an English-language but little-known name costs approximately $6, the same, by the way, as a small jar of black caviar.
There are also no problems with Russian icons, pirated computer programs, unlicensed DVDs with the latest films and MP3 music, and with "hardcore porn." That is, everything is as it was...
Well-informed sources reported that all illegal trade in Poland, and first of all the Europe fair, had long been preparing for the introduction of the visa regime. A regrouping of forces and resources was carried out in advance - those who have the right to legal stay are engaged in trade, the rest in delivery. Delivery was provided mainly by Russian "shuttle traders" or Polish "ants." The most tangible blow of the visa regime fell precisely on them, but before its introduction the traders' "bins" on the Polish side were already substantially filled. They say these supplies will last a long time.
• When doing foreign shopping, pay attention to things that can be not only a wonderful gift, but also a very useful item. Take, for example, Timex watches, which can be found in duty-free shops. The manufacturer Timex has released such amazing watch collections that some of them don't even look like watches. The mechanism combines everything most necessary for a traveler: a chronometer, a compass, and a navigator.
The Europe fair is too large an enterprise to allow any visa regime to disrupt the mechanisms of its functioning. After all, they proved too tough even for the legal authorities - the city government of the capital, which two years ago adopted a decision to close Europe and resume the operation of the largest sports facility in Poland. But the cart is still there...
When attempting to close the Europe fair, a good deal of interesting facts about the functioning of this trading enterprise leaked into the Polish press. Facts that, as presumed, were fed to journalists by employees of Poland's Central Investigation Bureau (CBS), the capital's police, and even the country's main special service - the State Protection Office (UOP), whose secret agents constantly stand duty at the "stadium."
It was then that it became clear that formally the Europe fair is run by the company Damis, whose board of seven members includes no Poles, but a Vietnamese, an Armenian, a Ukrainian, a Russian, a Chechen, a Bulgarian and a Georgian. Informally, it was said that these people merely represent several ethnic criminal groups that actually control the market.
The most influential and aggressive among them were considered to be Armenians and Ukrainians. And indeed, there are many Armenians at the bazaar, and quite a few Ukrainians - some trade, others "hang out": drink coffee, talk, flirt with saleswomen, keep order. Here is a group of Armenians, further on Chechens, even further Slavs, then Asians, Africans... Separately, hefty guys in leather jackets with the inscription Damis have fun - the bazaar guards who drive away "outside" pickpockets and beggars.
Two Polish police officers, who have got the bazaar patrol assignment for today, do not feel very comfortable here. They, as usual, notice nothing. Foreigners willingly help them in this. "Arman, police," an Armenian guy says calmly, and the salesgirls immediately casually throw jackets over bottles of alcohol and cartons of cigarettes.
A little further - a small table. On it are three pairs of sports shoes, and next to the table are five black guys who look least of all like sneaker vendors. They pay almost no attention to their goods, nor to potential buyers. The men discuss some business, cautiously looking around. It is immediately clear that their business is under-the-counter goods or "services."
From the same "information leaks" from the police to the press, it is known that at the "stadium" one can buy drugs, weapons, stolen goods, and also order car theft, a robbery of a truck with goods on an international highway, an apartment burglary, and even murder. Therefore, law enforcement agencies from time to time pressure the capital's self-government bodies to close this "cesspool." But this matter is not so simple.
Such a large semi-legal business in the center of the Polish capital in the hands of outsiders could only have appeared under a local "roof." The press had already reported that the "roof" of Europe is the most formidable criminal group once in Poland, called the "Pruszków mafia" (after the town of Pruszków near Warsaw). The media believed that annually "Pruszków" received several million dollars in income from the "stadium." Currently, most leaders of this group are on the run or behind bars. Information about who is skimming the cream off the market now has not yet leaked to the press.
Officially, the annual turnover of the Europa market is about 5 billion zlotys (about $1.25 billion), and unofficially - $3 billion. It is estimated that the stadium provides earnings for half a million Poles, which is not so little in a country with 18 percent unemployment. The market fee brought almost $4 million to the city budget and constituted 85% of the budget of the capital district where Europa is located. Given these factors, it was not so easy for the Warsaw city authorities to decide to close the market, but implementing this decision turned out to be even more difficult.
Therefore, with or without visas, for a long time to come one will be able to come to Warsaw to the stadium in search of cheap goods of appropriate quality, as well as various kinds of forbidden fruits.