Poland

Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country located in Central Europe and is mentioned in the Cyberpunk universe. It is divided into 16 administrative subdivisions, covering an area of 312,696 square kilometres, and has a largely temperate seasonal climate.

Overview
Poland has always been a corridor for its powerful neighbors Russia, Germany and Sweden. Even though Poland was partitioned several times, the Polish people have always kept their culture alive. This is what makes this country interesting to cyberpunks from all over Europe. Polish ingenuity is a talent Westerners are in awe of.

This is especially true in these troubled times. The Stock Market Crash of '94 killed the foreign investment that moved in after the fall of Communism. Some investors returned two years later, but by then, the economy had gone the way of the Dollar. The nation was wrecked; people fled to the open countryside, working farms in exchange for food.

But by 1999, Poland had somehow regained its feet The economy wasn't much; most large facilities were owned by foreigners, but the majority fared better than fifteen years before.

Government
In the last century, Poland has lived longer under foreign or military rule, than under a civilian government Thus, it came as no surprise when President Walesa declared martial law in 1994. Not that things changed much. Poles were used to using connections and barter to get what they wanted. Whatever the Government outlawed, or was in short supply, could always be found on the black market.

Their was never a real crackdown on the black market The reason being, government officials were a prime supplier of the shadow economy! They weren't subject to customs, were allowed to hoard foreign currencies, and with the proper government backing, could get away with almost anything. The situation is as true today as it was for Poland under communism.

There have been changes, though. With the inception of the Harbingers, (Walesa's anti-conuption unit) most government officials think twice before dealing with organized crime. That doesn't always stop them from doing business on the side, though. President Arek Sculc was born in 1970. Like most Poles, he's lived through three different types of government As a result, he prefers a more Machiavellian policy approach. "If a thousand people gain by what you do, it's alright to lose one inn* cent bystander? This is reputed to be a favorite saying-though no one would confirm this. Sculc really sees himself as the first servant of the state; occupied with his people's welfare-not his own bank accounts. This is a notable exception among the regional "Presidents", and the Poles know this. Though they don't like him, Poles have been disproportionately quiet under his rule.

Economy
Officially poor, Poland lives more by its shadow economy than by sanctioned work After the Crash of '94, Poland's state- owned businesses and industries went down the tubes. After the fall of the communists, Polish officials published accounting numbers for state controlled facilities for the first-they were abysmal. Too people worked the machines that dated back to WW2.

The Harbingers are quite secretive; their number is unknown; their orders come directly from the presidential office, and they are ready and willing to do anything against crime. Many suspected criminals vanish, only to return bearing signs of severe torture as a reminder of what happens when you overstep your limits.

All this should make Poland a very controlled place. Reality proves to be different On one side, the Harbingers are too few to be everywhere. On the other side, Poland's shadow economy brings millions into Polish purses every year. Since there aren't enough legal jobs around, President Sculc cannot afford to imprison 25% of the total population. As long as criminals don't get too unruly, the status quo satisfies most Poles.

Warsaw
Polish cities are centers of underground culture. Suppressed by church and state, Polish cyberpunks found a niche in the expanding slums of the big cities. Cyberpunks from all European nations regularly visit Warsaw and Lo& to sample the chaotic counterculture. The tech isn't up to date and the government regularly make sweeps, but some eurodollars in the right palms can get you anything here. And I mean anything. From anti-tank weaponry to live snuff shows, Warsaw is the place to come.

Orqanitskaya
The Russian Mafia established itself throughout Europe with the flow of Russian immigrants. Even before the Nights of Fire, several large syndicates operated in Poland, becoming a definitive factor in the government.

But the greatest deal the Mob ever struck were the food exports during the Crash. With control of one fifth of all farms and processing enterprises, the mafia had a market share that promised enormous profits if sold to the highest bidder. Accounts in Swiss and Scandinavian banks can tell tales of fabulous rises only to be liquidated when key Organitskaya personnel took flight at the advent of the Harbingers.

Various syndicates only cover 40% of all crime activities. They are riddled with undercover agents from both the Harbingers and Interpol, ready to break up organizations at any time.

Trivia

 * The game developer CD Projekt Red, the people behind the new Cyberpunk 2077, is based in Poland. More specifically in Warsaw.

Reference
RAMOS, J. Eurosource Plus. 1st ed. Berkeley CA: R. Talsorian Games, 1995 Pologne