Polish-British intergovernmental consultations will take place today in London. At 11:50 AM, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki will meet with Prime Minister Theresa May. At 12:40 PM, the leaders will participate in a discussion with representatives of the Polish diaspora. The plenary session of the ministers' deliberations is scheduled for 1:15 PM. A press conference by the British Prime Minister and the head of the Polish government will be held at 2:50 PM. In the afternoon, Mateusz Morawiecki will also meet with the Mayor of London (at 4:00 PM), representatives of the financial sector (at 4:10 PM), and representatives of the Polish diaspora (at 5:00 PM).

The Civic Platform party plans to submit a bill in the Sejm today concerning discounts for the conversion of perpetual usufruct into ownership. The Mayor of Warsaw announced it on Tuesday: - If it is to be truly fair, I will ask my colleagues in the Sejm to prepare legislative solutions that will equalize the discounts. In turn, the Warsaw City Council is to address a draft resolution today that restores the old discount rates in the capital. The deliberations will begin at 10:00 AM.

The Senate will continue its deliberations from the morning. Today, the upper house will deal with amendments to the Civil Code and the Notaries Act, as well as the act promoting electricity.

- Since we haven't found other ways to fight, since we can't talk to the government, since the government is offering us an increase of 80-100 PLN while simultaneously imposing ever more new duties on teachers, as my colleagues have been saying, it seems that the methods that have failed so far must be replaced by others – stated Sławomir Broniarz in an interview with Konrad Piasecki on TVN24's "Rozmowa Piaseckiego".

– They are already being checked [teachers]. In many voivodeships, we have signals that ZUS has begun these inspections. However, I repeat: it's not about me judging this in ethical terms or not. I am pointing out that this is a method that teachers, from the grassroots, autonomously, have decided will be effective – stated Sławomir Broniarz in an interview with Konrad Piasecki on TVN24's "Rozmowa Piaseckiego".

- On January 7th, we will invite the Prime Minister to a meeting with the presidium of the main board. On January 8th, there is the team of the dialogue council for services. These are the two negotiations with the government. If they do not yield results, a decision to organize a strike will most likely be made on January 10th - stated Sławomir Broniarz in an interview with Konrad Piasecki on TVN24's "Rozmowa Piaseckiego".

– Paweł tries to avoid seeing me in the corridors. So, the sulk continues. However, to be honest, I won't be here – said Marek Jakubiak in an interview with Robert Mazurek on RMF FM's "Morning Conversation".

- A political grouping, not a federation but a confederation, is to be formed in January. The Freedom Party, Piotr Liroy-Marzec's "Effective" party, possibly the National Movement. We will build, a word with unpleasant connotations for me, such a platform on which we will enter parliament - Marek Jakubiak said in an interview with Robert Mazurek on RMF FM's "Morning Interview".

- Currently, we are building the intention to run in the European Parliament elections. We have some disagreements here, as this main programmatic dispute is quite significant. I am of the opinion that the Union needs to be repaired, not destroyed. Mr. Korwin-Mikke and the nationalists claim that to hell with the Union - Jakubiak added.

- We should appreciate politicians like Rafał Trzaskowski, who can correct their decisions. Unfortunately, at the moment, that decision [from the local government campaign regarding discounts] has led to a situation where no decision will be the best possible decision. I think that now, taking into account – and we have discussed this with President Trzaskowski in recent days, taking this into account – two things: people like to have certainty about where they stand, what the discount will be from January 1st next year. That is why there is a proposal to return to the 98% discount, and the second important thing is that we need to build a climate of trust, and that is also important - stated Paweł Rabiej in an interview with Beata Lubecka on Radio Zet.

- If we currently have a situation where the discount is 98% on city land and 60% on state land, that's why we are now saying to PiS 'check' - he added.

- I don't see indecisiveness in this [Rafał Trzaskowski's decision]. I see responsibility and the ability to correct one's decision. I know many politicians who simply push forward with bad decisions, like Antoni Macierewicz has for many years. Even though he's already in the abyss, he talks about the Smolensk plane crash. Other politicians, like Prime Minister Morawiecki, constantly say different things, from which little emerges - stated Paweł Rabiej in an interview with Beata Lubecka on Radio Zet.

- I'm annoyed [with Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz] for leaving Nowoczesna this way. I believe we should have built a coalition agreement, negotiated it together, without leaving the Nowoczesna club. I think we would have negotiated more this way. What's more, I believe a good captain doesn't leave the captain's bridge - stated Paweł Rabiej in an interview with Beata Lubecka on Radio Zet.

- I think it was really, when we talk about unthought-out situations, I think this was one of the less thought-out situations [PO's takeover of Modern Poland MPs]. I think Chairman Schetyna did not take into account what social emotions this could evoke - stated Paweł Rabiej in an interview with Beata Lubecka on Radio Zet.

- I hope that the Platforma chairman and also a co-builder of Civic Coalition will draw conclusions from this, that sometimes it is worth building more slowly than taking shortcuts - he added.

- I would say this: once a solution, which Prime Minister Morawiecki assures will prevent energy prices from rising, is developed, then we will inform about it - stated Henryk Kowalczyk in an interview with Jacek Prusinowski on Radio Plus. - The full announcement will come after a comprehensive solution is worked out, so I would not like to comment on this matter in advance - he added.

- Dear Grzegorz. This Christmas, I wish you above all to remember that people, not presents, are the most important. I also wish you much warmth and very, very much laughter - says Robert Biedroń in a recording with a festive look.



https://twitter.com/RobertBiedron/status/1075662679367475200

- I delivered words before the Constitutional Tribunal that I believe the President was obligated to say in such a situation. After all, the President is that special entity, a state organ, elected in a general election by the nation. Therefore, he is a representative of the nation. If I observe a situation where representatives of an extremely important branch of power, namely the judiciary, over which there is de facto no control, and over the Supreme Court there is no control, because there is no longer any possibility to appeal Supreme Court rulings in any way. If blatant, ostentatious violations of laws and the Constitution by judges occur there, then it is a staggering situation, which cannot be passed over calmly. It must be said clearly and unequivocally - stated President Andrzej Duda in an interview with 300POLITYKA and WP.

- Minister Tchórzewski was indeed at the Presidential Palace at my invitation. We had a long, nearly hour-and-a-half conversation about the situation in the electricity sector and the coming year, meaning the price increases that have caused such concern in society. He presented three options, one of which he intends to implement. Consultations are still ongoing within the government regarding which option will ultimately be realized. All three options, as the minister absolutely convinced me, are intended to ensure that there will effectively be no price increases, no price increases for consumers. The matter is difficult, but there are three proposed solutions from which one will be chosen. The minister assured me with absolute conviction that ordinary households, ordinary people will not see any price increases - stated President Andrzej Duda in a conversation with 300POLITYKĄ and WP. As PAD emphasized, "the most important thing is that prices do not increase."

"From our side, nothing threatens our membership in the EU. However, we must monitor this and fight for the EU to be a union of free nations and equal states, to prevent the creation of some kind of EU of two speeds, where Poland would be relegated to Category B. This absolutely cannot be allowed, and that is why we are moving forward strongly, why we are trying to raise Poland's standing at every step, and raising Poland's standing also means pushing forward. Forcing our interests, fighting for Poland to have the strongest possible position. Others do not like this, because they never like it. As I always say: in international space, there are no empty places, no gaps, no free spaces. Everything has been filled for centuries. If someone wants to be stronger, to move forward, they must push forward, and it becomes tighter for others. They are not pleased with this."

“The results [of coalition talks] must be ready by the end of January. The turn of January and February is the deadline by which we will announce the formula we will use for the European Parliament elections, and this needs to be done as quickly as possible. I would like it to be a broad agreement of various environments, because there is also Nowoczesna, SLD, UED, so an interesting list can be created, for which the common denominator is a strong Poland in a strong Europe, not the marginalization of Poland, being the black sheep, but a state that, especially after the departure of Great Britain, will be a state that makes decisions” - said the leader of PSL, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, in an interview with Karolina Lewicka on Radio TOK FM’s Poranek.

"In my opinion, [the topic of snap elections to the Sejm and Senate] is shifting negotiations from the cloisters to the public arena. I specifically say cloisters because these are negotiations with the Radio Maryja circle. This time and showing: 'be careful, we can call elections at any moment, don't get too carried away, because if there are elections to the Polish parliament, you won't be able to create any lists and you won't be able to blackmail us here'" - said the leader of PSL, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, in an interview with Karolina Lewicka on TOK FM Radio's Morning program. 

“There will definitely be no early elections. I have 100% certainty. These are rumors that have appeared. Senator Marek Borowski was the first to formulate this rumor based on the fact that we moved the budget vote to January. The only way that could lead to early elections is by not passing the budget. We would have to be political maniacs and suicide missionaries not to pass such a good budget as the government prepared” - said Deputy Prime Minister Jarosław Gowin on Radio Trójka.

- I was removed from the Civic Platform without any reason. In any case, the justification never reached anyone, not even me, despite my request to have it provided. It was solely due to some personal animosity. Moreover, all possible regulations and statutes were violated in the process of making this decision, so I expect [Grzegorz Schetyna] would sooner turn to Ryszard Czarnecki than to me - said Jacek Protasiewicz in an interview with Agnieszka Burzyńska on the program "Fakt Opinie”.

„President Trzaskowski behaved in a way that undermines trust not just in Civic Platform. It undermines trust in the entire political class. Such ostentatious breaking of pre-election promises, indeed, pre-election decisions, is something glaringly at odds with the political class” – said Deputy Prime Minister Jarosław Gowin on Polish Radio Trójka.

During a session of the Warsaw City Council, the opposition presented a cardboard cutout of Rafał Trzaskowski, the Mayor of Warsaw. This symbolic act was a protest against the mayor's repeated absences from council meetings.

Janusz Kaleta, a council member, commented on the situation via Twitter, stating: "If Trzaskowski is absent from future city council sessions, his cardboard cutout will serve as a reminder of his disregard for key duties."

The opposition claims that Trzaskowski's frequent absences hinder the council's work and demonstrate a lack of respect for the responsibilities of his office. The cardboard cutout, placed in the mayor's usual seat, was intended to visually represent this perceived neglect.

The use of such symbolic gestures in political discourse is not uncommon, aiming to draw public attention to perceived shortcomings of elected officials. The effectiveness and appropriateness of this particular tactic, however, remain a subject of debate among observers.

- They would be hypocrites if they didn't support them. Right now, we have a situation, from the beginning we talked about justice, that we have inequality in Warsaw. There are 80,000 on State Treasury land, 340,000 on municipal land. Some will have a 60% discount, others will have 98%. If we say A, then let's say B. If PiS was for a 98% discount from the beginning, because it wasn't President Trzaskowski's promise, but rather PiS's proposal. Chairman Kaczyński said it was robbing Warsaw residents, so now we're testing them - said Paweł Rabiej before the Warsaw City Council meeting.

- The issue of discounts was never part of the Civic Coalition's program, but that's how Warsaw residents interpreted it. When we were campaigning, all members of the Civic Coalition and I personally always said, all the time, that the most important thing is to listen to the voice of voters, to listen to the people of Warsaw, and that's why today my motion is to vote on the issue of discounts. For me, the most important issue, for all of us, the most important issue was, of course, responsibility, but primarily justice - stated Rafał Trzaskowski during the session of the Warsaw City Council.

- I would like to remind you that this act, and later the PiS government's decision, introduced a 60% rebate. Later, at the request of PiS councillors, regarding properties located on municipal land, a decision was made to grant a 98% rebate. Hence our discussion last week and the city council's decision, because we oppose, first and foremost, the unfair treatment of Varsovians. We have over 300,000 properties in Warsaw located on municipal land, but over 80,000 properties located on State Treasury land. We even have buildings on Żurawia or Krucza streets where one building is half on municipal land and half on State Treasury land. And this inequality, which was the basis of our decision a week ago, will lead to neighbours in the same building being treated completely differently. But we heard the voice of Varsovians. Our decision stems from this, and we know how to back down. I personally know how to back down and I take this responsibility absolutely upon myself – stated Rafał Trzaskowski during the Warsaw City Council session.

- If we care about justice, if we all care about justice, I am directing these words especially to PiS councilors and PiS politicians, we expect their government to adapt to the decisions of local governments. This is because it cannot be the case that within the territory of one municipality, we are dealing with inequality and injustice. If a municipality decides on a higher discount, the government should decide that regarding properties located on State Treasury land, the discount should be exactly the same. This is our demand directed at the government. If anyone cares about justice, they should support this initiative. There will be a bill in the Sejm. I expect support for this initiative and this bill from PiS politicians, who talk a lot about justice, about fulfilling their campaign commitments, and these were your campaign commitments, because this was your proposal - stated Rafał Trzaskowski during the session of the Warsaw City Council.

- I did not vote for the chaos that the PiS government has guaranteed us in education, nor did I vote for the additional burdens that local government must bear as a result. I'll tell you more. We will sue for the money that has not been returned to local government. If you are truly concerned about the money of the Warsaw municipality, then you will support this motion for the government to return the funds related to the education reform - said Rafał Trzaskowski during the Warsaw City Council session.

The Warsaw City Council has voted to reintroduce a 98% discount on the conversion of perpetual usufruct for municipal land. This decision will significantly impact property owners who currently hold perpetual usufruct rights for land owned by the city.

Perpetual usufruct, a legal concept in Poland, grants the right to use land for an extended period, often for building purposes, while the ownership remains with the state or municipality. Converting this usufruct into full ownership typically involves a fee.

The reintroduction of the 98% discount means that individuals and entities holding perpetual usufruct on municipal land will now only have to pay 2% of the assessed value of the land to acquire full ownership. This represents a substantial financial benefit, potentially unlocking significant value for property owners and encouraging further investment and development.

The decision comes after a period where the discount was either reduced or removed, causing concerns among property owners. The renewed approval of the high discount indicates a shift in policy aimed at facilitating the transformation of land tenure and potentially streamlining property ownership processes within the capital.

This move is expected to have a positive effect on the real estate market in Warsaw, making it more attractive for both existing usufruct holders and potential investors. It also signifies the City Council's commitment to addressing the complexities of land ownership and supporting the economic landscape of the city.

- Civic Platform has shown itself to be a party that possesses no credibility whatsoever, because everything they promise or give to voters can be taken away any day without a word of explanation. This silencing of a discussion that, in fact, never took place, is further proof that Civic Platform is capable of pushing anything through without considering the voice of Warsaw's residents or the opposition - stated Sebastian Kaleta at a briefing following a session of the Warsaw City Council.

- Today, we know that the discount remains, we know that Civic Platform is not credible. We know that Rafał Trzaskowski is simply a coward, because he is afraid to debate with councillors, he is afraid to confront a position that is not aligned with his own, he is afraid to look Warsaw's residents and their representatives in the eye, to accept responsibility for difficult decisions, he is afraid of difficult questions - he added.

- This is not a dark hour for the United Kingdom, by no means. The situation appears uncertain, dangerous, and we are certainly entering unknown waters. But I am sure that Theresa May will guide her country through the storm - said Mateusz Morawiecki in an interview with James Rothwell for The Telegraph. 

- It seems probable that Prime Minister May's chances of winning the vote will depend on the EU leaders' attitude towards Great Britain. This attitude should be unequivocally supportive, as the British will then be more inclined to react more positively to Brussels' expectations - said Mateusz Morawiecki in an interview with James Rothwell for The Telegraph.

- I don't rule it out and I've already said so publicly. It's linked to my proposal, also announced publicly in Gazeta Wyborcza, to create broad electoral blocs by the opposition for both European and parliamentary elections - said Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz in an interview with Piotr Maślak in Gazeta.pl's "Morning Conversation".

- The fundamental, paramount question is whether you are for PiS rule to continue, or for its cessation? Both Biedroń and Schetyna must answer this question. If they both answer that they are for the cessation of PiS rule, then they must adapt their tactics accordingly, and I have no doubt that this is only possible through the unity of the opposition and, as I said, high turnout - stated Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz in an interview with Piotr Maślak on Gazeta.pl's "Morning Conversation".

- Among the various foolishness that Mr. Duda spouts about judges, this is particularly outrageous and pathetic, compromising for a lawyer, who has just signed a bill stating, among other things, that among the people whom PiS wanted to force into judicial retirement, i.e., into a state of dormancy, their continuity of service is maintained, meaning that for not a single day were they former judges and these people were judges of the Supreme Court the entire time - said Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz in a conversation with Piotr Maślak in Gazeta.pl's "Morning Discussion."

Civic Platform MP Stanisław G. has been charged with committing two further offences. The politician, who is a member of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, is accused of fraud and acting to the detriment of the State Treasury.

The charges relate to alleged irregularities in the awarding of public contracts. According to the prosecution, Stanisław G. misused his position to benefit a specific company, leading to financial losses for the state.

This is not the first time the MP has faced legal scrutiny. In the past, he has been investigated for other alleged financial improprieties, though these investigations did not result in charges.

The Civic Platform party has stated that it will await the outcome of the legal proceedings before making any further comment. Stanisław G. has denied all wrongdoing and maintains his innocence.

"The Warsaw City Council adopted a resolution reinstating a 98% discount for the conversion of perpetual usufruct into ownership. As we announced, following this decision, we, as the Civic Platform-KO club, are submitting a bill that grants the same 98% discount for state-owned lands. This is to test the credibility of many words, especially from PiS politicians, and see if they will want to equalize these unequal rates in Warsaw and other cities together with us. The bill is ready, and we have a sufficient number of signatures to submit it. We expect that immediately after the New Year, this bill will be assigned a print number so that it can be procedurally processed at the first Sejm session next year" - said the head of the Civic Platform club, Sławomir Neumann, at a club conference.

"PiS has gone as far as to use words like plunder and robbing residents, so today we want to check if PiS will oppose plunder and robbing residents and support our bill with a 98% relief, or if they will pretend there's no issue, and everything was just theatre and a circus that they offered to the residents of Warsaw and Poland" - he added.

"This bill is intended to ensure elementary justice between those residents who own apartments on land belonging to local government units and those who own apartments on state-owned lands. It cannot be the case that within the same tenement building, as is sometimes the situation in Warsaw, neighbors would have different discount rates" - explained Marcin Kierwiński.

„Our intense economic relations, growth in trade turnover, trade exchange, but also British investments in Poland and an increasing number of Polish entrepreneurs investing in the United Kingdom, are heading in a very good direction, building a foundation for even stronger economic relations and relations between our societies. We are also counting on very close cooperation in the field of modern technologies. The exchange between our universities, cooperation in the academic world is increasingly extensive, developed, and we are very happy about that as well” - said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki after the conclusion of the Polish-British intergovernmental consultations in London.

- Okay, I won't sing anymore, I promise. But I would like to extend my wishes to you, my fellow countrymen and all Europeans. May we, amidst this silent night, hear each other. Our voices of love and hope. Hope for a better tomorrow, for only good changes, and that we ourselves will be better towards ourselves and towards others. This is what I wish for you and for myself with all my heart - says Donald Tusk in a special, festive recording published on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/donaldtusk/status/1075766689055133696?s=12

According to mBank, the state budget situation in December was positive. The bank's analysis indicates that the deficit in November was lower than expected, and the revenue side of the budget showed positive trends. This is primarily attributed to higher than projected tax revenues, particularly from VAT and excise duties.

mBank researchers highlight that the good performance of the budget in November suggests that the year-end deficit might be closer to the planned target. They also point out that the positive revenue figures are a good sign for public finances, especially in the context of potential upcoming fiscal pressures.

However, the bank's analysts caution that while December's results are encouraging, it's important to monitor the situation throughout the year. They note that unexpected expenditures or a slowdown in economic growth could still impact the final budget outcome.

The tweet from mBank's research department, linked to the article, likely provides a more concise summary or a specific data point related to this positive assessment of the state budget. Further details would be available by following the provided link.

As 300POLITYKA has learned, a meeting of the Sejm Presidium has been convened for tomorrow at 5:00 PM, followed by the Senior Convention at 5:15 PM. The subject is unknown, but it is not out of the question that it concerns an additional Sejm session regarding electricity prices - a scenario that Jadwiga Emilewicz did not rule out yesterday. The dates of December 27th or 28th are being considered - meaning next Thursday or Friday.

- It was a circus, of course, on Rafał Trzaskowski's part. On the one hand, he said one thing during the election campaign, and on the other, he did another after the election campaign. He gained nothing and lost his virtue - said Łukasz Rzepecki in a conversation with Bogdan Rymanowski on the program "Wydarzenia i Opinie" (Events and Opinions) on Polsat News.

„I am not afraid of difficult questions, and the PiS councillors should see what parliamentary sessions look like. There was a calm club statement. No one interrupted the councillor who was delivering a statement, in which he asked a lot of questions. Later, the procedure also allowed for an opposing motion, and I believe Councillor Kaleta spoke three times longer than his allotted time, and no one turned off his microphone. Furthermore, I didn't see any financial penalties, none of the things that happen in the Sejm” - said the Mayor of Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski, in an interview with Bogdan Rymanowski on „Wydarzenia i opinie” on Polsat News.

„There is no comparison [to what's happening in the Sejm]. The councillors decided to put on a show. I am not chairing the session. I am not afraid of questions” - he added.  

"Reflecting on the consequences of this decision [regarding the reduction of rebates], I was the one who called Grzegorz Schetyna and told him: 'Let's discuss what to do. I am ready to withdraw this decision'. This is because I believe that the residents of Warsaw have perceived this as a kind of electoral promise, even though I never promised rebates during the election campaign, I never spoke on this topic'" said the Mayor of Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski, in an interview with Bogdan Rymanowski on "Wydarzenia i opinie" on Polsat News.

"I am not interested in what Jarosław Kaczyński says. I am solely interested in what the residents of Warsaw say. I was on the streets of Warsaw all weekend as the Mayor of Warsaw and I saw that everyone is asking me about rebates'" he added.

„I am a fully sovereign politician and Grzegorz Schetyna ordered me nothing, we simply consulted on this matter [premiums]. This is completely natural. It was I who came with a proposal to solve this problem, because I take full responsibility” – said the Mayor of Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski, in an interview with Bogdan Rymanowski on “Wydarzenia i opinie” on Polsat News.

- From a public image and communication perspective, and looking at the polls that are shown here and there, I think that today Poles expect rather peace and stability, and early elections always bring great emotions. I don't think that's what society expects. I don't expect anyone with a stable parliamentary majority to take such a risk. Prime Minister May once took such a risk, having 50% in the polls, but during the campaign, her support dropped so much that she barely managed to retain the position of prime minister - stated Marcin Mastalerek in an interview with Bogdan Rymanowski on Polsat News. He added:

"I stand aside, observing politics from the sidelines, and I see that people want to live their lives, they don't want to engage with politics in such an extraordinary way, which they would be forced to do. I believe that today society has a different emotion. People want to consume, get rich, work. They have children. If the authorities were to hinder this, I think they would take a very big risk. Whether it would be worth it? I don't know, but if such a plan were seriously considered, I don't think it would have emerged in the media at such an early stage. Because if someone was seriously thinking about it, it would have been kept secret and the opposition would have been checkmated at the last moment. This has emerged much earlier and would have lost all its force by now."

- I watched some videos of Donald Tusk playing football. He kicks the ball, dribbles, or runs, and honestly, I must say, Tusk is better at kicking a ball than singing - stated Marcin Mastalerek in an interview with Bogdan Rymanowski on Polsat News. He added:

"In 2016, you published a book called "Gracze" (The Players), which presents 13 interviews with outstanding footballers, players. I read that book, and it seems to me that there are players, footballers, who make a difference on any field, be it football or politics. And without a doubt, Donald Tusk is a player who makes a difference. Probably on the football field as well, but in politics, he makes a big difference, and it seems to me that if he were to decide to return, that difference would be enormous for the opposition."

– With all due respect, Marek Jakubiak entered the Sejm solely thanks to his charisma and owes everything to our leader, Paweł Kukiz. Paweł Kukiz is the authentic leader of the opposition, the substantive opposition that is Kukiz’15; he is the one who primarily keeps his word given to voters – said Łukasz Rzepecki in an interview with Bogdan Rymanowski on the program “Wydarzenia i Opinie” on Polsat News.