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01/26/2019

07:54

Saturday's Political Agenda: PO's Convention 'Woman, Poland, Europe', PiS Development Policy Conference, and Mayors' Meeting

At 11:00 AM, a press conference by the mayors of Polish cities will take place, combined with the signing of a motion to public institutions requesting a full clarification of all circumstances surrounding the death of Paweł Adamowicz. Participants will include: Mayor of Warsaw Rafał Trzaskowski, Mayor of Poznań Jacek Jaśkowiak, Mayor of Sopot Jacek Karnowski, and Deputy Mayor of Gdańsk Piotr Grzelak.

- Regardless of the ongoing investigation by the prosecutor's office, the city mayors will also request other institutions to thoroughly clarify all circumstances and causes that led to the tragic death of Paweł Adamowicz - it was stated in the invitation.

At noon, in the Sejm, a conference organized by PiS on the principles of conducting development policy in Poland will begin. Among those who will speak in the discussion are: Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Deputy Marshal Ryszard Terlecki, and Party Leader Jarosław Kaczyński.

At 12:30 PM in Warsaw, Civic Platform (Platforma Obywatelska) is organizing the first in a series of thematic conventions. The first will focus on women's rights and will be held under the slogan: "Woman, Poland, Europe".


11:30

WKK:

You have to start somewhere, and it begins with oneself, with simple gestures. A peace sign from PMM. Mr. Prime Minister, now it's your turn

https://twitter.com/KosiniakKamysz/status/1089101149318406144


11:59

City Mayors Sign "Appeal for Truth for Paweł Adamowicz"

- For us, the most important thing at this moment is to draw conclusions from what happened and to conduct a debate on this subject, which is also why we want to take concrete steps. First and foremost, of course, from this immense sense of tragedy, a feeling of great solidarity has emerged among all of us, and we want, in a sense, to realize what Paweł Adamowicz left us as one of the most important creators of local government. In this context, we will undertake joint actions, for instance, in June, on the anniversary of June. But it is also about not calmly accepting what has been happening in recent years and what continues to happen. We have become accustomed to certain actions, to harassment, to what we perceive, at least, as violations of good customs and the independence of public media, for example. Therefore, we are asking questions. We are here today to ask questions, so that the atmosphere we have been dealing with for the last 3 years does not look the way it does today. In this context, we are asking these questions to draw conclusions from this immense tragedy - said the Mayor of Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski, at a briefing of city mayors.

- We appeal for an inspection to determine whether there was a dependence, which we believe there was, of public media on politicians. We want the dependence of the prosecutor's office on politicians to end, because there is no guarantee of conducting any fair investigation when the prosecutor's office is used for political purposes. The lack of independent public media and an independent prosecutor's office and courts is just one step away from an authoritarian state - stated the Mayor of Sopot, Jacek Karnowski.

- The last few weeks in Gdańsk have been a time of immense emotions. But the time has also come to summarize certain issues. I will start with numbers. These numbers are several thousand records, records, recordings, publications in public media, on TVP Info, TVP Gdańsk, Program 1 and 2. The vast majority of the recordings are negative publications, which occurred solely from January 2018 onwards. It is also worth mentioning the atmosphere that prevailed in the Gdańsk City Hall from the time we were preparing for the local government elections. It was an atmosphere of intimidation. We were all prepared for various services to enter. We had special training on how to communicate with services when they came to the Gdańsk City Hall. We also received emails at night. It is worth considering whether these emails coming from services were part of a policy of intimidation, or whether President Adamowicz was being investigated at night. Today is the time to say all of this loud and clear. We want state services to inspect the work of the services to date so that such situations do not occur in the future - said the Deputy Mayor of Gdańsk, Piotr Grzelak.

- This is an appeal to Prime Minister Morawiecki, as well as to the Commissioner for Human Rights, Adam Bodnar, to the President of the Supreme Audit Office, Krzysztof Kwiatkowski, to the Chairman of the National Broadcasting Council, Witold Kołodziejski, and to the Chairman of the Media Ethics Council, Ryszard Bańkowicz - informed the Mayor of Poznań, Jacek Jaśkowiak. The appeal is also to be signed by other city mayors. As they explained, the inspection should be broader and not only concern actions taken against Paweł Adamowicz.


12:32

Terlecki to Local Government Officials: "You have become, alongside parliamentarians, the political vanguard of PiS, which obliges all of us to work hard"
"You have become, alongside parliamentarians, the political vanguard of PiS, which obliges all of us to work hard, as well as to convince our current and future voters that they have entrusted power into good hands" – said Deputy Marshal Ryszard Terlecki to local government officials in the Sejm.

12:33

Kaczyński:

We Are Accelerating. Economic, Social, and Societal Acceleration. We Are Achieving This Through Great Economic Successes
"29 years ago, the party that preceded PiS, of which PiS is the successor, announced a program of acceleration. Back then, it was political acceleration. Today, although we no longer use that slogan, one could say that we are achieving acceleration without words. Economic, social, and societal acceleration. We are achieving this through great economic successes, in the social and societal sphere", said PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński in the Sejm.

12:34

Kaczyński:

'A Lot, A Lot of Good is Happening'
"A lot, a lot of good is happening, and the purpose of our meeting today is to consolidate the local government corps so that this acceleration also occurs at the regional, municipal, and district levels, so that synergy works, so that we all move forward together, quickly forward, because that is what society expects" - said the Law and Justice (PiS) party leader, Jarosław Kaczyński, in the Sejm.

12:36

Kaczyński:

"Our society is divided. Unfortunately, in many cases, this division is sharp, leading to events that shouldn't happen, sometimes even to extraordinary situations."
"Our society is divided. Unfortunately, in many cases, this division is sharp, leading to events that shouldn't happen, sometimes even to extraordinary situations. But if you ask, abstracting from political divisions, about expectations regarding the future, they are in fact quite similar. Perhaps that's why some people care so much about emotional divisions arising in Poland, about the emotional tension being so sharp, because the vast majority of Poles want rapid economic progress, but not as an end in itself. They want a rapid improvement in the living standards of Polish families, so that Poles can live better, more affordably," said PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński in the Sejm.

12:37

Kaczyński:

Until now, we ruled primarily here in Warsaw, that was central power, and to a much lesser extent in local governments. Today, after the victorious elections, this situation has changed.
"On this path, for this equalization to occur, we must travel for many more years. If we are moving truly fast today, it is because, and I say this without undue modesty, we know how to govern. Law and Justice knows how to govern. Until now, we ruled primarily here in Warsaw, that was central power, and to a much lesser extent in local governments. Today, after the victorious elections, this situation has changed. We have a large part of the power in local governments, and this acceleration, this rapid march, must begin there as well" - said the PiS leader, Jarosław Kaczyński, in the Sejm.

12:38

Kaczyński:

To Govern Well, You Don't Need to Be a Genius, Though Exceptionally Talented People Are Certainly Very Useful. We Have Examples of This, Even Now in Our Government. Above All, You Need to Be Competent and Honest.
"To govern well, you don't need to be a genius, though exceptionally talented people are certainly very useful. We have examples of this, even now in our government. Above all, you need to be competent and honest. It is very, very important to govern in a thoughtful, rational, and honest manner," said the PiS leader, Jarosław Kaczyński, in the Sejm.

12:41

Kaczyński:

Power Doesn't Have to Corrupt. Here the English Thinker Was Wrong, but if It's Unchecked, It's Always Close to Corruption
"Nowhere can unchecked power be created. There's an old, 19th-century saying that all power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Well, unchecked power to some extent becomes absolute power, and it truly corrupts absolutely. Power doesn't have to corrupt. Here the English thinker was wrong, but if it's unchecked, it's always close to corruption" - said the PiS leader, Jarosław Kaczyński, in the Sejm.

12:46

PMM:

A Favorable Climate for Economic Development is Created Through Close Cooperation Between Different Levels of Public Administration

"A favorable climate for economic development is created through close cooperation between different levels of public administration, but also through an appropriate strategy that leads to the quickest possible equalization of disparities. This is a strategy that is one of our fundamental social goals to achieve" - said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in the Sejm. 


12:46

PM:

Poland's International Significance is Growing. This Was Evident in Davos Through Various Conversations I Was Asked For, Unlike Several Years Ago When We Initiated Talks with Some Leaders

The entire architecture of public investments, development and social programs stems from appropriate management of public finances and development expenditures. Poland's international significance is growing. [In Davos] this was evident in various conversations I was asked for by others, in contrast to the situation a few years ago, when we were the ones initiating talks with some leaders and representatives of the business world. All of this is linked to the level of economic development, to everything we managed to achieve last year in the budgetary sphere” – said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in the Sejm. 


12:52

PMM:

By Developing Road and Energy Infrastructure, We Are Buying a Ticket to Economic Growth

By developing road and energy infrastructure, we are buying ourselves a ticket to economic growth, which is to lead us to a prosperous life for Poles, a safe life for Poles at a European level. This is precisely our main goal, to leverage what has been achieved at the level of fiscal, budgetary, and investment policy and translate it to the local government level” - Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said in the Sejm. 


12:56

PMM:

Only Now, Significantly, Are Our Actions – CPK, New Infrastructure Connections – Overcoming the Post-Partition Legacy

„Our policy has led to many investments by large Polish and foreign companies no longer being located solely in major urban centers,” Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki stated in the Sejm. „It is worth noting, in the centenary period of regaining independence and the fight for that independence, that only now, significantly, are our actions – CPK, new infrastructure connections – overcoming the post-partition legacy,” Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said in the Sejm. 


12:57

Schetyna:

The Murder of President Adamowicz Will Become a Turning Point in Poland's New History

- We were all deeply affected by the death of Paweł Adamowicz. We miss him as a friend, a person, a local government official. The crime that all of Poland witnessed firsthand, caused shock and horror among us. We all feel that after what happened, nothing will ever be the same. It can be said with certainty that the murder of the President of Gdańsk will become a turning point in Poland's new history. We just need to ask what this turning point will signify, what will come next? Are we able to predict this today? What happens, in which direction history will go, depends on us and on what we can do with it, because besides the compassion and sadness we feel today, there are also other emotions in the public sphere. There is anger, fear, resignation - stated Grzegorz Schetyna during the Civic Platform (PO) convention.


13:01

Schetyna:

Adamowicz's Death Cannot Be the End; It Must Be the Beginning of Rebuilding a Better, Cooperative, and Open Community
But can anything be built on these negative emotions? Certainly not. My daughter was the first to make me realize this. She said to me: yes, they killed Paweł, they killed the orchestra, can Poles still do anything together? It seems to me that this is a fundamental question for all of us that we must answer. After all that has happened, will we still be able to create a community, or is this truly the end, and beyond this there is only greater hostility, division, and alienation? Can anything still be done now that blood has been shed? The answer is very difficult, but there can only be one: this death cannot be the end; it must become the beginning of rebuilding a community anew. A better, cooperative, and open one. We owe this to Paweł. We owe this to Paweł, so we must reject all negative feelings and start again. On new principles. Because let's remember who he was and what he desired. We heard about it just a moment ago. We cannot resort to the same tools they use to attack us. On the principle of 'just one more battle and things will be normal.' No, they won't. Things must be normal immediately. Otherwise, values such as trust, solidarity, truth, love, or decency will be lost forever. Things must be normal immediately - stated Grzegorz Schetyna during the Civic Platform (PO) convention.

13:06

Schetyna:

For us to trust each other and live in harmony, we need strong institutions independent of politics. We will rebuild, liberate, and strengthen them.

- For us to trust each other and live in harmony, we need strong institutions independent of politics. We will rebuild, liberate, and strengthen them. Courts, the Constitutional Tribunal, the prosecution, media. We won't avoid differences and discussions in this process, but we need impartial arbitrators. Only thanks to them does a dispute not turn into a conflict. It's high time for the current authorities to realize this. Because it is independent institutions that are the guarantor of social peace. If you destroy them, you turn peace into war, where disputes are settled only by force - stated Grzegorz Schetyna during the Civic Platform convention.

- I've said this many times: there will be no blind revenge, but this does not mean impunity. There will be an independent court, an independent tribunal, and fair judgments, arising from the law, not from emotions or political will. Every crime will find its verdict, but in an atmosphere of focus and respect for the law, not political and legal lynching - added the Civic Platform leader.


13:08

Schetyna:

We Won't Pretend Party Television is Public Television. Basic Decency Forbids Us from Appearing in a Place That Has Sown and Continues to Sow Hatred
Does this mean we can remain silent until then? No. Every day we will loudly call lies lies, baseness baseness, and crime crime. We will also not pretend that party television is public television. Basic decency forbids us from appearing in a place that has sown and continues to sow hatred – stated Grzegorz Schetyna during the PO convention. But there will come a time when we will change public television and return it to creators and journalists – added the PO leader.

13:10

Schetyna:

We Will Demand the Decriminalization of Młodzież Wszechpolska and All Organizations Inciting Aggression
We will demand the relentless prosecution of every case of threats and hate speech. Until it is achieved. We will demand the decriminalization of Młodzież Wszechpolska and all organizations inciting aggression. We will speak very loudly about how things are and show how they can and should be - stated Grzegorz Schetyna during the Civic Platform convention.

13:13

Schetyna:

By Rejecting Hatred and Revenge, We Will Build a New Polish Home Where Everyone Feels at Home. Community, Not War; Love, Not Hatred

- So today, I answer my daughter and all of you: there is no end. Jurek Owsiak is back with the orchestra, and we are simply getting to work. By rejecting hatred and revenge, we will build a new Polish home where everyone feels at home. We will not exclude anyone, we will not reject anyone. Everyone will find their place in it. This is our commitment today, our answer. Community, not war; love, not hatred - stated Grzegorz Schetyna during the Civic Platform convention.


13:17

Schetyna:

Women's Rights Must Become an Obvious Everyday Reality

- If we want to build something lasting and good, we must do it together. Women and men. Absolutely on equal terms. Women's rights must become an obvious everyday reality. Because what kind of community is it where someone is not protected from violence? What kind of community is it where a victim of rape finds no support? What kind of community is it where salary depends not solely on skills and merits? What kind of community is it where half of us cannot develop and utilize our talents? This must change. We will change it for the good of us all - stated Grzegorz Schetyna during the PO convention.


13:21

Schetyna:

We Need True Solidarity. It's Another Important Element Without Which We Cannot Build a Community
We need true solidarity. It's another important element without which we cannot build a community. Throughout the years of transformation, many people felt forgotten and left to fend for themselves. Great infrastructure and economic projects were created, while ordinary, everyday problems were overlooked. There are entire professional groups whose earnings lag behind the rest. For us to be one community, we must change this. However, this cannot be done by pitting people against each other and inciting them – stated Grzegorz Schetyna during the Civic Platform (PO) convention.

13:23

Schetyna:

The 500+ Program Must Include All of Us, but Also, Perhaps Primarily, Single Mothers, Because They Truly Need Help

- The 500+ program must concern all of us, but also, perhaps primarily, single mothers, because they truly need help. In this program, the needs of people must be paramount, not the legislator's worldview – stated Grzegorz Schetyna during the Civic Platform convention.


13:25

Schetyna:

We Must Stop Thinking in Purely Party Lines. Platform is Not a Party. Our Task is to Support a Great Grassroots Civic Movement

- We must stop thinking in purely party lines. Platform is not a party. Our task is to support a great, civic movement, a grassroots civic movement - stated Grzegorz Schetyna during the PO convention.


13:27

Schetyna:

Our election lists will not be purely partisan, and the government, if we win, will be formed based on professionalism and ability

- I can say this today with full responsibility and announce it. Our election lists will not be purely partisan, and the government, if we win, will be formed based on professionalism and ability - stated Grzegorz Schetyna during the PO convention.


13:30

Schetyna:

Paweł Adamowicz believed Poland could be smiling, that there is more good than evil in people, in us. He believed Poles could be one community.
Paweł Adamowicz believed that Poland could be smiling, that there is more good than evil in people, in us. He believed that Poles could be one community. I ask you all, let us embrace this belief of his and put it into practice - stated Grzegorz Schetyna during the Civic Platform (PO) convention.

13:31

Nowacka:

Not Just Gdańsk Will Become a City of Freedom and Solidarity. It's All of Poland, Thanks to the Great Mobilization of People of Good Will, That Will Be a State of Freedom, Solidarity, and Equality

Not only Gdańsk will become a city of freedom and solidarity. It's all of Poland, thanks to the great mobilization of people of good will, that will be a state of freedom, solidarity, and equality. A hundred years ago, the first elections took place in independent Poland, exceptionally important from the perspective of women, who could vote and be elected for the first time. Hence, we meet today to continue talking about the great dream of Polish women and men: a state of equality. We know, even from recent years, how easily democracy, solidarity, rights, and freedoms can be lost, how easily these freedoms can be deceptively taken away” – said Barbara Nowacka during the Civic Platform convention.


13:40

Kopacz:

You see what the ruling party is trying to convince us of. They say you can't be a working woman and a happy mother. Nothing could be further from the truth.
“We, Polish women, say: equality in competencies, equality in responsibility, equal treatment” - stated Ewa Kopacz during the Civic Platform (PO) convention. She added:
“I want to share a universal slogan with you. This slogan is: we have the right to decide whether we want to have a child and whether we want to stay home with that child longer than our maternity leave allows. We finally have the right to sex education for our children. We have the right to combine our life roles. You see what the ruling party is trying to convince us of. They say you can't be a working woman and a happy mother. Nothing could be further from the truth. I could ask all of you mothers in this room if you are happy. Yes, you are happy, even though you worked. We finally have the right to walk hand in hand in the park with a boyfriend or girlfriend, as is the case in the entire civilized world. And do you know why? Because the world is diverse. We have the right to raise our children in a spirit of equality so that they do not feel their limitations due to their gender. And finally, we have the right to the in vitro method, financed from public funds. That's how it was in our time.”

13:45

Kopacz:

If the Time Comes to Fight, We Will Take to the Streets as Many Times as Necessary
Now, with the upcoming elections, is the time to close ranks. Now is the time for women's solidarity, for a coalition of women who will fight for democratic power in Poland. I want to tell you that if the time comes for declarations, then of course we will make declarations. But if the time comes to fight, then we will take to the streets as many times as necessary – stated Ewa Kopacz during the Civic Platform convention.

14:35

Kidawa-Błońska:

Local Election Success is a Success for Women

"In the recent local elections, Polish women were incredibly active – as citizens and as candidates. The success of these elections is a success for women. This is certainly a reason for satisfaction, although reaching this point was neither easy nor obvious," said the Deputy Marshal of the Sejm, Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska, at a Civic Platform (PO) convention.


17:00

Parliament Ready for Swift Passage of PiS Draft on the National Bank of Poland

During an additional Wednesday session, the Sejm is scheduled to vote on the draft law submitted by PiS concerning salaries at the National Bank of Poland (NBP). While the opposition also has its own proposals on this matter, either the ruling party's draft will be adopted, or a merger of proposals will occur. Before the vote, the first reading will take place on Tuesday at 4:30 PM during a session of the Sejm's Public Finance Committee.

The Sejm will vote on the draft on Wednesday, and already on Thursday at 5:00 PM, the Senate's Budget and Public Finance Committee will address the amendment. The Senate will consider PiS's proposal at an additional Friday session – the upper house already has a prepared schedule that includes the act concerning salaries at the NBP, as well as the amendment to the Electoral Code and the "Mama 4 plus" program. Currently, however, the act concerning compensation for public media is not on the agenda.


20:31

Rzepecki on Schetyna's Words: Next Week I Will Appeal for Platforma to Forgo Subsidies, Return Them to the Budget, or Donate to WOŚP

- I noted down a quote from Schetyna's speech: we must stop thinking in party categories, PO is not a party, our task is to support a strong, grassroots civic movement. This is of course a lie, because the only civic movement is Kukiz'15, and these are the words of chairman Schetyna - stated Łukasz Rzepecki on TVP Info, showing on a tablet archival words of Schetyna about subsidies for political parties.

- This shows what hypocrisy these words spoken today at the PO convention and by chairman Schetyna are. Platforma already announced in 2005 that it would not support party subsidies and is collecting them. 64 million PLN in the term from 2015 to the present. Therefore, next week I will issue an appeal to chairman Schetyna for Platforma to give up the money, or return it to the state budget, or if they so strongly support WOŚP, to transfer this money for charitable purposes to WOŚP, because it will certainly be more beneficial than maintaining party activists by Platforma - added the Kukiz'15 MP.


20:40

Mazurek:

PiS, with J.K. Pawlikowski at the helm, believes the state should do everything to prevent stock market speculators from increasing their influence on the media market

Mazurek: PiS z PJK na czele uważa, ze państwo powinno zrobić wszystko, by spekulanci giełdowi nie zwiększali wpływu na rynek medialny

https://twitter.com/beatamk/status/1089246489203879936?s=12