Thursday marks the second day of the Sejm session. At 10:30 AM, the parliamentary committee on public finance will resume deliberations on the subcommittee's report concerning the presidential bill on "frankowicze" (individuals with loans denominated in Swiss francs). At 5:00 PM, the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs will provide its opinion on the candidacy of Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Bartosz Cichocki for the position of Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to Ukraine.

At 4:45 PM, MPs are scheduled to resume work on the bill granting "compensation" to Polish Television and Polish Radio, totaling nearly 1 billion 260 million Polish zlotys. The voting block will commence at 10:00 PM. It is then most likely that the aforementioned bill regarding compensation, as well as the bill amending the act on electricity prices, will be adopted. The Sejm will vote on an amendment to the so-called act on remuneration in the National Bank of Poland, which will formally conclude the legislative process.

The President of Lithuania will be visiting Warsaw today. At 2:15 PM, Dalia Grybauskaitė will meet with President Andrzej Duda. At 2:50 PM, plenary talks will begin between the delegations led by the presidents. A press conference is scheduled for 3:50 PM. Following this, the Lithuanian President is expected to have meetings with the Marshal of the Sejm (at 4:50 PM) and the Marshal of the Senate (at 5:25 PM).

- To be honest, as soon as I heard about the June 4th Movement being established, in the first second I told my colleagues that Tusk is building a base. Calling the people, these theoretically Non-Party Local Government Officials like Truskolaski or Zdanowska, or Frankiewicz is also entering. Calling them a civic movement is amusing - said Paweł Kukiz in an interview with Daniel Wydrych and Piotr Goćek on "Sygnały Dnia" on Jedynka radio.

- I don't want to attack Mr. Biedroń, but calling him, which is quite common in the media, some kind of new blood in politics... the guy is probably 42 years old, and half of that has been in politics. He started with SDRP, then it was SLD, then the Palikot Movement, and then Your Movement. That's a bit of an overstatement. I don't care about an electorate that believes nonsensical promises - said Paweł Kukiz in an interview with Daniel Wydrych and Piotr Goćka on "Sygnały Dnia" on Polskie Radio Jedynka.

https://twitter.com/SawickiMarek/status/1098471120729194496

- In a democracy, elections are the most important, because they then constitute those in power. In a democracy, changes in held positions are natural. Please note, in democratic countries, being a minister can last only a few months. It's not like that. If we lived in a country with unclear procedures for selecting candidates for ministers, then it would probably be a problem - stated Waldemar Paruch in an interview with Konrad Piasecki on TVN24's "Rozmowa Piaseckiego".

- Let's not detach any elections, including those to the EP, from the political context. Today, it appears we're heading for a clash between, on one side, the ruling camp, United Right, and on the other side, the European Coalition. These elections [to the EP] are quite significant for the shape of the political landscape - stated Waldemar Paruch in an interview with Konrad Piasecki on TVN24's "Piasecki's Conversation."

As 300POLITYKA has learned, Sylwia Spurek, Deputy to the Commissioner for Human Rights Adam Bodnar, submitted her resignation from her current position a few days ago. According to our source, she will join the political group founded by Robert Biedroń. This move had been speculated about for several months.

Sylwia Spurek was appointed Deputy Commissioner for Human Rights in 2015. Prior to that, from 2002 to 2015, she held various positions in the Chancellery of the Prime Minister as part of the civil service. Her doctoral dissertation focused on issues of combating domestic violence. She is a legal advisor and legislator. Privately, for 18 years, she has been the partner of Marcin Anaszewski, Vice-President of Wiosna and a close associate of Biedroń.

Photo: Sylwia Spurek's FB

- He is a very well-prepared candidate. The issues he addresses are also relevant for work in the European Parliament. Specifically, issues of security coordination at the EU level. These are important matters. Joachim Brudziński is a very good candidate - said Karol Karski in "24 Questions" on Polskie Radio 24.

- Once, an attempt was made to give Tusk some substantive work, some substantive task, meaning that when Great Britain wanted to hold the Brexit referendum, he was entrusted with the mission to determine, together with Prime Minister Cameron, the conditions under which Great Britain would remain in the Union and not hold a referendum. A failure. As they say in European circles, the only thing Donald Tusk achieves is Britain leaving the Union - said Karol Karski in "24 Questions" on Polskie Radio 24.

- No, [PiS] is not Teflon. It doesn't work like that. The actions the opposition has initiated on the media market are not working because they are not the key to deconstructing the electoral system in Poland. No, [Jarosław Kaczyński's tapes will not shake the polls] because this is another episode in the "Gazeta Wyborcza" war with President Jarosław Kaczyński, a war waged since the early 90s, and that's how it's perceived – stated Waldemar Paruch in an interview with Konrad Piasecki on TVN24's "Rozmowa Piaseckiego".

„Donald Tusk has founded several parties in his life, and perhaps that's enough. He's probably based his decision on that. There was KLD, he co-created the Freedom Union, then Civic Platform. Today he has different tasks. We will probably learn what Donald Tusk will truly do after the European elections. I don't believe in a knight on a white horse, and we won't be eagerly awaiting anyone, because we need to get to work” - said the leader of PSL, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, in an interview with Robert Mazurek on RMF FM.

- For months I've been saying a broad coalition should be formed. The key is that this broad coalition should be formed for both the European elections and, perhaps primarily, for the autumn elections, because those autumn elections are even more important, but secondly because the D'Hondt system really operates there – stated Katarzyna Lubnauer in an interview with Beata Michniewicz on "Trójka Political Salon".

„Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz should distance himself from the bald and grey PSL old guard. He has a strong forum of young Peasants. I say this with full awareness that I happen to belong to this [bald and grey] group. He has a group of young, active people around him. He should invite people from outside. There is a chance to build not only rural circles around the PSL but also urban ones. The recent local government elections showed that support for the PSL is growing in medium-sized cities. This is the task for President Kosiniak-Kamysz, to make the PSL a nationwide, people's party” - said Marek Sawicki from the PSL in an interview with Jacek Prusinowski on Radio Plus.

„The European Coalition is not Grzegorz Schetyna's idea, but Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz's, announced a month before the conference, first on Twitter, then in an interview. Schetyna readily embraced it, but today – to put it mildly – Donald Tusk is already distancing himself, saying that yes, something like this needs to be built for the European elections, but for national elections, Tusk says he has his own offer, on June 4th, where he wants to build a strong list for the Senate, because power is also in the Senate” – said Marek Sawicki from PSL in an interview with Jacek Prusinowski on Radio Plus.

- Just as joining Civic Coalition was out of the question for the Polish People's Party, so is joining European Coalition. We believe that PiS cannot be defeated in these elections. I would like to elaborate on this thesis because I may have stated it imprecisely somewhere, and the point is that these elections will not decide who will govern in Poland, right. The second electoral jump, i.e., autumn, will decide who will govern. However, these elections can initiate positive trends - said Piotr Zgorzelski in an interview with Eliza Olczyk on Polskie Radio 24.

- My mother, a Warsaw native, would say in that Mokotów slang – that Tusk is a sly slacker. He allowed PO to become demoralized, leading to the Sowa conversations, where the total demoralization of PO was evident. When the threat emerged that there could be criminal, legal consequences due to these recordings – he evacuated himself to Brussels – stated Paweł Kukiz in an interview with Marek Kacprzak on the WP program "Tłit".

- Whatever you say about Schetyna, he saved scraps after Tusk's government. Donald Tusk behaves unethically and immorally; he's fighting for money. As for PiS, it's clear that the transfer of power to Morawiecki is underway – he added.

- I will definitely not run for the EP, I believe that running for the EP and promising that I will return to Poland in half a year and run here - is unethical and a deception. I will announce everything in a few days - stated Paweł Kukiz in an interview with Marek Kacprzak on WP's program "Tłit".

- We want, on the eve of the European Parliament election campaign, to which Minister Zalewska intends to flee, for voters to learn what her role, and that of her associates and assistants, was in the theft of materials from the Polish Red Cross (PCK) – stated Robert Kropiwnicki during a press conference in the Sejm.

- We will appeal to Zbigniew Ziobro, we will submit a letter as part of a parliamentary intervention, for him to reveal all materials concerning politicians in the so-called PCK scandal – Kropiwnicki added.

- Deputy Ombudsman for Equal Treatment, Dr. Sylwia Spurek, has resigned from her position effective February 28, 2019. Her resignation has been accepted. Dr. Spurek will be on leave until the end of February – informed the Office of the Ombudsman, thereby confirming today's information from 300POLITYKA.

“Today, we have submitted [a motion for] a vote of no confidence against the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Jan Krzysztof Ardanowski. During his 8 months in office, the hallmarks of the minister have become incompetence, ineffectiveness, contentiousness, and a lack of oversight over the state institutions subordinate to him. Jan Krzysztof Ardanowski has not solved the problems currently plaguing Poland's countryside. Moreover, his actions have caused chaos and confusion. He has contributed to the lengthening list of PiS errors and failures in this area. Polish farmers, entrepreneurs, and consumers will pay for them. Minister Ardanowski's particular helplessness and incompetence were evident in the Polish beef crisis. He showed ineffectiveness at the moment of threat and crisis” – she said at a press conference.

“The National Board of Civic Platform today received information regarding the ongoing, very advanced discussions about the formation of the European Coalition for the upcoming European Parliament elections. We discussed a number of issues related to the preparation of Civic Platform and the new project for the European elections. Chairman Grzegorz Schetyna has received authorization to finalize and conclude the European Coalition. Such a coalition will allow us to win the upcoming elections against PiS. For this to happen, we must present the best possible candidates, which is why we have also adopted the principles and regulations for selecting candidates who will participate in the elections,” Mariusz Witczak from Civic Platform said at a press conference in the Sejm.

“These are the most important elections since 1989. Poles will have two blocs to choose from: a coalition of groups whose aim will be to rebuild Poland’s position in Europe, and a second bloc, behind which lies Polexit and marginalization on the European stage,” Andrzej Halicki added.

– Tusk is a cunning rascal. He is a person who initially tolerated the complete demoralization within the Civic Platform, which led to discussions, culminating in the Sowa conversations. It's evident how demoralized that party is. At one point, he evacuated to Brussels, fearing the consequences – said Paweł Kukiz in an interview with Adrian Klarenbach on Polskie Radio 24.

– [Tusk] fled from the demoralized Civic Platform, and now, regardless of what one might say about Schetyna, whether someone likes him or not, whether someone agrees with him or not, one thing is certain: he saved the fragments of the Platform after Tusk, somehow pieced them back together. Just as he previously built the Platform for Tusk. Now that he has done all this, and Tusk previously dragged Schetyna through the mud, he now says, 'I am returning, and what's more, I will steal what Schetyna has accomplished' – added Kukiz.

"Many indications suggest I will have the third spot, but we still need to wait for the final decision. For me, the most important thing is that I would like to embark on a far-reaching fight for civilizational matters in the European Parliament. Many indications suggest I will [run in the Małopolska-Świętokrzyskie constituency]" - said Deputy Minister Patryk Jaki in an interview with Dorota Gawryluk on "Wydarzenia i opinie" (Events and Opinions) on Polsat News.

"That's a political decision [that I am not running in Warsaw]" - he added.

“I am looking for opportunities where I could better utilize my experience for the Polish state. I see that there was a certain gap when it comes to European institutions. This gap, if filled wisely, would make it easier to implement many changes that have not succeeded in Poland” – said Deputy Minister Patryk Jaki in an interview with Dorota Gawryluk on “Wydarzenia i opinie” (Events and Opinions) on Polsat News.

- It was surprising that such a massive evacuation was being prepared. They truly don't believe in victory in the parliamentary elections and are starting to regularly flee. To prepare such an escape and jump to Brussels - said Grzegorz Schetyna in a conversation with Grzegorz Kajdanowicz on the program "Fakty po faktach" on TVN24.

„Why should a politician like Donald Tusk be denied the right to continue being a Polish politician? He is still a Polish politician. He has the right to make decisions, comment on events, build support for the group that ideologically suits him, or patronize a movement,” stated former Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz in an interview with Dorota Gawryluk on Polsat News's „Wydarzenia i opinie”.

„Grzegorz Schetyna and Donald Tusk discuss many things together, they have been friends for years. It's not that they are political opponents, God forbid. Anyone who tries to drive a wedge between them will be greatly surprised,” she added.

-- LIVEBLOG 300POLITYKI:
Schetyna: I am convinced that with the PSL, we will be stronger, and I believe they will join the coalition.
Kopacz: Tusk and Schetyna discuss many things together; they have been friends for years. They are not political opponents. Anyone who tries to drive a wedge between them will be greatly surprised.
Schetyna on PiS's EP lists: They truly don't believe in winning parliamentary elections and are starting to flee regularly.
Schetyna on Tusk's presidential candidacy: That would be the best scenario.
Jaki: I am looking for opportunities where I can better utilize my experience for the Polish state. I see there was a certain gap regarding European institutions.
Jaki: I will have the third spot on the list, and much indicates it will be in the Małopolska – Świętokrzyskie district. Asked why not Warsaw: That is a political decision.
Kukiz: Tusk is a cunning fox. Schetyna gathered the scraps of PO together. Tusk is returning and will steal from Schetyna what he has built.
Schetyna, authorized by the PO National Board, to finalize and conclude the European Coalition.
PO submits a motion of no confidence in Minister Ardanowski.
RPO confirms: Sylwia Spurek has submitted her resignation.
Kropiwnicki: We want voters to know what Zalewska's role was in the theft of PCK materials. We will appeal to Ziobro to disclose materials concerning politicians associated with the affair.
https://300polityka.pl/live/2019/02/21/

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WYDARZENIA POLSATU

-- THE MONUMENT OF CHAPLAIN HENRYK JANKOWSKI WAS TOPPLED IN GDAŃSK - announcement: The RPO is also critical of the action.

-- GDANSK AUTHORITIES SPOKE OF UNACCEPTABLE VANDALISM, BUT DECIDED THE TOPPLED MONUMENT WOULD BE STORED - Grzegorz Kępka.

-- "SOLIDARITY" DOES NOT WANT TO HEAR ABOUT MOVING THE MONUMENT ELSEWHERE - Kępka.

-- EMOTIONS, MUTUAL ACCUSATIONS, AND SHOUTS. That's what the parliamentary debate on the dismissal of the Minister of Justice looked like - announcement.

-- THE PRIME MINISTER STOOD BY THE MINISTER - Bogdan Rymanowski continues.

-- THE OPPOSITION HAD A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SAY FROM THE PODIUM WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN ACCUSING THE LAW AND JUSTICE PARTY OF FOR MONTHS. THIS WAS THE FIRST MOTION TO DISMISS ZIOBRO - Dariusz Ociepa.

-- THE OPPOSITION REMINDED OF CASES DISMISSED AND INVESTIGATIONS NOT INITIATED BY THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE - Ociepa.

-- THE MOST FREQUENTLY RECURRING THREAD WAS THE "SILVER" AFFAIR AND BIRGFELNER'S TESTIMONY - Ociepa.

-- ACCORDING TO ZIOBRO, IT IS THE BUSINESSMAN AND HIS LAWYERS WHO ARE SLOWING DOWN THE CASE - Ociepa.

-- GIERTYCH WAS THE HERO OF ZIOBRO'S SPEECH - Ociepa.

-- DURING THE DEBATE, KACZYŃSKI AND THE MAJORITY OF LAW AND JUSTICE PARTY MPS WERE NOT PRESENT IN THE CHAMBER. THE PRIME MINISTER DEFENDED ZIOBRO - Ociepa.

-- THE FACT THAT THE PRIME MINISTER POLITICALLY RIVALS WITH ZIOBRO IS AN OPEN SECRET - Ociepa.

-- IT WASN'T EVIDENT JUST YESTERDAY - Ociepa.

-- KACZYŃSKI ONLY CAME FOR THE VOTE - Ociepa.

-- DINOSAURS, OLD AGE, AND FOREST DWELLERS. BIEDROŃ DOES NOT MINCE WORDS AND REMINDS THE COMPETITION OF THEIR AGE - announcement: The words of the leader of Wiosna caused cross-party uproar.

-- IT ENDED WITH ACCUSATIONS OF AGEISM - Piotr Michalak.

-- A reminder of Karczewski's and Wiśniewska's remarks about the "dinosaurs" from Civic Platform.

-- BY TAKING UP THE FIGHT AGAINST EXCLUSION, IT IS DIFFICULT TO EXCLUDE SOMEONE FROM POLITICS, EVEN SOLELY IN TERMS OF LANGUAGE - Michalak.

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FAKTY TVN

-- MINISTER VERSUS LAWYER - PiS defended Zbigniew Ziobro - this was not a surprise. The motion of no confidence against the Minister of Justice, filed by the opposition, failed. The surprise was how the minister began his defense. Ziobro stated that Gerald Birgfellner's lawyer, Roman Giertych, is leading the opposition astray. "Don't let Giertych fool you," he advised the politicians.

-- I AM SURPRISED THAT INSTEAD OF LOOKING FOR EVIDENCE AND THE MISSING PRIEST, HE IS DEALING WITH ATTORNEYS - Giertych.

-- THE OPPOSITION COMPLAINS ABOUT THE LACK OF ACTION AGAINST THE CHAIRMAN OF THE LAW AND JUSTICE PARTY - Sobieniowski.

-- Sobieniowski on Ziobro not answering whether he showed the files and that there were differences in the questions asked.

-- TUSK SAYS: I WON'T PRETEND THIS ISN'T MY WAR, NEW ENERGY MAY START ON JUNE 4TH - in the announcement: "I won't pretend this isn't my war," Donald Tusk says in "Fakty po Faktach" and sends a clear signal before the European elections: a new party is not needed, but a broad civic coalition is. New energy may start on June 4th, and in which direction will this movement go?

-- FOR CIVIC PLATFORM POLITICIANS, A PROGRAM WITH TUSK IS A MANDATORY POINT ON THE AGENDA - Zalewska.

-- TOMASZ SIEMONIAK: I interpret his message as - do not rest on your laurels.

-- FROM YESTERDAY, THE QUESTION IS NOT WHETHER BUT IN WHAT ROLE HE WILL RETURN - Zalewska.

-- I THINK HE WILL BE IN BRUSSELS UNTIL THE END OF HIS TERM - Rafał Trzaskowski.

-- TRZASKOWSKI: I see room to engage everyone else who has not been involved in politics so far, in order to fight for the strengthening of democracy in Poland.

-- JUNE 4TH FALLS THE WEEK AFTER THE EUROPEAN ELECTIONS AND 5 MONTHS BEFORE THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS - Zalewska.

-- IN GDAŃSK, AT THE ROUND TABLE, LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WILL SIGN THE PACT OF FREEDOM - Zalewska.

-- VATICAN SUMMIT. ONE OF THE TESTIMONIES IS THE REPORT FROM POLAND.

-- THE MONUMENT OF FR. JANKOWSKI FELL.

-- E-PIT - E-PROBLEM - a report on the possibility of monitoring employee PIT returns.

-- SZYDŁO SPEAKS AGAIN - in the announcement.

-- PRIME MINISTER SZYDŁO IS SMILING AGAIN AND GIVING INTERVIEWS; FOR WEEKS IT WAS LIKE THIS BEFORE - Maciej Knapik on Szydło avoiding the media.

-- SHE SPEAKS WHEN IT IS POLITICALLY ADVANTAGEOUS, AND BELKA ACCUSES HER OF NOT SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGES, WHILE SZYDŁO REMINDS THAT HER GOVERNMENT SUPPORTED BELKA - Knapik.

-- IN SZYDŁO'S EUROPEAN CAREER, EVERYTHING IS GOING WELL, EVEN IF SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHEN POLAND JOINED THE EU, THAT'S A BIG SLIP-UP, JUST LIKE THE DEFENSE OF THE AWARDS - Knapik.

-- Knapik on the removal of flags and Szydło's speeches: It's harder to play in the EU team this way.

-- MEAT CONTROLS.

-- THE MAŁOPOLSKA CURATOR AND HER HOMOPHOBIC REMARKS.

-- THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION HAS NOT PROVIDED A COMMENT - Renata Kijowska.

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WIADOMOŚCI TVP

-- PRESIDENTS OF POLAND AND LITHUANIA SIGNED A DECLARATION ON STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIP IN THE FIELD OF SECURITY - no material.

-- THE OPPOSITION LOST THE BATTLE FOR CHANGES IN THE COURTS - banner.

-- FRAGMENTS OF THE EVENING PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE.

-- A BREAKTHROUGH CHANGE IN THE COURTS IS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE RANDOM ASSIGNMENT OF CASES, RATHER THAN BY COURT PRESIDENTS - Bartłomiej Graczak.

-- CIVIC PLATFORM POLITICIANS DO NOT ACCEPT THESE ARGUMENTS - Graczak continues.

-- NOT ALL PLANS WERE REALIZED - Graczak continues: The reason is the resistance of judges and the opposition. Nevertheless, citizens have felt the change.

-- THE OPPOSITION IS NOT SATISFIED; ANOTHER MOTION FOR DISMISSAL HAS BEEN FILED, THIS TIME AGAINST THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE - Graczak.

-- ZIOBRO: GIERTYCH IS FOOLING THE OPPOSITION - banner.

-- THE MAIN ARGUMENT FOR THE DISMISSAL OF THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE IS, ACCORDING TO THE PROPONENTS, THE LACK OF PROGRESS IN THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE LAW AND JUSTICE PARTY - Karol Jatłuszewski: The investigation is proceeding much slower than it should, admits the Minister of Justice, due to the obstruction by the attorney of Roman Giertych. - FRAGMENTS OF ZBIGNIEW ZIOBRY'S PARLIAMENTARY SPEECH.

-- A BUSINESSMAN WHO DOESN'T KNOW WHO HE'S TRANSFERRING MONEY TO IS A RATHER UNUSUAL SCENARIO - Jatłuszewski: According to the minister, this is a scenario written by Giertych for the opposition.

-- THERE IS NO LACK OF OPINIONS THAT ROMAN GIERTYCH IS TODAY NOT SO MUCH A LAWYER AS ONE OF THE LEADERS OF THE OPPOSITION - Jatłuszewski continues.

-- LAW AND JUSTICE PARTY LEADS THE LATEST POLITICAL PARTY SUPPORT POLL - Kantar Public survey. PiS 37%, PO 20%, Wiosna 10%.

-- DONALD TUSK IS BREAKING EUROPEAN UNION STANDARDS - banner.

-- FRAGMENTS OF AN INTERVIEW FOR TVN24.

-- DONALD TUSK ATTACKED THE POLISH GOVERNMENT FOR ITS FOREIGN POLICY AND THE ORGANIZATION OF THE MIDDLE EASTERN CONFERENCE IN WARSAW - Maksymilian Maszenda.

-- THE INTERVIEW CAUSED OUTRAGE IN BRUSSELS BECAUSE TUSK DELIVERED HIS CONTROVERSIAL THESES AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF THE EU AND THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL LOGO, WHICH CLEARLY INDICATES THAT HE WAS NOT EXPRESSING PRIVATE OPINIONS, BUT WAS SPEAKING AS AN EU OFFICIAL - Maszenda continues.

-- THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION CRITICIZED THE PREJUDICIAL QUESTIONS ADDRESSED TO THE CJEU BY IGOR TULEYA.

-- JUDGE TULEYA'S COMPROMISE - banner.

- The European Union, EU institutions are increasingly dealing with the area of security, and Mr. Minister Brudziński is a person with very extensive experience in this regard – said Patryk Jaki in an interview with Monika Olejnik on the TVN24 program “Kropka nad i”.

- He has been a minister for a year and has a lot of experience? – the journalist inquired.

- Yes. He has extensive experience as a constitutional minister, and we know that today it is often the case that Poland's fate or very important projects concerning our state are decided in European arenas – stated Jaki.