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07/07/2019

08:18

Sunday's Political Agenda: The Final Day of PiS's Program Congress in Katowice

Sunday marks the third and final day of the Law and Justice (PiS) program congress in Katowice. The first panel scheduled for today is "The Justice System" at 10:30 AM, featuring Ministers Zbigniew Ziobro, Michał Wójcik, Marcin Warchoł, Marcin Romanowski, Paweł Mucha, and Prof. Jakub Stelina. The panel will be moderated by Jan Kanthak.

The convention will conclude at 2:00 PM, with the closing speech by the President of Law and Justice, Jarosław Kaczyński, scheduled for this time.

Also in Katowice, at 12:00 PM, a press briefing will be held with the participation of Civic Platform (PO) Vice-Chairman Borys Budka and the head of PO in Silesia, Wojciech Saługa.


10:05

Libicki:

What happened to PiS in the European Parliament is what PiS does to the opposition in the Polish parliament
- What happened to PiS in the European Parliament is exactly what PiS does to the opposition in the Polish parliament. PiS itself did the same thing with the PSL during the election of the Sejm presidium - said Jan Filip Libicki on Woronicza 17.

10:12

Szefernaker:

Let Each of You Ask Yourselves, What Did the Residents of Central Pomerania Have to Earn the EU Positions Held by Buzek, Bieńkowska, and Tusk?
- Let each of you ask yourselves, what did the residents of Central Pomerania have to earn the EU positions held by Mr. Buzek, Ms. Bieńkowska, and Mr. Tusk? - said Paweł Szefernaker in Woronicza 17.

10:16

Szefernaker:

Forcing Poles to Work Until 67 is Bad, and Commercializing Healthcare is Bad
- Forcing Poles to work until the age of 67 is bad, introducing a value system in Warsaw that devastates the family is bad, and commercializing healthcare is bad. Poles appreciate a positive program of investment in people, and evil should be called by its name – said Paweł Szefernaker in Woronicza 17.

10:24

Żukowska:

If the offensive of evil must be stopped, perhaps you will finally stop and cease breaking the rule of law
- If the offensive of evil must be stopped, perhaps you will finally stop and cease breaking the rule of law. PiS has probably watched too much Star Wars - said Anna Maria Żukowska from SLD in Woronicza 17.

10:28

Ikonowicz:

You don't leave room for discussion, because you don't discuss evil, you destroy it
- You don't leave room for discussion, because you don't discuss evil, you destroy it. Is there any point in labeling the opposition as evil instead of listening and talking? The strategy of focusing the discussion on moral issues is clever, because it reduces the opposition to LGBT matters, which is a fringe of the fringes – said Piotr Ikonowicz in Woronicza 17.

10:36

Spychalski on Election Date: 'I Won't Hide That We Were a Little Surprised by the Prime Minister's Words'

- I won't hide that we were a little surprised by the Prime Minister's words. I would like to remind you that it is the President who calls the elections to the Sejm and Senate, and it is the President who makes this decision. I want to emphasize right away that this decision is still ahead of us - stated Błażej Spychalski in Piotr Witwicki's program "Śniadanie w Polsat News".

- Of course, it is possible that the Prime Minister would like the parliamentary elections to be on October 13th - he added.


10:36

Żukowska:

The Richest Must Be Taxed. Ikonowicz: But How Do You Plan to Do That in a Coalition with Civic Platform?
- The Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) is a guarantee that social rights granted to Poles by the Law and Justice (PiS) party will not be taken away. We speak clearly and don't fool around, stating that corporations and the wealthiest must be taxed. VAT, which hits the poorest, needs to be lowered, and an additional tax bracket should be introduced; those earning over 200,000 PLN should pay 40% tax – said Anna Maria Żukowska on Woronicza 17. - I am glad you have matured to such views, but how do you intend to implement this in a coalition with Civic Platform? – replied Piotr Ikonowicz.

10:46

Kukiz to the President: I Appeal for Courage, Independence from the Ruling Party, and the Soonest Possible Election Date

- I am writing to Mr. President with a request to set the date for elections to the Parliament of the Republic of Poland as soon as possible. The President's delay in deciding to announce the elections will, in practice, mean the exclusion of all groups except the largest parties from the electoral process. Under the current party-based electoral system, citizens are already largely deprived of their passive voting rights, i.e., the ability to run in elections. But if you also announce the elections at the last possible moment, you will also restrict citizens' active voting rights, i.e., the possibility to cast their vote in these elections for the group closest to them - wrote Paweł Kukiz to President Duda in a letter published on social media.

- I appeal to Mr. President for courage, independence from the ruling party, and to set the election date as soon as possible. Allow me to remind you that you were elected President of the Republic of Poland not only by the votes of supporters of the current ruling party. People supporting other groupings also voted for you, including some of the over 3 million citizens who supported my candidacy for President of the Republic of Poland in 2015. Citizens expect that in exercising your office, you will be guided by the common good of all citizens, and not just the interests of the ruling party. Therefore, you cannot contribute to limiting the freedom of choice that Poles should have at the ballot box. It will depend on the President's decision whether he goes down in history as a defender of citizens' rights, or as the gravedigger of democracy and co-creator of a party duopoly. I deeply believe that you will make the right decision - emphasized the leader of Kukiz'15.


10:47

Kierwiński:

We all know the decision on when elections will be held wasn't made in the Presidential Palace, but on Nowogrodzka Street

- Let's not be children. We all know that the decision regarding when the elections will be held wasn't made in the Presidential Palace, but was made on Nowogrodzka Street - stated Marcin Kierwiński on Piotr Witwicki's program "Breakfast at Polsat News."


10:48

Czarzasty:

We await Platforma's stance calmly. We are scheduled for talks on Tuesday.

- What happens next? We await Platforma's stance calmly. We are scheduled for talks on Tuesday - stated Włodzimierz Czarzasty in Piotr Witwicki's program "Śniadanie w Polsat News".

- If it turns out that this all gets muddled, if it turns out that my current partners each start saying something different, then I might conclude that I am participating in some kind of parade of deceivers, and yet, no one is a deceiver - emphasized the SLD leader.


10:59

On Mr. Andrzej from Węgrów: We all saw what happened there, and the fact that they managed to somehow manage the crisis afterwards doesn't change the fact that everyone saw the chuckling at being a PiS voter.

- We all saw what happened there, and the fact that they managed to somehow manage the crisis afterwards doesn't change the fact that what everyone saw, i.e., the chuckling at being a PiS voter HA HA HA, well, everyone saw that. In my opinion, this is typical contempt for another person from the Platform [Civic Platform] - stated Patryk Jaki on Piotr Witwicki's program "Breakfast on Polsat News," referring to Mr. Andrzej from Węgrów.


11:52

Ziobro:

A Great Challenge Ahead – Completing the Justice System Reform
  • This is a very difficult battle, because not only all possible national forces have been involved, but also international circles, including the aforementioned Mr. Timmermans, who speaks so benevolently, claiming to care so much about Poland, about justice, about honesty, the reliability of court proceedings, but when I spoke about numerous pathologies and irregularities, he completely failed to notice the issues and seemed to become deaf and blind to all these irregularities, the problems of the Polish judiciary that Poles encounter daily, and which are – one might say – the effect, the function of the inefficiency of the system we want to change – stated Zbigniew Ziobro at the United Right convention in Katowice.
  • I can tell you that a great challenge lies before us for the next term, to complete this reform [of the justice system] that we have undertaken, this battle that is ongoing. The dust has not settled, but above all, our conviction, our will, is even stronger to bring about changes in the judiciary that will truly serve society and the state with humility. Because every judge deserves respect, but above all, a judge who knows their role and place in society and, independently, free from any pressure, in agreement with their conscience, decent and moral, issues a just verdict. And this is precisely what we want – emphasized the Minister of Justice.

13:09

Mucha on Election Date: Until We Have an Official Presidential Statement, These Are Media Speculations

"It can be said very clearly that the President, possessing the authority, will issue the appropriate decision. To the best of my recollection, [the date] is mid-August. This is absolutely the competence of the head of state, and the President, listening to all voices and statements from the highest authorities, will decide in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and the Electoral Code," Minister Paweł Mucha said in an interview with journalists in Katowice.


"Until we have an official statement from the President, these are media speculations," he added.


13:45

Spychalski on Election Date: I Think October 13th Isn't Particularly Fortunate
Such a decision, which is the sole competence of the President, has not yet been made by the President. I think [October 13th] isn't particularly fortunate. We are conducting a broad analysis from every perspective in the Presidential Palace - said Błażej Spychalski on TVN24's "Kawa na ławę" (Coffee on the Table). - Also from the perspective of the Poland - North Macedonia match? - Konrad Piasecki inquired. - Of course. Matches of the Polish national team are very important - Spychalski replied.

14:19

PJK:

We Will Pursue Substantive, Thoughtful, Knowledge-Based Politics. Politics That Will Build Credibility, Because Without Credibility, There is No Democracy
We will, ladies and gentlemen, go down this path. We will pursue substantive, thoughtful, knowledge-based politics. Politics that will simultaneously build what I have spoken about here. That is, credibility, because without credibility, there is no democracy - said Jarosław Kaczyński during the programmatic convention of United Right in Katowice.

14:26

PJK:

PiS is a democratic formation, and our coalition is democratic. Historians will one day recognize this fact and consider it a great achievement

- Law and Justice is a democratic formation, and our coalition is democratic. And I believe that one day historians will notice this fact and recognize it as a great achievement and a significant, positive change in our politics, in our public life. We must follow this path, because there is no other good path for our homeland - said Jarosław Kaczyński during the program convention of the United Right in Katowice.


14:30

Kaczyński:

Is it better to practice politics by discussing and implementing a program, or by relying on emotions, mainly negative? The former model is incomparably better for Poland.
“It would be good if we increased our election result in the upcoming elections by the same percentage as we increased the number of panelists and participants in this conference. There have been very many such conferences in the history of our party,” said Law and Justice leader Jarosław Kaczyński at the closing of the convention in Katowice.

“It is worth asking Poles which form of practicing politics is better. Is it the one we use, discussing, preparing, and implementing programs, or the one that relies on emotions, mainly negative ones. I am personally convinced that the former model is incomparably better for Poland,” he added.

“Although it is generally not my role to support the opposition, not in the slightest is it my role, I will allow myself to address the opposition formations and ask them to reflect on this issue – in the interest of the country, but also in their own interest,” said President Kaczyński.

14:31

Kaczyński:

Elections in October, or Perhaps November, Depend on the President; We Must Win to Sustain Poland's Good Times

"We must sustain the good times for Poles, the good times for Poland. In October, and perhaps in November, the parliamentary elections will take place – this is the President's decision. We must achieve victory in these elections to sustain this era. We will win. We will win through action and thought, thought and action" - said Law and Justice party leader Jarosław Kaczyński at the close of the convention in Katowice.


18:02

PMM:

The President Has Exclusive Authority to Set the Election Date. Yesterday I Said the Elections Will Be Held in October or November

- The President has his exclusive competence, of course, absolutely exclusive, to set the election date, and the date by which he sets this date is also in his hands. Yesterday, during my address, if someone listened to it in its entirety, I said that the elections will be held either in October or November, because this is what the election calendar and the Constitution indicate - stated Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in Kielno.


19:24

PM for 300POLITYKA on 500+ for the Disabled: "We Will Work on This Now at the Council of Ministers. The Legislative Process Must Be Concluded in September."

- We want this project [500+ for the disabled] to be implemented this autumn as well, for those most affected by fate, for about half a million people. These are individuals who are completely deprived of the ability to function independently or to work. They are people who need state assistance the most – stated Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in an interview with 300POLITYKA.

Asked if the project's approval by the Council of Ministers could happen in the coming days, the head of government replied: - Yes, absolutely. We will work on this now at the Council of Ministers and I hope we will manage to do it as soon as possible, this autumn. In short, the legislative process must be concluded in September.

According to unofficial information, the government is scheduled to address this project as early as next Tuesday.