300polityka

12:21

President:

Simply Shameful, Shameful for Who Was Ever Elected First President of the Supreme Court. Fortunately, a Change in Office of the First President of the Supreme Court is Imminent, According to Current Polish Regulations and Schedule.

- Ms. President Gersdorf speaks about Poland abroad, in particular, such things that, let me say, I feel ashamed when I hear that someone who claims to be the First President of the Polish Supreme Court can speak such things about the Polish state outside the country, even if it only happens within the judicial community. Simply shame, shame for who was ever elected to the office of this First President of the Supreme Court. These may be strong words, but I have such unambiguous feelings, and for me, as the President of the Republic, this is an extremely unpleasant situation. Fortunately, a change in office of the First President of the Supreme Court is imminent, in accordance with current Polish regulations and the schedule, and I hope that the General Assembly of Supreme Court Judges will elect a responsible person who will effectively fulfill this function - said President Andrzej Duda.

11:26

Duda:

The Essence of the EU Court of Justice's Rulings is Being Distorted, Effectively Introducing Anarchy into the Country. This is Unacceptable.

- It is needed. I would even say it is essential – especially in light of the rulings and statements that have recently appeared in the, unfortunately, public and media space from judges, where the essence of what the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled has been completely distorted, by over-interpreting, to put it mildly, the content of that judgment and omitting its very important aspects. And at the same time, attempting to effectively introduce anarchy in the country, something that absolutely cannot be agreed with. Every citizen looking at this reasonably will say stop to such actions. And hence, among other things, these solutions, which, moreover, are largely solutions taken from the legislation of other European Union countries, I want to strongly emphasize this. Solutions that are intended to lead to the courts returning to the kind of operation they are supposed to perform in accordance with the constitution and should pursue in accordance with globally applicable norms in democratic countries. That is, they should administer justice in such a way that the state functions well, and that people have a sense of justice. Unfortunately, this has not been happening in Poland for a long time – said President Andrzej Duda in an interview with Michał Rachoń on Woronicza 17.

11:48

President Duda on His Vetoes: 'I Believed the Bill in That Form Could Not Pass.' He Emphasized Then That This Did Not Change His Deep Conviction That Justice Reform, Especially Changes in the Supreme Court, Are Necessary.

- I don't know if you remember, but I was the one who, at the time, issued a presidential veto against the judicial bills passed by the previous parliamentary term. It was accompanied by a great storm – both media and political – including a very sharp reaction from my colleagues, with whom I was still part of the same party group not so long ago. They really disliked my decision. I made that decision with full responsibility – said President Andrzej Duda in an interview with Michał Rachoń on Woronicza 17. - Firstly, I believed that the bill removed, or was removing, protection for court administrative staff, which I absolutely, fundamentally disagreed with. I believe this should not be done. Secondly, I believed that it couldn't be that Supreme Court judges would be at the mercy of the Prosecutor General, the Minister of Justice. Why? Because the Prosecutor General is a party in many cases before the Supreme Court, in cases where prosecutors are involved. Therefore, I concluded that this entity could not be authorized to verify judges in any way – in terms of which judge would continue to adjudicate and which would not – and such were, among other things, the provisions of that bill. This is primarily what caused my veto at the time. I believed that the bill, in that form, could not pass. Nevertheless, I strongly emphasized then that this absolutely did not change my deep conviction that the reform of the justice system in Poland, and in particular changes in the Supreme Court, are essential – said the President.

11:54

President Duda on Supreme Court Ruling: Rulings Against the Law and Constitution Are Possible Without Consequences, as Judges Face No State Tribunal and Illusory Disciplinary Accountability

- As we see a whole series of rulings recently, where judges are simply taking advantage of the fact that, for example, there is no longer any possibility to appeal a Supreme Court ruling, that there is no longer any possibility to appeal a Constitutional Tribunal ruling. Therefore, in their opinion, this means that it is possible to issue a ruling contra legem, i.e., completely against the regulations. That it is possible to issue a ruling against the principles of the constitution, and still there will be no consequences, because there is no provision for putting judges before the State Tribunal, because disciplinary responsibility has been illusory until now. Consequently, as we can see, the creation of the Disciplinary Chamber in the Supreme Court, which was created as a new chamber. Very independent of the First President of the Supreme Court, intentionally so, precisely so that the First President of the Supreme Court, and other presidents of the Supreme Court, would not have influence over the affairs of this chamber – various ones: personnel, financial. That is precisely why its independence was so strongly guaranteed – so that these judges would act to the greatest possible extent free from all environmental pressures, because these are the most dangerous - said President Andrzej Duda in an interview with Michał Rachoń on Woronicza 17.

12:04

President Duda: Yes, it's a peculiar arrangement. An arrangement that unfortunately originated in the Supreme Court, which today is multilayered and based on collegiality.

- I hope that precisely thanks to this transparency, which is so necessary in our public life, and also these historical facts – the entanglements in which these judges found themselves for years – it will be possible today to see with your own eyes, and everyone will be able to convince themselves how ossified and how difficult the current structure is. And why many people talk about something that is very often called the post-communist arrangement here. Yes, it's a peculiar arrangement. An arrangement that unfortunately originated in the Supreme Court, which today is multilayered, based on collegiality, and in many other ways - said President Andrzej Duda in an interview with Michał Rachoń on Woronicza 17. - Today, de facto in the judicial community, and in the legal community in general, people can be divided into two groups. Into those who say things should stay as they were – and among them are those who had party credentials and those who didn't, those who boasted of being in the democratic opposition – but they want things to stay as they were. They want what was created right after '90 to remain. This specific arrangement of mutual, collegial transfers of judges who were appointed by the communist regime, with judges who came later, with those who joined the judicial profession from other legal professions, where they came to an understanding, as colleagues do. Or do we change, and is Poland truly to be a clean country that functions well, where certain ethical principles apply, where certain moral principles apply? Where there are certain canons that must not be broken. Where there are principles that a judge must adhere to, because if not – they will be expelled from the profession. That a judge cannot arbitrarily exceed the speed limit on the road, for example, and then present their judge's identification card and demand to be left alone, because they are allowed to exceed the speed limit because they have immunity. And such situations occur, and they are very frequent - said PAD.

12:13

President Duda: Groups Losing Influence Resort to Force Against Elected Authorities; Judiciary Attempts to Assert Supremacy

- Mr. Editor, first and foremost, let us begin by stating that a torrent of lies about what is happening with legislation concerning the judiciary is flowing from Poland to Western Europe. Unbelievable stories are being told, Poland is being demonized, by whom? Primarily by those groups that see they are losing their influence, those groups that today are de facto attempting almost a forceful resolution against democratically elected authorities in Poland. The judiciary is trying to show the entire society and the authorities elected by them, both legislative and executive, that it is stronger than those authorities. That is, that it has an advantage over them. Meanwhile, unfortunately, neither the Polish constitution nor the principle of the separation of powers anticipates such a situation, where the judiciary would have priority over all other authorities. Even more so, the question arises as to who actually elects this power in that case. Because if the power that is chosen by society in direct elections, for the most part, is to be considered less important than a power chosen indirectly and, until now, on the basis of co-optation by the judicial community. Then I must say that we are distancing ourselves greatly from democracy - said President Andrzej Duda in an interview with Michał Rachoń on Woronicza 17.

12:27

President Duda: How can we credibly accept an election validity ruling from a judge who has clearly publicly sided with one party in various political disputes?

- How can we credibly accept an election validity ruling from a judge who has clearly publicly sided with one party in various political disputes, revealing their political views and ideological stance. Unfortunately, it also very often happens that they have insulted politicians from a certain side of the political scene. This is something that, in my opinion, is unimaginable in Western Europe - said President Andrzej Duda.

12:33

President Duda Challenges Gersdorf: "Let Ms. Gersdorf Answer with Her Visor Raised: How Does She Assess the Credibility of EU Court Judges Appointed by National Governments?"

- Mr. Editor, let Ms. Gersdorf answer viewers with her visor raised to one question: how, in that case, does she assess the credibility of the judges of the Court of Justice of the European Union, given that they are appointed by the governments of the Member States, and also the governments of the Member States decide whether they will serve a second term in the Court or not. In that case, according to Ms. Gersdorf, what about their independence, their credibility towards society, their independence from state authorities? Please, I am waiting for Ms. Gersdorf to assess this - said President Andrzej Duda in an interview with Michał Rachoń.

12:45

President Duda: Judges Face Additional, Unwritten Demands of Decorum

- But this is a matter of a judge's responsibility and how they behave. Mr. Editor, someone recently asked me a question. They asked, 'What do you think then, if there are two colleagues from the same year – one became a lawyer, and the other a judge, and they live in the same city – can't they meet? Can't they be at a party together, can't they sit at the same table, can't they have a shot of vodka together?' I'll say this: unfortunately, no. In my opinion, unfortunately, no. Unfortunately, a judge, by deciding to enter the judicial profession, this very specific professional group – I call it the judicial state – by emphasizing their importance to the Polish state and society, unfortunately, is subject to additional rigor that is not explicitly written down, but decency and the fact that they are responsible for how the judiciary is perceived – said President Andrzej Duda in an interview with Michał Rachoń.

12:59

Andrzej Duda: I Respect All Opponents, Potential Presidential Candidates. It's Already a Great Responsibility to Participate in Presidential Elections, Responsibility for Words and Actions.

- The right time will come. I respect all opponents, potential candidates for the President of the Republic. It is already a great responsibility to participate in presidential elections, a responsibility for one's word, for one's actions. The campaign will certainly be interesting. As the President of the Republic, I can only appeal for it to be substantive, calm, and conducted with mutual respect, both among candidates and from candidates towards voters, regardless of what those voters think or sometimes even loudly say - said PAD on TVP Info.

13:04

President Duda on Poland's International Standing: 'There Are No Empty Spaces, So Sometimes We Are Attacked, But We Move Forward. I Am Glad We Are Increasingly Taken Seriously'

- Of course, I would also like Poland's position on the international stage to grow, meaning that we are increasingly taken seriously. Not everyone has to be pleased with us, because there are no empty seats on the international stage. There, if you want to be more important, you have to push your way in. When you push, you push others aside, they get annoyed, so they attack you – that's life. There are no empty spaces, so sometimes we are attacked, but we move forward. I am glad that we are increasingly taken seriously - said President Duda.

13:09

Andrzej Duda: President Trump Frequently Emphasizes His Belief That Poland Could Be a Hub for American Economic Presence in Our Part of Europe

- We have indeed placed a significant emphasis on the United States, aiming to revitalize transatlantic relations, primarily our own, of course, because today we purchase gas from the United States, but the United States also wants to sell liquefied gas to Ukraine through our mediation. We currently have an American presence in Poland; there is enormous investment interest in Poland from the United States. President Donald Trump frequently emphasizes his belief that Poland could be a hub for American economic presence in our part of Europe, which is why he is so interested in our cooperation in Central Europe within the framework of the Three Seas Initiative – said PAD in an interview with Michał Rachoń. - Indeed, these relations, I can boldly say, are very good, but in my conviction, they have resulted, among other things, in the fact that we now have visa-free travel between Poland and the United States, which was promised for 10, and some say even more, years, and it never materialized, and then President Donald Trump said: I am here, and visa-free travel will happen. And it has. This is not just a matter of how many Poles were denied a visa, but also a whole series of agreements that had to be signed by Poland and the United States, for example, on combating the most serious crime, which happened precisely in the last two years, and particularly in the last year, and without which Poland could not have entered the Visa Waiver Program. Somehow, the United States did not sign these agreements with Poland before, and it is precisely in the last period that these agreements have been signed.

13:15

Hołownia Announces Christmas Address for 8 PM

Szymon Hołownia's Christmas address will be broadcast on his official Facebook profile at https://facebook.com/szymonholowniaoficjalny/ – 300POLITYKA has learned. As we were also the first to report, Senate Marshal Tomasz Grodzki will also deliver an address this evening.

13:23

Coinciding with the Christmas meeting of Wrocław's Fighting Solidarity, the Prime Minister shares a selfie with his three sisters

20:00

Grodzki in Address: We know the justice system needs reform, but perhaps not the kind implemented over the last 4 years. I assure you, the Senate will work on judicial bills with the utmost care.

- "Alteri vivas oportet si tibi vis vivere” - this Latin maxim, in a free translation, means "to the extent we live for others, we live for ourselves," and should be the rallying cry for all those acting in public service. In this spirit, I would like to inform you that the Senate has deliberated on important bills, including a Senate initiative to end the unfair retirement treatment of women born in 1953, which we have sent to the Sejm. At our next session, we will address, among other things, the so-called judicial bills, which are generating so much controversy and protest. They are important for judges, but even more important for each of us, as everyone wants to be judged fairly by an independent judge. We know that the justice system requires reform, but perhaps not the kind that has been implemented over the last 4 years. Therefore, I assure you that the Senate will work on the judicial bills with the utmost care, safeguarding the inviolability of the constitutional principle of cooperation, but also the mutual independence of the judiciary, the executive, and the legislative branches, as this is the foundation of a democratic state system - stated Senate Marshal Tomasz Grodzki in his address.

The holidays are approaching. In this joyful period, it is worth asking ourselves a fundamental question: do the divisions in our nation, which we are currently experiencing, serve any purpose or anyone? Do they bring anything good to the country or to any of us? The answer is unequivocally: no. Or perhaps they are inspired by someone? The answer is less clear; we can only speculate. They cause much harm, and sometimes they can wound more deeply than a scalpel, especially if they are untrue. A divided nation is an easier adversary for those who truly wish ill upon Poland. It is worth remembering that we experienced periods of greatest glory when we were united, from the Battle of Grunwald to the Solidarity uprising.

So, should we stop arguing? No, because great ideas and achievements can emerge from disputes and discussions. The problem is that the art of dispute is not easy at all. The science of dispute, "eristics," clearly indicates that the best way to argue is through a discussion of arguments, and never through personal attacks. This was wonderfully demonstrated by two justices of the American Supreme Court: Ms. Ruth Ginsburg, with leftist views, and Mr. Antonin Scalia, with right-wing views, who, in this widely respected institution, sometimes argued fiercely, being considered opponents. Meanwhile, in private, they were friends. To surprised journalists, Justice Scalia explained – we fight ideas, not people. Therefore, let us argue wisely – if we reach an agreement, that's wonderful. If we don't manage to reach one, let's stick to our opinions, but when parting, let's consider the arguments of the opposing side, without mutual insults. None of us has a monopoly on the sole correct opinion. Ever.

I would like to encourage you, at the holiday table, while exchanging wishes, to remember those who work on Christmas Eve and during the holidays so that the country functions, serving the nation or for various reasons unable to be with their loved ones. It is also worth considering, even for a moment, whether we truly need such deep divisions, often present even within the closest family, poisoning the lives of many of us. There is no better time for such reflection than the joyful, family holidays. One of America's heroes – alongside Tadeusz Kościuszko – Marshal Lafayette, when asked why America is great, replied that it is great because it is good. Let us therefore – or at least try – to be good to each other, not mean. I believe that we all care about our wonderful homeland also being great, great in its history, tradition, customs, diversity, mutual respect, and respect for the dignity of others, but also great in our hopes for a good future as a common home for all of us. I wish you a Merry Christmas.

21:10

Project:

Simply Saying 'Let's Love Each Other' Won't Change Poland." Hołownia Invites Participation in the "Conversations of Poles

- Dear compatriots. Christmas is just around the corner. This special time when, exactly. You know this language and this tone well. Today, we must start speaking to each other differently. Honestly and courageously. Christmas Eve and the destruction of judicial independence as a gift from the authorities. Christmas Eve and at an important moment, the opposition is late for work. I believe that the Senate, at least, will rise to the occasion. Christmas Eve and 10 degrees Celsius, weather more Easter-like than Christmas-like. Christmas Eve and our fear of talking to our loved ones because we'll argue again. We have reached a point where the situation our country finds itself in is a problem, a pain for many. Poland in constant argument, mutual recrimination, without respect for any of us. It doesn't have to be this way. Imagine how much good could happen if our energy, which we now spend on disputes, were redirected to Poland's development. Preparing it for the challenges of the future. After the New Year, I will present you with a program for a Poland that wants to and can develop. Its three pillars are social solidarity, the natural environment, and self-governance and civic activity. The program is ready, but to optimally emphasize its aspects, I need your help. The vision of Poland that I want to share with you will not be complete without your voice, your support. Therefore, since sooner or later the question of politics will come up at the holiday table anyway, instead of arguing about it, let's try to do something different - stated Szymon Hołownia in his Christmas address.

- I invite you to the "Conversations of Poles" project. Within its framework, answer four questions. First question: what is our greatest strength? Our greatest unique talent. Set aside irony for a moment. Think positively about us Poles. Second question: what divides us most today? This will probably be easy. Third question: what do you fear most as Poles? Fourth question: what kind of Poland do you dream of? What adjectives, values come to mind when you think of a Poland better than today's. I know that not all these questions are pleasant. But to move forward, we must also confront what is difficult for all of us. Simply saying 'Let's love each other' won't change Poland. Therefore, I encourage you: talk about these key, and also difficult, matters and share your opinions on our website. You can also not visit any website, but simply discuss, as you usually do in places where you feel comfortable. If you wish, add the hashtag #RozmowyPolaków. My team will gather all your answers, conversations, and proposals, and in mid-January, we will get back to you with a summary, a map of our common dreams, concerns, and goals, and a program that will be - I strongly believe - a response to the problems and expectations you have voiced - he continued.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rF0e2X0vMMM&feature=youtu.be

21:21

WKK, Together with His Wife and Daughter, Extends Holiday Wishes:

May the Poland of the Future Be a Country of Kind People to Each Other.

- The Christmas Eve table has always united Poles. Preparations for the holidays are often a hectic time, but at the table, we are always together. Surrounded by family warmth, breaking the wafer, we say the most important words in life: thank you, I'm sorry, I love you, I wish you all the best. These holidays are special for me. It's the first time we'll be spending them as a family of three. Thinking about our daughter, I know we must take care of the Poland of the future, so that it may be a home for our children and grandchildren. We wish that the coming year brings a breakthrough in your homes. May we find ourselves as a community, a true family. May politics no longer build walls of division at holiday tables. May the Poland of the future be a country of kind people to each other – stated Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz in an online clip published on social media.

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