Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska will be visiting Masovia. The Civic Coalition's presidential candidate will meet with seniors in Płock at 11:00 AM, and at 12:30 PM, she will hold a press briefing with the Mayor of Płock, Andrzej Nowakowski, and Member of Parliament Elżbieta Gapińska. A meeting with the Volunteer Fire Department (OSP) in Milewko and the Rural Housewives' Circle is scheduled for 2:00 PM, followed by a meeting with the residents of Sierpc at 4:00 PM, and a meeting with the residents of Płock at 7:00 PM.

Szymon Hołownia is embarking on his first tour after registering his election committee. Hołownia, along with Szymon's Teams – groups of volunteers – plans to open 16 offices in all voivodeships within the next five days. Today's schedule includes visits to Lublin, Rzeszów, and Kraków. At 5:30 PM in Warsaw, Robert Biedroń will hold a meeting with voters, attended by approximately 500 people.

- It's only a matter of time before the DudaBus reappears. It will reappear because there is an enormous need from the residents of Poland to meet with the President - said Błażej Spychalski in an interview with Katarzyna Gójska on "Sygnały dnia" on Jedynka radio.

- Most certainly, there will be further meetings with Poles this week. Last week, such meetings took place, for example, in Pomerania, and later in Włoszczowa - Spychalski added.

- The President will present the composition of his election staff in the near future. This formal, official election staff. There is a certain campaign dynamic, and this dynamic began with the Speaker's announcement of the presidential election date. Everything has been moving forward since then - said Błażej Spychalski in an interview with Katarzyna Gójska on "Sygnały dnia" on Jedynka radio. 

- Joanna Lichocka apologized for her gesture. Such scenes shouldn't happen, of course, in the parliamentary chamber, but they happen very often. Vulgar remarks are made in the parliamentary chamber, even towards women, which I deeply regret. Politicians should, of course, have thick skin and control their emotions. In this case, the MP did not control her emotions, but we are only human. Fortunately, she apologized, unlike many politicians from the Civic Platform - stated Adam Bielan in an interview with Krzysztof Skórzyński on TVN24's "One on One."

- I would like to remind you that quite recently, one of the Civic Platform MPs, Kinga Gajewska, showed a "throat slitting" gesture online directed at PiS supporters. A much worse gesture, and there was no reaction whatsoever from her or her party. Furthermore, a party that brought Palikot and Jachira into the Sejm, the biggest haters in Polish politics for years, should not be lecturing anyone on how they should behave in politics - stated Adam Bielan in an interview with Krzysztof Skórzyński on TVN24's "One on One".

- I don't know this man [Bartosz Sokołowski]. I know nothing about him being part of the election staff. Yesterday or Saturday, there were over 5,000 people at the convention. As you know, the hall had a capacity of almost 4,000. Many people couldn't get into the hall. We had to rent a room next door. We didn't really check everyone who entered; there were many people who came without any invitations. When I see a special report on your program about the most vulgar sewage on Facebook, the "Sok z Buraka" portal, and its people who are now forming Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska's staff... Well, one of the worst, most vulgar haters has become Kidawa-Błońska's plenipotentiary for campaigning in Brussels. Has TVN24 dedicated even a minute to this issue? No. And these are people who incredibly degrade the language of public debate because they post the most vulgar content on Facebook - stated Adam Bielan in an interview with Krzysztof Skórzyński on TVN24's "Jeden na jeden".

- This won't be a stroll. It will be a very brutal election campaign. The beginning of it indicates that. We will have to fight in this campaign until the last day, until the last hour. We are aware of this. We certainly cannot sin with pride, just as Bronisław Komorowski sinned with pride, whom the polls gave victory, and as we know, fortunately for Poland, he is not the president. I think President Duda knows this perfectly well. The fundamental difference between Andrzej Duda and Bronisław Komorowski is basic. Andrzej Duda did not lock himself away in an ivory tower for 5 years, as his predecessor did. He did not have to, after 4.5 years, just before the elections, leave that tower and learn to talk to people. We remember the teleprompter that had to follow Bronisław Komorowski and prompt him on how to talk to people on the street. Andrzej Duda simply knows this, because he spent his entire term as president talking to people. Moreover, he emphasized this in his speech. As the first president in Poland during his term, he visited all the counties in our country, so he didn't just sit in Warsaw, talk to elites, journalists, his advisors, but was traveling around the country the whole time - stated Adam Bielan in an interview with Krzysztof Skórzyński on TVN24's "Jeden na jeden".

- Such a convention is certainly not cheap. I don't know, because depending on what kind of technologies were used there, but these are large sums. A million wouldn't surprise me - said Krzysztof Łapiński in an interview with Beata Lubecka on the "Gość radia Zet" program.

- A message flowed that a president and government from the same political option is good because there are no wars, no quarrels, and everything can be done. Will this message be the main theme of the campaign? We shall see. Can such a message build enough support to achieve 50+1? We shall also see - said Krzysztof Łapiński in an interview with Beata Lubecka on the "Gość Radia Zet" program.

„I would have been very pleased if this situation in the Sejm had never happened. Unfortunately, the milk has spilled. I can only be glad that the Member of Parliament apologized and expressed her readiness to appear before the ethics committee” – said PiS Deputy Spokesperson Radosław Fogiel in an interview with Robert Mazurek on RMF FM.

One cannot exhaust all ideas and proposals at the beginning. This campaign is only just starting, de facto. Candidates have been nominated, committees have registered. I think a crucial moment will be particularly March and April, the last few weeks after Easter. Let's remember that there is a significant group of voters, numbering even several percent or more, who make decisions on whom to vote for in the final days, sometimes even hours. The decisive period will probably be 2-3 weeks. And emotions too, depending on whom we are addressing – said Krzysztof Łapiński in an interview with Beata Lubecka on the program 'Gość radia Zet'.

“The opposition is exploiting this [Lichocka’s gesture], exhibiting a certain hypocrisy. What happened, happened, but if someone is moralizing… It’s hard to be surprised that the opposition isn’t taking such an opportunity, but the argument about 2 billion for TVP is highly demagogic” – said PiS Deputy Spokesperson Radosław Fogiel in an interview with Robert Mazurek on RMF FM.

- The fact that a meeting [regarding the oncology strategy] took place a few days ago does not mean that there is a real program, including financing, any systemic program that would originate from the President's initiative. The President has had five years for this. However, today, if he signs this act [amendment to the broadcast subscription fee act], it will be a death sentence for many thousands of people. Such is the weight of this signature. The Senate's proposal related to the amendment, which allocates 2.5 billion PLN for oncology, is real support for oncology, which today struggles with very significant problems - said Andrzej Halicki during a press conference in the Sejm.

- When the President spoke at his convention that things were going wonderfully in Polish healthcare, that there was money for oncology, I was talking to midwives in Bieszczady. They spoke of their troubles and problems. Today here in Płock, I hear about the problems of people suffering from cancer who are waiting for money for modern treatment. I was at a meeting with seniors who couldn't understand that their money, 2 billion złoty, instead of going to people's needs, to what Poles expect, is going to public television. Mr. President, I demand that you veto this law. Have the courage and tell people that they are the most important, that they must be treated with good methods and this money should go to those who truly need it. If you are so good, you will win these elections without public television. Let's save these 2 billion and transfer them to Polish patients – said Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska during a press conference in Płock.

https://twitter.com/radekfogiel/status/1229381851791462400

„I think Mr. Spokesperson Fogiel should think very hard before saying anything. The assertion that we are trying to play games with patients in this big dispute over allocating two billion zlotys to public media, which are in fact PiS media, and that we want to allocate them to healthcare, well, probably every Pole, if we went out onto the streets of Warsaw or any other city and asked a simple referendum question, 90% would say more money for healthcare. PiS has been drowning since Mrs. Lichocka's middle finger” - said Tomasz Trela from The Left, head of Robert Biedroń's campaign staff, in an interview with Karolina Lewicka on TOK FM's "Political Interview".

- I think I would want 2, 4, or 6 [billion for oncology]. Why not 8? In healthcare, of course, any amount of money can be absorbed, but what is concrete – last year we spent over PLN 10 billion on oncology, and the National Oncology Strategy, which we recently adopted, actually assumes funding of around PLN 12 million, when you consider the actions of the National Health Fund and the Medical Research Agency. I think we are spending significantly more on oncology than before, and significantly more patients are being treated – stated Łukasz Szumowski in an interview with Dorota Gawryluk on Polsat News's "Gość Wydarzeń".

- Such a gesture [by Joanna Lichocka] I think simply shouldn't have occurred. Especially not in the Sejm, because it is a chamber that should be devoid of such types of behavior – the Minister of Health continued.

- As the Minister of Health, I have generally led to this and will strive to ensure that [healthcare] spending increases, and increases at the rapid pace seen so far, meaning faster than the 6% [of GDP] law – he stated.

"At the very least, I would limit myself to stating that those are overly strong words [from Andrzej Halicki]. Such a contrast between this transfer, which is not money but papers, treasury bonds, and expenditure on oncology, is unjustified and demagogic. It's playing on the suffering of patients," said PiS Deputy Spokesperson Radosław Fogiel in an interview with Bogdan Rymanowski on Polsat News's 'Wydarzenia i opinie' (Events and Opinions).

"We need a drastic increase in the amount of funds for healthcare. Hospitals are disastrously indebted. The public healthcare system is 14 billion in debt" - said Robert Kropiwnicki from Civic Coalition in an interview with Bogdan Rymanowski on "Wydarzenia i opinie" on Polsat News.

- Ms. Lichocka was simply following President Kaczyński's orders, I'm not talking about scratching her eye, of course, but about this fight for 2 billion for this – forgive me, ladies and gentlemen – cesspool. And if she were a decent person, she would have resigned her mandate herself. If the party were decent, and Ms. Lichocka is the vice-chairwoman of the culture committee and a member of the National Media Council, meaning she receives a 15% bonus and 50,000 PLN annually as a council member concerning finances, she should be removed from these functions, thrown out, suspended in the club – Paweł Kukiz said on Kropka nad I.

- This stems from the sick system that allows for such behavior. If the Constitution stipulated a different electoral system and the possibility of recalling an MP, Ms. Lichocka would certainly have been recalled. An MP should fear the citizen, the consequences of their actions - Paweł Kukiz said in KnI.

- Yes, I think it will be a dirty campaign from the opposition. A campaign where instead of substantive discussion, there will be accusations, and these will be accusations that cross all boundaries of decency. What we have seen in recent days, related to the exploitation of people suffering from cancer in this campaign, is exceptionally disgusting, because we are talking about a terrible disease, about people who often suffer, but this does not stop opposition politicians from exploiting this human misfortune for political gain - stated Jacek Sasin in an interview with Danuta Holecka on TVP Info's "Gość Wiadomości".

- People say different things about this Orchestra, but over the years Jurek has raised over a billion zlotys. There's no doubt that in these 27 years, a little over a billion has been collected. And please note, there isn't a hospital in Poland where you won't see the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity. 27 years of hard human work, and they just take 2 billion, poof, and it's gone... Time to scratch your eye - said Paweł Kukiz on Kropka.

- The numbers speak for themselves. It is precisely we, during the last 4 years of the PiS government, who caused the funding for cancer treatment in Poland to increase from just over 7 billion PLN to almost 11 billion PLN. We have a very clear jump. If the opposition today says that these funds need to be increased by 2 billion PLN, then these funds already increased by 2 billion in 2018, compared to 2015. It's as if they didn't notice and forgot that during their 8 years in government they actually did little to alleviate the suffering of those afflicted by this terrible disease - stated Jacek Sasin in an interview with Danuta Holecka on TVP Info's "Gość Wiadomości".

- He thinks that if he doesn't sign, he'll lose his Hollywood, he'll lose the opportunity to flaunt himself on his public television. I don't know what he'll do, he'll do what they've discussed, he'll do it politically, not ethically. If he were ethical, he would have made a fuss when the act was passed - said Paweł Kukiz on TVN24. - This is not state television, but party television - said Kukiz.

- Today, when Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska attacks, when politicians from Civic Platform attack the president, attack PiS, one would want to ask why such a program couldn't have been created, couldn't have been implemented when Civic Platform ruled for 8 years with the Polish People's Party, and Kidawa-Błońska was the government spokesperson for the PO-PSL government. Why wasn't this taken care of back then, why did the then-Minister of Health, Bartosz Arłukowicz, who is so active today in criticizing our government, why did he save money on cancer patients back then? Because we certainly remember his statement from 2013, when he boasted that he saved 2 billion PLN from the healthcare fund, meaning 2 billion that could have been spent on treatment was not spent. And the arrogance of the then-minister Arłukowicz could indeed have led to less effective fighting against this terrible disease at that time - stated Jacek Sasin in an interview with Danuta Holecka on TVP Info's "Gość Wiadomości".

- I will certainly support Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, especially since I absolutely see no remedy for the dire systemic state of Poland in any candidate, in any, I repeat – opposition candidate. Kosiniak-Kamysz shares exactly the same postulates as I did in 2015 – Paweł Kukiz stated in Kropka. - I haven't heard Szymon Hołownia talking about this – Kukiz added.

Everything points to this being the main duel in these elections [between Andrzej Duda and Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska]. Civic Platform remains the strongest opposition party, and I believe that the Platform's candidate will be the one who garners the most support in this clash on the opposition's side, because one can say that this rivalry is not just a rivalry with President Duda, but also a competition on the opposition stage for who will gain the most support. It seems to me that Ms. Kidawa-Błońska will likely be the strongest candidate there, but we will see how the campaign unfolds, because it is simultaneously a very weak candidacy, substantively and rhetorically. Kidawa-Błońska has already become known for many gaffes, and I think this campaign will be strewn with them. So, in reality, everything is ahead of us - stated Jacek Sasin in a conversation with Danuta Holecka on TVP Info's "Gość Wiadomości". - We, of course, President Duda does not underestimate any of his rivals. Every one of these rivals enjoys the President's respect and, above all, is treated very seriously. These will be tough elections. Nothing is decided here yet, and I believe the President will put a lot of effort into gaining support in this campaign, and we, I mean the entire United Right camp, will support the President in this - continued the Deputy Prime Minister.

- How can one apply collective responsibility and assume that everyone who brushed against a security building, for example, a cleaner, is a potential murderer, an operative of the UB (Security Service), and a collaborator with Moscow, without exaggeration. These pensions should have been verified individually. Perhaps once the PiS government ends, another 'wise guy' will come along and deem today's officials as servants of this party - said Paweł Kukiz in Kropka nad I.

-- 300POLITYKA LIVEBLOG: KUKIZ ON THE 'HOUNDING' AND TVP AS DUDY'S HOLLYWOOD SASIN ACCUSES ARŁUKOWICZ OF BEING THE HEALTH MINISTER SZUMOWSKI ON LICHOCKA'S GESTURE NOT BEING APPROPRIATE FOGIEL ACCUSES THE CIVIC PLATFORM OF EXPLOITING PATIENTS' SUFFERING https://300polityka.pl/live/2020/02/17/ ***** POLSAT NEWS -- TWO-HOUR STRIKES WERE HELD IN ALL MINES BELONGING TO THE POLISH MINING GROUP. -- THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN HAS KICKED OFF, CANDIDATES ARE NOT WASTING TIME AS THEY HAVE VERY LITTLE OF IT – EACH MUST COLLECT 100,000 SIGNATURES FOR THEIR NOMINATION – preview. -- AT THE START OF THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE, HEALTH IS THE BATTLEGROUND OF THE CAMPAIGN – Wojciech Dąbrowski. -- MAŁGORZATA KIDAWAY-BŁOŃSKA'S APPEAL TO VETO THE ACT ON COMPENSATION FOR PUBLIC MEDIA. -- THIS IS A PROTEST AGAINST THE 2 BILLION ZŁOTY INJECTION FOR PUBLIC MEDIA; CIVIC PLATFORM POLITICIANS ARE USING STRONG WORDS, SUCH AS CALLING THE PRESIDENT'S SIGNATURE A DEATH SENTENCE FOR MANY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE – Dąbrowski. -- THE SHARP ACCUSATIONS HAVE MET WITH A SHARP RESPONSE FROM LAW AND JUSTICE POLITICIANS – Dąbrowski continues. -- THE ACT HAS ONLY JUST ARRIVED ON THE PRESIDENT'S DESK – Dąbrowski. -- ANDRZEJ DUDA HAS THREE WEEKS TO MAKE A DECISION, A TIME DURING WHICH LAW AND JUSTICE WILL BE LOOKING FOR A WAY TO SEPARATE THE ISSUE OF MONEY FOR PUBLIC MEDIA FROM THE TOPIC OF ONCOLOGY – Dąbrowski continues. -- LAW AND JUSTICE POLITICIANS ADMIT THAT JOANNA LICHOCKA'S MIDDLE FINGER HAS HARMED THEM IN THE MEDIA – Dąbrowski. -- AFTER SATURDAY'S CONVENTION, THE PRESIDENT'S CAMPAIGN IS ACCELERATING – Dąbrowski. -- UNOFFICIALLY, IT IS KNOWN THAT THE PRESIDENT WILL PRESENT HIS CAMPAIGN STAFF ON WEDNESDAY – Dąbrowski continues. ***** TVN FAKTY -- YOUR SIGNATURE IS WORTH 2 BILLION, LIFE AND HEALTH, APPEAL FROM OPPONENTS; IT WOULD BE A GESTURE, OTHERWISE IT WOULD BE A MIDDLE FINGER – in Justyna Pochanke's preview. -- IF ANYONE IN LAW AND JUSTICE HOPED THE OPPOSITION WOULD BACK DOWN, THEY WILL DEFINITELY BE MISTAKEN – Katarzyna Kolenda-Zaleska. -- EACH OF US HAS SOMEONE IN OUR FAMILY SUFFERING FROM CANCER – G. Schetyna. -- IF ANYONE IN LAW AND JUSTICE HOPED THE OPPOSITION WOULD LET SLIP THE GESTURE OF MP LICHOCKA, THEY ARE ALSO MISTAKEN – KKZ. -- THE CIVIC PLATFORM HAS ORGANIZED CONFERENCES ACROSS POLAND UNDER ONE SLOGAN – KKZ. -- KIDAWA IS NO LONGER ASKING THE PRESIDENT FOR A VETO – KKZ. -- I DEMAND – MKB. -- THE PRESIDENT'S POLITICAL CAMP KNOWS IT IS IN TROUBLE – KKZ. -- THIS BEHAVIOR IS INAPPROPRIATE, REGARDLESS OF THE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN – KKZ. -- LAW AND JUSTICE IS TRYING TO MINIMIZE THE MESSAGE OF PROPAGANDA FOR DUDY – KKZ. -- FOGIEL'S TWEET. -- THE PRESIDENT, FIGHTING FOR RE-ELECTION, DID NOT ADDRESS THE DISPUTE, ONLY TALKED ABOUT THE ONCOLOGY STRATEGY, AND DID NOT CONDUCT A CAMPAIGN TODAY – KKZ. -- HOŁOWNIA HAS SET OFF ACROSS POLAND, BOSAK HAS RETURNED FROM HIS HONEYMOON, WKK IS DEDICATING A WEEK TO EDUCATION, BIEDROŃ APPEALED FOR 2 BILLION FOR ONCOLOGY – KKZ. -- WE SPEND 42 EURO PER CAPITA, THE CZECHS SPEND 85 ON CANCER TREATMENT – in the preview. -- 2 BILLION WOULD BE A LIFE-SAVING INJECTION; ONCOLOGISTS HAVE NO DOUBT – in the preview. -- HOW DID THE PRESIDENT BUILD COMMUNITY, AND DOESN'T HE APPEAL TO HIMSELF? – in the preview. -- IT IS ANDRZEJ DUDA, WHEN HE STARTED SEEKING VOTES, AND NOT DURING HIS TERM, WHO DIDN'T SOUND LIKE HE HAS IN THE LAST 5 YEARS – Jakub Sobieniowski. -- AT THE CONVENTION, THE WORD 'ENEMY' WAS NOT USED IN THE CONTEXT OF REFUGEES OR OPPONENTS – Sobieniowski. -- WHEN HE WASN'T CAMPAIGNING, HE SPOKE DIFFERENTLY ABOUT DEMONSTRATORS – Sobieniowski. -- ARCHIVE FOOTAGE: PAD ON POLEMICS. -- PAD ON PURIFYING THE POLISH HOUSE. -- WAS SZYDŁO'S MOOD AS JOYFUL AS THE CONVENTION'S MESSAGE? – Sobieniowski. -- HE STARTED HIS PRESIDENCY BY NOT SHAKING HANDS WITH THE INCUMBENT PRIME MINISTER. -- IS THE LIST ON WHICH HE HIMSELF AND HIS WIFE GAINED SUPPORT A VALID LIST? – in the preview. -- LOOKING AT THE SUPPORT LISTS, ASSOCIATIONS HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THE SIGNATURES SHOULD BE DISCARDED – Arleta Zalewska. -- WE ARE LEARNING THAT THERE ARE LISTS LIKE MAZUR'S, WHERE SOME NAMES ARE CROSSED OUT – Zalewska. -- IN 3 CASES, NAMES ARE CROSSED OUT – Zalewska. -- NAWACKI WOULD NOT HAVE THE REQUIRED 25 SIGNATURES – Zalewska. -- LAW, JUSTICE, AND COAL; QUESTIONS ABOUT RUSSIA AND WHETHER THIS IS STILL POLAND – no material. -- WE ARE THE BLACK EXCEPTION IN THE EU, WHERE BREAST CANCER MORTALITY IS RISING – Maciej Nowicki. ***** TVP WIADOMOŚCI (NEWS) -- UNTIL MARCH 16TH, THERE IS TIME TO COLLECT SIGNATURES FOR CANDIDACIES. -- IN KRAKÓW, THE COLLECTION OF SIGNATURES FOR PAD'S CANDIDACY WAS SYMBOLICALLY STARTED – Magdalena Wierzchowska. -- PAD PRESENTED HIS CAMPAIGN SPOT – Wierzchowska. -- SZYMON HOŁOWNIA OPENED HIS CAMPAIGN OFFICE IN RZESZÓW – Wierzchowska. -- KIDAWA-BŁOŃSKA HAD AN ACTIVE DAY – Wierzchowska. -- KIDAWA-BŁOŃSKA STILL HASN'T APOLOGIZED FOR THE EVENTS IN PUCKA – Wierzchowska. -- 10 BILLION ZŁOTY MORE FOR ONCOLOGY IN 2020 – banner. -- CIVIC PLATFORM POLITICIANS HAVE DECIDED TO EXPLOIT THE SITUATION OF THE SICK IN THEIR CAMPAIGN – Dominik Cierpioł. -- IN DECEMBER, WHEN THE DRAFT LAW ON COMPENSATION WAS KNOWN, CIVIC PLATFORM POLITICIANS DID NOT TALK ABOUT ONCOLOGY – Cierpioł. -- DURING THE CIVIC PLATFORM-PSL GOVERNMENT, SPENDING ON HEALTHCARE AND PUBLIC MEDIA WAS LOWER BECAUSE THE STATE WAS ROBBED BY VAT MAFIAS – Cierpioł. -- DURING THE CIVIC PLATFORM-PSL ERA, THE THEN MINISTER OF HEALTH, NOW KIDAWAY-BŁOŃSKA'S CAMPAIGN MANAGER, ORDERED HOSPITALS TO BE CLOSED – Cierpioł.