At 9:30 AM, presidential candidate Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska will hold a press conference to present her anti-crisis proposals. The conference will take place online.

- I have decided to convene a Cabinet Council meeting. I want to discuss with the government the adoption of a specific aid package for entrepreneurs and our economy. This situation shows how important close and consistent cooperation between the President and the government is. I am convinced that the responsible economic policy we have pursued, which has led to great successes in recent years, will also yield good results in the face of global unrest – stated President Andrzej Duda, announcing the Cabinet Council meeting for 10:00 AM. The meeting was originally scheduled for yesterday but was postponed. The meeting will be held via videoconference.

As announced, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki will also present an economic package today, which Paweł Borys referred to as an "economic bazooka". - We want to present such a package of actions in this economic and social sphere. Tomorrow we will present the details. We want to approach this responsibly, which is why we will present it comprehensively during one event, so as to also address all social groups and individual sectors that also need support. We are well aware that this difficult situation requires an additional financial impulse, but we also realize that this situation will likely last for many weeks, and we will see the negative economic effects worldwide – said Piotr Müller yesterday on Polsat News.

- The Prime Minister will present this package. I would call it an "economic bazooka". It will be a comprehensive package of proposals supporting primarily entrepreneurs, protecting the labor market, and stimulating economic growth – said the President of PFR on TOK FM, adding that instruments supporting businesses should be available to companies within the next two weeks.

At his last press conference, PMM also spoke of a "package of stability and security". - We are working on a package of stability and security. This package is needed because we are aware that many sectors will suffer. The entire Polish economy, the global economy, and especially the European economy will certainly feel the impact of the fight against the coronavirus epidemic. Therefore, I want to emphasize that in the coming days we will present specific actions that the government has developed and for which we will still be finalizing the details, so that both employees on the one hand and employers on the other will receive some support from the state – stated the head of the Polish government.

The President visited the plant in Jedlicze with CEO Daniel Obajtek, to whom we are also immensely grateful for his dedication and the decisions he made to thank the employees who, with great sacrifice, have ensured that this disinfectant is now available in large quantities on the Polish market, and will be available in even greater quantities. This plant, during the rule of Civic Platform and the Polish People's Party, was slated for sale. If that decision had been made then, we wouldn't have the capability to produce disinfectant in this manner today,” said presidential spokesman, Minister Błażej Spychalski, on Radio Jedynka. “If today someone accuses anyone of campaigning or irresponsible politics, they should really think deeply, because thanks to our responsible policies, we have such possibilities today,” he added.

- There are several deputy ministers and about a dozen officials in quarantine who are quarantined and awaiting testing. These are individuals who may have come into contact with Minister Wosik. These decisions are made by sanitary services, therefore I don't know the exact number of officials precisely. I know how it looks in the Chancellery of the Prime Minister. There are about 25 people still, who have not undergone testing and are therefore under quarantine – stated Michał Dworczyk in an interview with Robert Mazurek on RMF FM.

- We are working to resolve this problem [45 km traffic jam before the Polish border in Świecko]. Decisions were made yesterday to open several additional [border] crossings. Until the movement was entirely without borders, as you put it, there was no infrastructure that needed to be quickly recreated, and this recreation and implementation of border procedures is a certain challenge, hence there are certain stages - stated Michał Dworczyk in an interview with Robert Mazurek on RMF FM.

- There has been no decision made on this matter [whether schools will be closed until Easter]. All decisions on this matter are made by the Government Crisis Management Team or the Council of Ministers. To my knowledge, no such decisions have been made at this moment, and all these actions are taken in response to the developing situation. We haven't dealt with this matter yet, and the question of whether schools will be closed, or if this period will be extended, has not been discussed yet - stated Michał Dworczyk in an interview with Robert Mazurek on RMF FM.

- Today, the most important thing is to provide guarantees for two important entities. Firstly, employers, meaning entrepreneurs, so that they don't go bankrupt. Secondly, employees, especially the nearly 3 million people working under contracts other than employment contracts - said Robert Biedroń in an interview with Piotr Witwicki on Polsat News's "Graffiti".

Professor Hausner in his latest interview, an economist I highly value, calculated that this crisis will cost us around PLN 400 billion. In turn, my advisor Professor Belka believes that the scale of the coronavirus costs cannot be estimated today. It seems to me that both of them are right - said Robert Biedroń in an interview with Piotr Witwicki on Polsat News' "Graffiti".

- Rationally speaking, [the elections] should be postponed. Today, the standards of transparency, proportionality, all these standards regarding electoral values are not being met. In practice, there is no campaign. They will not be fair - said Robert Biedroń in an interview with Piotr Witwicki on Polsat News' 'Graffiti'.

• The [presidential] elections could be postponed if we were to introduce one of the three states of emergency provided for in the Constitution. To introduce a state of natural disaster, a state of emergency, or a state of war, specific premises must be met. Currently, these premises are not met, therefore we have no legal basis to postpone the elections. Perhaps the situation will develop unfavorably enough... No, there is no [state of natural disaster at this moment]. This is why the Act on combating infectious diseases and epidemics was adopted in 2008, so that the tools contained within it could be used in the situations we find ourselves in – stated Michał Dworczyk in an interview with Robert Mazurek on RMF FM.

- I can imagine such a state being introduced if the situation requires it. Today, the situation does not yet require it. Can I imagine that the situation might change in a week? Yes, I can imagine that - stated Michał Dworczyk in an interview with Robert Mazurek on RMF FM.

- The elections are on May 10th. How will the situation develop? We will see. Of course, I can imagine that these elections will be postponed because it will be necessary to introduce either a state of natural disaster or a state of emergency, but today neither of these states has been introduced, and therefore, today, under the currently binding legal order, there is no such possibility. Will this change in a week? Perhaps - the head of the Prime Minister's Chancellery continued.

- If he maintains safety measures, distance, and space, he functions like anyone else going to work. After all, we also need to maintain this distance and try not to get close to other people - said Łukasz Szumowski in an interview with Beata Lubecka on the program "Gość Radia ZET".

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- A decision will need to be made by the end of this week and early next week. It is not ruled out [that the social quarantine will be extended]. If the number of infected people increases, then we need to react by tightening measures - said Łukasz Szumowski in an interview with Beata Lubecka on the program "Gość Radia ZET".

- I never said that the [presidential] elections definitely wouldn't be postponed. They might be. I said that it depends on the developing situation, and please quote my words precisely - stated Michał Dworczyk in an interview with Robert Mazurek on RMF FM.

- It's not that since coronavirus appeared, people stopped getting sick from other diseases. And this is a key problem we will face. Because we are converting the functioning of hospitals into infectious disease hospitals, and that's how it should be, but we must remember that people will not stop getting cancer, strokes, or heart attacks. Therefore, the most important task for the state at this moment is to secure medical personnel. This is a fundamental task for the state, because if doctors and nurses start getting infected, they will lose the ability to treat not only coronavirus but also other diseases. That's why hospitals need to be divided into white and red zones, meaning zones where there is no contact with coronavirus, where we treat other diseases that will not stop occurring, and red zones where coronavirus patients will be treated. This is a crucial task for the state, and I appeal to the Minister of Health that actions should focus on this right now. Securing medical personnel - stated Bartosz Arłukowicz in an interview with Jacek Prusinowski on Radio Plus.

- The state's task is to organize elections in such a way that, firstly, people working in electoral commissions and those who come to vote at these commissions are safe. Secondly, that they have full democratic dimensions. In my opinion, as of today, I believe that the state is unable to organize these [presidential] elections effectively and safely, because the deadlines are running. Members of electoral commissions need to be appointed. City mayors and town mayors are occupied with building systems of safety and support for their citizens, not with building the composition of electoral commissions. This is obvious - stated Bartosz Arłukowicz in an interview with Jacek Prusinowski on Radio Plus.

- No one is having these types of discussions regarding any personnel matters [whether Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska would be the presidential candidate if elections were held in the autumn]. Our candidate is Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska, and it will remain so. We are now focused on the safety of Poles, and that is our task. Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska is focused on presenting proposals that will help people today who have lost their jobs overnight, and there are very many such people, to help parents who are at home with their children. Not only those children who are under 8 years old, but also those who are 9, 10, or 11 years old. These are tasks that the state must fulfill today, not a discussion about what will happen in the autumn - stated Bartosz Arłukowicz in an interview with Jacek Prusinowski on Radio Plus.

“Since the introduction of quarantines and the closure of restaurants and schools, many people have found themselves without a livelihood, which is why it is very important that we think about how to ensure health security and how to better organize the functioning of the healthcare service. I will not replace the government here, but I have information and observations, as I am constantly in touch with local government officials. I am in constant contact with doctors and many Poles who call me and want to share their information. There are many things to be done, and I would like the government to utilize our experience and our solutions, because only together can we solve these problems, but it is the government that should take responsibility” – stated Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska, the KO candidate for president and Deputy Marshal, at a press conference.

“I would also appeal to the President to fulfill the duties that belong to him as head of state, but to abandon his election campaign. He should very clearly separate what is important for the President and what he should be dealing with. He should stop campaigning” – she added. 

"We know that many Poles will need help this month. After thorough analysis, we propose that all individuals who cannot work due to quarantine or the suspension of their employer's business operations receive 1300 zlotys, which is half of the minimum wage. These individuals must have the means to purchase basic food and medical supplies" - said Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska, the Civic Coalition's presidential candidate and Deputy Marshal, at a press conference.

"For businesses whose profits have decreased by at least 20% compared to previous months, we propose suspending all levies, taxes, and ZUS contributions. This will also be an opportunity to provide relief to these entrepreneurs so they can continue to operate. Employers should be able to introduce flexible working hours. This will also greatly facilitate operations during this difficult time. Absence from work due to illness or quarantine should be paid at 100% by ZUS. People's incomes cannot be reduced" - she added.

“The situation is indeed extraordinary, and no rational person would say that a campaign can be conducted. A campaign cannot be conducted because we have more important matters on our minds. The health and economic security of Poles and our country should come first. This is what we should all focus on. The campaign can wait,” said the Civic Coalition's presidential candidate and Deputy Marshal Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska at a press conference.

The Cabinet Council session is currently taking place.

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"It's good that the Cabinet Council is meeting, which is why we're presenting our proposals. Perhaps the time for the [National] Security Council has passed. Now there are decisions that should be made by the government and the president. The opposition's stance is very well known to everyone. I expect that the Prime Minister will want to listen to the voice of the opposition" - said KO presidential candidate, Deputy Marshal Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska, at a press conference.

- This package has essentially already been created. It will be translated into draft legislation in the near future, and I hope we will be able to implement it soon - President Andrzej Duda said during a press conference.

- There are various types of relief, exemptions, and payment deferrals, which could be described as a kind of holiday. Although regarding ZUS (Social Insurance Institution), it's about deferring payments, the possibility of spreading them out in installments. I'm saying this to entrepreneurs because I know that very many of them are concerned that ZUS, being a burden, will destroy especially the smallest entrepreneurs - he stated.

- A system for paying wages will be introduced for those who, for various reasons, cannot perform their work. This is an outstretched hand to both employees and employers, because there are many people who are extremely valuable employees, highly experienced for entrepreneurs - he continued.

- This also includes a whole system of loans and credits that will be provided at very low interest rates, under very favorable conditions. This offers transport companies the possibility of the Industrial Development Agency taking over the leasing of transport vehicles, for example, for the period of these difficulties - added the President.

"We must also take care of the economy's health. The economy will undoubtedly be severely hit due to the coronavirus epidemic. It will be hit at least as hard as a dozen or so years ago, and there are already forecasts suggesting it could be even stronger. Today, the reactions of many world governments, including particularly our government and the President, are swift and immediate. Today, we strongly need hope for a better tomorrow, that through better mechanisms, the application of numerous legal, financial, investment, and economic measures, we can amortize the negative effects of this epidemic." - said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at a press conference.

"The estimated value of the entire package is approximately PLN 212 billion. This package is divided into five main parts. The first is the pillar of defending employees against job losses wherever possible. One could say these are protective measures for the labor market, so that employees, employers, entrepreneurs, and the state can participate in a solidarity-based manner in protecting jobs. For entrepreneurs who meet the criteria related to a decrease in turnover, or the registration of financial loss, the state will be able to cover 40% of the remuneration, up to the level of the average remuneration in the national economy. The employer covers the other 40%, at least 40%, as it depends on their financial capabilities. Thanks to this, I am convinced that a few million people, maybe 3, maybe 4 million people, will be safer in the labor market" – said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at a press conference.

"Also for people who run businesses, are self-employed, or work under mandate contracts (umowa-zlecenie) or for a specific work (umowa o dzieło), we want to offer a certain buffer that will amortize the losses of these services and contracts. One can say that today a significant part of the global economy has simply frozen, been put on ice. Following the increasing effectiveness of the fight against the coronavirus worldwide, in Europe, and above all in Poland, we want these enterprises to be able to rebuild their order books, contracts, services, and products," Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said at a press conference.

- I have committed to contacting the President of China, Chairman Xi Jinping, whom I know personally, in the very near future. I will ask him for China, as the world's largest producer of this type of personal protective equipment, to make more of this equipment available to us, because I am convinced that it is possible. I will personally appeal to the President, and I hope this request will be heard. Of course, we will purchase it – said President Andrzej Duda during a press conference.

"For those on business activity or employment/commission contracts, we will also have the option to disburse funds up to 80% of the minimum wage. The care benefit, which is currently available to individuals caring for children up to 8 years old – if there is a decision to continue the closure of schools, kindergartens, and nurseries – will be extended for another two weeks. This amounts to 3-4 billion zlotys from the state budget," said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at a press conference.

"The second pillar is a pillar for entrepreneurs. This includes credit guarantees, liquidity assurance, microloans for entrepreneurs up to PLN 5,000, and operational leasing for the transport sector. A range of guarantee-based solutions", said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at a press conference.

"The third pillar is support for healthcare. Here we want to allocate at least PLN 7.5 billion in additional funds for single-profile infectious disease hospitals, for protective equipment, all other medical equipment, apparatus that is essential in the fight against coronavirus, as well as in the modernization of the entire hospital base, the entire base of primary healthcare units. The fourth pillar is ensuring the security of funds, deposits, investments, payments, withdrawals, i.e., the functioning of the entire financial system" - said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at a press conference.

We have no doubt that this situation will worsen. It will worsen not only here, but it will worsen globally. We will certainly not avoid a budget deficit, as is already apparent at this moment - said President Andrzej Duda during a press conference.

- I want to thank all my compatriots who have been acting heroically in recent days, not just the medical staff, whose heroism I don't even want to mention here. In many cases, it is an action that shows who is truly a doctor or a nurse by calling. It is truly moving – said President Andrzej Duda during a press conference.

- As we conclude this meeting, I want to say this. At the end of today's Cabinet Council, I told the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Ministers, and the Ministers, that we must have our program, translated into draft laws, ready this week. This is the urgent need of the moment, the obvious situation we are dealing with today. We must act quickly and efficiently. We need to build this area of security and safeguards for Poles and the Polish economy to the greatest extent possible. I am deeply convinced that we will succeed in realizing all of this - said President Andrzej Duda at a press conference.

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Krzysztof Bosak has gathered 300,000 signatures in support of his presidential candidacy. The campaign team for the Confederation candidate submitted the signatures to the National Electoral Commission today.

- First and foremost, I want to extend my heartfelt and warm thanks to all the individuals who were involved in collecting the signatures. These were winter months, not easy circumstances for collecting signatures. As we announced, our activists and supporters demonstrated immense, enormous commitment - said the presidential candidate, adding that the final stage of the collection was disrupted due to the restrictions introduced in the country, but ultimately all signatures arrived and were counted.

Bosak maintains his appeal for the postponement of the presidential elections, but noted that there is no government decision, and time is running out: - In just a few weeks, training for members of electoral commissions should commence. Voices are emerging, particularly from politicians of the ruling party, suggesting that opposition parties have weaker poll numbers, hence they want to postpone the election date. Ladies and gentlemen, this is about concern for voters, who should have the right to go to polling stations and vote safely, without fear. This is about concern for tens of thousands of people who are to be involved in conducting the elections. Anyone with a head on their shoulders and a bit of common sense knows that these individuals work for several hours a day, meeting hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of people in a single day. How this relates to the state of epidemic threat, perhaps no one knows.

The Confederation candidate also emphasized that he will present a written appeal to the President and the Prime Minister regarding the postponement of the presidential elections.

"Just now, the board of the Union of Polish Metropolises convened, where, together with the mayors of 12 cities, we discussed the situation in Poland and the actions being taken by the government, because it is the government that is currently responsible for controlling the epidemiological situation. We talked about joint solutions we are implementing," said Rafał Trzaskowski, the Mayor of the Capital City of Warsaw, at a press conference.

"We hope that the government's package will not be a package where part or most of the burdens will be attempted to be shifted onto the shoulders of local governments by eliminating taxes, which are taxes that secure revenue streams for the budgets of local governments. There is a joint appeal from all Polish metropolises. Firstly, to support local governments by increasing general subsidies, to introduce compensation wherever the costs of waste management exceed the maximum statutory level of fees, to remove sanctions from the Public Finance Act regarding the adoption of budgets and reports, so that we can flexibly manage our cities," he added.

"We would like to address the government with a clear expectation that if the money declared by the European Union reaches Poland, it should also be able to reach local governments," said Rafał Trzaskowski, the Mayor of the Capital City of Warsaw, at a press conference.

"The Anti-Crisis Shield, a formula proposed by me, changing a bazooka, which is used for attack, into a shield, which is used for defense, meaning this philosophy of supporting and protecting the Polish economy, Polish businesses, I thank you for its adoption by, as I see, the Prime Minister, the entire government, and the President. This proposal of a bazooka has been replaced by my proposal of an Anti-Crisis Shield. Very good" – said Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz during an online press conference. "The Anti-Crisis Shield. It's great that the ruling party is using this term, my term. I am very grateful for that. This is a sign of our cooperation. I didn't even expect my proposal to be so appreciated, that the President and the Prime Minister would adopt my concept of the Anti-Crisis Shield, not the bazooka. Thank you for that. This is an acknowledgment of the opposition" – added the presidential candidate.

W trudnych czasach musimy sobie pomagać, dlatego wspieramy Polaków czekających na wjazd do kraju na granicy z Niemcami. Wydawanie żywności i napojów rozpoczęliśmy już dziś w nocy i prowadzimy je wspólnie z @PKN_ORLEN Deutschland. Dziękujemy za wsparcie @MSWiA_GOV_PL i @MSZ_RP pic.twitter.com/x2Mwqu9arS

— Daniel Obajtek (@DanielObajtek) March 18, 2020

- If extraordinary circumstances arise, the health and lives of our compatriots are sacred. The fight to maintain our economy, jobs for employees and employers, not elections. If they need to be postponed by even a year, as happened in Great Britain, where local elections were postponed from May 2020 to May 2021, then I am ready and will not question Andrzej Duda's mandate - said Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz during an online press conference. 

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- I am absolutely convinced that the date [of the May 10 presidential elections] is unsustainable in the current situation. The presidential elections should be postponed for two reasons. Firstly, at this stage of the situation's development, we are dealing with a match where only one player is competing, while everyone else, due to regulations which are, by the way, justified, has been excluded from the race, and the audience has de facto left the stands because they have more important matters to attend to and should be interested in right now. This is not the time to conduct an election campaign, and it cannot be conducted honestly in a situation where, de facto, only one candidate is running it, who, moreover, by denying and disregarding the recommendations of his own government, if I may say so, because they originate from the same party, travels around the country, visiting manufacturing plants, state borders, and other centers, while promoting the 'stay home' campaign - stated Szymon Hołownia at a press briefing.

- We need citizens who trust their state and each other today, because only through social trust can we survive this crisis. Please tell me, Mr. President Andrzej Duda, can you now look in the eyes of those 200,000 Poles who, by April 10, in three weeks, are supposed to register as members of district election commissions and tell them that they can safely go and fulfill their mission, their role in 52 days, when the elections are to take place? That, being in the midst of these restrictions we are experiencing today, we can have peace and certainty that in 5, 8, 9 weeks the situation will not completely change? This is a matter of life and health, not only for 200,000 members of district election commissions, but also for the fact that it will be necessary to go to millions of Poles and say to you: go to the polling stations and vote, because it is safe, there is no problem whatsoever, even though epidemiologists and virologists are talking about how this epidemic will progress, that it will stay with us for a long time. This is the issue on the table today: does the state truly see the health interests of Poles, or does it only see, and the government ruling it, some party interests and games that will help gain power, maintain power, and not whether they are truly acting for the good of society - he continued.

"We see that at this moment in Poland, we are de facto dealing with an extraordinary state. Exceptional circumstances mean that people are not meeting on the streets, that more and more Polish businesses are being closed every day. These exceptional circumstances require concrete, effective actions from the Polish state. They require, above all, a responsible, comprehensive plan. To this day, we have not heard any comprehensive action plan for the coming weeks and months from either the President or the Prime Minister. We have only heard today a confirmation of what we all know – that in Poland, we are de facto dealing with a state of natural disaster. Today, the Prime Minister of the Republic must be asked to take concrete actions and formally introduce a state of natural disaster. The legal solutions that should be applied clearly indicate that an infectious disease is one of the premises for introducing a state of natural disaster" – said PO (Civic Platform) leader Borys Budka at a press conference in front of the Sejm.

"It is necessary to introduce concrete economic solutions that will guarantee that in the near future, Poles who are unable to work will be able to count on state support. We are talking about both individuals running sole proprietorships, as well as those working under employment contracts or civil code agreements. As a state, we must guarantee a minimum wage for all these individuals so they are not left without the means to live. The state should counteract mass layoffs, which may be a consequence of the state of emergency we are currently in. It is very important for the state to support employers with a minimum wage and to subsidize all jobs that are necessary in the economy but have currently been frozen," said PO (Civic Platform) leader Borys Budka at a press conference in front of the Sejm.

- Every step in the right direction should be welcomed. But is it enough? I have serious doubts. This is not the first, and certainly not one of the last in Europe; my experts have prepared a detailed report on this subject, a plan to deal with the economic consequences of the coronavirus epidemic. Nor is it the most generous and comprehensive, because while significant EU countries estimate their plans at 15-20% of GDP, our plan hovers around 10% of GDP. It also contains many unknowns - stated Szymon Hołownia at a press briefing.

- Firstly, it states that self-employed individuals or those on mandate contracts or specific work contracts will be entitled to receive up to 80% of the minimum wage from the state. This functionally means pushing them into poverty. We need to say this clearly. This applies to 3 million people who, today, like many, for example, tenants of premises on this always busy Warsaw street, are losing their livelihoods, clients, and the ability to pay bills. After all, we hear today that ZUS (Social Insurance Institution) will not be cancelled at all for these 3 or 6 months. It will be deferred, and then it will have to be paid in a cumulative amount, with an appropriate application submitted to ZUS. All of this should happen automatically. This 80% of the minimum wage for 3 million Poles is definitely too little. It's a bomb that could explode in 2-3 months, leading to a rapidly deteriorating quality of life and further economic complications that undoubtedly threaten us in this situation - he continued.

- The second issue is the 30 billion PLN announced as investments. I have already seen many pharaonic investments from this government, the Central Communication Port (CPK), the Vistula Spit, and many other things. I would very much wish for the 30 billion, which is part of the 212 billion, to be money whose spending will actually be agreed upon with local governments, because they truly know local needs, agreed upon with local governments, and not share the fate of, for example, the Local Roads Fund, where, strangely enough, it turns out that most of the money goes to gminas (municipalities) governed by PiS (Law and Justice party) - stated Hołownia.

„The Sejm and the Senate are obliged to undertake swift and immediate legislative work. Today, we are obligated to introduce regulations next week that will ensure Poles are not afraid for their immediate future until the end of March, and that they will be equipped with basic financial resources. The Sejm should convene next week, and this is not just an appeal to the rulers, but a clear demand. We politicians are responsible for the fate of millions of people” – said PO chairman Borys Budka at a press conference in front of the Sejm.

“No responsible person should be dealing with elections today, nor should they be talking about election campaigns. We should all be focused on our work and increasing the safety of Poles. I wouldn't want anyone to think otherwise. Today, thousands of Polish officials should be engaged in helping those most in need. Today, with schools closed, it is impossible to effectively organize election commissions. Today, the safety of those who will be working at the elections is paramount, which is why introducing a [state of natural disaster] is not only necessary, but above all, it is basic decency that dictates treating citizens responsibly” – said the Civic Platform (PO) leader Borys Budka at a press conference in front of the Sejm.

- If this entire package of anti-crisis laws and regulations is to be implemented, it must be passed by the Sejm and the Senate. When we talk about the Sejm and Senate convening, that's 560 people in one place, plus support staff, another several thousand people, drivers, secretaries, all the office personnel. We are talking about a public gathering of an unprecedented and currently prohibited scale in Poland. Do we really have to risk the health of MPs, senators, and all those employees of the Chancellery of the Sejm and Senate? Isn't it simpler and more sensible to simply acknowledge that Poland is in a state of natural disaster, precisely as described in the law? This state of natural disaster is introduced by the Prime Minister, and then for 30 days, they have the right to issue decrees with the force of law, thus bypassing the need to create such gatherings at the very top of power. It is safer for all of us, more efficient, faster, and I truly don't understand why our authorities are so resistant to resorting to this obvious measure in such a situation - stated Szymon Hołownia at a press briefing.

“The Polish state, along with the Polish budget and institutions responsible for finances, will assist Polish entrepreneurs in combating the economic turbulence that will affect every country in the world. It will also affect Poland, but we will do everything in our power to ensure it impacts us to the least possible extent. Every economic forecast we read just a few days ago is already outdated. From day to day, these forecasts are unfortunately changing for the worse,” Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said at a press conference. 

“The Anti-Crisis Shield consists of a very large financial injection for capital and liquidity. The entirety of our program amounts to approximately PLN 212 billion. Generally, it is divided into three parts from a financial perspective, roughly one-third each. Approximately PLN 70 billion involves additional budgetary funds, secondly, actions by the Polish state in the form of guarantees, credit support, and also direct financial support for entrepreneurs, and thirdly – liquidity, capital, and regulatory measures to maintain the stability of the financial system and the safety of deposits,” stated Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at a press conference.

- This crisis is truly strong, it will likely be deep, because so far it is what it is, but let's not exaggerate. I would like to repeat what the Prime Minister said. We will manage, the state is very well prepared for this - stated Adam Glapiński at a press conference in the Chancellery of the Prime Minister (KPRM).

- This crisis is not catastrophic in any way. It is not a catastrophic crisis, like a war or some other particularly catastrophic natural phenomenon, something like that. It is a serious crisis, and we are all on alert, we are only afraid of ourselves getting sick, as the government feared for some time. This is actually the main problem, otherwise we will manage - stated Adam Glapiński at a press conference in the Chancellery of the Prime Minister (KPRM).

- By the end of the week, we want to prepare all the laws, and specifically, we want to include them in one special act specifically of an anti-crisis shield nature, although it will refer to very many laws, both those related to the labor market, financial and non-financial enterprises. It's easy to imagine that - stated Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at a press conference in the Chancellery of the Prime Minister (KPRM).

- Next week, as I discussed with Marshal Witek, a Sejm session is planned, most likely then we would like to adopt this bill [the anti-crisis shield] as quickly as possible, ideally in consensus, compromise, and consensus with the opposition, to which we invite them - stated Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at a press conference at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister.

President Andrzej Duda held a discussion with the CEO of LOT Polish Airlines concerning the "LOT do domu" (LOT Home) operation and the current situation of the company. The details of this discussion were shared via a link to a tweet from the official account of the President of the Republic of Poland: https://twitter.com/prezydentpl/status/1240299996009893889

- Therefore, it can be assumed that unless this very unfortunate and sad coronavirus departs as quickly as it arrived, the budget deficit will indeed occur. However, there is no immediate need to amend the budget because, as mentioned earlier, we have a very liquid budget, with the government's borrowing needs for this year secured at 77%, so we are in a very safe position. Nevertheless, if it becomes necessary, whether in June, July, August, or the second half of this year, we will of course propose an appropriate amendment - stated Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at a press conference at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister (KPRM).

The Prime Minister will be a guest on the "Gość Wiadomości" program this evening. The broadcast will begin at 8:05 PM. You can watch the interview on TVP Info. We invite you to follow the broadcast.

Link to the original tweet: https://twitter.com/KPRM_CIR/status/1240316789252382721

- The President of Poland, Andrzej Duda, is currently in conversation with the President of Ukraine. Today, the President also spoke with the President of Latvia - informed Krzysztof Szczerski, Head of the Presidential Cabinet, to 300POLITYKA.

- The new illumination of the Palace is intended to emphasize solidarity with Italy, a European country particularly affected by the pandemic – President's Chief of Staff, Minister Krzysztof Szczerski, told us.

https://twitter.com/MZ_GOV_PL/status/1240334707621081094

- First and foremost, we are waiting for specifics, because the government has accustomed us to throwing around quite large sums, but when it comes to specifics, we see around 60-70 billion so far, because the government includes guarantees and loans in this aid, and this is obviously not real assistance. For me, today the most important thing is for Polish entrepreneurs, people who have been left without a livelihood, to receive immediate state assistance. If someone proposes to defer ZUS payments, that is not a serious proposal. It means that Polish entrepreneurs, someone who, for example, runs a sole proprietorship, will have accumulated expenses in three months, for example, 4.5 or 6 thousand, if it's after four months - stated Borys Budka in an interview with Piotr Witwicki on the program "Wydarzenia i opinie" (Events and Opinions) on Polsat News.

- First and foremost, we wouldn't give 2 billion PLN for propaganda in state media. First and foremost, we wouldn't allow the spending in the Prime Minister's Chancellery, the President's Chancellery, or the Chancellery of the Sejm to increase so sharply. This means that state spending in the administrative sphere must be carefully managed. Unfortunately, the government has been pursuing a very poor policy in this regard for many years - stated Borys Budka in an interview with Piotr Witwicki on the program "Wydarzenia i opinie" (Events and Opinions) on Polsat News, when asked if Civic Platform would find more money or reallocate it differently.

- Today, at the Cabinet Council meeting, we learned that all tests that were conducted, to which we were subjected, all of us, the entire Council of Ministers, those who had contact with Minister [Wosiś] have come back negative. Therefore, we observed quarantine yesterday, we all spent time in our homes. In the evening, in accordance with the recommendation of the Chief Sanitary Inspector, this quarantine was lifted today – Jadwiga Emilewicz said in an interview with Anita Werner on TVN24's "Fakty po faktach".

- At the moment, we have calculated them for two months, but we are ready, we will be analyzing the market situation, we will see how the epidemic situation develops, and if there is a need, we will extend it as well - said Jadwiga Emilewicz in an interview with Anita Werner on TVN24's "Fakty po faktach".

- Today, postponing the election does not seem justified. We will see how the situation develops in the coming weeks. For now, there is no such decision - said Jadwiga Emilewicz in an interview with Anita Werner on TVN24's "Fakty po faktach".

- We are presenting concrete proposals. We want to sit down together, present solutions that will pass unanimously in parliament next week, and today we hear from people who have been left without a livelihood that urgent support is needed. Meanwhile, the government is defending itself, completely unnecessarily, talking about some bridging loans, about it being developed. Money is needed immediately for those who have been left without a livelihood, and therefore the Sejm needs to be convened urgently next week and legislative solutions adopted – stated Borys Budka in an interview with Piotr Witwicki on the program 'Wydarzenia i opinie' on Polsat News.

- This is not a one-off. In this case, we have calculated the financial implications for three months. It is difficult to predict what will happen. We hope the economy will rebound in the second half of the year - said Jadwiga Emilewicz in an interview with Anita Werner on TVN24's "Fakty po faktach".

- On Friday, we are presenting the bill at the request of Mr. President. Mr. President will want to familiarize himself with this bill. We have arranged consultations with the Social Dialogue Council between Friday and Monday. On Tuesday, the bill will be presented to the Council of Ministers, and during next week's Sejm session, we hope for good cooperation with the opposition. We will adopt this project. Then all solutions will come into effect from April 1st - Jadwiga Emilewicz said in an interview with Anita Werner on TVN24's "Fakty po faktach".

- We have a package of bills that we will send to the Prime Minister so that we can work on concrete matters. I believe that the government will present drafts of specific laws as soon as possible, and I would like them to be discussed by representatives of parliamentary clubs, because every day counts here - stated Borys Budka in an interview with Piotr Witwicki on the program "Wydarzenia i opinie" on Polsat News.

- Today the Prime Minister admitted that de facto we have a state of emergency without introducing a state of emergency. They spoke of many months of economic perturbations that await us. I am glad they admitted it. Therefore, joint action by the government and the opposition is necessary. We are prepared for this, but in addition to the economic package, we say clearly: tests, tests, tests. Today an absurd situation arises where more professional groups who have had contact with the coronavirus are being suspended, they go into quarantine because tests are not being conducted - stated Borys Budka in an interview with Piotr Witwicki on the program 'Wydarzenia i opinie' on Polsat News.

- I say this with full responsibility: a state of natural disaster should be introduced, because local governments and public administration then have the tools to effectively combat this epidemic, and we should sit down at the table, adopt an appropriate pact of actions that will be effectively undertaken by parliament. We are ready for this, and once again I ask all those who engage in politics to stop for a moment. To focus on solving these problems together. We, as the opposition, Civic Coalition, are ready for this. Let's postpone politics for a few months and focus on the safety of Poles - stated Borys Budka in an interview with Piotr Witwicki in the program "Wydarzenia i opinie" on Polsat News.

"I appeal to everyone once again. Let's stay home. Especially the elderly should avoid meeting with other people, because for them the coronavirus is a very serious risk" - said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in an interview with Edyta Lewandowska on "Gość Wiadomości" on TVP Info.

"This is an action that is also meant to give hope, because while we are currently facing an unprecedented, very difficult situation, a situation that causes enormous disruptions in our consciousness, in healthcare, in society, the virus has also affected the economy. It is already affecting it, it is already eroding the economy, it is already causing it to be weaker. The anti-crisis shield, a lifebuoy, is meant to at least partially prevent this, to give hope that soon, in a few weeks, when we reach the peak of infections, and then, I hope, the coronavirus will mean less and less in our lives, this anti-crisis shield will enable us to return to normal economic life" - said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in an interview with Edyta Lewandowska on "Gość Wiadomości" on TVP Info.

"This is the largest comprehensive program of its kind, one of the first in the world to be presented. It is a program designed to provide protection, as support for people who may now feel very uncertain, and they have the right to feel very uncertain, because the coronavirus is destroying individual branches of the economy. For example, let's look at tourism, transport, clothing or furniture sales. They are all suffering from the coronavirus, causing our GDP, our economic growth to be weakened" - Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said in an interview with Edyta Lewandowska on "Gość Wiadomości" on TVP Info.

"The anti-crisis shield is meant to prevent the worst-case scenarios, it's meant to protect jobs. It's meant to make employers more willing to retain jobs, despite fewer orders. We earnestly ask you, dear entrepreneurs, with real support from the state budget for job retention, for so-called 'standby pay', if employees don't have enough work, let's survive these worst 2-3 months ahead of us together. The budget is spending tens of billions to help maintain jobs" - said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in an interview with Edyta Lewandowska on "Gość Wiadomości" on TVP Info.

„The act will be ready by Friday. We will present it very quickly to parliament, in the appropriate procedure. I hope that parliament will adopt it next week. I spoke about this with Marshal Witek and there is a very high chance it will be adopted. I also count on the fact that despite various disagreements and differences of opinion, the opposition will also support this act, because it is an unprecedented package, appropriately prepared for this unprecedented situation that Poles and Poland are struggling with” - said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in an interview with Edyta Lewandowska on „Gość Wiadomości” on TVP Info.

In my opinion, the presidential elections should be held as scheduled, because I am convinced that in the longer term, many unforeseen circumstances may arise. For example, in autumn there could be a resurgence of coronavirus, according to some predictions. Therefore, such speculations are always subject to many variables, many unknowns. If we are dealing with such circumstances, it is always best to carry out certain actions according to the plan, as foreseen by the original date of the presidential elections – said Mateusz Morawiecki in an interview with Edyta Lewandowska on the program „Gość Wiadomości” on TVP Info.

-- 300POLITYKA LIVEBLOG: PMM ON ELECTIONS: A virus resurgence may occur in the autumn. BUDKA WANTS A STATE OF EMERGENCY INTRODUCED. EMILEWICZ COUNTS ON COOPERATION WITH THE OPPOSITION. THE PALACE LIT UP IN A SIGN OF SOLIDARITY WITH ITALY. https://300polityka.pl/live/2020/03/18/ ***** POLSAT EVENTS -- PLN 212 BILLION FOR POLISH COMPANIES AND EMPLOYEES DURING THE EPIDEMIC - THIS GIGANTIC PACKAGE, CALLED THE ANTI-CRISIS SHIELD, WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY BY PRIME MINISTER MORAWIECKI AND PRESIDENT DUDA. -- THE FIRST PERSON INFECTED WITH THE CORONAVIRUS IN POLAND IS ALREADY HEALTHY. -- MORE AND MORE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ARE TRADING SCHOOL BENCHES FOR SOFAS, AND BLACKBOARDS AND NOTEBOOKS FOR LAPTOP SCREENS. ***** TVN FACTS -- THE GOVERNMENT IS THROWING A LIFELINE, THE STATE WILL PAY PART OF THE SALARIES TO EMPLOYEES AND PREVENT WORKERS FROM COLLAPSING - in the announcement. -- WHEN IT COMES TO CALMING DOWN OR SELF-PROMOTION, THE RULING TEAM ACES THE EXAM - Maciej Knapik. -- THE PRIME MINISTER BELIEVES WE ARE INFUSING OUR ECONOMY WITH GIGANTIC SUMS OF MONEY - Knapik. -- PLN 66 BILLION IS DIRECT EXPENDITURE, THE REMAINING AMOUNT IS GUARANTEES FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED COMPANIES - Paweł Borys. -- 5 PILLARS. -- THE ENTIRE PACKAGE WILL BE AVAILABLE WITHIN 2 WEEKS - Borys. -- OPPOSITION PROPOSALS - Budka and Biedroń. -- A SEJM SESSION MUST BE HELD - 460 PEOPLE IN ONE ROOM PLUS STAFF - Knapik. -- WITH A RESPONSIBLE ATTITUDE AND GOOD MEDICINE, WE ARE NOT HELPLESS - Jarosław Kostkowski in a report about recovered patients. -- THE OPPOSITION ROARS: The number one topic is the virus, not the elections - the opposition roars, as the campaign fades and the deadline approaches. Opposition candidates are appealing to postpone the elections. However, in response, they hear that there are currently no legal grounds for postponement. -- THE FIGHT FOR THE HEALTH OF POLES AND THE ECONOMY IS IMPORTANT, NOT ELECTIONS - WKK. -- IT WOULD BE ACTUAL DEPRIVATION OF ELECTORAL RIGHTS FOR PERSONS IN ISOLATION - W. Hermeliński. -- AN INSULT TO DEMOCRACY, A LACK OF RESPECT FOR CITIZENS - W. Frasyniuk. ***** TVP NEWS -- THIS IS AN UNPRECEDENTED SUPPORT PACKAGE FOR THE POLISH ECONOMY. TO LIMIT THE COLLAPSE ASSOCIATED WITH THE CORONAVIRUS, THE STATE WILL ALLOCATE PLN 212 BILLION. THE SO-CALLED ANTI-CRISIS SHIELD WAS THE TOPIC OF THE CABINET COUNCIL - announcement. -- THE AMOUNT THE STATE IS INFUSING INTO THE ECONOMY IS UNPRECEDENTED - Damian Diaz. -- UNPRECEDENTED ACTIONS WERE ALSO TAKEN BY THE NATIONAL BANK OF POLAND - Diaz. -- THE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL BANK OF POLAND ASSURES THAT THE BANKING SYSTEM IS SAFE - Diaz. -- WE HAVE IMPERISHABLE AMOUNTS OF PHYSICAL CASH - Adam Glapiński. -- HOWEVER, THE OPPOSITION CRITICIZES THE AUTHORITIES' REACTION TO THE INTENSIFYING CRISIS - Diaz. -- EXPERTS REMIND THAT THE CURRENT OPPOSITION FAILED TO MEET THE TASKS SET FOR THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT - Diaz. -- THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT INTEND TO RESIGN FROM SOCIAL PROGRAMS - Diaz. -- THE PRESIDENT ASSESSED THAT DUE TO THE CRISIS, POLAND WILL NOT BE ABLE TO AVOID A BUDGET DEFICIT, WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY ASSUMED - Diaz. -- ACCORDING TO THE PRIME MINISTER, THERE IS NO NEED FOR AN IMMEDIATE AMENDMENT TO THE BUDGET - Diaz. -- 287 CONFIRMED CASES OF CORONAVIRUS. AMONG THE INFECTED ARE DOCTORS, NURSES, AND LABORATORY TECHNICIANS. THE PRESIDENT HAS MADE AN APPEAL TO PROTECT HEALTHCARE WORKERS - announcement. -- "PATIENT ZERO" HAS BEEN CURED OF THE CORONAVIRUS. IN A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF CASES, THE DISEASE PROGRESSES SO MILDLY THAT THE BODY DESTROYS THE VIRUS ITSELF - Marcin Szewczak. -- TERRITORIAL DEFENSE FORCES ARE HELPING TO PROTECT THE BORDERS. -- MILLIONS OF ZLOTYS FOR HOSPITALS, FOOD FOR DOCTORS, AND PRODUCTION OF HAND SANITIZERS - THIS IS HOW POLISH COMPANIES ARE SUPPORTING THE FIGHT AGAINST CORONAVIRUS. ALMOST ALL STATE-OWNED COMPANIES ARE INVOLVED IN THE AID - announcement. -- POLL FOR WPOLITYCE.PL: ANDRZEJ DUDA: 56% - MAŁGORZATA KIDAWA-BŁOŃSKA: 44% IN THE 2ND ROUND, PAD-HOŁOWNIA 53:47, PAD-WKK 54:46, PAD-BIEDROŃ 59:41, PAD-BOSAK 68:32. -- THERE IS NO PLAN TO POSTPONE THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS. THE MAY 10TH DATE IS UNSHAKABLE - ELŻBIETA WITEK INFORMED PAP - announcement: Rivals of Andrzej Duda are demanding a change of date. -- THE PANDEMIC FORCES THE RULERS TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION, HENCE, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE CABINET COUNCIL SESSION - Marcin Szypszak. -- AT THE OUTBREAK OF THE EPIDEMIC, PAD REDUCED CAMPAIGN-RELATED ACTIVITIES TO ALMOST ZERO - Szypszak. -- TODAY, PAD IS ONLY PERFORMING HIS DUTIES AS HEAD OF STATE - Szypszak: Hence the meeting with doctors and nurses in a hospital in Mazovia. -- THIS IS WHAT POLES DEMAND OF THE HEAD OF STATE TODAY - Szypszak. -- THE PRESIDENT'S ACTIVITY IS MET WITH CRITICISM FROM HIS POLITICAL OPPONENTS AND RELATED CIRCLES - Szypszak. -- BIEDROŃ AND HOŁOWNIA WANT THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS TO BE POSTPONED. THE SAME GOES FOR KRZYSZTOF BOSAK, WHO SIGNED THE DOCUMENTS AT THE NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION TODAY - Szypszak. -- KOSINIAK-KAMYSZ IS ALSO APPEALING FOR A POSTPONEMENT OF THE ELECTION DATE - Szypszak. -- KIDAWY-BŁOŃSKA'S CAMPAIGN TEAM AND HER SUPPORTERS, INCLUDING DONALD TUSK, ARE SAYING THE SAME THING - Szypszak. -- IN RECENT DAYS, "GW" PUBLISHED A SERIES OF OUTRAGEOUS ARTICLES ATTACKING THE HEAD OF STATE - Szypszak. -- "GW" JOURNALISTS EVEN SUGGESTED THAT THE PRESIDENT WAS USING THE PANDEMIC TO PROMOTE HIS CANDIDACY - Szypszak. -- THE STATE WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ENSURE THE ELECTIONS TAKE PLACE ON TIME - ELŻBIETA WITEK INFORMED VIA PAP - Szypszak.