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- Everything is fine. I hope [that the coronavirus stays away]. I think that even though I am in a group at risk due to my birth date, everything is as it should be - stated Jarosław Kaczyński in an interview with Krzysztof Ziemiec on RMF FM.

- No, I haven't been tested. I'm working as usual, meaning some might pretend it's difficult, others might consider it not difficult at all. That's a matter of assessment. In any case, at this moment, aside from observing all the precautions that are also in effect here and a very large portion of employees working remotely, it is as it was - the PiS leader continued.

– I was at church last Sunday and it posed no danger because in the church... it's a small church I've been attending for quite a few years now, there were about 10 people at a considerable distance from each other. So there was really no danger, but then Super Express gave me attention twice, and because of that, I'm now wondering, because I don't want to be the subject of that kind of attention. But I think that to church, if it doesn't pose a danger, if all those rules are followed, it's permissible to attend. There is no prohibition. The bishops are not saying: "don't go to church." The bishops are saying "we are granting you a dispensation," which is not a call not to go, but a statement that one can choose not to go. Therefore, I would also like this to be remembered. It seems to me that some journalists, in particular, do not remember this – stated Jarosław Kaczyński in an interview with Krzysztof Ziemiec on RMF FM.

- Yes, they [presidential elections] should take place, and state administration of both kinds – that is, governmental and local government, please remember the role of local government administration here – have a constitutional obligation to take action, because the first deadlines for these elections to take place are approaching. If they did not do so, they would be violating the constitution - stated Jarosław Kaczyński in an interview with Krzysztof Ziemiec on RMF FM.

- I am convinced that at this moment there are no grounds to introduce a state of natural disaster, which is arguably the weakest of the states of extraordinary measures. And only then can elections be postponed, so let us remember this constitutional limitation. It's not as if we can say we are postponing elections because for some reason we deem it appropriate. There must be constitutional grounds. In my deepest conviction, these grounds do not exist at this moment, and I truly have a very strong hope that they will not exist in the final period before May 10th. If they did, of course, the situation would change, but we are doing everything, with a very good, disciplined attitude from the vast majority of society, in the direction of keeping the situation under control. I am not saying that there is a prospect of very rapid improvement right now, but we currently have over four hundred people diagnosed with coronavirus. There are still certainly over a thousand people hospitalized. We don't yet know about their health in this regard, I'm talking about coronavirus infection - stated Jarosław Kaczyński in an interview with Krzysztof Ziemiec on RMF FM.

- There is also, of course, an increasing number of people in quarantine. It will certainly be significantly larger in some time. But all of this, despite everything, is not something that would authorize such far-reaching measures, such a severe restriction of civil rights - the PiS chairman continued.

- There are certain limitations, I don't deny that. But please remember that we must abide by the law, and the constitution in particular. And constitutionally – and I repeat this for the third time – there are no grounds for that at the moment. That's the first point, and secondly – if you consider the realities of the candidates who are truly significant – this group is widely known; they are campaigning in various ways, and secondly, please remember that the candidate of the ruling formation is the most disadvantaged. Because no one gathers people at meetings like him, and no one has such excellent contact with people, no one is such a great orator as the current president… – stated Jarosław Kaczyński in a conversation with Krzysztof Ziemiec on RMF FM.

- Regarding the president, of course, he can deliver an address from time to time, but this is a limited possibility and certainly shouldn't be overused, because then those who listen to these speeches will consider it a genuine abuse, and in this way, the president would harm himself. Besides, the president has lost what is his extremely strong point. It is – one could say – metaphorically speaking – a discipline in which no one… I'll compare it to boxing; no one can withstand even the first minute of the first round against the president. And yet, I believe the president – I don't want to speak on his behalf, I have no authorization to do so – believes the elections should take place. Because if he thought otherwise, he would certainly have taken appropriate action – the PiS leader continued.

- It's like this: the president holds the highest office in the state and therefore, when danger arises in a broad sense, they certainly cannot be someone who flees, who avoids that danger. Let's consider a possibility that I hope is purely theoretical at this moment, but it does exist and is also enshrined in the constitution: war. The president's task is of course not to be on the front lines with a weapon in hand, but to direct everything and, consequently, to bear risk. And it is a very high risk. In short, the argument that the president should not take risks is a very weak argument - stated Jarosław Kaczyński in an interview with Krzysztof Ziemiec on RMF FM. - As for the possibility of appearances and meetings, even though the number of participants in a meeting can only be limited to 50 people today, everyone can hold such a meeting. There is no ban of this kind at this moment, and the way the campaign is conducted is a decision for individual candidates. The campaign is being conducted today. Mainly on the internet, but not only on the internet. In the media, there are press conferences. I repeat – once more, and this is a serious answer – the president has lost the most at this moment. He would certainly have had tens, if not hundreds, of meetings behind him. And these are meetings about which one can say that if they had taken place – it is of course a hypothesis, but a very probable one – they would have been very successful, very numerous, and I repeat – he would have enormously outshined his competitors here. It is the president who risks the most by running in the tenth election - continued the PiS leader.

- There will be no shortage [of funds for social programs]. We currently have a situation, and it is thanks to the government, that there are certain reserves, certain resources. But there is no reason to hide that what is happening in Poland itself – but above all, what is happening around Poland in the economic sphere, is dangerous. And here, for a moment, I might return to the previous topic – from an economic perspective, from the perspective of resisting economic crisis, political stabilization, meaning the post-election state, is incomparably more favorable than the pre-election one – stated Jarosław Kaczyński in an interview with Krzysztof Ziemiec on RMF FM.

- And of course, it would be – I will add – extremely unfavorable for the president and the prime minister to be from different political camps and to argue. The situation is such that, among other conditions for effectively countering the crisis, we also need political stability today. This is also a reason why these elections should take place on [May] 10th. But I repeat, the main reason here is constitutional – stated Jarosław Kaczyński in an interview with Krzysztof Ziemiec on RMF FM.

- It might be difficult, but nobody says it will be easy right now. Nevertheless, those who are currently analyzing the situation – I'm referring primarily to the strongest analytical centers operating within major banks – believe that a positive change may occur in the last quarter of this year. As they say – a rebound. And even if something more than a recession happens beforehand, in some countries, meaning depression, a very severe recession exceeding 10 percent… - stated Jarosław Kaczyński in an interview with Krzysztof Ziemiec on RMF FM.

- Yes, because indeed, the course of economic events, if you look at history, can resemble the shape of a U, although not often. A downturn followed by a sharp rebound upwards. Therefore, one can assume that with good economic policy – and we truly have an excellent team in this regard – and, of course, also with circumstances beyond our control, but which, God willing, will be favorable, we are capable of getting back on our feet relatively quickly. Thus, everyone will emerge victorious – both employees and employers - the PiS leader continued.

- Well, in a very limited capacity, compared to the original plans, I believe it [the Polish delegation] should [go to Smolensk on April 10th]. I myself would very much like to be in Smolensk, since here, due to Good Friday, and now the coronavirus, this anniversary cannot be properly commemorated. We are dealing with a new element in the situation – the Russians have closed the border. Will they be ready to open it for a delegation? We don't know that yet. But preparations are underway. I'll just repeat – the number of people who are supposed to go has been drastically reduced. Originally, there were supposed to be four planes, now there's one. And also, if it were a larger plane, it would be far from full – stated Jarosław Kaczyński in an interview with Krzysztof Ziemiec on RMF FM.

- But of course I would [like to be part of that delegation too]. For me, it is an incredibly important thing, if it cannot be done otherwise, then to commemorate this anniversary, which is terrible for me, in this way – continued the PiS chairman.

If there's no positive breakthrough and radical easing of restrictions, then [national commemorations] will be scaled back. We have to reckon with that. But, I repeat, this does not mean that people cannot go to the ballot boxes, because that question, which you posed so definitively, is still relevant. You cannot meet in crowds of tens of thousands, because that would indeed be unacceptable within the framework of the current legal regime and probably even one that will be in effect on April 18th, assuming it will be relaxed. But some commemorations can certainly be organized, and, I repeat again, elections can also be held - stated Jarosław Kaczyński in an interview with Krzysztof Ziemiec on RMF FM.

- [Antoni Macierewicz] is preparing a report. I don't hide the fact that I don't know its content. His decision will be decisive here, but the sense of responsibility is also very important at this moment. We are dealing with a difficult situation, and that must also be taken into account. We must take into account the state of public sentiment. In no case should anything be done that would somehow alarm society and has not been sufficiently verified. As an injured party, I have some, albeit limited, access to the investigation conducted by the prosecutor's office, and from the perspective of this knowledge, I can say that there is still some time until the end of the investigation. Perhaps what I am saying with pain, not a little - stated Jarosław Kaczyński in an interview with Krzysztof Ziemiec on RMF FM.

- I don't know if there is anything to be revealed that I am unaware of, for example, but Minister Macierewicz knows. But I believe that so much time has passed that at this point, a document that is one hundred percent verified and has procedural value must be submitted. And verification within the requirements stipulated in criminal proceedings, as this is the case here, is a far-reaching verification. It is something completely different from knowledge that we can draw from various sources and consider true or not. It must be something proven. And at this moment, there are works in laboratories, and in several countries around the world, and in very good laboratories. There are also works conducted by specialists in mathematical modeling, and this is also outside Poland, in the United States, which are to answer many questions. We currently know that the plane approached the airport. We know that it was decided, as aviators say, to go around, meaning to simply abandon the landing, that all actions were taken to ensure it would go around, and the plane did not go around. And what happened, happened. And why, because that is the most important question now, we simply do not know. At least I don't know. That's all I can say - continued the PiS chairman.

- There's something called the 'law of the jungle' for the opposition, although the opposition uses this law excessively and often in a completely senseless way, given the situation we are in. However, I can say this – one only needs to compare the reaction in other countries with the reaction in Poland to see that the reaction in Poland was very swift. In many European countries, with the situation as it is today in Poland, there would not have been any reaction yet. So that's the first point. And it's been going on for a very long time here. Of course, within the timeframe we are talking about at all. That's the first matter. And the second is that what is decided is then implemented, and implemented efficiently. Although sometimes it's a really huge effort. Take, for example, everything that the Ministry of Interior had to do, but also the Ministry of National Defence joined in, when it comes to border protection. Borders that, for a large part, were not protected – stated Jarosław Kaczyński in a conversation with Krzysztof Ziemiec on RMF FM.

- Well, some borders are [protected]. We are in a situation where we are also a border state of the European Union, but those other borders were effectively non-existent, they had to be rebuilt. New checkpoints had to be built, all of this had to be somehow organized. Numerous decisions had to be made to alleviate the huge traffic jams – they reached up to 80 km at one point. These were often brave decisions, but they were made nonetheless. In short – it required organizational effort, the efficiency of people, the efficiency of officers. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank them for it. I don't hold any high state office, but I am the leader of the ruling party, so I think I can do it. It also required determination from those who are governing. The Prime Minister needs to be mentioned, the Minister of Health needs to be mentioned. One can talk about the entire government. I am talking about these individuals. About Minister Kamiński – although I didn't mention his name – one could say, I have already said it. There is, of course, also Minister Błaszczak, who immediately came to the rescue – he lent the army – the PiS leader continued.

- Above all, I would have to be a very imprudent and inexperienced person, and one can assess me in various ways, but I have very long political experience, to be handing out grades at this moment. But generally speaking, the government deserves a 'five'. And this is said by someone from a time when there were no sixes or ones – he emphasized.

- The signals we have right now, including from yesterday's session of the Sejm's Presidium, are very optimistic because an agreement was reached on the manner of conducting the vote. I don't want to preempt anything, and it's not my role. It's the Marshal or the Deputy Marshals who should speak about this, not me. But in any case, certain courses of action have been adopted here that are intended to enable the passage of legislation in this situation, which worries some people - often very much so. And I also don't see any preconditions at the moment to believe that the opposition would decide to try and prevent the passage of a bill designed to protect the Polish economy. And this is in a dimension, as you mentioned the Italian state, considering purchasing power, which is about twice as high as in Italy, I'm referring to these 50 billion euros. If we consider currency strength, it will be slightly less than twice as much, because the złoty has depreciated recently, but purchasing power is primarily important. So, it is indeed significant assistance. Whether this is where it ends, or if further actions will be taken, is not yet decided at this moment - stated Jarosław Kaczyński in an interview with Krzysztof Ziemiec on RMF FM.

- I am optimistic about the adoption of these [anti-crisis shield] laws. It will be one law. For various reasons, this is the most effective solution at this moment. However, regarding what we will do next, given that a large part of economic activity is currently simply halted, we will make decisions according to the development of events. Various initiatives, already undertaken in Poland and around the world, have not brought the effects they usually do, because we are dealing with a different kind of crisis. This is a crisis of the very foundation of the economy, of economic ties, of production mechanisms. Production mechanisms in the broadest sense, as this also concerns the production of services, not just industrial production. All of this is linked to a whole host of various connections, to this network, which is, in turn, connected to a network of other connections that function in the economy's periphery, i.e., in the broadly understood sphere of finance. And precisely because of its nature, that it is a crisis of the very, so to speak, essence of the economy, we must here resort to methods other than those that brought results, for example, after or during the crisis of 2007-2008. In any case, we really have to learn now, that's true. Certain experiments are being conducted everywhere right now; nobody knows how it will really turn out. But the experience of the last 30 years shows great progress in the ability to counteract crises - the PiS leader continued.

As for Mr. Banaś, the decisions are similar to those in elections – very limited by constitutional possibilities. Please remember that the current Senator Kwiatkowski was the head of the Supreme Audit Office for years, already facing an indictment and trial. But nothing could be done in that matter, even though the ruling majority was from a different camp than him; no one particularly wanted to defend him, but we simply recognized the validity of the Constitution. And the situation here is similar. Unless, of course, the opposition wants to help. However, much depends on the decisions of the President of the Supreme Audit Office himself – stated Jarosław Kaczyński in an interview with Krzysztof Ziemiec on RMF FM. - In my opinion, he should at least take an extended leave and entrust the leadership of the Supreme Audit Office to someone until the matter is clarified. He believes there is no such matter, because we know that. He believes he fell victim to some misunderstandings. Or perhaps some deliberate actions? But in any case, that he did not do anything that would be grounds to question his election and his functioning in this very important state office. Well, and who can resolve this? The court. There is no other way within the framework of the rule of law. Only, as we know, courts in Poland are, to put it mildly, not prompt – continued the PiS leader.

- I believe we are dealing with specialists who are very politically engaged. And that's what this is about in this case. States of emergency are clearly defined in the constitution, and certain conditions, including formal ones, must be met for their declaration. So, one cannot talk about a state of emergency simply because someone believes so, if one is speaking seriously. And I believe the situation is indeed serious enough to speak seriously. And I don't want to speculate at this moment about what would have to happen. Each of us knows that in some European countries, even quite numerous – very numerous, one might say – the situation is much worse than in Poland. But that's all I want to say on this matter. If we consider the number of sick, the number of hospitalized, and even the number of those in quarantine, who can be reached with a ballot box – it's only necessary to introduce appropriate technical and possibly legal solutions, but precisely of a purely technical nature – then there are no grounds that would lead to the conclusion that it is currently necessary to introduce a state of natural disaster – that is, to further tighten various kinds of restrictions – stated Jarosław Kaczyński in an interview with Krzysztof Ziemiec on RMF FM.

- Today the President is talking about elections, yesterday the Prime Minister was talking about elections, the President is talking about elections. Gentlemen, this is not the most important issue. In the face of a gigantic biological threat, and at the same time an enormous, or already experienced, economic crisis, where companies are failing and people are losing their jobs, you are discussing and for you, the election date is sacred, not the health and lives of our countrymen. Not their jobs, not the economy. This anti-crisis shield seems to be nothing more than a slogan, because apart from its beautiful name, it is not fulfilling its role. It is, unfortunately, a cardboard shield, not a titanium one. The assessment expressed by employees and entrepreneurs is very critical. It is simply insufficient. We postulate the immediate implementation of one, most important change: the cessation of collection of contributions and taxes. PIT, CIT, VAT. PIT, CIT, ZUS. The cessation of collection and the quickest possible refund of VAT. There is a need to cease the collection of property tax as well and to compensate local governments. This is a crucial matter. We have our project for voluntary ZUS, submitted a few weeks ago. It can be revisited, adopted quickly, and the matter is settled. There will be voluntary ZUS, there will be real relief for entrepreneurs, not what is proposed in the anti-crisis pact, which does not meet the expectations of either employees or employers - stated Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz at a press briefing.

- There is no election campaign today. Anyone who thinks otherwise is mistaken, because if for someone the campaign is important today, they are making a colossal mistake and will live solely for the elections, not for the most important matters. Gentlemen, Mr. President, Mr. Prime Minister, Mr. President, come to your senses. The economic crisis and the biological threat are the most dangerous today - stated Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz at a press briefing.

- Very important matters for farmers, because I see that the government has completely forgotten about farmers. It says nothing about them, it doesn't mention food producers who have lost their contracts abroad, those who are suffering due to other infectious diseases like ASF, and we have another confirmed new outbreak in the Lubuskie Voivodeship. The first this year, so we need to continue to pay attention to this. And also, the same conditions for those insured under KRUS [Agricultural Social Insurance Fund] and those working in agriculture, as for those insured under ZUS [Social Insurance Institution]. It cannot be that childcare for those insured under KRUS will not receive this special allowance, this care benefit. This should be changed in the anti-crisis law. We are preparing such an amendment – stated Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz at a press briefing.

Borys Budka, the leader of the Civic Platform (PO), has accused Jarosław Kaczyński, the leader of the Law and Justice (PiS) party, of being a cynical player who is willing to sacrifice the health and lives of Poles to cling to power. Budka's statement, made via a tweet on March 20, 2020, was a response to the ongoing political situation in Poland, likely concerning the government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and its implications for democratic processes.

In his tweet, Budka stated: "Kaczyński kolejny raz okazuje się być cynicznym graczem, który kosztem zdrowia i życia Polaków za wszelką cenę chce utrzymać władzę." This translates to: "Kaczyński proves himself yet again to be a cynical player who will stop at nothing to maintain power at the cost of Poles' health and lives."

The accusation highlights a deep political divide in Poland, with the opposition fiercely criticizing the ruling PiS party's actions. Budka's strong language suggests a belief that the government's decisions are prioritizing political expediency over public safety. This was particularly relevant during the early stages of the pandemic, when governments worldwide were grappling with complex decisions about public health measures, economic impacts, and the potential for electoral maneuvers.

The specific context of Budka's statement likely relates to the perceived risks associated with certain government decisions during that period. Critics, including Budka, often pointed to instances where they felt the government was not acting decisively enough to protect citizens, or conversely, was implementing measures that could be seen as undermining democratic norms under the guise of emergency powers. The phrase "za wszelką cenę chce utrzymać władzę" (will stop at nothing to maintain power) is a common accusation leveled against political parties perceived as authoritarian or power-hungry, suggesting that their actions are driven by self-preservation rather than the public good.

The reference to "zdrowia i życia Polaków" (Poles' health and lives) directly links the political accusations to the tangible consequences of government policy, especially in the context of a public health crisis. This framing is intended to resonate with the public's immediate concerns and fears.

Budka's tweet, therefore, serves as a strong indictment of Jarosław Kaczyński's leadership and the PiS government's strategy, portraying them as self-serving and dangerous to the well-being of the nation.

- If an infectious disease is spreading, a state of natural disaster should be introduced. I have a question: is it being introduced solely because one of the elements of introducing a state of natural disaster is the postponement of elections, as all other aspects of a state of natural disaster, types of actions, and restrictions on freedom have already been applied? What is the position of the ruling party? Because on the one hand, the Prime Minister and the President say: stay in your homes, do not go out. The meeting with the Prime Minister is taking place via teleconference, the National Security Council is to be held via teleconference, even though fewer than 50 people participate in the National Security Council. There are a dozen or so people. And as we hear, the President says: we must hold meetings of up to 50 people, for election purposes. So, should we stay home or should we go to meetings? Tomorrow, Poles who have supplementary elections in their regions, in their areas, which rule should they follow? Go to the elections or stay home? I ask for a clear declaration from the Prime Minister and the President, because they have a ton of conferences. We also need to stand up for the most disadvantaged. Just as the President said today, the most disadvantaged during this time is President Andrzej Duda. So, I ask these other stations that perhaps do not broadcast all 10 of the President's conferences, broadcast them, because if such a disadvantage exists, we cannot allow the President to be disadvantaged. This is a mockery, it is very irresponsible, what we heard today - stated Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz at a press briefing.

https://twitter.com/Jaroslaw_Gowin/status/1241300406992592897

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- I am not involved in elections. You know perfectly well, TVN should know, that I am busy treating the sick, not determining elections, and please tell your superiors not to send such questions, because they are truly inappropriate - stated Stanisław Karczewski during a briefing in Nowe Miasto nad Pilicą, when asked about the May presidential election date.

The Ministry of Health has reported 13 new cases of coronavirus infection in Poland. This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 452.

The announcement was made via the official Twitter account of the Ministry of Health: https://twitter.com/MZ_GOV_PL/status/1241339128085712896

The opinion of legal authorities is unequivocal. Both the first Ombudsman, Prof. Ewa Łętowska, and a former Constitutional Tribunal judge and head of the National Election Commission, speaking to 300POLITYKA, say practically the same thing: "After the state of emergency ceases and the subsequent 90-day period expires, the procedure restarts. With a new election calendar and new candidate registrations." This presents a significant risk of complete uncertainty, not only for the ruling party but also for the opposition, as it reopens the entire electoral process, including the collection of signatures and the registration of candidates from scratch. Furthermore, granting enhanced and unsupervised powers to the authorities under a state of emergency, even a "light" one – a natural disaster – allows for interpretations by the Constitutional Tribunal, which the opposition has no fundamental trust in. "In my opinion, it's not a loophole, but logical consequences of introducing a state of emergency. The entire election calendar from the beginning," Prof. Ewa Łętowska writes to us clearly in a communicator conversation when asked about the fate of the electoral procedure in the event of any of the three states of emergency. Wojciech Hermeliński, in an interview with 300POLITYKA, states similarly: "However, one must consider the concept that all these deadlines would start anew. New deadlines would have to run anew, and the entire procedure would have to be carried out again." The authors of a recent analysis on prawo.pl, Doctors Anna Rakowska-Trela and Maciej Rakowski, hold the same view: "If a potential state of emergency were to last for several months, the solution appears to be repeating electoral activities, i.e., deeming already completed actions as void, especially since after its termination, we may find ourselves in a completely new socio-political reality." And it is precisely this new political landscape in a few months or a decade that Michał Karnowski has termed "the reality's vibration." It is easy to imagine that Donald Tusk, ever calculating and keeping his finger on the pulse from afar, might realize that Platforma has completely slipped out of his grasp and, still young (62 years old), it is too soon to contemplate (currently online) Oskar Kokoschka exhibitions with a glass of Malvasia in hand. It is easy to imagine a scenario where even the new Platforma, reluctant to see Tusk return, might find itself under pressure from, for instance, Szymon Hołownia, who could announce his withdrawal from the race if the "democratic front" were to collectively field Tusk. And that would fundamentally alter the conditions of the presidential race. The opposition must also consider (another!) Hungarian scenario, which has just entered the discussion. Hungary's Minister of Justice has submitted the Orban government's request to parliament to introduce a state of emergency until the end of the year, replete with restrictions on the democratic process such as the suspension of parliament or criminal sanctions for certain behaviors – like deliberately misleading public opinion (fake news). Of course, what is currently under consideration here is not a full-fledged state of exception, but a state of natural disaster (which, in essence, the 'Lex Coronavirus' already largely consumes) – a lighter version. However, even so, everything might open the door to tightening this legal rigor. There is another matter that Wojciech Hermeliński points out in his conversation with 300POLITYKA: who would determine the effect of a state of emergency (even a light one – a natural disaster) on the electoral process. The former Constitutional Tribunal judge and head of the National Election Commission tells us that it could be determined by the Council of Ministers in a decree for a 30-day state of natural disaster, which can be extended by the Sejm for further periods. However, he simultaneously reserves that the management of presidential elections is the exclusive competence of the Marshal of the Sejm, and perhaps they should be responsible for interpreting the effects of a state of emergency. The Constitutional Tribunal could, of course, enter the fray in this matter, but the opposition has no faith in it whatsoever, and the Ombudsman does not even refer cases there. Another quadrature of the circle. photo: St. Roch Healing Animals - painting by Jacopo Tintoretto in the Scuola Grande di San Rocco, Venice.

- Indeed, this matter of ZUS contributions was urgent. The original project did not envision the possibility of not paying these contributions at all. The project proposed a three-month deferral of these payments. Entrepreneurs told me that this was not a sufficient solution in their opinion, as they feared they would not be able to return to activities that would generate even greater income than before, even as of February this year, before the coronavirus affected us and the crisis began. It was difficult to disagree with these sentiments, which is why today I urgently invited the Prime Minister, the Minister of Development, the President of ZUS, and the President of BGK to my office. For several hours, we discussed changes to this project, leading me to believe that introducing a permanent exemption – meaning that for 3 months contributions to ZUS would not need to be paid and would not have to be paid later, i.e., it would not be a debt to ZUS, but simply a completely normal exemption – must be included in the law to guarantee that this cost will not burden the self-employed or the smallest employer, which is a micro-entrepreneur employing up to 9 people. There are various programs foreseen for larger entities, but I considered this to be of crucial importance for these entities, as these were the main requests addressed to me in recent days - stated President Andrzej Duda at a press briefing.

- After a long discussion and calculations, we have established that all self-employed individuals and micro-entrepreneurs whose income has fallen by more than 50% compared to February 2020 will be exempt from paying ZUS contributions for 3 months. For all companies that maintain jobs, the state will subsidize employee salaries up to 40% of the average wage. These solutions are estimated by experts to cost around PLN 13 billion per month, and I want to emphasize that if this program is implemented, it is more than, for example, what was proposed to entrepreneurs and employees in Hungary, because there the solution is sector-specific, while here it is universal. Simply put, I want all those who are genuinely affected by the crisis to receive support from the state, because this is fundamentally important – it concerns jobs and the daily lives of Polish families. Of course, it will not be easy for us. It will not be easy for anyone. It will not be easy for those in government to fully implement this program. It will also not be easy for entrepreneurs, employers, and employees. The costs of this situation will affect us all. But I hope that through our collective action, we will overcome this danger that we are currently facing - PAD continued.

As I mentioned yesterday, I convened the National Security Council for Monday to discuss these solutions [from the anti-crisis shield] with the entire Polish political scene, meaning I invited representatives of all parliamentary groupings. They are represented on this council, there will be a meeting, and we will discuss this. The meeting will start at 12:00 PM. It will be held via teleconference to ensure it is as safe as possible for all participants, so we don't all sit together in one room, although theoretically it would be possible, we are trying to avoid that as much as possible. Therefore, it will be a teleconference. I'm announcing this in advance - stated President Andrzej Duda at a press briefing. We must implement such solutions. This National Security Council meeting is partly for the reason that there must be a consensus, so that parliament simply adopts it and all groupings agree on these solutions. Perhaps there will be some amendments, because we must take into account that there will be different proposals from, for example, those groupings that are currently opposition groupings, but I hope that we will manage to reach a consensus here and that we will be able to adopt solutions that will, to the greatest extent possible, save the Polish economy, Polish state institutions, and also household, family budgets, and that as few jobs in Poland and economic ventures in Poland as possible will suffer or disappear as a result of the impact of this crisis, which is a fact and which is not only Polish in nature. As we know perfectly well, it is already global in nature at the moment. No one can predict what will happen next, although everyone says that the consequences for the world economy, and unfortunately for ours too, will be dramatic, but we must do everything together to cope with this problem now and for the future - PAD continued.

- After listening to his interview [with Jarosław Kaczyński on RMF FM], I must say that Mr. President Jarosław Kaczyński appears to be completely detached from the reality of those people, those Poles, who are currently genuinely struggling with very serious problems caused by the coronavirus epidemic. In this interview, I missed any sense of human empathy, any attention paid to what is happening today with all those children and their parents who are constantly living in uncertainty about how the education system in Poland will look going forward, this school year. That's 4.5 million students who currently don't know how it will all unfold, whether there will be further extensions, or exams, such as the eighth-grade exam, which falls on April 21st, literally shortly after the lifting of the ban on attending schools, which is currently in effect, whether it will take place or not. This is an exam that often determines the future of young people, let's not hesitate to say it. They should have the right today to know in advance how their state intends to treat them in this situation. On May 4th, the matura exams begin. 400,000 students will take the eighth-grade exam this year, and matura students are another 250,000 students, again uncertain about what their fate will be. Will these closures be extended, or is there any point today in talking about maintaining the school year schedule? Perhaps it would be worthwhile to simply tell all those who are struggling with this situation today, that we have a problem and we need to postpone these dates. This also raises the question about all those parents who are struggling today to provide their children with the opportunity to study at home, with homeschooling – stated Szymon Hołownia at a press briefing.

Let's clarify the latest findings on business aid. Marczuk presents details
https://twitter.com/BartoszMarczuk/status/1241381231335481350

Ministerstwo Zdrowia (Ministry of Health) has announced 40 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infection in Poland. The information was shared via their official Twitter account.

The Ministry of Health regularly provides updates on the epidemiological situation in the country. These figures are crucial for monitoring the spread of the virus and implementing appropriate public health measures.

For the latest and most detailed information, please refer to the official Ministry of Health announcement:

https://twitter.com/MZ_GOV_PL/status/1241408918192087041

I will answer your question with deliberate exaggeration, and then please allow me a short interview to justify this exaggeration. I would answer your question: please don't bother me with any elections. The global economy has ground to a halt. This means that with every second that passes, we as a world are becoming poorer. And the world that emerges in a few weeks, in an optimistic scenario, or in a few months, will be completely different from the world of a few weeks ago – stated Jarosław Gowin in an interview with Grzegorz Kajdanowicz on TVN24's "Fakty po faktach". I believe that today we must do everything to protect the health and lives of Poles and the health and lives of Polish companies, because they are equally invaluable and they are a condition for us to continue to effectively protect patients. From this perspective, I believe that discussing the timing of the elections makes no sense at all right now. If they can be held in May, let's hold them in May. Therefore, the decision on this matter should be made at the last possible moment – added the Deputy Prime Minister. If, after Easter, we are able to return to the kind of functioning we remember from before the epidemic, if we start functioning normally, if the Polish economy resumes its operation, if Polish schools and universities reopen, then nothing will prevent us from organizing the elections within the next month – Gowin emphasized.

- There is no good moment for these [presidential] elections today, and therefore, as long as it's possible, let's stick to the constitutional deadline. A moment will soon come, within 2-3 weeks, when we will all know the answer as to whether these elections can take place or not - stated Jarosław Gowin in a conversation with Grzegorz Kajdanowicz on TVN24's "Fakty po faktach".

- The last thing the government is concerned with today is preparing for elections. We have too many unknowns. I have a duty, 20 hours a day, and I'm not exaggerating, and in the case of some ministers, such as Minister Szumowski or Minister Emilewicz, or Prime Minister Morawiecki himself, this has been the case for many, many days, to prepare solutions that will halt the epidemic in Poland as quickly as possible and allow us to save as many Polish companies and jobs as possible, and prevent a sea of human dramas, and even tragedies, that may arise from this epidemic. Once we resolve this, we will probably start thinking about what to do with the elections during the holiday period - the Deputy Prime Minister continued.

- If you were to truly make me seriously reflect on the election date, I would have to say that a safe election date is probably spring 2021. But how to achieve that? The Polish Constitution indicates only one path. That path is a state of extraordinary emergency, and I repeat this at least twice. Please remember that introducing a state of emergency is linked to the restriction of many civil rights, and certainly neither you nor I, nor I suspect any of the viewers, would want that - stated Jarosław Gowin in a conversation with Grzegorz Kajdanowicz on TVN24's 'Fakty po faktach'.

https://twitter.com/MZ_GOV_PL/status/1241447073360351232

https://twitter.com/MZ_GOV_PL/status/1241447077361651712

I am convinced that we will find, that Marshal Witek will find, and the entire Sejm Presidium, including opposition marshals, will jointly find a formula for holding this session in such a way that this act [the anti-crisis shield] can be passed – stated Jarosław Gowin in an interview with Grzegorz Kajdanowicz on TVN24's "Fakty po faktach". When asked about the idea of organizing a Sejm session at the National Stadium, the Deputy Prime Minister replied: I don't think this proposal is worth further consideration.

'Mr. Editor, let's pray it's not hundreds of billions of zlotys in the perspective of the next few years. Because the entire world's economy, I emphasize this once again, is in a state of implosion. It also won't be that once the epidemic ends, everything will return to how we remember it from a few weeks ago. Many companies will be gone. Many Polish companies will be gone, many German, British, American companies will be gone. There will be Chinese companies. China is currently the only country where production continues. The moment markets open, Chinese products will flood the entire world. These are completely new challenges that we must face realistically' – stated Jarosław Gowin in an interview with Grzegorz Kajdanowicz on TVN24's 'Fakty po faktach' (Facts after Facts). - We must, in a sense, reinvent Poland and the modern world. Because this world is completely different – the Deputy Prime Minister continued.