No one will put pressure on the President regarding when to sign or not sign.
- Nawrocki on SAFE
Hot Topic
04/07/2020
07:24
The Sejm will resume its proceedings at 3:00 PM with the first reading of the government's draft law on special support instruments in connection with the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, as well as the first reading of the PSL's proposed law establishing a genuine Anti-Crisis Shield. A break is scheduled for 4:45 PM until Wednesday, when a three-hour block of votes will take place at 10:00 AM. The government's solution is expected to be adopted then.
07:45
Members of the PiS club have submitted a draft amendment to the Sejm's rules of procedure, introducing the possibility of shortening the second reading period for bills amending the Constitution.
The proposal stipulates that in addition to the article stating that "the second reading of a bill amending the Constitution may not take place earlier than the fourteenth day from the day the Members of Parliament are delivered the report of the Committee considering the bill amending the Constitution," it should be added that in particularly justified cases, the Marshal of the Sejm – after consulting the Presidium of the Sejm – may shorten this period.
The representative of the initiators is Kamil Bortniczuk from the Agreement party.
07:59
Bortniczuk:
In responsibility for government stability, we voted responsibly, sometimes against our conscience
08:05
Bortniczuk:
Today, 72 Opposition Votes Are Needed to Change the Constitution and Postpone the May 10th Election; This is Our Only Tool
08:09
Bortniczuk:
Professor Maksymowicz is one of those individuals we gave permission to vote differently
- Professor Maksymowicz is indeed one of those individuals, [who] due to their conscience, their experience, their medical knowledge, received permission from us. All members of the Agreement, no one from our side has any complaints against him for voting differently, because he received permission from us, complete understanding to vote differently [yesterday regarding the PiS bill on postal voting] - stated Kamil Bortniczuk in an interview with Monika Olejnik on TVN24's "One on One".
08:16
Bortniczuk:
I'm Considering Resigning as Deputy Minister Out of Loyalty to My Boss, Though He Currently Sees No Need
- I am considering whether not to resign from the position of deputy minister out of loyalty to my boss, although the boss sees no such need for now - stated Kamil Bortniczuk in an interview with Monika Olejnik on TVN24's "Jeden na jeden".
08:34
08:41
Emilewicz:
Do We Know the Consequences of Imposing a State of Emergency? Military on the Streets, Internet Portals Shut Down, Radio Stations
- Do we know the consequences of imposing a state of emergency? And I'm not talking about the financial ones. I'm talking about having the military on the streets, internet portals shut down... - Jadwiga Emilewicz said in an interview with Beata Lubecka on the "Gość Radia ZET" program.
- It would have to be a state of emergency; a state of disaster doesn't foresee such restrictions - the journalist noted.
- ...So, under a state of emergency, radio stations shut down. Do we really want that? We have an epidemic and a state that is adequate to the epidemic has been introduced - the minister replied.
08:45
Emilewicz:
If elections cannot be held in May due to 30,000-40,000 infections, Porozumienie will not vote for the electoral law when it returns from the Senate to the Sejm
- If it is required, if the elections cannot be held in May because we will have 30,000-40,000 infections, we will have hospitals organized in convention halls, then I assure you that Porozumienie, on May 5th or 6th, I don't know when the law will return from the Senate to the Sejm, will not vote for the electoral law - Jadwiga Emilewicz said in an interview with Beata Lubecka on the program "Gość Radia ZET".
08:51
- You say that if the situation is very tense, if there is a mass increase in infected individuals, then these elections will not take place. But on what grounds? Will you introduce a state of natural disaster? - Beata Lubecka asked Jadwiga Emilewicz on the "Guest of Radio ZET" program.
- Yes, then we would have to introduce a state of natural disaster, because there is no other constitutional procedure - replied Emilewicz.
08:54
Emilewicz:
Leading to a Minority Government Would Be Extreme Irresponsibility
- We made this decision and voted as you could see yesterday. Today, leading to a minority government would be extreme irresponsibility - Jadwiga Emilewicz said in an interview with Beata Lubecka on the "Gość Radia ZET" program.
09:01
Dworczyk:
Work is Nearing Completion; We Can Expect an Announcement on Expanded Anti-Crisis Shield 'Any Moment Now'
- The government is continuously working on expanding the adopted anti-crisis shield. It contains a number of solutions that are important for companies, also important concerning liquidity, which is and will be very, very significant for enterprises and businesses today. This work is nearing completion, and we can truly expect the announcement of the expanded anti-crisis shield any moment now - stated Michał Dworczyk in an interview with Krzysztof Ziemiec on TVP1's "Political Quarter of an Hour".
09:07
Dworczyk:
We Do Not Foresee Suspension of Solidarity Benefits
- No, in all these programs and preparations that we are undertaking, we do not foresee the suspension of these solidarity benefits. They have provided a very significant impetus, also a pro-development impetus for the economy in recent years, and we do not foresee suspending the benefits you are referring to [such as 500+] - stated Michał Dworczyk in an interview with Krzysztof Ziemiec on TVP1's "Political Quarter of an Hour".
09:09
09:30
During its next session, scheduled for April 15-17, the Sejm is set to consider five citizen-initiated bills. In practice, this is the last possible date without convening additional sessions, as, according to the law, for projects submitted by citizens in the previous term, the first reading must take place in the new term no later than six months from the date of the first sitting. The Sejm first convened for this term on November 12th, meaning the deadline is May 12th. The next Sejm session is only planned for the end of May.
One of the projects, spearheaded by Kaja Godek, proposes stricter abortion laws by repealing the admissibility of eugenic abortions. Another project – submitted specifically in this term – concerns "the protection of property in the Republic of Poland against claims related to so-called ownerless property, raised in connection with, among others, the American Justice for Uncompensated Survivors Today (JUST) Act 447, aimed at providing prompt justice to Holocaust survivors whose losses have not been compensated."
The next proposal – backed by Sławomir Broniarz from ZNP (National Teachers' Union) – involves changing the financing of teachers' salaries from the educational subsidy formula to a targeted grant. Another project concerns amending regulations to "ensure legal protection for children and youth against sexual depravity and demoralization." The last bill, an amendment to the Hunting Law, introduces the possibility of conducting hunts in the presence or with the participation of children under 18 years of age, with the consent of parents or legal guardians.
09:37
Kierwiński:
Where's the Logic in Closing Forests but Telling People 'Go Vote'?
"To be precise, [Kidawa-Błońska] called on Poles to take care of their own health. If all epidemiologists, people who know about this, but also the government, say 'stay home,' close forests, public places, then where is the logic in closing forests but telling people 'go vote.' You have to be not all there mentally not to maintain elementary logic and discipline when it comes to protecting Poles from the threat of coronavirus" - said the Secretary General of Civic Platform, Marcin Kierwiński, in an interview with Jacek Prusinowski on Radio Plus.
09:38
Kierwiński:
We Will Not Agree to Constitutional Changes with Kaczyński, as He Has Repeatedly Proven Himself a Deceiver Regarding Constitutional Adherence This Term
“We will not agree to constitutional changes with Jarosław Kaczyński. Do you know why? Because Jarosław Kaczyński has repeatedly proven himself a simple, regular deceiver this term when it comes to respecting the constitution,” said PO Secretary-General Marcin Kierwiński in an interview with Jacek Prusinowski on Radio Plus.
10:03
10:08
https://twitter.com/MZ_GOV_PL/status/1247434115399462912
https://twitter.com/MZ_GOV_PL/status/1247434117723160576
12:24
Trzaskowski:
Warsaw's Revenue Shortfall Will Be Significant, Potentially Reaching 2 Billion Zloty
"The situation of local governments is very difficult. We are currently on the front lines. Regarding local government finances, they were already in a tough spot before the coronavirus due to government reforms implemented using local government funds, and also because of the rising costs of waste management, as this market was severely disrupted by government laws. However, we currently estimate that for Warsaw, the revenue shortfall will be very significant, potentially reaching 2 billion zloty," said the Mayor of Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski, at a press conference.
12:25
Trzaskowski:
We Asked the Government to Loosen the Budgetary Rule for Local Governments
"As part of the Union of Polish Metropolises, the Union of Polish Cities has turned to the government for help. We calculated the support for local governments through an increase in the general subsidy in Poland to be approximately PLN 11 billion, but this support can take many forms. Firstly, of course, some form of supplementing our revenues, as we are on the front lines of the fight against the coronavirus. These are issues of not including costs incurred for the coronavirus in the spending rule, but most importantly, it is the loosening of the budgetary rule," said Rafał Trzaskowski, the Mayor of Warsaw, at a press conference.
12:25
Trzaskowski:
We propose suspending 'janosikowe' for at least two years or changing its calculation method
„This is also a matter of 'janosikowe'. We proposed that this 'janosikowe' be suspended for at least two years or that its calculation method be changed. There are several demands for the government. First and foremost, we should strive for the cuts in investment programs to be as small as possible, because thanks to this, the economic collapse that will occur will be shallower” - said the Mayor of the Capital City of Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski, at a press conference.
12:34
Trzaskowski:
We are turning to the National Electoral Commission, but also to the government for clear guidelines on what exactly we should do, whether the situation is safe enough to prepare for elections.
"We are turning to the National Electoral Commission, but also to the government for clear guidelines on what exactly we should do, whether the situation is safe enough to prepare for elections. Under current law, postal voting has not yet come into effect. The Senate must agree. The entire legislative procedure must be carried out. In our assessment, elections cannot be conducted safely. If the government is absolutely convinced that preparations for elections can be made, that people can be trained, and takes responsibility for it by issuing clear recommendations, then we will adhere to those recommendations. We are waiting" - said the Mayor of the Capital City of Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski, at a press conference.
12:41
Legal Analysis: What Makes States of Emergency Unique?
For several years, a persistent legal dispute has been observed in Poland. It is waged between those who read the Constitution literally and those who see the basic law as an instrument subject to dynamic interpretation. This has led to a situation where individual provisions of the Constitution are taken out of their systemic context. This is particularly evident in the current dispute over whether the government is obliged to introduce a state of emergency in Poland based on the provisions of the Constitution. The arguments suggesting that the government or parliament should immediately introduce a state of emergency or a natural disaster state boil down to two issues.
When an Emergency State Can Be Declared
The first is the assertion that the occurrence of exceptional circumstances during the functioning of the state, coupled with the state's implementation of protective measures, is a sufficient basis, and one that leaves no room for governmental discretion, for declaring the actual existence of a state of emergency.
The second line of argument is to present a state of emergency as a constitutional way to postpone election deadlines, thus reducing it to the role of an instrument in current political games.
The first argument, which boils down to the assertion that the decision of the executive power and, potentially, the parliament regarding a state of emergency is merely a confirmation of a de facto existing state of emergency or a natural disaster state, is inconsistent with the constitutional principle of proportionality. According to this principle, state bodies, before resorting to the harshest measures provided by law, should use milder competences that interfere with the normal functioning of the state to the least possible extent. The Constitution, in Article 32(3), allows for the restriction of rights and freedoms when it is necessary to protect the most important principles such as public safety and order, environmental protection, health and public morals, or the freedoms and rights of others. However, there is no exhaustive list of situations in which such restrictions should be introduced.
In the Commentary to the Constitution, edited by prof. Safjan and Bosek, it is stated that "an appropriate state of emergency may be introduced in situations of particular threats if ordinary constitutional measures are insufficient, and these conditions must be met cumulatively." A situation where ordinary constitutional measures are insufficient occurs when it is impossible to counteract the threat without deviating from the constitutional norms applicable in a "normal situation."
The assessment of the degree of threat is left to the bodies authorized to introduce a state of emergency, which is often forgotten in public debate.
Constitutional or Merely Statutory State of Emergency
Therefore, the key to the current situation is to answer the question of whether the current regulations effectively allow the government to combat the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, whether the restrictions on rights and freedoms are proportionate to the degree of threat, and whether they are made based on and within the limits of an appropriate law.
The government bases most of its actions on the Act of December 5, 2008, on the prevention and combating of infections and infectious diseases in humans. For over 11 years of its validity, no one has raised objections to its constitutionality. Therefore, it is unjustified to claim that the regulation on the state of epidemic threat or the state of epidemic introduces unconstitutional restrictions on rights and freedoms. These restrictions stem from the act, and the regulations of the Minister of Health are a detailed elaboration of its provisions.
It is also worth recalling that the Act on the State of Natural Disaster and the Act on the State of Emergency also provide for the specification of types of restrictions on human and citizen rights and freedoms through regulations. The government and the Minister of Health are exercising their powers arising from the provisions of the laws defining their duties and competences.
It is worth emphasizing again – a state of emergency is introduced when the state ceases to function normally and ordinary, applicable statutory measures are insufficient to overcome the crisis situation.
Of course, the scale of restrictions on rights and freedoms seems broad, but it essentially boils down to two aspects – movement and the freedom to conduct business activities. This is justified because strict restrictions on movement are the only effective way to halt the spread of the epidemic. The absence of such measures would lead to catastrophic consequences, including an unavoidable restriction of the right to life, health, or good healthcare.
It is also worth noting that a state of natural disaster would empower the authorities to take actions such as using employees of private companies, emptying premises, or using real estate and movable property without the consent of their owners. These could be the next steps in the government's actions.
The development of the epidemic may necessitate adjustments to actions, including the introduction of a state of emergency. However, at present, it must be agreed that this radical step is not necessary. The scale of infections and their proportional increase over time in Poland is smaller than in other EU countries.
Why Does the State Need States of Emergency?
The premise for introducing a state of emergency is to grant the state special efficiency, not to make organizational changes, even on such an important issue as presidential elections. Other institutional instruments serve this purpose. Professor Karol Dobrzeniecki already pointed this out in his article for Rzeczpospolita on March 31.
A state of emergency, as such, will not stop the epidemic. Effective actions by the administration and healthcare services will do so. Their primary function is to ensure the greatest possible safety and stability for citizens and the economy.
Some constitutionalists, so focused on isolated provisions of the basic law torn from their context, fail to notice the logic of systemic and functional state actions derived from statutes.
Perceiving the current situation in a fragmented, rather than a holistic, manner leads to a distortion not only of aid for businesses and families affected by the consequences of the pandemic but also of the Constitution itself. States are not equal, and it is worth using them proportionally, not in advance.
12:46
"Stay home. Get a grip on the Internet. Let's be together online." – with these slogans, Pekao is encouraging seniors to actively use the Internet, including for "online banking." The idea behind the campaign is to build a virtual community, say bank representatives. This will be possible, among other things, thanks to the "Senior Zone" platform and a discussion group on Facebook: "Let's Get a Grip on the Internet with Intergenerational Dancing." Additionally, the bank will undertake educational and informational activities with the participation of, among others, Krystyna Czubówna.
Bank Pekao's "Get a Grip on the Internet" campaign targets both seniors who are already active online and those who are just taking their first steps in the digital world. The functioning of the latter in the environment of new technologies has become crucial in the current situation, where the #stayathome initiative, especially for older individuals, is no longer just a recommendation but a necessity.
Pekao aims to build a safe, virtual space for seniors who need support in their daily activities, as well as for entertainment, leisure, and a sense of belonging to a wider community.
– The campaign is a result of our social commitment. We are providing older people with a new, additional environment for building social relationships. At the same time, we want to respond to the needs of seniors active online by providing them with interesting content. As a bank actively implementing a digital transformation strategy, we also provide solutions that allow everyone to handle many matters online while maintaining online security – says Marek Lusztyn, CEO of Pekao S.A.
Bank Pekao, a leader in the digital transformation of the banking sector, wants to help build a new, virtual dimension of social relations. It shows that being alone at home doesn't have to mean loneliness. To this end, along with the launch of the new educational campaign "Get a Grip on the Internet," a special virtual platform and a social media discussion group have been launched. "Senior Zone" and "Let's Get a Grip on the Internet with Intergenerational Dancing" are not only educational and informational content but also a place for intergenerational exchange of experiences, mutual help, and building relationships – both among seniors themselves, and between older and younger generations.
On the dedicated "Senior Zone" platform, located at pekao.com.pl/StrefaSeniora, packages of materials will be published, from which seniors will learn how to safely handle daily matters without leaving home, along with practical articles and interesting facts about new technologies.
Krystyna Czubówna, Jacek Kawalec, Marta Manowska, as well as influencers such as Eliza_betka and the popular online personality Reżyser Życia (Director of Life), are among those participating in Bank Pekao's initiative aimed at seniors.
13:05
- The legislative act concerning total postal voting has reached the Senate, and as has happened many times before, we will have to do the work that, to put it mildly, wasn't done in the Sejm. That is, to seek the opinions of the Ombudsman, the National Election Commission, the Supreme Court, and other authorities, in order to form an opinion on how this legislative act aligns with constitutional requirements, how it aligns with the provisions stating that voting must be direct, secret, etc. All these attributes, and only then, after remotely consulting and conducting public consultations, will the senators perhaps decide. The legislative and human rights committees will then be able to proceed with the plenary debates - stated Tomasz Grodzki at a briefing in the Sejm.
- We intend to also ask for the opinions of epidemiologists and infectious disease doctors on how they relate to this, because let us remember that in the background there is a gigantic, dangerous, deadly pandemic. And what motivated many MPs and senators was the concern for the health and lives of those who will participate in this entire process. Both voters, postal workers, members of the election commissions, and everyone else who will be involved. Let us remember this, because it is fundamental. If the fulfillment of the democratic act of election is to be associated with endangering one's own and others' health and lives, then one must ask a fundamental question, especially in our Mediterranean, Christian culture: what is more important, human life and health, or the act of election - the Marshal of the Senate continued.
13:12
„To all medics, to all those fighting on the front lines, not just those who directly care for Covid patients, but all medics, because the rest have also shouldered a huge burden and pressure. I also wanted to convey thanks from Professor Marian Zembala, with whom I spoke a moment ago. He asked me to add his warm words to these thanks. I thank the nurses, paramedics, orderlies, doctors, medical secretaries, but I also thank those who are not always seen, laboratory technicians, pharmacists, whom we meet every day, and often these thanks do not reach them directly. I would like to thank the drivers, everyone who works in hospitals, including those in professions not directly related to the patient” - said the Minister of Health, Łukasz Szumowski, after the #ApplauseForYou thanks.
13:12
"The time of the epidemic is a time when everyone works in more difficult conditions, which shows how important this area is, this profession, whatever the profession may be, be it physiotherapists, pharmacists, laboratory technicians, doctors, nurses, paramedics, orderlies, or administration. It shows that these are professions that people trust, because they help in suffering. I also know that today the best thank you for all of you is simply personal protective equipment. As I said last week, we distributed those 7 million masks. This week we will distribute another 20 million masks. As soon as they arrive, these planes land in Poland. I hope that this equipment will be increasingly available, that you will be equipped with it" - said the Minister of Health, Łukasz Szumowski, after the #BrawadlaWas (Applause for You) acknowledgments.
13:39
13:59
Hołownia:
25,000 Postal Workers Will Have to Deliver 30 Million Packages in the First Round. The Second Round Will Be the Same. Those Who Don't Perish in the First Epidemic Will Be Finished Off by Kaczyński and His Companions in Two Weeks
- What will happen to all these thousands of Poles, especially the elderly, the at-risk group, who on the day imagined by Marshal Witek, after she consults on what she thinks with the de facto ruler of this country, as one can no longer say the Head of State, but with the monarch, with the Emperor of Poland, Jarosław Kaczyński, what will happen to these thousands of people who on that day will have to go to the mailboxes, into which the voting envelopes will be dropped, which on that day will be visited by hundreds, perhaps thousands of people. And the virus will transmit as it pleases - said Szymon Hołownia during a press conference.
- 25,000 postal workers will have to deliver 30 million packages to us in the first round of elections. In the second round, which nobody is talking about, it will be the same. Have you noticed that here, those who do not even perish in the first epidemic will be finished off by Jarosław Kaczyński and his companions in two weeks, when the second round of elections will need to be carried out - added Hołownia.
14:02
Grodzki:
If we have to write our PESEL and full name, what about the secrecy of these elections?
- We are not talking about the fact that such ad hoc preparations of this procedure will certainly be conducive and will threaten abuses, I don't want to use the word electoral fraud, but a gigantic mess that will cause perhaps not every vote to reach the election commission, not every vote to be considered valid. Because if we have to write our PESEL and full name, what about the secrecy of these elections? There are a huge number of such doubts, which at one time were also shared by MPs and senators from PiS. Not to mention, for example, President Trump's opinion - stated Tomasz Grodzki at a briefing in the Sejm.
14:08
Hołownia:
If Duda Wins These Elections, He Won't Be President of Poland. He'll Be a Coward Who Feared Fair Competition and Clung to Power Over Polish Lives.
14:17
- Where is the [President] today? He's sitting in one of his residences, waiting for his father, Jarosław Kaczyński, to pass a law that will sufficiently tie down his opponents, confine a certain number of Poles to their homes, and lead to him being able to win without difficulty in the first round. In unfair, lied, falsified elections. You, those who voted for this law, are the ones dismantling the Republic today. What you are doing is cowardice, banditry, theft; it is such an ethical obscenity that it's hard to comprehend, in a situation where our house is burning, they are carrying away our family silver, our heritage, everything that is called the Republic, just to stay at the trough a little longer – said Szymon Hołownia during a press conference.
14:22
Hołownia:
"The Last Walls Seem to Have Broken Yesterday." "The Last Decent People in This Government, Minister Szumowski, Minister Emilewicz, Have Dived Headfirst into This Swamp. Into This Lie Up to Their Ears."
- Yesterday, it seems the last walls finally crumbled. The last decent people one could observe in this government, Minister Szumowski, Minister Emilewicz, have plunged into this swamp. They've dived headfirst into this lie, and what's more, they've tried to justify it in some way - said Szymon Hołownia during a press conference.
14:22
Members of Parliament will resume their session at 4:30 PM, not at 3:00 PM as previously planned. The agenda includes, among other items, the first reading of the government's bill on special support instruments in connection with the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
14:28
Hołownia:
Gowin Has Likely Tied His Political Spine in a Knot, and Nothing Can Be Expected of Him Regarding Responsibility for the Country
- I don't want to refer once again to the stance of Deputy Prime Minister Gowin himself, to whom we will owe our own Polish neologism: 'gowinować' (to Gowinize). Not 'hamletize.' This is a man who has likely tied his political spine in a knot, and nothing more can be expected of him when it comes to responsibility for the country - said Szymon Hołownia during a press conference.
14:58
„The first assumption of this supplement to the anti-crisis shield is the extension of aid and ZUS (Social Insurance Institution) exemptions for entrepreneurs, employers who hire between 10 and 49 employees. Secondly, the issue of individuals on civil law contracts – here, too, an extension from a one-time payment to a threefold payment, meaning this aid will be in effect for three months. Thirdly, a benefit for farmers placed under quarantine amounting to 50% of the national minimum wage. Fourthly, we have secured financial resources intended for combating Covid-19 from bailiff enforcement, for funds transferred as part of the anti-crisis shield. We have unlimited internet access to gov.pl websites, and online medical services. This is also important in the context of e-learning. The extension of job protection benefits to NGOs, and support for e-services in healthcare” – said Minister Łukasz Schreiber at a press conference.
15:06
15:37
Emilewicz:
Every nation that has locked down its economy is preparing exit strategies; epidemic conditions will dictate the timing.
16:41
Gowin:
I am initiating consultations to build cross-party, government-opposition support for the constitutional project
- As Porozumienie, we submitted a proposal to postpone the elections by one year. PiS did not accept this proposal. Therefore, we submitted a second proposal, to amend the Constitution and postpone the elections by two years. PiS supported this project, the opposition does not. In connection with this, as a responsible politician, I resigned - as you know - and I am initiating consultations to build cross-party, government-opposition support for this constitutional project. I have authorized Minister Kamil Botniczuk to conduct talks with representatives of the opposition, along with me - stated Jarosław Gowin at a briefing in the Sejm.
16:47
- Today, undoubtedly, the most important issues that concern Poles are related to their health and their livelihoods. That is, they primarily concern health policy pursued by the Minister of Health and economic policy pursued by Minister Emilewicz. The ministry where I currently work, combined with my scope of responsibilities, does not play a significant role in solving these problems that are currently the most important. In third place in this hierarchy of values is the issue of the elections, whether Poles will be forced to go to the polls on May 10, or if this date will be postponed in accordance with the law and the will of the Sejm. The only tool that MPs have at the moment is to change the Constitution. All other tools related to the introduction of any state of emergency are in the hands of the Council of Ministers. This was one of the reasons, the main reason for the resignation of President Gowin, until recently Prime Minister Gowin, from his position, as he, as Deputy Prime Minister, could not be fully credible in conducting political talks with MPs, given that the Council of Ministers had alternative solutions. Today, I wanted to inform you that I am also resigning from my ministerial function in the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy, in order to be similarly credible as the Prime Minister in the talks to which the Prime Minister has authorized me, and in the next 30 days we will be engaged in talks with opposition politicians, because we have the support of the PiS club, confirmed by a signature on this project submitted personally by Jarosław Kaczyński, but also by Prime Minister Morawiecki - stated Kamil Bortniczuk at a briefing in the Sejm.
16:54
Gowin:
The Second Stage of the Fight Against Coronavirus Must Not Involve Freezing All Social and Economic Life. In the Coming Weeks, I Will Refine the Details of This Plan and We Will Gradually Present Them to You.
- I was the first Polish politician to announce the need to prepare for the second phase, the second stage of the fight against coronavirus. This second stage cannot, as it is today, involve freezing all social, and above all economic, life, because Poland, like other countries in Europe and the world, would simply be threatened with total bankruptcy. In the coming weeks, I will refine the details of this second-phase plan, and we will gradually present them to you. Porozumienie's first proposals regarding exiting the epidemic will be presented this week - stated Jarosław Gowin at a briefing in the Sejm.
17:33
- Companies should not be differentiated into a better and worse kind. Even now, it's good that you're changing these rules after our appeals, you're already talking about 49 employees, but even there you're only taking half. If a company employing 250 people lays everyone off, not only does that company collapse, not only are those employees dismissed, but also companies that cooperate with it collapse, so exemption from ZUS, CIT, and PIT, that's what a real anti-crisis shield contains - said Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz in the Sejm.
17:34
Maląg:
So Far, 340,000 Applications Received: 247,000 for Social Security Contribution Exemptions, 56,000 for Wage Subsidies, 31,000 for Micro-Loans
“So far, a total of 340,000 applications have been received. The largest number of applications, over 247,000, have been submitted to the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) for exemption from ZUS contributions. Until now, this exemption applied only to micro-enterprises. In the new shield [economic support package], we will be expanding this support to companies employing up to 49 people – they will be exempted from 50% of their ZUS contributions. We have received approximately 56,000 applications for wage subsidies for individuals running their own businesses and for civil law contracts. Currently, around 31,000 applications for micro-loans have been submitted nationwide” - said the Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy, Marlena Maląg, in the Sejm.
“Today, we have applications submitted for over PLN 700 million. We are aware that a stream of support is needed” - she added.
18:04
https://twitter.com/MZ_GOV_PL/status/1247552670258397192
https://twitter.com/MZ_GOV_PL/status/1247552672401698832
https://twitter.com/MZ_GOV_PL/status/1247552675073478656
https://twitter.com/MZ_GOV_PL/status/1247552678785437696
18:09
- Sir, please proceed to your conclusion - said Deputy Speaker Ryszard Terlecki, interrupting Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz's speech.
- I still have at least 5 minutes. 15 minutes are allocated for justification - replied the leader of the Polish People's Party (PSL).
- 5 minutes, I've already extended yours by 100%.
- There are 15 minutes for justification.
- Unfortunately, the situation has changed due to remote voting.
- There are no such changes in the regulations - argued Chairman Borys Budka from the parliamentary benches.
- There are no such changes in the regulations. Is it 7 minutes for discussion and 5 for presenting a project? - Kosiniak-Kamysz asked.
- Unfortunately, that's how it is, but I've added you another half. Speeches - 5 minutes - Terlecki responded.
- We're wasting loads of time in this chamber, Mr. Speaker, on nonsense debates, when we're now talking about specifics.
- You're the ones having these nonsense debates, so have yourselves to blame. Please conclude. Mr. Budka will sit down quietly. 5 minutes for the speech. I've already extended it by 5 and will extend it by a few more, but please conclude.
According to the Sejm Regulations, speeches during the consideration of agenda items cannot exceed 15 minutes. However, an amendment to the Regulations passed at the end of March stipulated that for sittings conducted remotely, this time is reduced to 5 minutes.
Today, the presentation of the government's anti-crisis shield lasted a total of 16 minutes (9 minutes for Minister Łukasz Schreiber's speech and 7 minutes for Minister Marlena Maląg). The speeches were not interrupted by Deputy Speaker Terlecki. Kosiniak-Kamysz, like the ministers, presented his party's bill. Ultimately, however, the PSL leader spoke for a total of 15 minutes.
18:29
Maląg:
Unemployment Hasn't Increased by 500,000 Currently, But It Might. If Support is Needed, We Have a Draft Ready to Increase Unemployment Benefits
18:52
Deputies unanimously adopted a resolution expressing gratitude to healthcare workers.
19:00
The Ministry of Health has updated its data, reporting 182 new cases of coronavirus infection in the Mazovia region, bringing the total number of infected individuals in Poland to 4848. This update was shared via the official Ministry of Health Twitter account: https://twitter.com/MZ_GOV_PL/status/1247569463823732739
19:30
Kosiniak-Kamysz:
I Call on PiS to Adopt Our Genuine Anti-Crisis Shield Bill, as This is an Issue We Must Resolve as Quickly as Possible
"I call on PiS to adopt our genuine anti-crisis shield bill, as this is an issue we must resolve as quickly as possible. Aid for employees, employers, farmers, local government officials, the transport industry, tourism, for everyone who is worried about how they will make a living" - said the leader of PSL, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, in an interview with Bogdan Rymanowski on "Gość Wydarzeń" on Polsat News.
19:31
Kosiniak-Kamysz:
I will seek elections to be held at a safe time, and I have greater leverage as a presidential candidate than as someone who gives up their candidacy or announces a boycott
„I will seek elections to be held at a safe time, and I have greater leverage as a presidential candidate than as someone who gives up their candidacy or announces a boycott. I like politics that achieves its goals, not just plays theatre and performs theatrical gestures. I want politics to be for the people” - said the leader of PSL, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, in an interview with Bogdan Rymanowski on "Gość Wydarzeń" on Polsat News.
19:47
Gowin:
The election date should have been postponed long ago. I couldn't convince our coalition partners or the opposition, so I resigned. However, I emphasize this is part of a plan.
- My and the MPs of Porozumienie remain in the governing coalition. However, because I disagree with what the Polish political class is doing, I disagree with the fact that it is constantly preoccupied with the election issue, this election date should have been postponed long ago. I could not convince our coalition partners from Law and Justice, I could not convince the opposition, and as a consequence, I resigned. However, I emphasize that this is an element of a certain plan, which I will develop in the coming days, weeks, and months - said Jarosław Gowin in an interview with Grzegorz Kajdanowicz on "Fakty po faktach" TVN24.
19:50
- I smile at the thought of Szymon Hołownia being the President of the Republic of Poland. This guy, this big boy, he simply doesn't understand politics at all - Jarosław Gowin said in a conversation with Grzegorz Kajdanowicz on TVN24's "Fakty po faktach".
19:54
Bielan:
We Must Do Everything to Avoid Adding a Political Crisis to Health and Economic Woes
- We must do everything to avoid adding a political crisis to the health and economic crises, and such a crisis would certainly have occurred if the Marshal of the Sejm had not adhered to the Constitution. The same Constitution that President Kosiniak-Kamysz so often invokes, and if the incumbent president, Andrzej Duda, had his term unlawfully extended. President Kosiniak-Kamysz, immediately after August 6, when President Duda's term ends, would begin to question the president's mandate. Therefore, we must do everything to maintain political stability, despite the difficult situation we find ourselves in, and to elect a president for the next 5 years - stated Adam Bielan in a conversation with Bogdan Rymanowski on the program 'Wydarzenia i opinie' (Events and Opinions) on Polsat News.
19:55
- I faced no rebellion. An overwhelming majority of MPs supported my position. They voted the way they did on my recommendation. All MPs who are ministers, from Minister Emilewicz down to the Secretaries of State, offered their resignation, but I asked them to remain in their positions where they are carrying out a very important mission. Minister Kamil Bortniczuk asked for my consent to resign, as I had proposed that he join me in talks with opposition parties – Jarosław Gowin said in an interview with Grzegorz Kajdanowicz on TVN24's "Fakty po faktach".
19:58
Gowin:
The Alternative to My Resignation Was a Minority Government. I Met with My MPs, I Had to Persuade Them for a Long Time to Agree to My Resignation
- I resigned so that the government would not become a minority government. The alternative to my resignation was a minority government. I met with my MPs, I had to persuade them for a long time to agree to my resignation, because I did indeed make my decision dependent on their consent, but they trusted me - said Jarosław Gowin in an interview with Grzegorz Kajdanowicz on "Fakty po faktach" on TVN24.
20:01
Bielan:
I have no illusions that a large part of the opposition wants to bring about a political crisis and elections at a time most advantageous for them, when their electoral chances are highest.
20:05
- I am trying to give an extra two years, as you put it, but without a chance for re-election. Andrzej Duda is the favorite and would likely, if the elections were to take place, and certainly if they were to happen, knock on wood, on May 10th, have been president for five years. In this sense, it is also a gesture of sacrifice, of resignation on his part, because the president supported this solution. Of course, he supported it conditionally - said Jarosław Gowin in an interview with Grzegorz Kajdanowicz on TVN24's "Fakty po faktach" (Facts After Facts).
20:15
20:20
Bielan:
I am a patriot of the United Right. I cannot imagine leaving the governing coalition. I am convinced this will not happen.
- Porozumienie is a member of the United Right. I am a patriot of the United Right. I cannot imagine leaving the governing coalition. I am convinced this will not happen. The MPs from Porozumienie voted for amendments to the electoral law last Saturday, then on Monday when they returned from the Senate, and also voted yesterday in a decisive majority - stated Adam Bielan in an interview with Bogdan Rymanowski on the program 'Wydarzenia i opinie' on Polsat News.
20:28
Sasin:
For citizens not in quarantine, there will be no contact. This is nothing extraordinary, as postmen are also working today, delivering parcels
20:38
Sasin:
The Number of Addresses to Visit is Lower Than a Postman Visits Today, Averaging 250 Addresses Daily, So the Operation Can Be Carried Out with a Buffer
20:43
Sasin:
Faced with the choice of whether these elections should be held by mail, i.e., entirely safe for Poles, I hope politicians from Porozumienie will choose the safe option.
- On May 7, when the bill returns from the Senate, and it will probably be necessary to reject the Senate's opposition, although I am looking ahead, but in reality, this seems to be the most probable scenario. Faced with this kind of alternative – whether these elections should be held by mail, which is entirely safe for Poles, and as today's polls indicate, also accepted by the majority of Poles as a safe way to conduct elections – versus solutions that are in force today, which would have to be applied, and which foresee that a significant or larger part of voters would have to go to polling stations – I hope that the politicians from Porozumienie, even those who have doubts today, will still choose the safe option. I am convinced that common sense is on our side here – said Jacek Sasin in an interview with Monika Olejnik on TVN24's "Kropka nad i".
20:44
Sasin:
It's Marshal Grodzki's malice to obstruct the elections in such an unclean way. We will try to deliver the packages in two days in such a situation.
20:50
20:54
Sasin:
'Today there are no elections in Poland, yet sadly, more people are contracting coronavirus and some are dying'
- Today there are no elections in Poland, today elections are not being held in Poland, yesterday, the day before yesterday, tomorrow, and yet, I say this with regret, more people are contracting coronavirus and unfortunately, there are also people whom this virus kills. Well, unfortunately, that's how it looks. It has nothing to do with the electoral process - said Jacek Sasin in an interview with Monika Olejnik on TVN24's "Kropka nad i".
20:59
- I understand that the PO mayors are saying this today to support their colleagues in the Sejm who are trying at all costs to prevent elections, because they see that their candidate has little chance of winning these elections, because she is weak, because she is running a terrible election campaign, because she is unable to convince Poles - said Jacek Sasin in an interview with Monika Olejnik on "Kropka nad i" TVN24.
21:03
Sasin:
It is Great Wisdom to Combine Democracy with What Has Happened to Us, and We Are Doing It
21:05
Sasin:
No Extraordinary Measures Expected; Poczta Polska Will Handle Operations Internally
21:39
No one will put pressure on the President regarding when to sign or not sign.
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