Today, the government is set to present an update regarding the third stage of easing restrictions, a move announced yesterday by the government spokesperson. "We are, of course, observing the number of infections in certain parts of Poland. These outbreaks have unfortunately increased in some cities and towns, however, the overall epidemic situation in the country should be assessed as stable, which is why the team will recommend moving to the next stage. The date for this stage should be determined at today's crisis management team meeting. We made directional decisions yesterday, and I expect the schedule to be announced tomorrow morning," stated Piotr Müller on TVP1. At 11:00 AM, President Andrzej Duda has invited the Marshal of the Senate, Tomasz Grodzki. This was reported by 300POLITYKA yesterday. According to our sources at the Presidential Palace, PAD wishes to get involved to ensure the parliamentary passage of new electoral law takes place under conditions of the widest possible – as our source puts it – model political consensus. At 10:00 AM, The Left will host a roundtable meeting, which, as announced by the organizers, aims to find an answer to the question of how to conduct constitutional elections. Wednesday also marks another day of the Senate session – the resumption of proceedings is scheduled for 11:00 AM. At 1:00 PM, the General Assembly of Supreme Court judges will resume its deliberations, convened to elect candidates for the First President. Judges are to submit questions to the candidates nominated for this position by 11:00 AM.

- This same statement will now appear in rhetoric as well, because by a strange coincidence, the fact that we are doing this quickly, in order to fulfill the constitutional requirement of holding presidential elections before the end of the term, will immediately become an accusation that we are rushing, that the Senate must freeze the bill for another 30 days and scrutinize it in 10 ways. Truly, distinguished senators, in a week of diligent work, such a bill can be passed, and even if you want to scrutinize it in 10,000 different ways, a week is truly sufficient time – said Piotr Müller in an interview with Michał Rachoń on TVP Info's "Jedziemy".

- It remains to be seen what the final draft of this law will be, because I see that after the failure of Jacek Sasin's electoral postal service, the Sejm passed a new bill, this time hybrid, named after Elżbieta Witek. I mention the Marshal, because she will decide on all deadlines and can shorten these deadlines arbitrarily, even during the campaign, so Ms. Witek, not the National Election Commission (PKW), will have a decisive influence on the course of the campaign, which, frankly, I do not like at all - stated Leszek Miller in "Rozmowa Piaseckiego" on TVN24.

"I'm a pessimist because Tomasz Grodzki has proven that as Marshal of the Senate, he is a loyal executor of Borys Budka's orders, and I think Civic Platform adheres to the principle 'the worse things are in Poland, the better for the opposition'. I hope I'm wrong. We'll see what Marshal Grodzki does" - said PiS MEP Adam Bielan on Radio Jedynka.

Today this date will be announced at a press conference. The next stage of unlocking, along with details and the sanitary regime that will be in effect, will be provided. I can only say that today the date for the actual reopening of hairdressing salons will be announced and everything will be clear - said Piotr Müller on TVP Info. Regarding the issue of schools, I can also announce that today specific solutions will be indicated in this regard, which were accepted yesterday by the government, by the RZZK [Government Security Council], so today there will also be details concerning actions until the end of the school year - he added.

„I think the Civic Platform will do absolutely everything to delay these elections, bring them about in the greatest chaos, and perhaps even change the presidential candidate. More and more politicians are unofficially talking about such a necessity. This shows how little support the Marshal [Kidawa-Błońska] enjoys from her party colleagues” - said PiS MEP Adam Bielan on Radio Jedynka.

- I'm surprised the Left abstained from voting instead of voting to reject [the PiS bill on presidential elections], because in addition to the shortcomings we've already mentioned, the procedure for passing this law was scandalous. It was adopted in 10 hours, with first and second readings without any opinions, without expert assessments, without committee debates. It seems to me that elections for the office of president are a serious matter, and if even the semblance of proper procedure isn't maintained, it's more than a mockery. It's an insult, and it should be added that these kinds of bills aren't ordinary laws. They are so-called codificational laws, which require special diligence in their drafting, so I believe there are fundamental reservations about this bill, and I hope the Senate will have something to work on – stated Leszek Miller in "Rozmowa Piaseckiego" on TVN24.

- I'm interested in the finale. I'll see what happens in the Senate [with PiS's bill on presidential elections]. Perhaps the Senate will adopt different solutions and they, by some miracle, will be adopted by the Sejm. There is some time, but at this stage, I am presenting my fundamental reservations about this project, both regarding its content and the procedure - stated Leszek Miller in "Rozmowa Piaseckiego" on TVN24.

„I think Szymon Hołownia is feeding on the Civic Platform's crisis today. This is a measure of this formation's downfall if someone who has no political or other experience that would qualify them for the role of head of state has two, three, or four times higher support than the Deputy Marshal of the Sejm, the former government spokesperson, the former Marshal of the Sejm. This shows that the Platform should reflect on the meaning of its existence on the political scene, because clearly a large portion of even the opposition's voters do not accept the Platform in its current form” - said PiS MEP Adam Bielan in an interview with Polskie Radio Program I.

- I will vote for Robert Biedroń, as previously agreed, on one condition. That it will be an election. Meaning, I will consider it a real election. Not just a vote at the end of the electoral process, but also the entire election campaign conducted in accordance with current law. So I will wait and see what happens next with this bill, which currently contains very numerous flaws - stated Leszek Miller in "Rozmowa Piaseckiego" on TVN24.

- Cooperation [with Speaker Grodzki] is not working out. We are both surgeons, doctors, so I thought there would be some common ground, but there isn't. Everything has been cut with a scalpel. Indeed, this cooperation is not the best - said Stanisław Karczewski in an interview with Robert Mazurek on RMF FM's "Morning Conversation".

- This means nothing to me. We are not cooperating well, and that's it. I've come to terms with it somehow. Although I must tell you, Mr. Editor, you know and the public knows, a few weeks ago I started working in a hospital and I feel, the wolf is drawn to the forest, I feel like a fish in water there. I was wonderfully welcomed by my friends, fellow doctors, and nurses. I feel an inner need to start working there, and I am resigning today as Deputy Speaker of the Senate and will be working in the hospital - Karczewski added.

- I am not withdrawing from politics. I will continue to be a politician. I will continue to try to cooperate, I will continue to be a senator - he stated.

- I would like Donald Tusk to appear, because Donald Tusk, against the backdrop of Polish political luminaries, looks like a powerhouse, and regardless of the hate and animosity he might encounter in the public media, he has a chance to pull a large part of public opinion, even the undecided, to his side. Moreover, I believe that the safeguards PiS has incorporated into the law, the very solutions that block new candidates, are designed precisely to deter Civic Platform from any changes, especially from replacing the current candidate with Donald Tusk, so if he were to run, it would be very good - stated Leszek Miller in the "Piasecki's Conversation" on TVN24.

- [The successor as Vice-Marshal] will be someone else [not Marek Martynowski]. I've already said a lot, and I have a conference shortly, so I'll provide more information during the press conference at 10:30 AM. Not Mr. Marek Martynowski. He will remain the club leader - Stanisław Karczewski said on RMF FM.

The Ministry of Health announced 180 new cases of coronavirus infection in Poland. The largest number of new infections, 113, were reported in the Silesian Voivodeship. Sadly, 8 more people have died.

For more details, please refer to the official announcements:

• https://twitter.com/MZ_GOV_PL/status/1260482118305697792
• https://twitter.com/MZ_GOV_PL/status/1260482120545435649

In the Sejm, discussions have commenced regarding electoral law as part of a roundtable organized by the Left.

https://twitter.com/DStanderski/status/1260481842878255105

„I am appealing and encouraging cooperation on this project [changes to electoral law]. Perhaps, however, the opposition's goal is something entirely different. For example, listening to the speeches of Civic Platform MPs yesterday, I had a clear impression that the idea and goal is not to prepare good legislation, but perhaps to change the candidate who is seeing drastic drops in recent polls. Therefore, if it's about electing a president, not a last-minute rollercoaster, we encourage and invite warm cooperation, because all Poles count on that today” - said Deputy Prime Minister Jadwiga Emilewicz at a press conference in Poznań.

From the very beginning, there's been discussion about our candidate, and that's not a good situation. As I said, she needs to state her plan, and I think the horizon for that is the next few days, the next week - stated Tomasz Siemoniak in an interview with Jacek Prusinowski on Radio Plus. We will discuss this. We are normal people who talk normally and openly. Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska is the same. No one here is afraid of anyone. We will talk, there will be different arguments, but I will emphasize: her decision will be the most important factor, and I say, she is a person who is, as it were, an experienced politician and is certainly ready for such a discussion. And she is not afraid of such a discussion. We are not a dictatorial party where one person says something and everyone has to adapt to it. So, we will discuss this - he continued.

„We want to appeal to the leaders of the United Right camp to discuss this electoral law and swift Senate work with their opposition colleagues in their constituencies, outside of Warsaw, away from media pressure. They should also discuss whether the Senate is genuinely interested in work, and if they are willing to introduce any amendments that we could jointly adopt and accept. We want to lead to quick, safe, democratic elections” – said Deputy Prime Minister Jadwiga Emilewicz at a press conference in Poznań.

- Now is the time, once we know when and how new elections will be held, to redefine our strategy. Everything is opening up at this moment, and in my opinion, there's no point in dwelling on what the campaign staff or anyone else could have said differently - stated Tomasz Siemoniak in an interview with Jacek Prusinowski on Radio Plus.

- In the coalition, we've become accustomed to the entire country discussing the leader. First, it was Grzegorz Schetyna for months, and now it's Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska. I would like to emphasize one thing. Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska is not someone who can be simply moved around, hired, or withdrawn. She is one of the leaders of the Civic Coalition, and all decisions regarding the future will involve her significant participation. She also needs to assess the situation, she needs to say how she envisions the campaign and future actions. So, in my opinion, there's no point in looking back and wondering - he continued.

- We are in a time in politics now where a week feels like a month. And if the elections are held in mid-July or the latter half of July, absolutely anything can happen. We're in a difficult situation with this candidacy. I won't hide it. However, I expect a sharp drop in President Duda's poll numbers in the coming weeks. This is what President Kaczyński feared, which is why he is pushing for elections as soon as possible – stated Tomasz Siemoniak in an interview with Jacek Prusinowski on Radio Plus.

I feel extremely good in this work [at the hospital]. I feel needed, above all. I feel needed by the patients, and I know that patients are waiting for me too, that my friends, colleagues, and doctors are also waiting, and therefore, not wanting to escalate the emotional conflict with Marshal Grodzki any further, I decided to resign from the position of Deputy Marshal – said Stanisław Karczewski during a press conference.

- According to the arrangements, unfortunately, we only have one seat on the presidium, and for this seat, we will be recommending the former deputy speaker from the previous term, Senator Marek Pęk - Stanisław Karczewski stated during a press conference.

- I am, of course, very honored by this nomination. I have been designated by the leadership of PiS; this is a decision by the Presidium of the Political Committee, by President Jarosław Kaczyński, and by the head of the parliamentary club, Marshal Ryszard Terlecki. Of course, this is a great challenge and a commitment for me - said Marek Pęk.

Today is Marshal Grodzki's birthday, so we wish the Marshal all the best and also wish that the Marshal makes good decisions for Poland – said Stanisław Karczewski during a press conference.

Without a large, serious outbreak [in Silesia], we would have a dozen or so, maybe a few dozen new cases. This shows that the epidemic model is, after all, a model based on outbreaks, which is why we reacted very quickly and decisively to test everyone, isolate contacts in quarantine, and to control the spread in this very difficult environment, which are mines. They are currently operating in this mode, if one can say so, very limited, but if we test all miners, families, and contacts of these sick people, I hope that this outbreak will be controlled and the indicators for Silesia will return to normal. We already have indicators in Poland at the moment, which, if we disregard these outbreaks, the R indicator has already fallen below unity - stated Łukasz Szumowski at a press briefing.

- As announced, due to the fact that we have not received a declaration regarding the return of goods that meet standards or a refund, today we have sent a notification to the prosecutor's office concerning masks that do not meet standards. However, I would also like to inform you about a second matter. Currently, as we stated, we are analyzing virtually all the supplies that are reaching us. We received 600,000 masks from an EU tranche. Unfortunately, they do not have CE certification, which concerned us, and we have also sent them for testing. Here, I must unfortunately inform you that these masks, purchased by the EU, do not meet any standards, neither FFP1, nor FFP2, nor FFP3. Therefore, they cannot be distributed to medical personnel in the FFP category. This is sad news, as it amounts to 600,000 masks. Of course, today I will send a letter to the European Commission with this information, as we know they went to 16 countries, and unfortunately, at least no doubts from other countries have reached us, so I hope that our alert will allow these masks not to be distributed to people who want to protect themselves, because that would then be dangerous - stated Łukasz Szumowski at a press briefing.

- I could, of course, have taken offense and said I wouldn't vote, and a bill would pass that wouldn't guarantee Poles the possibility of widespread postal voting, which I still recommend. The amendments I submitted allow for a 5-business-day period to simply register, call, or send an email, thus giving a real opportunity to a large group of people to register and vote according to my recommendations if they wish. Secondly, if the epidemic situation is difficult, then my regulation states that only postal voting is possible in a given region. So, there is the possibility that if it turns out that when the elections are held, the situation will be difficult, then we will be voting by mail. If it turns out that we will all be happy and the situation in a given voivodeship, for example, will be such that there isn't a single sick person, then the situation here is completely different than it was two or three weeks ago. So, there is this possibility that the Minister of Health, if the epidemic situation is difficult, will simply order postal voting in a given area, and the third thing I cared about was an appropriate number of ballot boxes of European standard, meaning for every 750 people voting by mail, there must be one such box or ballot box, because it gives a chance for those who vote by mail, who are afraid and do not want to take risks, to not come into contact with others. This is more or less the standard we had in Western European countries for postal voting. With these three amendments, elements, and recommending postal voting, I believe it is a better solution than if I had taken offense and said, 'Well, the law is what it is, thank you.' No, I am acting for public safety, and I have also ensured such a possibility for safe, postal voting in this law - stated Łukasz Szumowski at a press briefing.

“The President, in this matter, has a rather awkward role, as he acts in a dual capacity: as President, and also as a candidate. The conversation concerned rather systemic matters that are vital for the interests of the Republic, because that is how a president talks with the Marshal of the Senate. I wanted to express my deep disappointment that once again, an important law has passed in the Sejm, perhaps lasting a few hours longer than the previous one, but without a thorough debate, with shortened questioning, and without accepting even the smallest opposition amendment. This is a bad omen, because my dream was that for once the Sejm would deal with such an important law in this way and forge a consensus that would facilitate the work of the Senate. We must do in the Senate the work that was not done in the Sejm” – said the Marshal of the Senate, Tomasz Grodzki, at a press conference.

- We would like these works in the Senate to proceed at such a pace and with such a procedural mode that we do not have further weeks of uncertainty regarding electoral matters. The President asked for such efficient proceedings regarding this act. The Marshal assured that the will of the Senate and senators is also to proceed efficiently here - said Paweł Mucha after the meeting between the President and the Marshal of the Senate.

„I intend to invite the leader of the ruling party, MP Jarosław Kaczyński, to the Senate to try and reach a compromise with the ruling party that will facilitate the Senate's work. I believe it is the unified will of the entire nation that Poland should have a president about whom no one will be able to say that they were elected in elections that are not elections, that do not meet democratic standards, in elections that will damage the reputation of the most luminous Republic in the world. We will not allow this in the Senate” – said the Marshal of the Senate, Tomasz Grodzki, at a press conference.

"I have taken note of this decision. From a surgeon's perspective, I can say that I understand it perfectly, because the profession of a surgeon is one of the most beautiful professions in the world. In this aspect, I understand it perfectly and I wish Marshal Karczewski all the best in his surgical endeavors" - said Senate Marshal Tomasz Grodzki at a press conference.

I know that recent days, recent weeks, months have been difficult for very many of us. They have unexpectedly negatively impacted our lives, our work, and there are great concerns about the future, about jobs, about entrepreneurs. We are trying to support the entrepreneurial sector, people in all efforts aimed at combating the coronavirus. It is also known that the first sunny days of May did not help in maintaining the discipline we spoke about earlier, which is still important, and I appeal for it” - said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at a press conference. “The return to a new normal, a new economic reality, depends on how disciplined we are in adhering to the disinfection and distancing regimens that we have presented so far. Just as the long weeks that are behind us have taught us to live with the coronavirus, so these coming weeks are meant to enable us to return to economic life on a broader scale” - he added.

„We know that the virus is unpredictable, that it is dangerous, that an outbreak of infections can erupt somewhere in some place. We are dealing with this right now. We know perfectly well what is happening in Silesia, or rather in parts of the Silesian Voivodeship, and particularly in the mines. We have a huge increase in infections there. At the same time, infections are decreasing in most areas of Poland” - said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at a press conference.

"I want to say with all my might that not only do we not intend to lock down the Silesian Voivodeship, but today, aid is needed for our wonderful compatriots in Silesia, Zagłębie, and throughout the Silesian Voivodeship, which has indeed been very severely affected by the coronavirus. This aid is flowing there and will continue to flow even more broadly," said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at a press conference.

"From May 18th, hairdressing salons, beauty parlors, and all similar establishments, which will be detailed in the regulation, will be able to operate under the sanitary regime we have been discussing. In the case of hairdressing salons, I appeal for appointments to be made online or by phone for specific times, so that people do not congregate, and that social distancing and proper hygiene can be maintained there," said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at a press conference.

There are actually two pillars of safety. On the one hand, social distancing and maintaining sanitary regimes, as in various sectors, for example, masks or face shields in beauty salons or at hairdressers, or indeed masks and gloves in gastronomy, as well as the distance between people seated at tables. The second aspect, of course, is the rapid identification of sick individuals, the rapid identification of people infected with the coronavirus. I can inform you that in the past 24 hours, we conducted 20,000 tests – said Łukasz Szumowski during a press conference.

"We are partially opening gastronomic services, restaurants, bars, eateries, and all types of cafes, while maintaining strict indoor protocols. We are even encouraging the opening of outdoor seating areas wherever possible, where conditions permit. In the open air - as epidemiologists say - it is safer" - said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at a press conference.

"From May 18th, the rules for the functioning of public transport will change. Until now, it was every other seat available. Now, it will be 30% of all seats, both sitting and standing, assigned according to the norm for a given vehicle – tram, bus, trolleybus" – said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at a press conference.

“The changes will affect education. From Monday, we are enabling practical classes to be conducted in vocational schools. There will also be broader opportunities to use open sports facilities: stadiums, pitches, and Orlik complexes. We will also increase the number of people who can engage in sports there. It will be possible to use sports halls and gymnasiums, but with a certain limitation on the number of people” - said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at a press conference.

"From May 25th, care for children will be available in grades 1-3 of primary schools, similar to kindergartens. This will not be regular education, but rather care and educational activities. Also from May 25th, we will enable consultations for high school seniors and eighth-graders with teachers. From June 1st, we will enable such consultations for all students in primary and post-primary schools," said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at a press conference.

"We thank the Left club for organizing. It was a good meeting because finally everyone spoke in a human voice. This is rarely encountered in the Polish parliament. Cooperation is needed. As the Polish Coalition, we are determined to lead Poland out of legal chaos, organizational mess, and ruin, to which the Polish state has been brought. We need to adopt and establish good, reliable law as soon as possible, which will enable Poles to vote, enable the election of the President of the Republic. This must be done reliably. We submitted our amendments yesterday, and repeated them today" - said Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, leader of the PSL and Polish Coalition's presidential candidate, after the roundtable meeting.

„Everything points to the elections being held on June 28. This is already a concrete, not just probable [date]. All the actions of the ruling party are being prepared for June 28. With a high degree of certainty, we can say that if the Marshal of the Sejm issues some kind of announcement, it will be for June 28. The sooner we can start a normal election campaign, the better” - said the leader of the PSL and candidate of the Polish Coalition for president, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, after the round table meeting.

- What astonished me during the [Chancellery of the Prime Minister] conference were Prime Minister Morawiecki's statements saying he was being inundated with a wave of gratitude from Polish entrepreneurs, who are amazed at how our government managed to so efficiently respond to all their post-epidemic needs in such a short time. I would like to inform Prime Minister Morawiecki that just as he is being flooded with expressions of gratitude, we are genuinely inundated daily with letters from desperate people - said Szymon Hołownia during a press conference.

- The Prime Minister of my country's government talks about how two million jobs have been saved in Poland; I would like to ask where he got that data, how does he know? Two million jobs? Perhaps he counted the applications that were submitted to the Polish state despite the suspension of this or that system - he added.

- I also appeal to the Senate to process this law efficiently, not to hold onto it forcefully. Why? For a very simple reason. Currently, Poland is operating under the 'envelope-Sasin' law, and until a new law is in place, the old one remains valid. This means Marshal Witek can announce the election date at any moment, as early as today or tomorrow, without waiting for anything or anyone. If he announces it under the current legal framework, the elections will be conducted via mail-in ballots – said Szymon Hołownia during a press conference.

It is difficult to say definitively what the deficit will be before the amendment. I can say that it will be significant, certainly several percent, but whether this figure will be closer to 8 or 5 is difficult to determine today. One thing is most important to me – we are saving the Polish economy, jobs, and whether this deficit will be 6, 7, 8 or perhaps 9% is not the most important figure for me. The most important thing is that the Polish economy and Polish society get through this incredibly difficult time, this crisis, which is already described by many economists as the biggest crisis in 100 years, which will reshape the global economy, causing nothing to be as it was before. I want Polish industries, those that have suffered the most, but also those that are developing dynamically, to have a chance for economic development soon, after these initial stages of easing restrictions - stated Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at a press conference at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister.

‘We planned to hold the elections on May 10th, according to the constitutional deadline. Meanwhile, the obstruction from the Senate, let's be frank, made it practically impossible. On our side, actions were carried out very efficiently. By Prime Minister Sasin, Minister Kamiński, and all the entities designated to assist in conducting these elections. We did everything in our power to ensure these elections took place by mail, as such elections would have been the safest, especially at a time when, a few weeks ago, it was still unknown how the epidemic would develop. And today, I want to emphasize that we have our best, wonderful candidate, whom we support, President Andrzej Duda. I also want to strongly emphasize that it is precisely thanks to efficient cooperation with the President, in many areas, in the economic sphere, but also concerning healthcare, that we managed to acquire a great deal of equipment. President Duda's call to the President of China was the fundamental turning point in acquiring a very large quantity of equipment, medical supplies, and protective gear. Therefore, we are focused on this cooperation, we strongly desire this constructive cooperation. We also wanted cooperation earlier with the Senate. I am also curious whether the Senate will continue to keep the bill we passed yesterday in the Sejm in its freezer for a month. We passed it, taking into account a vast majority of the opposition's postulates, because we are oriented towards consensus and conciliation. And please forgive me, the troubles on the side of the PO candidate, Civic Coalition, are PO's troubles. Let PO solve these troubles themselves within their own ranks. I see very low support for the candidate, I see her intention to continue running, but these are not matters to be decided by our political camp. We want to act swiftly and efficiently in these difficult times of the pandemic, the coronavirus. We wanted to hold the elections on May 10th, everything was prepared in the proper way. Unfortunately, the obstruction from the Senate caused that today, a new date will be set soon. I hope it will be in June’,

„We have concluded our meeting with Minister Cieszyński. We received some of the documents we requested yesterday. We are still waiting for the remaining part, after which we will sit down with lawyers to prepare reports for the relevant institutions. We also have the results of tests on these masks, which indeed do not meet the requirements and standards and cannot be used by healthcare professionals” – Monika Wielichowska from Civic Coalition stated at a press conference in the Sejm.

„The matter of mask purchases is outrageous. We have received the materials and will be analyzing them. We have requested further materials because we asked for all contracts. Physically, the masks were delivered to the ministry at the end of March, while the ministry commissioned a check of their suitability on May 4th” – Adam Szłapka added.

The Polish Parliament (Sejm) will resume its session tomorrow, May 12th, at 5:00 PM. This was announced via Twitter by [Twitter user handle, e.g., @AndrGrzegrzolka]. The specific agenda for this session is not detailed in the provided information, but parliamentary sessions typically involve debates, voting on legislation, and other official proceedings.

https://twitter.com/MZ_GOV_PL/status/1260593855700877313

https://twitter.com/MZ_GOV_PL/status/1260593858200641536

- As of yesterday evening, when I spoke with the Minister of Health, we are certainly not threatened by that [Silesia becoming Poland's Lombardy] for now. We are talking about an increase in cases, but limited to specific workplaces and possibly families, meaning mines and families of people working in mines. For now, we are not threatened by that. We are conducting broad screening tests. We hope we will be able to control the transmission level - stated Jadwiga Emilewicz in an interview with Bogdan Rymanowski on Polsat News' "Gość Wydarzeń".

- The number of these cases [in Silesia] that we have is indeed significantly higher than in all of Poland, but the good news is that the number of these cases in Poland, excluding mines, is truly decreasing. Here we are dealing with specific workplaces, as I said, with mines and potential transmission from employees to their families. It seems we should manage this relatively easily, and this is the goal of the actions being taken today by the Prime Minister, sanitary inspectors, and the Minister of Health - said Jadwiga Emilewicz in an interview with Bogdan Rymanowski on Polsat News' "Gość Wydarzeń".

- We all want these [presidential] elections to be held as soon as possible, to maintain the constitutional deadlines. Let us recall that the President's term expires on August 6th, and today there are no reasons why elections should not be held before that date. I think the epidemic situation is sufficiently under control, as are the conditions under which we want to conduct these elections. Let us recall, the conditions stipulated in the act adopted yesterday by the Sejm, most of them take into account the opposition's demands. We are capable of conducting them before the President's term expires, and this is what should matter to everyone today - stated Jadwiga Emilewicz in an interview with Bogdan Rymanowski on Polsat News's "Gość Wydarzeń".

- When the opposition, shouting from the Sejm tribune, claims they have little time for work, one asks about the opposition's intention. Is their intention to prepare new regulations or to find a pretext to change the candidate? Because if we want to talk about regulations, I am ready for such a conversation. The Senate is a place that can still propose amendments, and we are not saying "no" to these amendments. Today, MP Czarnek, with whom I had the pleasure of working, and who invited me to cooperate on this bill, was supposed to participate in a round table organized by Lewica. Therefore, we are truly open to dialogue – stated Jadwiga Emilewicz in a conversation with Bogdan Rymanowski on Polsat News' "Gość Wydarzeń".

- Andrzej Duda is the most serious candidate in the upcoming presidential election today. He has proven this not only during his campaign, but above all through his outgoing term. We, the entire camp of the United Right, and I declare this on behalf of Porozumienie, will commit ourselves to ensuring he wins these elections, if possible, in the first round, and today he is the most serious candidate. However, we do not underestimate any other candidate. All those who are running in these elections are fighting for voters' votes. Each of them is a competitor to the incumbent president - stated Jadwiga Emilewicz in an interview with Bogdan Rymanowski on "Gość Wydarzeń" on Polsat News.

I haven't heard political speeches from Mayor Trzaskowski in a very long time. It seems to me that he poses no threat to President [Duda]. He had several unfortunate incidents during his term as mayor of Warsaw. I don't know if he will decide to take such a step, but it would only mean that the intention of Civic Coalition is not to work together on this act, but in fact to change it, because it turned out that public opinion has very negatively assessed the candidate chosen in the primaries, after all, and accepted by the entire party - stated Jadwiga Emilewicz in an interview with Bogdan Rymanowski on Polsat News' "Gość Wydarzeń".

„I think now is not the time to delve into judging what has happened in recent days. It is time to consider how to get out of this situation. I will no longer dwell on the pace and quality of the work proposed by the government. It will come as no surprise that I do not rate it highly. Today, we are in a situation where Poland faces the threat of elections that will be questioned” – said Adrian Zandberg from Lewica in an interview with Bogdan Rymanowski in „Wydarzenia i opinie” on Polsat News.

„We proposed to all political parties a meeting today at the round table, to talk calmly, without the pressure of immediate concerns. It's good that everyone showed up at this round table, as it's an opportunity to unravel this difficult situation for Poland. I don't know if it will succeed. For it to be possible, it requires the government side to be willing to take two steps back” - said Adrian Zandberg of The Left (Lewica) in Polsat News.

-- 300POLITYKA LIVEBLOG: EMILEWICZ ON READINESS FOR TALKS WITH THE SENATE PRIME MINISTER HOPES FOR A JUNE DATE HOŁOWNIA APPEALS TO THE SENATE FOR EFFICIENT PROCEEDINGS https://300polityka.pl/live/2020/05/13/ -- PAWEŁ BORYS ON TWITTER: Two weeks have passed since the launch of #TarczaFinansowaPFR. 95,000 businesses, employing 978,000 employees, have already received financial support worth PLN 20 billion. The system is working very efficiently and the funds are sufficient to help those who need it. ***** POLSAT EVENTS -- PRESIDENT DUDA ASKS MARSHAL GRODZKI TO HAVE THE UPPER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT ADDRESS THE NEW ELECTION LAW AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. -- THE FATE OF THESE ELECTIONS DEPENDS ON THE SENATE, WHERE THE OPPOSITION HAS A MAJORITY, WHICH IS WHY THE PRESIDENT INVITED THE MARSHAL OF THIS HOUSE, Mira Skórka, TO THE PALACE. -- IF THE SENATORS USE THE MAXIMUM TIME FOR WORK, WHICH IS A MONTH, THE LAW WILL COME INTO EFFECT TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE ELECTION, BECAUSE THE RULING PARTY WANTS US TO ELECT THE PRESIDENT ON JUNE 28 – Skórka. -- HOWEVER, MARSHAL TOMASZ GRODZKI COMPLAINS ABOUT THE PACE OF WORK AND THE FACT THAT ALL OPPOSITION AMENDMENTS WERE REJECTED – Skórka continues. -- STANISŁAW KARCZEWSKI HAS RESIGNED FROM THE POSITION OF DEPUTY MARSHAL OF THE SENATE. -- AN UNUSUAL EVENT IN THE SEJM: REPRESENTATIVES FROM ALL PARLIAMENTARY CLUBS ATTENDED A MEETING ON ELECTIONS ORGANIZED BY THE LEFT – Skórka. -- THERE IS NO AGREEMENT ON THE ELECTION DATE – Skórka continues. -- THERE IS INCREASING TALK ABOUT A POSSIBLE CHANGE OF THE CIVIC COALITION CANDIDATE – Skórka. -- RAFAŁ TRZASKOWSKI'S NAME APPEARED ON THE LIST OF POTENTIAL CANDIDATES ALONGSIDE BORYS BUDKA, DONALD TUSK, TOMASZ GRODZKI, AND RADEK SIKORSKI – Skórka continues. -- PLATFORMA DENIES THE SPECULATION; THE DEPUTY MARSHAL OF THE SEJM REMAINS THE OFFICIAL CANDIDATE – Skórka. -- AS OF MONDAY, HAIRDRESSERS WILL BE ABLE TO OPERATE AGAIN; THE PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCED THE NEXT STAGE OF THE ECONOMY'S REOPENING. -- THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE WILL DEAL WITH THE PURCHASE OF MASKS IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH; A NOTIFICATION WAS FILED BY ŁUKASZ SZUMOWSKI'S MINISTRY. ***** FAKTY TVN -- MILLIONS OF POLES WILL RETURN TO WORK: Millions of Poles will return to work starting Monday. The government is allowing hairdressing and beauty salons to open, and restaurants will be able to serve meals on-site. In the coming weeks, schools will provide childcare for children and consultations with teachers for young people. -- ENTREPRENEURS ARE NOT HIDING THEIR JOY – Magda Łucyan. -- Marshal Tomasz Grodzki invites PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński to the Senate. The Marshal of the Senate wants to reach a compromise on the law regarding the conduct of presidential elections. -- SO THAT WORK IN THE SENATE IS NOT CALLED OBSTRUCTION OR DELAY -- THE COMMUNICATION AFTER THE MEETING BETWEEN THE MARSHAL OF THE SENATE AND THE PRESIDENT CAN BE SUMMED UP IN A FEW WORDS: THE DIFFERENCE OF OPINION ON THIS ISSUE IS SIGNIFICANT – Krzysztof Skórzyński. -- MARSHAL GRODZKI: We must do in the Senate the work that was not done in the Sejm. -- THIS SOUNDS LIKE A REPEAT OF A SCENARIO THE OPPOSITION HAS ALREADY EXECUTED IN THE SENATE – Skórzyński. -- THIS TIME, EXECUTING THIS PLAN WILL BE MORE DIFFICULT – Skórzyński. -- PSL AND THE LEFT NO LONGER HAVE THE DETERMINATION – Skórzyński: Politicians from the Polish People's Party and The Left no longer have the determination to drag out the work in the upper house of parliament at all costs, because they fear that another electoral catastrophe would burden more than just PiS. -- KRZYSZTOF GAWKOWSKI: The primary condition for an agreement should be that the work in the Senate will be shortened. -- SKÓRZYŃSKI ON LACK OF OPPOSITION AGREEMENT: The tempo at which the Senate will work on the new election rules largely determines when the voting in the elections will be scheduled. There is no agreement among the opposition on this matter. -- WKK: Civic Platform needs time to sort out its internal affairs, make a decision, and consider what to do next, whether to change the candidate. -- SKÓRZYŃSKI ON THE CONTRADICTORY GOALS OF PO AND PIS: Law and Justice wants the elections to take place as soon as possible, i.e., on June 28. According to a widespread opinion within the party, each additional week reduces Andrzej Duda's chances of winning. The second reason is the fact that the sooner the vote takes place, the less time Civic Platform will have for all decisions. Platform politicians want the elections to be held on the last possible date – July 19 – to have time for a potential change of candidate, which involves a new signature collection. -- PSL FEARS THAT TIME IS WORKING IN HOŁOWNIA'S FAVOR – Skórzyński: However, a very important variable in the entire electoral puzzle is that PiS has an ally in the PSL regarding the election date. There are fears in the PSL camp that time is working in favor of Szymon Hołownia, who is the strongest candidate to take second place alongside Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. -- THE POLLING CONDUCTED BY PLATFORMA IS AN OPEN SECRET – Skórzyński: Civic Platform is currently the only party that is not saying that they will 100 percent not change the candidate. The party will defend itself against public discussions about who could replace Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska, but it is an open secret that the party is conducting polls asking about the support levels for Rafał Trzaskowski, Radosław Sikorski, and Donald Tusk. Each of them has already refused to run in the presidential elections, but that was before the epidemic. -- SŁAWOMIR NITRAS: We are ready for all the most difficult scenarios, but this is not the time to reveal everything, to say everything. Because the enemy is listening. ***** WIADOMOŚCI TVP -- POLAND IS COPING WITH THE EPIDEMIC BETTER THAN MANY EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, WHICH IS WHY WE CAN ENTER THE THIRD PHASE OF ECONOMIC REOPENING AND LIFTING RESTRICTIONS, OF COURSE, WHILE OBSERVING SAFETY RULES – Edyta Lewandowska. -- THE POLISH ECONOMY IS FORECAST TO SHRINK BY 3.5% THIS YEAR AND GROW AGAIN BY 4% NEXT YEAR – THE EUROPEAN BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT FORECASTS – announcement: This is another international institution that estimates that Poland will go through the crisis more mildly than other countries. -- SCREENING TESTS OF MINERS WORKING IN 5 MINES IN SILESIA HAVE BEEN COMPLETED – THESE ARE THE MAIN CENTERS OF INFECTION IN POLAND. THE NUMBER OF RECOVERED PERSONS IS CONSTANTLY GROWING IN POLAND – announcement. -- THE PRESIDENT APPEALS TO THE MARSHAL OF THE SENATE NOT TO UNNECESSARILY DELAY THE ELECTION LAW AND TO ADDRESS IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE – announcement. -- THE MEETING BETWEEN PAD AND GRODZKI LASTED OVER HALF AN HOUR – Marcin Szypszak. -- GRODZKI HAS ALREADY ANNOUNCED THAT HE DOES NOT INTEND TO ACCELERATE THE WORK – Szypszak. -- ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION ORGANIZED BY THE LEFT. -- KO POLITICIANS ARE BOASTING THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY MANAGED TO BLOCK DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS IN POLAND – Szypszak. -- Excerpts from Jarosław Kaczyński's interview for "Gazeta Polska". -- THE QUESTION OF HOW THE OPPOSITION AND THE MARSHAL OF THE SENATE WILL BEHAVE TODAY REMAINS OPEN – Szypszak. -- AND WHOSE INTERESTS WILL PREVAIL: THE INTEREST OF THE STATE OR THE INTEREST OF THE PARTY – Szypszak. -- STANISŁAW KARCZEWSKI HAS RESIGNED FROM THE POSITION OF DEPUTY MARSHAL. HE WANTS TO HEAL, WHICH IS WHY HE RESIGNED FROM HIS POSITION – Szypszak: Marek Pęk will replace him. -- SHE HAS RECORDED THE BIGGEST DROP IN POLLS IN THIS CAMPAIGN. NOW QUESTIONS ARE ARISING ABOUT HER FUTURE. KIDAWA-BŁOŃSKA DECLARES SHE WILL REMAIN THE KO CANDIDATE, BUT THERE IS GROWING OPPOSITION WITHIN THE PARTY REGARDING THIS – announcement: PO politicians fear that with her declining support, the Platform itself will go down. -- THE LIST OF POTENTIAL SUCCESSORS TO KIDAWA-BŁOŃSKA IS BEING DRAWN UP – Edyta Lewandowska. -- PRESIDENT RAFAŁ TRZASKOWSKI, WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF RUNNING IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, CUTS OFF THE QUESTION – Krzysztof Nowina-Konopka. -- BUDKA DOES NOT RULE OUT CHANGING THE CANDIDATE – Nowina-Konopka. -- ON THE LIST OF THOSE WHO COULD REPLACE KIDAWA-BŁOŃSKA, BOTH TRZASKOWSKI AND BUDKA ARE MENTIONED. MANY ACTIVISTS WOULD ALSO SEE GRZEGORZ SCHETYNA, FOR WHOM THIS WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN TO THE PARTY'S FIRST LEAGUE – Nowina-Konopka. -- SCHETYNA ASSURES THAT THERE IS NO QUESTION OF CHANGING THE CANDIDATE – Nowina-Konopka. -- KIDAWA-BŁOŃSKA DOES NOT HAVE ELECTORAL SUPPORT. HER RATINGS HAVE SPECTACULARLY DROPPED FROM 30% IN FEBRUARY TO 2% IN MAY – Nowina-Konopka. -- A SERIES OF BLUNDERS BY KIDAWA-BŁOŃSKA AND CONTRADICTORY MESSAGES FROM HER CONTRIBUTED TO THE RESULT – Nowina-Konopka: Suspending the campaign, which she was actually conducting, and uncertainty about what she herself is fighting for. -- WITH SUCH A CAMPAIGN, KIDAWA-BŁOŃSKA HAS NO CHANCE EVEN FOR A SECOND ROUND TODAY – Nowina-Konopka: It is not surprising that nervousness is growing within PO. -- THE CANDIDATE HERSELF SEEMS NOT TO NOTICE THE DIFFICULT SITUATION – Nowina-Konopka. -- FOR SEVERAL DAYS SHE HAS PERSISTENTLY REPEATED THAT SHE DOES NOT INTEND TO RESIGN, MEANWHILE, THERE IS NO LACK OF VOICES WITHIN PO SAYING THAT SHE IS NOT ONLY HOPELESS BUT ALSO A BURDEN FOR THE FUTURE OF THE ENTIRE FORMATION – Nowina-Konopka. -- Wiadomości once again recalls Sikorski's idea of Monika Olejnik running. -- THE BENCH IN PO IS CLEARLY RUNNING OUT – Nowina-Konopka. -- INSTEAD OF NAMES WITH 5 CANDIDATES FOR THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE SUPREME COURT, THERE WILL BE A MOTION TO THE PRESIDENT TO CHANGE THE REGULATIONS. WORK OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF SUPREME COURT JUDGES HAS BEEN SUSPENDED UNTIL IT IS REVIEWED – announcement. -- ZARADKIEWICZ INTERRUPTED THE ASSEMBLY AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE PROCEEDINGS. HE ANNOUNCED A MOTION TO THE PRESIDENT TO CHANGE THE COURT'S REGULATIONS – Konrad Wąż. -- HIS DECISION WAS INFLUENCED BY THE BEHAVIOR OF SOME JUDGES WHO DID EVERYTHING TO PREVENT THE ELECTION OF CANDIDATES – Wąż. -- THE ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE SUSPENDED, AND THE CHALLENGE FOR SOME JUDGES WAS TO MASTER THE PRINCIPLES OF DEMOCRATIC VOTING – Wąż. -- SOME JUDGES ARE TRYING TO MAKE CHANGES. THE OPPOSITION AND ENVIRONMENTS FAVORING IT ARE PROTESTING – Wąż. -- THE PLAN TO PARALYZE THE ELECTIONS AND THE PRESIDENT AND TAKE CONTROL OF THE SUPREME COURT WAS PUBLISHED BY BARTOSZ KRAMEK FROM THE OPEN DIALOGUE FOUNDATION – Wąż. -- Wąż recalls the "Kramek plan". -- A GERMAN NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED A CORRECTION TO FALSE INFORMATION THAT APPEARED ABOUT THE CONSTITUTIONAL TRIBUNAL. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE EXPECTED CORRECTIONS, AS OFFENSIVE WORDS WERE SPOKEN BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE GERMAN TRIBUNAL – announcement.

“We have proposed that legal and expert teams, along with representatives from all clubs in the Senate, meet this coming Friday to discuss working out a new shape for this bill that could be adopted in the form of Senate amendments. If such amendments can be agreed upon and signed by all clubs, it would be possible to accelerate the Senate's work, which, as we know, is very important to PiS,” said Adrian Zandberg from The Left (Lewica) on Polsat News.

- If these elections could not take place in May, then we must do everything, and here I agree with Mr. President Gowin, to ensure they take place before the end of the term of the current president, i.e., before August 6th. I think the most optimal date, but that is already Marshal Witek's decision, will be June 28th - said Adam Bielan in an interview with Monika Olejnik on "Kropka nad i" TVN24.

- We must do everything so that Poland has a president by August 7th. We must do everything so that we do not add a powerful political crisis to the health and economic crisis we are experiencing, and I hope that the Senate, led by Marshal Tomasz Grodzki, will rise to the occasion, efficiently opine on the bill it received today from the Sejm, and will not resort to obstruction, as with the previous legislation - said Adam Bielan on TVN24.

- I am not concerned with holding accountable those responsible for printing the [election] ballots; moreover, these ballots may be used in upcoming elections, as we cannot assume that the list of candidates will change. It might change, but for now, it hasn't. I believe that Prime Minister Jacek Sasin did everything to bring about elections within the constitutional deadline, and praise be to him for that – I commend him for it – Adam Bielan said on TVN24.

- It is not within the President's competence to announce these elections. That is one matter. Article 128 § 2 of the Constitution clearly outlines the role of the Marshal of the Sejm in this regard. That's the first point. The second point is that I happen to be the President today, but I am also a candidate in these elections. In light of this, I would say the following: those who are shouting today, primarily from the opposition, that I have not spoken, would shout even louder if I had spoken, claiming I am interfering in the electoral process, that as a candidate I am meddling in the elections, that I am trying to manipulate the electoral process. Well, precisely not, which is why I calmly stood aside. And in these days when decisions are being made on these matters, I invited both the Marshal of the Sejm yesterday and the Marshal of the Senate today to ask them to ensure that everything proceeds as conciliatorily as possible, and that solutions are adopted that will, as far as possible, be acceptable to all sides of the political scene - stated President Andrzej Duda in an interview with Krzysztof Ziemiec on TVP Info.