Live Feed

07/21/2020

07:04

Tuesday's Political Agenda: Prime Minister Returns from Brussels, PAD Receives PKW Resolution

At 5:30 PM, at the Royal Castle in Warsaw, President Andrzej Duda and his spouse Agata Kornhauser-Duda will participate in the ceremony of presenting the National Electoral Commission's resolution on the confirmation of the presidential election results to the President.


07:04

Morawiecki with Orbán at Summit Summary Conference: Coordination Between Hungary and Poland Led to This Enormous Success. No Link Between Politics and Economics. PLN 750 Billion for Poland

- Europe needs a huge investment injection. Our joint work within the Visegrád Group and the coordination of efforts between Hungary and Poland have led to this enormous success, which we can present today - said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki during a joint press conference with the Hungarian Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Morawiecki spoke about the final agreement, which does not tie funds to an assessment of so-called the rule of law:

- This is a great success from a financial perspective and in terms of the architecture of oversight over budgetary funds, as we managed to negotiate it. It should be emphasized that our friends from Northern Europe negotiated the lowest possible subsidy sum with the South. We wanted this sum to be as high as possible. But it was the North with the South, and with the support of the Visegrád Group, which was in the middle, acting as an intermediary. This turned out to be a very good joint effort of ours. The European Commission and the European Council, the President of the European Council, we negotiated the best possible contract for all of Europe. This contract is indeed very good. For Poland, it's over 124 billion Euros in direct subsidies. This is a sum that was not present in previous negotiation periods.

Any future mechanism is to be adopted with the unanimous consent of the European Council:

- We negotiated what we cared about. Firstly, we have what we wanted to maintain, which is good oversight of funds from the perspective of budgetary discipline and public finance implementation discipline, and at the same time, there is no direct connection, there is no link between the so-called rule of law and the budgetary funds being discussed. Even more so. As we have established with the legal services, this mechanism that is to be developed will simultaneously be subject to validation by the European Council. And the European Council, it is clearly stated there, requires unanimity. Without the consent of Poland, without the consent of Hungary, nothing will happen here.

https://twitter.com/PremierRP/status/1285435095747264512?s=20

https://twitter.com/PremierRP/status/1285436093698134024?s=20

https://twitter.com/PremierRP/status/1285431685878882309?s=20


07:15

Müller:

Prime Minister Negotiates Unprecedented EU Funds for Poland; Arbitrary Political Mechanisms to Limit Budget Blocked (Unanimity Required in European Council)
- The Prime Minister has negotiated the largest ever EU funds for Poland. Simultaneously, in cooperation with Hungary among others, arbitrary political mechanisms concerning budget limitations were blocked (unanimity required in the European Council) - announced the government spokesperson after the summit concluded. https://twitter.com/PiotrMuller/status/1285441797154635776?s=20 https://twitter.com/PremierRP/status/1285433816346243072?s=20

07:42

PMM Conference Planned Today Upon Return from Brussels

As we hear from close associates of the head of government, a press conference by Mateusz Morawiecki is planned today at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, following his arrival from Brussels. The conference will concern the just-concluded European Council summit on the EU budget.


08:05

Dworczyk:

EU Budget Summit a Major Success for Poland and PM Morawiecki, Securing Historic EU Funds
This summit [EU budget] should be described as a very big success for Poland, a very big success for the government, and above all, for Prime Minister Morawiecki. A success for Prime Minister Morawiecki, who secured historically the largest EU funds for Poland, amounting to approximately 700 billion [złoty]. Secondly, we managed to block a harmful idea that some countries could be arbitrarily denied access to funds, using a very imprecise argument of the rule of law. This was successfully blocked, and in addition, very large funds were secured. At the last moment, one might say, in a last-ditch effort, the Prime Minister also negotiated significant funds for the poorest regions, and I think that the recovery fund is also a good, very tangible measure of the Prime Minister's effectiveness. This is because tough negotiations took place there. This recovery fund was reduced by 20%, but in Poland's case, only by 3%. So, this is a very tangible proof of the Prime Minister's effectiveness in negotiations – stated Michał Dworczyk on Polskie Radio 24.

08:28

Dworczyk:

Analyses Underway Regarding Potential Consolidation of Certain Ministries

- Analyses are currently underway regarding the possibilities of consolidating certain ministries. For the 5 years that the United Right has been governing in Poland, we have indeed emphasized the need to break down the departmentalism, the silo mentality in Poland between ministries. We have largely succeeded in doing this, but there is still much to be done, hence the decision about this reorganization and this potential new division - stated Michał Dworczyk on Polish Radio 24.


08:37

Karczewski After European Council Summit: Thanks to the Prime Minister and Negotiators' Determination, We Gained Allies. Our Alliance with Hungary and within the Visegrad Group Serves Us Well

Thanks to the determination of Prime Minister Morawiecki and the negotiators, we have gained allies. This is a success for Poland. Our alliance with Hungary and within the Visegrad Group serves us well. The considerable strength of four states. It is a connection of North with South” - said Stanisław Karczewski from PiS on Radio Jedynka. 


08:40

Dworczyk on Rule of Law: The Dishonesty, the Idea of Blackmailing Smaller States, Was to Make Criteria Vague. This Was Blocked. Provisions Were Found That Are De Facto Unfulfillable.

- This is precisely where the dishonesty lay, this idea of having the ability to blackmail smaller states by making these criteria imprecise. All of that was managed to be blocked. Provisions were found that are de facto unfulfillable, because unanimity of the European Council is required if the issue of the rule of law were to be raised at all, and as we know, such a provision already existed, because, among other things, Article 7 was never initiated against Poland due to the fact that this unanimity was required. Consequently, I believe that we are appropriately secured here, not only Poland, but the entire Union, our region in particular perhaps - stated Michał Dworczyk on Polish Radio 24.


10:18

Halicki:

The Prime Minister Capitulated to the 'Veto or Death' Dictum on Rule of Law. Very Good, Because it's in Poland's Interest to Negotiate the Most Significant Sums

Prime Minister Morawiecki, and I must say very well, capitulated to a dictum that some were suggesting to him, 'veto or death,' when it comes to this issue [of the rule of law], because it is in Poland's interest to negotiate the most significant sums, but it is also in the interest of the entire community to have transparency in their spending” - said Andrzej Halicki, a Member of the European Parliament for the European Coalition, on Jedynka radio.


10:34

Ministry of Health: 399 New Coronavirus Infections in Poland, Including 140 in Silesia. 9 Deaths

https://twitter.com/MZ_GOV_PL/status/1285492310629908480

https://twitter.com/MZ_GOV_PL/status/1285492312844505088


10:59

Polish PM: We Believe in the Rule of Law. Just Compare the Proposed and Final Versions. The Final Version Lacks a Direct Link Between Conditionality and the Rule of Law
There is indeed such a reference, but it is a reference that we fully accept because we absolutely believe in the rule of law, and it is enough to compare both versions, the original one that was proposed and how much the final one differs. In the final version, there is no dependence, there is no direct link between conditionality, as it is called, and the rule of law. We strongly indicated that Poland will not allow such dependence, because we know exactly how procedures against Poland are conducted, and indeed here, in this case, we have included a provision requiring the European Council to address this. The European Council operates on the principle of unanimity, which means that Poland and Hungary and the entire Visegrad Group, which supports us, will also have to express their opinion on this matter. Therefore, we are secured here from every side - stated Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on Polsat News.

11:51

PM:

Well over PLN 770 Billion is a Huge Financial Boost for the Coming Years. Poland Definitely Counts Much More Than a Few Years Ago; We Don't Just Have an Advisory Voice, But a Decisive One.

Well over PLN 770 billion is a huge financial boost for the coming years, but that's not all. It must be stressed that Poland definitely counts much more than a few years ago; we don't just have an advisory voice, but a decisive or co-decisive one” - Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said at a press conference.


11:57

PM:

We Vetoed Not Just Greed, But Also Those Who Wanted to Divide Europe into Weaker and More Developed, Post-Communist and Historically Fortunate

We were something of an intermediary between those from the South and those from the North. At the same time, we strongly looked after our own interests. Through our policy, through hundreds of conversations, negotiations, arranging various solutions with people, because I can say we formed countless alliances. We vetoed not only greed, but we also vetoed those who wanted to divide Europe into a weaker Europe, one that would trail behind somewhere in the South, and a more developed one, post-communist and one that was more fortunate in history. This division is becoming a thing of the past. Our strength, our effectiveness, our ability to persuade and build coalitions and alliances have shown that we are today in one Europe and that Poland, together with other partners, has led to us having a very good budget for Europe” - Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said at a press conference.


12:00

PM:

We're Opening a New Chapter of Poland's EU Membership, Where Poland is Not Only a Full Member, a Co-deciding Partner for the Biggest, But Also a Chapter of Immense Opportunities

We are opening a new chapter of Poland's membership in the European Union. This can be said. A chapter where Poland is not only a full member of the EU, a co-deciding partner for the biggest, because there have been many positive statements and compliments directed at Poland, which were immense. But this is also a chapter of immense opportunities, where in the next seven-year period we have enormous possibilities to catch up with the richest in Southern Europe, who until recently seemed beyond our reach” – said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at a press conference.


12:06

PM Morawiecki: EU Funds Not Tied to 'Rule of Law'; We Urged Orbán to Conclude Article 7 Procedure. We Are Convinced There Are No Irregularities.

This is not the case. European funds, from the European budget, these 750 billion, are not tied to the so-called rule of law, which has been a separate stream of dispute for two or three years now with the European Union, concerning which, together with Prime Minister Orbán, we have appealed to, to use a colloquial expression, stop chasing this rabbit and bring the Article 7 procedure to its very end. We are convinced that there are no irregularities on our part that would indicate its closure to the detriment of Poland, to the detriment of Hungary. One can say that this earlier, politicized mechanism, because one only needs to look at what was proposed at the outset and what is at the end. At the outset, a politicized mechanism was proposed, creating the possibility of obtaining and using European funds with an assessment of the rule of law. At the end, there is no such dependency” – said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at a press conference.


12:06

PM:

Thanks to our negotiations and the European Council's conclusions, Poland will not lose a single cent of its subsidies.

As a result of what we negotiated, which is included in the European Council's conclusions, Poland will not lose a single eurocent from these subsidies, from the huge funds that we have secured for our development” – said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at a press conference.


16:55

Jabłoński on Rule of Law Mechanism: A Crucial Sentence Was Added to the Conclusions at the End of Negotiations, Namely That the European Council Must Still Voice Its Opinion on This Matter. And That Opinion is Unanimous

- At the very end of the negotiations, from yesterday evening to this morning, a crucial sentence was added to these conclusions, namely that the European Council, which is precisely the body that has convened, must still voice its opinion on this matter. It must specifically voice its opinion once more, and the European Council voices this opinion unanimously - stated Paweł Jabłoński on PR24.


17:01

Jabłoński:

I browse Polish media and media in other countries. I don't think there's ever been such a divergence. Foreign media write: Hungary and Poland's victory, Hungary got what it wanted, they got everything they wanted

- I also browse Polish media and media in other countries, and I must say that I don't think there has ever been such a divergence. Very often, when other foreign media write something about Poland, it is immediately reprinted, and foreign press, foreign television, and online portals are curious about reporting on Poland. Today, all foreign media, summarizing the summit results, write this: a retreat from the rule of law conditionality, Hungary and Poland's victory, Hungary got what it wanted, they got everything they wanted, a watered-down resolution, Poland and Hungary successfully fought against linking the rule of law with funds. These are the biggest, most serious headlines worldwide. In my opinion, if this kind of interpretation differs from that of Polish media, then the reasons why such an opposing interpretation emerges have nothing to do with the slogan you mentioned at the beginning, it has nothing to do with the truth. It's wishful thinking on the part of some of our media – stated Paweł Jabłoński on PR24.


17:38

President Duda Receives Resolution from National Electoral Commission on Election as President of Poland

President Andrzej Duda, during a ceremony at the Royal Castle, received the resolution from the National Electoral Commission (PKW) confirming his election to the office of President of Poland.


17:56

Duda:

I wanted to thank all my compatriots for the extraordinary voter turnout. Poles have shown that our democracy is maturing increasingly
- I wanted to thank all my compatriots for the extraordinary voter turnout. It was over 68%. We were very close to having the highest turnout ever in a presidential election. This is truly just a little lower than the turnout in 1995 - stated President Andrzej Duda during the ceremony at the Royal Castle for receiving the National Electoral Commission's resolution on his election as President of Poland. - This is indeed a great success, primarily for democracy. That is the most important thing for me. Poles have shown that our democracy is maturing increasingly, and this is the best news for the Polish state resulting from these elections, which I also hope for in the future - PAD continued.

17:59

Duda:

I Want to Congratulate My Opponent Trzaskowski on His Result

- I also want to congratulate my opponent Rafał Trzaskowski on his result, because he also received over 10 million 18 thousand votes. Someone might say: the difference was small. But one must also realize that this is a difference almost equal to the number of inhabitants of Gdańsk. It's a difference larger than all the inhabitants of Szczecin combined, it's a difference twice as large as all the inhabitants of Toruń. So a difference of over 420 thousand votes is indeed an enormous difference, and this 2% shows that democracy in Poland is doing well - stated President Andrzej Duda during the ceremony at the Royal Castle for receiving the National Electoral Commission's resolution on his election as President of Poland.

- I also want to thank all my other opponents, those who participated in the presidential elections at all, who did not manage to reach the second round of elections. I thank them all for their participation, for taking part in debates, for mobilizing voters to ensure that as many of them as possible were present and voted in these elections - PAD continued.


18:10

President Duda: "I wanted to congratulate PM Morawiecki and his ministers for their cooperation in achieving the best possible outcome from the Brussels summit. The negotiations were successful."

- I wanted, from this place, to sincerely congratulate Prime Minister Morawiecki and all of you, his ministers, who cooperated in order to achieve the best possible outcome from the Brussels summit, which has just concluded, regarding these negotiations and the next European financial perspective and the amount of funds for the European recovery fund. These negotiations concluded successfully, although they lasted a very long time. And Mr. Prime Minister, I spoke about these funds during the election campaign, stating that during these 5 years of my presidency, although it won't cover the entire budget period, as that will only end in 2027, I would like these funds to be well spent by us in Poland. Both those intended for Polish farmers and those designated for investments. I would like them to be an extraordinary development impulse for Poland, so that we not only navigate through the coronavirus pandemic and its related economic turbulence as safely as possible. Thanks to good cooperation, this has largely succeeded, and we have saved a great number of jobs, millions of jobs, but I would also like us to return to the path of dynamic development. I hope that thanks to the hard work undertaken recently, and especially these negotiations, this will be possible and that these funds will support us in this regard – stated President Andrzej Duda during the ceremony at the Royal Castle where he received the National Election Committee's resolution on his election as President of Poland.


18:13

Duda Promises a Peaceful, Secure, and Prosperous Poland for the Next Five Years
- I want to continue a policy that will primarily ensure peace and tranquility for my compatriots, because that is the most important thing for me. I want people in Poland to be able to live peacefully, for Poland to be a secure state. I have been doing this for the last 5 years – stated President Andrzej Duda during the ceremony at the Royal Castle to receive the National Election Commission's resolution on his election as President of Poland. - I promise all my compatriots that I will do everything to make these 5 years of my presidency a period of building the Poland I have just spoken about. A Poland that is peaceful, secure, as prosperous as possible, as well-developed as possible among not only EU states, but generally looking at the global stage; a Poland that is proud, with its head held high, which calmly and consistently pursues its policy and its affairs, because that is immensely important to me – he continued.

19:44

Duda:

I Announce in Advance That I Will Implement the Program I Ran On

"The fact that Mr. Rafał Trzaskowski or other representatives of the opposition expected me to implement the opposition's program, meaning a program against the one I proclaimed, is because my voters wanted something completely different, and the majority opted for me then [in 2015], just as the majority has opted for me now. I announce in advance that I will implement the program I ran on, and I will do so," said President Andrzej Duda on Polsat News.


19:45

President Duda on the Coalition of Polish Affairs: An Invitation to Conservatives, Including Nationalists

There will be an invitation extended to people who hold conservative views, including those of a national profile. This invitation will also be directed towards them. I will be organizing meetings to which I will invite various circles, precisely in order to discuss important Polish matters” - said President Andrzej Duda in an interview with Dorota Gawryluk on „Gość Wydarzeń” (Guest of Events) on Polsat News.


19:45

President Duda: "I believe the judicial reform must be carried out calmly and consistently"

I believe that this reform must be carried out calmly and consistently so that people change their attitude towards the judiciary, so that they stop saying that the courts are unfair, but also so that the waiting time for hearings is shortened” - said President Andrzej Duda in Polsat News.


19:47

President Duda on KPRP Changes: 'There Will Definitely Be Changes. I Have My Thoughts.' If Szczerski Receives a Foreign Minister Offer and Accepts, He Will Become Minister
'There will definitely be changes. Any change concerning the highest levels of the Chancellery is a serious change. There will certainly be various changes. I also have various thoughts of my own. If Minister Szczerski receives such an offer [to be Foreign Minister] and wishes to accept it, he will become a minister. If he receives such an offer, it will mean that Poland needs him' – President Andrzej Duda said in Polsat News.

19:47

Duda on Mastalerek: He helped me greatly at very important moments of the campaign. I am very grateful to him for that. I don't know what his life decisions will be.

He helped me a lot [Marcin Mastalerek]. He advised me well. We talked often. Marcin is a very capable person with an outstanding sense of management and politics. Indeed, he helped me greatly at very important moments of the campaign, kindly guided by the deepest Polish interest. I am very grateful to him for that. I don't know what his life decisions will be” – said President Andrzej Duda in Polsat News.


19:51

Jabłoński:

For Some Reason, After This Summit, I Don't See TVN24 Discussing What the European Press is Writing. Look at the Top Headlines: No Rule of Law Mechanism, Hungary and Poland Win, Diluted Mechanism, Here from The Guardian: Poland
"President Charles Michel speaks of a mechanism that has existed since the beginnings of the European Union, because it is certainly in the treaties, that an important institutional commitment for the Council has been added. I have always seen detailed discussions on your channel about what the European press writes about the course of the summit on the occasion of these summits, and today, for some reason, I don't see this on TVN24, because you often quote them. And this reception is fundamentally important here. The crux of the matter is as follows: Poland and Hungary have introduced a very important element into the conclusions: there is no danger at this moment that a qualified majority will rule on the mechanism of budgetary sanctions. Please look at what European headlines are writing: No rule of law mechanism, Hungary and Poland win, diluted mechanism, here from The Guardian: Poland and Hungary have won, there is no link to the rule of law. If all media in the world write this and this is the criticism, because the European Parliament and here we have a draft resolution, in which the dilution of the mechanism is criticized. And this was our goal: to dilute this arbitrary mechanism of political blackmail" - said Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Paweł Jabłoński in Fakty po Faktach.

19:54

PM to Present European Council Summit Conclusions in Sejm on Wednesday at 11:00 AM

Tomorrow at 11:00 AM, the Prime Minister will present information in the Sejm regarding the conclusions of the recently concluded European Council summit. Following the head of government's address, a debate is scheduled with 5-minute statements on behalf of parliamentary clubs and caucuses.

The discussion on this item – according to the schedule – is expected to conclude at 12:30 PM.


19:59

Jabłoński:

I'm Convinced Poland Won't Lose a Single Eurocent Through This Mechanism in the Next 7 Years. Shall We Bet On It?
- What is written in the summit's conclusions is simple: the matter has not been finalized, and for it to be implemented, Council acceptance is needed. What Prime Minister Morawiecki and Prime Minister Orban achieved was the addition of a very important sentence stating that it requires the unanimous consent of the Council. The Council operates according to Article 145(4) of the Treaty on the basis of consensus. I am convinced that in the next 7 years, Poland will not lose a single eurocent through this mechanism. Shall we bet on it? - said Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Paweł Jabłoński in Fakty po Faktach. - Agreed, on the TVN Foundation - said Kolenda-Zaleska. - I'll find some noble cause too, and we'll revisit this in seven years - said Jabłoński.

20:38

From Rule of Law Safeguards to Empty Declarations: The Summit's Shifting Language on Conditionality
300POLITYKA has seen a comparison prepared by officials for the Prime Minister, contrasting the version of the summit's conclusions drafted at its beginning with the text agreed upon by leaders when adopting the final Council conclusions. – “This comparison clearly shows how the arbitrary mechanism was diluted thanks to the negotiations by the Prime Minister and his allies from the Visegrad Group, but also more broadly,” a source close to the head of government tells us. The original text directly stated that the conditionality system was intended to address irregularities concerning the rule of law. The final version speaks more generally of: “a conditionality system will be introduced to protect the budget and the Next Generation EU instrument.” The clarification of the entire planned conditionality system, originally described in point 25, has disappeared: “This system shall be separate and independent from the procedures provided for in the Treaties and complementary to any mutual assessment mechanisms decided in the future.” Original Version – At the beginning of the summit
  1. A general system of conditionality shall be introduced to address obvious generalised deficiencies in the good governance of the Member States’ authorities regarding the rule of law, where necessary for the proper implementation of the EU budget, including NGEU and the financial interests of the Union.
  2. Further work on the mechanism shall ensure genuine conditionality within the system; the aim shall be to prevent irregularities, which affect or may affect in a sufficiently direct manner the proper implementation of the EU budget or the financial interests of the Union. Cases of irregularities shall be defined by clear and sufficiently precise criteria.
  3. In case of such irregularities, the Commission shall propose appropriate and proportionate measures, which shall be approved by the Council by qualified majority.
  4. This system shall be separate and independent from the procedures provided for in the Treaties and complementary to any mutual assessment mechanisms decided in the future.
Official Version of the Summit Conclusions Adopted by the Council
  1. The Union’s financial interests are protected in accordance with the general principles laid down in the Treaties of the Union, in particular in accordance with the values enshrined in Article 2 TEU. The European Council stresses the importance of protecting the Union’s financial interests. The European Council stresses the importance of the rule of law.
  2. On this basis, a conditionality system will be introduced to protect the budget and the Next Generation EU instrument. In this context, the Commission will propose measures in case of breaches to be adopted by the Council by qualified majority. The European Council will return rapidly to this issue.
  3. The Commission is invited to present further measures to protect the EU budget and the Next Generation EU instrument against financial abuses and irregularities. This shall include measures to ensure the collection and comparability of information on the final beneficiaries of EU funding for the purposes of checks and audits to be included in the relevant basic acts. The fight against abuses requires a strong commitment from the European Court of Auditors, OLAF, Eurojust, Europol and, where relevant, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, as well as the competent Member State authorities.