Members of Parliament will commence the additional Sejm session at 10:00 AM by considering several so-called COVID-related bill proposals, including the latest proposal from PiS (Law and Justice party), which was submitted yesterday to the Marshal's office.

At 12:05 PM, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki will present information on the state of the country's preparedness for the growing wave of SARS-CoV-2 infections and the resulting COVID-19 disease, as well as the influenza virus during the coronavirus pandemic. The debate on this matter, according to the schedule, is expected to last until 1:35 PM.

A break will then be announced. The Sejm will resume its proceedings at 5:00 PM with the second reading of the aforementioned COVID-related bills. Another break will be announced at 6:00 PM, and at 6:30 PM, a voting block will take place, during which the aforementioned PiS proposal will be adopted. A vote on the election of the Ombudsman is also scheduled.

According to information from 300POLITYKA, a ceremonial signing of the Medical Fund Act is planned for today, which is President Andrzej Duda's proposal that he announced during the election campaign.

At 1:00 PM, the Constitutional Tribunal will – at the request of PiS MPs – consider the Act on the Ombudsman. In practice, this concerns examining the constitutionality of the current situation. Adam Bodnar continues to serve as Ombudsman despite the end of his term, as Parliament has not elected his successor. The announcement of a verdict in the case of the de-communization act was also planned for today, but the date has been cancelled.

„Plans are currently being prepared in a number of provincial capitals. Of course, in places where the need is greatest. The preparations and construction of the remaining temporary hospitals will be coordinated by the provincial governors under the authority of the Ministry of Interior and Administration. The hospital being built at the National Stadium is the first facility of its kind, a pilot project where a range of experiences need to be gained” – said the Head of the Prime Minister’s Chancellery, Minister Michał Dworczyk, on Jedynka radio.

- No, we are not planning actions that would be analogous to closing down the economy in the spring of this year. We are taking all measures to prevent such a situation from occurring, but on the other hand, we must naturally weigh human life and human health. So, these two values, human health and life, and on the other side, the economy – these are the two values we are constantly trying to protect - stated Piotr Müller in an interview with Grzegorz Kępka on Polsat News's "Graffiti".

- We are taking actions that are necessary at a given time. Of course, every scenario must be considered, but we are doing everything to ensure that the number of beds and ventilators is large enough so as not to introduce any solutions as far-reaching as this spring. Of course, some additional restrictions may appear, and Minister Dworczyk also spoke about this yesterday - the government spokesperson continued.

One thing is certain. Everyone is equal before the law, and I am surprised by those commentators who unsparingly judge this situation and draw hasty conclusions. Let the authorities responsible for this in Poland work. We live in a state of law. I am convinced that all emerging doubts will be, and are being, clarified - said Paweł Szefernaker in an interview with Michał Rachoń on TVP Info's "Jedziemy" program.

- Yesterday, there was a government team meeting in the evening. Prime Minister Gowin, as the minister responsible for economic issues, met not only with this [fitness] sector, but also with other sectors. They are developing a common stance. We are talking with these sectors, and decisions regarding further restrictions and decisions concerning the functioning of further sectors and those you mentioned will be communicated by the Prime Minister - said Paweł Szefernaker on TVP Info. 

The Constitutional Tribunal's hearing concerning the term of office of the Human Rights Ombudsman (RPO) has been postponed.

You can find more details at the following link: https://twitter.com/ArkadiuszMyrcha/status/1318454222392860672?s=20

- Unfortunately, it's the same situation again. That is, yesterday again, at 6:00 PM, a draft bill of 45 pages was submitted. We are discussing one of the most serious matters right now, actually perhaps the most serious, which is the issue of COVID. And this bill contains obvious flaws. I am formally requesting the adjournment of the session until at least tomorrow, so we can calmly work on this bill - stated Cezary Tomczyk in the Sejm.

- [Into the bill] you have written that mothers who have just given birth can be summoned by voivodes to work, mother doctors. A few weeks ago, we dealt with a scandal when you summoned doctors who have been dead for many years. Can we not calmly discuss the bill, can we not calmly discuss the bill, can we not calmly work on the bill and have more than a dozen hours for it? - he continued.

- The motion for an adjournment has been accepted. I understand that the proponents of parliamentary obstruction and delaying a bill that Poles are waiting for have won. I am announcing a 10-minute recess - informed the presiding officer, Ryszard Terlecki.

https://twitter.com/MZ_GOV_PL/status/1318469528561586176

https://twitter.com/MZ_GOV_PL/status/1318469531476557825

"All these lockdowns and so on are just theater for the public to absolve themselves of responsibility. Politicians do not have the courage to tell the public that there are no tools to prevent the virus, and the entire method tried by the government, i.e., distance, disinfection, masks, can perhaps slow it down by 1, 2, 3, or a few percent, but the virus will spread anyway" – said Krzysztof Bosak of Confederation in an interview with Jacek Prusinowski on Radio Plus.

- We voted for a motion for a break, but also simultaneously for an adjournment of the proceedings. The opposition, more precisely Civic Platform, wants to block the adoption of a law that Poles are waiting for, but the vote turned out as it did. Therefore, I will convene the Convention of Senior Members and will approach Civic Platform with a proposal to withdraw this motion. However, if the motion is not withdrawn, we will be forced to suspend the Sejm proceedings until tomorrow, which I understand will delay the adoption of the law - stated Ryszard Terlecki in the Sejm.

- My proposal is as follows: a 2-hour break now, for further discussion of the bill within the clubs, and a return to the proceedings in 2 hours. I think this is a reasonable solution. Of course, if the total opposition wins, meaning a total plan to suspend the Sejm proceedings, then that is what will happen. I am announcing a 10-minute break and inviting the Convention of Senior Members to the lounge - the presiding officer continued.

- We have a record number of new infections, we have an important bill that is intended to improve the situation and strengthen the healthcare system's actions. This bill includes, among other things, a statutory obligation to wear masks upon the announcement of this by the relevant services. The Civic Platform (PO) club decided to halt these proceedings, at the request of PO - stated Ryszard Terlecki in the Sejm.

- At the request of PO, the Sejm, by a majority of votes, decided to postpone the debates until tomorrow. I proposed a compromise solution, a break of a few hours now so that Platforma could discuss within their club the bill, the draft bills, the four that are currently submitted for the chamber's consideration. PO did not agree to this - the presiding officer continued.

- I understand this means delaying the bill. I fear this will also affect the Senate. I hope not. In this situation, since the PO club did not agree to withdraw or modify its request, I am forced to postpone the Sejm debates until tomorrow at 9:00 AM, which means that the total opposition's parliamentary obstruction has succeeded this time, and we can tell Poles that the bill will be delayed by this day or days as a result of the opposition's decision - he emphasized.

- The Sejm's agenda project was adopted by the Sejm Presidium. Therefore, by agreeing in the Presidium and convention that this is an important bill, the opposition simultaneously decides to postpone it. They are doing this solely to spite the government and the parliamentary majority – stated Ryszard Terlecki in a conversation with journalists in the Sejm.

If you can't help, at least don't hinder. Politicking won over health today.

https://twitter.com/a_niedzielski/status/1318477220323729408?s=21

„The situation is truly very serious and very problematic. Poles need to know that the law we pass will create an opportunity for them to be treated, that we will contain the pandemic. Rushing a bill with errors does not provide such an opportunity. The matter is too serious for us to yield to the blackmail of Marshal Terlecki, who says that because of us this bill will come into force” - said the Deputy Marshal of the Sejm Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska from Civic Coalition at a press conference.

„A bill that arrives in the Sejm at 6 PM is to be debated the next day, a bill that is 45 pages long, with hundreds of articles, hundreds of changes that concern the most important issue in Poland, namely Covid. There can never be agreement to debate as the Sejm has done for the last 5 years. This government operates in such a way that it cannot even secure a majority for its own bill, for a motion in the Sejm chamber” - added the head of the Civic Coalition club, Cezary Tomczyk.

"You cannot submit 49-page blunders and rush them through, because it will end up like the inglorious price hikes, with the entire animal protection bill. It's time for it to end. Today, as the opposition, we showed PiS that it can be done differently. Tomorrow, the Senate will not convene anyway, and it wasn't supposed to convene the day after tomorrow either. We have a lot of reservations about this bill, but between God and truth, apart from the people on the committee, no one has fully read and processed this bill," said Deputy Speaker Włodzimierz Czarzasty from The Left, speaking to journalists in the Sejm. "We are clearly and precisely telling PiS: Enough, truly enough of this mess, this chaos, of submitting bills three hours before debate and then passing these bills after 3 hours because you have a majority. A majority stems from reason, not from a primitive approach of having 6 more votes," he added.

- As a parliamentary club, we are coming forward with a very important and interesting proposal that will allow for the best possible legislation on the one hand, and also for the best information for citizens about the state of the epidemic, the state of threat, a state that worries us all, a state that is getting out of control, the government's control over the situation in Poland. We are presenting a motion, which we have just sent to the Marshal of the Sejm, for the Prime Minister's address, scheduled for today at 12:00 PM, on the COVID-19 situation in Poland to be presented today, as soon as possible, at the Health Committee. This is a good place for discussion - stated Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz at a press briefing in the Sejm.

„There are three main areas regarding amendments to this law. The first concerns the rights of doctors themselves, and ensuring there are no blunders like sending female doctors who gave birth the day before to work in hospitals on emergency duty. The second issue concerns hospital management and what obligations are imposed on hospital directors. It’s not just about looking good on paper. It’s about the system created by the Sejm actually working. The third type of amendment stems from our legislative proposals: concerning universal testing of medical professionals, possibly teachers, and social welfare homes (DPS-s)” - said the head of the Civic Coalition club, Cezary Tomczyk, at a press conference. 

"This fund has been and is long-awaited by many, many people. It's opening the door to modern treatment for cancers and rare diseases. The fund became possible thanks to the idea and initiative of Mr. President, and for this inspiration and initiative, I would like to express my sincere gratitude. Without Mr. President, this fund simply wouldn't exist. This is a great achievement – both for our healthcare system and a gateway to implementing many medical procedures that will treat oncological and rare conditions," said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.

- This is a very important moment for me, but I hope, above all, it is a very important moment for Polish patients, for parents who are raising and are immensely worried daily about the health of their children, often affected by rare diseases or cancers. This Medical Fund Act was one of the topics of discussion during the election campaign, just as we discussed then how to help in cases that until recently seemed hopeless, primarily due to the difficulty in providing help and obtaining funds for therapy, funds for treatment. It was then that the idea of creating a special fund emerged, which would enable the financing of such, despite everything, exceptional situations, assistance in those cases where parents, often desperate and in tears, sought financial resources from various foundations, begged for help. We can still see fundraising campaigns for various medical benefits or surgical procedures all over the internet, mainly for children, including those abroad – stated President Andrzej Duda at the Presidential Palace.

- This is a huge sum, much larger than we originally planned. We originally planned for it to be slightly over 2 billion. The Prime Minister's final decision, for which I am extremely grateful, is 4 billion annually, so this is a huge amount, and thanks to this, these funds could be divided into four sub-funds and allocated, among other things, also in cases where it will be necessary to carry out various types of infrastructure purchases, for example of an interventionary nature, or to buy the most modern equipment, or to invest in various innovative solutions, it will also be able to be used for these purposes and for daily preventive actions, disease prevention, thanks to which municipalities will also be able to cooperate with the fund – PAD continued.

- Above all, I want to repeat once again, the primary goal of this fund is to create opportunities to obtain funds for the treatment of rare diseases, difficult situations related to cancers, both domestically, for various therapies, including drug therapies, which very often occur in extremely rare situations, even individual cases, only a few cases nationwide, were not financed by the NFZ. It is precisely this Medical Fund that will serve such rescue actions and for such situations, often extremely costly therapies, but saving health and life, this fund will be able to be allocated – he emphasized.

“Soldiers of the Territorial Defence Force and others are entering a certain space that allows us to ease the strain on our core healthcare resources, and this is an extremely important function. Thanks to this, thanks to the creation of such testing points [as this one in Zegrze], I am dealing with the release of thousands of people who can perform tasks characteristic of healthcare. The efficiency of these points is very high. At the same time, the sanitary conditions that have been created are appropriate,” said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.

“We already have over 1300 soldiers of the Territorial Defence Force involved in direct support of medical services. This is very effective, very encouraging work. I am very grateful for this, but I also want to say that the points which are testing points are organized logistically so that in a few months, perhaps sooner, vaccinations can be carried out,” he added.

Klub Parlamentarny Prawo i Sprawiedliwość popiera pański wniosek o zwołanie dodatkowego posiedzenia Senatu jeszcze w tym tygodniu – napisał na Twitterze poseł Marek Pęk. Jak zaznaczył, powodem jest „próba przeprowadzenia przez opozycję nad Wisłą działań mających na celu destabilizację państwa”. Podkreślił, że „w tak trudnej chwili nie można dopuścić do tego, aby opozycja miała możliwość prowadzenia takich działań”.

Na początku października Senat zdecydował o przerwaniu obrad do 9 listopada. Posłowie opozycji zawiadomili przewodniczącego Senatu Tomasza Grodzkiego o zamiarze złożenia wniosku o zwołanie dodatkowego posiedzenia. Zgodnie z regulaminem Senatu, do zwołania nadzwyczajnego posiedzenia potrzebna jest zgoda co najmniej 30 senatorów.

Przypomnijmy, że opozycja domaga się od rządu wyjaśnień dotyczących przebiegu pandemii koronawirusa w Polsce. Chodzi o ustalenie, jakie były kluczowe decyzje podejmowane przez rząd w związku z pandemią, jakie były ich konsekwencje dla społeczeństwa i gospodarki, a także o analizę błędów, które popełniono. Opozycja chce też, aby rząd przedstawił plan działań na wypadek kolejnych fal pandemii.

LIVEBLOG 300POLITYKI: THE PIS CLUB SUPPORTS THE PSL'S IDEA TO CONVENE A SENATE SESSION THIS WEEK. PMM WITH TERRITORIALS. PAD SIGNED THE MEDICAL FUND ACT. STORM IN THE SEJM AFTER PIS LOST THE VOTE. https://300polityka.pl/live/2020/10/20/ ***** EVENTS FROM POLSAT NEWS: -- FEWER AND FEWER FREE VENTILATORS AND HOSPITAL BEDS REMAIN, IT'S A RACE AGAINST TIME AS THE PANDEMIC SHOWS NO SIGN OF LETTING UP. -- THE GOVERNMENT PLANS TO DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF HOSPITAL BEDS IN A FEW DAYS; THE MINISTER OF HEALTH IS ALSO APPEALING FOR CONTACT REDUCTIONS. -- STORM IN THE SEJM. INSTEAD OF THE COVID ACT, THE LAW INTENDED TO HELP FIGHT THE EPIDEMIC WAS SUPPOSED TO GO THROUGH AN EXPRESS PARLIAMENTARY PATHWAY, BUT THE OPPOSITION'S MOTION TO ADJOURN DEBATES UNTIL TOMORROW WON. -- THE SEJM MAJORITY CLEARLY LOST THE VOTE - Grzegorz Kępka. -- THE RESULT WAS DECIDED BY LATE ARRIVALS AND ABSENCES OF PIS POLITICIANS; 28 MPS DID NOT VOTE, INCLUDING THREE LEADERS OF THE COALITION PARTIES AND THE PRIME MINISTER - Kępka continues. -- PRESIDENT DUDA SIGNED THE ACT ESTABLISHING THE MEDICAL FUND. ***** FAKTY TVN: -- WE DID NOT GET THE GOVERNMENT'S PLAN TO COMBAT THE PANDEMIC, AND THE SEJM DID NOT ADOPT AN IMPORTANT CORONAVIRUS ACT - THIS WILL HAPPEN TOMORROW. THE OPPOSITION WANTS TO REVIEW THE ACT'S PROVISIONS AND UNEXPECTEDLY VOTED FOR AN ADJOURNMENT, AS KACZYŃSKI, MORAWIECKI, GOWIN, AND ZIOBRO, AMONG OTHERS, DID NOT VOTE. -- THIS TABLE WILL HELP UNDERSTAND HOW IT HAPPENED THAT IN THE SEJM, WHERE PIS RULES UNDISPUTEDLY, THE OPPOSITION PUSHED THROUGH ITS MOTION FOR AN ADJOURNMENT UNTIL TOMORROW - Krzysztof Skórzyński. -- IT IS NOTHING MORE THAN A LIST OF MPS WHO DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN THIS VOTE, AND THE PIS CHAIRMAN IS UNLIKELY TO DRAW CONSEQUENCES THIS TIME, AS HE WOULD HAVE TO DRAW THEM AGAINST HIMSELF, THE PRIME MINISTER, AND THE LEADERS OF THE COALITION PARTIES - Skórzyński continues. -- ONCE AGAIN, TO BE ABSOLUTELY CLEAR, 28 PIS MPS DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE VOTE, AND DUE TO THIS ABSENCE, THE SEJM WILL NOT HEAR THE PRIME MINISTER TODAY AND WILL NOT ADOPT NEW LAW REGARDING THE CORONAVIRUS, ALTHOUGH THE OPPOSITION ACTUALLY REQUESTED THIS ADJOURNMENT - Skórzyński. -- THE OPPOSITION LEARNED ABOUT WHAT PIS WANTED TO ADOPT LATE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON; THEY WANTED TIME TO PREPARE THEIR OWN AMENDMENTS - Skórzyński continues. -- WORK ON ORGANIZING THE TEMPORARY HOSPITAL AT THE NATIONAL STADIUM HAS NOT EVEN PROPERLY BEGUN, AND THERE IS ALREADY A PROPOSAL FOR ANOTHER LOCATION IN THE CAPITAL. -- POLAND IS TO HAVE AN ENTIRE NETWORK OF TEMPORARY HOSPITALS; CENTERS IN GDAŃSK, LUBLIN, AND KRAKÓW WILL BE ESTABLISHED IN TRADE AND CONFERENCE CENTERS. -- THERE IS NO SIGN OF RUSH, BUT PERHAPS BECAUSE, AS WE HEAR, THE HOSPITAL IS NOT TO BE READY UNTIL THE CAPACITIES OF REGULAR HOSPITALS ARE EXHAUSTED AND IT IS INTENDED FOR MILDER CASES - Maciej Knapik. -- WE DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE COULD BE DONE HERE BECAUSE JOURNALISTS ARE BEING TURNED AWAY - Knapik continues. -- WE WOULD ALL LIKE THESE NUMBERS TO LOOK DIFFERENT; UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ARE AGAIN WELL OVER 9 THOUSAND NEW CORONAVIRUS INFECTIONS. -- THE NUMBER OF AVAILABLE BEDS, EVEN THOSE ON MINISTRY PAPER, AND VENTILATORS IS CLEARLY DECREASING. ***** WIADOMOŚCI TVP: -- THE OPPOSITION SABOTAGES THE FIGHT AGAINST CORONAVIRUS - in the lead. -- THE OPPOSITION HAS DECLARED SUCCESS BECAUSE IT MANAGED TO DELAY, AT LEAST BY A DAY, WORK ON THE PROVISIONS THAT ARE TO ALLOW FOR MORE EFFECTIVE COMBATING OF THE EPIDEMIC'S EFFECTS - preview. -- CRIES OF SATISFACTION AND APPLAUSE - THIS IS HOW THE OPPOSITION CELEBRATED THE DELAY IN WORK ON THE ACT - Maksymilian Maszenda. -- POLES STRUGGLING WITH THE EFFECTS OF THE EPIDEMIC DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE OPPOSITION'S DECISION - Maszenda. -- 28 PIS MPS DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE VOTE. THE OPPOSITION POLITICIANS EXPLAINED THEIR ACTION BY LACK OF TIME TO READ THE ACT - Maszenda. -- TERLECKI PROPOSED A FEW HOURS' BREAK IN THE DEBATES - Maszenda. -- THE SENATE, DOMINATED BY THE OPPOSITION, HAS ALREADY ANNOUNCED IT WILL NOT WORK AT AN EXPEDITED PACE. IT WILL ONLY DEAL WITH THE NEW REGULATIONS NEXT WEEK - Maszenda. -- VOIVODES COORDINATE THE WORK ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF TEMPORARY HOSPITALS IN EACH REGION - preview: The government is reaching for new tools to effectively combat the epidemic. -- AN ADDITIONAL 4 BILLION PLN ANNUALLY FOR HEALTHCARE. PAD SIGNED THE MEDICAL FUND ACT. -- THE MEDICAL FUND IS AN INITIATIVE OF THE PRESIDENT. THE ACT WAS PREPARED BY PIS MPS, ADOPTED BY THE SEJM IN SEPTEMBER, AND SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT TODAY - Marcin Szypszak. -- THE PIS GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN SYSTEMATICALLY INCREASING HEALTHCARE EXPENDITURE FOR 5 YEARS - Szypszak. -- GIERTYCH, KRAUZE, AND DISAPPEARING MILLIONS - headline. -- PROSECUTORIAL CHARGES AGAINST ADV. GIERTYCH - preview: The defender of the attorney confirmed his status as a suspect in the signed protocol. -- GIERTYCH, KRAUZE, AND OTHER SUSPECTS REMAIN AT LARGE - Maciej Sawicki.

- I proved naive, counting on the opposition not to file a motion for a break in this matter, so that we could work on this project. In accordance with the agenda we received. It seemed to me that in a situation where the health and lives of Poles are at risk, Poles expect political agreement from us, that we will not use the epidemic for political games – said Artur Soboń in an interview with Monika Olejnik on the TVN24 program "Kropka nad i".

- Let's do everything, let's do it together, let's work together to best handle the epidemic and let's not use it for political infighting, because what the opposition did today is using the epidemic for political infighting - said Artur Soboń on TVN24. 

In a message published on social media on Tuesday evening, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki spoke about the need to unite the political class, similar to other European countries. He appealed to abandon “obstruction, delays, postponements, and procrastination” and proposed a meeting with the Marshal of the Senate. “In the fight against the coronavirus, there are no right-wing or left-wing solutions. There are effective and ineffective ones,” the Prime Minister said, adding that “despite differences, I will be open to all good ideas, but today we must act first.” - Today, the pandemic affects every country in the world. This is a gigantic challenge that generations of Europeans have not seen since World War II. I am in daily contact with leaders from all over Europe. They tell me that in difficult times, their political class can unite. Perhaps not everywhere, not always, but quite often. Often, the opposition is more of a support than an obstacle to them. Together, they can face various major tasks. Therefore, today I also want to appeal to abandon obstruction, delays, postponements, and procrastination. I want to ask the Marshal of the Senate to urgently process the bill immediately after its likely adoption by the Sejm - said the Prime Minister. - I am ready to explain to Mr. Marshal during a meeting how important these solutions are, how much they help doctors, nurses, and services in performing their various tasks - the Prime Minister added. “We have over 100 applications from volunteers willing to work in the temporary hospital” - Let us please prioritize solidarity, just as Poles do. For example, we already have over 100 applications from volunteers willing to work in the temporary hospital being built at the National Stadium - said the Prime Minister. “In the fight against the coronavirus, there are no right-wing or left-wing solutions. There are effective and ineffective ones” - The pandemic is an exam for the entire political class. Because in the fight against the coronavirus, there are no right-wing or left-wing solutions. There are effective and ineffective ones, and we are constantly trying to improve effectiveness. For example, we are continuously increasing the number of beds for COVID patients. At the beginning of September, there were 6,000 beds, today there are 16,000. In terms of ventilators, we now have 2.5 thousand of them. New ventilators that are already waiting to be connected - said Morawiecki. “Until we have a vaccine for the coronavirus, we must instill discipline and solidarity within ourselves” - Our effectiveness, however, depends not only on government decisions. It also depends on our individual decisions. Please, let's adhere to the DDM principle. Until we have a vaccine for the coronavirus, we must instill discipline and solidarity within ourselves. We all need social responsibility today. Many times in the history of our nation, we have proven that when we are united and stand together, we face the greatest challenges - said the Prime Minister. - Despite differences, I will be open to all good ideas, but today we must act first - concluded the Prime Minister.