Live Feed

09/14/2023

07:13

Thursday's Political Agenda: Morawiecki Meets Maląg, Duda Continues in Krynica, Witek in Rome, Civic Coalition's "Women for Elections" Campaign, The Left in Bydgoszcz, Kosiniak in Tarnów, Hołownia and Kobosko on Finances

President Andrzej Duda is continuing his visit to Krynica. At 9:00 AM, along with the Prime Minister of Korea, he will participate in the opening of the Poland-Korea Forum. At 9:35 AM, a meeting will take place, followed at 11:00 AM by a discussion panel with the participation of the President of the Republic of Poland and the President of Lithuania titled "Poland and Lithuania – A Bulwark Against Tyranny from the East. Heritage, Cooperation, Future.” At 11:45 AM, the presidents will meet with the media, and at 4:00 PM, PAD will participate in a panel on the future of NATO.

As we hear, today an event concerning pensions will take place with the participation of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Minister Marlena Maląg.

At 9:00 AM, the leader of the Polish People's Party (PSL), Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, will attend a session of the Tarnów City Council, during which Wincenty Witos will be awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Tarnów. At 10:30 AM, a press conference by the PSL leader on the current political situation will be held.

As part of the "Women for Elections" campaign, events will be held with the participation of Civic Coalition (KO) MPs Barbara Nowacka, Agnieszka Pomaska, and Kinga Gajewska – including a conference at 10:00 AM, as well as meetings with, among others, language school attendees, environmentalists, a beauty industry entrepreneur, and residents of Piaseczno.

At 9:30 AM in Warsaw, a press conference will be held with the participation of KO MPs Jan Grabiec and Marcin Kierwiński.

At 12:00 PM in Bydgoszcz, a press conference by The Left will take place with the participation of, among others, Krzysztof Gkowski, Jan Szopiński, Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, and Anna-Maria Żukowska. Topic: The PiS government. A new day, a new scandal.

At 12:15 PM in Warsaw, a press briefing by Szymon Hołownia's Poland 2050 will be held with the participation of Szymon Hołownia and Michał Kobosko. Topic: Investments instead of handouts. We will fix Polish finances.

At 12:00 PM in Rome, the Marshal of the Sejm, Elżbieta Witek, will meet with the President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Republic, Lorenzo Fontana. In Rome, at 1:00 PM, a working breakfast will be held.

At 2:15 PM, the Marshal will meet with the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, Giulio Tremonti, and at 3:00 PM – with the President of the Italian Senate, Ignazio La Russa. At 5:15 PM, a meeting will take place with members of the Italian-Polish Interparliamentary Friendship Group and the Foreign Affairs Committees of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Italian Republic.

The last item on the agenda is participation in the premiere of the TVP Polonia film "The Commandment of Love. The Story of the Ulma Family” at 7:00 PM.


07:29

Morawiecki:

We Will Introduce Service Pensions. It is an Expression of Our Gratitude for the Hard Work of Millions of Poles
- There are people who have worked hard from their youngest years, very often physically, in a variety of professions. It is for them that we want to introduce service pensions. This is the realization of a great idea, an idea originating from the times of Solidarity. This is the realization of the expectations of millions of hard-working Poles - said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in a video spot published on PiS's social media.

- They are the ones who get up every morning, sometimes before dawn, and build our homeland. They must have a choice, they must have a chance to catch their breath. We will introduce service pensions for these hard-working people: 38 years of contribution periods for women and 43 years for men - he continued.

- Let it be their choice when to retire. This is an expression of our gratitude for your hard work. And today, we want to turn this gratitude into service pensions - he concluded.


07:45

Szydło on Pension Rights Based on Length of Service: We Are Once Again Giving Poles a Choice
- These pension rights based on length of service will be a choice for those individuals who wish to avail themselves of them or not. This is not a compulsion. Everyone who has the right to do so will be able to make a choice whether they want such a pension or will continue working. And when it comes to pensions, we are once again giving Poles a choice, just as it was when we lowered the retirement age - said Beata Szydło in an interview with Krzysztof Świątek on "Sygnały Dnia" PR1.

07:52

Szydło on von der Leyen: She Joined the Election Campaign and the Campaign Against the Current Government
- Ursula von der Leyen, at the moment she stated that she expected Donald Tusk to return as Polish Prime Minister in Brussels, clearly showed her intentions and joined the election campaign, and above all, the campaign against the current government. And these decisions, which she can make as president, are unfortunately driven solely by political intentions – Beata Szydło said on PR1.

08:01

Szydło:

Tusk Said He's Invalidating the Referendum, We Need to Start Wondering Why
- We will unequivocally defend the Polish border and will not agree to illegal immigration into Poland. [...] It is Civic Platform that is calling for non-participation in the referendum, which includes a question about illegal migration. It was Donald Tusk who said he is invalidating this referendum, so we need to start wondering why, perhaps because the point is for Poles not to say in the referendum that, among other things, they do not agree to illegal migration, because then Donald Tusk and his team will be able to implement what Ursula von der Leyen or the German Chancellor desires – said Beata Szydło on PR1.

08:12

Kobosko:

We are working hard for The Third Way's result to be significantly better than currently. 15% is achievable
- Nothing is lost. At this moment, there are 30 days until the elections. I can only ask, appeal: give us all time to work and convince, especially the undecided voters, [...] this is a huge area for action, especially for us, The Third Way - said Michał Kobosko in the "Piasecki's Interview" on TVN24. - We are realists. We probably won't achieve 20% in these elections, but we are working hard to make this result significantly better than the current one. We believe that 15% is a goal we can achieve - he stated.

08:29

Kobosko:

Sometimes I hear we should pity the Third Way and vote for them. We don't rely on pity, but on persuading people
- When I hear that we won't cross the threshold, we respond: we believe and we are working hard, we are convinced that we will cross this threshold. What's more, we believe that we will be part of the future democratic government that will be formed after the elections - said Michał Kobosko in "Rozmowa Piaseckiego" on TVN24. - Sometimes I hear: we should pity this Third Way and vote for them. Well no, we don't rely on pity, we rely on persuading people, showing that there are two leaders, Szymon Hołownia and Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, there are two formations, different, but the only two in the opposition who were ready to enter into an alliance - he continued.

08:36

Wojciechowski on Embargo on 4 Types of Ukrainian Grains: Decision Will Be Last-Minute

- The decision will be last-minute. Decisions of this type, concerning opening or closing markets, are made without much advance notice to avoid speculation. Today I heard an argument that farmers need to know. Of course, these decisions concern farmers, but the consequences of these decisions concern farmers in the future – stated Janusz Wojciechowski in the program “Sygnały dnia” on PR1.

- The matter is not on my desk, it is on the desk of the President of the European Commission, she will decide – he added.


08:40

Fogiel on Replacing Tusk with Trzaskowski: Such Rumors Are Circulating, I've Heard from Several Sources

- Such rumors are circulating among various politicians [that Rafał Trzaskowski will be the candidate for prime minister]. I have already heard from several sources, it's not impossible. Of course, knowing Donald Tusk and how despotically he rules the party, I doubt he would be willing to cede leadership to anyone. Especially since it's no secret that Rafał Trzaskowski, and especially his inner circle, have ambitions to take over the Civic Platform, and perhaps Tusk would fear he would have nowhere to return later. But indeed, Rafał Trzaskowski, as the chairman aptly put it, is a player from the bench. He was already called from that bench once when Marshal Kidawa-Błońska wasn't doing particularly well in the campaign. Who knows, but indeed, he is a politician who would implement exactly the same program, probably with a more left-wing inclination - stated Radosław Fogiel in an interview with Dariusz Ociepa on Polsat News' "Graffiti".

- Rafał Trzaskowski, despite already having some experience in politics, is like the golden child of the Civic Platform. They still look at him with a certain hope, and I think that here too, some are simply suggesting it, whether it would be worthwhile. The Civic Platform is the Civic Platform regardless of the face. It's the Civic Platform that doesn't keep its promises, it's the Civic Platform that wants to tell people to work almost until they die. It's the Civic Platform that raises taxes, regardless of who puts a face to it - he added.


08:42

Fogiel on Trzaskowski: We've Defeated Him Once, We'll Defeat Him Again if Necessary

- We've already defeated him [Rafał Trzaskowski] once, and if necessary, we'll defeat him a second time. Simply put, we're letting voters know that there might be various maneuvers from the other side, but the core issue is paramount. Whether it's Donald Tusk at the podium, Rafał Trzaskowski, Marshal Kidawa-Błońska, or any other Civic Platform leader, one must ask who is hiding in the shadows. Janusz Lewandowski and privatization. This terrible, thieving privatization of the '90s. [Another villain of this campaign - said the host] It's not my fault that this party is composed mostly of villains - stated Radosław Fogiel on Polsat News' "Graffiti".


08:43

Fogiel:

PO sent Kołodziejczak to 'wander around and take photos with important people.' It's a farce.

It's a shame he didn't take that tractor he was riding around the EU flag with not too long ago. Now that Donald Tusk invited him to the table, he's become a big shot in European circles. It's a farce. Civic Platform sent Kołodziejczak to wander around and take photos with a few important people. They sent him to Strasbourg, where the European Parliament is meeting, even though the European Commission will be making the decisions – stated Radosław Fogiel on Polsat News' "Graffiti."

I've seen various degrees of hypocrisy and deceit in politics, but this is quite high up there. Unless his new Civic Platform colleagues genuinely didn't tell Kołodziejczak. The guy is going to the European Parliament, which doesn't make decisions on this matter, and he's surprised he doesn't see the Polish Prime Minister and Polish Minister, because they are where the real decisions are made, not where they're posing in the corridors – he added.


08:44

Fogiel:

Dozens of Civic Platform activists bent over backwards recently to ensure all of Poland heard that Tusk is no more and those times are over

- Yesterday the chairman responded to this, which only shows that our message landed on fertile ground. [He is very meme-generating - said the host]. But not every meme is bad. What amused me the most in all of this was that dozens of Civic Platform activists yesterday and the day before yesterday bent over backwards to ensure all of Poland heard that Tusk is no more and those times are over. May it stay that way - stated Radosław Fogiel on Polsat News' "Graffiti".


08:44

Kobosko:

I Still Feel Uncertainty About Kołodziejczak's Plans in the Sejm
- This is not, let's call it, collective responsibility or collective decision-making, that we take everyone who applies. No, wait, there must be a certain programmatic community, a community of thought, there must be our sense that we know what kind of politicians we are dealing with - said Michał Kobosko in the 'Piasecki Interview' on TVN24. - In the case of Michał Kołodziejczak - today one of the leaders of Civic Coalition, in fact - we didn't fully know, and we still don't know, who we are dealing with, and I still have this strange feeling, not so much perhaps of threat, but of uncertainty about what plans Michał Kołodziejczak actually has in the Polish Sejm - he assessed.

08:46

Wojciechowski:

Likely Extension of Ukrainian Grain Import Embargo

- Many months of hard work, significant efforts, numerous meetings on this matter at almost every Council of Ministers for Agriculture, this issue kept coming up. There were letters from initially 14 or 15 ministers, then a few more joined, around 20 of them - stated Janusz Wojciechowski on the PR1 program “Sygnały dnia” (Signals of the Day).

- In short, without the Polish government's effort, without the initiative and effort of the Polish Commissioner, this ban would not have been introduced, nor would its first extension have occurred. There will likely be a second extension [of the embargo on Ukrainian grain imports], everything is heading in that direction. The arguments are too strong to be disregarded - he added.


08:57

Kobosko:

A Unilateral Ban on Ukrainian Grain is Solely a PiS Election Tactic
- Our position is that the unilateral introduction by Poland, or the continuation of the ban [on the import of Ukrainian grain] without agreement with the European Union, is opening another serious conflict within the European Union. The PiS government specializes in opening new conflicts and thus positioning itself outside the Union. On the other hand, it exposes us to an open diplomatic conflict with Ukraine, and this is the worst thing right now, given the wartime threat, which also extends to Poland - said Michał Kobosko in the "Piasecki's Interview" on TVN24. - If we shared responsibility [for governance], firstly, we would have been talking with the EU for months. […] If Poland's agricultural commissioner were one of ours, he would behave completely differently than Mr. Wojciechowski, who has done nothing for months - he continued. - A unilateral embargo is a strictly campaign, strictly electoral idea of PiS. It compromises us internationally - he emphasized.

09:04

Fogiel on Duda and Zelensky Meeting: An Announcement Was Made, Talks Are Underway

- An announcement was made yesterday [regarding the meeting of President Andrzej Duda and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky] from the Presidential Palace, through Minister Paweł Szrot. Talks are ongoing, and I cannot yet provide a date, especially since it is not my role. It is not my role to anticipate events here - stated Radosław Fogiel on Polsat News' "Graffiti".


09:08

Bielan:

All Signs Point to the Embargo Being Extended

- Indeed, many signs in heaven and on earth here in Strasbourg, where the European Parliament session is taking place, and where the so-called College of Commissioners, meaning all the commissioners, members of the EC, has also convened, all indicate that this embargo will be extended. This is because the Commission is fully aware that with such a firm stance from the Polish government, publicly presented, for instance, in a speech by Prime Minister Morawiecki, even if this embargo is not extended, Poland will maintain its own embargo, its own ban anyway. Therefore, I believe the EC will want to avoid the impression that the EU is divided on this matter – stated Adam Bielan in an interview with Beata Michniewicz on "Trójka Political Salon".


09:28

Bielan on Ukrainian Prime Minister's Words: 'A Foolish Statement. We Do Not Wish for Such Remarks from Politicians of a Country That Owes Us So Much'

This is a foolish statement [by the Ukrainian Prime Minister]. We do not wish for such remarks from politicians of a country that owes us so much. However, we must understand that if Mr. Shmyhal speaks of populism, we must realize what mechanisms still unfortunately govern Ukrainian politics. Ukrainian agriculture is extremely oligarchic, controlled by a few, a dozen or so very wealthy Ukrainians, and large international corporations. These entities have a tremendous influence on Ukrainian politics – stated Adam Bielan in the “Trójka Political Salon”.


09:31

Bielan:

Ukrainian Agriculture Likely Has the Most 'On-Call' Politicians in the Verkhovna Rada

- I don't want to dwell on the corruption that has been present in Ukrainian politics for many years, but the fact is that probably no other sector has as many politicians in the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada on call as Ukrainian agriculture. Hence these kinds of undiplomatic, not to say outright very foolish statements from our partners - stated Adam Bielan in "Trójka's Political Salon".


09:41

PKO BP Analysts: Verbal Interventions Led to Zloty Stabilization

Verbal interventions have resulted in the stabilization of the zloty's exchange rate - state analysts from PKO BP Bank.



09:42

Bielan on Raising the Retirement Age: Tusk Did It Once, and I'm Convinced He'll Do It Again

- Tusk did it once, and I'm convinced he'll do it again. Tusk cannot be trusted, because he already deceived Poles once, and I am convinced that he will do it again to curry favor with his allies here in Brussels, who will certainly pressure him again. In recent days, a note from Tusk's scandalous conversation with Angela Merkel has been revealed - stated Adam Bielan in "Trójka Political Salon."


09:44

Jarubas:

The March of a Million Hearts is a Civic Platform Event; Our Task is to Utilize Every Hour for Hundreds of Meetings, Not One Rally in Warsaw
- The March of a Million Hearts is an event of the Civic Platform, it even entails the rigor of conducting an election campaign and accounting for those funds... there's no decision [whether we will participate in this march], but in my estimation, each of us should do as much as possible where we are strong. We are strong in local Poland, so our task will be to maximize mobilization of people, utilizing every hour for hundreds of meetings, not one rally in Warsaw, which will be, admittedly, spectacular. I myself participated in the June 4th march; I believe it was also a good signal for people that the opposition can unite, but the outcome was the loss of about half a million voters on the opposition's side - said Adam Jarubas in an interview with Marcin Fijołek on Poranek Siódma9. - I will certainly personally [have different plans than the march in Warsaw]; I will be persuading people in my Świętokrzyskie region to support the Third Way program - he continued.

09:52

Jarubas on a Technical Government with Konfederacja: Hard to Imagine, But We've Seen Stranger Things in Polish Politics
- This scenario [of a technical government to remove PiS from power and hold early elections] must be taken very seriously, because we simply need to clean up after a party that has devastated, ruined our legal system, the country's reputation abroad, and perhaps we will simply have to agree on such a short period to restore Western, democratic standards in Poland [...] Voters will decide who enters the Polish Sejm. It's hard [to imagine such a thing] [Konfederacja being in this technical government], but we have seen stranger things in Polish politics before - said Adam Jarubas on the morning program "Seventh - Ninth".

10:08

BGK:

Trade Balance Returns to Growth Path
"NBP data on the balance of payments shows that Polish exporters of goods and services are doing well in a difficult time of global slowdown. The trade balance is returning to a growth path," state BGK analysts.

10:20

Czarzasty:

You wouldn't convince the Left to govern with Hitler

- Never, never, never, never. Sir, Konfederacja is a brown party, a brown force, and a court recently stated that as well. We have always stated that, and a court confirmed it. You will not convince the Polish Left to shake hands with people who hold such views on women, on gay people, on the EU, never – stated Włodzimierz Czarzasty on Radio Zet.

- I will give an example. You wouldn't convince the Left to govern with Hitler. No, I said historically, absolutely not [Konfederacja is not a modern-day version of Hitler]. I am not suggesting anything, I am just stating what the court generally ruled about Konfederacja - he added.


10:24

Czarzasty:

The Left Isn't Afraid of Trzaskowski as Head of PO; Tusk is Currently the Undisputed Leader
- We are absolutely not afraid of that [that Rafał Trzaskowski will become the leader of PO], because, firstly, we are talking about true pragmatism. The undisputed leader of the Civic Platform, I believe, is Donald Tusk. The stories from a year ago, that Donald Tusk would fall tomorrow and Trzaskowski would become the chairman, as you remember, I also ridiculed in your programs. And rightly so, because at the moment, I think we could have debated this a year ago. Now everyone sees that it won't happen - said Włodzimierz Czarzasty on Radio Zet.

10:28

Czarzasty:

Taxes Exist to Solve Poland's Most Important Problems

- Taxes exist to solve Poland's most important problems. One of the most significant problems in Poland is the lack of two million apartments. No, there's no need to introduce any new taxes. We simply need to allocate the taxes currently collected reasonably. What's more, I believe we need to persuade the EU to implement a pan-European housing program. Because if the EU subsidizes and considers it crucial for infrastructure, as it does for road construction and various other things, why shouldn't the EU, with a strong Polish government, introduce such a principle to solve the housing problem in Europe – Taxes exist to solve Poland's most important problems – said Włodzimierz Czarzasty on Radio Zet.


10:31

Czarzasty:

The Opposition Wants All These Leaders to Stand Together

- These are too serious matters [elections] to simply get into petty grievances, someone is resentful, someone is not resentful. I am 63 years old, I observe what people are saying and what people want. The opposition, for God's sake, wants all these leaders to stand together, not to boo, not to be offended with each other, not to be too proud - said Włodzimierz Czarzasty on Radio Zet.

- Being the leader of the largest opposition party is a great privilege and a great skill. Yes, it means access to the media, certain poll numbers, certain influences, but also immense responsibility. Therefore, at this moment, I am speaking very seriously from this place. Poles, men and women, expect that the representatives of the three forces on one stage [on October 1st in Warsaw] will shake hands and say, we are leading Poland to a place where we know we will co-govern together, we are signing a parliamentary pact - he continued.


10:36

KO's Women's Bus Embarks on Tour as Part of 'Women for Elections' Campaign

- These elections will be won by women, but for us to win these elections, for us, for our daughters, sisters, friends, mothers, grandmothers, colleagues, for all Polish women, we also need our great mobilization, great activity, and our positive programmatic message. Today, the women's bus, 'Women for Elections,' the KO bus, is starting its tour. It will be visiting the whole of Poland in these final days before the elections, where we will showcase our wonderful candidates, our program that comprehensively supports Polish women - stated Barbara Nowacka at a press briefing.


11:11

Grabiec:

We Have Proof the PiS Government is a Government of Thieves and Cheats. Poland Has Become the Largest Transit Hub in the EU, Especially for Immigrants from Asia and Africa
- We have proof that the PiS government is a government of thieves and cheats. Thieves, because the backdrop to this whole affair is, of course, corruption, and on a massive scale. When we talk about 5,000 dollars per person and about 250,000 visas for citizens of Asia and Africa issued in the last 2.5 years alone, we are talking about a business worth billions and commissions from this business worth probably tens, if not hundreds, of millions – said Jan Grabiec at a press conference. - This is a government of cheats. Please note, for a week now, PiS politicians, those who organized dozens of press conferences about how secure the borders are, how they won't let in a single immigrant, especially from Africa, have completely fallen silent. Where are they? Have you heard the party leader, Deputy Prime Minister Kaczyński, say anything about this situation, about these 250,000 visas issued to citizens of Asia and Africa? Suddenly, they are not interested? – he continued. - They are all in it, and they are all lying to Poles, and we will not allow this lie to go unpunished. Therefore, we will gather hard data, hard numbers, and provide them to public opinion, highlighting the lack of migration policy, the fact that Poland has become the largest transit hub for immigrants, especially from Asia and Africa, in the EU – he added.

11:15

Kierwiński:

I Say With Full Responsibility - Mr. Bochenek, You Are a Liar
- Yesterday, Mr. Bochenek, at a press conference with Mr. Fogiel, attacked one of the journalists from independent media for the questions he asked and for the figure of 250,000 visas issued to people from Africa and Asia. Therefore, I say with full responsibility: Mr. Bochenek, you are a liar. This data is true, this data comes, Mr. Spokesperson Bochenek, from information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The MFA, which is managed by a PiS candidate in the parliamentary elections, Mr. Rau. If you say that this data is untrue, then I say directly here to the cameras: you are a liar, Mr. Bochenek – said Marcin Kierwiński at a press conference. - And Mr. Fogiel, because you also allowed yourself to manipulate our words, which one of the journalists cited, that there is a period, that many visas can be issued. So we say very clearly: 250,000 visas issued to people from Africa and Asia over 2.5 years and 600,000 visas issued since January 1, 2016. You gentlemen will have to address these numbers sooner or later, and if you do not address them, it means you still want to deceive Poles – he continued.

11:21

Grabiec:

If Any Number or Information We Present is False, We Await a Lawsuit Under Electoral Proceedings
- Perhaps one last thing, a piece of evidence that what we are talking about, all these numbers, all this data, is true. You know that electoral proceedings are in effect. We are candidates for parliamentarians, we hold positions within PO, so electoral proceedings apply to us. If any number, any data, any information presented by us [...] is untrue, then we await a lawsuit, we await electoral proceedings [...]. This is evidence that all the information we convey is true – said Jan Grabiec at a press conference.

11:27

Kosiniak-Kamysz:

Third Way Was in Strasbourg During EP Debates. We Have Several Proposals, I've Sent Them to the EC President

- The whole team, the entire PSL delegation, the Third Way, was in Strasbourg during the parliament's debates. They met with the head of the agriculture committee, with MEPs, with representatives of the European Commission. We have several proposals, and I sent these proposals to the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in a letter a few days ago. We are speaking plainly: the embargo must be extended and expanded to include further products, including soft fruits, honey, other types of grain, bran, and groats, i.e., processed grain, which is still flowing into Poland today - stated Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz during a press conference in Tarnów.

- The first point – expanding the embargo and extending its duration. The second point – designating corridors and ports across Europe for the transport of this grain, so it doesn't remain on the European market. The third point – introducing a deposit system, which would solve all problems. If a deposit of 1,000 zlotys were imposed per tonne of grain, it would not be profitable to leave this grain here in Poland. The fourth point – the European Union should undertake intervention purchases for humanitarian needs in countries threatened by hunger, where this grain would be truly useful, and this would also halt the wave of migration to Europe, which has intensified again in recent months - he added.


11:27

Kosiniak-Kamysz on PiS's Top Candidates: Promotion Based on the "Passive, Mediocre, but Loyal" Principle Seems to Have Paid Off
This is an attempt to hide them under immunity, an attempt to conceal them. Promotion based on the principle of passive, mediocre, but loyal seems to have paid off for those in the leading positions on the ruling party's lists. I didn't expect anything else. There will be no purification, no self-purification in this matter. This is a group that is very strongly bound together and will fiercely protect each other – stated Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz during a press conference.

11:29

Kosiniak-Kamysz Calls for NIK Audit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Where is Minister Wawrzyk? He should answer all these questions. Minister Rau should explain why this situation occurred. The Supreme Audit Office (NIK) should immediately initiate control procedures in this matter. It must secure the documents so that nothing is taken away, nothing is obscured. We need a situation where we have a full report. The only independent service today is the Supreme Audit Office, which can conduct this report. I am calling on President Banaś, I am calling on the Supreme Audit Office to conduct an audit and secure materials in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, because it is the height of hypocrisy that those who say they do not want any migrants here have led to a major scandal related to economic migration to Poland – stated Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz during a press conference.

12:22

Kościelnik:

Candidate for Parliament on Civic Coalition List. 'I Want to Restore the Original Meaning of the Words Law and Justice'
- The worst example of how a citizen who clashes with the PiS state can be without a chance in this unequal fight is Sebastian Kościelnik, who six years ago, on February 10th, had immense bad luck to stand in the way of Beata Szydło's speeding motorcade. At the time, he didn't hear the word 'sorry,' at the time he encountered an unacceptable situation where the highest representatives of this government tried to pass judgment on him [...]. Today he is with us as a person who is running for the Sejm - said Borys Budka at a press conference in Warsaw. - I am running so that everyone can be sure that civil rights and freedoms will not be an empty, exploited phrase. This government does not respect the law, and as a result, as [my] story shows, it does not respect ordinary citizens. Therefore, I am running to restore the original meaning of the words 'law' and 'justice,' so that none of us will ever again clash with the apparatus of power - said Sebastian Kościelnik.

12:26

Budka:

Mr. Kaczyński, Do You Want to Discuss Service Pensions? We Invite You to a Debate with Tusk
- Jarosław Kaczyński is looking for substitute topics. They had 8 years to change the pension system, and today, lacking ideas on how to guarantee higher benefits for pensioners, how to ensure that work in Poland pays off, he invents substitute topics. I would like to remind you that [service pensions] are purely an electoral ploy to appease Solidarność - said Borys Budka at a press conference in Warsaw. - If Jarosław Kaczyński genuinely wants to seriously discuss his proposals, then let him stand for a debate with Donald Tusk. In 2007, he dared to do so, which was Kaczyński's last act of courage. Since 2007, he has not stood for any debate. Mr. Kaczyński, do you want to discuss service pensions? We invite you to a debate with Donald Tusk - he continued.

12:30

Budka:

I am convinced Trzaskowski will replace Duda in the Presidential Palace
- Rafał Trzaskowski, I am convinced, will replace Andrzej Duda in the Presidential Palace. I will do everything to make this happen - Borys Budka stated at a press conference in Warsaw.

12:52

Gawkowski:

Wawrzyk Orchestrated and Covered Up the MFA Scandal, Rau is the Main Culprit
- Unfortunately, Law and Justice is trying to sweep the visa scandal under the rug with full premeditation. They have hidden the only culprit they mention, Minister Wawrzyk, while others who had their fingers in this major visa affair are doing just fine. [...] Under the rule of Law and Justice, an organized criminal group was established in one of the most important ministries, aiming to earn 100 million dollars and admit hundreds of thousands of immigrants into Poland. This criminal group operated with the tacit consent of the ministry's authorities, but also without any reaction from Polish services. It was only the reaction of foreign services, including friendly ones from the United States, that forced the Polish Central Anticorruption Bureau and other services to address the scandal - said Krzysztof Gawkowski at a press conference in Bydgoszcz. - A few days ago, Lewica filed a motion with the prosecutor's office to prosecute Minister Wawrzyk, but today we say clearly: Mr. Wawrzyk is merely one member of the peloton who orchestrated and covered up the scandal in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Everything indicates that the main culprit, whose hands were dipped in the swamp of this illegal money, is Minister Rau. The Minister of Foreign Affairs either failed to control or allowed it. If he didn't control Minister Wawrzyk, he should resign for that, and if he allowed it, he should resign and face prosecution for that - he continued. - Mr. Rau, Mr. Minister of Foreign Affairs, either your resignation or a clear statement: Law and Justice wants to scare Poles today with immigrants and refugees, they are organizing a referendum on this matter, but in reality, Kaczyński himself and his team wanted to bring more immigrants to Poland than all governments since the transformations of 1989. [...] We realize that it was Mr. Kaczyński who allowed an organized criminal group to operate within Mr. Morawiecki's government, in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - he went on to say.

12:56

Duda Asked About Visa Trading Scheme: "Appropriate Services Are Investigating"

- I cannot reveal details about my knowledge of suspicions regarding such a scheme. I can only say that my decisions, which were made and reported by the media not so long ago, concerning the staffing of Polish diplomatic missions and decisions that could be made in this regard, were not conditioned by any of my personal ambitions whatsoever, but simply by state interests, by objective state knowledge that I possessed at the stage of articulating my decisions in this area. I kindly ask you to try to avoid speculation, and especially to try to avoid unfounded accusations, of which there have been many lately. I can say that absolutely, to my knowledge, at least some of the information appearing in the media is untrue - stated President Andrzej Duda at a press briefing.

- Appropriate services are conducting proceedings, and I am also waiting for the results of these proceedings, calmly and consistently, because I see that these proceedings are being conducted effectively. I think that only then will we be able to talk about making any specific decisions - he added.


13:02

Żukowska:

I Heard Tusk Was the First in Poland to Propose Reducing Working Hours. When the Razem Party Collected Signatures for a Bill on This Matter, Budka Was Roaring with Laughter.
- We have legislative projects, these are good legislative projects, which is evident from the fact that other parties are copying them, because one can say that copying is the highest form of flattery. I also recently heard that Donald Tusk was the first in Poland to propose a project for reducing working hours. This is interesting in that at the time when the Razem party was collecting signatures for a citizen's bill on this matter [...] Borys Budka, then the leader of the Civic Platform, was roaring with laughter, claiming that perhaps we should give everyone benefits - said Anna Maria Żukowska at a press conference in Bydgoszcz.

13:10

Duda:

The President of Lithuania and I will soon travel to New York for the UN Assembly
Primarily our bilateral cooperation, which is why I am so grateful to Mr. President for his presence, as well as for these past few years, in particular our joint presidential actions in the interest of Poland and Lithuania, and ultimately in the common interest of security for all our states. On the one hand, our military cooperation, everything we implement, of course, and the political cooperation that Mr. President and I have on a daily basis. We spoke about this extensively yesterday evening and today regarding our joint missions to Kyiv, which we have undertaken several times. In particular, just a few hours before the Russian aggression against Ukraine, we demonstrated unity together, that we would not leave Ukraine, our neighbor, alone in the face of the Russian threat – stated President Andrzej Duda at a press briefing. In the near future, together with the President of Lithuania, we will both travel to New York for the UN General Assembly, where, of course, there will be discussions about the global situation, as always, about the United Nations agenda. It is always a period of bilateral meetings that we hold with our partners from around the world, and there, we will certainly discuss our upcoming NATO summit – he added.

13:13

Gawkowski:

Konfederacja is a political formula with views that often defy comprehension
- Konfederacja is a political formula whose electoral lists feature individuals who should never have been involved in public life, let alone serve in local government or parliament. We will never co-govern with Konfederacja, nor will we cooperate with them at either the local or national level. Konfederacja is a political formula with views that often defy comprehension. It's a political formula that explicitly states that people of other nationalities and faiths should not participate in public life - said Krzysztof Gawkowski at a press conference.

14:02

Trzecia Droga: First Electoral Committee to Clearly Outline Funding for Promises
- Faced with such an irresponsible government and its way of managing our shared money [...] we want to clearly state that it is precisely Trzecia Droga [...] our approach to the economy, our concern, and respect for public funds that dictates our completely different actions and thinking, and it is we who will guarantee that public funds will be respected by a future democratic government - said Michał Kobosko at a press conference held in front of the Ministry of Finance. - Today, as the first committee among all electoral committees, we want to very clearly state where the funds, the money to fulfill the guarantees we have already announced, will come from - he stated. - Firstly, we will abolish the COVID fund. This will yield 24 billion 600 million zlotys. The COVID fund serves as a piggy bank to realize various absurd ideas of this government. [...] We will stop burning billions on the airport in Baranowo. This will be another source of very specific, real savings that will allow us to finance our promises […]. This amounts to 35 billion zlotys, or approximately 8 billion 700 million zlotys annually - said Szymon Hołownia. - The quickest possible retrieval of funds from the KPO (National Reconstruction Plan) into Poland, which are about to expire and we won't be able to spend them, as well as structural funds. These KPO funds amount to almost 32 billion zlotys annually, and EU structural funds, which are currently under threat […], add another 50 billion zlotys annually - he listed. - From these simple decisions alone, we will have [...] approximately 115 billion zlotys in the budget each year. I will gladly add a few more billion from the closure of all these small institutions, foundations, and other places to which PiS is currently parachuting [...] all its cronies – which we are doing with pleasure and a sense of a job well done - he continued. - What will we spend it on? Firstly, our promise, which we have been talking about for a long time, and today we are showing its funding source: 30 billion 200 million will be the cost of this necessary investment in the future of our children [...] 6% of GDP for education. This includes salary increases for teachers, a psychologist in every school, 5 hours of English per week in primary school so that children are fluent in English after primary school, a warm meal for every child […]. The next item, 14.5 billion – an immediate increase in the health protection budget to 7% of GDP. This is where we will finance, among other things, our promise that if you do not get an appointment with a specialist under the National Health Fund within 2 months, the state will finance your private visit - explained the leader of Polski 2050. - Sickness benefits paid by ZUS (Social Insurance Institution) from the first day […], a ZUS holiday for those who find themselves in trouble […], a return to the old way of calculating the health contribution, not as it is absurdly calculated today […]. This costs approximately 21 billion zlotys. Family PIT, which we want to introduce, meaning from the first child your tax bracket and tax-free allowance will start to change, and you will already benefit, and from the third child, you will essentially not pay income tax […], this will cost the budget about 3.5 billion zlotys annually. […] The creation of 100,000 kindergarten places will cost approximately 3 billion 100 million zlotys - he continued, summarizing that the promises of Trzecia Droga will cost approximately 72.2 billion PLN.

14:02

Tusk Poses 5 Questions:

The Biggest Scandal of the 21st Century in Poland.

- There isn't a day, or rather, an hour, that the media doesn't uncover another layer of what is arguably the biggest scandal of the 21st century in Poland, known as the visa scandal or the immigration scandal. Even today, threads are emerging concerning migrants from India, who were allegedly illegally facilitated through the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be transferred from India ultimately to the USA. Let's call a spade a spade – the PiS government, and we're talking about the actions of the highest state officials here, became involved in the process of transferring hundreds of thousands of people equipped with Polish visas to our country. We are talking about truly unbelievable, yet unfortunately true, numbers derived from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' documents. Over 30 months, 250,000 visas were issued concerning African and Asian countries. To fully grasp the scale of this operation organized by PiS officials, advertised in dozens of African and Asian capitals – this was also revealed online yesterday, with numerous videos promoting Polish visas as if they were fresh bread – stated Donald Tusk at a press briefing.

- Roughly every 10 days, PiS allowed as many people, as many migrants from Africa and Asia into Poland as they are asking about in the referendum. In reality, PiS should be organizing a referendum approximately every two weeks asking if we can admit another 2, 3, or 4 thousand. Weekly, every week for two years, a rather substantial town was allowed into Poland from Asia and Africa. Every month, PiS offices in Poland allowed a town of considerable size into Poland on Polish visas from Asia and Africa – the PO leader continued.

- To this day, we have received no answer from any of the highest state officials responsible for this situation, no information on what actually happened, or who was behind it. Therefore, I must today pose 5 questions to 5 of the highest state officials responsible for border security, our territory, our citizens, and foreign policy. These are President Duda, Deputy Prime Minister Kaczyński, who was responsible for security in his government when the procedure began, Prime Minister Morawiecki, Minister Rau, and Minister Kamiński. To these five gentlemen, I have five obvious questions: When did you become aware of this procedure? Of its scale, its directions of migration? Which of your collaborators, your officials, profited materially from the transfer of a record number of migrants through Poland, using Polish visas. Where is Minister Wawrzyk? Did you receive signals, information from NATO allied states that among the hundreds of thousands of migrants from Africa and Asia whom you allowed in, there were also several hundred individuals suspected of terrorism? And when will you answer these questions to the Polish public? – Tusk emphasized.


14:04

PiS Calls on Tusk to Answer the Question Posed in the Referendum
- Tusk means an invasion of illegal migrants in Poland [...]. For the past dozen or so days, Europe has been under strong migratory pressure, with hundreds of boats arriving at the gates of Europe, to Lampedusa, a tiny island in the Mediterranean Sea. Over 7,000 migrants are besieging this island today; these are truly apocalyptic scenes [...]. The French, the Germans are taking various actions related to closing and sealing their borders, and they are also blocking solidarity relocation mechanisms. Meanwhile, politicians from Civic Platform here in our country are saying that this is an outdated problem, that there was no problem, there isn't one, it's been invented - said Rafał Bochenek at a press conference. - The European Union's powerlessness is visible before our very eyes, complete powerlessness, the collapse of this policy, which Tusk has brought about, who himself [...] organized the European Union's migration policy every day [...]. That is why it is so important for everyone to answer the question: are you in favor of the forced relocation of illegal immigrants? Pulling the wool over people's eyes and talking about economic migrants is simply irresponsible. We are asking about illegal immigrants because there are no situations in Poland like in the West. There is no city in Poland with a district where the police cannot enter, there are no places in Poland that are not under the control of the Polish state. Such places exist in Sweden, such places exist in Germany, such places exist in France. There, indeed, before our very eyes, Christian civilization, Western civilization, Latin civilization is collapsing - said Przemysław Czarnek at a press conference. - Over 20,000 euros for each person not accepted. How else can this mechanism be called if it is not a compulsory mechanism? [...] Today, we call on Donald Tusk to unequivocally answer the question that was posed in the referendum: is he in favor of this compulsory relocation mechanism that is being proposed by the European Union? - said Piotr Müller at a press conference.

14:05

Tusk to Journalists: Don't Ask Morawiecki About "Retirement by Service"; Such a Bill Was Submitted to Parliament Almost 2 Years Ago and Frozen

- In a moment, you will have the opportunity to ask Prime Minister Morawiecki 5 questions. Mateusz Morawiecki will soon talk about wanting early retirement based on years of service. Listen, don't ask him about it, check the parliamentary documents. The bill for early retirement based on years of service was submitted as a citizens' initiative almost 2 years ago to the Sejm, and as a presidential bill almost 2 years ago, and it was frozen by Morawiecki and Kaczyński. For 2 years, they did nothing with this project, and now, during the campaign, on the eve of the elections, they will pretend to be dealing with early retirement by service - stated Donald Tusk at a press briefing.


14:07

Tusk:

We have a multi-variant plan with Trzaskowski

- I have variants prepared for every situation and every circumstance. For now, I would very much like Jarosław Kaczyński to make himself available to the public and answer questions concerning the here and now, what this government is doing in our country. Rafał Trzaskowski and I have a multi-variant plan, and you can rest assured about our strategy – stated Donald Tusk at a press conference.


14:12

Hołownia:

We Encourage Other Committees - Tell Us Where You Plan to Get the Money for Your Promises
- We have said today, and we encourage other committees running in the elections to do the same - tell us where you plan to get the money for the promises you are making. We are saying this, we are putting it on the table. Today, the voter has the right to say: I'm checking, what are you promising from, from further loans, debts, so that we indebt Poland like Gierek, or even better? - said Szymon Hołownia at a press conference in front of the Ministry of Finance headquarters.

14:18

Tusk on Visa Scandal: 'No Propaganda Techniques, Not Even by Talented State TV Propagandists, Can Obscure This Fact'

- We are all deeply ashamed today of what the PiS government has done in recent years, throughout its entire term. For this information, especially for state television, to reach you, I hope you will convey it. We are talking about a quarter of a million visas for residents of Africa and Asia issued by the PiS government over 6 years. Over 6,000 visas during their PiS rule, which gives an idea of the scale we are dealing with today. I am absolutely convinced that no propaganda techniques, not even by such talented propagandists as those working in state television today, can obscure this fact - stated Donald Tusk at a press conference.


14:23

Tusk:

I am ready to meet with Kaczynski and debate him, even on TVP Info

- On the matter of both migration policy and my views, as well as Jaroslaw Kaczynski's views, on any issue without exception, including my activity as Prime Minister, as head of the European Council. I am ready to meet with Jaroslaw Kaczynski and conduct a debate with him, even on TVP Info - stated Donald Tusk at a press conference.


14:58

Morawiecki:

The Crucial Question: Will Poles Decide Their Own Fate, or Will Decisions on Social, Economic, and Financial Policies Be Made in Foreign Offices?
- The main question we are facing today in Polish politics is this: will Poles decide their own fate, or will decisions on social, economic, and financial policies be made somewhere in Brussels, Berlin, or foreign offices, and sometimes theoretically in Polish ones, but at the request of foreigners? Every Pole must answer this fundamental question for themselves in the near future and simultaneously confront a comparison of our 8 years of rule - those years which, as you rightly said, Mr. Editor, will once be described as the years of the Polish family - with the 8 years preceding our government - said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki during the conference “Government Close to the People”. - Let every Pole answer this [...] question: are you living better today, or were you living better 8 years ago? [...] Dear compatriots, despite stumbles and mistakes, let everyone ask themselves exactly this question - should all of this, which we have just seen in people's testimonies: senior policy, the 13th and 14th pensions, very high, record indexations, tax-free pensions [...], tax-free work for young people, and finally our great social policy for the entire Polish middle class, for parents, associated with the slogan 500+, but it's not just that [...]. Should all of this be shelved? Should the liberals who ruled by the rule of the fist during the previous 8 years return here and rule according to their whims, according to those orders that come from Berlin or Brussels? - the head of government continued. - We firmly say "no" to such a policy and base our policy on repaired public finances, which have provided an opportunity to share the fruits of growth - he stressed.

15:07

Czarnek:

'We Have No Illegal Immigrants, and We Won't Have Them. You, however, stubbornly try to convince the public otherwise, just like TVN does as a PO organ.'

- The journalist is from Zwierzyniec, I believe, right? [From Zamość]. Zamojszczyzna is beautiful, have you been there recently? Did you see any Bollywood there, or illegal migrants occupying the Zamość market, attacking women on the Zamość market, or have you heard about rapes of Polish women from Zamość by illegal migrants? No, you know why, because we have no illegal immigrants and we won't have them. However, you, with stubbornness worthy of a better cause, are trying to convince the public – which is what you in this TVN, as an organ of Civic Platform, do – that something that shows the Polish state functioning, because the Central Anticorruption Bureau is functioning. The Prosecutor's Office issued a statement on this matter and speaks precisely about several hundred applications. You mention several hundred applications that were indeed detected by Polish services. Wawrzyk resigned from his position, and you are trying to present this as the main problem, and replace that problem with the actions of the Polish state, the good actions of the Polish state, the problem that truly exists today – stated Przemysław Czarnek during a press conference.

- Today there are 7,000 illegal, unknown immigrants on Lampedusa; these people would also be in our beautiful Zamojszczyzna today if Tusk were in power. That is the main problem, and regarding the problem you are talking about, the Polish state is functioning perfectly. Polish services have taken appropriate action and are clarifying the matter, which has nothing to do with the forced relocation of illegal migrants – he added.


15:09

Müller on Visa Scandal: "We Will Burn Out Every Such Case with a Hot Iron"

- We emphasize once again - in such situations, when we receive any signals about irregularities in any public institutions, whether it takes place in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or any other ministry, services automatically initiate their actions. The irregularities you are talking about, concerning several dozen or several hundred visas, will ultimately be identified by the services, but we are talking about the maximum numbers that the prosecution is mentioning. We will burn out every example, every case of such actions with a hot iron, and every person who has broken the law will be punished. And in a political sense, there has been a resignation of the deputy minister responsible for this area in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, so political consequences have also been incurred, and now legal consequences for everyone who contributed to these abuses, if these individuals are identified, will be punished, and I hope that those who have broken the law in any way will end up where they belong - stated Piotr Müller during a press conference.


15:10

Czarnek on Kantar's Education Poll: 'Even So, This Result is Excellent. Spit Less, Speak More Truth, and You'll See Different Poll Results'

- If I had such a media company as the one you work for and started spitting on you and throwing mud every day, every week, and then asked public opinion if the editor had been sufficiently covered in mud, even then this result would be excellent. Spit less, speak more truth, and you will have different poll results – stated Przemysław Czarnek during a press conference.


15:10

Müller on the Ukrainian Grain Embargo: Decisions in the EC Will Be Made Tomorrow

- Regarding the European Commission's proposal, the European Commission must communicate. Based on yesterday's statement by President von der Leyen, these decisions will be made tomorrow - stated Piotr Müller during a press conference.


15:11

Müller:

No Talk of Unconditional Ukrainian EU Accession

- We are in favour of the European Union eventually expanding to include Ukraine. However, within the framework of accession negotiations and the agreements that will be negotiated during such a process, the interests of Poland, including Polish agriculture, must be adequately protected. Therefore, there can be no talk of admitting Ukraine in blank, without transitional regulations that must be settled, or permanent regulations that will apply, just as was the case with every country's application to the European Union - stated Piotr Müller during a press conference.


15:12

Müller on the Vetting Committee: Elections Are Imminent, Thus This is the Primary Reason Why No Decisions Can Be Made in This Matter

- At this moment, primarily, the Sejm's term is ending, and consequently, if any decisions are to be made, they will be in the next term of the Sejm. Elections are imminent, so this is the primary reason why no decisions in this regard can be made anyway, because there is a discontinuation of the Sejm's work - stated Piotr Müller during a press conference.


15:13

Czarnek:

I Cannot Verify a Program You Invented at TVN

- I cannot verify the program you invented at TVN [Willa plus]. Verify it yourselves; there is no such program. However, there is the 'Investments in Education' program. Shortly, there will be an announcement of 150 million [PLN] for further foundations and associations to conduct educational policy, for the construction and expansion of schools. This is truly for Polish children; focus on that, not on creating programs that don't exist - stated Przemysław Czarnek during a press conference.


15:13

Morawiecki Announces Minimum Wage Levels for 2024
- Today, we are also adopting, and have already adopted, the minimum wage at the Council of Ministers. The minimum hourly rate, which did not exist at all during Tusk's time, will be PLN 27.70 from January 1st [...] And from July 1st, PLN 28 with a slight catch, 10 groszy. This is the rate we are proposing, and the minimum monthly wage, which from January 1st will be PLN 4242 and raised to PLN 4300 from July 1st next year – said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki during the conference ,,Government Close to the People”. - We started from the level of PLN 1750 gross. Ladies and gentlemen, today we are deciding on a minimum wage which will be PLN 4240 gross in just a few months. And it is worth emphasizing that the net wage, thanks to our gigantic tax cuts from 18% to 12% and the tax-free amount up to PLN 30,000, the net minimum wage will be essentially more than twice as large as during the PO's tenure – he added.

15:20

Morawiecki:

PiS Rule is a Choice, Tusk and PO Rule is Coercion. I Want All My Compatriots to Remember This
- Compared to the times of Tusk, a woman who had to work until the age of 67, assuming she started working at the age of majority, 18 years old, plus 38 years gives the age of 56. So, 11 years earlier, such a woman, who has worked hard, can retire […]. Now gentlemen, if someone started working at the age of 18, plus 43 years gives the age of 61. This is 6 years shorter than the age of 67 that Tusk told all men to work until – Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said during the conference "Government Close to the People". - Why did this happen? It happened because back then the rule was that everything that is social, let's try to privatize, sell off, hence the great sell-off of assets, and shift the costs onto the citizens. […] The choice is PiS rule, and coercion is the rule of Tusk and PO, and I would like all my compatriots to remember this as well – he stated.

15:20

Skiba from Pekao: The Zloty Guarantees Stability. It is Important to Make Strategic Decisions Locally, When Financial Institutions Have Polish Owners
- Financial security includes, among other things, having your own currency. The zloty is a guarantor of Poland's stability. It is also important to make strategic decisions locally, in our country, which is possible when, for example, financial institutions have Polish owners – said Pekao CEO Leszek Skiba during the Krynica Forum. - In recent years, the level of foreign investment in Poland has fluctuated between 3% and 4% of GDP. If we look at historical data, after 2008 this level was lower. It amounted to 1-2%. This shows that Poland is currently a much more attractive country for investors – continued Pekao CEO Skiba during the Krynica Forum.

15:48

Pekao CEO: VAT Revenues Have Significantly Increased Relative to GDP Compared to Other Countries. This Creates Room for New Spending, Such as Defense and Social Equalization.
"From the perspective of recent years in Poland, very effective tax sealing has been achieved. VAT revenues have significantly increased relative to GDP compared to other countries. We are therefore dealing with a situation where the room for new spending, such as defense, social equalization – 500+, or tax reductions, is – said Leszek Skiba, President of Bank Pekao S.A., during the panel "Financial Security in the New Geopolitical Reality – Determinants, Opportunities, Challenges," at the Krynica Forum 2023.

16:01

Morawiecki:

Tusk Wanted to Let In Immigrants, and if He Gains Power, He'll Admit as Many as Germany Dictates

- A massive invasion of thousands of young men, immigrants from Africa, is the price of the catastrophic immigration policy of Donald Tusk's friends: Merkel and Weber. The migration policy initiated by Germany is causing repercussions throughout Europe. The eyes of the entire continent are turned towards the island of Lampedusa. 160 boats and 8,000 illegal immigrants in two days – more than the island's residents. Fear, chaos, riots, cities being demolished. This is what Western Europe looks like today. We do not want this in Poland. Poles will not pay for this with their security, because the PiS government will not allow it. When Donald Tusk wanted to forcibly relocate immigrants to Poland, we foresaw the consequences many steps ahead. Tusk wanted to let them in, and if he comes to power, he will let in as many immigrants as Germany tells him to. He wanted to do it once, he would do it again. We cannot allow this pest to return to power. We will not allow the import of fear and violence into Poland. Polish families are and will remain safe as long as PiS governs – stated Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in a recording published on social media.


16:29

Visa Scandal: 7 Individuals Charged, 3 Detained
The investigation was initiated on March 7, 2023, based on materials provided by the Central Anticorruption Bureau (CBA). It concerns paid protection aimed at accelerating visa procedures for several hundred visa applications submitted over a period of eighteen months. The majority of these several hundred visas were ultimately refused. The visa applications pertained to foreign nationals applying at Polish diplomatic missions in Hong Kong, Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates, India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Qatar. Thanks to the efficient work of the services, a prosecutor from the regional branch of the National Prosecutor's Office has so far pressed charges against 7 individuals in this proceeding, with 3 individuals currently being held in pre-trial detention. The charges relate to offenses under Article 230 § 1 of the Penal Code and Article 230a § 1 of the Penal Code - stated Daniel Lerman, Deputy Director of the Department for Organized Crime and Corruption of the National Prosecutor's Office, at a press briefing.

16:41

Żaryn on the Visa Affair: It's a Lie That Allied Services Handed Us Information on a Silver Platter
- The first signals concerning certain irregularities in the issuance of some visas in Poland reached the Central Anticorruption Bureau in July 2022. It was at that moment that the CBA began very intensive operational activities. The very next day after receiving and obtaining such information about possible irregularities, actions were initiated to verify this information - said Stanisław Żaryn at a press conference. - The Central Anticorruption Bureau conducted a series of actions that led to the initiation of an investigation, arrests, and the filing of charges. I wish to emphatically stress that this investigation and the findings of the CBA are the bureau's own findings and are the result of the activity of Polish special services. [...] It is a lie that our allied services brought us some information on a silver platter in this matter and that this investigation is based on information that was passed to us by our allies. This is untrue; Polish services and the CBA began their own actions, and the independent findings of our anticorruption bureau, the Central Anticorruption Bureau, allowed us to identify this scheme - he continued. - The work schedule of both the CBA and the prosecution shows that the state acted correctly in this situation. [...] The scheme was diagnosed, the individuals responsible for it were identified, and in accordance with all procedures and the law, the Central Anticorruption Bureau and the prosecution are fulfilling their statutory duties, neutralizing threats and holding accountable those responsible for actions contrary to regulations - he further stated.

17:27

Hołownia Calls for ABW Intervention at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Regarding Visas:

This Could Be PiS's Tapes Scandal.
- We want to clearly and explicitly appeal and demand from the authorities of the Republic that the Internal Security Agency (ABW) be immediately brought into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and that the ABW and its officers demand complete lists of individuals to whom visas were issued within this procedure, which was most likely personally managed by Deputy Minister Wawrzyk. Those individuals to whom Polish visas were issued, who have entered the territory of Poland and the Schengen zone, should be thoroughly checked, and it should be established whether any of them pose a threat to the security of our country and the European Union - Szymon Hołownia stated at a press conference in the Senate. - If there is a justified suspicion that visa applications were processed not based on real grounds for obtaining a visa, but through a commercial, corrupt procedure - to put it bluntly: they were bought with money - we must today obtain an answer as to whether this is not linked to a real, present and immediate threat to our security - he continued. - It turned out that the people who convinced us how good the wall built at the Polish-Belarusian border, costing billions of zlotys, was, have poked a hole in this wall and, for money, let anyone through who paid, trying to outmaneuver competition on the smuggling market. People who told us to unite under the flag, to stand as a wall behind the Polish uniform, at the same time, behind the backs of those who stood in those uniforms at the Polish border, conducted blatant corrupt human trafficking - the leader of Poland 2050 continued. - I don't know if this scandal, one of the most serious we've seen during these 8 years of PiS rule, will turn out to be a PiS tapes scandal. But it seems to me that there is a high probability that this will indeed be the case. It is unprecedented how one can jeopardize the security of the citizens of the Republic, who believed in the narrative that they are safe - he emphasized.

17:34

Kwieciński:

Strong Emphasis on Financing Bilateral Trade Through Cooperation with Korea's Largest Bank, KB Kookmin
- In October 2022, Bank Pekao signed a cooperation agreement with KB Kookmin Bank, the largest Korean bank, in the area of corporate banking services for companies operating in both countries. This has opened up new opportunities for us, both in terms of servicing Korean companies in Poland and in leveraging our potential to support domestic companies that operate or wish to operate in one of Asia's most developed markets. As a leader in corporate banking in Poland, we strongly focus on trade finance, offering a full range of products, which is why we anticipate mutually beneficial cooperation - said Jerzy Kwieciński, Vice-President of Pekao, during the discussion "Cooperation in Trade, Investment, and Supply Chains" at the Krynica Forum.

17:37

Bochenek on the Visa Affair: 'It's a pseudo-scandal concocted by PO and their friendly media. The Onet article starts with a horrendous sum of alleged visas.'

- This is a pseudo-scandal concocted by PO and the media that favor them. I will refer to Onet, the article in Onet, if you examine it closely, begins with some horrendous sum of alleged visas that were issued, and ends with a few dozen visas, supposedly for some filmmakers. That's what the authors of this article claim - stated Rafał Bochenek in an interview with Beata Lubecka on the program 'Gość Radia Zet'.

- This is an attempt to distract attention from what is happening in the world today, which is very important and worries many people, because of this flood of illegal migrants on Lampedusa - he added.


17:38

Bochenek:

This is the Only Real Number Today - 8,000 Illegal Migrants in Several Dozen Hours
This is the only real number today. 8,000 illegal migrants in several dozen hours - stated Rafał Bochenek on the program “Gość Radia Zet”.

17:42

Bochenek:

Services Have Been Acting on the Visa Affair Since Spring This Year

- This matter was detected by Polish state services. At the head of this state, of these institutions, stands the PiS government. Services have been acting [visa affair] since spring this year, the prosecutor's office has been acting on this matter since March, meaning much earlier than the media have spoken out on this issue, or any PO politicians have spoken out. The Central Anticorruption Bureau acted in July, also much earlier - stated Rafał Bochenek on the program “Gość Radia Zet”.


20:14

Dziemianowicz-Bąk on Visas: The Prosecutor's Office is Run by Ziobro, So As Soon As It's Politically Inconvenient, They'll Stop Investigating

It is absolutely clear, not from yesterday and not from today, that whether it's the Supreme Audit Office, the Central Anticorruption Bureau, or the prosecutor's office, but of course a depoliticized prosecutor's office, should essentially enter every Ministry, every department managed by Law and Justice, because whether it's the Ministry of Education and the "Will plus" scandal and the transfer of money to party cronies or parishioners by Minister Czarnek. Whether it's the swindling of terminally ill people by Łukasz Mejza. Whether it's the respirator scandal, or a major scandal concerning visas, and in reality concerning Poland's security, then yes, these services, the prosecutor's office, should have dealt with all these scandals, and thus with all these departments. It is good that the prosecutor's office has started to deal with them, but it is clear that this is a prosecutor's office managed by Zbigniew Ziobro, so as soon as it stops being politically pleasing, they will stop dealing with it. The only hope that the prosecutor's office will bring this to fruition is the October 15th election – stated Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk in "Fakty po faktach" on TVN24.


20:16

Dziemianowicz-Bąk:

The Border Wall is a Business Project, Explaining PiS's Stubborn Fight Against EU Migration Policy

- Legalized bribery doesn't stop being bribery, a legalized scandal doesn't stop being a scandal. This whole story showed that at the same time when Law and Justice politicians are full of phrases about security, when they are building a wall on the border with Belarus, when they say what a danger mothers and children are, who, harmed by Lukashenka's regime, are being shuttled back and forth across the Polish-Belarusian border. At precisely that same time, it turns out that the fault and mistake and harm to these mothers with children who are being shuttled across these borders is not that they decided to try to reach a better world. No, they simply paid a bribe to Lukashenka's regime, not to Law and Justice's business - stated Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk in TVN24's "Fakty po faktach" (Facts After Facts).

- It is evident that this border wall is a business project, and it is finally evident and finally explained why Law and Justice, with a stubbornness worthy of a greater cause, fights against the European Union's migration policy. Why it refuses solidarity mechanisms. Why it did not want to agree to mechanisms that would have been beneficial for Poland as a border state. Well, because they simply want to profit from this migration policy - she added.


20:19

Zgorzelski:

Polish Farmers Have Been Left Alone and Without Any Support by the Polish Government
Of course [the extension of the embargo on Ukrainian grain is good]. The problem is that two or three months achieve nothing. Today, we must understand one thing: Polish farmers were left alone and deprived of any support by the Polish government last year. Because if Prime Minister Morawiecki today puffs out his chest for, one might say, accolades, and says: even if Brussels doesn't announce an embargo – and he knows they will – we will block the border. If it's that simple and obvious, why didn't Prime Minister Morawiecki, together with the Minister of Agriculture, Deputy Prime Minister Kowalczyk, do it a year ago? – said Piotr Zgorzelski on Polsat News' 'Gość Wydarzeń'.

20:21

Zgorzelski:

Wojciechowski is an incompetent. He can't even solve the simplest issue, he only writes to opposition politicians

- Mr. Wojciechowski, who is such an incompetent that he can't even solve the simplest issue and only writes to opposition politicians, for instance to the leader of PSL. He wants to talk to the opposition because he is helpless. We already knew that, he didn't have to tell us about it - said Piotr Zgorzelski on Polsat News' "Gość Wydarzeń" program.


20:21

Zgorzelski:

Confederation is not a democratic party, we have nothing in common with them

- We will not talk with Confederation because we are a democratic party. Confederation is not a democratic party, we have nothing in common with them, and we have people to talk to within the camp of democratic parties – said Piotr Zgorzelski in Polsat News's "Gość Wydarzeń".

- Perhaps he [Adam Jarubas] has a greater imagination, you know, he is an MEP. Perhaps he knows more than I do, but we have people to talk to, and that is certainly not Confederation. TD will certainly take third place, because sir editor, whether Poland will be a country of closed authoritarianism will depend on who takes third place – he added.


20:30

Hołownia on PiS: 'Knowing them, they will try to wait it out and see if this issue really reaches their voters'

- PiS still has a chance to try and take this matter seriously, to dismiss Minister Rau. Of course, in a normal country, the prime minister would be dismissed. It is political responsibility; if something happens within the structures of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the head of the ministry is the constitutional minister, and he bears full responsibility – stated Szymon Hołownia in an interview with Monika Olejnik on TVN24's "Kropka nad i" (The Dot Over the i).

- However, knowing them, they will try to wait it out and see if this issue really reaches their voters. I assume it will, because this is such a significant matter, something that hasn't happened to them in many, many months – he continued.


20:59

Hołownia on PiS: I bet they are now sitting and discussing what is more beneficial for them

- I bet they are now sitting and discussing what is more beneficial for them. Whether to make a drastic cut, fire half the government, Morawiecki will beat his chest, they will all be led out in handcuffs, Wawrzyk and others, and shown to the crowds. I don't know what they will do, but I assume that for now they might play the "Czarnikism" card - stated Szymon Hołownia on TVN24's "Kropka nad i".


21:05

Hołownia:

I Don't Believe Polls at This Stage

- I simply don't believe polls at this stage, because if on Monday we experience collective euphoria because the first IBRiS poll suddenly shows a great victory for the opposition, and on Tuesday IPSOS shows that Kaczyński has 234 seats and rules alone, which is a great tragedy, then I think this chasing from euphoria to euphoria, instead of emitting the scent of victory, giving people faith that we will win, rather than pondering what will happen if we lose, is counterproductive. Thermometers today, with the feverish temperature of dispute and the speed of politicians at the end of the election campaign, simply don't always show the right temperature – stated Szymon Hołownia in TVN24's "Kropka nad i".