He's Ready to Form a Coalition with the Devil Just to Return to Power.
- Budka on Kaczyński
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05/13/2024
07:27
Monday's Political Agenda: New Ministers Sworn In, Czarzasty on Lewica's New EU Parliament Demands, Brudziński with Bocheński, More Parliamentary Inquiry Hearings
At 10:30 in the Presidential Palace, President Andrzej Duda will make changes to the Council of Ministers.
At 10:00 in the Sejm, a press conference of PiS will be held with the participation of Joachim Brudziński, Tobiasz Bocheński, and Jacek Ozdoba.
At 10:00 in Rzeszów, a press conference of Lewica will take place with the participation of, among others, Sejm Deputy Speaker Włodzimierz Czarzasty. Topic: Announcement of Lewica's new program postulates for the European Parliament.
At 10:00, the Pegasus inquiry committee will question Mikołaj Pawlak, former Director of the Department of Family and Juvenile Affairs at the Ministry of Justice. Earlier, at 9:20, a press conference of the inquiry committee members will be held.
At 10:30, the visa scandal inquiry committee will question Maciej Lisowski from Lex Nostra concerning the period relevant to the Committee's work, followed by Damian Gągała, a counselor in the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a member of the delegation visiting the consulate in Mumbai from February 2-4, 2023.
At 12:45 in Warsaw, a press conference of Lewica will be held with the participation of, among others, Robert Biedroń. Topic: Ban on unpaid internships and apprenticeships! Enough of free work for young people!
08:21
Bielan:
I Co-Authored a "White Paper" on PiS MEPs' Stance on the Green Deal. We Had No False Votes
- At the request of the PiS leadership, I was preparing a part of such a report, a "white paper" concerning the conduct of our parliamentarians regarding the Green Deal. Let's remember that the Green Deal is a series of very detailed solutions, directives, the building directive, the ban on the sale of combustion engine cars, etc. There were several dozen such votes, if not well over 100. I can proudly say that we had no false votes in the European Parliament - said Adam Bielan in an interview with Dominika Wielowieyska on TOK FM morning broadcast.
- Chairman Kaczyński often refers to the first such framework vote on the Green Deal, a general resolution supporting the Green Deal. The vote took place on January 15, 2020, and there was a very clear division concerning the deputies representing Poland. All present MEPs representing the ruling coalition voted for this resolution, and we voted against - he continued.
08:36
Wiącek:
If it's confirmed he cooperated with a foreign state's services, it would be truly dramatic news
- If the information that this man [Tomasz Szmydt] cooperated with the special services of a foreign state were confirmed, it would be truly dramatic news from the perspective of the judiciary, because the 2nd department of the Voivodeship Administrative Court in Warsaw, where this gentleman presided, is the department that deals with matters, as is known, of security clearances issued by the Internal Security Agency (ABW), vetting matters for officials and soldiers, and personal data protection. These are proceedings in which judges have access to information subject to the highest secrecy clauses - stated Marcin Wiącek in the "Piasecki's Interview" on TVN24.
08:37
Bielan:
Two parliamentary inquiry committees rushing to finish reports solely because their leaders are running for the European Parliament turns a serious institution into a circus
- The fact that two parliamentary inquiry committees [on the visa scandal and envelope elections] are rushing to finish their reports after just 5 months of operation – typically, parliamentary inquiry committees in Poland operated for 2-2.5 years – solely because their leaders are candidates in the European Parliament elections, is turning a serious institution into a circus – said Adam Bielan on TOK FM's morning program.
08:39
Gosiewska:
Our MEPs in the EP behaved as they should regarding the Green Deal
- Our MEPs in the European Parliament behaved as they should, opposing this final form of the Green Deal. Enough of this Green Deal, which is taking a form that strikes at Polish agriculture, against which Polish farmers are protesting and against which our PiS MEPs voted – stated Małgorzata Gosiewska in the "Morning Interview" on RMF FM.
08:39
Sawicki:
I Expect a Slightly Deeper Government Reshuffle Right After the European Elections
- Regarding the proposals, I am pleasantly surprised, because it seems to me that good ministers are being replaced by even better ones, for the benefit of Poland and for the benefit of the government - Marek Sawicki said in an interview with Karol Surówka in "Sygnały dnia" PR1.
- This is purely a technical change related to the European elections, but I expect that right after the European elections there will be a slightly deeper government reshuffle, because the time for tidying up after PiS will need to be concluded, and builders will be needed who will implement the program of the October 15th coalition, the program of Prime Minister Tusk - he continued.
08:48
Kolarski:
This Government is a Very Weak One
- This government is a very weak one. It's a government that came to power in order to remove PiS, with grand slogans, lofty pronouncements about defending democracy, about how dramatic the situation has been over the last 8 years. However, it's already evident today that this was propaganda, that it was political theatre. When you compare the 5-6 months of work by the governments of Beata Szydło or Mateusz Morawiecki, you see a huge amount of work done, projects, a positive message, ambitious undertakings, and their implementation. Today, this is missing – stated Wojciech Kolarski in a conversation with Marcin Fijołek on the program "Graffiti" on Polsat News.
08:49
Gosiewska on Clashes with the Marshal's Guard: I Appealed the Fine Imposed by Hołownia
- I have appealed the fine imposed by [Marshal Szymon Hołownia]. We are waiting for a decision; information about the fine in writing did not arrive for a long time, because it needs to be justified in writing somehow, and now there is no response regarding the appeal. As far as I know, probably all parliamentarians who appealed, and I believe all of them did, do not have a decision yet - stated Małgorzata Gosiewska in the "Morning Interview" on RMF FM.
08:49
Sawicki:
Only One Element of the Green Deal for Agriculture Should Remain: Renewable Energy Produced Directly by Farms
- To talk about the Green Deal, one needs to know what we are discussing, and the problem is that we are talking about a very general slogan that is undefined and lacks detailed discussion about what defines it. The Green Deal for Poland is defined by the National Strategic Plan adopted in 2020, approved by Minister Kowalczyk without reading it, because after all, he didn't read the 1400 pages of the strategic plan - Marek Sawicki said on PR1.
- No one from Brussels asked the Polish government, Law and Justice, for this National Strategic Plan, which stems from Law and Justice's agricultural plan, something that Jarosław Kaczyński, Henryk Kowalczyk, and Telus also spoke about [...] no one besides them supported this project, and no one advocated for it. Today, these politicians say they are against what they themselves adopted, approved, and imposed on Polish farmers. From the Green Deal concerning agriculture, only one element should remain: that is renewable energy produced directly by farms, especially those involved in animal production. From the by-products and waste of these farms, we can produce energy capacity comparable to three nuclear power plants within the next three years - he continued.
08:51
Kolarski:
We Must Draw Conclusions on Whether Judicial Independence Also Entails Independence from Counterintelligence Oversight
- We must draw conclusions from what happened [in the Tomasz Szmydt case], for example, let's ask ourselves whether judicial independence should also mean independence from such counterintelligence oversight, or not. These are questions – said Wojciech Kolarski on Polsat News.
08:52
Gosiewska:
President Duda's Veto on Judicial Laws Was a Mistake, but Unrelated to the Szmydt Situation
- President Andrzej Duda's veto [on judicial laws] was a mistake, but it has no bearing on the situation surrounding Szmydt. I believe Judge Szmydt was cultivated by, for example, the non-operational Pegasus, meaning the inability to verify certain information, possibly, I don't know. The legal situation that allowed judges access to classified, secret information without verifying its credibility - stated Małgorzata Gosiewska in the 'Morning Interview' on RMF FM.
08:54
Kolarski:
Once the KRS Bill Reaches the President's Desk, He Will Make a Decision
- Once the [KRS] bill reaches the President's desk, the President will make a decision. Certainly, these [Senate] amendments are enraging the allies of Donald Tusk's government, the former opposition, now the ruling coalition. I hear, for example, Judge Tuleya, who speaks of a betrayed revolution. This is a case of the revolution eating its own children, and as for the President's position - it is constant, unchanging. There is no possibility of dividing judges into better and worse, into neo-judges – stated Wojciech Kolarski on Polsat News.
08:57
Kolarski:
I Get the Impression That Local Activists of the Movement for Silesian Autonomy Care More About Antagonizing Silesia with Poland
- I don't know what will happen [whether the president will sign the Silesian Language Act], but I know that those who are most vocal in demanding the signing of this act – I don't mean Szczepan Twardoch here, or our Nobel laureate, but I mean, for example, local activists of the Movement for Silesian Autonomy – I get the impression that these are people who care more about antagonizing Silesia with Poland, Silesians with Poles – said Wojciech Kolarski on Polsat News.
09:03
Sawicki:
Kick out the hypocrites who lead farmer protests and want to hijack them. We need to talk to the government, not participate in PiS political rallies.
- I understand [the farmers' protest] because the economic situation is difficult. What I don't understand are the farmers who protested in Warsaw on Friday and gathered politicians from the Law and Justice party around them, or within their midst, who led them into this whole mess. Because it was they who calmed us down in 2022, saying that the border with Ukraine should be opened and Ukrainian grain, Ukrainian food, would not threaten the Polish market. It was they who reassured us that the Green Deal, prepared by them, the National Strategic Plan, 1400 pages of it, was a great opportunity for Polish agriculture and the Polish economy. And now they are standing at the head of protests, demonstrations, and saying that what they prepared is bad – said Marek Sawicki on PR1.
- First, we need to kick out these hypocrites who are now at the forefront of farmer protests and want to take them over. Real farmers should not participate in these kinds of marches. Real farmers should sit down and think about what to do in the short term to simply change the issues related to using cheap credit [...] the issue of creating a European fund for the export of surplus food [...] all of this needs to be addressed and regulated together with the government and farmers – he continued.
- If today we have over 200 agricultural organizations sitting down and talking with the minister, if today we have several dozen groups calling themselves nationwide protest committees, then these people must finally understand that in order to agree on anything, some sensible representation of the farmers themselves must be chosen, and one must sit down and talk with the ruling party, not participate in the political demonstrations of Law and Justice, which led them to this state – he went on to say.
10:01
Sroka:
Pegasus Committee Will Continue Work and Summon Witnesses. Constitutional Tribunal Exceeds Its Competencies
- Immediately after receiving correspondence from Ms. Przyłębska, we turned to the Sejm Analysis Bureau for a position on this matter. The position is unequivocal: the Constitutional Tribunal is exceeding its competencies and cannot issue a protective order in this specific case - said Magdalena Sroka at a press conference in the Sejm.
- We will continue to work and summon witnesses. Witnesses are obliged to appear before the investigative committee. [...] Every witness who fails to appear when summoned by the committee will be subject to a request to the District Court in Warsaw for punishment for non-appearance or failure to testify - the head of the committee continued.
- No one will block the committee's work. The fear we see today on the part of PiS politicians means one thing: we are heading in the right direction. The committee will clarify this matter to the very end - she emphasized.
- We will continue to work and summon witnesses. Witnesses are obliged to appear before the investigative committee. [...] Every witness who fails to appear when summoned by the committee will be subject to a request to the District Court in Warsaw for punishment for non-appearance or failure to testify - the head of the committee continued.
- No one will block the committee's work. The fear we see today on the part of PiS politicians means one thing: we are heading in the right direction. The committee will clarify this matter to the very end - she emphasized.
10:17
Trela:
If Witnesses Fail to Appear Before the Pegasus Committee, There Will Be Motions for Sanctions and Possibly Compelled Attendance
- Jarosław Kaczyński can forbid his party members from participating in this committee's work. They might even obey him and perhaps not show up at the committee. But Jarosław Kaczyński has absolutely no power to forbid summoned witnesses from appearing and testifying - Tomasz Trela stated at a press conference in the Sejm.
- Today, we want to very unequivocally caution, and perhaps even warn, those who might hesitate and ponder whether to appear before the committee, whether to testify or not. If witnesses do not appear before the investigative committee, we will apply the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure literally in relation to them. There will be motions filed with the court for sanctions, and there will be eventual motions filed with the court for the compelled attendance of witnesses before the investigative committee - he emphasized.
- Among our witnesses are certainly Zbigniew Ziobro, and in time, Mr. Kamiński, Wąsik, Bejda – the whole cream, the crème de la crème of the PiS leadership - he added.
10:38
Czarzasty:
We are for the greatest possible integration of the European Union
- The Left is the political force that brought Poland into the European Union, and I wanted to ask everyone this question: what would happen if Poland were not in the European Union right now, and what would happen if Poland were not in NATO right now? [...] We, as the Left, are for the greatest possible integration of the European Union, I want to say that clearly. There is no political force that would be for stronger integration with the European Union, because we see what the European Union has given Poland. We see that Poland is safe thanks to the European Union and NATO, despite the fact that a war is currently raging directly beyond our borders - said Włodzimierz Czarzasty at a press conference.
10:41
Duda-Tusk Meeting at the Presidential Palace
A one-on-one meeting between President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Donald Tusk has begun at the Presidential Palace.
W Pałacu Prezydenckim rozpoczęło się spotkanie, w cztery oczy, Prezydenta @AndrzejDuda z Premierem @donaldtusk.
— Wojciech Kolarski (@wkolarski) May 13, 2024
10:45
Czarzasty:
We Want the EU to Establish a European Housing Fund with €100 Billion, €10 Billion of Which Should Go to Poland
- We are in favour of a European housing fund being established in the near future. If Europe has given money for roads, for infrastructure, for stadiums, if it has supported European Union member states after COVID and during COVID, then the question is: why not solve one of the biggest problems that currently exists in the European Union and also in Poland, the housing problem? - said Włodzimierz Czarzasty at a press conference.
- We want the European Union to establish a European housing fund and allocate 100 billion euros to it, of which 10 billion should go to Poland, because that is the demand in Poland - he continued.
11:00
Brudziński to Tusk: Amidst All the Political Hype and Hate, Where Are the Politicians Responsible for Crisis Management?
- - We wanted to share a reflection with you - namely, that the words of the main showman of Polish politics, Mr. Donald Tusk, have been proven prophetic. Just a few months ago, he easily used phrases like 'the stench of this government hangs over Poland.' This stench is now manifesting as burning landfills, burning forests, parks, and finally, the biggest tragedy of the last few hours, the burning hall on Marywilska Street - stated Joachim Brudziński at a press conference in the Sejm.
- Ladies and gentlemen, I am asking the Prime Minister a question. Amidst all his political hype, all his political hate, where are the politicians responsible for managing the crisis? As a former head of the Ministry of Interior and Administration, I am not accusing Mr. Tusk, Kierwiński, or other politicians of not assisting the responsible services, because it is the State Fire Service, the Police, or other services that are responsible for ensuring citizen safety. However, it is politicians who are responsible for skillfully managing information in a crisis situation - he continued.
11:01
Ozdoba on the Marywilska Fire: We're Dealing with a Government on Eternal May Picnic
- We are dealing with a government that is on an eternal, one could say, May picnic, or an eternal weekend, because seeing the posts, seeing the reaction of the highest-level authorities, who should be reacting in crisis situations, one can make one diagnosis, or rather, one thesis: that this government simply ignores it, and also all this smoke, all these chemicals are smiling chemicals – stated Jacek Ozdoba at a press conference in the Sejm.
11:02
Brudziński:
Szmydt is the Epitome of the Judicial Caste Environment
- First and foremost, as a statesman and former head of the Ministry of Interior and Administration, I believe it is extremely unwise and irresponsible to be passing Szmydt around like a hot potato between various political or party circles today. Szmydt should not be attached to PiS or any other party, because Szmydt is the epitome of that environment, which, through the mouths of very prominent judges who themselves claim to be an extraordinary caste. Well, Szmydt was and remains the epitome of this very environment from beginning to end – stated Joachim Brudziński at a press conference in the Sejm.
11:12
Pawlak Leaves Pegasus Investigative Committee Hearing
Mikołaj Pawlak refused to take an oath before the parliamentary investigative committee on Pegasus. The witness wanted to be granted an opportunity to speak freely first. The committee chairwoman, Magdalena Sroka, argued that he would have such an opportunity after taking the oath.
- I do not recognize today's meeting as a committee session and therefore, I request the opportunity to speak and justify my position… - Mikołaj Pawlak stated.
The committee voted to request the court to punish Pawlak for refusing to take the oath.
Later, at the request of Tomasz Trela, a motion was adopted to proceed with questioning the witness without the oath. Pawlak then took the floor and, referencing a recently issued Constitutional Tribunal (TK) interim measure (which the committee does not recognize), cited Article 8, paragraph 2 of the law on investigative committees.
This provision states that the committee's scope of activity cannot include assessing the legality of court rulings.
- This applies to all rulings of the judiciary, which in Poland is exercised by common courts. Therefore, I consider this meeting not as an interrogation, but as a publicistic discussion - he explained. At that point, the chairwoman cut him off.
- You are currently violating all norms and obligations imposed upon you - Sroka replied.
Marcin Bosacki moved to end the committee's session, but his motion did not gain a majority.
After several minutes of verbal sparring, the witness, accompanied by his legal representative, left the room.
11:37
Sroka:
Witness Pawlak to be Summoned Again Before Pegasus Committee
- The Constitutional Tribunal issued a flawed ruling that could not cover this specific case, i.e., one filed at the request of MPs. The Constitutional Tribunal can issue interim measures, but only in the matter of a constitutional complaint or a competence dispute. These are the two cases in which the Constitutional Tribunal can issue interim measures. This was about political gamesmanship, about putting on a show. Mr. Pawlak was not given such an opportunity; the investigative committee is too serious to allow a witness or their representative to parade here matters related to so-called rulings issued by a politicized Constitutional Tribunal. Witness Mikołaj Pawlak will be summoned again before the committee. Following today's behavior, two requests for the punishment of the witness will be sent to the District Court in Warsaw - stated Magdalena Sroka at a press conference.
11:46
Bosacki:
Since Thursday, We've Been Dealing with a Legal Mutiny by PiS Against the Polish Legal Order
- Since Thursday, we've been dealing with a legal mutiny by PiS against the Polish legal order. Our committee was legally established by a resolution of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland. Members of PiS also voted for this, and at the beginning of this committee's work, they participated in our committee's proceedings. For a few days now, they have been participating in this mutiny, boycotting and attempting to disrupt our committee's work - stated Marcin Bosacki at a press conference.
11:55
Duda:
Today's Ceremony Was Preceded by My Long-Awaited Conversation with the Prime Minister, I'm Glad We Could Have It
- Today we are making changes in very important positions within the Republic. Today's ceremony was preceded by my conversation with the Prime Minister on these very crucial matters. We had this conversation with the Prime Minister overdue, and I am glad we could have it, and I am glad that the Prime Minister is recovering – stated President Andrzej Duda at the swearing-in ceremony of ministers.
12:03
Duda:
I Greatly Hope We Will Build the CPK; It's a Historic Investment
- We have a whole series of major investments that, I hope, will be carried out in Poland in the coming years. I greatly hope that we will build the CPK. It is an investment of a historic nature, an investment that holds great significance for Poland, not only economically, because it is immense and generally developmental, as it entails the entire development of communication infrastructure, rail, and road. It also, importantly, leads to economic development, but it is also an enormously important matter when it comes to the security of the Republic. We need such a large airport in Poland that will be able to handle huge traffic, including military traffic, should the need arise – stated President Andrzej Duda at the swearing-in ceremony of ministers.
12:15
Tusk:
Departing Ministers Took Responsibility for the Toughest Cleaning-Up Period, Laying the Groundwork for a Normal Reality
- When I look at the ministers on my right, who are leaving the government today, I want to emphasize once again that they took responsibility for the most difficult period upon themselves. These five months, exactly five months, during which they held their offices, were a time of cleaning up, of preparing the ground for what I will use a colloquialism – a normal reality – said Prime Minister Donald Tusk during the swearing-in ceremony of the ministers.
12:17
Tusk to Sienkiewicz: The Best Review of Your Five Months in Office is the Fact That Public Media Can Today Hear Critical Assessments of Your Actions and Mine
- I don't think I need to convince anyone how important a task it was to restore the public role of the media. Minister Sienkiewicz took on this task. All in all, the best review of these five months of your actions, Mr. Minister, was the fact that today in public media we can hear critical assessments of the actions of both you, Mr. Minister, and myself, every day. Today this seems obvious again, but when we took office [...] it seemed a revolutionary and very ambitious intention for public media to become free media again, and media that could, had the right to, also make critical judgments about the executive power - Prime Minister Donald Tusk said during the swearing-in ceremony of ministers.
12:23
Tusk:
Kierwiński did not hesitate to enforce the law, and I thank the minister very much for it
- Minister Marcin Kierwiński has also restored a certain long-awaited normality for citizens, namely when he made decisions indicating that the time of impunity is ending, including for politicians who broke the law, and regardless of what political umbrella protected them, Minister Kierwiński did not hesitate to enforce the law, and I thank the minister very much for it. I know these were not easy decisions, I know that some people still hold it against the minister to this day, and I want to say that the Republic will certainly long remember this act of civil courage as well, and today it is probably perceived as something absolutely obvious and normal - Prime Minister Donald Tusk said during the swearing-in ceremony of ministers.
12:26
Duda:
I Ask the Minister of the Interior for Special Care for the Border Guard and Soldiers. These People Have Endured Very Difficult Trials, Their Uniforms Have Been Disrespected Many Times
- Officers of the Polish Border Guard, supported by soldiers and police officers, have passed this exam, throughout the years, and continue to pass it. I am glad that in recent days the Prime Minister was at the border and could see for himself how this service is carried out, how difficult the conditions often are, especially if we imagine that it also takes place during winter, […] and both Border Guard officers and soldiers have been there practically all the time for 3 years – stated President Andrzej Duda during the ceremony of swearing in ministers.
- I ask the Minister for special care for them, because these people have undergone very difficult trials in recent years. Not only there at the border, but also in the political and media spheres. They perform service for the Polish state, they implement the guidelines that are given to them also by democratically elected authorities, the minister as the supervisor, their commanders, superiors. Meanwhile, both they themselves and their uniforms have been disrespected many times in recent years - he continued.
- I hope this will never happen again. One can discuss political decisions, but one does not discuss the service of Polish officers and soldiers, because they simply serve the Republic. I ask the minister to build respect for them and for their uniforms - he added.
12:40
Tusk:
My Government's Priority Will Be External and Internal Security. We Will Be Ruthless Towards Evil
- It is very important that soldiers, the Border Guard, and police officers know that the state is on their side in these difficult actions. This is indisputable, and in this regard, the President and I, and my government, are certainly not divided. What divides us is the matter of how to help those who defend the homeland daily against various risks and threats - said Prime Minister Donald Tusk during the swearing-in ceremony of ministers.
- Therefore, the problem is to erect a barrier that will effectively protect Poland from both illegal migration and threats arising from armed conflicts. After this visit, after long talks with generals and commanders, I have no doubt that a lot of money will be needed, because we don't have time, but a lot of money, effort, and ideas must be invested in ensuring that the security of our border finally ceases to be a subject of propaganda and becomes a truly great, joint effort of the government, the President, and the people responsible daily for our security - he continued.
- We are still under the impression of information about Russian and Belarusian influences on high-ranking officials. The case of the judge who betrayed the Republic and was also very active in dismantling the Polish legal system for years here in Poland, has made us all realize how much we still have to do in this area too. Minister Tomasz Siemoniak is taking on a great responsibility, and it will cost all of us a lot of work for this sense of internal security to also become a reality. This will be a priority for my government, external security and internal security in all aspects, in all contexts, and we will act without hesitation. [...] We will be ruthless towards evil - he went on to say.
12:50
Duda:
I hope the strengthening of US-EU relations will prevent World War III
- I am looking at the Polish presidency in the EU. What will begin for us on January 1, 2025. It will only be for half a year, but during this half a year, we will be at the head of the Council of the EU and we will set the tone for what will happen in the EU. Of course, in accordance with the agreements we have made with the Prime Minister, these European matters are handled by the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, that is obvious to me - said President Andrzej Duda at the swearing-in ceremony of ministers.
- But I want to emphasize one thing: today, this Polish presidency in the EU is also hugely connected with issues of our security and our development. This is precisely why we have set these fundamental priorities for the Polish presidency in the EU, which are shaped precisely in this direction, namely: building relations between the United States and the European Union. […] I hope that today, this strengthening of relations between the United States and the EU will be the reason why World War III, which so many people are whispering about today, will never happen. Precisely because the EU will be strong through this cooperation with the United States – he continued.
- I would like us, as Poland, to be at the forefront of this, because I believe that this is in our deeply understood interest. […] I would like us, during this period, to realize two fundamental summits, which will also show our position within the EU. On the one hand, an EU-USA summit, I would like it to take place here, in Poland. The second summit: EU-Ukraine - he continued.
14:08
Hołownia:
Another Anti-Russian Commission is a Bad Idea. Services are for Prosecuting Spies.
- Another anti-Russian commission is a bad idea. Services, not parliamentary committees, are for prosecuting spies. The Szmydt case is a job for counterintelligence. Poles do not need another quarrelsome political theatre: they need effective services and MPs who will focus on creating good law - wrote Szymon Hołownia on social media.
Kolejna antyrosyjska komisja to zły pomysł. Od ścigania szpiegów są służby, nie komisje sejmowe. Sprawa Szmydta to robota dla kontrwywiadu. Polacy nie potrzebują kolejnego kłótliwego politycznego teatru: potrzebują skutecznych służb i posłów, którzy skupią się na tworzeniu…
— Szymon Hołownia (@szymon_holownia) May 13, 2024
14:21
Kaczyński:
Energy Price Hikes Will Burden Society. Therefore, We Are Launching a Signature Collection for a Draft Law
What Minister Hennig-Kloska announced is a truly significant increase, from 412 to 550 PLN for energy, and for gas, from over 200 PLN to 297 PLN, also with some change. In short, these are very substantial increases that will burden society, representing another step towards lowering the standard of living. That is why we are decidedly against this, because it means rejecting a policy that is the only sensible one and aims not only to maintain but to increase the standard of living in Poland. Such a policy requires protection, and we provided such protection, which was called shields. Our successors, however, are rejecting them, rejecting these safeguards that were proposed. These vouchers are something that doesn't really have much significance; they are not a protection. More money is needed for this, and it must cover everyone, not just a small number of households relative to the total – stated Jarosław Kaczyński at a press conference.
We are embarking on this [collecting signatures for the draft law]. It will be collected by MPs, both those participating in the current campaign and those not. Signatures can also be submitted at parliamentary offices. The aim is to submit a project at some point, and the committee has already been registered, which cannot be immediately rejected – he continued.
We are embarking on this [collecting signatures for the draft law]. It will be collected by MPs, both those participating in the current campaign and those not. Signatures can also be submitted at parliamentary offices. The aim is to submit a project at some point, and the committee has already been registered, which cannot be immediately rejected – he continued.
14:25
Kaczyński:
This Government Was Bad, and After Reconstruction, It Will Remain Bad
- Regarding the reconstruction, one can say – the horse is, as everyone can see. Simply, this government was bad, and after the reconstruction, it will continue to be bad. What is characteristic is that people particularly burdened by these months of extremely drastic law-breaking, of the Constitution, or at least a large part of these people, are currently likely departing, because we don't know the election results, to the EP – stated Jarosław Kaczyński at a press conference.
14:28
Kaczyński:
Courts Unreformed Since 1989 Would Defend the Old Post-Communist, Condominial Russian-German Arrangement in Poland and its People
- Regarding the initiation of criminal proceedings in matters that have otherwise been clarified, there were probably cases concerning some fees, entirely minor issues, well, this is hunting for political opponents. If we wanted to use such methods, we could truly initiate dozens, hundreds of lawsuits during this time. Of course, we know what the courts are like, that in this case, the courts that were never reformed after 1989 would defend the old post-communist, condominial, meaning Russian-German or German-Russian arrangement in Poland and the people of that arrangement. But such undertakings could be undertaken – stated Jarosław Kaczyński at a press conference.
14:28
Biedroń:
We Demand Urgent Explanation from the New Minister of Interior and Administration on How the Fire at Marywilska Occurred
A very strange situation where a huge fire broke out in a large hall for reasons that remain unexplained to this day. As Lewica, we demand explanations in this matter above all. We demand from the new Minister of Interior and Administration an urgent clarification of information on how this fire occurred, an investigation into the causes and consequences of this fire, which is generating so many theories. We do not want to speculate; we want, above all, for Polish society to receive reliable information on this matter as quickly as possible, so that this disinformation can be curbed as quickly as possible - stated Robert Biedroń at a press conference.
14:52
Siemoniak on the Causes of Fires, Including Those in Warsaw: We Are in a Time When We Can Rule Nothing Out
- At 1:30 PM, one of my first tasks will be a meeting with Minister Czesław Mroczek, the chief commanders of the State Fire Service and the Police. We will discuss this, and they will submit a report. Of course, since yesterday morning, I have been in contact with the Internal Security Agency to ensure that any leads you, Madam Editor, are asking about are at the center of our attention - said Tomasz Siemoniak at a press conference in the context of the recent fires in Warsaw and Siemianowice Śląskie.
- It is too early to say anything definitive; the investigation is ongoing, and we will certainly provide information, but we must consider every scenario here. We know the situation we are in; I will remind you that the Internal Security Agency arrested, and then the court detained, a man who intended to set fire to one of the facilities in Wrocław at the turn of January and February, so we are in a time when we can rule nothing out. However, so far, based on the information that has also been publicly conveyed, there is no such context, but we will see. The investigation is ongoing; experts have only just begun their work, they have the opportunity to examine the site, we are examining surveillance footage and phone records; it is natural that all leads must be clarified here - he continued.
19:59
Bodnar on the Causes of Fires: A Hybrid War is Constantly Underway, and Even the Darkest Scenarios Cannot Be Ruled Out
- Just a few weeks ago, Polish special services reported the arrest of an individual preparing an attack on a factory near Wrocław. Literally three weeks ago, we received information about the arrest of a man on suspicion of espionage who was gathering information about Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport. In turn, in Vilnius, two individuals were arrested for assaulting a collaborator of Alexei Navalny – Adam Bodnar stated in an interview with Bogdan Rymanowski on the program "Gość Wydarzeń" on Polsat News, when asked about Russia's potential involvement in recent fires.
- So, there are many such incidents, and I emphasize, the theatre of war is right next door to our neighbor, and a hybrid war is constantly underway, and various, even the darkest scenarios, cannot be ruled out – he continued.
20:10
Bodnar:
I Believe the Commission on Russian Influence Would Be Useful. Perhaps It's Worth Creating a Commission Including, for Example, Representatives of Ministries
- This commission [on Russian influence] has not been abolished, and now I think it's worth simply amending the act from this perspective, to deal with the issue, but in a slightly different way, even a significantly different way, more in an expert capacity - Adam Bodnar stated on Polsat News.
- Let's wait and see how the scope of work for this commission will be defined. I believe that if it is to be a commission of an expert nature, composed of authorities, people who understand various methods of influence, without the political theatre that Mr. Speaker [Szymon Hołownia] talks about, I think such a commission would be useful to us, because many different things have happened in recent years that remain unexplained - he continued.
- I believe this is a very good idea and I think such a commission would be useful [...]. Perhaps it's worth digging a bit deeper and [...] creating a commission that would include, for example, representatives from various ministries, but individuals characterized by the highest competencies - he went on to say.
20:18
Bodnar on the Arrest Warrant for Judge Szmydt: Such a Decision May Be Issued As Early As Tomorrow
- I think that [...] probably days, perhaps as early as tomorrow, such a decision will be issued - said Adam Bodnar on Polsat News, referring to the arrest warrant for Tomasz Szmydt.
- Issuing the arrest warrant will change the fact that Mr. Szmydt will no longer be able to move around so freely. If he had any idea to leave Belarus, I doubt he would want to return to Poland, then at least he could be detained at the airport, he could later be the subject of various extradition proceedings, and then I think that limiting his ability to move around the world can significantly affect his situation - he continued.
- That's exactly what it's about, if he is on Interpol's lists, a so-called red notice is issued, and then if he crosses the border, he can be detained and extradited to Poland - he went on to say.
20:19
Budka:
I Won't Hide That a Tear Came to My Eye, I Was Prepared for a Slightly Longer Mission in the Ministry
- I won't hide that a tear came to my eye, because I was prepared for a slightly longer mission in the ministry, but as I say, I am a team player. If such a necessity arises, it is a great honor, a great challenge to try to replace a man who is irreplaceable, namely Jerzy Buzek - stated Borys Budka in an interview with Monika Olejnik on the TVN24 program "Kropka nad I".
20:25
Hennig-Kloska:
The Scale of the Fires is Astonishing. I Agree with the Minister, We Cannot Rule Anything Out
Of course, we cannot rule anything out, and we are awaiting the police and prosecutor's reports from this perspective, as investigations usually take a bit more time. We work daily to protect the environment, people's health, and lives, and this is what we were occupied with over the past weekend. I remained in constant contact with the provincial governors, who were managing the headquarters, and we already have, as it were, some initial conclusions after these two days, which were difficult for the services in the Silesian Voivodeship – stated Paulina Hennig-Kloska in the program "Fakty po faktach" on TVN24.
- The scale of the fires is astonishing, so as I said, I agree with the minister that we cannot rule anything out, but we are waiting for confirmation. This could, of course, be a new form of intimidating people in Poland, sowing fear, especially in the face of the European elections. However, we are doing everything to ensure people's safety, but also not to sow panic if it is not necessary, and this is what we did throughout the weekend – she continued.
20:32
Budka:
I Wonder if Obajtek Has Such Dirt on Kaczyński That Kaczyński Defends Him Blindly
- There was a time when someone expressed themselves very crudely in Parliament, saying the government was playing dumb. I have the impression that Kaczyński is playing dumb. Documents signed by Polish services landed on his desk when he was Deputy Prime Minister for Security (...) these documents warned about what was happening in this company, warned about the man who led the company, American services said 'stay away from him' - stated Borys Budka on the TVN24 program "Kropka nad I" (The Dot Over I).
- I wonder if Obajtek has such dirt on Kaczyński that, despite all the evidence, Kaczyński blindly defends Obajtek, or if Kaczyński, contrary to his assurances, was not interested at all in what reached him - he added.
20:32
Bodnar on Potential Review of Judges with Access to Classified Information: I Want to Invite Representatives of Judicial and Prosecutorial Associations on Friday to Seriously Discuss This
- The system that applies in Poland is such that if someone becomes a judge or a prosecutor, they automatically gain access to classified information. [...] Where did this come from? It's to avoid creating tools of pressure on judges. Imagine a situation where a judge rules in a specific case, and suddenly the executive branch intervenes with its instruments and deprives such a judge of access to classified information, thereby removing them from ruling in that case - Adam Bodnar said on Polsat News.
- There are different models around the world. Yes, there are countries, like Poland, where judges are not vetted, and this is considered one of the better solutions regarding respect for judicial independence. There are countries where only judges who rule in specific cases are vetted. There are countries where, for example, judges are vetted when they enter the system [...] and afterwards, it's assumed they no longer pose a threat [...]. My opinion is that on Friday, I want to invite representatives of all judicial and prosecutorial associations and I want to seriously discuss this with them - he continued.
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