Live Feed

07/10/2024

07:26

Wednesday's Political Agenda: Duda at NATO Summit, Tomczyk and Kukuła on Eastern Shield, Pegasus Committee Seeks Action Against Ziobro, Kosiniak-Kamysz on Border Reinforcement, Tusk Meets Media

At 10:00 AM, the Pegasus investigative committee will commence a closed-door session. As announced by Tomasz Trela, an "important motion" regarding Zbigniew Ziobro will be presented immediately after the meeting. Originally, Ziobro was scheduled to be interrogated by the committee on Wednesday, but he submitted an excuse for his absence on Tuesday.

Also at 10:00 AM, the investigative committee for the visa scandal will begin its session. Scheduled interrogations include Mateusz Pal (former head of the political cabinet of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Zbigniew Rau), Maciej Karasiński (former Director General of the Foreign Service), and Andrzej Papierz (also a former Director General of the Foreign Service).

At 10:00 AM, in the General Staff of the Polish Army, Cezary Tomczyk and the Chief of the General Staff, General Wiesław Kukuła, will present information on the actions being taken to strengthen Poland's eastern border and current work within the Eastern Shield program.

At 11:00 AM, a two-day Senate session will begin, during which senators will address, among other things, an amendment to the Penal Code changing the definition of rape and a government bill implementing EU directives on copyright and related rights.

Also scheduled for 11:00 AM is the start of a press conference at the Warsaw Metropolitan Police Headquarters, attended by Tomasz Siemoniak and Rafał Trzaskowski, among others. The topic will be security in the capital, and an agreement on the control of transport and taxi licenses will be signed during the conference.

At 1:00 PM, the Sejm's Regulations Committee will convene to provide an opinion to the Marshal of the Sejm on the formal correctness of Dariusz Matecki's declaration of consent to be prosecuted. The committee will also, among other things, review the formal correctness of Grzegorz Gaża's declaration of consent to be prosecuted.

Also at 1:00 PM, Prime Minister Donald Tusk will meet with media representatives as part of a roundtable discussion on changes to copyright law. The subject of the meeting will be regulations implementing the EU's DSM (Digital Single Market) directive.

At 4:00 PM, the National Defense Committee will convene. Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz is expected to present detailed information on the government's plans to strengthen Poland's eastern border.

Also scheduled for 4:00 PM is the start of a meeting of the team for PiS accountability, with the participation of KO parliamentarians and representatives of PKP CARGO S.A. and Polish State Railways. The topic will be matters related to irregularities in the functioning of PKP CARGO S.A.

On Wednesday, President Andrzej Duda will continue his visit to the NATO summit in the USA. Around 5:40 PM Polish time, the President will arrive at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. At 6:15 PM, a welcoming ceremony for heads of state and government by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and US President Joe Biden is scheduled. At 7:00 PM, the Polish President will participate in a North Atlantic Council meeting. The day will conclude with a gala dinner hosted by the US President in honor of the heads of state and government and their spouses – the start is planned for 2:00 AM Polish time.

07:54

Kwaśniewski:

Two Lessons from the French and British Elections for the Polish Left
- There are two lessons from these elections that I would like our colleagues on the Polish left, both men and women, to reflect upon, starting with Adrian Zandberg. The first lesson is the French one, meaning that unity makes sense; by going together, one can achieve more than by going separately. The British lesson says: one must abandon extremism - Aleksander Kwaśniewski stated in the "Piasecki Conversation" on TVN24.

08:03

Kwaśniewski on How to Resolve the Ambassadorial Dispute:

Lock Yourselves Behind Closed Doors for a Few Hours and Reach an Agreement.
- The vast majority of posts involved in this dispute are ones where ambassadors would have been rotated anyway. Someone finishes their term after three years, after four years, so what is there to argue about? However, the fact that someone is closer to the camp currently in power than to the president is not something the president should complain about; the voters have decided that - Aleksander Kwaśniewski said on TVN24. - Of course [both sides should take a step back], and what's more, they should lock themselves behind closed doors for a few hours, not letting anyone in to prevent leaks and checking for listening devices, and simply agree on which posts are involved. I understand that the president has a few obligations, for example, towards his associates whom he wishes to protect. I would respect that. These are China [...] I wouldn't do anything here on the government's part. On the other hand, we have these posts designated for rotation [...] and there are three so-called strategic posts [...] I'm talking about Washington, I'm talking about Berlin, I'm talking about London, where the government has the right to have people it trusts implicitly, and here the president should respect that - he continued.

08:10

Kwaśniewski Points to Government's Main Weakness:

Excessive Politicization, Too Few Experts, Specialists.
- The strength is still the fact that they won the election, that they managed to form this coalition, which wasn't easy, and that they are acting, in my opinion, decently in most matters. However, the weakness, in my opinion, is the excessive politicization of the government, too few experts, specialists [...] clearly too many party appointments, and this at the ministerial level, which is understandable, but also at the deputy ministerial level, and of course, the issue of accountability, which is difficult, because if you want to hold people accountable according to the law, it has to take time, and if you want to meet voters' expectations, it has to be fast, revolutionary. And here there is, how to put it, an irreconcilable conflict - said Aleksander Kwaśniewski on TVN24, when asked about the greatest strength and greatest weakness of the current coalition after 200 days in power.

08:13

Kwaśniewski:

A Strong Tusk is Needed for This Government to Hold Together Nicely
- If he wants to get bogged down in minutiae, that would be a mistake, but the fact that he is the leading figure today and, in essence, integrating all of this, that is obvious. I believe that otherwise, it wouldn't have worked at all. A strong Tusk is needed for this coalition and this government to hold together nicely – said Aleksander Kwaśniewski on TVN24.

08:13

Bosak on Biden's announcement:

This is no breakthrough.

- These are not the effects of this summit [Joe Biden's announcement of further aid for Ukraine]. These are things planned much earlier, but for such a summit, certain things are always held back to announce something, and this is no breakthrough, it doesn't essentially change anything in the state of the war in Ukraine, which is in a stage of stagnation - stated Krzysztof Bosak in an interview with Beata Lubecka on Radio Zet.

08:14

Bosak:

I wish Polish politicians would stop misleading the public

- Of course, [Ukraine] will not receive an invitation to NATO. No one has ever seriously considered it. I wish Polish politicians would stop misleading the public and spouting such nonsense openly. Maybe it will happen someday, we'll see how the war ends, but talking about bringing a state that is at war and is faring poorly in that war into the alliance, because unfortunately that is the brutal truth after 2 years of war, if it weren't for external support, Ukraine would no longer exist, and despite external support, it is not even able to shift the front line in its favor - stated Krzysztof Bosak on Radio Zet.

08:14

Tomczyk:

Precisely Because the NATO Summit is in Washington, the Commitments Made are De Facto US Commitments
- We have, of course, the American campaign in the background, and we cannot escape that. But also, precisely because this [NATO] summit is taking place in Washington, the commitments made during this summit are de facto US commitments. We have no influence on who wins the elections in the US; Americans have that influence, this campaign is ongoing. But at the same time, everything must be done, whether it's Joe Biden or Donald Trump, to ensure that American policy does not change – said Cezary Tomczyk in an interview with Grzegorz Osiecki on PR1's 'Sygnały dnia'.

08:16

Bosak on Ukraine's EU accession:

Behind the scenes, it's said that it's not so obvious at all.

- From the EU, everyone also says that Ukraine will supposedly [join], but behind the scenes, it's said that it's not obvious at all. Due to the unpreparedness of the Ukrainian state and the inability of the Ukrainian political class to implement all EU standards, and the profound disadvantage of these standards for the Ukrainian economy and industry – stated Krzysztof Bosak on Radio Zet.

08:19

Kwaśniewski on Leadership in The Left:

This Collective Management Leads to More Compromise Than Dynamism.
- The prescription lies on several levels: it's a matter of the program, it's a matter of communication with voters, it's a matter of activity and structures, which in my opinion are very weak and therefore they fail at the basic level, and it's a matter of leadership, which also needs to be put up for discussion - said Aleksander Kwaśniewski on TVN24. - There is Czarzasty, Biedroń, Zandberg. I believe that for three such results, poor electoral results, the leaders bear responsibility, that's beyond discussion. [...] No, precisely if he [Czarzasty] played first fiddle, I would be a bit calmer, however, in my opinion, this collective management that exists today causes more compromise than dynamism - he continued.

08:23

Bosak:

The Polish State and Armed Forces Should Not Do Anything Interpretable as Joining the War

- NATO forces consist of the forces of specific member states. I believe that the Polish state and the Polish Armed Forces should not do anything that can be interpreted as entering this conflict, as joining the war. The use of their air defense assets over the territory of a state waging war against another side is joining the conflict, so we should not do this, unless someone wants Poland to become one of the participants in this war - stated Krzysztof Bosak on Radio Zet.

08:29

Tomczyk on Record Defense Spending:

This Will Be the Highest Budget in History.
- We are discussing the budget. I can say with full responsibility that the budget allocated for national defense next year will be a record. It will be the highest budget in Poland’s history, because we have enormous tasks ahead of us - said Cezary Tomczyk on PR1’s “Sygnały dnia”. - Regarding the spending limit, these discussions are ongoing. They are taking place on many fronts, both concerning the Ministry of National Defence budget, as well as the Armed Forces Support Fund, and various other elements, such as EU funding - he continued. - Huge thanks to Prime Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz, but also to the Minister of Finance, and primarily to Prime Minister Donald Tusk, because it is a conscious decision by the government that the national defense budget will be the highest in history. Both nominally, and in relation to GDP - he emphasized.

08:34

Bosak Announces How He Will Vote on Romanowski Case

- There will likely be two votes [regarding Marcin Romanowski]. One concerning the filing of charges, and here I believe I will vote "for", while concerning the arrest, I will vote against. This is because the case is based on documents, these documents have been known for half a year, and the prosecutor's office and the government have had these documents for half a year. So let them [the documents] be secured - stated Krzysztof Bosak on Radio Zet.

08:38

Bosak:

It's not ruled out that some of our MEPs will join a group co-created by AfD

- Yes, in fact, talks have been ongoing for many weeks with various conservative, national, freedom-oriented, and Eurosceptic parties. And it's not ruled out that some of our MEPs, not all of them, will join a group co-created by AfD and many other parties with a conservative, national, Eurosceptic profile, which may be formed in the EP. Everything will be clear during the first session - stated Krzysztof Bosak on Radio Zet.

08:43

Tomczyk:

The President's Call for NATO Countries to Spend 3% of GDP on Defense is Not a Government Agenda, but a Good Intention
- This postulate [by President Andrzej Duda for NATO countries to spend 3% of GDP on defense] is not a government agenda, but it is something obvious, in the sense that it is such a good hope and intention. The only problem with this postulate is that a dozen or so NATO countries still do not meet the 2% [of GDP] criterion – said Cezary Tomczyk on "Sygnały dnia" PR1. - There are no differences in intentions between the government and the president. We want NATO countries to spend as much as possible on arms procurement and army modernization – he continued.

08:47

Bosak:

French Socialists, Communists, Greens, and Agitators Struck a Deal in France

- The National Rally of Marine Le Pen, which is currently the leading political force in terms of support in France, has only gained its position as a result of a deal struck by French socialists, communists, greens, and left-wing agitators. There are communists there, yes - stated Krzysztof Bosak on Radio Zet.

08:57

Tomczyk Points to Foreign Funding Source for the East Shield:

It Will Be a Significant Element.
- The East Shield is a multi-year project that will take approximately 5 years for its main, most crucial phase. We have acted without undue delay. [...] I invite you to a press conference, which I will have the pleasure of hosting with General Kukuła, the Chief of the General Staff. We will discuss new specifics there. I can reveal that we have held talks with the European Investment Bank regarding elements of the Shield that could be financed from this source - stated Cezary Tomczyk on "Sygnały dnia" PR1. - We are at the beginning of this journey when it comes to building financing, because the project itself only began in March or April. [...] The meeting with the EIB is one of several meetings taking place, so I wouldn't want to talk about specifics, as it doesn't help in negotiations, but the EIB will certainly be a significant element of the East Shield's financing - he emphasized.

09:06

Tomczyk on When the Eastern Shield Construction Will Begin:

This Deadline is Unthreatened.
- Today in the EU, there is a major discussion about establishing a large fund that would entirely concern EU defense. We want the Eastern Shield to be one of these main European projects, because it connects Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and actually Finland as well - said Cezary Tomczyk in "Sygnały dnia" (Signals of the Day) on PR1. - But at the same time, we are not waiting. We have started the project, we will begin its financing, and we want the construction of various elements of the Eastern Shield to commence in the first quarter of next year, and this deadline is absolutely unthreatened - he declared.

10:34

Tomczyk:

The East Shield Project is Becoming a European Project
- We also know from the words of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and from the actions we are observing, that the East Shield project is becoming a de facto European project. We really wanted it to be this way, both from the perspective of financing this project, but also from the perspective of feeling that as a country, we cannot be put in a situation where the eastern and northern border of the Republic of Poland is solely Poland's border. It is also the border of the European Union and the border of NATO - said Cezary Tomczyk at a press conference.

10:39

Tomczyk:

Soldiers with Stabilization Mission Experience Finally Deployed to the Border
- Soldiers who have experience in stabilization missions have finally been deployed to the border. These are soldiers of the Military Gendarmerie, soldiers from Tomaszów Mazowiecki, soldiers who have experience in stabilization missions, such as the mission in Kosovo – stated Cezary Tomczyk at a press conference.

10:41

Ziobro's Interrogation: Pegasus Committee Decides on Next Steps

- Today we made a decision to ask experts to determine the date and circumstances of Zbigniew Ziobro's interrogation, who in our assessment should be the last witness heard regarding the investigation into the purchase. Of course, other threads are not stopping and are being worked on, but at this moment we will be waiting for the return and findings of the experts in this regard - stated Magdalena Sroka at a press briefing.

- This interrogation of Zbigniew Ziobro is absolutely crucial for our committee's work. Of course, it must be conducted not only with civilized rules but also taking into account his health, which according to the data available to us is certainly far from perfect. However, at the same time, Mr. Ziobro, as you have seen in recent weeks, is giving many interviews, so some form of meeting with our committee in the not-too-distant future is likely possible - stated Marcin Bosacki.

10:42

Bejda:

We've Started Efforts to Acquire 150 Armored Military Vehicles for the Border
- We have commenced actions to acquire 150 armored military vehicles, which will transport our soldiers while simultaneously protecting them from various external attacks. These will be vehicles that will serve on the border - said Paweł Bejda at a press conference.

10:42

Tusk on Decriminalization of Abortion and Civil Partnerships:

We're Ending the Discussion, It's Time for Decisions.

- We will vote for the decriminalization of abortion. We will vote for civil partnerships as a government bill, although I haven't managed to convince everyone. We are ending the discussion, it's time for decisions - Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on Twitter.

10:45

Tomczyk Announces Start of "Safe Podlasie" Operation. Exact Date Revealed
- From August 1st [...] the "Safe Podlasie" operation will commence. This is an operation that is something entirely new [...] we need to unify this process, so that the soldier knows who they are being commanded by, so that there is uniformity regarding the eastern and northern border - said Cezary Tomczyk at a press conference.

10:51

Bejda:

Ultimately, 8,000 Soldiers Will Be Deployed at the Border, with 9,000 in Reserve
- Increasing the involvement of the armed forces to 17,000 soldiers. This is practically becoming a reality, as there are currently almost 6,000 Polish soldiers at the border, and ultimately there will be 8,000 soldiers who will directly protect the Polish border - said Paweł Bejda at a press conference. - 9,000 will be in so-called reserve. If anything happens at the border, these 9,000 soldiers will be deployed to the border within 48 hours with full equipment and armament. […] These will be rapid border response forces - he continued.

11:08

Tomczyk:

Border Defence Component to Take Over Responsibility for Eastern Shield Infrastructure Elements
- Operation 'Safe Podlasie' will be maintained until the Border Defence Component achieves operational capability. This is a certain novelty we are starting to discuss. Currently, we want it to be the Territorial Defence Force (WOT) and operational forces working together, but ultimately the KOP (Border Defence Component) is to take responsibility for the Eastern Shield and border security in the military sphere, as the Border Guard is responsible for the protection of the state border - said Cezary Tomczyk at a press conference. - Such a plan was already being developed under the previous governments, only we fundamentally changed not so much the goals as the timeline. According to the previous government, the KOP was to become ready for action in 2032. The Minister of National Defence has instructed the Chief of the General Staff to accelerate these matters, so in 2028, the KOP will take over responsibility for the infrastructural elements related to the Eastern Shield - he continued.

11:19

Obajtek on Being Wiretapped:

A Scandal of the Services.

- It is a scandal that I was wiretapped at all; if these recordings are authentic, I believe they are not authentic, because many things in them do not match. It is a scandal in general that the CEO of Orlen is being wiretapped; it is a scandal, but not for Daniel Obajtek, but for the services, really, because the office of the CEO of Orlen should be secured as best as possible – stated Daniel Obajtek in the program ,,Bez Uników" on PR3.

11:20

Obajtek on Orlen's Swiss company:

This transaction was to be carried out, the current management bears all the blame.

- The [Swiss] company adhered to all standards, responsibility for this transaction lies with the subsequent management of the company, who should have carried it out. Regarding suspicions concerning Mr. Samer, I want to state that this same person, of course, there were various issues regarding Hezbollah, other things. He arrived in Poland, was detained, and after 4 days he was released, his ID was returned. Let's stop lying to the public opinion, this transaction was to be completed, especially since other companies that also ordered this oil, being in the queue, fulfilled their orders, so as I say, all the blame, in reality, falls on the current management, who did not complete this transaction. If that management had been in place, this transaction would have been completed – said Daniel Obajtek in PR3.

11:20

Obajtek on Tracking Halicki and Kropiwnicki:

There was no surveillance, it's fake news.

- There was no ordered surveillance; we were looking after the company's interests. Nobody tracked Mr. Robert Kropiwnicki, nor Halicki; these are fake news. Please do not quote something that media unfavorable to my person communicates – stated Daniel Obajtek on PR3.

11:21

Obajtek:

I Have the Right to Do What I Want With My Private Property
I am not afraid [of asset seizure], it is even distasteful to ask someone about private matters; I was a private individual. I have the right to give my son, who is over 25 years old, whatever I wish, and this procedure was already carried out much earlier. I had such a desire because I can do with my property as I please, just as Donald Tusk did by transferring his to his wife – Daniel Obajtek said in PR3.

11:25

Tomczyk:

PLN 500 Million to be Allocated to the East Shield in the First Half of Next Year
- We have made a decision that in the first half of next year, the first half a billion zlotys will be allocated and spent on the East Shield. So, 500 million zlotys within the first six months, these will be funds already invested in infrastructure. It is a priority for us to start implementing this program as quickly as possible - said Cezary Tomczyk at a press conference.

11:32

Tomczyk:

A New Unit Will Be Established to Prepare and Build the Eastern Shield
- A new military unit will also be established. It will involve the reorganisation of the airport maintenance battalion into a road and airport brigade. We want it to eventually comprise three battalions; currently, there is one, based in Jarocin. This unit will be responsible for the preparation and construction of the Eastern Shield - said Cezary Tomczyk at a press conference.

11:38

Tomczyk:

We Want the Widest Possible Involvement of Polish Companies in the East Shield Construction
- We also want, and this is very important, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz also drew attention to this, that Polish companies should be involved in the project as broadly as possible, and they will be able to participate in tenders. We will want to ensure that the involvement of Polish companies is as wide as possible, because these funds, these billions of zlotys, should remain in our country - said Cezary Tomczyk at a press conference.

12:46

PiS Submits Resolution Project Commemorating the 81st Anniversary of "Bloody Sunday" in Volhynia
PiS has prepared a special resolution project that will commemorate the 81st anniversary of this crime. We write in it, among other things, that on the 81st anniversary of Bloody Sunday, the Sejm pays tribute to the victims and calls for remembrance of the genocide that befell the inhabitants of the eastern territories of Poland, overwhelmingly Poles, but also, among others, Armenians, Czechs, and Jews. To this day, the victims of this crime have no graves, no exhumations have been carried out, and no dignified burials have been conducted. The Sejm expresses its conviction that the memory of the crime, tribute to the victims, and their dignified commemoration are essential for partner-like, good-neighborly, and friendly relations between Poland and Ukraine – stated Joanna Lichocka at a press briefing in the Sejm.

13:14

Tusk:

I am personally very interested in media freedom and independence being authentic, not just a slogan

- I have no doubt that it is in the interest of media, journalists, creators, as well as any decent public authority to maintain the maximum level of media independence, and not just political independence. Over these years, as we built a free Poland together, it is very clear that we are at a turning point, when there was a feeling that this freedom and independence was sometimes limited for various reasons, so I am personally very interested, also due to my professional experience from many years ago, in media freedom and independence not being a slogan, but something authentic. I understand that in contemporary times, it is very important for you that this independence also concerns relations with the biggest actors on the market, in this case we are talking about so-called big techs - stated Prime Minister Donald Tusk during a meeting with media representatives regarding changes in copyright law.

13:18

Tusk:

I am Truly Convinced We Indeed Share a Common Interest in This Specific Matter

- I am truly convinced, this is not empty rhetoric, I do not want to use any kitschy language here, but I am truly convinced that in this specific matter, we indeed share a common interest. And I am not speaking of interest in a trivial sense, although the financial aspect obviously plays a significant role in the whole matter. But this common interest lies in this, and Madam Marshal [Kidawa-Błońska] has often expressed this publicly, that as much as possible, we will also seek the best models in the world, so that the state can build, perhaps not protection, because that is not what you want, if I understand correctly, but so that it can dictate certain conditions to all actors in this market, so that you are not in a losing position in the confrontations that sometimes occur with the biggest players - stated Prime Minister Donald Tusk during a meeting with media representatives regarding changes to copyright law.

13:23

Tusk:

No One Intends to Deceive You

- You know that these penalties are hanging over us due to the delay in this long-standing issue. So, we would like to bring the first stage to a close as quickly as possible, one way or another, but no one intends to deceive you. That is to say, if it turns out, if we come to the conclusion today that we need a few more weeks or a dozen or so weeks to work out this mechanism, then we really can, and it was also important to me that Madam Marshal was with us, to publicly guarantee a cycle of proceedings that, one way or another, would give us all satisfaction as quickly as possible that it's okay, that we've found a good solution – stated Prime Minister Donald Tusk during a meeting with media representatives concerning changes in copyright law.

13:26

Copyright Amendment and Revised Definition of Rape: Senate Changes Agenda

Senate Marshal Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska announced that a point concerning the consideration of amendments to the Penal Code, which alters the definition of rape, has been removed from the agenda of the current Senate session.

- The Committee on Human Rights and the Rule of Law and the Legislative Committee have not concluded their work on this bill and have not prepared a report on the matter. […] The bill will be considered at the next Senate session - she stated.

Furthermore, the procedure for amending the Copyright Act, which implements EU directives, will be delayed.

- The Committee on Culture and the Media has not prepared a report, and this item will not be included in the agenda approved by the Senate. Once the committee prepares its report, the agenda may be supplemented with the consideration of this act - said Kidawa-Błońska.

13:37

PiS Poses 20 Questions to Tusk Regarding the Eastern Shield:

It's Just an Empty Shell.
- We will shortly submit 20 specific questions to Prime Minister Donald Tusk concerning the Eastern Shield. However, I will start by saying that the government coalition, which took power on December 13th, can no longer hide the fact that there are serious problems with financing the defense of the Republic of Poland. This is evidenced, firstly, by the disclosure by Telewizja Republika of a letter sent by the General Staff of the Polish Army, a letter opposing the cuts of 57 billion PLN in the 4-year budget related to the modernization of the Polish Army - Mariusz Błaszczak stated at a press conference. - Another argument [...] is the so-called white paper prepared by the Minister of Finance, in which the fund for supporting the armed forces, i.e., off-budget financing of defense projects, is presented as problematic. Another example and argument is that in the draft law on civil defense and population protection, almost 5 billion PLN is to be allocated annually from the budget of the Ministry of National Defence for needs that should be financed by the Ministry of Interior and Administration, meaning this money will be taken from the Ministry of National Defence budget - he continued. - We hear that the Eastern Shield is to be established, but we don't know how it will be financed. It was supposed to be financed from EU funds. Ladies and gentlemen, in the conclusions of the European summit, of the European Council meeting, there is no guaranteed financing for the Eastern Shield, therefore, what Donald Tusk spoke about has no basis. [...] Today at the press conference, we heard that next year, attention, 500 million PLN will be allocated to the Eastern Shield, from the budget, as I understand it, of the Ministry of National Defence [...]. Meanwhile, the current government itself stated that the Eastern Shield will cost 10 billion PLN, and in our opinion, this amount is too low to effectively strengthen the eastern border of our country [...]. We are submitting written questions, a whole set of questions to Prime Minister Donald Tusk, because today we can say that the Eastern Shield is an empty shell, it is a PR slogan - he added. - We want specific information on how the negotiations went, what the action plan was for obtaining these funds from the European Union, which is why we will request detailed information from the Prime Minister, as well as the position of the Ministry of National Defence on this matter, and notes on how discussions with our Western partners proceeded in this regard - said Andrzej Śliwka.

13:41

Kosiniak-Kamysz is actually Deputy Minister in Tomczyk's Ministry. Śliwka on the situation at the Ministry of National Defence
- There is such dysfunctionality in the Ministry of National Defence when it comes to making very important decisions for our security. It is no secret that Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz is not actually Deputy Prime Minister, but rather a Deputy Minister in Minister Tomczyk's department, because it is Minister Tomczyk, together with General Różański, who make these key decisions - said Andrzej Śliwka at a press conference.

13:49

Błaszczak on the investigative committee's actions:

I perceive it as persecution of Ziobro.
- I perceive it as persecution of Minister Zbigniew Ziobro by the ruling majority - Mariusz Błaszczak said at a press conference, when asked about the Pegasus investigative committee's request to experts for an opinion on when Zbigniew Ziobro can be questioned.

14:30

Sikorski on shooting down Russian missiles from Polish territory:

This would require strengthening patrols over Poland within the allied circle.

- This is not yet a matter for a summit, as it is only an idea being discussed in allied circles, but as you know, Russian missiles are violating our airspace and people are dying. One of the missiles, the famous one, landed 10 km from my house after flying through 2/3 of Poland, and when they are already over our territory, shooting them down is not without risk to our citizens, so I believe it would be both legally and reasonably sound to shoot down missiles that threaten our airspace from our territory. We would be acting in self-defense, but Poland does not want to take individual action here; it would require strengthening patrols over Poland within the allied circle – stated Radosław Sikorski in an interview with journalists.

16:42

"The Matter Must Be Closed in July." Kidawa-Błońska Announces a Provision That "Will Give Guarantees of the Polish State"

- Tomorrow we have the first culture committee meeting in the Senate, then another. I hope that in the coming weeks we will jointly prepare a solution, one provision, that will provide these guarantees for the Polish state. They must be concluded [work before the so-called parliamentary recess] because this directive is very important and we cannot wait to adopt it. So the matter must be closed in July - stated Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska at a press briefing.

16:46

Grodzki on senators' grievances:

Media protest encompasses 10% of all publishers.

- Media protest encompasses 10% of all publishers. Out of around 4,000, but I'm omitting that. However, it's a bit like this, because it makes me wonder why publishers, or the media environment broadly understood, didn't protest in front of the Sejm, before the Sejm session, but only woke up when trouble struck and came to the Senate. And senators, you must know this, you can write it, they have grievances that on July 4th, when the Senate had its holiday, when it was the 35th anniversary of the reborn Senate, none of the major publishing websites even uttered a single sentence about it being the Senate's holiday. The Senate feels disregarded, and when needed, suddenly everyone comes to us now – stated Tomasz Grodzki in an interview with Wprost.

17:18

Tusk Comments on Duda's Interview:

That's Not the President's Mission. Shame.

- To go to Washington for the NATO summit, only to spit on the Polish government in a televised interview and announce further vetoes. That's not the president's mission. Shame - Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on Twitter, referring to an interview with TVN24 in which the president announced, among other things, that he would not sign the abortion decriminalization bill.

18:03

Bodnar on the Difference Between Him and Giertych:

He Can Write Anything and Be Responsible for Nothing.

- I don't feel anything like that at all, nor do I experience such feelings. I am doing my job, I am the Attorney General, I cooperate very closely with the National Prosecutor. I have the impression that more and more significant matters are happening in the prosecution service, and the fact that someone there occasionally sends out one or two tweets on social media doesn't hold much significance for me - stated Adam Bodnar on TVP Info.

- I think the main difference between myself and Roman Giertych is that he can write anything and be responsible for nothing. Because he is a parliamentarian who is known for having a rather broad perspective on various issues and also for being quite active on social media. Meanwhile, everything I say, I later take responsibility for and bear political, as well as legal, responsibility for it - he continued.

18:06

Bodnar Outlines Plan for Work on Bill to Separate Justice Ministry and Prosecutor General Positions

- The separation [of the Minister of Justice and Prosecutor General positions] was prepared by a group of prosecutors working within the ministry and experts. It has already been reviewed by the codification commission for the judiciary and prosecution system, and now it will be entered into the government's legislative work plan. I believe it will likely be approved by the government around September, undergo all inter-ministerial and public consultations, and then we will continue to work on it in parliament - stated Adam Bodnar on TVP Info.

18:14

Bodnar on the Justice Fund:

The Matter is Developing.
Prokuratorzy zawsze mają taką odpowiedź, która myślę, że tutaj jest adekwatna, czyli że sprawa jest rozwojowa, że każdy kolejny dzień będzie przynosił rezultaty, bo zauważmy, jeżeli przez tyle lat było wydatkowanych tyle środków publicznych i to trochę zajmuje, żeby sprawdzić, kto dostawał, na jakich zasadach, czy to były konkursy ustawione czy też nie i na końcu kto za to ponosił ostateczną odpowiedzialność, czyli czy minister Ziobro o tym wiedział, akceptował, wyciągał wnioski - stwierdził Adam Bodnar w TVP Info.

19:15

Duda on the NATO Summit:

It's meant to show that we are together.

- This summit is of significant importance for strengthening allied ties, for showing the whole world that we are together, we stand firm, and we will withstand any danger. NATO is a defensive alliance; the summit wants to emphasize this very strongly, and will certainly do so. It attacks no one, but it will defend every inch of the North Atlantic Alliance's territory, and thus every state that belongs to the North Atlantic Alliance, against all threats. Today, without a doubt, the greatest threat is Russia, which attacked Ukraine without any justification – stated President Andrzej Duda at a press conference.

19:16

Duda:

I Hope This Summit Will Show That Ukraine's Path to NATO is Irreversible
I hope that this NATO summit, here in Washington, the jubilee NATO summit, will send a clear signal. Firstly, that Ukraine's path to NATO is irreversible. In the sense that NATO is essentially ready to accept Ukraine into its ranks, and the decision essentially concerns Ukrainian society, which must want this, but no one from the outside can block it – said President Andrzej Duda at a press conference. The discussion is actually around the moment when Ukraine will be admitted to NATO, not about the fact whether Ukraine should be admitted to NATO or not, because everyone knows perfectly well that the decision of Ukrainian society is respected here. Today, there is only one problem, namely that the war must end – he added.

19:44

Trzaskowski on Whether He Wants to Be President:

No One Can Doubt My Determination to Take on Challenges.
"When it comes to my determination to take on all sorts of challenges, no one can doubt that. However, we will be ready [to announce the presidential candidate] as Civic Platform, I am deeply convinced of this, in the autumn" – said Rafał Trzaskowski in an interview with Bogdan Rymanowski on the program "Gość Wydarzeń" (Guest of Events) on Polsat News, when asked if he wanted to be president.

19:50

Confederation Splits: Three MEPs Join Faction with AfD

Stanisław Tyszka announced on social media that he, along with Ewa Zajączkowska-Hernik and Marcin Sypniewski, will join a new European Parliament faction – 'Europe of Sovereign Nations', a group including Germany's Alternative for Germany (AfD). All three originate from Sławomir Mentzen's Nowa Nadzieja (New Hope) party.

"We decided that to more effectively fight for Poland's interests in the EP, it's better to create a group than to remain unaffiliated. In this group, we have also negotiated the strongest position. [...] We have much in common, sometimes we differ, but in international politics, to act effectively, one must try to build alliances," Tyszka wrote.

"We will, of course, cooperate closely with the other three Confederation MEPs. There is no split; we are fighting together for the good of Poland," he assured.



Earlier, Anna Bryłka ruled out joining a common faction with the AfD. "The stance of this party on Nord Stream I and Nord Stream II, and the statements of some members of the group that are directly contrary to Polish national interest, do not allow for building trust and constructive cooperation within one political group," wrote the Confederation MEP.



The remaining two Confederation MEPs, Tomasz Buczek and Grzegorz Braun, have not yet commented on their affiliation in the EP.

19:51

Trzaskowski:

The President has the right to make any decision he wishes, but he should wait for the verdict in the Sejm
- Firstly, I am surprised that the President is preempting what will happen in the Sejm, because the President, of course, has the right to make any decision he wishes, but out of respect for how the Sejm will make its decision, he should wait for that very verdict that will be delivered in the Sejm [...]. Secondly, it seemed to me that even some PiS politicians do not want this draconian [abortion] law that was introduced by PiS, which has led to the deaths of many mothers - said Rafał Trzaskowski on Polsat News. - I cannot imagine, I believe it is not good practice to immediately announce a veto without waiting for the Sejm's decision. The President should familiarize himself with the Sejm's decision, and afterwards, he naturally has the right to say, "I will make this decision or that one." Why preempt this debate, to what end? To send a signal that whatever happens today in the Sejm truly doesn't matter? - he continued.

19:57

Trzaskowski Asked About Shelter Construction:

I Have No Legal Basis, It's Not My Responsibility, It's the State's Responsibility.
- This government has only just very quickly developed such a [civil defense] act, it is ready and we are currently consulting it. [...] It will be the basis for this. I have no legal basis today to prepare evacuation plans - said Rafał Trzaskowski on Polsat News, when asked if Warsaw has defense plans (the issue of shelters, evacuation plans). - I have no legal basis, it is not my responsibility, it is the state's responsibility. I need a legal basis. What I have done is conducted an audit, even though no one ordered me to do so. We checked if we have shelter places, and we do have shelter places, because we are able to shelter in the metro and in underground parking lots - he continued, when pressed whether the city authorities cannot build shelters.

20:27

Siemoniak on Orbán: A Pathetic Pawn of Putin, Tearing Apart Western Unity, Siding with Evil
- I cannot comprehend this in any way. Hungary, so severely tested by the Soviet intervention in 1956. Orbán himself, coming from the anti-communist opposition, such was Fidesz once, today he is becoming a pathetic pawn of Russia - said Tomasz Siemoniak in an interview with Monika Olejnik on TVN24's "Kropka nad i" (The Dot Over the i). - I am surprised that such statements remain without echo in Hungary too; he should simply lose the upcoming elections. Meanwhile, he is tearing apart the unity of the West, the unity of NATO, the European Union. He should pay a price for this, because he is on the side of evil. He simply places himself on the side of evil - he emphasized.

20:35

Siemoniak:

Security Clearance Investigation Underway for Szatkowski
- A security clearance investigation, access to classified information for Tomasz Szatkowski, is currently underway. I will not comment on this matter; let the ABW [Internal Security Agency] control it. I believe building great emotions around this issue is unnecessary. The NATO summit is ongoing; let's focus on the NATO summit - said Tomasz Siemoniak on TVN24's 'Kropka nad i' program. - By decision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tomasz Szatkowski [...] simply did not go to the summit. It seems to me that it is also in his interest to have the matter thoroughly clarified. That is how the ABW will act - he continued.

20:41

Siemoniak:

Absurdal Accusations of Torturing Father Olszewski Serve Solely to Distract from One of the Biggest Scandals of the Third Polish Republic
- We are talking about three individuals suspected of grave crimes involving tens of millions of zlotys. These individuals have been arrested, and the court twice had no doubt that they must remain in custody because they face severe penalties. Three months are passing, as the events took place at the end of March, and suddenly a big fuss is made about the fact that allegedly both the priest and the officials of the Ministry of Justice were mistreated - said Tomasz Siemoniak on TVN24's "Kropka nad i". - We will clarify every fragment of this case. However, this attack at this moment and the absurd accusations of torture serve only and exclusively to somehow distract attention from the matter itself - from one of the biggest scandals in the Third Polish Republic, consisting of the fact that in the Ministry of Justice [...] there were people who are suspected of gigantic irregularities. The aforementioned priest also participated in this - he stated.

recommended

He's Ready to Form a Coalition with the Devil Just to Return to Power.

- Budka on Kaczyński

Hot Topic

Trump's Policy is Generally Good for Poland

- Kolarski

Hot Topic

He Underwent Self-Reflection.

- Czarnek on Morawiecki

Hot Topic

Tusk is Persona Non Grata in Washington Due to Puppyish Antics

- Cieszyński

Hot Topic

Europe Holds Strong Cards. It's High Time to Use Them.

- Sikorski Publishes Post Following Meeting of 'Coalition of the Willing' Leaders

news

Two Important Meetings Addressing Real Problems of Poles,

- Announces Head of the Presidential Cabinet

Hot Topic

Previous days

Dzisiaj

Wczoraj

10.12.2025

09.12.2025

08.12.2025

06.12.2025

05.12.2025

04.12.2025