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08/30/2024

07:46

Political Friday Outlook: Kaczyński's Press Conference on PKW Decision, Hołownia in Czech Republic

At 13:00 in Warsaw, a press conference will be held by the leader of PiS, Jarosław Kaczyński.

Marshal of the Sejm, Szymon Hołownia, began a two-day official visit to the Czech Republic yesterday. At 9:45, he will meet with the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, Markéta Pekarová, with whom he will deliver a statement to the media at 10:40. At 11:30, he will have a one-on-one meeting with the President of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, Miloš Vystrčil. Following this, at 14:20, Hołownia is scheduled to meet with the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel. The final item on the visit agenda is the Marshal of the Sejm's participation in a panel at the GLOBSEC Forum 2024, at 17:35.


08:03

Nowacka on the PKW's Decision:

And Even So, the PKW Was Very Lenient.

- I will quote a classic, Beata Szydło – you shouldn't have stolen. PiS deserved punishment for what they were up to. And even so, please note that the PKW was very lenient – stated Barbara Nowacka in an interview with Marcin Fijołek on Polsat News' "Graffiti".

- It checked expenditures only during the period of the actual election campaign. Not counting what happened earlier, expenditures related to the election campaign, for instance, from June, July. They are only counting the formal campaign period. What was happening was disgusting – the head of the Ministry of National Education continued.


08:07

Nowacka:

If PiS Has Any Shame, They Won't Appeal

- [PiS politicians] should be pleased that the National Electoral Commission (PKW) was so cautious. We are not pleased - stated Barbara Nowacka in Polsat News' "Graffiti".

- I believe Minister Domański should not disburse subsidies and grants to PiS. To the extent dictated by the PKW, although as you can see and hear, and also observe the public's emotions, it is still very lenient. If PiS has any shame, they will not appeal - continued the Minister of National Education.


08:08

Nowacka:

The National Electoral Commission (PKW) Approached the Law and Justice Party (PiS) Very Favorably

- It seems to me that each of us knows and feels that the PKW approached the Law and Justice party (PiS) very favorably. I have no doubt that they should not receive the money being paid out - stated Barbara Nowacka on Polsat News' "Graffiti".


08:11

Nowacka Announces Lawsuits Over Statements Regarding Campus

- I would advise Mr. Błaszczak not to say too much about Campus, because lawsuits are coming for what they are saying. A lot of untruths; we, as Campus, and I am one of the initiators of Campus from a few years ago, have not touched a single zloty of public money - stated Barbara Nowacka on Polsat News' "Graffiti".

- We already have several documents gathered; even yesterday's press conference has significant potential for meeting in court with Mr. Błaszczak - she added.


08:14

Mucha:

If the National Electoral Commission made such a decision, it is so well-reasoned that it will stand up in European courts
- I think the members of the National Electoral Commission did exactly what they should have done. I expected more or less similar decisions, more or less similar rulings – said Joanna Mucha in an interview with Arleta Zalewska on TVN24’s “One on One”. - I have pointed out many times […] that this ruling by the National Electoral Commission must later stand up in European courts. Because for certain, from yesterday onwards, we will now have a whole process of appeals. First to the Supreme Court, of course, then the question of what will happen if Minister Domański does not transfer these funds, what will be the further legal path. But at some stage, it will certainly end up in European courts – she assessed. - I am convinced that if the National Electoral Commission made this decision and not another, it is so deeply and thoroughly reasoned that it will stand up in European courts – she stated.

08:20

Mucha:

PiS Acts Like Children – They Do Something Wrong and Think They Won't Face Consequences
- Today's National Electoral Commission, today's prosecutor's office, today's courts pursue criminals, not PiS members. They pursue crimes, not people associated with a specific political option. PiS is deliberately undertaking a form of large-scale manipulation. These actions distract the public from what has been done: from crimes, corruption, and dishonesty - said Joanna Mucha in the program "Jeden na Jeden" on TVN24. - They simply treated public money as party funds, but not only that. After all, they abused their positions at public television, committed various kinds of transgressions against decency, the law, and so on. Today, they are behaving as if they will not face consequences for their actions. This is how immature people behave, this is how children behave. That is, they do something wrong and think they will not face consequences - she continued.

08:44

Bodnar on the Supreme Court Verdict:

Such a Ruling May Be Flawed.
I think we have to realize that such a ruling may be flawed, precisely because we have doubts whether it is a court at all. Please note that this is not only an assessment made by the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg, or even the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg in the Lech Wałęsa v. Poland case, but we also have three judges from this chamber who refused to adjudicate precisely because of their status. They said that until we regulate the status of this chamber in accordance with the constitution, we are withdrawing from adjudicating. These are Judge Bosek, Judge Żmij, and Judge Księżak – stated Adam Bodnar on PR24. My words carry a certain weight in this situation. However, I think that at this stage I could say that in this situation, of course, the Minister of Finance should very seriously consider what conclusions to draw if such a ruling is issued and its consequences – he continued.

08:44

Bodnar:

No Agreement with the President

- I think that, as the Prime Minister stated, it is a mistake [the Prime Minister's appointment of Judge Krzysztof Wesołowski to the Supreme Court Chamber], but I believe that the most important thing, regardless of what is happening, regardless of the various internal problems within the Supreme Court, is that we must properly regulate all of this, and nothing absolves us of this responsibility – said Adam Bodnar on PR24.

- There was absolutely no agreement here, and no new deal with the Presidential Office, so it's simply, and plainly put, a mistake – he added.


10:07

Bodnar Announces European Arrest Warrant for Kuczmierowski

- I understand that this is the line of defense that has begun to be presented [fair trial and ironclad letter]. [...]. Please note that this interview first appeared, if my memory serves me correctly, on the wPolityce.pl portal. It has only now emerged after, one could say, the die has been cast. That is, after the court first decided on temporary arrest and agreed to issue a wanted notice, and after this wanted notice appeared on the police headquarters website, only then did Mr. Michał Kuczmierowski appear – stated Adam Bodnar on PR24.

Bodnar: If the prosecution said A, they must say B
- Now, well, the procedure is as follows: further procedural actions will be taken. The prosecution, in this situation, if they have said A, must say B, which in this case is the request for a European Arrest Warrant – he emphasized.


11:19

Tusk Announces Guidelines on Abortion and Points to PSL:

We’re Opening Small Gates.
We have worked together with the Minister of Health and the Minister of Justice on guidelines that will change the reality of the situation, given that today, due to a different opinion on this matter from the PSL, we cannot secure a majority in the Sejm. However, we have decided, within the framework of the law which will likely remain in effect for some time, to change the reality,” stated Prime Minister Donald Tusk at a press conference. As the Prime Minister said: “I firmly believe that this moment will come sooner than some fear, and that there will be a change in the law, an unambiguous change in the law, which will respect the expectations and the fundamental rights of Polish women. At the moment, since we cannot open this gate wide due to the lack of a majority in the Sejm, we are opening small gates.” We have prepared guidelinesI don’t want this to sound ambiguous, but we are looking for ways of action, of course, in accordance with the law, that will practically enable access to legal abortion for women who, for various reasons, should have the right to such an abortion. That is why we have prepared guidelines,” he added. Tusk on PiS’s ObsessionNot only are the regulations terrible, but within the framework of these regulations, the entire state was set against women. A significant portion of doctors were intimidated by the legal provisions, the prosecutor’s office acted not as an institution supporting women in these dramatic situations, but in support of the ideology that is the source of PiS’s obsession and the legal decisions that PiS made,” the Prime Minister emphasized.

11:31

Tusk:

A Different Verdict from the PKW Would Have Been Hard to Expect After Such Overwhelming Evidence
I can say with great satisfaction that this work, which involved thoroughly documenting PiS's wrongdoings and abuses, has yielded results. It would have been difficult to expect a different verdict [from the PKW] after such overwhelming evidence. And the last sentence – this is not just a Polish problem; if a government, which everyone knows did bad things, is not held accountable after a political change, then that is devastating for democracy as such – stated Prime Minister Donald Tusk at a press conference.

11:33

Tusk:

The Real Problem for Polish Democracy Would Be If Power Went Unchecked for Obvious Wrongdoing
The real problem for Polish democracy would be if those in power did not face consequences for actions that are visible to the naked eye. If the entire public knows that someone has done very bad things, and then nothing happens as a result, that is the worst possible situation because it undermines the fundamental trust in democracy – stated Prime Minister Donald Tusk at a press conference.

11:36

Bodnar:

Guidelines Aim to Sensitize Prosecutors to Women's Situations in Abortion Cases
- The guidelines issued by the Prosecutor General concerning the conduct of prosecutors in cases related to abortion accessibility were issued on August 9. These are guidelines that have been prepared as a result of very intensive work by a team of prosecutors [...], they are the result of an analysis of 590 case files in these matters, Adam Bodnar said at a press conference. - What the goal of these guidelines is, is precisely to sensitize prosecutors, the prosecution, to these types of cases – to the special importance we should attach to the situation of a woman who finds herself in this difficult moment of her life. How the still-binding criminal law provisions should be applied so as not to lead to any additional victimization, additional humiliation, he continued.

11:49

Tusk:

PiS Has Crossed All Boundaries of Decency

- The problem is that PiS has crossed all boundaries of decency. Where it's legally difficult to draw a clear line, what's campaign-related, what's official duty, because objectively speaking, it's not simple, the more important it is to maintain the criteria of ordinary human decency - stated Prime Minister Donald Tusk at a press conference.


11:51

Tusk:

Electoral Law Needs Review

- We need to review the Electoral Law, we need to do everything to make it as objective and enforceable as possible, but in the end, when the PiS government wanted to steal, they stole. As you remember, either according to procedures, or not in accordance with them - stated Prime Minister Donald Tusk at a press conference.


11:51

Leszczyna on abortion guarantees in hospitals contracted with the National Health Fund:

It's in the basket of guaranteed services.

- If a medical entity requires a second doctor's opinion or the convening of a consultation, it should be considered an obstruction to accessing a medical procedure that is included in the basket of guaranteed services. A pregnant woman approaching a medical entity contracted with the National Health Fund with a certificate stating that her pregnancy is a threat to her health must receive the medical service of pregnancy termination there – said Izabela Leszczyna at a press conference.


11:51

Leszczyna announces abortion changes:

They are to ensure legal and health security.

- The guidelines developed in the Ministry of Health will, upon their announcement shortly after the press conference, be published on the Ministry of Health's website and will become the interpretation for doctors and healthcare facilities, an interpretation regarding the application of existing. As the Prime Minister pointed out, legal regulations. In fact, there are two objectives for announcing these guidelines: firstly, they are to ensure the health security of pregnant women, including those women who, for health reasons, do not wish to carry their pregnancy to term and expect its termination, and secondly, they are to ensure the legal security of doctors who will be applying these guidelines - stated Izabela Leszczyna at a press conference.


11:52

Tusk supports Deputy Prime Minister on Volhynia and Ukraine’s EU Membership:

Kosiniak-Kamysz is right.
- I have an unequivocally negative assessment of what the Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs said regarding both the interpretation of history and the issue of exhumations itself. Ukraine will have to meet Polish expectations one way or another, not in terms of digging into history, but in terms of building our relations based on the truth about that history - Prime Minister Donald Tusk said at a press conference. - The truth, and exhumation and a reliable assessment of what happened during and immediately after World War II is essential - these are necessary elements to establish good Polish-Ukrainian relations - he added. - Deputy Prime Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz did not discover America. Ukraine will not be a member of the EU without Poland's consent. Ukraine must meet standards, and they are multifaceted. […] Ukraine and Ukrainians - with our great respect and support in their military struggle - must also understand that entry into the EU also means entering an area of standards concerning political culture and historical culture - he continued. - Prime Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz is right - as long as there is no respect for these standards from the Ukrainian side, Ukraine will certainly not become part of the European family - he emphasized.

11:54

Tusk Distances Himself from Bukowiec's Deputy Minister Nomination:

I Notified Our PSL Partners.

- A couple of times I pointed out to our partners from the PSL that they should pay more attention to various, not just strictly substantive, aspects and qualities of their candidates for office. I believe it is very unfortunate from the perspective of all of us standing here, who have a clear opinion on women's rights and the right to legal abortion, that one of the deputy ministers is a person who, passively perhaps, not necessarily as a leader of this process, but participated in restricting women's rights. This is certainly inappropriate. I will discuss this further with President Kosiniak-Kamysz - stated Prime Minister Donald Tusk at a press conference.


12:00

Tusk:

It's Bad When New Electoral Code Provisions Are Passed Right Before Elections and Applied

- The Electoral Code, when it's evident that it's not working well or requires changes, should be amended. But it is a bad sign when new provisions in the Electoral Code, or electoral law in general, are passed right before some elections and are applied in those upcoming elections. You know what I'm talking about. So that there isn't the impression that electoral law, the Electoral Code, is being worked on in order to increase one's own chances - stated Prime Minister Donald Tusk at a press conference.


12:00

Tusk Announces Redrawing of Electoral Districts for Demographic Reasons

- We will certainly have to do something that hasn't been done for years, despite the recommendations of the National Electoral Commission. Even this, I apologize for the word, PiS-affiliated commission, meaning the one operating under PiS rule, so these are corrections to the boundaries of electoral districts for demographic reasons. But fortunately, this is objectified by statistics, numbers, demographics, it only requires a decision by the Sejm - stated Prime Minister Donald Tusk at a press conference.


12:15

Tusk:

Pełczyńska-Nałęcz's Statements on 0% Mortgage Are Imprecise. I Will Expect Explanations
- I have seen Minister Pełczyńska-Nałęcz's social media posts regarding the 0% mortgage and funds in the budget for this project. The minister's statements on this matter are imprecise and the facts are different, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said at a press conference. - I will expect an explanation from the minister as to why she interpreted our decision, in which she participated, in a very imprecise manner. And the decision was obvious and clear to everyone – that we have billions of zlotys in reserve for housing and construction, and that depending on which project garners the most votes, which project appears most effective, that will determine how much money we allocate to which project, he stated. - Regarding the work on the so-called zero mortgage […] – it is actually the most advanced and is already being processed within the government. In this sense, it is exactly the opposite – there are funds for various forms of housing support, including the zero mortgage, he added.

12:18

Abortion Changes: Leszczyna States Psychiatric Certificate is Sufficient Premise

- Returning to the threat to a woman's health and life – these are two separate premises. This means that the existence of just one of them is a sufficient premise for terminating a pregnancy. Moreover, the law does not specify that it refers to physical, somatic health; it speaks generally about the concept of health. Therefore, if a woman approaches a psychiatrist, and that psychiatrist, who holds a license to practice medicine, deems that the woman's pregnancy is a threat to her health, her mental health, then this statement, such a certificate from the doctor, which the woman presents to a medical facility, to a gynecological-obstetric ward, is, in light of current law, a sufficient premise for terminating the pregnancy – stated Izabela Leszczyna at a press conference.


13:43

Kaczyński:

A Scandalous Decision by the National Electoral Commission. The Law, Including the Constitution, Has Ceased to Apply in Poland
- The decision [by the National Electoral Commission regarding PiS's financial report] is scandalous. [...] What are the motives behind this entire action by Civic Platform? They can be easily reconstructed. At this moment, one can speak of a certain shift in public mood, and this is not a shift that is beneficial to the current authorities. The danger of losing in case of normal electoral procedures, under normal rules [...], is very serious. First and foremost, it concerns the presidential elections - said Jarosław Kaczyński at a press conference. - These actions have many legal shortcomings, but you know: the law, as we understand it. At this moment, one can say that in Poland, the law, including the Constitution, has ceased to apply - he added.

13:45

Błaszczak Announces Donations from PiS Parliamentarians
PiS parliamentarians will be financially supporting the PiS party through donations starting in September. Senators and Sejm deputies will contribute a minimum of PLN 1000 monthly, while MEPs will contribute a minimum of PLN 5,000. We are demonstrating that it is extremely important to resist the evil that has befallen Poland, stated Mariusz Błaszczak at a PiS press conference.

13:45

Kowalczyk Provides Data on Contributions to Date:

Very Significant Amounts.
Today alone, we've had nearly 3,000 contributions over several hours, speaking of the quantity of contributions, amounting to over 500,000. It's evident that these are not excessively large sums when viewed in total, but they are very significant – stated Henryk Kowalczyk at a PiS press conference.

13:46

Kaczyński:

The principle of equality was demonstratively violated
- Here, the principle of equality was demonstratively violated. The very first decision to approve the reports of all parties except PiS was made when the legal situation of all these formations was the same: there were reservations regarding all of them, and in all cases these reservations did not reach the sum of 1% of expenses, meaning they were negligible, and thus not grounds for rejecting the report. Only others' reports were recognized, and ours was not, and the decision was postponed - said Jarosław Kaczyński at a press conference.

13:50

Kaczyński:

We See an Attempt to Eliminate the Opposition. This is the Path Lukashenka and Putin Once Took
- A principle has been adopted which, in its consequences – in this case, the consequence is the deprivation of funding, because in the next step, which they are already talking about, it is to be complete deprivation of funding – leads to the rejection of democratic principles – said Jarosław Kaczyński at a press conference. - Because where there is no opposition, and this means in practice an attempt – I repeat: an attempt, because we will manage – but an attempt to eliminate the only substantive opposition party, and certainly the only strong opposition party, is nothing other than the path that Lukashenka and Putin once took – he stated.

13:56

"I Appeal to All Polish Patriots." Kaczyński: We Need Societal Help
- We will fight, but at this moment we need help from society - financial help. Of course, everything must be done legally, these must be legal contributions […]. It cannot be the case, because it has already happened, that it is a contribution to the "fight against the Tusk regime," or something to that effect. We must return such contributions - said Jarosław Kaczyński at a press conference. - The income we had thanks to state financing of political parties […], we believe, will simply be completely taken away from us. But we are prepared for that too - he declared. The PiS chairman made an appeal: - I appeal to all Polish patriots, to all who supported us in the recent elections, to transfer even small sums, like 10 PLN, to our account. All of this can add up to truly decent amounts that will allow us to continue our regular party activities, but above all, to conduct the presidential campaign, because that is currently the priority.

13:59

Kaczyński on Merging PiS and SP:

It’s Being Taken Very Seriously.

- All the more so because there are plans for the parties to merge, the question is just when, whether now, in September, or perhaps a little later, but it is being taken very seriously – stated Jarosław Kaczyński at a PiS press conference.


14:07

Kaczyński:

We are heading towards autocracy meant to subjugate us to foreign rule
- We have crossed another boundary. There have been several such boundaries, and they have been crossed. At this moment, the direction of this march towards autocracy, which is meant to subjugate us to foreign rule, is completely obvious. We will fight against it, but we need to gain public support here - stated Jarosław Kaczyński at a press conference.

14:16

Kaczyński:

Thanks to the initiative of paying a few groszy to burden us, we will know where Silni Razem are
- An initiative is being prepared where a few groszy will be paid to us, to make our situation more difficult, with some additional notes. We will, of course, have to return it, the point is to burden us with it. But we will benefit from it, we will be able to - because it needs to be signed - know where Silni Razem are - said Jarosław Kaczyński at a press conference.

14:23

Kaczyński:

Declarations of not recognizing this chamber of the Supreme Court mean this government is illegal

- These declarations that we do not recognize this chamber of the Supreme Court are paradoxical declarations, because it means that we do not recognize this Sejm. After all, it was this chamber [the Chamber of Extraordinary Control and Public Affairs] that approved these elections. Therefore, in a legal sense, this Sejm does not exist, and neither does the government. Everything is illegal, and I think this is, from the perspective of this government, building a very dangerous situation, but dangerous for them. In any case, we are counting on the court's justice – said Jarosław Kaczyński at a press conference.
Kaczyński: Today we have a state without a constitution
- However, we know that this government is ready to not execute judgments, and this is one of those elements of the practical disappearance of law, the practical disappearance of the constitution. We have a country without a constitution, without laws today – he added.


14:28

Kaczyński on Campus Participants:

It would be good if they didn’t poison social life.
The entire Campus Polska is one big undertaking and unconnected with any positive initiatives. Well, just this current Campus with those songs that you know, shows who is gathering there, what kind of culture it is, who these people are, and how, let’s say, it would be good if they didn’t participate in social life. Because the level of these people, well, it simply poisons life terribly – stated Jarosław Kaczyński at a press conference.

18:07

Hołownia on the 0% loan:

There is no majority in the coalition for this project.

- For us - no changes. Polska 2050 will not support the 0% loan. We will not vote for subsidies for banks and developers. In Poland, there is no need to stimulate demand for housing, but rather to wisely support its supply. Therefore, there is no majority in the coalition for this project - wrote Szymon Hołownia on social media.


20:24

Morawiecki on the National Electoral Commission's Decision:

A Political Verdict on Tusk's Order.
- This is an absolutely political decision, a political verdict solely at the disposal, one could say at the order, of Prime Minister Tusk. We remember how he threatened the members of the National Electoral Commission through such veiled words, telling them to remember what decision must be made - said Mateusz Morawiecki in an interview with Danuta Holecka on Telewizja Republika.

20:31

Tomczyk Reveals Arrival Date of First F-35 Jets to Poland

- They will appear in Poland [F-35 jets] at the beginning of 2026, however, they are already in Poland's possession today and Polish pilots will fly them, but in the United States. This is so that our best of the best can adapt to these aircraft – stated Cezary Tomczyk on the program 'Fakty po faktach' on TVN24.


20:31

Morawiecki:

PKW Members Aim to Eliminate the Opposition. When There's No Opposition, We Have a Semi-Dictatorial System
- I believe that by doing so, these members of the National Electoral Commission (PKW) are trying to do everything to eliminate the opposition. If there is no opposition, there is, in reality, no democracy. They want to starve us, to destroy us. And if there is no opposition, then we are entering something akin to an authoritarian, semi-dictatorial system. I know these are strong words, I try not to overuse them, but that's how I see it - said Mateusz Morawiecki on TV Republika.

20:32

Tomczyk:

The National Electoral Commission is About Law and Justice Today

- I think that the National Electoral Commission is primarily about law and justice, because that is probably the most important thing we are talking about today. I wonder to myself when I listen to Morawiecki or Kaczyński, whether they truly believed that one could steal with impunity, that one could commit financial malversations with impunity, that one could lie with impunity, that one could build an entire propaganda machine with public money – stated Cezary Tomczyk on TVN24.


20:34

Tomczyk on Accusations Regarding Campus:

Never Financed by State Funds.

- Firstly, Campus Polska Przyszłości has never been financed by state funds, that's the first thing. Secondly, Campus Polska Przyszłości is not affiliated with any political party; it's a foundation with diverse individuals from various political parties, as visible in every possible broadcast. Therefore, I think these accusations are misplaced. However, I will add another argument that should be made here: every participant of the Campus, during the election campaign, received instructions, an email informing them of an absolute ban on electoral agitation – stated Cezary Tomczyk on TVN24.


20:44

Morawiecki:

Let's Show We Are a Great Patriotic Community. Let's Give Tusk the Kozakiewicz Salute
- They want to cook up hell for us. But we will go through this hell; I am convinced that it will only strengthen us. […] I also want to ask Poles to show that we are more than a political party. That we are a great patriotic community, a great social force, a social movement that will not allow fundamental democratic mechanisms to be destroyed, the political circles that, in effect, have led to Poland being able to continue to develop today - said Mateusz Morawiecki on TV Republika. - Dear compatriots, let's give Tusk the Kozakiewicz salute - he added.

20:53

Morawiecki:

If the ruling party doesn't recognize the Supreme Court's chamber, they don't recognize the election results
- It was the Chamber of Extraordinary Control and Public Affairs of the Supreme Court that certified the validity of the October 15th elections. So, let them [the ruling party] think carefully about what they are saying, because if they don't recognize the validity of this chamber, it means they don't recognize the validity of the elections, based on which they are exercising their nefarious power today - said Mateusz Morawiecki on Telewizja Republika.

20:59

Morawiecki on Running for President:

I Haven't Made a Decision Yet.
- I haven't made a decision regarding myself yet. And besides, I wouldn't rush the choice too much, I would wait until our competitors choose their candidates [for president]. [...] More or less by the end of November or December - said Mateusz Morawiecki on TV Republika. - I wouldn't rush this choice. At this moment, it's still too early, it's the end of August, to announce our candidacies. We are conducting research and so on - he continued.