Sejm to Debate Nuclear Power Plant Construction, E-cigarette Excise Tax, Hate Speech, Asylum Suspension, Immunities, No-Confidence Vote for Kotula, and Ziombra's Arrest

A two-day session of the Sejm will commence at 10:00 AM. The first item on the agenda will be the second reading of the government's bill to allocate funds for the construction of Poland's first nuclear power plant. The company Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe is set to receive PLN 60.2 billion between 2025 and 2030.

At 11:30 AM, MPs will consider the committee's report on the government's draft bill to introduce excise tax on: reusable electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products, nicotine pouches, and other nicotine products. Subsequently, at 12:45 PM, the second reading of the government's amendment to the Tax Ordinance will take place, aiming to align Polish law with the rulings of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).

A second reading of the government's bill to amend the Penal Code concerning hate speech and hate crimes is scheduled for 2:00 PM. The proposal aims to expand the catalog of offenses to include crimes motivated by discrimination based on age, disability, gender, and sexual orientation. These will be punishable under analogous principles to those already established in regulations (based on national, ethnic, racial, political, religious, or non-confessional affiliation).

At 3:00 PM, the second reading of the government-adopted draft amendment to the Act on Maritime Areas of the Republic of Poland and Maritime Administration will begin. Meanwhile, at 4:00 PM, the second reading of a government bill will commence, which – as announced last year – provides for the possibility of temporarily suspending the right to apply for asylum and introduces additional grounds for revoking refugee status. The bill, according to the government, is a response to the phenomenon of migration instrumentalization, employed since 2021 on the Polish-Belarusian border.

At 5:15 PM, a block of committee reports on requests to lift immunities will begin – first for Paweł Kukiz, followed by Waldemar Jan Sługocki (5:30 PM), Anita Kucharska-Dziedzic (5:45 PM), and Zbigniew Ziombra (6:00 PM). At 6:15 PM, MPs will consider the Pegasus parliamentary committee's motion to authorize the arrest of the former Minister of Justice to ensure his appearance at the committee session, and at 6:30 PM – the prosecutor's motion to lift the immunity and detain and temporarily arrest Marcin Romanowski.

From 6:45 PM to 8:30 PM, the Sejm will debate the motion of no confidence in the Minister of Equality, Katarzyna Kotula. From 8:30 PM to 9:00 PM, a voting block will take place, and from 9:00 PM to midnight, second readings of government bills aimed at implementing EU law (concerning, among others, agriculture) will continue.

Sejm Committees

The Committee on Rules of Procedure, MP Affairs, and Immunities will begin its deliberations at 10:00 AM, considering the aforementioned requests concerning Zbigniew Ziombra and Marcin Romanowski.

At 5:00 PM, the National Defense Committee will convene, during which the Ministers of National Defense and Interior and Administration will present information on Operation “Secure Podlasie.” Subsequently, at 7:00 PM, the Minister of National Defense will provide information regarding the “disappearance of 240 anti-tank mines in the summer of 2024.”

Nawrocki on the Campaign Trail

Karol Nawrocki, the candidate for president supported by PiS, is currently in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. A press conference and signature collection are scheduled for 12:00 PM in Brodnica. At 3:30 PM, he will visit the transport company ARTTRANS in Konotop. A meeting with a rural women's club is planned for 4:30 PM in Kikół, and at 6:30 PM – a meeting in Włocławek.

PiS Conferences

A press conference featuring Przemysław Czarnek and Janusz Kowalski will be held at 11:00 AM. PiS MPs will also hold press conferences in the Sejm: at 9:00 AM, Robert Telus, Krzysztof Ciecióra, Anna Gembicka, and Paweł Szrot will speak; at 11:30 AM, PiS club leader Mariusz Błaszczak, party spokesperson Rafał Bochenek, and Zbigniew Kuźmiuk will hold a conference; and at 4:30 PM – Bartłomiej Wróblewski and other parliamentarians.

Duda in Podkarpacie

President Andrzej Duda will be visiting Ropczyce in the Podkarpacie Voivodeship. At 4:15 PM, he will participate in a ceremony awarding state decorations for social and local government activities, and at 5:00 PM, he will meet with residents of the Ropczyce-Sędziszów poviat.

– There was a communication problem with the Polish Space Agency, which did not effectively transmit this information to us earlier, and this was clarified yesterday. In a situation where we received information from our EU allies about this rocket or other object that might appear today, the spokesperson for the Minister of Interior and Administration, who is responsible for communication in this matter, has already informed about it – stated Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz in “Rozmowa Piaseckiego” on TVN24.

– We checked it. The [Polish Space Agency] sent an email that has been outdated for half a year. This is a serious matter, Minister Paszyk, who supervises [the agency], did not appoint the head of the agency, but is taking appropriate steps today. I don't know, because there is a fixed term [for the position] and this was not a choice made during our tenure, but communication certainly needs to be improved and the matter clarified – he continued.

– There would be no fighting Ukraine without Poland's help. 100% of today's aid to Ukraine is going through Poland. If we hadn't transferred our resources over these 3 years, our equipment – others transferred helmets, we transferred tanks – there would be no fighting Ukraine today – stated Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz in "Rozmowa Piaseckiego" on TVN24.

– We wouldn't be discussing peace today, because it wouldn't have endured until this moment, so this motto is being realized, and in my opinion, it is Poland's role to provide infrastructural, medical, and logistical security, and to strengthen NATO's eastern flank. We cannot weaken NATO's eastern flank at a time when there is such a serious threat from Belarus – the Deputy Prime Minister continued.

– Beyond the conclusion, I believe, of a just peace someday, there will be no peace without Poland. There will be no peace without Poland – stated Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz in "Rozmowa Piaseckiego" on TVN24.

– I believe that states bordering Russia are not best suited to be stabilizers on the Ukrainian-Russian border. In my opinion, Poland must be part of the process, will be part of the process, and has an important role to play. A role other than direct presence – the Minister of National Defence continued.

– Europe for 30 years believed it would be in a state of eternal peace. There is no eternal peace. Eternal peace is guaranteed by only one thing – the strength of its armies, alliances, and its citizens. There are no other guarantees, and this requires money – stated Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz in the "Piasecki's Conversation" on TVN24.

– In President Zelensky's shoes, I would take better care of my relations with the Donald Trump administration, just as, in the shoes of Donald Tusk and Sikorski, I would take better care of relations with the United States than with Macron or Germany – said Przemysław Czarnek in an interview with Marcin Fijołek on Polsat News's "Graffiti".

– It seems to me that it would be of greater benefit to Ukraine, which I support and will always help, because it is in my vital interest, as well as yours and every Pole's, that Russia does not win against Ukraine – he emphasized.

– Donald Trump looks after the interests of the United States. President Zelensky should look after the interests of Ukraine, and those relations should be warmer, not an exchange of this kind of deference, especially from Ukraine's position, which – let's be frank – is in a worse situation than the USA – he assessed.

– Perhaps it really wasn't necessary to do that [applaud Trump in the Sejm]; it was a spontaneous reaction. However, from our perspective, that of Poland, Europe, and the world, Donald Trump's victory is a hundred times better for the world than Kamala Harris's – said Przemysław Czarnek on Polsat News's 'Graffiti'.

– I think so [we need an additional Sejm session], I think it's an important initiative, I think creating a space for parliamentarians to talk with each other in secure conditions… this should be exclusively public – said Adam Bodnar in the "Morning Interview" on RMF FM, when asked about an additional Sejm session dedicated to security matters.

– Of course [people] have the right to know, however, there are different levels of knowledge; if deliberations on such a topic are organized in a public manner, it will simply turn into one big political discussion – he continued.

– If you look at the polls in Poland, the vast majority of Poles wish for the swiftest possible end to the hostilities in Ukraine. This does not mean making peace at any cost. It means calming down, suspending military action, so that Ukrainians can live normally and stop dying. […] And what the peace negotiations will be like, in which direction they will go, how they will end, and when – that is already a secondary matter – said Przemysław Czarnek on Polsat News's "Graffiti".

– Today, only Donald Trump and his victory have made it possible to even begin these negotiations. Leftist Europe is raging because it led to this war itself, because it fed Putin for over a decade, doing business with him, building Nord Stream, and also doing business regarding military equipment – he stated.

– They nurtured this Putin, and then they didn't even take one step to stop Putin from aggressing against poor Ukraine. Then they waited for Russia to occupy Ukraine within a week, and only now are they waking up and saying "Holy Mother, what has happened" – he added.

– I don’t have such knowledge, but please note that all these solutions we have in Polish law are the result of a decision taken at the European Union level – said Adam Bodnar in RMF FM, when asked if Poland, like the Czech Republic, is considering ceasing the automatic granting of residence permits and other rights to migrants from Ukraine.

– Generally, I believe that in such situations, where possible, we should strive for joint decisions at the EU level – he continued.

– There is no need [to request detention], because in a situation where a European Arrest Warrant has been issued, it is entered into the relevant systems, and in such a situation, he must be detained and subjected to the appropriate procedure by other member states. However, it is a bit like Mr. Romanowski has put himself in such golden, Hungarian handcuffs, meaning he has to be in Hungary – said Adam Bodnar on RMF FM.

– Ukraine did not start this war. Russia started this war in a bestial manner. Any statements, regardless of who utters them, whether it be Trump, Putin, Macron, Scholz, or anyone else, that Ukraine started the war, are absurd statements and one cannot agree with them – said Przemysław Czarnek on Polsat News’s “Graffiti.”

– The selection of this bill, we are working very intensively on it now, a very important meeting took place this week with representatives of the codification commission for the judiciary and prosecution system and legal authorities […] the decision will be made, I think, by mid-March, because what I still need to do in this context are meetings with individual parliamentary clubs – said Adam Bodnar in RMF FM, when asked when the final decision on selecting the draft bill concerning the so-called neo-judges will be made.

– I need to discuss with PSL, Poland 2050, and The Left, which solution will have a parliamentary majority, because these projects differ not so much in their effects, as the effect is quite similar, but in the way it is carried out and the timeframe for its implementation – he continued.

– That’s in one poll. We also have our own polls and we are not particularly worried about the so-called 4.5% [separating Nawrocki and Mentzen], which were probably not even included in Braun's result – said Przemysław Czarnek in “Graffiti” on Polsat News.

– I am genuinely very pleased that the right-wing is gaining strength. However, our candidate is doing very well, he has already visited half of the districts. […] March 2nd – the program conference of our candidate, a new opening and further things that will cause our candidate to grow – he stated.

– I see no reason why I should be outraged; this is a matter between Trump and Zelensky. I am not going to be outraged because one president called the other one ugly names – said Sławomir Mentzen in an interview with Bogdan Rymanowski on the programme ‘Gość Radia ZET’, when asked if he was outraged by Donald Trump's words, who called the President of Ukraine a ‘dictator without elections’.

– Absolutely not [I would not send Polish troops to Ukraine]. Even today, I am filing a draft resolution with the Sejm obligating the government not to send Polish soldiers to Ukraine, as it is against Poland's interest. Poland cannot send a single soldier to Ukraine – Sławomir Mentzen stated on Radio ZET.

– I don't believe that Europe will defend us. Firstly, they won't want to, and secondly, they won't have the means. I have more faith in America's commitments than in Western Europe's – Sławomir Mentzen stated on Radio ZET.

– I have an idea […] to treat people of retirement age like students for tax purposes, meaning zero income tax, zero social security contributions, so that people want to work – said Sławomir Mentzen on Radio ZET.

– The matter is obvious, there have already been several polls indicating that I have a better chance against Rafał Trzaskowski in the second round than Karol Nawrocki, which means that PiS voters thinking tactically should vote for me in the first round – said Sławomir Mentzen on Radio ZET.

– This motion will be voted on. There was no voice of opposition to my decision at the Sejm Presidium, so today we will be deciding on a warrant for Zbigniew Ziobro's arrest, who is clearly mocking the Polish state. Regardless of who governs and leads the state, one must not mock the state – stated Szymon Hołownia at a press briefing in the Sejm.

– Fortunately, property prices have recently started to fall, and as we can see, someone has started to intervene in this direction to make them rise again. Now, the plan is that while previously property prices were primarily inflated in large cities, now the ministry wants to share this boon of expensive housing with smaller towns as well – Sławomir Mentzen said on Radio ZET, when asked about the 'First Keys' program.

– I will oppose any project that leads to an increase in housing prices. […] I truly do not understand what reasons, other than corrupt ones, could lead the Ministry of Development and Technology to constantly think only about how to pad the pockets of banks and developers – he continued.

– At this moment, the president says he will only assess a given bill once it lands on his desk, and then he can either accept it entirely, reject it, or send it to the Constitutional Tribunal. I will do things differently. I will convene the Cabinet Council every two weeks, or even every week if necessary; the entire government will come to me – Sławomir Mentzen said on Radio ZET.

– I will question each minister one by one about what they are currently working on, what draft bills they have, and what their provisions are. And I will tell them immediately: if this provision remains, or if it is not changed as I want, you can work on it to no avail, because I won't sign it anyway – he continued.

– Thanks to this, as president, I will effectively lead the government's work and immediately state what they can and cannot work on, because it is completely senseless. This way, for the first time, the president will have influence on the legislative process in Poland, on law-making, on the government's directions of action – he went on to say.

“Are Nawrocki and PiS speaking Russia’s language? In Russia, they are quoting Nawrocki. They immediately latched onto his words about Ukraine,” says the narrator in Rafał Trzaskowski’s campaign video. His words are interspersed with fragments of statements from the PiS-backed presidential candidate.

Pokój musi być oparty na prawdzie. Nie na powielaniu kremlowskiej propagandy. Wojna na Ukrainie to #WojnaPutina pic.twitter.com/P5WXt6fOyA

— Trzaskowski2025 (@Trzaskowski2O25) February 20, 2025

– We will definitely have a closed-door Sejm session on March 6th, if I remember correctly, due to the vote on the motion regarding MP Błaszczak's [immunity removal]. This entire procedure is already being prepared – stated Szymon Hołownia at a press briefing in the Sejm.

– If there is indeed something concrete to convey, then of course I am open to it. It's then the decision of the Sejm Presidium to propose it to the chamber, the chamber approves secrecy, and we can do it. Only we need something to deliberate on – stated Szymon Hołownia at a press briefing in the Sejm.

As he indicated: – Let's wait until the National Security Council (RBN) meeting on Monday and see. If there is a need [for additional Sejm debates on the security topic], then fine. However, I don't fetishize this tool, because we provide this tool, and you know how much it costs to prepare the Sejm for closed-door proceedings, and then those who are most interested still don't show up.

– The issue of sending Polish troops to Ukraine has emerged. While Prime Minister Donald Tusk and the Minister of National Defence are saying there is no such topic and that Poland will not send these soldiers, the French are saying there is a cross-party agreement in Poland to only launch this topic after the presidential elections – said Sławomir Mentzen in the Sejm.

– To settle this matter, to make everything clear, I have prepared a draft resolution calling on the government not to send troops to Ukraine. Such a resolution will be a very good argument in Donald Tusk's hands when he negotiates with the West – he will be able to say that he might want to, but the Polish Sejm forbids him to do so – argued the Confederation MP, submitting a motion to adjourn the session and supplement the agenda.

“This Resolution is Necessary”
Then Andrzej Śliwka took the floor: – This draft resolution needs to be processed quickly. PiS is strongly against sending Polish troops to Ukraine. To send troops to Ukraine, a Council of Ministers' motion and the president's consent are required. Karol Nawrocki clearly states that he is against sending Polish troops to Ukraine – said the PiS MP.

– And what does the leftist activist Rafał Trzaskowski say? Trzaskowski will do whatever Donald Tusk and European leaders want. This resolution is needed because you have deceived more than once [...], you will deceive here in the same way. Quick processing of this resolution is necessary – he stated.

Ultimately, the MPs rejected the motion to adjourn the session. 176 MPs voted in favour, 239 against, and 6 abstained. The entire Confederation club and 158 PiS MPs supported the motion, while 14 PiS MPs voted with the ruling coalition, and 2 abstained.

– The smiling coalition has just rejected my motion for a vote on a resolution calling on the government not to send the Polish Army to Ukraine – Sławomir Mentzen wrote on the X portal.

– Why? Do they really want to do it right after the elections? – asked the Confederation candidate for president.

– Not a single Polish soldier can go to Ukraine! We will not allow it! – he emphasized.

Uśmiechnięta koalicja właśnie odrzuciła mój wniosek o głosowanie w sprawie uchwały wzywającej rząd do niewysyłania Wojska Polskiego na Ukrainę!

Dlaczego? Naprawdę chcą to zrobić zaraz po wyborach?

Na Ukrainę nie może trafić ani jeden polski żołnierz! Nie pozwolimy na to!

— Sławomir Mentzen (@SlawomirMentzen) February 20, 2025

– The matter being raised, and which was also raised a moment ago [in the Sejm]. Poland will not send Polish soldiers to Ukraine, I want to say this clearly and distinctly. And the Polish government does not need to be urged to do so, because this is the position of the Polish government – said Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz in the Sejm.

– This is the position presented by Prime Minister Tusk, this is my position as the Minister of National Defence, this is the position of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, also presented abroad – he indicated.

“I ask those who are currently complaining about Europe’s weakness to finally decide whether the Union should be a free trade zone or a power capable of resisting Putin. Free trade zones do not have defensive capabilities,” wrote Radosław Sikorski on X.

Tych, którzy dzisiaj narzekają na słabość Europy proszę aby się wreszcie zdecydowali czy Unia ma być strefą wolnego handlu czy mocarstwem zdolnym do dania odporu Putinowi.
Strefy wolnego handlu nie mają zdolności obronnych.

— Radosław Sikorski ???? (@sikorskiradek) February 20, 2025

– During the Law and Justice government's tenure, taxes were lower. [...] We managed to reduce the income tax in both brackets, in both groups, from 17% to 12% for the lowest income group, and we increased the tax-free amount from 3,000 to 30,000 PLN [...] we can say that in 2022, Poles had 50 billion PLN more in their pockets – said Mariusz Błaszczak at a press conference.

– During the 2023 election campaign, Donald Tusk promised to introduce an increase in the tax-free amount to 60,000 PLN. [...] He did not fulfill this promise; he deceived public opinion in the autumn of 2023. Because we consider the idea itself justified, we submitted a relevant bill on this matter last May, during Donald Tusk's first 100 days in government. This bill has been frozen – he continued.

– We believe that the tax-free amount should be 60,000 PLN, which is why such a bill [...] should be discussed in a Sejm session. I have asked Marshal Hołownia for this today – he went on to say.

– I recently read with interest in Newsweek about my alleged presence at Karol Nawrocki's campaign staff meeting. With interest, because it's a completely fabricated story. It's the same old method we've known for years, but it's worth reminding everyone about it – especially members and supporters of our formation – Jarosław Kaczyński wrote on social media.

– Today, we are observing an operation designed to sow doubt and strip us of our determination. This tactic has always been used against us; we've faced all sorts of insinuations and attempts to drive a wedge between us – and yet we have won many times. And it always involved enormous effort from all of us. But the stakes today – the future of Poland – have never been higher. We must do everything to win – and we will win. Karol Nawrocki must triumph – emphasized the PiS leader.

Z zainteresowaniem przeczytałem ostatnio w Newsweeku o mojej rzekomej obecności na spotkaniu sztabu Karola Nawrockiego. Z zainteresowaniem, bo to całkowicie wymyślona historia. Ta sama stara metoda, którą znamy od lat, ale warto o niej przypomnieć – szczególnie członkom i…

— Jarosław Kaczyński (@OficjalnyJK) February 20, 2025

– I am asking Minister Paszyk, when will we discuss the cadastral tax. It is election campaign time, I understand that the current ruling coalition does not want to talk about many projects […] Mr. Paszyk does not want to take a clear stance on the cadastral tax – said Rafał Bochenek at a press conference.

– So when are we supposed to talk about it, when the presidential elections are over and, God forbid, Rafał Trzaskowski becomes the President of the Republic of Poland, and then they will want to introduce such harmful solutions that hit household budgets? The cadastral tax on real estate is nothing more than a tax on the value of real estate – he continued.

– It is being said that in many European countries, this cadastral tax […] ranges from 0.1% to even 3% of the property's value. This is a gigantic blow to Poles' household budgets, an increase in the cost of living, and it will lead to many Poles simply being left penniless – he went on to say.

– Let's assume 15,000 [zł] per meter, for a 100-square-meter house or apartment, someone currently, today […] pays a maximum of 119 zł per year. And what will happen when the idea is realized […] if a cadastral tax at the level of just 1% is introduced […] for a house or apartment with an area of 100 m2, the annual cadastral tax will be 15,000 zł – he added.

– This will lead to situations where owners of 50-square-meter apartments in the city center will pay much higher cadastral taxes than those who have their houses on the outskirts or outside cities, 200, 100-square-meter ones. […] It is also not the case that the cadastral tax will lead to a drop in housing prices – he noted.

– How can one fight on the international stage for Poland's security, prosperity, and economic development without knowing that in Brodnica, there are problems with railway connections, you are largely excluded, cut off from the communication cycle, from rail transport, that it is difficult to get from Brodnica and the Brodnica district to the highway? How can one represent the interests of Poland and Poles without being aware of the problems that Poles have been struggling with since the change of government? Underfunded hospitals, in many districts, including the Brodnica district. This matter also concerns our national security – stated Karol Nawrocki in Brodnica.

– What did Rafał Trzaskowski represent on the international stage? That the political circle he represents dismantled the Polish army after 2011, liquidating 600 Polish Army units? Was that what he spoke about on the international stage? Probably not – he continued.

– I have my point of view on what happened in Ukraine due to the aggression of the RF, and I will repeat it. I have no doubt that the Russian Federation is responsible for the war in Ukraine, and the naivety and foolishness, including that of European political elites and unfortunately their Polish helper, Donald Tusk, and President Trump's words in this negotiation process show that these will certainly be tough negotiations, including with the American side – stated Karol Nawrocki in Brodnica.

– Give me the man, and the paragraph will be found. This is the motto of Donald Tusk and his executors, who today in the rules committee did what they were supposed to do, meaning they carried out the task as in the good old communist times, when Security Service officers or other state apparatus engaged in combating the opposition also did what they were supposed to do, what the party authorities declared and decreed then, and so it happened today – stated Zbigniew Ziobro in the Sejm.

– Tusk ceded the Polish presidency of the EU to Brussels and German elites, and today we are paying a huge price for it. Pulled by the ear by Scholz on the issue of immigrants, sidelined and following orders concerning Ukraine, ignored by the US administration. Complete isolation – wrote Mateusz Morawiecki on social media.

Tusk oddał polską prezydencję w ?? brukselskim i niemieckim elitom, a dziś płacimy za to ogromną cenę.

Targany za ucho przez Scholza w sprawie imigrantów, odstawiony na boczny tor i wykonujący polecenia w kwestii Ukrainy, zignorowany przez administrację ??. Pełna izolacja.

— Mateusz Morawiecki (@MorawieckiM) February 20, 2025

– Resignation accepted – wrote Prime Minister Donald Tusk on social media, announcing the acceptance of the CBA head's resignation.

Rezygnacja przyjęta.

— Donald Tusk (@donaldtusk) February 20, 2025

– On December 30th, the Election Protection Movement was established within the campaign staff of Dr. Karol Nawrocki. At that time, we announced that we were preparing a modern, one-of-a-kind digital platform, a digital tool that would serve comprehensive action towards protecting elections – said Przemysław Czarnek at a press conference.

– Here it is, we launched it today, row2025.pl, a modern digital platform prepared over several weeks in cooperation with plenipotentiaries of the Election Defense Movement and the social Election Control Movement – he continued.

– We have an army of nearly 3,000 people; these are district plenipotentiaries for election protection, county plenipotentiaries for election protection, and municipal coordinators […] they are already working intensively and collecting candidacies. Approximately 120,000 people are needed, and they are practically all in place, but we are continuing to collect candidacies for members of precinct election commissions and trusted representatives in each election commission – he added.

– All these candidacies will be registered first and foremost on this digital platform […] they will be placed on this digital platform so that we can subsequently […] train these individuals […] also post all guidelines and instructional videos on this platform […] and finally, this digital platform will also serve for all these members of precinct election commissions and trusted representatives to report any detected irregularities to municipal coordinators, and for them to report to the digital platform on an ongoing basis […] as well as every case of voting using certificates – he concluded.

– This is always a discussion that needs to be had. The question is how to secure oneself, what can be done in such a situation, because Poland is not the only country where such things happen. This concerns all of Europe in this case, the United States, various places. The question is, [...] how can one react. And here, an allied response, or an algorithm for proceeding, is needed. So these talks [with the American side] are definitely indicated – said Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz at a press conference in the Sejm.

– The President of the Polish Space Agency was urgently summoned by me this morning from the outset to provide explanations. I pointed out to the President, firstly, the ineffective informing of the Ministry of National Defence, secondly, the inadequate monitoring of the scale of threats from the day before yesterday to yesterday, throughout the night. Also, the inappropriate informing of the Ministry of Development and Technology – said Krzysztof Paszyk at a press conference in the Sejm.

– We received a routine report instead of a clear indication of the threats resulting from this situation. I also pointed out the inappropriate informing yesterday, throughout the entire day, of the Polish Space Agency about the whole matter – he listed.

As he indicated: – I recommended the immediate development of new communication procedures, their streamlining, and adequate response in such situations. […] As the President informed just a few minutes ago, he agrees with and is implementing these recommendations.

“I Will Wait to Know All the Details Before Making Final Decisions”
– I am continuously familiarizing myself with the details of this matter, and I will wait to know all the details before making final decisions – stated the Minister of Development and Technology.

When asked about the potential dismissal of the President of the Polish Space Agency, he replied: – I do not tend to act hastily. The department that supervises the Polish Space Agency on behalf of the ministry will, I think, present me with the full picture of this situation later today. I will make a decision based on comprehensive knowledge. For today, for now, I do not rule out any of the options.

– On February 20, 2025, the Head of the Central Anticorruption Bureau (CBA), Ms. Agnieszka Kwiatkowska-Gurdak, submitted her resignation from her position to Prime Minister Donald Tusk, via the Minister-Coordinator of Special Services, Tomasz Siemoniak. The Prime Minister accepted the resignation – informed Jacek Dobrzyński.

– From February 21, 2025, the duties of the Head of the CBA will be performed by Tomasz Strzelczyk – added the spokesperson for the coordinator of services.

20 lutego 2025 r. Szef @CBAgovPL Pani Agnieszka Kwiatkowska-Gurdak za pośrednictwem Ministra Koordynatora Służb Specjalnych @TomaszSiemoniak na ręce Premiera @donaldtusk złożyła rezygnację z zajmowanego stanowiska. Rezygnacja została przyjęta przez Premiera. Od 21 lutego 2025…

— Jacek Dobrzyński (@JacekDobrzynski) February 20, 2025

– The Ministry of National Defence (MON) was unaware of the remnants of a Falcon 9 rocket falling on Poland because the Polish Space Agency sent a warning to an email address that had been inactive for 6 months. Tusk's state in a nutshell. I immediately feel safe in the face of a possible armed conflict – wrote Sławomir Mentzen on social media.

MON nie wiedział o resztkach spadającej na Polskę rakiety Falcon 9, bo Polska Agencja Kosmiczna wysłała ostrzeżenie na nieaktywny od 6 miesięcy email.

Państwo Tuska w pigułce. Od razu czuję się bezpiecznie w obliczu możliwego konfliktu zbrojnego.

— Sławomir Mentzen (@SlawomirMentzen) February 20, 2025

– The best solution is to denounce the migration pact. In this regard, we are organizing a referendum and are asking for signatures on a citizens' initiative for a referendum concerning the rejection of the migration pact. I will remind you, the first such referendum was held in the autumn of 2023. At that time, Donald Tusk ceremoniously invalidated such a referendum. Why did he do that? Well, it was so that today his hands would not be tied, so that today he could accept illegal migrants being transferred from Germany – said Mariusz Błaszczak at a press conference.

– Donald Tusk himself says one thing, denying it – allegedly he doesn’t want to accept migrants, but the practice is completely different, it deviates from the declarations he makes public. We are hearing from the German side that the government of the Federal Republic of Germany is determined to dump migrants into Poland; they have set up a migrant camp by the Oder River, thus near the border with Poland, they are dumping migrants into Poland – stated Mariusz Błaszczak at a press conference.

– The Ministry of Interior and Administration is preparing training. Local government officials, district governors are summoned to this training and are instructed, as part of this training, to organize the reception of 200 migrants from the Middle East in their districts. This is what Donald Tusk's government's practice looks like: they say one thing, they do another – he added.

– Enough talk, it’s time to act! 1. Let’s finance our aid for Ukraine from Russian frozen assets. 2. Let’s strengthen air policing, the Baltic sentry, and the EU’s borders with Russia. 3. Let’s swiftly adopt new fiscal rules to finance EU security and defence. Now! – Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on social media.

Enough talking, it’s time to act! 1. Let’s finance our aid for Ukraine from the Russian frozen assets. 2. Let’s strengthen air policing, the Baltic sentry and the EU borders with Russia. 3. Let’s swiftly adopt new fiscal rules to finance the EU security and defence. Now!

— Donald Tusk (@donaldtusk) February 20, 2025

– From the very beginning, I have been building relations with the USA with particular care and I don’t look at which political camp in the USA the president comes from in this activity. Of course, some US presidents liked me more, others less. Some found me less appealing as a politician, others find me more appealing. But the truth is that I had relations with all of them, and each of them, thanks to hard work and the fact that we wisely pursued common policies, did something for the Republic of Poland, for which I am immensely grateful – stated President Andrzej Duda during a meeting with residents of the Ropczyce-Sędziszów county.

– We are building our potential. For what purpose? To be able to confront when necessary. In an absolutely tough, relentless manner, providing guarantees that it won't be possible to pass through. Because what does that mean? It means it won't be profitable to attack us. That's the most important thing. If our army is excellently equipped, efficient, and numerous, if, in addition, we have allied guarantees, and above all, American ones and the presence of American troops on our territory, no one will attack us because it won't be profitable for anyone to do so – he continued.

– This is our most important matter: for this war [in Ukraine] to end with a just peace. What do we understand by that? We understand a peace that will ensure Russia does not attack anyone else. In short, Russia will not be able to say that they won this war. This is the most important thing at the moment. I believe that such an outcome will indeed be achieved, and I support the achievement of this outcome – stated President Andrzej Duda during a meeting with residents of Ropczyce-Sędziszów County.

– Recall who supported us then [in the fight against Nord Stream]. None other than President Donald Trump. President Trump, who imposed sanctions on companies building Nord Stream, and those sanctions were so effective that construction was immediately halted – stated President Andrzej Duda during a meeting with residents of the Ropczyce-Sędziszów County.

– It was only completed when he ceased to be president and when decisions were changed in America. But his decision was firm: blocking Nord Stream and military support for Ukraine. Yes, he was the first to send military support to Ukraine, and it was truly substantial for that time, in 2020 – he continued.

– When I hear some people calling him [Donald Trump] a Russian agent, I simply feel sick. Especially if such words are uttered from Poland – stated President Andrzej Duda during a meeting with residents of the Ropczyce-Sędziszów County.

– I am convinced that if the European Union returned to its values, foundations, and roots, to solidarity, rule of law, and democracy, it would be capable of standing up even to Putin himself. However, a European Union that is unable to return to the values upon which it was built and to the roots and foundations enshrined in the treaties, poses a greater threat to itself than Putin, who is a formidable threat – said Przemysław Czarnek in an interview with RMF FM's 'Popołudniowa rozmowa' (Afternoon Conversation).

– In 10 years, I might compete with Mateusz Morawiecki for that nomination [PiS presidential candidate], but now, not only a candidate for president, but a victorious presidential candidate supported by Law and Justice will be Dr. Karol Nawrocki – said Przemysław Czarnek on RMF FM.

– With an arsenal that I guarantee you is certainly more efficient than Russia’s, the USA possesses. I guarantee you it is so, because one only needs to compare the spending on maintaining the nuclear arsenal. And then you will quickly realize who truly has a guaranteed greater efficiency of the nuclear arsenal. And it is precisely for this reason that there will be no nuclear war. Because no one from the USA stands any chance in this war – stated President Andrzej Duda during a meeting with residents of the Ropczyce-Sędziszów County.

– I ask you to [go to the presidential election]. This is fundamentally, immensely, unbelievably important. For the continued existence and development of the Republic of Poland, the one you voted for in the presidential election when you voted for me. A Republic of Poland of values, a Republic of Poland that remembers its history, that remembers its heroes, that is proud of its achievements, including those who died for it, and remembers them, just as you remember your partisans and the Unyielding Soldiers – stated President Andrzej Duda during a meeting with residents of the Ropczyce-Sędziszów county.

– We can continue to have such a Republic of Poland, for the next years and decades. It's just a matter of the responsibility of our choice, how we vote. Let’s vote for national memory, let’s vote for values, for what is important to us, for what has shaped us. Let’s vote for family, for what we want to endure the most difficult times and all the storms. Historical and ideological storms – he continued.

– The Prime Minister, the Minister of National Defence, and the Marshal of the Sejm have spoken unequivocally: there is absolutely no issue whatsoever in the public sphere concerning the deployment of Polish soldiers to Ukrainian territory – stated Maciej Berek on "Gość Radia ZET".

– Consequently, adopting resolutions stating that we will not do something that nobody is planning is as valid as adopting resolutions stating that we will not send these troops to any other place where nobody is planning for us to send them – assessed the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Council of Ministers.

"One Cannot Approach This Lightly and With a Smile"
– I understand that there is a presidential campaign, that MP Mentzen is seeking areas where he can be quoted […], but these are matters that touch upon the sense of security of Poles, the clarity of tasks set for the armed forces. Therefore, one cannot approach this entirely lightly and with a smile – he stated.

He added: – Very clear, unambiguous declarations have been made, and anyone who wishes to participate responsibly in this public discourse should take this into account. Emotions, which are evoked by saying "perhaps something will happen, we want guarantees that it won't," should not be played with. These guarantees were articulated immediately after this topic even appeared in the public sphere.

– We should reach factual conclusions as quickly as possible. I think it's symbolic: the Minister of Justice, who arrives or fails to arrive at the [Pegasus] investigation committee meeting, and before that spent 40 minutes on a broadcast in one of the media. The Deputy Minister of Justice, who suddenly travels to some country and seeks legal protection because he claims he is threatened with repression here – Maciej Berek said on "Gość Radia ZET".

In his opinion: – This shows how false all those stories were about law being law. No – it turns out that law is law only as long as it is favorably interpreted or bent for this group of people, or it doesn't exist at all.

– Then, when ordinary proceedings begin – a prosecutor, an investigation committee – all sorts of legal and extra-legal actions begin to try to avoid the simple establishment of facts. This is the crux of the matter – he added.

– I trust that the investigation committee will lead to this hearing taking place – he stated.

– Prime Minister Donald Tusk and his political circle had every right to critically assess public media under the rule of PiS, the United Right. I might not have agreed with those assessments, but I could not deny the right of the ruling party to critically evaluate the functioning of public media and to present different recipes and remedies for changing these media. However, they could only do so based on and within the framework of the law, meaning a legislative change which was necessary to legally take control of public media – stated Zbigniew Ziobro in the Sejm.

– This is a mockery, this is spitting in the face of Poles, this is one big fraud. Is this the rule of law? This is banditry. You are a criminal group. Donald Tusk will go to jail, you'll see – said Zbigniew Ziobro in the Sejm.

At that point, PiS MP Edward Siarka, seated in the benches, spoke up, exclaiming: – A bullet to the head!

– Maybe not that far, but... – Ziobro commented, after which he was interrupted by the presiding officer Dorota Niedziela.

– Does MP Siarka know that this has been recorded? Does MP Siarka realize the words he has just shouted? Do you want to apologize, or do you want to withdraw from this statement? – the Deputy Speaker of the Sejm asked.

From MP Siarka's lip movements, the word "przepraszam" (I apologize) could be read.

– There is a war beyond our border, a geopolitical earthquake is underway from which the Polish Government is safely trying to lead Poland, and a PiS MP in the Sejm shouts at the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland: "a bullet in the head". Putin's fifth column — Jan Grabiec wrote on platform X.

Za naszą granicą wojna, trwa geopolityczne trzęsienie ziemi z którego bezpiecznie stara się wyprowadzić Polskę Rząd RP, a poseł PiS w Sejmie krzyczy pod adresem Premiera Rządu Rzeczypospolitej: „kula w łeb”.
V kolumna Putina

— Jan Grabiec (@JanGrabiec) February 20, 2025

– Poland can do two things. It can persuade other Europeans that we should take security seriously. We are responsible for the EU's eastern border, we spend 5% of our GDP on security, so we must explain to everyone that we need to be serious – stated Rafał Trzaskowski at a press conference.

– The next thing we are doing and should continue to do is persuade the new American administration that we should do this together, Europe and the United States, to guarantee Ukraine's security. If, God forbid, there is an opportunity to present the end of this war as his [Putin's] victory, it will be a catastrophe not only for Poland and Europe, but also for the United States – he continued.

– Władysław Broniewski – Bayonet to Arms '…For this hand raised against Poland – a bullet to the head!'. For those who don't know Broniewski's poetry, I explain that my generation recited this text at school ceremonies – Edward Siarka wrote on the X portal.

– In moments of emotion, familiar phrases return, which can be shocking. I apologize – he added.

Władysław Broniewski- Bagnet na broń "…Za tę dłoń podniesioną nad Polską – kula w łeb!"
Tym, którzy nie znają poezji Broniewskiego wyjaśniam, że moje pokolenie recytowało ten tekst na szkolnych akademiach.
W emocjach wracają znajome frazy, które mogą bulwersować. Przepraszam.

— Edward Siarka (@ESiarka) February 20, 2025

– Minister Kotula has demonstrated and continues to demonstrate a very high level of political responsibility during her term. She holds firm views but acts in a very responsible manner. She is a model of moderation in politics. Therefore, I hope that the Minister will continue to fulfill her mission – stated Prime Minister Donald Tusk in the Sejm.

– Honestly, get a grip. Today, tomorrow, in a week, in several places around the world, in Moscow, in Washington, at a location to be chosen for negotiations, the fate of Poland will also be decided. Objectively, we are not in a bad situation. We are well-prepared in terms of our security. We have a stronger position in the EU than ever before. We have traditionally good relations with the USA, regardless of turbulence and the current situation – stated Prime Minister Donald Tusk in the Sejm.

– We can use this relatively good situation, compared to many countries around the world, for Poland to emerge safely from this big, dangerous, geopolitical turn. This requires a minimum of agreement among all of us. We won’t suspend all conflicts, I said, I won’t be naive, I don’t believe in that. There’s campaign fever, we know what it’s about, I probably don’t need to emphasize that – stated Prime Minister Donald Tusk in the Sejm.

– But let’s establish that there are a few obvious matters around which we can and must build a shared sense and responsibility for Poland’s state of affairs. I hope that on Monday at 1:30 PM we will all be at the President’s for the National Security Council meeting. President Kaczyński isn’t there, but I would address him: Jarosław, somehow put aside your prejudices and contempt for the President, you should be there too – he continued.

– At the meeting of the National Security Council, I will present several key points that I believe could become the basis for a general, universal agreement in Poland for the sake of Poland's national interest in this absolutely historic moment – stated Prime Minister Donald Tusk in the Sejm.

– I have no illusions about the intentions of various forces and politicians here in our country, nor about their emotions and temperaments, and I realize that calling for such civil peace, political peace in Poland today would border on naivety. I also heard those words directed at me today, "a bullet in the head." I don't know how you feel about that. I don't know how you feel about your MP publishing photos with the inscription "death to Tusk's gang" and, judging by the sounds, you still feel good about it – said Prime Minister Donald Tusk in the Sejm.

– I want to tell you that these types of behaviors, the escalation of conflict, the stirring up of such aggression, the destruction of people here in Poland, that is truly, objectively speaking, an element of a dream scenario written in Moscow – he continued.

– The words that were recently spoken, which are a direct quote from Lavrov, Medvedev, Peskov, that Europe, not Russia, is responsible for the war in Ukraine, that, I don't know, the European Union attacked Ukraine, words that justify Russia's aggression and which are being uttered here, in Poland, by important politicians from the right [...] if I had the temperament, character, and methods of action of MP Jarosław Kaczyński, I would probably say from this podium "you are all Russian agents," but I do not accept this method, and moreover, I know that not all of them are – he went on to say.

196 MPs supported the motion to express no-confidence in Minister for Equality Katarzyna Kotula, meaning the Left party politician remains in her position. 232 voted against, and no one abstained.

239 MPs supported the investigative committee's motion for the Sejm to grant consent for the arrest of MP Zbigniew Ziobro, aimed at ensuring his appearance at a parliamentary committee meeting. 194 MPs voted against it.

In practice, the Sejm's decision means the motion will now be sent to the court.

Moments earlier, the Sejm had voted on the motion from private prosecutor Roman Giertych, represented by lawyer Krzysztof Pawlak, to grant the Sejm's consent for MP Zbigniew Ziobro to be held criminally liable.