-- PIOTR WÓJCIK ON GAZETA.PL ANALYZES PO AND NOWOCZESNA'S PROGRAMS - BILLIONS FOR THE STRONG, DEEPENING INEQUALITY: “Platforma and Nowoczesna, in their local government program manifesto, propose a revolution in public finances that would lead to an explosion of territorial inequalities in Poland and drastically reduce the revenues of less affluent municipalities. What's worse, they don't even support their postulates with a single number.”

-- SOKÓŁ MAŁOPOLSKI WOULD LOSE PLN 21 MILLION ACCORDING TO PO AND N PROPOSALS - Wójcik continues: “For example, Sokołów Małopolski (a town, contrary to appearances, located in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship), is to receive PLN 7.45 million from PIT in 2018. So, according to PO and Nowoczesna's proposals, it would receive another similar amount from PIT – let's say PLN 8 million. But it is to receive PLN 29 million from the general subsidy. From the equalization part of the subsidy alone, it is to receive PLN 10.8 million. Thus, thanks to the generosity of PO and Nowoczesna towards Warsaw and other lucky recipients, Sokołów Małopolski would lose PLN 21 million annually – a gigantic sum for this small town.”

-- THESE IDEAS MAKE ONE'S HAIR STAND ON END - CONCLUDES WÓJCIK: “When PiS presented its social ideas during the last election campaign, today's opposition often loudly pointed out its lack of precise calculations and shown effects. Meanwhile, PO and Nowoczesna are now proposing a revolution in public finances and a drastic change in local government financing, without supporting it with even a single number. The fact that the main opposition parties are throwing such revolutionary ideas into public debate without mentioning the effects is a sign of extreme irresponsibility. Especially if these ideas make one's hair stand on end.” http://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/7,161770,23307853,wojcik-miliardy-tylko-dla-silnych-program-po-i-n-to-przepis.html#Z_MT

-- POLAND WILL LOSE, GREECE WILL GAIN - Tomasz Bielecki on the EU budget: “The allocation for cohesion policy in the project, which reached all EU commissioners yesterday evening (Sunday, April 22nd), has been reduced by over 8% compared to the current seven-year budget. However, this could translate into much larger cuts for Poland and other Central European countries. Part of the cohesion funds would be tied not only to GDP size (specifically, the GDP to EU average ratio) but also to unemployment levels, quality of life, and other social indicators. In this case, Poland would lose significantly, while countries like Greece would gain. In the current seven-year period, Poland was allocated EUR 13.2 billion from the European Social Fund (funds for improving education quality, administration, employing the elderly, among others), which corresponds to future budget sections dependent on social indicators.” http://amp.dw.com/pl/polskie-straty-w-projekcie-nowego-bud%C5%BCetu-unii-europejskiej/a-43499514?__twitter_impression=true

-- I WILL WANT TO RETURN TO POLITICS - Robert Biedroń in an interview with Gazeta.pl: “At the moment, I am the mayor of Słupsk, but I am aware that this stage of my life may end someday. And I will want to return to politics. But I haven't decided yet whether it will be the Sejm, the European Parliament, or the presidential election.” http://weekend.gazeta.pl/weekend/1,152121,23310068,robert-biedron-andrzej-duda-nie-odcial-pepowiny-od-prezesa.html#Z_Prze

-- PERHAPS IT'S BETTER IF BIEDROŃ AND NOWACKA DON'T LISTEN TO PALIKOT'S ADVICE - Michał Sutowski in Krytyka: “In short, the cost for both politicians 'at the entrance' would be huge, especially since Kazimierz Michał Ujazdowski's candidacy for mayor of Wrocław clearly indicates, to put it mildly, a rather center-right course. PO is not uniting with the battered Nowoczesna at all, but rather seeking to absorb it, and is clearly pushing the most liberal, worldview-open face of the sister party to the margins.” http://krytykapolityczna.pl/felietony/michal-sutowski/moze-lepiej-zeby-biedron-i-nowacka-nie-sluchali-rad-palikota/

-- REHABILITATION SUPPLEMENT WOULD COST UP TO PLN 9 BILLION - write Bartek Godusławski, Marek Chądzyński and Grzegorz Osiecki in GDP: “However, the estimated expenditure for a new PLN 500 rehabilitation supplement, demanded by the protesters, has risen to as much as PLN 9 billion. They themselves calculated that it would cost the budget PLN 1.6 billion. The difference in estimates stems from the circle of beneficiaries. The parents occupying the Sejm want it to be granted to people receiving social disability pensions – they estimate there are 280,000 of them. Meanwhile, according to officials, other groups of disabled people will also demand such a supplement. As a result, it will have to be paid to a much larger group of people, i.e., 943,000 entitled to benefits with a significant degree of disability and 266,000 people receiving a care allowance within the ZUS, KRUS, MSWiA, and MON. The ministry also includes people over 75 years of age. This is a total of up to 1.5 million people, hence such high costs. It is anticipated that this group may grow. 'This situation occurred in 2010–2012, when the care benefit was applied without an income criterion. Thus, the costs could be significantly higher,' argues the ministry.” http://podatki.gazetaprawna.pl/artykuly/1119508,kto-zaplaci-podatek-dla-najbogatszych-dla-niepelnosprawnych.html

-- SHYDŁO, GO WITH THE FLOW, BUT TO WORK - Fakt's front page headline.

-- PROTEST IN THE SEJM, BUT DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER ON A RAFT - Fakt.

-- PISE IS MARCHING ACROSS POLAND WITH A DANCE STEP TOWARDS ANOTHER VICTORY, THE OPPOSITION CANNOT SUBSTANTIVELY RESPOND TO MORAWIECKI'S PROGRAM - writes Katarzyna Kolenda-Zaleska in GW: “With such a dance step, PiS is marching across Poland towards another victory – although the opposition has also begun its campaign and is meeting with voters, it not only promises less but also cannot substantively respond to Morawiecki's program. Accusations that PiS is distributing money without coverage will not convince anyone after the implementation of 500+.”

-- THE IDYLLIC PICTURE IS RUINED BY BEATA SZYDŁO'S IMAGE ON THE DUNAJEC RIVER - writes KKZ: “The idyllic picture of a government close to the people is only ruined by the image of Beata Szydło, deputy prime minister for social affairs, floating on the Dunajec River, while the protest of parents of disabled children is ongoing in the Sejm. For the opposition, this is an unprecedented opportunity – the only question is whether it is sufficient against the inflated promises of PiS.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,23311450,obrazek-wladzy-blisko-ludzi-niweczy-beata-szydlo-plywajaca.html

-- RZ ON THE SOLIDARITY TAX - as Krzysztof Adam Kowalczyk writes: “To solve the problem of support for the fully disabled, there is no need to raise taxes at all. It is enough not to waste public money on electoral handouts – which I recommend to all Polish politicians.” http://www.rp.pl/Opinie/304239893-Ekonomia-strazaka.html

-- EVERYTHING WENT WRONG FOR THE GOVERNMENT IN THIS MATTER - writes Zuzanna Dąbrowska in RZ: “In this matter, everything has gone wrong for the current government. Firstly, the Marshal and his guard did not show vigilance when it was needed, i.e., when caregivers of adult disabled people entered the Sejm, cunningly intending to occupy a part of the corridor. Secondly, the magic of Minister Elżbieta Rafalska, so deserved for citizens with the 500+ program, who came to the protesters, did not work. Perhaps because this particular group no longer receives 500+ for adult children. Thirdly, the President himself came to the scene, who, although he could not offer anything concrete, made a good gesture and again warmed up his image. Fourthly, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki was forced to reveal plans to raise taxes prematurely and without proper presentation. Meanwhile (fifthly), Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs Beata Szydło went on a cheerful raft trip down the Dunajec River. She clearly did not learn the difficult lesson that her predecessor from PO, Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz, went through earlier.” http://www.rp.pl/W-sieci-opinii/304239897-Dabrowska-Dawac-trzeba-umiec.html

-- TADEUSZ CYMAŃSKI TELLS SE ABOUT WHO THE SOLIDARITY LEVY SHOULD COVER: “You have excellent knowledge of income brackets in Poland. We have a several percent growth in the luxury goods market. I don't think that as a journalist you drive a car worth millions or wear a watch worth thousands. And the demand for these goods has clearly increased. The dynamics of this market are huge. And it is the users of luxury goods who will be covered by the new levy.” http://www.se.pl/wiadomosci/opinie/problemy-niepenosprawnych-efektem-zaniedban-wielu-lat_1050880.html

-- DUDA, COMPARED TO TUSK, IS POSITIVE TOWARDS THE PROTESTERS - Krzysztof Karnkowski in GPC: “Certainly, Andrzej Duda, who is focusing on the problems of disabled people and their caregivers, favorably distinguishes himself from Donald Tusk. While we can hear at every step how brilliantly Tusk 'played' the issue four years ago, it is worth remembering a recording where he explains that 'there is no money and there will be none,' and one of the protesting women tells him in this situation to give up his comfortable chair and stop embarrassing himself. Since we are told that Tusk resolved the issue back then, the question arises: what then caused the current protests? After all, the Law and Justice government has not taken away any privileges from this social group.” https://gpcodziennie.pl/87807-wiosennahisteria.html

-- ANTONI DUDEK TELLS RZ THAT TUSK PARTICIPATED IN THE KREMLIN'S GAME AGAINST LECH KACZYŃSKI - in an interview with Jacek Nizinkiewicz: “From the information presented during the public part of the hearing, one could mainly learn that there was a sharp political dispute between Prime Minister Tusk and President Lech Kaczyński. It is difficult to consider this new, just like the former prime minister's explanations that he did not notice the game that the Kremlin was playing against Kaczyński before April 10th. A game in which he decided to participate by going to Katyn on April 7th at Putin's invitation. I regret that most of the questions concerned the period before the disaster, not the prime minister's actions in the first days after April 10th.” http://www.rp.pl/Wiadomosci/304239885-Antoni-Dudek-Ten-spor-mial-tragiczny-final.html&template=restricted

-- TUSK'S AMNESIA - GPC's front page headline.

-- WOJCIECH MUCHA WRITES IN GPC ABOUT TUSK'S OBFUSCATION, STATING HE EXPRESSED HIMSELF COMPLETELY DIFFERENTLY ON SEVERAL MATTERS: “She saw the insolence in lecturing the victims' lawyers about what to ask the 'King of Europe.' She heard the obfuscation in matters where Tusk had previously expressed himself completely differently. What Tusk was doing yesterday might even be comical. Perhaps it could be compared to one of Bareja's films. If only it weren't about a fundamental matter – the death of 96 people, including the President of the Republic of Poland. And if the former Polish prime minister were not staying tight-lipped on the matter of responsibility for this death. The man who declared full responsibility in this matter. Although perhaps he doesn't remember that either. Let us hope, however, that he will have to bear it.” https://gpcodziennie.pl/87837-pelnaodpowiedzialnosc.html

-- JACEK KARNOWSKI ON TUSK'S STYLE: “One could list endlessly. That's how those eight years were. Actor-like pseudo-honesty, hiding real brutality. Quarter-truths and complete falsehoods seasoned with extracted truths. One hears that Tusk will return to fight for the presidency. Today, this indeed looks like a probable scenario. Perhaps it is good, because nations must fight some battles to the end.” https://wpolityce.pl/m/polityka/391535-dokladnie-takie-bylo-te-osiem-lat-aktorska-pseudoszczerosc-cwiercprawdy-i-nieprawdy-zakrywajace-smutna-prawde

-- JACEK GĄDEK WRITES THAT SCHETYNA BENEFITS FROM TALKING ABOUT TUSK'S CANDIDACY: “PO politician: - Tusk has the best chance of defeating Andrzej Duda. So when Schetyna talks about him as a potential president, he himself gains as a serious leader who, despite everything, is able to bet on the best candidates. He shows that together with Tusk, he has the ability to build a political scenario. Our interlocutor emphasizes that the truth is: - Apart from Tusk himself, no one knows anything about his plans. Some suggest that Donald's decision to run for president is 100% made. Others insist that he will not return under any circumstances – depending on who has an interest in it.” http://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/7,161770,23309876,donald-tusk-nie-mial-litosci-gdy-zeznawal-adwokaci-chcieli.html

-- FURTHER CORRECTIONS TO ADAMOWICZ'S ASSET DECLARATIONS: “Gdańsk Mayor Paweł Adamowicz has submitted further corrections to his asset declarations from previous years. He admitted that he had more money than he declared at the time. (...) * Correction of the asset declaration from April 27, 2012. Amount of cash – it was PLN 210,000 (and then after a previous correction – 220,000), now it is PLN 541,000.” http://trojmiasto.wyborcza.pl/trojmiasto/7,35612,23308596,pawel-adamowicz-wciagnal-pieniadze-corek-do-swoich-oswiadczen.html?disableRedirects=true#Z_Czolka3Img

-- ANDRZEJ STANKIEWICZ WRITES IN Onet THAT THE HEARING ON THE ANTI-ABORTION LAW IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL TRIBUNAL WILL BE CONDUCTED BY AN ULTRACONSERVATIVE: “As Onet has established, Przyłębska finally resigned from the role of rapporteur in the abortion case. Judge Justyn Piskorski has become the new rapporteur. This is a lawyer from the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, chosen for the Constitutional Tribunal by the votes of PiS. He is known for his very conservative, religious beliefs.” https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/tylko-w-onecie/rozprawe-w-tk-dotyczaca-aborcji-poprowadzi-ultrakonserwatysta/4lr91t8

-- HENRYK KOWALCZYK ON PACKAGING RECYCLING - says DGP: “We will undertake various actions, including introducing a fee for the landfilling of unsorted waste. We want to change the waste collection policy in municipalities to strongly differentiate fees for segregated and unsorted waste. Another idea is to introduce fees for packaging, which will be an extension of producer responsibility. Packaging production policy is also important, so that it is as homogeneous as possible. For example, let me mention a juice carton. If it is made of glued-together foil and paper and they cannot be separated, it is waste unsuitable for recycling. We need to avoid non-homogeneous packaging. We want to introduce financial responsibility for producers to encourage them to accept secondary packaging or recycling options.” http://forsal.pl/artykuly/1119571,henryk-kowalczyk-recykling-oplaty-za-odpady-niesegregowane-i-opakowania-wywiad.html

-- 3RD ANNIVERSARY OF WŁADYSŁAW BARTOSZEWSKI'S DEATH.

-- BIRTHDAYS: Stanisław Huskowski, Marek Wagner.