-- GREATER SALES AND RECORD RETAIL MARKET - Orlen CEO Daniel Obajtek on company results: “Considering the macroeconomic conditions in Q1, the ORLEN Group achieved very good results. The concern thus enters the next quarter maintaining a strong financial position. We are ready to implement the intentions declared to the Ministry of Energy regarding the LOTOS Group, and to continue key investments in all core markets, as well as projects significant from the perspective of the concern's and Poland's energy security.” http://biznesalert.pl/orlen-wyniki-1q-18/ -- OBAJTEK ON RECORD RESULTS: https://twitter.com/PKN_ORLEN/status/989418985086124032

Today we are announcing #ORLEN1Q18 financial results. The achieved results and key events of this period are discussed by the CEO of #ORLEN @DanielObajtek pic.twitter.com/GXvBNbf4pm

— ORLEN (@PKN_ORLEN) April 26, 2018

-- SUPPORT FOR JEWISH CULTURAL HERITAGE ANNOYS SOME RIGHT-WING VOTERS, ESPECIALLY WHEN PRESSURE ON POLAND IN OTHER AREAS CONTINUES - Piotr Zaremba in DGP: “But it’s not just about the consistently amateur propaganda. It’s possible that the time was missed when the response to the activity of the Center for Holocaust Research should have been honest research conducted on a broader scale by the IPN, honest and not aimed at suppressing negative phenomena, but preceded by a generalization-free introduction. One can also seek alliances with moderate scholars, not just from the right. Anyone who has listened to the honest, extremism-avoiding narrative of Prof. Władysław Teofil Bartoszewski on the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising knows what it’s about. However, it would be necessary to overcome mutual political and environmental prejudices. The key to mutual empathy, which Bartoszewski calls for, lies in television and radio programs (like TVP’s production 'Window to the Other Side' by Artur Hofman), as well as support for Jewish cultural heritage, which is relatively generous from PiS. However, this annoys some right-wing voters, especially when pressure on Poland in other areas continues.”

-- IT IS EVIDENT THAT PART OF THE RULING CAMP IS TRYING TO FLIRT WITH RADICALS - ZAREMBA CONTINUES IN DGP: “Sometimes it’s not just about satisfying the Jewish side, but about decency. If Polish law carries penalties for inciting national hatred, then the law should be enforced, even in drastic cases. But if the prosecution is doing everything to release a man who burned an effigy of a Jew in Wrocław’s market square, it is clear that part of the ruling camp (Minister Ziobro) is trying to flirt with radicals. However, President Duda demanded decisive action in the fight against antisemitism. Theoretical declarations on this subject are not alien to Jarosław Kaczyński. Of course, in this case too, pressure from Israel and Jewish circles on Poland does not favor this toughness.”

-- PIOTR SKWIECIŃSKI ON ARGUMENTS FOR EXHUMATIONS IN JEDWABNE: “But there is another side to the coin. The longer the PiS government avoids exhumations, while having many people in its ranks and among its supporters who are clearly emotionally unreconciled to the possibility of any Polish guilt, the louder some people claim that there is a direct connection between these two facts. That exhumations are allegedly not happening because it is known that they would confirm the picture of events established in 2001, and the ruling party does not want this – either for ideological reasons, or because maintaining doubts around Jedwabne allows them to mobilize part of their electorate. A decision to exhume would strip such insinuations of their weight.” https://wpolityce.pl/polityka/391865-jedwabienskie-ekshumacje-powinny-zostac-wznowione-dla-prawdy-ale-i-z-innych-przyczyn

-- THE CONTEMPORARY LEFT HAS SEPARATED FROM THE MASSES - Piotr Wójcik in GPC: “The contemporary left has not only separated from the popular masses, but has even broken with the theoretical foundations of its ideas. It has become merely a permissive variant of liberalism. Leftists from good families do not know how their excluded compatriots live and what their needs are. It is not surprising that they consider monetary transfers a waste of money – after all, they do not need them for happiness.”

-- LACK OF FAITH IN PEOPLE SHINES THROUGH IN NOWACKA’S STATEMENTS - Wójcik continues: “According to Nowacka, PiS policy is characterized by a 'lack of faith in people, that they are good and wise.' Well, a lack of faith in people shines through, above all, in Nowacka’s statements. They cannot be given money directly, because they will spend it improperly. They need to be bought a pencil case, an eraser, and a pencil, because if they are given money for these items, they will probably forget something. However, previous studies on the spending of the 500+ program prove that Nowacka, by 'not believing that people are good and wise,' is deeply mistaken.” https://gpcodziennie.pl/88098-dlaczegolewicaprzestalabyclewica.html

-- WILL THEY TAKE OUR MONEY AND GIVE IT TO THE ITALIANS? - title in GPC. https://gpcodziennie.pl/88105-zabioranamkaseidadzawlochom.html

-- PUNISHING POLAND IN THE EU BUDGET RISKS A SERIOUS POLITICAL CONFLICT - Konrad Szymański in an interview with Marcin Fijołek: “we are convinced that the interests of all states, including Poland, will be reflected in the final compromise. Any attempts to punish Poland and other Central and Eastern European countries for various imaginary transgressions risk the outbreak of a serious political crisis that will block budget negotiations for many months.” https://wpolityce.pl/polityka/391852-nasz-wywiad-szymanski-o-kulisach-negocjacji-ws-budzetu-unijnego-rozmowy-tocza-sie-w-cieniu-mozliwego-weta-chcemy-tego-uniknac

-- MICHAŁ SZUŁDRZYŃSKI ON THE DEPLORABLE IMAGE EFFECT AND A TEST FOR MORAWIECKI - writes in RZ: “The image effect is deplorable. Instead of a counteroffensive after the blows PiS received in connection with the bonuses, we are observing a transformation of that crisis into another one. This whole situation is paradoxically a test of Mateusz Morawiecki’s leadership. Although by proposing a solidarity tax, he poured oil on the fire, now he can show that he is a fully-fledged politician who can manage a serious crisis. But he may also fail.” http://www.rp.pl/Komentarze/304259906-Szuldrzynski-Rzad-w-spirali-kryzysow.html

-- GRZEGORZ OSIECKI ON THE FAILURE OF THE 'VOTER CANDY' POLICY - writes in DGP: “The strategy turned out to be effective, but not in the sense that PiS had hoped for. The promise of a PLN 3 billion handout had to motivate the most needy groups to demand their share. Since parents of disabled children saw that the government dug up PLN 3 billion overnight, they thought that something would be found for them. Especially since they constantly hear from the Prime Minister and ministers about the excellent state of public finances and successes in closing tax loopholes, and on the other hand, they saw how the authorities rewarded themselves. In this sense, the government and PiS have fallen into a trap they set for themselves. Now they have to deal with an extremely media-covered protest in the heart of parliament. Great emotions, a sense of injustice, parents of disabled people struggling with their fate, and a soulless state – such a story is unfolding four meters from the press table in the Sejm. It’s a dream story for the media, as well as for the opposition, which can wipe away the tears of the protestors and gain political points at the same time.” http://www.gazetaprawna.pl/artykuly/1120140,osiecki-fiasko-polityki-wyborczych-cukierkow.html

-- PIIS POURS GASOLINE ON THE FIRE - title in Fakt.

-- REMOVE AND HAND OVER TO THE POLICE - SE on the front page about MP Pięta's words on protestors.

-- THE RULING PARTY'S HARD HEART - front page of GW: “PiS politicians have no intention of making concessions, instead they are attacking mothers of disabled children fighting for their existence.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75398,23322564,twarde-serce-wladzy-pis-nie-idzie-na-ustepstwa-w-sprawie-opiekunow.html

-- THE GOVERNMENT IS MANIPULATING THE PROTEST UNSKILFULLY - Małgorzata Kolińska-Dąbrowska in GW: “From the beginning, it was evident that PiS was not eager to solve the problem. But it fears an image blunder, especially if it uses the police and marshals’ guard to remove protestors. So it begins to manipulate them, public opinion, and the disability community.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,23322414,rzad-manipuluje-protestem-ale-nieumiejetnie.html

-- DGP WRITES ABOUT NFZ BENEFITS INSTEAD OF ALLOWANCES: “As DGP has learned, there is already a preliminary proposal for changes prepared by the physiotherapists’ self-government, in cooperation with the National Health Fund, the Ministry of Health, and the Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Tariffs. As Robert Jagodziński, vice-president of the Active Rehabilitation Foundation, explains, they are intended to lead to individualization – adaptation to the needs of a specific patient.”

-- PAWEŁ MUCHA ON DGP'S QUESTION ABOUT WHEN THE REFERENDUM APPLICATION WILL BE SUBMITTED: “According to the calendar and the referendum act, if we want the referendum to take place in late autumn, as announced by the president, the application should reach the Senate in July. Unless the law changes.”

-- MUCHA ON WHETHER THE LAW COULD CHANGE TO ALIGN THE REFERENDUM DATE WITH ELECTIONS: “It could. If the referendum were to be held at the same time as the local government elections, legal changes are necessary. The point is that there should be the same commission and the same voting hours as in the local government elections. However, if there were a different date – announced by the president for November 10-11, then the referendum would be two-day and there are certain technical issues that need to be clarified. We are considering the possibility of introducing a presidential bill on these matters.”

-- MUCHA TO PIS ON THE 'VOX POPULI' ARGUMENT - in an interview with DGP: “As we have heard recently, vox populi, vox Dei. If so, no one should prevent the nation from expressing itself on the constitution.”

-- MUCHA ON PRESIDENTIAL DECISION REGARDING GERSDORF: “It is the president’s decision, and it is also Ms. President’s decision, and it would be difficult for me to comment on it.” http://www.gazetaprawna.pl/artykuly/1120003,referendum-konstytucyjne-andrzej-duda-karczewski.html

-- UKRAINIANS FEEL GOOD IN POLAND - RZ CITES RESEARCH: “More than six out of ten migrants from Ukraine intend to stay in our country longer. Half of them would gladly settle here permanently, especially since most of them feel good in Poland.” http://archiwum.rp.pl/artykul/1372054-Ukraincy-chca-zostac--i-pracowac-w-Polsce.html

-- SHOCK! THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF 'SUPER EXPRESS' QUITS THE TABLOID AND TAKES OVER HOFMAN'S COMPANY - 300LIVE: https://300polityka.pl/live/2018/04/26/

-- BIRTHDAYS: Sławomir Nitras turns 45! Jadwiga Staniszkis, Jan Pietrzak, Cezary Grabarczyk, Łukasz Zaręba.