Kukiz Doesn't Rule Out Supporting Śpiewak
Partia Razem on the Threshold in TVP Poll
Karnowski: Oligarchic elites, with hearts of stone, put on sweet faces.
Pawlicka: The opposition doesn't understand its place, it slept through it.

-- PRESIDENT ANDRZEJ DUDA AT JAN ENGLERT'S 75TH BIRTHDAY: "Your theatrical and film achievements, participation in Television Theatre productions, as well as in countless radio plays, are admirable." https://wpolityce.pl/m/kultura/393895-prezydent-z-okazji-75-urodzin-jana-englerta-panski-dorobek-budzi-podziw

-- BRUSSELS ASSISTANTS SWITCHING FROM WHATSAPP TO SIGNAL - Writes Ryan Heath in POLITICO EUROPE: “European Parliament assistants have moved on from WhatsApp as a means of confidential communication (for parties, for warning colleagues about bosses with wandering hands). Signal is the new app favored by Brussels’ young and adventurous.”

-- PATRYK JAKI MAKES A FIRM COMMITMENT TO HELP HOMELESS DOGS IN WARSAW, CZARZASTY TO SCHETYNA: DON'T LIE, YOU CHEAT!

-- ACCORDING TO KUKIZ, ŚPIEWAK LOVES THE CITY, KUKIZ DOESN'T RULE OUT SUPPORTING HIM: “The leader of the Kukiz'15 movement emphasized that he does not rule out cooperation with Jan Śpiewak, the leader of the Free City of Warsaw association, who is being considered as a candidate for the capital's mayor with support from, among others, urban movements, Barbara Nowacka's Inicjatywa Polska, the Greens, and the Razem party. He added that he would like to meet with him because, as he said, Jan Śpiewak "loves the city, is engaged in the capital's affairs." "These are important things," Kukiz stressed.

-- KUKIZ'S LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONGRESS IN JUNE, CANDIDATES LIKELY WITH FORMAL CAMPAIGN LAUNCH: “The leader of the Kukiz'15 movement admitted that a meeting regarding local government elections "might" take place in June in Wrocław, but emphasized that it would not be an election congress. Kukiz said that he himself would prefer to announce the candidates only when the local government elections are officially called, so as to proceed according to current law. He informed that the Kukiz'15 movement plans to announce its candidates in September.” http://fakty.interia.pl/raporty/raport-wybory-samorzadowe-2018/aktualnosci/news-kukiz-ogloszenie-kandydatow-w-wyborach-samorzadowych-planuje,nId,2580618

-- PARTIA RAZEM ON THE THRESHOLD! According to a poll conducted by the Pollster Research Institute for TVP1's "Wiadomości," 43 percent of respondents would vote for Law and Justice. Civic Platform is in second place, with 20 percent of those surveyed voting for it. The Democratic Left Alliance would also find itself in the Sejm - 9 percent of respondents would vote for the party. 8 percent would vote for the Kukiz'15 grouping. Nowoczesna, with 6 percent support, and Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe and Partia Razem - each with 5 percent support - would also get into parliament. The Wolność party, with 4 percent support, would be outside the Sejm. http://www.tvp.info/37177697/respondenci-wystawili-ocene-pis-nowy-sondaz-partii-politycznych

-- KEEP CALM - POLAND KNOWS THE BENEFITS OF EUROPEAN UNITY, POLAND WAS A VICTIM OF A DIVIDED EUROPE - Krzysztof Szczerski in an interview with the BBC: Objections to Poland are not based on facts, but if they turn out to be true, we are capable of making legislative corrections. I hope the vote in the European Commission will not happen. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p066xxwl

-- THE TUSZ OF POLISH OLIGARCHY, WITH HEARTS OF STONE, PUT ON SWEET FACES - JACEK KARNOWSKI: "The weekly 'Polityka,' the daily 'Gazeta Wyborcza,' and - best of all - TVN have not been so moved in a long time as this spring. They were moved by the fate of disabled people and their caregivers. To tears. The situation is - and it's worth repeating - more than peculiar. The most pro-social government in the history of independent Poland is being attacked from the social flank. And the tusks of oligarchic Poland, Poland with hearts of stone, are putting on sweet faces and 'understanding' the needs of disabled people.”

-- KARNOWSKI'S STRONG WORDS ABOUT PIS MPS: “The government is not helped by MPs who speak before they think. But they do not represent the thinking, nor - what is more important - the practice of the Good Change. Building the thesis that the government disregards the needs of groups requiring support and care is a typical inversion of vectors in our reality. It is a consistent, cynical construction of a GREAT LIE. This GREAT LIE would have no chance if it weren't for the media advantage of the Third Polish Republic; today, due to the regained sense of security and self-confidence by key players - it is again gigantic. Only this enables the hyper-liberals - as Michał Karnowski aptly put it - to dress up in the guise of the sensitive. Even Leszek Balcerowicz is dressing up!” https://wpolityce.pl/polityka/393936-tuzy-polski-oligarchicznej-polski-o-sercu-twardym-jak-skala-robia-slodkie-minki-i-rozumieja-potrzeby-buduja-wielkie-klamstwo

-- PHOTO REPORT FROM PATRYK JAKI'S TWEETUP: https://wpolityce.pl/m/polityka/393899-jakitweetup-dziennikarze-komentatorzy-i-twitterowicze-beda-rozmawiac-o-warszawie-z-kandydatem-pis

-- FATHER RYDZYK WILL RUIN PIS - FAKT QUOTES 300POLITYKA - as Dariusz Grzędziński writes: “These scenes will not be repeated. The problem is the growing conflict between Radio Maryja and PiS. Both environments are divided, among other things, by their stance on the bill to tighten the abortion law and the bill banning fur farming. After the publication by Wirtualna Polska that some PiS MPs would come to the march and conference, a ban on participation in Saturday events was introduced in the parliamentary club - as reported by 300polityka.pl! The head of the PiS club, Ryszard Terlecki (69), announced "severe consequences, including expulsion from the club" for politicians who break this ban. The conference was cancelled.”

-- RESOURCEFUL SEJM COUPLE, MPS' PAY CUT, BUT NOT THEIRS - FAKT's lead story on Terlecki and Mazurek.

-- THE HAPPIEST COUPLE IN THE SEJM - Continues FAKT: “Terlecki and Mazurek are Deputy Speakers of the Sejm. She has been the party and club spokesperson since the beginning of the term and became Deputy Speaker after Joachim Brudziński (50) left for the Ministry of Interior and Administration. It is no secret to anyone at Wiejska [the Sejm building] that they hold a special affection for each other. Joint press conferences are standard. Although there have already been voices within PiS that they should not appear together so often.” https://www.fakt.pl/wydarzenia/polityka/mazurek-i-terlecki-to-szczesliwa-para-w-sejmie/zezzns4

-- ALEKSANDRA PAWLICKA BELIEVES THE OPPOSITION HAS SLEPT THROUGH IT: “The opposition has once again slept through it. They are organizing the March of Freedom to remind us of our place in Europe, while the protest of disabled people and their caregivers has been ongoing in the Sejm for almost a month. And it is there that the place of the opposition and defenders of democracy is.”

-- THE OPPOSITION DOESN'T UNDERSTAND ITS PLACE - Pawlicka continues in NEWSWEEK: “If the parliamentary opposition does not understand its place in such simple and fundamental matters, close to the citizen, it undermines the purpose of its existence once again. Now is not the time for demonstrating pride and joy. Now is the time for loud disagreement with the disregard, even contempt, of the authorities towards human rights. And towards the weakest human being. The disabled one.”

-- JOYFUL MANIFESTING BECOMES IRONIC - PAWLICKA'S CONCLUSION: “Joyful celebration of Poland's 14 years in the EU, singing the otherwise fantastic song by Chłopcy z Placu Broni, 'I love and understand freedom,' and politicians delivering pompous speeches full of assurances of solidarity becomes ironic when, in the Polish parliament, mothers, fathers, and their adult disabled children have to sleep in the corridor, live in the public eye under the glare of cameras, fighting for a benefit of 500 PLN.” http://newsweek.pl/opinie/opozycja-organizuje-marsz-wolnosci-ale-to-nie-tam-jest-jej-miejsce,artykuly,427102,1.html

-- MAJCHROWSKI OUTSMARTED HIS ALLIES - Andrzej Stankiewicz in Onet: “However, the president's volte-face may have further consequences. Everything indicates that a joint list of Majchrowski and the entire parliamentary opposition for the city council will not be created. PSL will present one list with the president, while Platforma and Nowoczesna will likely create their own. Today, the head of the Małopolska structures of Platforma went to Warsaw to meet with the party authorities. The politicians are to discuss further steps and the presentation of a potential candidate. The authorities of Małopolska PO are also scheduled to meet next week to discuss what's next.” https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/tylko-w-onecie/tak-jacek-majchrowski-ogral-swoich-sojusznikow-kulisy-zmiany-decyzji-prezydenta/nnq5dyz

-- MAJCHROWSKI OUTWITTED SCHETYNA - Agnieszka Maj in Interia: “Civic Platform in Krakow is considering withdrawing its support for Mayor Jacek Majchrowski in the local government elections. PO politicians intend to look for another candidate after the mayor told journalists that there would be no joint lists for his committee and PO for the City Council. And this would mean that Platforma would gain fewer seats, while PiS would benefit, which could have a significant advantage in the future City Council. http://fakty.interia.pl/raporty/raport-wybory-samorzadowe-2018/aktualnosci/news-prezydent-jacek-majchrowski-przechytrzyl-grzegorza-schetyne,nId,2580503

-- WARSAW CITY HALL WILL STATE TWICE AS MANY MANIFESTANTS, TVP TWICE AS FEW - GRZEGORZ SROCZYŃSKI: “Ten buses from PO (plus thirty from KOD) make a total of seven thousand demonstrators; several thousand more will likely join (I am writing this text before the march). In Polish conditions, several thousand people on the streets already look decent. Schetyna will declare success, Warsaw City Hall will report twice as many demonstrators, and the public television will announce twice as few, and each side will receive exactly the message it expects. So, Platforma is not risking anything PR-wise (even if the turnout is not sensational), but it can clearly show that it is the only opposition force that can achieve something out of nothing. It can show not so much to citizens as to other opposition politicians: we have structures that work - either you will join us, or you will disappear.”

-- PO POLITICIANS HAVE DESCENDED FROM HIGH C, STOPPED RECITING GW INTRODUCTIONS - SROCZYŃSKI NOTICES: “It is not true that PO's better ratings are solely due to PiS's blunders - first the IPN law, then the bonuses, now the rudeness towards the disabled. Schetyna has simultaneously made a discreet course change. This is evident, for example, in how the platform's daily talking points (i.e., SMS messages that politicians receive every morning so they know what to repeat to cameras) are formulated. PO politicians have descended from high C, stopped lecturing us about "being guardians of democratic values" and that "now we must bear witness," they have stopped denouncing society for not understanding that we are losing democracy. Of course, such rhetorical displays still occur, but the emphasis is placed differently. One gets the impression that PO politicians have stopped reciting introductions from 'Gazeta Wyborcza' and have started working on their own ideas (e.g., exposing government bonuses). The effectiveness is visible in the polls.”

-- VOTERS ARE TIRED OF HYSTERIA, PERHAPS THIS HOPELESS SCHETYNA IS CYNICAL ENOUGH TO MANEUVER BETWEEN EXPECTATIONS - SROCZYŃSKI CONCLUDES: “This is a huge dilemma for the opposition and Schetyna's entire difficulty. Voters (and certainly most of them, as seen in surveys commissioned by 'Polityka,' among others) are tired of hysteria and view the current situation with distance. They believe that under PiS, "it is neither better nor worse." "We are watching, we are not stupid" - this is how this attitude can be summarized (Rafał Woś will write more about this on Gazeta.pl on Monday). The election results will be decided by the votes of these observers. On the other hand, the most loyal clientele of the opposition - e.g., those who attend demonstrations - demand increased efforts and hardcore anti-Kaczynski rhetoric from morning to night every day. The main opposition media also demand constant drumming from their political representatives (whether due to the actual beliefs of journalists and editors-in-chief, or simply due to sales calculations). Perhaps this hopeless Schetyna, on whom everyone had already written off, is currently the only person cynical enough to maneuver between these reefs of contradictory expectations.” http://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/7,161770,23385847,sroczynski-platforma-rozdarta-radykalowie-chca-antykaczyzmu.html

-- PETRU SUPPORTS WOJCIECHOWICZ - Andrzej Stankiewicz: “What about Petru and his people now? They don't know themselves yet. Sometimes they see themselves in exotic alliances with Robert Biedroń and the new left, other times they focus on a future coalition with Platforma. For now, Petru informally supports some independent candidates in the local government elections. In Warsaw, his people can be seen in the entourage of mayoral candidate Jacek Wojciechowicz, a former deputy to Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, who is at odds with Platforma. At first glance, there is no logic in this - after all, Petru, as the leader of .N, promoted the presidential tandem Rafał Trzaskowski (PO) - Paweł Rabiej (.N). But Petru is simply looking for people now on whom he can base his new grouping in the future.”

-- SCHETYNA IS THE KING - Stankiewicz concludes: “After two difficult years, Grzegorz Schetyna can finally breathe. Since taking power in PO at the beginning of 2016, he has been under constant pressure to lead the charge and merge into a coalition with the newcomers - Nowoczesna and KOD. He never wanted to agree to this, he even waged war with Petru and Mateusz Kijowski. Today, both newcomers have lost their charm, and Platforma, with all its defects, is the strongest opposition party. Schetyna is the leader against PiS, and he will dictate the terms before all elections this year and next. https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/tylko-w-onecie/pozegnanie-z-nowoczesna-komentarz/928l6k9

-- N FOR POWERLESSNESS - Witold Gadomski in GW: “Like Gasiuk-Pihowicz, she turned out to be a better speaker than a politician. Nowoczesna began to drift, agreeing to the status of a "hanger-on" to Platforma. Its continued existence makes little sense. The sooner a merger with PO takes place, the better for the liberal opposition. Nevertheless, Nowoczesna has produced a few political personalities. These are generally young people, by Polish standards. If they show resilience to setbacks, they have a chance to emerge in politics, though likely in a different project than Nowoczesna.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75398,23387948,n-jak-niemoc-czy-to-koniec-nowoczesnej.html

-- ARE THEY FIGHTING FOR POWER OR FOR IDEAS? - JSW and KGP on the front page of GW.

-- SOCIOLOGIST JACEK WASILEWSKI: JSW SHOWS THAT IT IS INDEPENDENT AND WANTS TO FIGHT FOR THE PUBLIC INTEREST - says in an interview with Krystyna Romanowska in GW: “Scheuring-Wielgus presents an image of a person who is independent and wants to fight for the public interest, while Katarzyna Lubnauer gives the impression of someone who wants to show dominance and the desire to remain in power. So, regarding public order versus private order, Wielgus's image is more ideological. When we talk about effectiveness - Lubnauer is right: only by speaking with one voice and with a strategy of joint action can anything be achieved in a small party; only then is the party effective.” http://wyborcza.pl/magazyn/7,124059,23387958,walczace-wojowniczki-z-nowoczesnej-scheuring-wielgus.html

-- LOCAL GW ON PŁAŻYŃSKI'S CONFLICT WITH POMORSKIE PISE: “Anna Katarzyna did not let him convince her: "Mr. candidate, the meeting was recorded, did you say: PiS has not been able to train staff in Gdańsk for the last 2.5 years, which is why we need to recruit from outside PiS to take responsibility for Gdańsk? Did you not say that?" she asked. Płażyński: "Dear Madam, of course, we must look for people outside the party as well. This is one of the purposes of the meeting with the Polish Catholic-Social Association.” http://trojmiasto.wyborcza.pl/trojmiasto/7,35612,23388785,partyjni-dzialacze-pis-oburzeni-slowami-swojego-kandydata-na.html

-- ASSAULT ON POLSAT - writes Dominika Wielowieyska in GW: “Zygmunt Solorz handed over control of the news at Polsat to Dorota Gawryluk, known for her sympathy towards PiS. This is a gesture towards the government, as the billionaire's business troubles are mounting rapidly. - Well, 'good change' is at our gates - sighs a Polsat journalist.”

-- KURSKI ARRANGED GŁODŹ'S APPEARANCE ON POLSAT - Wielowieyska writes: “An anecdote circulates at the station from the early days of Gawryluk's tenure. Archbishop Sławoj Leszek Głódź was supposed to be a guest. When he arrived at the Gdańsk studio, he was very surprised. He thought he was appearing on TVP, not Polsat, because TVP president Jacek Kurski had persuaded him to appear. Journalists repeat this story as proof of Gawryluk's close ties to the pro-PiS administrators of TVP.”

-- WIELOWIEYSKA RECOUNTS THE STORY OF THE FORESTER'S DAUGHTER: “Today, Gawryluk's closest collaborator is Marcin Wójcicki. At the station, he became known for refusing to air a report about the forester's daughter and only publishing it online. It concerned a scene that was accidentally recorded by a Polsat camera just before a government meeting: Minister of Environment Jan Szyszko handed a mysterious envelope to the head of the Ministry of Interior Mariusz Błaszczak with the words: 'This is such a forester's daughter.' - And this is the Polsat camera - Błaszczak noted shrewdly, pointing to the operator. 'The forester's daughter' became incredibly popular as a symbol of PiS nepotism. Upon hearing that Wójcicki refused to air it, journalists were outraged: such a hit, and the station wants to hide it. In the end, "the forester's daughter" was aired.” http://wyborcza.pl/magazyn/7,124059,23387735,gawryluk-robi-przewrot-w-polsacie-ciszej-i-lagodniej-o-pis.html

-- MICHAŁ SZUŁDRZYŃSKI, ON THE OCCASION OF CELEBRATING MARX, WRITES THAT THE RIGHT LOVES TO BE OUTRAGED: “Firstly, it is evident that our right loves to be outraged. Organizing outrage is one of its most successful activities. Subsequent texts that were created on this topic, full of emotional entries, were similar to each other. Even authors who strived for originality generally repeated banalities about Marx's philosophy. And again, the right slept through this event. Why, on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of this author's birth, were not a few books or articles published in which right-wing authors would grapple with the thought of the creator of scientific socialism? Perhaps because it is much easier to be outraged than to make an intellectual effort?” http://www.rp.pl/Plus-Minus/305109890-Michal-Szuldrzynski-Moda-na-Marksa-czyli-marksizm-kontra-antymarksizm.html

-- KAPICA ON HOW THE COURT DEEMED HIS ARREST UNFOUNDED: “- Taking into account the appeal, the Court found my arrest by the CBA at the request of the prosecutor to be unfounded. The Court also lifted the security on two apartments. I have never refused to cooperate with the prosecutor's office, but I will fight for justice to the end - informed Jacek Kapica. On March 29, Kapica was arrested by the CBA in connection with the so-called gambling affair. Jacek Kapica is a former deputy minister of finance.” https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/kraj/jacek-kapica-moje-zatrzymanie-uznano-za-bezzasadne/2t27zhq

-- THE DISABLED HAVE NO REASON TO DRAW THE EU FLAG - Stanisław Skarżyński in GW: “As a result, the disabled and their families protesting in the Sejm have no reason to draw the blue flag with golden stars on their banners. They only want a better Poland, not Europe - because Europe has no offer for them. They are not the only ones, but it is a good example of how the Union wastes its potential by financing individual investments and small conveniences (it remembers the disabled here), instead of supporting a civilizational standard with financial backing, the basis of which is respect for human rights.” http://wyborcza.pl/osiemdziewiec/7,163530,23387816,tryumf-babci-endeczki-o-rozczarowaniu-unia-europejska.html

-- POLITICO ON THE THREAT TO THE EU FROM THE NEW COALITION IN ITALY: https://www.politico.eu/article/silvio-berlusconi-beppe-grillo-antonio-tajani-5stars-forza-italia-italy-euro-how-italy-could-blow-up-europe-as-we-know-it/

-- POLITICO ON BIENKOWSKA'S GAFFE - FUCKED UP: “Literally. This week Elżbieta Bienkowska, European commissioner for industry and the EU’s single market, exclaimed during a European Parliament visit: “F**k how I hate this!” (meaning her job), either forgetting that her microphone was still on, or that it was there at all. That followed Carmen Martínez Castro, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s press secretary, insulting a crowd of pensioners who had booed her boss. The apoplectic (and later apologetic) Castro said: “How I would like to give them the finger and say f**k off,” a comment that a press microphone picked up. The lesson: Politicos are human, but you better have some goodwill in the bank before dismissing the people who pay your salary”.

-- A YEAR AGO FAKT PUBLISHED A PHOTO OF TRZASKOWSKI HANDING OVER 20 GROSSZES ON ITS FRONT PAGE.

-- PHOTOS IN WP: “THIS IS WHAT A YOUNG PATRYK JAKI LOOKED LIKE”: https://wiadomosci.wp.pl/tak-wygladal-maly-patryk-jaki-dzis-konczy-33-lata-6250352788002433g/2

-- BIRTHDAYS: Sabina Lipska, Marcin Makowski, Alicja Hytrek, Witold Koziński, SUNDAY: Tomasz Grodzki turns 60, Edzioo, Marek Kotlinowski, Karol Karski.