-- SYMMETRISTS WILL FLIP THE CHESSBOARD - writes Rafał Woś on gazeta.pl: “Orthodox anti-PiS and militant pro-PiS increasingly resemble two factions of the late PZPR. Convinced that the war for the souls of Poles is being fought between them. They fail to see that so-called symmetryism is a kind of new 'Solidarity,' which will soon flip their chessboard.

-- WOŚ ON THE DEFINITION OF SYMMETRYISM: “Let me remind you. A symmetrist is someone who is brazen enough to dare to draw a balance sheet. They look at the style and spirit of Minister Ziobro's judicial reforms and write down a 'big minus.' But they don't pretend that the social achievements of Beata Szydło's government (the '500 plus' program emancipating the broad masses, or labor market reforms related to the amount and method of calculating the minimum wage) don't exist. And here they write down a 'plus.' Even being aware of the political intentions behind this move (a better politician doing 'something' out of opportunism than doing nothing out of misguided idealism, wouldn't you agree?).” -- WOŚ ON SYMMETRISTS AS SOLIDARITY:“In this sense, symmetryism is slowly becoming a phenomenon similar to what 'Solidarity' was before the declaration of martial law. It is not a cohesive camp. And it never will be. People with very different sensitivities meet here. And often with distinctly conflicting views. Just as Michnik and Macierewicz, socialists and liberals, and Catholics and atheists met in 'S.' They were united by the search for a space where one could breathe the fresh air of freedom. That freedom they couldn't find in official life.” http://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/7,161770,23394895,wos-polacy-nawiewaja-z-okopow-wiedza-ze-wojna-pis-u-z-anty-pis-em.html

-- RYSZARD PETRU ON WASTING NOWOCZESNA'S ACHIEVEMENTS - tells Marcin Wojciechowski in Newsweek: “On the one hand, I feel irritation, and on the other, regret, when for several, a dozen or so weeks I read in the papers that the party won't last until the parliamentary elections, or when I see its achievements being wasted and a decline in polls. I noticed programmatic stagnation and an avoidance of difficult topics – and yet, actively and clearly addressing difficult topics was our hallmark.”

-- I MYSELF WOULD HAVE TO THINK TO FIND A REASON TO VOTE FOR NOWOCZESNA - PETRU ADMITS: “Currently, it's difficult to speak of any clear message. I myself would have to think for a long time to find a reason to vote for Nowoczesna in its current form. It's a different party than the one I created. Although there is likely an electorate that will want to vote for this different Nowoczesna. However, I am certain that enterprising voters and those working in free professions requiring education need a party with a liberal-social character. That is, one that on the one hand gives opportunities to people who can take care of themselves, and on the other, helps those who for one reason or another cannot solve their problems themselves.”

-- PETRU, WHEN ASKED ABOUT NOWACKA, SPEAKS OF THE MODERATE LEFT'S CHOICE: WHETHER TO BE KORWIN-MIKKE A REBOURS: “I know her quite well and can speak positively about her. This is really a question of whether the Polish moderate left wants to co-create a large and winning political project, or whether it prefers to be like Korwin-Mikke a rebours. http://m.newsweek.pl/polska/polityka/ryszard-petru-pierwszy-wywiad-po-odejsciu-z-nowoczesnej,artykuly,427198,1.html

-- POLITICAL HOOD. THE UNIMPRESSIVE MARCH OF THE OPPOSITION. PLATFORM ENJOYS FREEDOM - title in GPC.

-- THEY'VE FINALLY STOPPED TALKING ABOUT THE END OF DEMOCRACY, BUT STILL LACK A PROGRAM - DARIUSZ GRZĘDZIŃSKI IN FAKT: “11,000 people came, according to the police, or perhaps 50,000, according to the city hall? Since the autumn of 2015, one thing remains constant: discussions about the number of participants in opposition marches. Beyond that, much has changed. The anti-PiS camp now has only one leader, Grzegorz Schetyna (55). He has finally stopped talking about the end of democracy! But he still lacks a program…”

-- THERE WAS A MARCH OF FREEDOM, NOW IT'S A MARCH TO WORK - Grzędziński continues:“For these boastful announcements to become a reality, the opposition must turn rallies into concrete work.” https://www.fakt.pl/wydarzenia/polityka/byl-marsz-wolnosci-a-teraz-marsz-do-roboty/qp87myx

-- THE DEFEAT OF THE FALSE NARRATIVE ABOUT THE THREAT TO FREEDOM - JACEK KARNOWSKI: “This is a certain glimmer of hope that this Saturday has brought us: perhaps the opposition will finally realize that the vast majority of Poles do not buy the false narrative about the threat to freedom, because they see its falsity with their own eyes. There is hope that the failure of this march is the ultimate bankruptcy of this exceptionally dishonest story. Not because someone has become wiser, but because it simply doesn't work.” https://wpolityce.pl/m/polityka/394021-mozna-miec-nadzieje-ze-kleska-tego-marszu-to-ostateczne-bankructwo-wyjatkowo-zaklamanej-tezy-o-zagrozeniu-wolnosci-w-polsce

-- THE BALLOON OF THE NARRATIVE ABOUT PIS'S DECLINE HAS BURST - MICHAŁ KARNOWSKI: “It was supposed to be a great march of freedom for a million Poles, but it turned out to be a small march of party apparatuses and local government structures. With a strong humorous note, because considering whether there were more speakers on stage or viewers at the rally is a rarity in professional politics. Although there were more viewers. In the context of the mobilization the opposition decided on, the low attendance and programmatic failure means a significant and extremely important defeat for the opposition. It was supposed to be a breakthrough, and it might be, but the opposite of what was planned. This may cost all those mentioned a lot. The balloon has burst. Or maybe it's all because Staszek wasn't there? Who knows?” https://wpolityce.pl/m/polityka/393999-balon-opowiesci-o-konczeniu-sie-pis-i-rosnacej-w-sile-opozycji-wlasnie-pekl-ta-porazka-po-i-n-ma-duze-znaczenie

-- RENATA GROCHAL IN NEWSWEEK ON GROWING BACKLOGS: “– Now his health limitations will greatly affect politics, because when something hurts you, you deal with it and have less time and patience – says a long-time associate of the party leader. He adds that backlogs existed even during Beata Szydło's time because she was indecisive. If things couldn't get to Kaczyński, matters would get stuck for months. Now the backlogs will be even larger because Kaczyński created a system where he decides everything.” http://m.newsweek.pl/polska/polityka/choroba-jaroslawa-kaczynskiego-prezes-pis-i,artykuly,427113,1.html

-- WOJCIECH KOZAK, FORMER MAYOR OF WARSAW, RETURNS TO POLITICS - Michał Wojtczuk writes in GW that Kozak will head the Warsaw branch of the Bezpartyjni (Non-Partisan) organization, co-founded by Szczecin Mayor Krzystek.

-- RAFAŁ TRZASKOWSKI CALLS FOR MAXIMUM EMPATHY FOR REPRIVATIZATION VICTIMS IN RZ: “This is a scandal. I am deliberately using strong words in this context. There are two conclusions. First, we must pass a reprivatization act. I have one simple question for PiS politicians: When will there be a reprivatization act that does not shift its operating costs onto the local government? This is the real test of their intentions. I also have a detailed plan for housing policy, one of whose priorities is increasing the stock of municipal housing. Anyone who was harmed in reprivatization will receive it first. We will conduct a thorough audit of these needs. If anyone has been wronged, the city will take care of them. We must show maximum empathy here. From all of this, we need to draw conclusions regarding city management. It cannot be that there are enclaves in the city hall that have functioned unchanged for years.”

-- I AM NOT AS SATISFIED AS SOME CITY HALL OFFICIALS - Trzaskowski continues in RZ:“I understand that the city sometimes feels unfairly judged. However, I will always say what I think. I don't hide that I often have a different view of the situation. I am not as satisfied as some city hall officials.” http://www.rp.pl/Wybory-samorzadowe/305139964-Trzaskowski-Skonczyly-sie-czasy-mniejszego-zla.html&template=restricted

-- MICHAŁ SZUŁDRZYŃSKI ON SCHETYNA AND CZARZASTY'S PATIENCE AND CONSISTENCY: “It’s a waste of ink to comment on Nowoczesna's situation. It's worth noting, however, that for several months now, SLD has held the last place on the podium with over 10% support. SLD leader Włodzimierz Czarzasty has proven – just like Schetyna – that patience and consistency are key in the opposition. It is to them that the left owes its return not only above the electoral threshold but also to the group of parties that will shape the Polish political scene.” http://www.rp.pl/Komentarze/305139959-Szuldrzynski-Cierpliwosc-i-konsekwencja.html

-- MACIEREWICZ'S EXPENSIVE SECURITY - Izabela Kacprzak in RZ: “The privilege of Antoni Macierewicz may cost the taxpayer tens of thousands of zlotys per month.” http://www.rp.pl/Prawo-i-Sprawiedliwosc/305139946-Kosztowna-ochrona-bylego-szefa-MON.html

-- PAWNS SENTENCED, LEADERS UNPUNISHED - Piotr Żytnicki on Poznań tenement house clearers - writes in GW: “The case of tenement house 'clearing' casts a shadow over the Poznań prosecutor's office. The verdict against the 'clearers,' the executors of someone else's plan, does not change this impression. Therefore, I ask: as the Prosecutor General, do you not think that this matter should be revisited and the role of the tenement house owners in harassing tenants thoroughly investigated?” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,23395157,czyszczenie-kamienic-w-poznaniu-pionki-skazano-szefowie-bezkarni.html

-- GW'S LEAD STORY ON PAD'S PLANNED AMNESTY - as Wojciech Czuchnowski writes: “As 'Wyborcza' unofficially learned, Andrzej Duda is considering announcing an amnesty for individuals with minor sentences on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of regaining Poland's independence. The Presidential Chancellery officially neither confirms nor denies. (...) Announcing amnesties on the occasion of historical events and state holidays has a long tradition. In the Second Polish Republic, it was announced 13 times (including after regaining independence and after the adoption of the 1936 constitution). In the Polish People's Republic, amnesties were announced on the anniversaries of the establishment of People's Poland.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75398,23395234,amnestia-na-100-lecie.html

-- JACEK ŻAKOWSKI ON HAVING NOTHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN THE EU: “If Poland is to be permanently PiS-like, meaning authoritarian, there is no good way out for the EU or for Poland. It depends solely on us. No one can replace us here, no one can even significantly help us. Neither the European Council, nor any international tribunal, nor America, nor NATO. Only we can remove PiS from power and restore democratic rule of law in Poland. There's no point in looking to others.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,23395116,kaczynski-chce-sie-dogadac-z-unia-europejska-ale-bardziej-chce.html

-- JACEK CZAPUTOWICZ ON THE ROLE OF THE POLISH DIASPORA IN THE KATYN MEMORIAL - tells Jacek Nizinkiewicz in RZ: “The actions of the Polish diaspora, with the support of Polish diplomacy, led to a satisfactory outcome. Consul General in New York Maciej Golubiewski played a significant role, providing support for the diaspora's actions. Ambassador Piotr Wilczek held talks with congressmen. The coalition of support for preserving the Katyń monument in Jersey City – this important testament to history, not just Polish history – extended beyond Polish diaspora circles and proved effective.”

-- CZAPUTOWICZ ON THE ROLE OF PFN: “The Polish National Foundation is an independent institution, not subordinate to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In the case of the monument in Jersey City, the American Polonia conducted the actions, with the support of various institutions.”

-- THE SITUATION IN THE JUDICIARY WILL BE OBVIOUS TO EVERYONE IN 2021 - says Czaputowicz: “In the EU, there are rules according to which everyone is treated equally. If funds are reduced, for example, for agricultural policy, it will affect everyone who benefits from it, both Polish, French, and Romanian farmers. The assessment of the Polish judicial reform has no bearing on this. The new budget will take effect from 2021. I trust that the United Right will still be in power then, and the increased effectiveness and independence of the Polish judiciary will be obvious to everyone.” http://www.rp.pl/Rzad-PiS/305139945-Czaputowicz-Spielbergowi-nie-grozi-areszt.html

-- FORMER GETBACK CEO THREATENED PIS WITH A SCANDAL - lead story in DGP: “If the state does not help resolve the debt collector's problems, the losses of GetBack's creditors will politically hit PiS – according to letters that the former CEO of the company, Konrad Kąkolewski, sent to the Prime Minister and the Chairman of the KNF.” http://gospodarka.dziennik.pl/news/artykuly/574306,byly-prezes-getbacku-straszyl-pis-afera-kakolewski-premier-knf.html

-- SILENCE ABOUT THE BONUSES - Agnieszka Kublik in GW: “Ministers and deputy ministers will decide for themselves whether to return the bonuses for 2016 and 2017 or not. This is what Michał Dworczyk, head of the Prime Minister's Chancellery, states, the day before the deadline for an absolute return of their bonuses set by Kaczyński. And indeed – the ministers are not returning the bonuses. Only Mariusz Błaszczak and Konstanty Radziwiłł admit to 'Wyborcza' that they transferred the money to Caritas. But they also do not want to disclose whether they returned the entire sum. Nor do they want to show proof of the transfer.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75398,23395151,o-nagrodach-cicho-sza-czy-ministrowie-juz-zrobili-przelewy.html -- PAD ATTENDED A WEDDING IN THE KIELECKIE REGION: https://www.egazety.pl/polska-press/e-wydanie-echo-dnia.html

-- BIRTHDAYS:Marcin Torz, Andrzej Person, Piotr Ikonowicz, Marek Rocki, Krzysztof Kwiatkowski, Jarosław Pietras