-- 300LIVE - LECH WAŁĘSA TO THE PROTESTERS: I DON'T GO INTO DETAILS: Protesters are asking Wałęsa to stay with them. Former president: I have to be in Puławy at 6 PM, I have a big meeting there. https://300polityka.pl/live/2018/05/21/ -- DGP ON POSSIBLE GOVERNMENT RECONSTRUCTION - as written by Grzegorz Osiecki and Karolina Baca-Pogorzelska: “A lot of information coming from the ruling camp indicates that the wave of changes is growing. As one politician close to Nowogrodzka said: ‘Season II of the reconstruction series has begun, but the finale will not be soon, we need to build suspense.’ – The Prime Minister does not evaluate everyone well and would like to make changes – says someone close to the Morawiecki chancellery. But these changes can only be made if Jarosław Kaczyński agrees. He, in turn, has his own calculations regarding the cohesion within PiS and the electoral effectiveness of the party.”

-- BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS - continues DGP: “If reshuffles are to happen, they should occur before the holidays. Local elections close the ‘window of opportunity’ because personnel adjustments in the government are made not during the campaign, but before it. – On the other hand, after the campaign it might be difficult, because if PiS wins, how can changes be justified? Therefore, it is best to make them now – says a PiS politician. Most people we spoke with point to June. But at the end of last week, information emerged that it could happen in May, or even… today. – I haven't seen the papers, but it can be done in one day if needed. Writing a motion for dismissal is not a problem – assures a close associate of the Prime Minister.”

-- JURGIEL, ZALEWSKA, ADAMCZYK, TCHÓRZEWSKI - the names of ministers mentioned in DGP. http://www.gazetaprawna.pl/artykuly/1125037,zmiany-na-stanowiskach-kierowniczych-w-spolkach-opinia.html

-- JAŚKOWIAK IS PRIMARILY AN IDEOLOGUE - says Tadeusz Zysk in GPC: “Jaśkowiak is primarily an ideologue, and that's the biggest problem. It's quite surprising that in a city of practical, concrete people, a man who deals with politics rather than management has come to power.” https://gpcodziennie.pl/89954-jaskowiaksklocilpoznaniakow.html

-- MEDIA DON'T HAVE AS MUCH POWER AS THEY USED TO - says Waldemar Paruch in an interview with Sieci: “The events of recent years have shown that the media no longer have as much power as they used to. We have strong polarization of the journalistic community; there are no longer people who could aspire to the role of nationwide and at the same time apolitical figures. Citizens see this and can read it well. The government was also helped by the opposition, which so exaggerated the situation that it compromised many media narratives. When so much is said about dictatorship and lack of freedom, and this threat is not really visible, then in the end only a handful of people turn up for a demonstration on this matter, which happened to PO a few days ago. Ideological disputes are much more dangerous for the ruling camp, because research shows that most Poles do not want changes, for example, in the sphere of life protection.”

-- THE MOST SOCIAL GOVERNMENT IS TO BE CONSIDERED INDIFFERENT AND THE LEAST OLIGARCHIC AS DIGNIFIED - Jacek Karnowski: “In other spheres too, the goals are similar. The most social government of the Third Republic is to be considered indifferent to the fate of the weakest. The least oligarchic team is to be considered ‘dignitaries.’”

-- KARNOWSKI ON THE STRATEGY OF A THOUSAND VIETNAMS AGAINST PIS: “Parliamentary elections are already on the horizon. The events of recent weeks are an important warning: this will be a fight to the death. The goodwill of the 'Good Change' (Dobra Zmiana), which strives to de-escalate tension in the 100th anniversary year of Independence, has been perceived as a sign of weakness and only fuels aggression. The strategy of ‘a thousand Vietnams’ is entering the phase of operationalization/concretization, this time with live ammunition. They can withstand four years, but not longer.” https://wpolityce.pl/polityka/395168-wydarzenia-ostatnich-tygodni-sa-waznym-ostrzezeniem-to-bedzie-walka-na-noze-strategia-tysiaca-wietnamow-wchodzi-w-faze-konkretyzacji

-- MICHAŁ KARNOWSKI ON “UNION-LIBERAL” ATMOSPHERES OVERWHELMING THE PROTEST: “More stars of the Third Republic arriving at the Sejm only increase the impression in public opinion of a partisan low point in the entire action. This is, incidentally, a fairly common phenomenon accompanying operations inspired and carried out around Czerska. As soon as they feel an opportunity to act, they engage these ‘union-liberal’ atmospheres so decisively that they overwhelm any other undertone of the event.

-- WHERE WAŁĘSA SHOWS HIS FACE, POLES CHOOSE THE OPPOSITE - continues Karnowski: “From this perspective, Lech Wałęsa's visit is not necessarily a triumph for those dreaming of overthrowing the government through the protest of the disabled in the Sejm. I believe it will be a factor that 'hugs' the protest so much to the oligarchy of the Third Republic that the real social resonance will be reduced to zero. The last remnants of authenticity will be suffocated. You'll see. Wherever Lech Wałęsa shows his face, Poles always choose the opposite. A wise nation understands more than some think. Therefore, I appeal: after Wałęsa, let Michnik come, and then someone from the Kulczyks. And give Staszek Gawłowski a pass too. It's worth it.” https://wpolityce.pl/m/polityka/395170-iii-rp-tak-bardzo-przytula-protest-niepelnosprawnych-ze-zaraz-go-zadusi-po-walesie-sprowadzcie-michnika

-- ON THE BLACKLIST OF THE MARSHAL'S GUARD - Renata Grochal and Aleksandra Pawlicka in Newsweek: “Opposition politicians are convinced that the Marshal's Guard has a blacklist of people who are not allowed to enter the Sejm. In addition to the activists of the Women's Strike, it includes Citizens of the Republic of Poland who protested in front of the parliament in December. However, the press office does not respond to questions about the blacklist. Nor to the next one: why was the issuance of passes suspended? It only replies that ‘organizational reasons decided,’ and the reason was the protest of the disabled and their caregivers.” http://m.newsweek.pl/polska/polityka/zakaz-wstepu-do-sejmu-pis-zmienia-sejm-w-twierdze,artykuly,427488,1.html

-- ŚWIRSKI MAY LEAVE THE POLISH NATIONAL FOUNDATION - Agata Kondzińska and Iwona Szpala in GW: “Only its promoter, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture, Piotr Gliński, is still defending the Foundation within PiS. Świrski is his man. They have known each other for years. When the party nominated Gliński as a caretaker Prime Minister, Świrski offered his help. At that time, he was still a blogger with political ambitions under the pseudonym 'Office Rat,' and later became the president of Reduta Dobrego Imienia, an organization dealing with 'prosecuting defamation of the homeland.' – His fate seems sealed, even though Gliński defended him to the end – says our source from the Prime Minister's chancellery.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75398,23427956,pis-ma-problem-z-polska-fundacja-narodowa.html

-- JACEK ŻAKOWSKI ON LIBERAL POPULISM - writes in GW: “If, for example, the state did not spend an average of PLN 2,310 from everyone's pocket on health, many of us would not have more or less, because they would no longer be alive. But the rest would also not have more, because the dead do not create GDP and do not pay taxes. And if the state did not collect another 1700 zlotys from us for pensions with supplements, the protesters in the Sejm would not even receive the pennies they are getting now. However, according to the principle of the populist method, the ‘bill from the state’ remains silent about these benefits.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,23427239,rachunek-od-populistow.html

-- BISHOPS CANNOT REMAIN SILENT - Tomasz Krzyżak in RZ: “The Church is today the only institution that can help end the protest in the Sejm. Without listening to accusations of political involvement, it should bravely offer mediation.” http://www.rp.pl/Analizy/305209953-Krzyzak-Niepelnosprawni-wolaja-o-godnosc-Biskupi-nie-moga-milczec.html&template=restricted

-- 50% WANT MPs TO EARN PLN 5 THOUSAND, PROF. DUDEK: “Let's imagine a situation where parliamentarians are not paid for their work. Then, as is known, it will be mainly very wealthy people or secretly paid lobbyists who will remain in office. Talking about how the lack of salary would compensate them for the prestige of their function is pure demagoguery due to the low prestige that, unfortunately, parliamentarians enjoy.” http://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/7,114884,23419383,prof-dudek-nie-wykluczam-ze-po-obnizce-pensji-parlamentarzystow.html

-- GETBACK WILL HIT PIS LIKE A BOOMERANG - Wojciech Czuchnowski in GW: “And ABW? The matter is simpler here. From the letter of the head of the Agency, it follows that the special services did literally nothing. However, in the Amber Gold case, three years before the collapse, KNF issued a warning statement, and two years later filed a criminal complaint. ABW also dealt with the affair before the company's collapse. It is true that these actions were inept, at times resembling deliberate omissions. However, there were some interventions.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75398,23426761,getback-to-moze-byc-amber-gold-rzadow-pis-u.html

-- MARCIN FIJOŁEK ON BARTŁOMIEJ SIENKIEWICZ LEAVING “THE CURSE” AT TEATR POWSZECHNY IN OUTRAGE AND ON THE SMALL COMMON DENOMINATOR OF COMMUNITY: “Nevertheless, after a scene in which an actress simulated oral sex with a figure of John Paul II, three rows higher I heard one of the viewers who, clearly outraged, left the performance, slamming the door and shouting to the actors: ‘This cannot be defended!’ This viewer was Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz. We joked in the editorial office that perhaps the former Minister of Interior's genes had kicked in. The gesture of Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz may be worth returning to someday, but his indignation - on an aesthetic level - had similar foundations to the protests of the nationalists who disliked him (and vice versa), who protested in front of Powszechny some time ago. Perhaps - somewhat naively concluding - there is a chance to find this common denominator of community somewhere in aesthetics, in a reflexive, moral (?) opposition to things that are simply unworthy. (...) It is difficult to expect reality to change quickly. For now, we have a direction of debate where every issue is political, or even partisan. But perhaps over time, a few wedges will be driven in, and at least a really small common denominator of our community will be found.” https://wpolityce.pl/m/polityka/395008-bartlomiej-sienkiewicz-trzaska-drzwiami-na-klatwie-czyli-o-najnizszym-i-naiwnym-wspolnym-mianowniku-wspolnoty

-- MP KRYNICKA STATES THAT SHOOTING RANGES ARE ALSO FOR THE DISABLED: “- These shooting ranges, territorial defense, these benches, all of this is also for people with disabilities. I don't see a problem with people with disabilities not being able to use shooting ranges – claims Bernadeta Krynicka, a PiS MP from Łomża. And she is gathering thunder from internet users.” http://bialystok.wyborcza.pl/bialystok/7,35241,23429590,krynicka-niepelnosprawni-na-strzelnice-kuriozalne-pomysly.html

-- LOCAL GW ON A SCANDAL INVOLVING A COUNCILLOR SUPPORTING ADAMOWICZ: “There are grounds for revoking the mandate of councillor Mirosław Zdanowicz (PO), because for eight months he conducted business activities using municipal property, which is prohibited by law. The land purchased without a tender was previously acquired by the authorities of Gdańsk for him, from the University of Gdańsk.” http://trojmiasto.wyborcza.pl/trojmiasto/7,35612,23406925,gdansk-kupil-grunt-dla-zdanowicza-aby-radny-mogl-go-przejac.html

-- BIRTHDAYS: Wiesława Ziółkowska, Małgorzata Serafin, Marta Patena, Piotr Mościcki, Lucjusz Nadbereżny.