-- JAROSŁAW KACZYŃSKI TURNS 69.

-- KUKIZ ON NOT BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT ŚPIEWAK SO AS NOT TO OFFEND MS. NOWACKA, JAKI TO REBUILD SKRA STADIUM: https://300polityka.pl/live/2018/06/18/

-- HANNA SUCHOCKA'S BOOK PREMIERE TODAY.

-- BEFORE THE ELECTIONS, THE LAW AND JUSTICE PARTY WAS SUPPOSED TO START A WAR WITH RUSSIA, NOW TUSK CLAIMS HE IS PRO-RUSSIAN, WHAT WILL HE SAY TOMORROW? - JACEK KARNOWSKI: “It takes truly contorted mental gymnastics to portray Tusk's government as assertive towards its eastern neighbor. And merely invoking EU solidarity as supposedly the most effective remedy for the Kremlin's imperial ambitions (which is, by the way, just a fairy tale) doesn't change anything; it's enough to recall that the government of the current President of the European Council officially did not rule out letting Russian capital into the Polish oil sector, and in effect, also gave up the fight to stop Nord Stream. In this last matter, it acted primarily in Germany's interest, but that's the point: by fulfilling Germany's wishes, Russia's wishes were fulfilled.”

-- THE CRAZY IMMIGRATION POLICY THREATENS THE UNITY OF THE EU - DALEJ KARNOWSKI: “It's interesting, for example, whether, in Donald Tusk's opinion, the Polish and Hungarian opposition to mass immigration – which is increasingly openly appreciated even in EU circles today – was 'weakening the Union' or 'counting on its collapse'? In reality, it was and still is the opposite: it is the crazy immigration policy that threatens EU unity, and in the longer term, the very existence of the Union, as we can clearly see in the example of Italy.” https://wpolityce.pl/polityka/399961-przed-wyborami-pis-mial-wywolac-wojne-z-rosja-teraz-donald-tusk-zmienil-zdanie-i-twierdzi-ze-pis-jest-prorosyjski-co-powie-jutro

-- THE CLEAN-UP WILL BEGIN, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE LAW AND JUSTICE PARTY IS BACK! - Fakt on PJK taking office at Nowogrodzka Street.

-- ANDRZEJ STANKIEWICZ ON PMM WANTING THE GOVERNMENT TEAM TO BE MORE HIS - he says in SE:“I think the Prime Minister would like to replace the government team with one that is more his. However, there are certain limitations due to which it cannot be done so easily.” https://www.se.pl/wiadomosci/polityka/andrzej-stankiewicz-morawiecki-chcialby-wymienic-swoj-rzad-aa-sxqL-L8uH-otcd.html

-- TOMASZ BIELECKI ON TREATIES NOT ALLOWING GOING BEYOND ARTICLE 7 - he writes in GW: “The chances of saving the Supreme Court from an early retirement clean-up (starting July 3rd) through an appeal to the EU Court of Justice are already slim. According to some experts, the Supreme Court must be defended like the Białowieża Forest against logging, i.e., by asking the Court in Luxembourg to order the suspension of the law until a final ruling on its compliance with EU law. However, many Commission lawyers fear that the Court will rule that EU treaties do not allow going beyond the Article 7 procedure in the matter of the Supreme Court.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,23554018,bruksela-przegrywa-spor-z-rzadem-pis-o-panstwo-prawa-z-czym.html

-- THE RETURN OF THE COLD WAR - Tomasz Pietryga in RZ: “Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki's astonishing words about a 'gang in Krakow courts' show that the ruling camp has not abandoned its hard line towards the judiciary. And it is unlikely that a change will occur under the influence of Frans Timmermans. It's just a shame that such short-term politics can ultimately be very costly for us, considering our position in the EU and our influence on decisions made there, for example, regarding the EU budget.” http://archiwum.rp.pl/artykul/1376705-Powrot--zimnej-wojny.html

-- MARCIN ANTOSIEWICZ writes that Timmermans could be the socialists' candidate for head of the European Commission: “Our sources in Brussels say that the socialist Timmermans has reached an agreement with the liberal Mark Rutte, who is prepared to propose his candidacy on behalf of the Netherlands in the European Council, provided that Timmermans receives the PES nomination. – As far as I know, he (Timmermans – ed.) is discussing this with the Prime Minister of the Netherlands – German MEP Jens Geier, who heads the largest national delegation in the European socialists' group in the EP, told 'Newsweek'.” http://m.newsweek.pl/swiat/polityka/frans-timmermans-moze-zostac-szefem-komisji-europejskiej,artykuly,428920,1.html

-- GRZEGORZ SCHETYNA SAYS THAT THE INDEPENDENCE OF COURTS MUST BE STRICTLY ENFORCED AND CONSENT TO THE COLLAPSE OF THE RULE OF LAW IS THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF THE EU - he tells Jacek Nizinkiewicz in RZ: “We must strictly enforce the principles of the rule of law and the independence of courts, otherwise one of the most important countries in the EU will become a non-democratic state. Allowing the rule of law to collapse in Poland could be the beginning of the end of the European Union.”

-- SCHETYNA SPEAKS ABOUT UNBLOCKING FUNDS FOR POLAND AFTER 2019: “After 2019, and after the parliamentary elections, we will return to this and unblock EU funds for Poland. Provided that Civic Platform wins the elections. The issue of EU money will be one of the most important topics of the 2019 campaign. If the Law and Justice party wins again, which I don't believe, Poland will be on the absolute periphery of the EU. Poland under Law and Justice rule will end up in the EU's dunce's corner." http://www.rp.pl/Platforma-Obywatelska/306179976-Schetyna-o-sporze-PiS-KE-To-moze-byc-poczatek-konca-UE.html

-- THE FOUNDING CONGRESS OF PETRU'S PARTY WILL BE HELD IN EARLY DECEMBER - as reported by onet: “One of the participants in the meeting said that the founding congress of the new party will take place at the beginning of December. – Ryszard Petru spoke today about building a political party that will have 20 percent support, not the current 7 percent – he indicated. He also added that politicians from other political parties, including Nowoczesna (Modern), are to join the new grouping.” https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/kraj/nowa-partia-i-program-naprawy-polski-polityczne-plany-ryszarda-petru/31tqgff

-- TOMASZ SAKIEWICZ ON THE GUARDIANS OF GOOD CHANGE: “Once again, we have shown that good change has its guardians, and Poland has loyal daughters and sons. The XIII Congress of 'Gazeta Polska' Clubs allowed us to summarize and close ranks before the upcoming battles.”

-- WARSAW SETS AN EXAMPLE FOR GERMANY IN COMBATING NEONAZIS - writes Stanisław Żaryn, spokesperson for the coordinator, in RZ: “Warsaw sets an example for Germany on how to combat organizations propagating criminal ideology. (...) In recent months, Poles have heard and read that under the current government, there is a tacit acceptance of radical groups referencing neo-Nazi content, and even an alliance between them and the government circles. However, the facts clearly indicate that it is precisely in Poland that neo-Nazi circles are currently treated without leniency. Problems with them are growing in a completely different country.”

-- ŻARYN ON RUSSIAN PROPAGANDA: “Accusing Warsaw of tolerating, or even accepting, such radicals is a typical manipulation used for political combat against the Law and Justice government. It is significant that a similar tactic of fighting political opponents can be observed in the actions of Russian propaganda, which readily resorts to the accusation related to fascism in international political struggle. A similar mechanism is visible among those who prioritize the fight against Polish authorities over facts and their rational assessment.” http://www.rp.pl/Publicystyka/306179979-Zaryn-Neonazizm-Nie-w-Polsce.html

-- JAKUB MAJMUREK ON THE NEED FOR A DEBATE ON THE CONSTITUTION - he writes in GW: “Despite all these remarks, democrats cannot ignore the question of whether, after two decades, the constitution does not require amendments. We should ask ourselves this question in Poland after PiS not only in response to the fact that the constitution did not quite hold up during the rule of an opposing group, but also, above all, because if the fundamental law is to serve people, it should evolve with social changes. A discussion about what is defensible in the current constitution and what requires change will be necessary sooner or later.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,23554089,z-pis-nie-ma-sensu-rozmawiac-ale-nie-oddawajmy-populistom-calej.html

-- THE THIRD POLISH REPUBLIC STARVED UNIVERSITIES, GOWIN'S REFORM IS MEANT TO FINISH THEM OFF - JACEK ŻAKOWSKI: “Gowin's reform is meant to finish it off. It can do so because, by abandoning its public role, the university has become solitary and defenseless. If we want democracy someday, we must defend it not as a factory of patents and graduates, but as a melting pot of democratic community in need of reconstruction, which we have not yet managed to build.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,23554090,iii-rp-glodzila-uniwersytety-ustawa-gowina-je-dorznie-zakowski.html

-- WOJCIECH MUCHA DESCRIBES THE ATTACK OF FUR TROLLS - in the weekly Gazeta Polska: To find out the truth, the Russian-language internet was checked. The results are surprising. For example: user Kinga Pietrzak (@Pietrz- 85Kinga) uses a photo from a Russian website advertising prostitutes. There are more results from Russia. Someone might object and claim it's a conspiracy theory. However, analyzing the activity of 19 suspicious accounts and 456 tweets posted by them supporting fur farmers and attacking opponents of animal killing, it turned out that 344 of the repeated content was identical (75.4 percent). Among the content repeated in the activity of all accounts, 244 times it was repeated in exactly the same order by all accounts. The probability of such an event occurring is equivalent to... winning the lottery 31 times in a row by the same person.”

-- IT'S ABOUT DESTABILIZING THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS FOR ANIMAL PROTECTION THROUGH ARTIFICIALLY CREATED PUBLIC OPINION - Mucha's conclusion: “What is it about? Destabilizing the legislative process through an artificially created 'public opinion' that manipulates politicians, the media, and their audiences. In other words – it uses a 'troll factory.' If one can act this way regarding fur farming, one can likely do so regarding state security issues as well.” http://niezalezna.pl/227697-atak-futrzarskich-klonow-kto-chce-uwalic-ustawe-o-ochronie-zwierzat

-- JACEK LIZINIEWICZ IN GAZETA POLSKA ON THE BUDGET HAVING A NEGATIVE BALANCE FROM THE FUR INDUSTRY TAXES AND THE BUSINESS HURTING ORDINARY PEOPLE: “The simplest possible calculation clearly shows that as a society, we are losing PLN 30 million on this industry that is 'conquering the world.' Of course, someone will say that it goes to domestic entrepreneurs who employ people and spend money in Poland. That's true. I even know where they do it. Mainly in the media and public relations agencies. I also don't particularly like them for messing with people's minds. So, personally, I see no reason to be happy that the animal protection law has been put on hold. The business that stinks and hurts ordinary people will continue to operate. Without any control or standards, but under the guise of propaganda and political shouting. A just 'God bless' to all those who contributed to this.” http://niezalezna.pl/228033-futra-ktorych-nie-da-sie-lubic

-- NITRAS IN PAWLICKA'S ARTICLE IN NEWSWEEK ON THE LAW AND JUSTICE PARTY WANTING REALITY LIKE ON TVP INFO: “Double standards? That's indisputable. But that's not the most important thing, the goal is key. They want to silence us at all costs. They want the Sejm to look like the reality on TVP Info – replies Nitras.” http://m.newsweek.pl/polska/slawomir-nitras-nowy-prezydent-szczecina-z-po-sylwetka,artykuly,428892,1.html

-- GOWIN'S REFORM POSTPONED, THE PRESIDENT DEMANDED CHANGES - Fakt.

-- NIK CRUSHES BEATA SZYDŁO'S EXPENSES - Fakt on unjustified expenses for makeup and transport.

-- DOMINIKA WIELOWIEYSKA ON MAKEUP AS SUITS FOR TUSK: “The makeup cost about PLN 170,000 for just under a year. I don't want to get into a debate about whether specific expenses or their prices were justified. That's the NIK's job. I will just remind you that over two years, the Civic Platform spent a quarter of a million zlotys from the state subsidy on suits and shoes for Donald Tusk, and financed Małgorzata Tusk's dresses. Very rightly so, because the most important people in the country should represent us well, and appearance also matters.”

-- MAKEUP IS A FLOOD OF NONSENSE IN WHICH IMPORTANT THINGS DROWN - WIELOWIEYSKA CONTINUES: “Beata Szydło's makeup or President Duda's dances are matters of little importance. In a flood of half-truths or nonsense, truly crucial matters drown: the violation of the constitution by the president and Prime Minister Szydło, the pacification of the Constitutional Tribunal, and the future of the Supreme Court.”

-- WIELOWIEYSKA NEGATIVELY ON VERHOFSTADT'S WORDS: “Guy Verhofstadt's recent statement is also a problem for me: 'Europe has a fifth column in its ranks: Putin's cheerleaders who want to destroy Europe and liberal democracy from within: Le Pen, Wilders, Farage, Orbán, Kaczyński, Salvini use Kremlin money and intelligence.' The fact that these politicians want to destroy liberal democracy from within is true. The fact that it is in the Kremlin's interest is also true. But there is no evidence that the Law and Justice party, specifically, has used Kremlin money.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,23554584,wizaz-beaty-szydlo-i-tance-andrzeja-dudy-w-powodzi-takich-glupstw.html

-- WITOLD MROZEK ON THE CHANCE TO SAVE THE OLD THEATRE IN KRAKOW - he writes in Oko: “According to the agreement between the artists and the artistic director, the direction of the renowned stage is to be determined by an Artistic Council composed of actors, and the most important creators who worked there during the directorship of Mikołaj Grabowski and Jan Klata are to return: Monika Strzępka, Paweł Miśkiewicz, and Michał Borczuch. Director Mikos is not to interfere with the program; he has also submitted a request to dismiss his current deputy for artistic affairs – Jan Polewka. He is to be formally replaced by a collegial body. However, according to the statutes of the Old Theatre, the Minister of Culture must agree to Polewka's dismissal. And his departure is a condition set by the Council and the directors. This compromise is to save the Old Theatre, which for a year – since former director Jan Klata was replaced on September 1, 2017, by Marek Mikos, appointed by Minister Gliński – has been in crisis.” https://oko.press/czy-stary-teatr-zostanie-uratowany-sezon-dobrej-zmiany-to-trzy-nieudane-spektakle-drozsze-bilety-ale-za-to-wieksza-dotacja/

-- PIOTR ZAREMBA DEFENDS THE STAGING OF GOMBROWICZ'S "WEDDING" AT THE NATIONAL THEATRE: “This 'Wedding' will go down in the history of Polish theatre as a significant work, although also to some extent as a signal of a certain fatigue with Gombrowicz as a prophet. When we feel that many of the words spoken there sound familiar, we resort to playing with form. It is worth noting, however, that the director did not resort to primitive references to contemporary reality, nor to trivial political allusions. Jan Englert said after the premiere that Nekrosius 'did not step into reality, but created it.' Despite all reservations and doubts, I agree with that.” https://wpolityce.pl/m/kultura/399897-slub-w-narodowym-jednak-sukces

-- PSYCHOTHERAPY OF PROFESSOR WARLIKOWSKI - POSITIVE REVIEW OF "WE ARE LEAVING" IN RZ - as Jacek Cieślik writes: “Enjoy every moment – advises the director of 'Wyjeżdżamy' (We Are Leaving) in RZ, a grotesque fresco about the land of depression.” http://www.rp.pl/Teatr/180619421-Psychoterapia-profesora-Warlikowskiego.html&cid=44&template=restricted

-- KORNEL MORAWIECKI ENCOURAGES NOT TO GIVE A HANDOUT TO THE RICH - as he says to SE: “This 300 plus handout should not be for everyone. Those who earn very well should not receive this supplement. What do they need it for? The Law and Justice government should moderate this program. If someone earns a lot of money, they don't need it. It's for poor people, not for everyone. In its current form, the 300 plus is unfair and unjustified.” https://www.se.pl/wiadomosci/polityka/ojciec-poucza-premiera-synu-zabierz-300-bogatym-aa-vFrw-AYNK-6xRe.html

-- BIRTHDAYS: Jarosław Kaczyński, Jan Rokita, Katarzyna Jachowicz, Piotr Niemczyk, Sylwia Pusz.