-- 300 PLN IS SCRAPS FOR YOU - SE ON THE STATEMENT OF A MODERN PARTY MP: “Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy Elżbieta Rafalska (63) strongly responded to the words of Paweł Kobyliński (36), an MP from the Modern party. The politician called the money from the 'Good Start' program "scraps". - The arrogance and contempt for Polish families shown by the Modern party continues unabated – Rafalska commented on Twitter.” https://www.se.pl/wiadomosci/polityka/minister-rafalska-ostro-o-nowoczesnej-aa-MsvN-WRTj-Kv11.html

-- MODERN PARTY MP: 300 PLN PER CHILD IS SCRAPS! - headline in Fakt.

-- HE PROMISED HIGH PRESSING BUT EXPLAINS HIS LOW ACTIVITY - TVN WARSAW ON TRZASKOWSKI: “Rafał Trzaskowski, fresh from campaigning with 'high pressing', has seen his activity wane again. Especially when compared to his main rival, who has just begun a tour of Warsaw's housing estates. - Mr. MP, Patryk Jaki has been meeting with Warsaw residents lately, holding press conferences, running the '100s under the block' campaign, and it's quiet about you. Aren't you afraid your main opponent is getting away from you a bit? - a TVN24 reporter asked at a press conference on Wednesday. There was a moment of slight confusion, as the brief conference was about ideas to combat smog, not about competing with Patryk Jaki. Trzaskowski attempted to explain in two ways. On the one hand, he emphasized that he is active, "I have been talking with Warsaw residents for many months, I have had over 150 meetings, and it is Patryk Jaki who has a lot of catching up to do."

-- INTENSE PRESSING HAS SUBSIDED - TVN WARSAW CONTINUES: “After a few days, the intensive 'pressing' has indeed subsided, and Trzaskowski has once again faded from view. Over the past weekend, he recorded only a short spot featuring his wife, children, dog, and the popular blue bench where he previously held meetings with Warsaw residents. "Have you wondered where the bench is? It's in our yard," he wrote on Twitter. In response, Jaki's supporters quickly pointed out that by hiding the bench, Trzaskowski merely confirmed that it wasn't the best idea from the start.” https://tvnwarszawa.tvn24.pl/informacje,news,zapowiadal-wysoki-pressing-tlumaczy-sie-z-niskiej-aktywnosci,268305.html

-- MARCIN MASTALEREK ON TRZASKOWSKI'S DISAPPEARANCE AND REAPPEARANCE FOR THE BEE FESTIVAL: THE STRANGEST THING IN A CAMPAIGN I'VE EVER SEEN - 300LIVE: https://300polityka.pl/live/2018/08/09/

-- DANIEL STENZEL FROM TVN24 ON FACEBOOK: “Already campaigning? No, just "meetings". If victory is lying on the street, one candidate has been stooping to pick it up for days now. @ Bemowo, Warsaw, Poland.”

-- PROFESSOR PARUCH ON JAKI'S CAMPAIGN: “Patryk Jaki is on the right track, presenting various programmatic offers for different segments of voters. He doesn't divide voters based on gender or wealth, but rather makes more insightful offers to them. We are hearing more and more new proposals. However, the image aspect remains, and here there is a greater need for work for the United Right candidate, but perhaps not yet at this stage of the election campaign, which has not officially begun. Both sides are still preparing for the final showdown, especially since other candidates have emerged in the public sphere who will also have some influence on what happens.”

-- PARUCH CONSIDERS TRZASKOWSKI'S CAMPAIGN TO BE IMAGE-FOCUSED: “Let's look at it a bit differently. Every event must serve a purpose. I'm not entirely sure what the goal was in choosing such a method in the election campaign. If it was meant to warm up his image by appearing with his family, then I ask, why? Perhaps it had some purpose, but I don't see it. I don't see a structured program for the residents of Warsaw. Perhaps Trzaskowski's campaign is purely image-focused. If so, it's not a good idea. Such solutions are, however, used in political games.” https://wpolityce.pl/m/polityka/407190-nasz-wywiad-prof-paruch-o-patryku-jakim

-- JAKUB MAJMUREK ON THE STRATEGY OF ATTACKING PRIVILEGED ELITES: “Attacks on 'privileged elites' provoke very different reactions. They certainly strengthen PiS's support among social groups that have built their identity over the years on their dislike of the Third Republic elites, and their aspirations on the dreams of taking their place. On the other hand, we hear voices about dangerous populism and glorifying a boor (as Krzysztof Łoziński from KOD put it). Eliza Michalik, in a loud social media post, vehemently protested against her life being treated as 'unreal' and detached from real problems. The post had excellent reach – one can assume it expressed the feelings of many people who are uncomfortable in an atmosphere where knowledge of French suddenly becomes an accusation. The fact is that when we start holding individuals accountable for privilege, it can easily turn into a populist festival full of abuses. Especially since many biographies of people who do not come from either the elite or the working class are ambiguous in this regard. It is often difficult to pass judgment: 'privileged' or not.” http://m.newsweek.pl/opinie/pis-przedstawia-sie-jako-partia-zwyklego-czlowieka-ile-w-tym-prawdy-,artykuly,431235,1.html

-- PAD ON THE FACT THAT HE IS LEANING TOWARDS BLOCKING THE ELECTORAL LAW FOR THE EP - he tells Piotr Zaremba in DGP: “I have 21 days to analyze this law. The Bureau of Law and Constitution in my Chancellery is preparing such an analysis, but I am also looking at this legal act and the history of its development. And I say honestly: I have serious doubts whether this should be part of the Polish legal system. I do not see the need for such a fundamental restriction of access to the European Parliament. Everyone admits that the real electoral threshold will be raised to at least 11-12 percent. This will practically eliminate smaller groupings. Some part of Polish society will feel deprived of representation in the European Parliament. I question this from democratic positions; a five percent threshold is a reasonable solution. I do not see the need to force a two-party system in this way. I do not see the need to force electoral coalitions on the terms of the largest parties. I am strongly leaning towards blocking this proposal.”

-- DUDA ON THE ELECTORAL LAW THAT PREVENTS SOME POLES FROM HAVING REPRESENTATION IN THE EP: “Such considerations can be made. For me, this law limits the possibility for Poles to have their representatives in the European Parliament. The President should stand guard over the rules that make parliamentarism and democracy something real.”

-- DUDA ON THE PRESIDENCY: “This is either an attempt to force something on me, or an expression of a misunderstanding of what the presidency is. It involves closely observing the political scene, attempting to balance it, sometimes mediating, but also implementing one's own program. I look at what my voters want. They want judicial reform. Last year, I did not agree to the parliamentary version of the reform, but I also proposed my own solutions, which, yes, limited the powers of the prosecutor general, but took into account the fundamental goal of repairing the judiciary. This law, which I have now signed, is a continuation of that reform. It specified and strengthened the solutions agreed upon by PiS with me. Why shouldn't I sign it?”

-- PAD QUOTES PROF. GINTOWT-JANKOWICZ ON THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF SUSPENDING REGULATIONS: “Professor Maria Gintowt-Jankowicz, an excellent lawyer, a retired judge of the Constitutional Tribunal, said plainly: there is no body in the Polish legal system that can suspend the binding provisions of a law. They can be challenged before the Constitutional Tribunal. But even it cannot suspend laws or their individual provisions before its ruling. Neither the Constitution nor lower-ranking acts provide such authority for anyone. What's more, the Supreme Court did this in its own matter, because it concerned Supreme Court judges. This decision regarding the alleged 'suspension' of the validity of certain provisions of the law should be considered void by operation of law.”

-- PAD, WHEN ASKED BY ZAREMBA IF HIS STATEMENTS ARE NOT DISTANCING HIM FROM PI'S SUPPORT: “I want to fulfill my commitments to the voters. And act according to my conscience. Where necessary, I say: stop, I cannot agree to this.” http://wiadomosci.dziennik.pl/opinie/artykuly/579060,prezydent-andrzej-duda-weto-ordynacja-wyborcza-do-pe-zawetowanie-ustawa-wybory-pis-sn-kontytucja-wywiad.html

-- SUPREME COURT SPOKESPERSON MICHAŁ LASKOWSKI ON PAD'S LIABILITY TO THE TRIBUNAL OF STATE - he says in a conversation with Jacek Nizinkiewicz in RZ: “Yes, that's how it should be treated, in those categories. It will be some constitutional tort, it will be a breach of law with potential forms of responsibility in the future...

What kind?

Before the Tribunal of State. (...) There is potential responsibility before the Tribunal of State. We are talking, of course, theoretically. But if one reads the provisions on presidential responsibility in the constitution, and all the literature related to it, then this is a case that could potentially qualify for such proceedings.” https://www.rp.pl/Sadownictwo/180809531-Rzecznik-Sadu-Najwyzszego-Michal-Laskowski-Nie-stosujac-sie-do-orzeczenia-SN-prezydent-zlamie-prawo.html

-- CZABAŃSKI AS PRESIDENT OF RADIO? - Agnieszka Burzyńska in Fakt: “National media are not lucky with their bosses. The appointee of the 'good change', the president of Polish Radio, Jacek Sobala, has been suspended under mysterious circumstances. According to unofficial information from Fakt, Krzysztof Czabański himself has his eye on this well-paid position.” https://www.fakt.pl/wydarzenia/polityka/krzysztof-czabanski-bedzie-szefem-polskiego-radia/8ycjk5h

-- WILL MIĘDLAR RUN IN THE LOCAL ELECTIONS? - ONET: “The proposal for Jacek Międlar to run in the mayoral elections in Wrocław was made on Saturday in the Wrocław Market Square by Roman Zieliński (author of the book 'How I Loved Adolf Hitler'), who is considered one of the leaders among the Wrocław Śląsk football hooligan community.” https://wroclaw.onet.pl/wroclaw-miedlar-bedzie-kandydowal-w-wyborach-samorzadowych/92642zn

-- JADWIGA EMILEWICZ ON FACILITATING BUSINESS AND FIGHTING STAMPS - she tells Marcin Piasecki and Artur Osiecki in RZ: “Another example is our initiative to collect bureaucratic restrictions. Over the past two months, we have asked all ministries in which areas they could reduce administrative burdens. I hope we will infect other ministers with a culture of reduction and systematically introduce further simplifications. A simple example is the abolition of stamps. The requirement to use them is archaic, given that a stamp can be made on every other street corner, and the stamp itself is not any material confirmation, proof. And such minor inconvenconveniences make up the life of a small and medium-sized entrepreneur.

-- EMILEWICZ ON LESS HARMFUL TOBACCO PRODUCTS: “Agriculture has enormous potential for Industry 4.0 and advanced processing. Poland should export not only blueberries or currants but as many processed products as possible. As for tobacco – I am against smoking and would like a Poland without cigarettes. However, I realize that this is unrealistic. The tobacco industry is changing, producing modern and, according to scientific research, less harmful products. I am in favor of being able to inform about them. And our growers, as well as our entire economy, should benefit from the technological revolution.”

-- EMILEWICZ ON THE TARIFF WAR WITH THE USA, WHICH IS CONCERNING BECAUSE GERMANY IS OUR PRIMARY TRADING PARTNER: “And it is concerning. Germany is our primary trading partner, so any shock to the German economy will be felt on the Vistula. Therefore, the next step announced by the USA, namely tariffs on cars and car parts, is a serious threat to us. It's good that it was averted, at least temporarily, during the Trump-Juncker meeting.” https://www.rp.pl/artykul/1374721-Minister-Emilewicz--PiS-stara-sie-obnizac-podatki.html

-- COLD RELATIONS IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE - Bartek Godusławski in DGP: “'Puls Biznesu' was the first to report that Paweł Gruza would be applying for the position of Vice-President of KGHM. This is his second attempt at KGHM, as we described in DGP that he had already considered applying for the CEO position. Regardless of Paweł Gruza's decision and the competition results, Minister Czerwińska would prefer to cooperate with someone else on tax matters – says our source from the MF. The cold relations between Gruza and Czerwińska are primarily the result of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki's decision on who would take his place as Minister of Finance. It is an open secret that both were vying for this position. Accusations are now coming from the circles of both the Minister of Finance and the Prime Minister that the Deputy Minister responsible for tax matters is playing for himself and taking credit for the increased efficiency of the tax system. The reduction in fraud and scams is a fact, and experts only disagree on how much of this can be attributed to the tax office.” http://wiadomosci.dziennik.pl/polityka/artykuly/579080,chlodne-relacje-personalne-w-miisterstwie-finansow.html

-- JUMPING GROWTH OF PEKAO S.A.: “Bank Pekao S.A.'s consolidated net profit in the first half of 2018 amounted to PLN 932.1 million, an increase of +7.3% y/y and an improvement in profitability. Income from commercial banking operations2 increased by 9% y/y. The new offer allowed for opening 200,000 new accounts to date and acquiring PLN 1 billion in deposits. In addition to changes in the offer, we are modernizing the Bank from within to make our operations effective. A good example of such solutions is the simplified, automated loan renewal process for SMEs in current accounts. New SME clients receive a credit decision within a maximum of 5 days. These actions have resulted in a +9% increase in SME loan volumes and, consequently, an increase in market share. We will continue this process – said Michał Krupiński, CEO of Bank Pekao S.A.” http://media.pekao.com.pl/pr/398522/wyniki-finansowe-banku-pekao-s-a-po-pierwszym-polroczu-2018-roku-konse

-- TVN24 STATION CELEBRATES ITS 17TH ANNIVERSARY.

-- BIRTHDAYS: Marek Kuchciński, Waldemar Kumór, Bogumiła Boba.