-- ANDRZEJ DUDA IN A 40-MINUTE INTERVIEW ON THE PRESIDENTIAL PLANE ABOUT EARLY ELECTIONS, DONALD TUSK, GAZECA WYBORCZA, ELECTRICITY PRICES, JUDGES, DONALD TRUMP, AND HIS TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS: https://wiadomosci.wp.pl/andrzej-duda-dla-wp-o-cenach-pradu-wydobyciu-wegla-i-koncie-na-instagramie-zobacz-cala-rozmowe-z-prezydentem-6329511130924673v?fbclid=IwAR2vofluCOUTwo2I3q7akvnwToL2S-wSOjD6OixsqnNS3vlVrHIYe3Eh3Qc

-- 300LIVE: PAD for 300 and WP: Tusk has no respect for his own country https://300polityka.pl/live/2018/12/20/

-- THE PRESIDENT HAS RESTARTED HIS INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT: https://www.instagram.com/andrzejduda/

-- THE PRIME MINISTER IN AN INTERVIEW WITH THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: “The day before meeting with the British Prime Minister, in an interview for "The Daily Telegraph," the head of the Polish government praised Theresa May for her hard work on Brexit negotiations. – This is not the darkest hour (...) the situation may seem dangerous and uncertain, but I believe that Prime Minister May will manage this storm – said the politician. – She fought hard in the negotiations for the Brexit agreement, that alone is worthy of respect – added Morawiecki. The head of the Polish government also appealed to European leaders for support for the British government in the process of leaving the European Union. – Unfortunately, Brexit has revealed some unfortunate behaviors. Strong words and statements from some politicians in Brussels do not help, but hinder achieving a common result that is best for all of us (negotiations – ed.) – Morawiecki explained. The Prime Minister also emphasized that if the British Parliament rejects the agreement signed by Prime Minister May and EU leaders, Great Britain will leave the Union without any contract. – This is a grim scenario not only for Great Britain but for the entire European Union – he added.” https://dorzeczy.pl/kraj/87596/Morawiecki-Wierze-ze-premier-May-przeprowadzi-Wielka-Brytanie-przez-burze.html

-- EXCERPT FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH ARTICLE FOLLOWING THE INTERVIEW WITH MORAWIECKI: “Poland's prime minister has called on European leaders to help Theresa May navigate the "storm" of Brexit as he criticised senior EU officials over their "unfortunate behaviour" at last week's summit in Brussels. In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Mateusz Morawiecki said he was disappointed by the “rather unfortunate behaviour” of senior EU officials such as Jean-Claude Juncker, who suggested Mrs May was being "nebulous" at the December summit”. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/12/19/polish-prime-minister-warns-eus-harsh-attitude-theresa-may-could/#comments

-- KRZYSZTOF SKÓRZYŃSKI IN AN INTERVIEW WITH DEON - "THIS IS A QUESTION EVERYONE ASKS ME WHO CONSIDERS ME A 'DUTY CATHOLIC' AT TVN": “This is a question everyone asks me who considers me a 'duty Catholic' at TVN (laughs). But there probably isn't a simple answer; it's a very individual matter. If you ask me if I have any problem admitting to my faith, I'll say no. What's more, in my work, everyone knows I'm a guest who grew up with faith, and on Sundays, I try to finish my shift before seven o'clock, because that's when the last Mass I can attend is. Besides, I wear a rosary on my finger, which is a brazen manifestation of my faith (laughs). Never in my life at work, regardless of who my boss was or where I worked, have I encountered even half a snide remark because I am Catholic.”

-- SKÓRZYŃSKI ON THE MISTAKE OF IDENTIFYING GOD WITH THE CHURCH: “A serious mistake one can make on a dogmatic level is to identify God with the Church. The Church is the guardian of faith in God on earth, the Church is the institution that is supposed to discipline our faith, but it is not God. I know people who have not lost faith in God but have left the Church due to child abuse scandals, or because a priest refused to bury their loved one because of the suggested donation of "as much as you can afford, meaning not less than a thousand," or because the priest's Bentley offends them. Fortunately, the Church is incredibly diverse. On one hand, we have – I dislike this term, but I'll use it – "Francis's leg," meaning a poor Church, and on the other hand, bishops who drive golden carriages. On this level, everyone, if they wish, can find their place in the Church. But it also works on another level. If someone knows a priest who wouldn't bury their father without a thousand zlotys, there are many other parishes to choose from. It is worrying that for someone who has lost faith in the Church, it is very difficult to return. Priests increasingly rarely reach out to people and do not create opportunities for them to return.” https://m.deon.pl/religia/rekolekcje-adwentowe/adwent-2018/wywiady-ktore-poruszaja-serce/art,3,kto-nie-zadaje-sobie-pytania-o-istnienie-boga-traci-wiare.html

-- 56% WANT THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO CONTINUE PRESSURING POLAND - IPSOS POLL FOR OKO.PRESS: “56 percent of respondents want the European Commission to continue demanding that the PiS authorities respect the rule of law in Poland, and only 39 percent would prefer it to "let the government off the hook." The OKO.press poll demonstrates that the pro-European reflex and faith in the intervention of EU institutions are not only not weakening but are strengthening. This could be an important signal for Europe.”

-- EVEN IN RURAL AREAS, SUPPORTERS OF FURTHER INTEGRATION DOMINATE - POLL FOR OKO.PRESS: “Decided supporters of the European Commission's actions are voters of the Civic Coalition (95 percent) and Robert Biedroń's emerging party (also 95 percent), as well as the few, but all voters of Ryszard Petru's Now Poland party (100 percent). Large support for the EC is also declared by SLD voters (78 percent) and PSL (73 percent). Traditionally, the most eurosceptic are rural residents, but even here, supporters of further European Commission intervention prevail. Cities are about 60 percent in favor of EC actions, most clearly – medium-sized cities, with 20 to 100,000 inhabitants (64 percent).” https://oko.press/wiekszosc-chce-by-ke-nadal-naciskala-na-rzad-w-obronie-praworzadnosci-sondaz-oko-press/

-- THE RISK OF EARLY ELECTIONS MAY PAY OFF FOR PIS - JAKUB MAJMUREK: “Winning the European elections – after much weaker-than-expected results in the local elections – would be disastrous for the morale of the ruling camp before the crucial fight for a second term. A victory in May would certainly breathe new life into the opposition's sails before the autumn battle for the national parliament. Early elections eliminate this risk. The chance that PiS will lose the national elections in March is minimal today. If they secure a second term, the outcome of the European elections will essentially not matter to Nowogrodzka. Kaczyński's party is politically indifferent to strong representation in Brussels. Any defeat will not weaken PiS on the national stage – the next elections, decisive for the future presidency, will be a year away from the European ones; voters will have had time to forget who won and who lost then.”

-- PROTESTS WILL NOT SUBSIDE, EARLY ELECTIONS REDUCE THE RISK OF A CENTRAL CONFRONTATION WITH THE PUBLIC SECTOR - MAJMUREK CONTINUES: “The growing wage demands of public sector employees are also not working in favor of the government. In the last few weeks alone, police officers, court administrative staff, and teachers have protested. These protests will not die down. Public sector employees feel that they are the only ones not benefiting from the excellent economic climate – while wages are rising in the private sector, their salaries remain stagnant. Early elections reduce the risk of a central confrontation with the public sector at a time when it is particularly politically risky.” https://www.newsweek.pl/polska/polityka/wczesniejsze-wybory-dlaczego-to-ryzyko-ktore-moze-sie-pis-oplacic/mjqrz12

-- EARLY PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS? "THIS SCENARIO EXISTS FOR PIS" - ANTONI DUDEK in Interia: “Growing social discontent is visible to the naked eye. We had the "sick leave method" as a form of protest used by the police, now teachers are adopting it, and soon other groups may protest. Meanwhile, the propaganda of success promoted by national media has raised very high social expectations. I have warned many times that the piles of banknotes shown in TVP Wiadomości, accompanied by commentary on record state budget revenues, will eventually harm PiS. In this situation, the PiS leadership may decide that if it is to continue until autumn, it would be better to hold elections in the spring, because then new, increasingly high waves of social demands will not emerge.”

-- THE OPPOSITION WILL NOT HAVE TIME TO DEVELOP - DUDEK further in Interia: “Even if PiS has the largest parliamentary club, the United Right will likely need a coalition partner. This is where the problem begins. Potentially, there is Kukiz's movement, and it's hard to name anyone else today. Kukiz's movement, in a way that is still mysterious to me, remains above the threshold in polls, but it's unclear if this will be the case in the autumn, after another defeat they will face in the European elections. There is also the issue of Biedroń's movement. Although it primarily draws votes from the left-liberal opposition, paradoxically, it could also take a small percentage of PiS voters. If elections are held in the spring, it won't count because it won't have time to develop.” https://fakty.interia.pl/autor/aleksandra-gieracka/news-przedterminowe-wybory-parlamentarne-ten-scenariusz-dla-pis-u,nId,2739763

-- RAFAŁ WOŚ ON POLES GOING INTO DEBT FOR CHRISTMAS - in TP: “Between 13 and 18 percent – supposedly this is the percentage of Polish residents who take out loans to cover Christmas: the tree, gifts, food, and other such extraordinary expenses. A lot, for a country that boasts three decades of uninterrupted growth.” https://www.tygodnikpowszechny.pl/dlug-czyli-bebechy-gospodarki-156996

-- MICHAŁ WILGOCKI in GW on Father Rydzyk's Plan: “Maintain the status quo in the European Parliament, weaken PiS, and create a better negotiating position for themselves before the parliamentary elections. This move by Tadeusz Rydzyk has worked before.”

-- WILGOCKI WRITES THAT PIS MAY LOSE THE EUROPEAN ELECTIONS: “So, something that was unthinkable just a few months ago is slowly becoming a reality: PiS may lose the European Parliament elections. Of course, it will again be only a prestigious defeat – but it could trigger a landslide and a reversal of trends. In such a situation, Kaczyński will again need Father Rydzyk before the battle for a second term. And he will start setting conditions and return to favor. Especially since with the emboldening of some PiS MPs, he will also gain a powerful tool of blackmail. It would be enough for a few United Right MPs to withdraw their cards during a vote of no confidence, and a prestigious catastrophe would be imminent.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,24295989,cel-jest-jeden-oslabic-kaczynskiego-oto-plan-ojca-rydzyka.html

-- THE CIVIC PLATFORM DOES NOT UNDERSTAND SOCIAL POLICY AND MUST LEARN IT - ZUZANNA DĄBROWSKA in Rz: “Perhaps because PO does not feel social policy, it must learn it. And this means that it rarely thinks on its own about who might lose out. It rather considers who might gain. And from this very technocratic perspective, PO leaders assess the evident blunder of their city councilors regarding discounts. – We've been told so many times – sighed one of the PO MPs in a conversation with "Rz" – you have to be careful about these things. And they still think like ten years ago: 'does the budget balance or not?' – as if PiS wasn't even nearby! The lesson that Platforma is learning comes from the proven truth that without compelling social slogans and promises, it's impossible to win any elections in Poland anymore.” https://www.rp.pl/Analizy/181229992-PO-nie-rozumie-socjalu-ale-sie-uczy.html

-- TRZASKOWSKI AND PO MADE A HUGE MISTAKE - RAFAŁ CHWEDORUK in an interview with JACEK NIZINKIEWICZ in Rz: “Rafał Trzaskowski and PO made a huge mistake. If the opposition wants to fight the ruling party before the parliamentary elections, it must clearly present to the center of public opinion, especially to those voters who are not affiliated with any of the main currents, that there is no simple return to the past eight years, especially to the second term of PO-PSL, even on the issue of raising the retirement age. The issue of discounts is just a warning for the Civic Coalition. Using Warsaw as an example, PiS will want to show that before the elections, PO promises and gives, and after winning the elections, it takes away.”

-- EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN LOCAL POLITICS WILL TRANSLATE TO THE NATIONAL LEVEL - CHWEDORUK further in Rz: “There is no doubt that it is not easy to be the head of PO. Grzegorz Schetyna had to intervene in the Warsaw City Hall. Everything that happens in politics, even the most local, will translate into national politics and the outcome of the Sejm elections, which will determine the shape of Poland for years to come. All segments of the large party machines should already be operating in election campaign mode. After PiS's actions in recent weeks regarding energy price increases, it is clear that the ruling party is already operating in election mode. In Platforma, electoral thinking has failed. The scale of the reaction to the Warsaw situation shows that we are in a real election campaign, and without concrete actions, it will be impossible to compete with PiS.” https://www.rp.pl/Polityka/181229988-Rafal-Chwedoruk-Platforma-popelnila-gigantyczny-blad.html

-- SENATOR BIERECKI AND THE MYSTERIOUS DEPOSITS - GW lead story (Kublik, Czuchnowski): “We have evidence that not one, but two foundations associated with Grzegorz Bierecki wanted to open deposits in Leszek Czarnecki's Getin Bank while the prosecutor's office was investigating the case of money being siphoned from the SKOK system. The bank refused. (...) On April 14, the GNB's strategic clients department informed bank board members via email with "high importance": "A foundation has approached us that wants to deposit funds. Client recommended by the SKOK National Chamber. Should we sign an agreement with the client/accept deposits while maintaining all procedures /including obtaining a beneficial owner statement in light of the emerging information?" And here is the link to "Wyborcza's" article.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75398,24295930,senator-grzegorz-bierecki-i-tajemnicze-lokaty-co-ksiegowa-skok-u.html

-- GW ON THE DRAMATIC SITUATION OF TV REPUBLIKA EMPLOYEES: “– We agreed to talk because we are fed up with the hypocrisy in our company. The management of Republika talks a lot about values. And at the same time, they don't pay salaries – says Julia. When employees point this out to Tomasz Sakiewicz, a right-wing journalist, the publisher of "Gazeta Polska," who is the vice-president at Republika and actually runs it, he ignores them. – He treats us in an extremely arrogant way – our interlocutors describe. They talk about one colleague who found a job at TVP, where many Republika employees, led by its star Michał Rachoń, found work after PiS took over the television. Sakiewicz begged her to stay, convincing her that Republika would fall apart without her. The girl listened to him. Now she also doesn't get paid. Sakiewicz brushes her off when she asks for her money.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,87648,24294544,smutne-swieta-w-tv-republika-pracownicy-oskarzaja-sakiewicza.html

-- Kaja Puto: LET'S STOP PRETENDING THAT THE QUESTION ABOUT MIGRANTS STARTS WITH "WHETHER" - in KP: “Society is reluctant towards foreigners, it is very difficult for newcomers to integrate, and at the same time, they are increasingly needed. Poland is thus repeating the worst mistakes of Western countries, which it so likes to point out and exaggerate. (...) Let's stop pretending that the question about migration is: "should we accept migrants". Let's focus on "how" to do it. With migrants in mind, but also the host society, which must feel safe and treated fairly during this process. The question "whether" is not only immoral but also irresponsible and unrealistic. And inciting Poles against foreigners while accepting them is the worst possible scenario for both sides.” http://krytykapolityczna.pl/kraj/kaja-puto-przestanmy-udawac-ze-pytanie-o-migrantow-zaczyna-sie-od-czy/

-- GLINSKI ENDS DWUTYGODNIK - JUSTYNA SOBOLEWSKA: “The online journal "Dwutygodnik" was founded in 2009. Its publisher was the National Audiovisual Institute (now FINA). Over the years, it has become the most popular magazine about culture. Easily accessible and widely read – it was, and still is, a place where the most important debates about culture take place, where one can find not only reviews of the latest films, performances, and books, but also poems, essays, and polemics. It was read by students, both university and high school, and everyone interested in culture. Despite this, the ministry of Piotr Gliński is withdrawing funding at the end of the year.” https://www.polityka.pl/tygodnikpolityka/kultura/1776306,1,koniec-dwutygodnika-oto-jak-panstwo-opiekuje-sie-kultura.read?src=mt

-- BIRTHDAYS: Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, Marcin Fijołek, Kornelia Wróblewska.