-- PiS EXPLOITS RABIEJ’S WORDS IN AN INTERVIEW WITH MAZUREK IN DGP - 300LIVE: https://300polityka.pl/live/2019/03/15/

-- AMERICANS TO INCREASE PRESENCE IN POLAND - Jędrzej Bielecki in RZ’s front page: “According to the government-funded Voice of America, 'the idea of Fort Trump is one step closer to realization.' According to our information, the Americans want to increase their contingent on the Vistula by at least 1,000 soldiers, but possibly significantly more. Currently, it averages 4.5 thousand troops.” https://www.rp.pl/Polityka/303149884-Pentagon-Amerykanie-zostaja-w-Polsce-na-dobre.html&cid=44&template=restricted

-- PiS WOULD FIND ANOTHER REASON TO SET POLES AGAINST EACH OTHER - RAFAŁ TRZASKOWSKI in an interview with Gazeta Stołeczna: “Any such decision carries a certain risk. If I were to constantly calculate what PiS, a cynical party that plays on Poles' negative emotions, would do, I would be paralyzed from taking any action. There were refugees, today there is the LGBT community. Even if there were no declaration, PiS would find another reason to set Poles against each other.”

-- CIVIL PARTNERSHIPS SHOULD HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED; THESE ARE BASIC RIGHTS, NOT IDEOLOGY - TRZASKOWSKI further: “I believe civil partnerships should have been introduced. I also believe there are basic rights. And this is not ideology at all. For me, caring for someone who is discriminated against has nothing to do with ideology. I understand that abortion is an ideological topic. However, standing by the weakest and discriminated against is decency. It is PiS that is trying to turn this into an ideological war. The LGBT+ Declaration speaks of anti-discrimination education, of talking to children about tolerance, that words hurt, that hate can lead to persecution, and even to suicide attempts. What does this have to do with ideology? Nothing. However, regarding sex education, parents may indeed consider that they want to discuss these matters at home. But sex education, which is mentioned in the LGBT+ Declaration, will be voluntary. No one will force parents to send their children to these lessons. So, what is the problem?”

-- I DON’T BELIEVE IN PiS’S VICTORY; THEY WILL MISCALCULATE - TRZASKOWSKI further: “Moreover, I don’t believe in PiS’s victory. I think they will miscalculate. If we calmly discuss the LGBT+ Declaration, children's sex education, that it’s about their safety because hate is dangerous, that they should know how to defend themselves against pedophilia, I am convinced that the majority of Poles will be on our side. PiS needs this ideological war to cover up scandals.”

-- PiS HAS AN IMAGE OF SOCIETY BASED ON COMPLEXES - TRZASKOWSKI further: “People know that LGBT individuals pose no threat to family and our traditions. It won't be so easy to intimidate Poles. PiS has some image of Polish society, based on complexes, which in reality is completely different. It won't be so easy for them to manipulate this hatred.” http://warszawa.wyborcza.pl/warszawa/7,150427,2454965,rafal-trzaskowski-pis-sie-przeliczy-nienawisc-i-szczucie-na.html

-- A GAY PERSON DOES NOT THREATEN SOCIETY; BAD PEOPLE DO - MONIKA OLEJNIK in GW: “Some claim that the LGBT declaration is a gift for PiS and a main theme for the European Parliament elections, but I think Poles aren't that stupid and won't be fed lies. A gay person is not a pedophile, a gay person does not threaten society. Society is threatened by bad people.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,24549555,spoleczenstwu-zagrazaja-zli-ludzie-a-nie-geje.html

-- I AM MORE SKEPTICAL HERE - says Paweł Rabiej in response to Robert Mazurek’s question in DGP about same-sex couples adopting children.

-- IN MANY COUNTRIES ADOPTION IS ALLOWED AND HAS NOT CAUSED EARTHQUAKES; HOWEVER, I CANNOT ABSTRACT FROM THE POLISH SITUATION - Rabiej says.

-- RABIEJ ON “PHASING”: “So I am in favor of phasing: first, let's introduce civil partnerships, then marriage equality, and finally, the time will come for child adoption.”

-- WHEN MAZUREK STATES THAT THIS CONFIRMS CONSERVATIVES’ WORST FEAR, THAT ANY CONCESSION WILL END IN ADOPTION, RABIEJ SAYS: “First, let's get people accustomed to the fact that civil partnerships are not inherently evil, that they do not destroy the social fabric and the Polish family. Then it will be easier for further steps, for marriage equality with adoption.” https://www.gazetaprawna.pl/artykuly/1403218,zwiazki-partnerskie-nie-sa-zlem.html

-- ANDRZEJ STANKIEWICZ ON TURMOIL IN CIVIC PLATFORM REGARDING EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LISTS - writes in Onet: “Civic Platform is in turmoil. Especially those current MEPs who have lost good electoral spots to the Peasants' Party and the Left are furious. The shape of the lists is causing tensions within the Platform. In the field, people dislike that the party has given up good spots on the lists as part of a trade with coalition partners. This way, for example, in the Łódź region, there is no one from Civic Platform in the top two positions. Added to this are the enormous frustrations of current Civic Platform MEPs – for most of them, there are no good positions, so some will not run at all. – They say they are treated terribly by the party headquarters. They claim that no one even talks to them – one MEP from outside the Platform tells Onet.”

-- KLOPOTEK’S WIFE ON THE EUROPEAN COALITION LISTS - STANKIEWICZ further: “In every region, at least one woman must be in the top three. The Peasants' Party looked for their candidates in families – hence, for example, the third place in Kujawsko-Pomorskie for Agnieszka Kłopotek, wife of PSL MP Eugeniusz Kłopotek. – This is also an element of persuading Gienek to join the European Coalition, as he was one of the biggest opponents of cooperation with Civic Platform, the Democratic Left Alliance, and Nowoczesna – a prominent Peasants' Party member tells us.”

-- ADAMOWICZ DID NOT WANT LEWANDOWSKI’S DEMOTION - STANKIEWICZ further: “However, Magdalena Adamowicz, the widow of the murdered Mayor of Gdańsk, will undoubtedly arouse the greatest interest – she will run with Civic Platform’s support in second place in Pomerania. – Schetyna considered the first spot for her, but she refused. She did not want the demotion of the traditional list leader, Janusz Lewandowski – one of the negotiation participants tells us.”

-- STANKIEWICZ ON WIDOWS ON THE EUROPEAN COALITION LISTS: “Also on the lists are Małgorzata Szmajdzińska from the Democratic Left Alliance (third in Lower Silesia) and Barbara Dolniak from Nowoczesna (fifth in Silesia) – widows of Jerzy Szmajdziński and Grzegorz Dolniak, who died in the Smoleńsk catastrophe.” https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/tylko-w-onecie/wybory-do-parlamentu-europejskiego-znamy-liderow-list-ke/qpl6dh4

-- DOMINIKA DŁUGOSZ ALSO USES THE WORD “TURMOIL” WHEN WRITING ABOUT CIVIC PLATFORM LISTS: “The Civic Platform board is to make final decisions regarding the election lists this afternoon. The other coalition partners have already decided and are eagerly awaiting Civic Platform to begin the campaign. Meanwhile, problems with accommodating everyone on the lists are causing turmoil in Civic Platform.”

-- DŁUGOSZ ON RUMORS THAT ZALEWSKA MIGHT BE DROPPED FROM THE LISTS: “Rumors are emerging that the education reform and teacher protests are a bigger problem than the ruling party would like to admit. The first position in Wrocław for Anna Zalewska has begun to be reconsidered.” https://www.newsweek.pl/polska/polityka/koalicyjna-partia-szachow-platforma-uklada-listy-wyborcze-w-partii-wrze/mnqd6zv

-- ON THE RISING CONFIDENCE OF THE OPPOSITION - MICHAŁ KARNOWSKI: “The confidence of opposition politicians is clearly growing. It has already reached a level where almost every day one of them declares: we are coming for you, and we are close. Polls, suggesting either a draw or a slight lead for the European Coalition, certainly do not add to their humility. They think that since they received a bonus for unification – and they did – they are already home free.”

-- THE OPPOSITION HAS POWERFUL TOOLS; THE FIGHT WILL BE CLOSE - KARNOWSKI further: “According to left-wing media, the good ratings of the European Coalition will lead to a breakthrough, meaning they will generate a sequence of events that will give them a crushing victory. This is supposed to be a repeat of 2007. This scenario cannot, of course, be ruled out, but it is rather improbable; primarily because PiS is different today, more experienced, more resilient to pressure, better organized. Therefore, I would ask opposition leaders a different question: isn't this momentum coming too early? We'll see; there will be no shortage of polls in the near future. One thing must be remembered: it will be a close fight until the end, and there are many twists and turns, lead changes, and fluctuations in public mood ahead of us. The opposition has powerful assets in this fight, primarily strong support from the majority of opinion-forming centers, from abroad, and a natural desire for change.”

-- THE OPPOSITION’S ARROGANCE IS GOOD NEWS FOR PiS - KARNOWSKI further: “For PiS, this increasingly apparent arrogance is probably good news. Indeed, leading in polls or catching up with the rival can add wings; at the same time, however, arrogance makes it very easy to make mistakes and to underestimate the opponent. The polling state of levitation – which the European Coalition is approaching – will certainly not help it, but it might sober up PiS a bit, which, after presenting Kaczyński’s attractive “Fifth” [program], did not press its advantage and failed to dominate the debate.” https://wpolityce.pl/m/polityka/438081-opozycja-juz-wita-sie-z-gaska-ale-to-nie-jest-rok-2007-y

-- THE POLISH CHURCH RELUCTANTLY REVEALS ITS SINS - MICHAŁ WILGOCKI on GW’s front page.

-- ANGER, AMAZEMENT, AND SHAME - MICHAŁ DANIELEWSKI in GW: “If anyone expected remorse and shame from the Polish Church, they must have been greatly disappointed. The Episcopal Conference on pedophilia among priests was a farce that caused burning embarrassment, boundless amazement, and hard-to-control anger.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75398,24549630,wscieklosc-zdumienie-wstyd-i-ohyda-mowiac-o-pedofilach-biskupi.html

-- THERE IS A CONFESSION OF SINS; NOW FOR THE REST - Michał Szułdrzyński in RZ: “Let's have no illusions – this is just the beginning of a long process. By presenting the report, the Episcopal Conference has begun confessing its sins. Remorse for sins, penance, and atonement are yet to come. But there is no other way. The credibility of the Church as an institution that teaches morality to others is at stake.” https://www.rp.pl/Komentarze/190319551-Szuldrzynski-o-raporcie-o-pedofilii-w-Kosciele-To-dopiero-pierwszy-krok.html

-- BODNAR HALTED THE TRIBUNAL - GW.

-- EWA SIEDLECKA WRITES ABOUT CHAOS AT THE CONSTITUTIONAL TRIBUNAL: “Perhaps that was the intention with the judge who requested the adjudicating panel to 'take specific actions within the scope of adjudication'? It might have been that one of the judges on the panel got stubborn and requested an adjournment until the RPO's deadline. And announced that otherwise, he would file a dissenting opinion to the ruling, stating that it is invalid? It is not impossible that the new judges at the Constitutional Tribunal are anticipating a change of government and want to protect themselves from accusations of participating in an illegal procedure. However, the Constitutional Tribunal itself ensured that the ruling could be challenged by co-opting the substitute judge Justyn Piskorski into the panel and, moreover, making him the rapporteur. In the previous composition assigned to this case, there was no substitute.”

-- THE CONSTITUTIONAL TRIBUNAL IS FLOUNDERING AND DOING NOTHING - SIEDLECKA further: “On the one hand, compliance with the CJEU ruling effectively means the failure of the personnel changes in the courts and questioning the legality of the actions of both new chambers in the Supreme Court: Extraordinary Control (which, among other things, legalizes elections) and Disciplinary. On the other hand, non-compliance with the CJEU ruling means a frontal conflict with the European Commission and accusations of wanting a Polexit, which PiS fears like the plague before the elections. The authorities are not giving a clear signal on what to do, so the Constitutional Tribunal is floundering and doing nothing.” https://www.polityka.pl/tygodnikpolityka/kraj/1785844,1,chaos-w-trybunale-konstytucyjnym-nie-wiedza-co-robic.read?src=mt

-- DO WE WANT FARMERS TO TAKE THEIR OWN LIVES EVERY TWO DAYS, LIKE IN FRANCE - MICHAŁ KOŁODZIEJCZAK in an interview with Jacek Nizinkiewicz in RZ: “Should we talk about EU agricultural policy in France, where – as the press and various studies report – one farmer takes his own life more often than every two days? Are we aiming for a situation where in Poland too, a farmer takes his own life every two days? Or maybe every three days, or every day? I think that even one farmer taking his own life per month is too much. In the EU, corporations have taken over agricultural holdings; they rule and lobby in their own interest. We observed all this in the summer when one of the hypermarkets refused to accept deliveries of white cabbage at a price higher than PLN 1.20. They said: okay, we will buy from Poland for PLN 1.20, and if not, we will buy from the Netherlands for PLN 1.60, but you, Poles, will sell to us for PLN 1.20. We don't understand this; these chains look after the interests of their country; capital has a nationality, and we must lobby through appropriate regulations and political actions to ensure that food production in Poland is profitable. If there is no cheaper competition for Polish cabbage at PLN 1.20 per piece, then it will come from the Netherlands, but no longer at PLN 1.60; then the Netherlands will say PLN 3.60. And the quality will not be like Polish cabbage, but as the Dutchman wants to bring to Poland. As for Mr. Brudziński's words, they are words that hit Polish farmers, the helplessness of Polish farmers…” https://www.rp.pl/Spoleczenstwo/190319563-Lider-AgroUnii-Czy-dazymy-do-tego-by-rolnik-codziennie-odbieral-sobie-zycie.html

-- BIRTHDAYS: Janusz Piechociński, Aleksandra Jakubowska, Katarzyna Hall, Joanna Tomaszewska (turning 30), Jerzy Wilk, Piotr Gruszczyński.