-- THE PIS PACK'S VENDETTA IS INCITING CITIZENS - RAFAŁ TRZASKOWSKI - 300LIVE: https://300polityka.pl/live/2019/03/19/

-- POLES' MINDS ARE CONTROLLED BY PIS, THE OPPOSITION IS PLAYING ON PIS'S FIELD, THE IDEA OF BEING IDEALESS AND WORSHIPING MANAGEMENT RATHER THAN GOVERNANCE HAS CORNERED THE OPPOSITION - ŁUKASZ ROGOJSZ ON THE DEBATE ABOUT LGBT: “This is where the trapped opposition resides in Poland. In PiS's Poland. The 'scandal' surrounding the LGBT+ charter, blown out of proportion, and the interview with Deputy Mayor Rabiej demonstrates this with full force. The European Coalition can chant its European identity in all possible ways, praise the Union at any hour of the day or night, or assure of its substantive superiority over the 'good change,' but it still won't drown it out. For years, it has been playing on PiS's field, in a game created by PiS and according to rules invented by PiS. It didn't want to propose anything else itself – 'warm water in the tap' doesn't count – because firstly, it's risky, and secondly, the results are uncertain. The idea of being without ideals and the worship of management (not governance!) have cornered it. It may win this or that election (in fact, it has quite realistic chances) and oust the 'good change' from power, but it won't govern. Because the one who governs is the one who controls minds. And PiS controls the minds of Poles, with the consent and passivity of the opposition.”

-- PIS HAS DEFINED THE LANGUAGE - ROGOJSZ CONTINUES: “What lesson can be drawn from this for Civic Platform and the opposition centered around it? Someone might say that they need to keep a closer eye on their own politicians and their media presence. However, this would be a flawed conclusion. As I've already written, PiS's mastery of the public debate language was just the tip of the iceberg. It turns out that Kaczyński's party has not only defined the language we use to talk about specific aspects of our reality. It has also imperceptibly influenced which aspects of this reality we discuss, and which we dismiss with silence 'because it's not appropriate, because it's better not to.' Most importantly, it has designed this reality according to its own preferences, which other parties, led by Civic Platform – likely occupied with much more significant tasks, such as holding power – have overlooked or underestimated.” http://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/7,114884,24561151,uwiezieni-w-polsce-pis-u-jesli-opozycja-sie-nie-zmieni-moze.html

-- RAFAŁ TRZASKOWSKI STANDS BY HIS OPINION ON THE LGBT DECLARATION - as he told Kultura Liberalna: “I stand by the premises of the LGBT+ Declaration, just as I stand by and support efforts to protect human rights, counteract discrimination and violence, provide support for individuals and groups exposed to aggression and expressions of hatred, and assist all those who need it – the weaker, the disabled, or seniors.”

-- TRZASKOWSKI ON MANIPULATIONS CONCERNING THE CHARTER: “Unscrupulous and deliberate misinformation has appeared in the media space, primarily concerning the form and method of education in schools. Not to mention the attempt to convince people that we will introduce sex education in nurseries and kindergartens. Education about human rights, including combating discrimination, is a mandatory task for primary and secondary schools, as it stems from the curriculum approved by the Ministry of National Education. The education will be voluntary, and parents will not be obligated to send their children to it.” https://kulturaliberalna.pl/2019/03/19/karta-lgbt-warszawa-kampania-pis-po-2/

-- HANNA GRONKIEWICZ-WALTZ RESPONDS TO JACEK DEHNEL'S ACCUSATION OF NOT SUPPORTING MINORITIES - in Gazeta Stołeczna: “All these programs were conducted by the Lambda Warszawa Association. In some of them, besides Lambda, other organizations participated, e.g., the Legal Intervention Association or the Institute of Public Affairs Foundation. In total, between 2008 and 2018, the City Hall allocated PLN 1.4 million for these programs (for comparison, for seniors, of whom there are 471,000, we have a three-year contract for PLN 2.4 million). This is the information and data I managed to gather after reading your article over the weekend. I hope that with a little goodwill, you will notice the stream and the specifics. Sincerely, Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz. P.S. I do not recall participating in environmental marches, such as the Three Kings' Procession.” http://warszawa.wyborcza.pl/warszawa/7,54420,24558814,hanna-gronkiewicz-waltz-odpowiada-jackowi-dehnelowi.html

-- THEY SHOULD ENJOY RIGHTS LIKE OTHER CITIZENS - DR ŁUKASZ PAWŁOWSKI IN KULTURA LIBERALNA: “For now, people of different orientations are not breaking any laws. Therefore, they should enjoy exactly the same rights as other citizens. It's a shame that equality before the law somehow cannot find a place on the list of values that some right-wing politicians and commentators so eagerly defend.” https://kulturaliberalna.pl/2019/03/19/pawlowski-lisicki-lgbt-prawa-adopcja-prawica/

-- PROF. HENRYK DOMAŃSKI ON THE BENEFITS OF SPRING - writes in GW: “The potential success of Robert Biedroń's new grouping brings more benefits to citizens as a whole than remaining in the duopoly between PiS and PO.”

-- A CHANCE TO ESCAPE MARASMUS, BECAUSE THE SIAMESE TWINS FROM PO AND PIS ARE UNABLE TO OFFER MORE - DOMAŃSKI CONTINUES IN GW: “The entry of a relatively strong left-wing formation onto the political scene would lead to the rationalization of politics. The main drawback of Polish democracy since 2005 has been the fight for mutual annihilation waged between the two dominant parties. Increasingly, this involves finding and creating secondary issues in order to defeat the opponent, instead of focusing on stimulating economic growth, modernization, counteracting environmental degradation, homophobia, promoting Poland's role in the world, and implementing long-term development strategies. Recording conversations, searching for verbal slip-ups, naively proven nepotism, accusations of corruption, criticism of high earnings – all undermine the credibility of politicians and the state and do not deserve attention. The humorous aspect is that PiS is doing everything it can to convince everyone that it absolutely does not want Poland to leave the EU, while PO stubbornly denies this. A chance to escape this marasmus would be the emergence of an authentic alternative to PiS and PO, because the Siamese twins are unable to offer anything more.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,24558925,co-nam-wyborcom-przyniesie-wiosna-biedronia.html

-- SYLWIA SPUREK IN DGP CONFIRMS TIMMERMANS' SUPPORT FOR SPRING: “The Spring activist also emphasizes the significance of the Dutch politician's gesture and says that the declaration of support from Timmermans, one of the most experienced European politicians, is very important for her party. We are pleased that the S&D group sees Spring as its partner in Poland. Today, Spring is the strongest progressive party in our country, and Robert Biedroń is the most popular and trusted progressive politician,” she adds.”

-- DANUTA HUBNER ON SPRING'S LISTS - WRITES DGP: “Meanwhile, preparations for the election lists are underway, the final shape of which we will learn at the party's convention on March 23. As we have unofficially learned, Danuta Hübner, a Member of the European Parliament for Civic Platform for two terms, and previously the first Polish commissioner after joining the Union, is to run from his grouping. Grzegorz Schetyna offered her fourth place in Warsaw, which for a politician with such experience and ambitions (she is currently an influential head of the European Parliament's Committee on Constitutional Affairs) was a slap in the face. Robert Biedroń seems to be benefiting from the lack of European imagination of the PO leader.” https://wiadomosci.dziennik.pl/polityka/artykuly/593828,wiosna-robert-biedron-frans-timmermans-lewica-poparcie.html

-- MARCIN FIJOŁEK WRITES ABOUT CIVIC PLATFORM'S PROBLEM: “The problem for Civic Platform today is not one position or another on issues like 500+, migration policy, or support for LGBT communities. Of course, they might lose a few percentage points on one stance or another, but at least they would be something. Trying to reconcile water and fire would be possible if these issues didn't end up on banners: if Biedroń weren't there, if the topic of pedophilia or sex education weren't raised, if Rabiej's statements or Trzaskowski's decisions weren't made. In short – avoiding taking a stance, clever maneuvering, and playing on many instruments was still possible in the era of Prime Minister Tusk, who winked at feminists, leftists, and other fringe groups, and then did his own thing. In essence, he did nothing, maintaining the status quo.”

-- THE VICE IS TIGHTENING AROUND CIVIC PLATFORM - FIJOŁEK CONTINUES: “Meanwhile, after the European Coalition expanded to include PSL politicians, the vice around Civic Platform is tightening ever more clearly. This is a side effect of Grzegorz Schetyna clearing the field, having brought many political groups under his wing, which is undoubtedly his real success (for now), but this alliance requires constant avoidance of taking a stance. A permanent tightrope walk must end in a fall (of the European Coalition, not necessarily of Schetyna himself), especially since it is being performed in such an awkward manner as we have seen in recent days.” https://wpolityce.pl/m/polityka/438486-biedron-grilluje-schetyne-zaciesniaja-sie-kleszcze-wokol-po

-- KUKIZ IS TREATED LIKE A POTENTIAL COALITION PARTNER, HIS WHIMS ARE FULFILLED, SUCH AS PLAYING SONGS FROM HIS NEWEST ALBUM ON THE RADIO - PIOTR ZAREMBA IN DGP: “Both Paczuska and Pałka were to be recommended or accepted in negotiations with the National Media Council by the president. But not only that. Politicians from the Kukiz's Movement were also consulted. They agreed to consider Pałka as their informal representative in TVP. This indicates that the leadership of PiS was also involved in building the new structure. Kukiz's Movement still has a chance to enter the new Sejm in polls. It is currently treated by PiS as a potential post-election coalition partner. For now, his leader's minor whims are being fulfilled. For example, Kukiz managed to force the president of the public radio to play songs from his new album on air.”

-- MINOR CHANGES IN TVP - ZAREMBA CONTINUES: “Elections are coming, so a hard line seems natural. And all participants in this game reckon with the headquarters at Nowogrodzka Street, so the taste of the 'sole viewer,' Jarosław Kaczyński, will continue to be decisive, especially if Kurski goes to him to complain. – Minor things will change, the approach to secondary programs – a TV employee assures me. And the personnel will be decisive. Even if they adopt a more subtle tone, the people working today in 'Wiadomości' or TVP Info know nothing but hard propaganda. And they won't attract other journalists there.” https://serwisy.gazetaprawna.pl/media/artykuly/1403533,zaremba-o-zmianie-w-zarzadzie-tvp.html

-- KUKIZ HAS 2.9% IN A POLL FOR RADIO ZET, BUT IT'S IBRIS: https://wiadomosci.radiozet.pl/Polska/Polityka/Sondaz-IBRiS-dla-Radia-ZET-PiS-na-czele-wyscigu-w-wyborach-do-PE

-- KKZ IN GW ON WHY YOUNG PEOPLE ARE TAKING TO THE STREETS FOR CLIMATE NOT THE RULE OF LAW - writes in GW: “We have the politicians we have, and they should take responsibility. Perhaps we, commentators and writers about the modern world, should too. And send a clear signal to the youth. Yes, you are wonderful, we appreciate your commitment, your opposition, your concern. How many opposition politicians came out to meet the climate strikers? Well, very few. So don't be surprised that they don't go to fight for the rule of law, which they see not as a fight for democracy, but as a struggle between competing political camps. The most important task facing politicians now is the ability to persuade young people to participate in public life. On their terms, which older generations may not understand. Too bad. They must try to understand them. They are also voters, they are also citizens.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,24560423,dlaczego-mlodzi-walcza-o-klimat-a-nie-o-praworzadnosc.html

-- BIRTHDAYS: Mirosław Handke, Dobrochna Kędzierska, Arlena Sokalska, Michał Wojtczak, Piotr Szumlewicz.