-- TAURON TO HALVE CO2 EMISSIONS - RZ: “In 11 years, the energy company's low- and zero-emission assets are projected to increase from the current 10% to 66%. By 2030, CO2 emissions are expected to be reduced by half. This is according to Tauron's new strategy, which Rzeczpospolita has learned about. The company is turning away from coal and divesting from areas that do not align with its revolutionary strategy of energy based on renewable sources: it is selling the Janina mine and a company involved in heat production, as well as stakes in PGE EJ1 (a company that will build Poland's first nuclear power plant) and Elektrociepłownia Stalowa Wola. The liquidation of eight old coal-fired units is intended to help achieve these ambitious environmental goals – only two modern ones will remain: Łagisza and Jaworzno 910.” http://archiwum.rp.pl/artykul/1404172-Zielony-zwrot-Tauronu.html -- POLISH PRIME MINISTER INCREASINGLY DESIRED ALLY IN BRUSSELS - JĘDRZEJ BIELECKI IN RZ: “In the European Council, the Polish Prime Minister will become an increasingly desired ally, shifting towards the center of the game, as it will be increasingly difficult to find alternatives to cooperation with Poland. In the short term, London will cause the most trouble. After the spectacular victory of Nigel Farage's Brexit Party in these elections and pushing the Conservatives to a humiliating fourth place among British political parties, the Conservative Party will most likely opt for Boris Johnson to push for a hard Brexit and save the remnants of its credibility. This will be a very brutal game between London and Brussels. https://www.rp.pl/Wybory-do-PE/305279920-Polska-wraca-do-centrum-europejskiej-gry.html -- KACZYŃSKI DOES NOT NEED OTHER FRONTRUNNERS TODAY - 300POLITYKA ANALYSIS: “Jarosław Kaczyński was the face of the PiS campaign. In the final stretch, he had several appearances a day, and it was likely his personal connection with right-wing supporters that convinced voters to turn out for elections they hadn't previously voted in. This tipped the scales decisively towards a historic, almost presidential victory in the Polish European elections. Jarosław Kaczyński does not need other frontrunners today, as Andrzej Duda and Beata Szydło were in 2015. Poll results show such a minor loss for PiS in cities and such a significant increase in the provinces, leading to one conclusion: voters simply accepted his role in Polish politics.” -- PIS'S SUCCESS WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE WITH THE SZYDŁO CABINET - CONTINUING FROM 300: “Kaczyński doesn't need other faces today, but he definitely needs efficient managers of state affairs. It is almost certain that such a success would have been impossible with Beata Szydło's cabinet, which, compared to today's administration, was a kingdom of chaos, from Antoni Macierewicz's volatile Ministry of National Defence to Krzysztof Jurgiel, who couldn't keep up with the growing pile of issues in the ministry crucial for an important group of PiS voters – the Ministry of Agriculture. Would the previous minister have been able to handle the 'Cow Plus' concept announced in Kadzidło, which was mocked as much as it was likely one of the most effective weapons of this campaign?” https://300polityka.pl/news/2019/05/27/zwyciestwo-kaczynskiego-i-dwanascie-prac-morawieckiego-analiza-warsztatu-zwyciestwa-pis/ -- ACCORDING TO ADAM BIELAN, TUSK REMINDED PEOPLE OF THE PO GOVERNMENT - as told to Wiktor Ferfecki in RZ: “This includes, among other things, a strong anti-clerical message, which is never a recipe for success in Poland. The return of Tusk harmed the European Coalition, as he reminded people of the PO government at the end of the campaign, making it harder for the EC to present itself as a new quality. Grzegorz Schetyna's behavior regarding the flood was also disastrous. First, he attacked us for allegedly campaigning on the dikes, and then he filmed campaign spots there with candidates himself. https://www.rp.pl/Kraj/305279919-Adam-Bielan-Tusk-zaszkodzil-Koalicji.html -- KACZYŃSKI PULLED SLEEPING VOTERS OUT OF THEIR HOMES - MICHAŁ KARNOWSKI: “All of this, in my opinion, tipped the scales. The last two weeks of the campaign were crucial. They reversed the trends. A significant myth, despite the lack of evidence, was also debunked: that Jarosław Kaczyński is a politician incapable of leading the charge beyond his core electorate, that he has to hide behind others. The opposite turned out to be true: it was Kaczyński himself who personally pulled sleeping voters out of their homes, leading to a surge in turnout among right-wing voters and, consequently, victory.” https://wpolityce.pl/polityka/448406-upadl-w-tych-wyborach-pewien-glupi-mit -- PIS WAS BITING THE GRASS WHILE THE COALITION FEASTED ON BANANAS - JACEK GĄDEK IN GAZETA.PL: “In these elections, Law and Justice was biting the grass, while the European Coalition was feasting on bananas. Jarosław Kaczyński structured the PiS lists to encourage internal competition. Grzegorz Schetyna assembled his lists so that everyone would get their share without effort. Donald Tusk's support changed nothing. Both sides got what they deserved.” -- SCHETYNA ARRANGED THE LISTS DIFFERENTLY THAN KACZYŃSKI - SO EVERYONE WOULD GET THEIR SHARE EFFORTLESSLY - CONTINUING GĄDEK: “Jarosław Kaczyński learned from this lesson: he constructed this year's lists so that no one was certain of their position and had to fight until the end for their mandate – to fight for themselves, and ultimately for the party. Grzegorz Schetyna adopted a completely different philosophy in the just-concluded elections – at the cost of agreements among all parties within the European Coalition, he arranged the lists so that everyone would get their share – without effort. The most important thing was to assemble the European Coalition, which was indeed achieved. Schetyna's 'Krasnodębski' turned out to be Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz, who avoided voters as if he didn't want to scare them away, and at the end, even hit an elderly woman at a crosswalk.” http://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/7,114884,24832737,pis-gryzlo-trawe-a-opozycja-raczyla-sie-bananami-obie-strony.html -- ACCORDING TO DOMINIKA WIELOWIEYSKA, PIS WON WITH SOCIAL POLICY: “Social programs worked on two levels: they mobilized the PiS electorate, some of whom do not vote in elections like the European ones. And they demobilized potential anti-PiS voters, as many people might have thought: 'I may not like PiS, but I receive various benefits, and who knows if these benefits will be maintained if the opposition comes to power.' So, it's better to stay home. Especially since the current opposition repeatedly stated that public finances need to be managed carefully, yet PiS is distributing money to many groups and the world hasn't collapsed. PiS is more credible in its promises than the European Coalition, which had no good response to Kaczyński's strategy. It entangled itself in contradictions: sometimes it claimed PiS was corrupting voters, only to immediately afterwards state that it would give these voters even more.” -- PERHAPS THE OPPOSITION NEEDS SOMEONE NEW: “The greatest chance for overcoming the impasse and achieving victory would be a new beginning with a new, credible leader for young people. A leader is needed who can find topics that attract the attention of young people: perhaps climate issues or matters related to our online functioning. Both Tusk and Schetyna tried to move in this direction, but were not convincing. Perhaps the opposition needs someone new with a relatively short political career, who will give people the feeling that the time has come for a new chapter in politics.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,24834443,nie-lgbt-i-nie-teczowa-madonna-pis-wygral-socjalem.html -- EUROPEAN COALITION'S NIGHT OF HORROR. PIS WON NOT ONLY IN THE COUNTRYSIDE - headline in GW. -- PIS SURPRISED BY ITS OWN SUCCESS - AGATA KONDZIŃSKA IN GW: “Those in power are analyzing the results on the fly, with the caveat that the campaign will be thoroughly analyzed later. – The flood and the behavior of the European Coalition leaders certainly helped us. One day, the head of PO, Grzegorz Schetyna, said we were staging a circus on the dikes, and the next day he himself went and filmed campaign advertisements there – enumerates a PiS politician.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75398,24834890,pis-zaskoczony-wlasnym-sukcesem-modlilem-sie-o-jeden-mandat.html -- ANDRZEJ GAJCY WRITES ABOUT THE POLLSTERS' COMPROMISE: “I wonder when the public will open their eyes and stop being fooled? For the good of society, companies that have made the most mistakes should close their businesses and stop bothering anyone. And politicians should consider introducing certain legal regulations to curb this flea market that polling agencies have become today.” -- ONET CHECKS THE POLLS: https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/kraj/sprawdzamy-przedwyborcze-sondaze-ktore-badanie-przewidzialo-wynik-wyborow/4x4qpve -- THE POLITICAL WEIGHT OF POWER AND EFFECTIVENESS - MICHAŁ SUTOWSKI IN KRYTYKA POLITYCZNA: “Secondly, there is great political weight in 'power and effectiveness.' It's not even about those specific few hundred zlotys in one's pocket (although the 'Family 500+' program has influenced the standard of living for hundreds of thousands of households), but about the conviction that the government does not shirk responsibility for its citizens and that 'it can be done.' For now, there is enough money, and where government activity is not effective (education reform, healthcare), the opposition cannot offer an alternative – it only offers reluctant acceptance (as with the 'thirteenth pension' and the widespread adoption of 500+) or criticism perceived as grumbling. There was a lack of a clear and convincing language to defend the quality of public services, which is not fostered in the EC or Spring by strong individualistic currents and an atmosphere of demagoguery around state institutions ('liquidation of ZUS'). In the long run, this strengthens the 'privatizing' dimension of PiS's social transfers, which, instead of contributing to common goods, serve the poor to cope in the private market (e.g., medical services).” -- SUTOWSKI ON A DIFFERENT DIVISION OF THE OPPOSITION - PROGRESSIVE AND CONSERVATIVE: “Perhaps in this situation, it is worth considering a new division: with Biedroń and KO on one side, and PSL and some platfromer (and perhaps SLD, why not?) conservatives on the other? Giving the wings of the opposition a minimum of substance can only benefit them. I appeal to the leaders of these parties: think carefully, ladies and gentlemen. Instead of acting immediately, try to think for a moment about why and how.” https://krytykapolityczka.pl/kraj/krajobraz-po-klesce-sutowski/ -- ARGUMENTS AGAINST PIS ARE NOT EVERYTHING - EDWIN BENDYK IN OKO: “The Coalition, with a result of 38%, faces a difficult task, because while this is a decent result, it shows the limits of negative mobilization, which involves a general uprising of the opposition to save Poland from PiS. Apparently, even valid arguments showing how PiS is destroying the country are not enough to convince a sufficient number of Poles to vote for a mosaic that, apart from the anti-PiS goal, cannot be held together by much else. A good positive program is needed, one that voters must also believe in. (...) And this is the only consolation for all those who hoped that the May elections would open a bright path to a change of government in Poland in the autumn. It is not impossible, but achieving it requires a new political strategy.” https://oko.press/bendyk-polaryzacja-miazdzy-mniejszych-ale-pospolite-ruszenie-zjednoczonej-opozycji-doszlo-do-sciany/ -- POLAND IS NOT YET HUNGARY, BUT WE ARE ON THE ROAD TO BUDAPEST - JAROSŁAW KURSKI ON JEDYNKA GW: “The more PiS controls the state, the more it wins. The more it wins, the more it strengthens the hegemon's power. Poland is not yet Hungary (where Fidesz won against the democratic coalition 52 to 16), but we are well on our way to having Budapest in Warsaw.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75398,24834833,polska-to-jeszcze-nie-wegry.html -- JAKUB BODZIONY IN KULTURA LIBERALNA ON THE CONFEDERATION EFFECT: “PiS will not give up the fight for votes. Much indicates, therefore, that the coming months will be dominated by the radicalization of the political scene on moral and foreign policy issues. Korwin-Mikke has already announced the possibility of a coalition with Law and Justice after the parliamentary elections. Jarosław Kaczyński is currently distancing himself from such ideas, claiming that Konfederacja is a pro-Russian group acting to the benefit of the European Coalition. For now. We have already heard similar assurances from the party leader when he ruled out the possibility of political dealings with Samoobrona and LPR. If the stakes involve losing power, no compromise will be too rotten for Kaczyński.” https://kulturaliberalna.pl/2019/05/28/konfederacja-bodziony-wybory-europejskie/ -- WE DIDN'T EXPECT SUCH A GOOD RESULT - BEATA SZYDŁO IN ONET - interviewed by Andrzej Gajcy: “We didn't expect such a good result. There were likely many key moments. I think we won primarily through credibility. The opposition's focus on ideological issues certainly influenced the outcome. Poles didn't like it.” -- SZYDŁO STATES THE CUP OF BITTERNESS FOR CONSERVATIVE POLES OVERFLOWED DURING THE EQUALITY MARCH IN GDANSK: “Let me remind you that a significant portion of PO and Nowoczesna MPs boycotted the parliamentary vote on this issue. Earlier, PO was against our government introducing a registry of pedophiles. At the same time, the opposition tried to shift responsibility solely onto the Church, provoking attacks on religious individuals. I think the cup of bitterness overflowed on Saturday at the equality march in Gdańsk, where people of faith and their most important values were mocked. This was too much even for people not associated with the Church. Certain boundaries were definitively crossed. The attempt to ideologize the election campaign failed. Voters proved to be wiser.” https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/tylko-w-onecie/beata-szydlo-dla-onetu-chcemy-powaznych-zmian-w-unii-europejskiej-wywiad/ks4x65m -- PEASANTS ARE SHAKING IN THE COALITION - Paweł Wroński in GW: “A meeting of the PSL's Main Council is scheduled for Saturday to assess the results of the European Parliament elections. In February, the Council decided – by a majority vote of 88 to 8 – to join the European Coalition. This was the result of the peasants' reflection after the local government elections, where blocked lists would have given them power in two or three regional assemblies. Now, the mood in the party is somber.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75398,24834357,euerowybory-2019-ludowcy-mowia-o-wyjsciu-z-koalicji-europejskiej.html -- BISHOPS ON A TICKING TIME BOMB - KKZ in GW: “One might get the impression that the Episcopate is waiting in suspense, knowing that Archbishop Scicluna will arrive in Wałbrzych in 10 days.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,24834565,biskupi-siedza-na-tykajacej-bombie-czekajac-na-przyjazd-wyslannika.html -- BIRTHDAYS: Joanna Wnuk-Nazarowa, Jacek Weksler, Bożena Sławiak, Krzysztof Lisek, Tomasz Leś.”