-- SPYCHALSKI CONFIRMS MERKEL'S PRESENCE ON SEPTEMBER 1ST, CZARZASTY ON THE LEFT'S UNIFICATION: https://300polityka.pl/live/2019/07/24/ -- THINGS HAVE NEVER BEEN SO BAD, 300 ANIMALS ARRIVED AT A KRAKOW SHELTER IN ONE MONTH OF HOLIDAYS - GW: “Over 300 animals have arrived at the Krakow shelter in just one month since the start of the holidays. July saw an ignominious record – on one day, people gave up 41 dogs and cats. Shelter staff don't remember such a massive disposal of animals during the holidays.” http://krakow.wyborcza.pl/krakow/7,44425,2500240,ponad-300-psow-i-kotow-trafilo-w-czasie-wakacji-do-schroniska.html -- TOMASZ SEKIELSKI CRITICIZES THE CIVIC PLATFORM'S STANCE: “One can, of course, consider PO's behavior pragmatic, but it can just as well be described as opportunistic. Either way, neither of these two options brings credit to the politicians of the Civic Platform today, because today is the time for clear and firm declarations supported by actions. Today, an honest politician must choose whether they are on the side of the beaten or the beaters. Do they stand for freedom and tolerance, or for xenophobia and hatred? This is not a time for calculations, but for being decent.” https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/tylko-w-onecie/newsletter-onetu-tomasz-sekielski-gry-uliczne/fxq9sqg -- DR SŁAWOMIR SOWIŃSKI WRITES IN RZ THAT OPPOSITION DIVERSIFICATION OFFERS NEW OPPORTUNITIES: “Political diversification, in turn, offers the entire opposition as such a chance that the election campaign will be harder to focus on just one topic chosen by the 'good change' camp, or to hide it in the shadow of a single emotion. By running in elections in different blocs, opposition parties will be more effective – on behalf of their various voters – in addressing issues that are not very convenient for the ruling camp, and which are quite different: the situation in the countryside, rising prices, education, healthcare, the rule of law, or the effects of foreign policy.” -- SOWIŃSKI ON THIS NOT BEING A REFERENDUM ANYMORE: “Moreover, the formula of political diversification, unlike the coalition model, also opens the opposition to the urban and liberal voter, but also creates an offer for the conservative voter who fears both a systemic and moral revolution in Poland. We can all finally benefit from this new opening of the opposition, regardless of whether our political hearts are with it today, or beat in rhythm with the 'good change'. The formula of opposition diversification offers the chance that in the autumn, unlike in the spring, instead of a black-and-white plebiscite, where one votes mainly 'against,' we will have genuine, colorful, and idea-filled democratic elections.” https://www.rp.pl/Rzecz-o-polityce/307239910-Sowinski-dywersyfikacja-opozycji-to-nowe-szanse.html -- WŁODZIMIERZ CZARZASTY SPEAKS TO KULTURA LIBERALNA ABOUT PO AND TUSK'S DEFEATISM: “He lacked the faith and leadership skills for difficult times that would have allowed him to defend this project. It started with Donald Tusk, who came to Poland at the beginning of June, and it was then that we first heard that we wouldn't win against PiS, but we could fight for the Senate. And in the Sejm, the game would be, at most, about preventing PiS from having a constitutional majority. If such signals start coming from the strongest center of the opposition, it means someone doesn't want to win. And I don't want to be with someone like that.” -- CZARZASTY MOCKS THE CIVIC COALITION'S 'CIVICNESS': “On Thursday, the idea became clear: three parties are forming a coalition to fight against party loyalism because they are fighting for a civic Poland. Let me tell you my idea for a civic Poland. Let them form a civic committee, remembering that they won't be entitled to subsidies then. But it's not about money, because we are civic!” -- CZARZASTY ON PO POLITICIANS INTRODUCING LGBT AND ABORTION TOPICS INTO THE CAMPAIGN: “Me too. The second argument concerned LGBT, because Kosiniak-Kamysz didn't want to be 'Rainbow Władek.' Who signed the LGBT card in Warsaw? Trzaskowski. Let's go further, who pushed most for registered partnerships, according to Kosiniak's argument? Warsaw's Deputy Mayor Paweł Rabiej and Nowoczesna. Next, whose slogan has always been to extend the abortion law up to the 12th week of pregnancy? Barbara Nowacka. Finally, the fight against the Church, which also didn't suit him. I recall Leszek Jażdżewski's speech, as far as I remember, a liberal, before Donald Tusk's speech, who is probably not a member of SLD either, but I'll check. I wasn't at that speech, but Kosiniak-Kamysz was. And then he cites these examples and says that SLD is to blame.” https://kulturaliberalna.pl/2019/07/23/czarzasty-sld-koalicja-lewicowa-opozycja-wybory/ -- STATISTICS SPEAK POORLY OF THE STATE'S CONDITION - KRZYSZTOF BREJZA IN CONVERSATION WITH TOMASZ SAWCZUK IN KULTURA LIBERALNA: “Statistics say a lot about the state's condition. I'll give an example. I like traveling by train and I see how many trains are delayed. I asked PKP about this, and it turns out that there has indeed been a sharp increase in the number of canceled and delayed trains. There are many more such problems.” -- BREJZA ON THE STATE'S CRISIS: “The state is in a deep crisis, and it's visible everywhere. There are many vacancies in the police – 10,000 officers are missing. We have long waiting times in emergency rooms and queues for specialist doctors, which have doubled on average under the PiS government. I won't even mention the pseudo-reform of the courts. Citizens are now waiting for a verdict much longer than just a few years ago.” -- PIS IS FOOLING PEOPLE - BREJZA CONTINUES: “Life in Poland is becoming more expensive, and people are starting to realize that someone is fooling them. You can pay out a thirteenth pension before the elections, but then older people will live worse from month to month.” -- THESE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT DAYS OF MY LIFE - BREJZA ON HEADING THE CIVIC COALITION CAMPAIGN OFFICE: “It's not a reward, but a great responsibility. These are the most important days of my life.” https://kulturaliberalna.pl/2019/07/23/krzysztof-brejza-tomasz-sawczuk-kampania-wyborcza-wywiad/ -- SWISS FRANC LOAN HOLDERS IN TROUBLE - GW ON CONTROVERSIES SURROUNDING THE GOVERNMENT'S AMENDMENT TO BANKING LAW: “The government's amendment to banking law will help banks sell receivables arising from Swiss franc loan agreements. Debts will be purchased by various economic entities, not just collection agencies.” http://wyborcza.biz/biznes/7,147582,25004626,banki-sprzedadza-frankowiczow-tajemnicza-zmiana-w-ustawie.html -- MPS SPENT MORE ON FLOWERS THAN ON EXPERT OPINIONS - JEDYNKA DZIENNIKA ŁÓDZKIEGO. -- BIRTHDAYS: Katarzyna Lubnauer turns 50, Jacek Krywult, Justyna Sieklucka, Mateusz Cieślak, Jakub Cebula.