-- 4 YEARS AGO: The end of Bronisław Komorowski's presidency. Andrzej Duda was sworn into office as President of the Republic of Poland. -- SEPTEMBER 7: PiS CONVENTION - 300POLITYKA: “According to 300POLITYKA's sources, a Law and Justice (PiS) election convention is scheduled for September 7, where the party's election program for the autumn parliamentary campaign will be presented. Our informants emphasize that this is the most probable date, but it could, of course, still change. A few days ago, Prof. Paruch suggested such a date on Polish Radio, stating that the program presentation would likely take place shortly after the holidays.” https://300polityka.pl/news/2019/08/06/pis-przygotowuje-sie-do-kampanii-wyborczej-na-poczatku-wrzesnia-ma-odbyc-sie-konwencja-programowa/ -- ZANDBERG ON THE LEFT'S STRONG POLL NUMBERS - 300LIVE: https://300polityka.pl/live/2019/08/06/ -- DISINTERESTED IDEALISM IS BEING REPLACED BY SOCIO-ENGINEERING, WHICH WORRIES ME BECAUSE THE SYNTHESIS OF LEFTISM AND CHRISTIANITY IS SOMETHING INTERESTING - PIOTR ZAREMBA IN PRZEWODNIK KATOLICKI: “It is evident that PiS is also adopting other pre-war traditions, rather left-leaning ones. One only needs to recall what Jarosław Kaczyński himself said about the role of the countryside, and thus the Peasants' Party, in Polish history. And I like that: old Poland wasn't just about manors; since the end of the 19th century, the masses have been becoming citizens. Jan Englert jokes that every Pole considers himself a nobleman. It's time to end this fiction, although it's true that many workers came from impoverished nobility. There is one caveat. Social sensitivity is one thing, and mechanical, electoral handouts are another. I don't believe that pre-war socialists had no qualms about giving money for nothing to wealthy people while making the disabled wait or be content with scraps. However, these are entirely different eras and political cultures. Disinterested idealism is being replaced by games, by socio-engineering. This worries me. Because the synthesis of leftism and traditional Christianity as a project is something interesting.” https://www.przewodnik-katolicki.pl/Archiwum/2019/Przewodnik-Katolicki-31-2019/Opinie/Na-lewo-patrz -- ORBAN, KACZYŃSKI, TRUMP BRING OUT THE WORST IN PEOPLE - DOMINIKA WIELOWIEYSKA IN GW: “Similarly, a PiS voter might think today: ‘How I detest these colorful people, these immigrants, these gays, these Germans. I always had this in me, but now I can say it out loud and not be ashamed. And demonstrate that I feel superior. And even if I don't have the courage to speak about my aversion or even hatred, others are doing it for me. Kaczyński, with the help of state television, has guaranteed me this.’” -- PIS HAS ACTIVATED A MECHANISM OF BREAKING WITH DECENCY - WIELOWIEYSKA CONTINUES: “PiS has activated a mechanism that allows many people to break with decency. That's why Kuchciński's flights, though they get many clicks online, won't change the course of the campaign. All these matters, both big and small, somehow don't weaken PiS's poll numbers. Apparently, a significant portion of Poles don't care about them. They are more concerned with large social transfers, and at the same time, they fear the influx of refugees and immigrants, and they like populist shouts about harsher punishments for criminals. This mix proves effective. Abuses of power and breaches of the rule of law fade into the background.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,25050526,orban-kaczynski-trump-wydobywaja-z-ludzi-to-co-w-nich-najgorsze.html -- IN KUCHCIŃSKI'S CASE, WE WERE DEALING WITH AN OBVIOUS LIE - ŁUKASZ PAWŁOWSKI IN KULTURA LIBERALNA: “It is understandable that a politician who makes a mistake or engages in compromising activity will certainly not boast about it. However, in the case of Marshal Kuchciński, we were dealing with something more – an obvious lie.” -- PAWŁOWSKI ON PERMISSIVENESS IN PIS: “And speaking of legal rules, it has become clear once again that for a member of PiS, whatever the leader doesn't explicitly forbid is permissible. With an emphasis on 'forbid,' because it turns out that the leader's commands no longer hold such power. Kaczyński has often called for modesty, after all.” -- PAWŁOWSKI IN KULTURA LIBERALNA QUESTIONS THE ETHOS OF OFFICIALS: “Although many officials and State Protection Service officers must have been aware of the abuses, Kuchciński's orders were meekly carried out for many, many months. This raises questions not only about the Marshal's conduct but also about the ethos of the highest officials in a state governed by PiS.” -- THE EMPTINESS OF PIS'S PROMISES - PAWŁOWSKI'S CONCLUSION: “Will all this translate into support for Law and Justice? That, of course, cannot be predicted. However, one thing is certain. The whole affair, on many levels, reveals the emptiness of one of the most important promises made by PiS to its voters during the campaign: that Poland would be a state efficiently and transparently managed by a select cadre of officials and a more honest political class.” https://kulturaliberalna.pl/2019/08/05/pawlowski-kuchcinski-pis-patologie-panstwo/ -- A SERIES OF HALF-TRUTHS ABOUT THE FLIGHTS - IZABELA KACPRZAK IN RZ: “In this situation, when the spokesperson has misled the public and the media several times, can we trust the list of all the Marshal's flights presented by his office? Are they definitely complete and original?” https://www.rp.pl/Polityka/308059923-Seria-polprawd-o-lotach.html -- NOW IT'S TIME TO VERIFY THE DATA - MAREK TUMIDALSKI IN RZ: “However, this could be a form of pressure to reveal information about the flights and verify it. Similarly, the Supreme Audit Office's investigation into the matter. The 'opposition' or journalistic investigation operates on a similar principle, and it seems to be the most effective way to reach the truth. It has apparently forced the Marshal to apologize. Now it's time to verify the data. Another matter is how much longer public opinion will concern itself with the Marshal's person.” https://www.rp.pl/Opinie/308059945-Historie-lotow-marszalka-Kuchcinskiego-mozna-ustalic.html -- THE "OCTOPUS" WAS ALSO LEGAL - BARTOSZ WĘGLARCZYK IN Onet: “Law and Justice went to the elections on a wave of outrage that politicians from the previous government used public money for, literally, eating octopus. Let me remind you that to this day, no one has stood trial for that, because those were also legal expenses. Everything that is not forbidden is allowed in a democratic country. But not everything that is allowed is decent. The second person in the state today has at least 4 million reasons to understand this particularly well.” https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/opinie/zadna-procedura-nie-chroni-przed-pazernoscia-przed-nia-chroni-tylko-poczucie/pwmtsgf -- PiS MUST BE AT THE VANGUARD AND SET STANDARDS - DR RAFAŁ CHWEDORUK ON WPOLITYCE: “However, I assess the form worse – all of this should have happened immediately after the incident broke out, within tens of hours at the latest. The complexity of this situation shows a contrast. Law and Justice, due to its ethos, name, and voter base, is a party that cannot afford compromises in matters of humility and modesty in conducting politics. Here, PiS must always be at the vanguard and set standards, which would encourage radical measures in this matter.” -- OTHER FACTORS GUARANTEEING PiS'S LEAD ARE NOT DISAPPEARING - CHWEDORUK CONTINUES: “This spring, we witnessed a hurricane-like barrage of firecrackers against PiS, which, of course, somewhat numbs public opinion. Firstly, for years now, we have been living in an era of information inflation about politics, and it is often difficult for many voters to distinguish what is important and what is less so. Secondly, political sympathies in Poland are entrenched. The fight is for a relatively small circle of voters, and hence this mutual barrage is with significantly lighter ammunition than political bombs. There are no structural grounds for this matter to become a 'game-changer' because the hard electorate for Law and Justice has been joined by voters who support the party conditionally, due to social policy and their aversion to opposition circles. These are often voters who harbor no great illusions about the world of politics and choose pragmatically. With this difficult matter for PiS, the structural factors guaranteeing its leadership in polls are not disappearing – the economic climate, the ability to maintain it, a fairer distribution of the fruits of this climate than before.” https://wpolityce.pl/m/polityka/457952-prof-chwedoruk-o-lotach-marszalka-to-nie-gamechanger -- KUCHCIŃSKI'S ACTIONS WERE A CALCULATED MOVE - ŁUKASZ WARZECHA IN WP: “Rather, it was dictated by rapidly conducted public opinion polls – a normal thing in larger parties during crisis moments. PiS has relied on them many times and effectively, most recently during the teachers' strike crisis. They must have shown that Kuchciński's resignation was not necessary to mobilize its own electorate in October. In fact, they might even have indicated that it would be seen by some PiS voters as weakness and an concession to unjustified opposition demands. Therefore, I consider the commentators' remarks that Kuchciński's statement was a mistake to be misguided. No – it was a carefully thought-out move that will bring PiS no losses.” -- IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER IF KUCHCIŃSKI HAD RESIGNED - WARZECHA CONTINUES: “The fact is that Kuchciński was almost from the beginning so terrible in the role of Marshal – isolated from and battling the media, uncommunicative, arrogant, with an evident fixation on certain MPs (his private war with MP Nitras is distasteful) – that for the dignity of the Sejm, it would have been better if he had resigned. And he likely will, but unfortunately, only after the elections.” -- IT'S JUST BEING POSTPONED - WARZECHA'S CONCLUSION: “Secondly, even if the issue of Kuchciński's flights is considered closed by PiS and its voters in the short electoral term, it is still being stored away in the back of at least some Poles' minds, just as various arrogant moves by his predecessors were stored away, eventually resulting in defeat in 2015.” https://opinie.wp.pl/warzecha-oswiadczenie-kuchcinskiego-to-przemyslane-zagranie-opinia-6410293485639297a -- KUCHCIŃSKI THINKS WE ARE NOT SHARP ENOUGH - PAWEŁ WROŃSKI IN GW: “Kuchciński's press conference shows that PiS will defend the compromised Marshal for now, believing that his resignation would be a worse outcome. However, Marshal Kuchciński is slowly becoming an ideal target for the opposition and a symbol of PiS's power – incompetent and constantly inciting conflict, pompous, arrogant, and accumulating privileges.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75398,25060365,marszalek-kuchcinski-uwaza-polakow-za-malo-rozgarnietych.html -- OWSIK GOT CARRIED AWAY, HATE SPEECH CANNOT BE JUSTIFIED BY ANYTHING - JACEK NIZINKIEWICZ IN RZ: “Jurek's vulgar, divisive, and hate-speech-constituting statement cannot be justified by anything. Especially since he announced before the 25th edition of the festival that there would be no politics there. With his divisive speech, he failed and should apologize unequivocally. Simply put, like anyone who doesn't play with hate. Jurek Owsiak has done many valuable things in Poland, so it would be even more of a pity if the good he has done were overshadowed by weak nerves and emotional outbursts. Unless he wants to become a martyr at all costs. But I don't suspect Jurek of such low motives.” https://www.rp.pl/Analizy/308059922-Nizinkiewicz-Jurek-Owsiak-sie-zagalopowal.html -- CAN THE LEFT OVERCOME THE ANTI-POLITICAL CYNICISM OF POLES? - MICHAŁ SUTOWSKI IN KRYTYKA: “It might seem that after 4 years of PiS rule, it has managed to swap places with the arrogant elite of the Third Republic, but standing in the way of such a conviction is the anti-political cynicism of Poles – a disbelief that the state can be efficient, effective, and decent. Coupled, we might add, with the conviction that various factions of Polish elites are equally bad. From which it follows that since politicians stole, are stealing, and will continue to steal, it's better to let those govern who at least share and don't show civilizational superiority over the people. This is why successive scandals, violations of the constitution, and the humiliation or neglect of various social groups evoke, if not approval, then a shrug of the shoulders. The Left is now giving itself a chance to overcome this anti-political cynicism of Poles. It has faces not worn out by governing, it is credible on European and systemic issues. It can play in opposition to PiS where others have already given up (secularism, women's and minority rights) and where PiS itself is struggling (public services). It won't get a better opportunity. It will either introduce its banner to the Sejm – or fold it up forever.” https://krytykapolityczna.pl/kraj/sutowski-komitet-wyborczy-lewica/ -- HOW MUCH TRUST WILL THE LEFT HAVE? - ANDRZEJ STANKIEWICZ IN Onet: “Meanwhile, on the left, the three tenors – Robert Biedroń, Włodzimierz Czarzasty, and Adrian Zandberg – by running on the same list, have to trust each other somewhat. If they formed a coalition, they could sign an agreement on the division of money after entering the Sejm. Well, but a coalition means 8%. They chose – rationally – the SLD party list, to which Czarzasty invites everyone. But in such a situation, money has to be divided without an agreement. I'm curious how much trust they will have.” https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/tylko-w-onecie/newsletter-onetu-andrzej-stankiewicz-badminton-z-kuchcinskim/vw9r8se -- PROF. KISILOWSKI AND DR ANNA WÓJCIK IN GW ON SURRENDERING DEMOCRACY BY FORFEIT: “Let's add without malice that Czarzasty and Miller, of all people, know very well how to win and lose against authoritarian rule. Dozens of examples from around the world and studies by the most prominent specialists in authoritarian systems confirm their diagnoses. The opposition's only chance in a clash with the state-party conglomerate managed from Nowogrodzka Street is to propose a common, convincing alternative vision. Not left-wing, not liberal, not conservative, but simply democratic. This was the case in Poland in June 1989. This was the case in Venezuela, where the Democratic Unity Roundtable coalition won the parliamentary elections in 2015. This was the case in Turkey, where secular Republicans agreed with, among others, the ultra-Islamist Saadet party, resulting in victory in the Istanbul mayoral election. This was the case in Hungary when liberals and socialists reached an agreement with the far-right, anti-Semitic Jobbik and won in the local by-elections in Orbán's stronghold, the city of Hódmezövásárhely.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,25057991,nie-oddawajmy-demokracji-walkowerem.html -- JACEK GĄDEK ON PIOTR WOŹNY POTENTIALLY BECOMING NFOŚ PRESIDENT: “As Gazeta.pl has established, Mateusz Morawiecki has instructed the Minister of Environment, Henryk Kowalczyk, to throw away the results of the competition for the president of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management. The Prime Minister's favorite in the new competition is Piotr Woźny, his confidant. This is how the head of government wants to take control of 'Kazimierz Kujda's kingdom'. - The Prime Minister is not satisfied with the state of relations with the European Commission. Therefore, he wants to hand over the NFOŚ to someone who will be more effective – a person close to the ministry and NFOŚ tells us. - KPRM has concluded that someone needs to be found who will be able to, on the one hand, meet the EC's expectations regarding the 'Clean Air' program, and on the other, do what the current acting president Marek Ryszka did – they add.” http://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/7,114884,25051607,mateusz-morawiecki-przejmie-krolestwo-kazimierza-kujdy-jego.html -- HGW ON PIS NOT GIVING UP POWER - DOROTA WYSOCKA SPEAKS TO WYBORCZA.PL: “I also believe that they will do everything to not give up power. Because fear and dread will be their motivation. I believe that the only chance for PiS in the future is a roundtable. Just as the Roundtable was a chance for the communists for a peaceful transition to elections. To elections, because we are talking about democratic elections first, and only then about a change of power. And I believe that those people who have left PiS, or those who are in PiS but do not have fundamentalist views, should prepare themselves for being on the other side at the roundtable. On the other side, of course, there will be some moderate group from the non-PiS side.” -- LET PiS PREPARE FOR THE ROUNDTABLE - HGW CONTINUES: “Well yes, but it could happen. That's why I urge everyone in PiS, the less fundamentalist ones, to prepare for a roundtable, whether it's in a year, five years, or ten years. I don't know, I'm not a clairvoyant. And I always urge my colleagues not to say that there will be some act of revenge. There will be two sides – exactly the same as in 1989. It will be PiS and non-PiS, democratic forces. And we cannot say that we will take revenge. Everyone will be held accountable individually, and sometimes this saber-rattling from my colleagues is unpleasant to me. Everyone will answer to the extent of their guilt. But first, there must be a roundtable.” http://wyborcza.pl/7,82983,25061200,gronkiewicz-waltz-pis-nie-odda-wladzy-nawet-gdy-przegra-wybory.html -- OUR CITY IS BECOMING MORE OPEN - RAFAŁ RUDNICKI POLEMIZES WITH KĄCKI'S BOOK THESES: “I believe […] that with each day our city is becoming a little more open. President Tadeusz Truskolaski deserves immense credit for this, as he – unlike the presidents of many Polish cities – was not afraid to grant permission for the Equality March to take place.” -- WE REMEMBER THE CITY'S JEWISH PAST - RUDNICKI CONTINUES ABOUT BIAŁYSTOK: “For years, we have been striving to preserve the memory of the city's Jewish past, organizing not only official commemorations of important anniversaries but also a series of educational and cultural activities, through which we are effectively introducing the lost past into the consciousness of successive generations of Białystok residents. It was President Truskolaski, at the end of 2018, who decided to resolve the dispute surrounding the Monument to the Heroes of the Białystok Land and the inscriptions 'Bóg, Honor, Ojczyzna' [God, Honor, Fatherland] displayed on it, by meeting with Ms. Lidia Chmielewska, the widow of the monument's author, Bohdan Chmielewski. By organizing a competition for a concept to change the monument, the city intends to respect its artistic form while also taking into account the changes resulting from history and systemic transformations. And these actions by the president were immediately protested by those who had hung the aforementioned inscription on the monument.” -- BIRTHDAYS: Marek Zagórski, Jacek Poniedziałek.