-- KONRAD SZYMAŃSKI TURNS 50 TODAY.

-- LET NO ONE IN THE EU GIVE GOOD ADVICE WHEN NOT ASKED - WHAT KONRAD SZYMAŃSKI SAID IN THE 300POLITYKA PODCAST:
https://300polityka.pl/news/2019/10/29/300-on-air-szymanski-niech-w-ue-nikt-nie-udziela-sobie-dobrych-rad-kiedy-nie-jest-pytany-podkast-300polityki/

-- SOCIAL DEMOCRACY IN THE 20TH CENTURY ACTED AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF WORKERS AND AN EXPRESSION OF THE WORK ETHIC; YOUNG POLISH LEFT-WINGERS TODAY PROMOTE AN ETHOS OF REST AND LIFE FREE FROM WORK - PIOTR BENIUSZYS IN GAZETA WYBORCZA: “Today, however, attitudes towards work are changing. Work, even quite light office work, is called 'slavery,' and aversion to all work is becoming widespread. Demands for the right not to work are broadly influencing the debate, with the idea of unconditional basic income being a key symbol. The young left is abandoning the old work ethic and, with the slogan 'ok, boomer' (for the uninitiated: it means 'okay, okay, get lost, old timer') on their lips, is transforming from advocates for workers into advocates for people with free time. The goal is to build a social policy system that – through a radical increase in redistribution – will enable the largest possible part of the mainly young generation to maintain a modest standard of living, but also by performing a minimal amount of work.”

-- THE RESULT WILL BE STAGNATION: “The result will be stagnation and, of course, getting used to (becoming dependent on) state social transfers. When such a policy suffers a financial defeat in the future, as in Greece, the consequence will be social turmoil, and blame will naturally be placed on 'neoliberals,' capitalists, and banks.”

-- BENIUSZYS ON NEW SYMMETRISTS, WHO WILL FEAR MORE THAN PIS TOGETHER: “If a part of the left raises extreme demands in the new term, such as depriving some pensioners of the right to part of their contributions, they should not be surprised by a new phenomenon – the emergence of liberal symmetrists, who fear a potential government of the Together party no less than a PiS government, albeit for different reasons.”
https://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,25483863,o-prawo-pracownikow-do-niepracowania.html

-- TURNOUT - WORD OF THE YEAR - RAFAŁ WOŚ IN TYGODNIK POWSZECHNY: “For me, however, the choice is quite obvious. The word of the year 2019 – Ladies and Gentlemen – I declare TURNOUT. Why turnout? Probably due to generational affiliation. I belong to the generation that grew up in the 90s, and entered adulthood at the turn of the century. Today it is evident that this was a period when Polish democracy was taking a nap.”

-- POLITICS SEEMS TO MATTER AGAIN - WOŚ CONTINUES: “Politics seems to matter again. And democracy also seems more important. Some want to defend it, others believe it is only just beginning. We don't have to resolve this dispute, as it probably cannot be definitively resolved. But perhaps a common denominator could be agreed upon. And acknowledge (some through gritted teeth, others with triumph) that there is a certain opportunity in what is happening. An opportunity to place Polish democracy on broader foundations than before. To convince ourselves that politics is not just the domain of a narrow group of specialists or professionals – but a common cause. The closing year 2019 is a good time for such reflections. This is precisely why turnout. Not climate. Not LGBT. Not the minimum wage. These are all important issues. But democracy is ultimately the most fundamental value for a community.”
https://www.tygodnikpowszechny.pl/moje-slowo-roku-161336

-- THE SECOND LAP INSTEAD OF JOYFUL CONSUMPTION - PIOTR TRUDNOWSKI IN KLUB JAGELLOŃSKI: “The narrative of the 'Polish welfare state' is a polemic against the painful and unjust transformation. The problem is that the socio-political response directed at its architects sounds a bit like a belatedly popular 'ok boomer' in Poland. Seemingly dismissive and condescending ('just don't steal!'), but in reality – like any intergenerational status conflict – this response is not fueled by reason, but rather by the need to negate the achievements of predecessors, a sense of grievance, and contempt just as unjust as the former protectionism of the old elite. Instead of joyful consumption in the 'Polish welfare state,' we propose rather a 'second lap' of transformation, which, unlike the first, will not end in painful breathlessness for its participants. The time of strenuous effort and sacrifice in the name of future generations must continue. From the achievements of both elites currently clashing, we must choose what is valuable, and decisively reject the rest.”

-- A TIME OF STRENUOUS EFFORT, NOT A WELFARE STATE: “Geopolitical reconfiguration, demographic collapse, climate catastrophe, digital revolution, axiological crisis, deficit of solidarity – each of these factors portends rather 'interesting times' from the famous curse. Therefore, instead of blissful satisfaction with the 'end of transformation' and joyful consumption in the 'Polish welfare state,' we should rather advocate today for... a transformative 'second lap.' The time of strenuous effort and sacrifice in the name of future generations must continue.”

-- CORRECTING TRANSFORMATIONAL EFFORT WITH SOLIDARITY - TRUDNOWSKI CONTINUES: “The key to its success is that this effort and sacrifice must look different than that of our parents' generation. To put it most plainly – it must be oriented more pro-community and less individualistically. The republican correction of transformational effort must be infused with solidarity, the deficit of which allowed for the dismantling of public transport while the 'fathers and mothers of transformation' could afford SUVs.”

-- THE SECOND LAP IS THE SLOGAN OF THE JAGELLONIAN CONGRESS IN LODZ ON JANUARY 11 AND 12:
https://klubjagiellonski.pl/2019/12/05/polska-transformacja-drugie-okrazenie-zamiast-ok-boomer/


-- TOO POLITE VERSUS TOO SHARP - GAZETA WYBORCZA'S TITLE ON THE CIVIC PLATFORM'S PRESIDENTIAL DILEMMA - as reported by Iwona Szpala and Paweł Wroński: “- Jacek Jaśkowiak doesn't know the inner workings of Civic Platform, that's the problem. Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska doesn't know any voters other than Civic Platform voters, and that's also a problem - comments a prominent Civic Platform politician.”

-- GAZETA WYBORCZA ON THE BACKGROUND OF JAŚKOWIAK'S CAMPAIGN: “Civic Platform is upset with him because he 'doesn't want to use the wisdom of the mother party.' In Jaśkowiak's immediate circle, there are no prominent Civic Platform politicians. His advisor and campaign manager is 28-year-old Marcin Gołek, who, as a journalism student, got a job in Grupiński's parliamentary office. He is also supported by Civic Platform MP Jakub Rutnicki. Jaśkowiak himself loudly declares that if he receives the nomination, he will give up the services of the Civic Platform machinery – meaning the fifth floor on Wiejska Street, where Schetyna's confidants reside. – I would be careful with that – comments a Civic Platform politician. – However, Jaśkowiak is Grzegorz Schetyna's candidate, and the party is financing the campaign. Anyone who knows the mechanisms within Civic Platform has no illusions that the chairman's people will have a significant influence on the campaign.”

-- IN A GAZETA WYBORCZA SURVEY OF LOCAL DELEGATES, 69% SUPPORT KIDAWĄ: “Out of 747 delegates to the Civic Platform primary convention, Gazeta Wyborcza journalists interviewed 442, or 59 percent. An overwhelming majority, as many as 60 percent, declare their support for the Deputy Marshal of the Sejm and Civic Platform's candidate for Prime Minister during the last election campaign. Meanwhile, only 9 percent of delegates express a desire to vote for the Mayor of Poznań.”

-- WHAT WILL TRZASKOWSKI DO?: “Does the candidacy of the Mayor of Poznań change anything in the stance of the Mayor of Warsaw? – The Mayor will soon state his support – informs Kamil Dąbrowa, press spokesperson for the Mayor of Warsaw. To the question of whether Trzaskowski might not support Kidawa-Błońska, the spokesperson replies that it should not be understood that way, but the context has changed since the President's previous statement.”
https://warszawa.wyborcza.pl/warszawa/7,54420,25482872,znamy-liste-delegatow-ktorzy-wybiora-kandydata-po-na-premiera.html

-- HE WON'T TAKE VOTES FROM DUDĄ, ONLY FROM KIDAWĄ - JACEK GĄDEK ON GAZETA.PL ABOUT CALCULATIONS AROUND HOŁOWNIA: “Certainly, once Hołownia announces his candidacy, he will face an impossible mission if he takes the presidential race seriously. He won't take votes from Andrzej Duda, but he will be a threat to the rest of the candidates: Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska or Jacek Jaśkowiak, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, and the candidate from the left (MORE about the left's favorite Gabriela Morawska-Stanecka). Mieńkowska-Norkiene: – If Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska's campaign is conducted traditionally, i.e., in the vapors of whiskey and cigars, then Hołownia could take a lot of her electorate.”

-- DOES HOŁOWNIA HAVE A CHANCE TO REPEAT OLECHOWSKI'S SUCCESS? - GĄDEK CONTINUES: “Here, we can also recall history. In 2000, Andrzej Olechowski – without party backing – came second in the presidential elections, garnering 17%. Riding the wave of this – relative, but still – success, the Civic Platform was later formed, and the Freedom Union fell apart. If Olechowski had gained 7% then, nothing would have come of it. In 2015, Paweł Kukiz followed a similar path, but his formation quickly disintegrated. After 20 years, it could be similar: a few percent for Hołownia in the presidential elections might mean that continuing the political project will make no sense, but a dozen or so percent could be an excellent start for a new political formation.”
http://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/7,114884,25483187,szymon-holownia-moze-zmienic-stan-gry-o-prezydenture-ale-potrzebuje.html



-- ŻUK GUARANTEES FORMER CITY COUNCIL HEAD ARRESTED BY CBA; AMONG SUSPECTS, A RELATIVE OF FORMER PIS VOIVODE CZARNEK - DZIENNIK WSCHODNI: https://www.dziennikwschodni.pl/lublin/po-akcji-cba-jest-wniosek-o-areszt-piotra-kowalczyka,n,1000256168.html

-- PARALYSIS OF THE CONTROL INSTITUTION IN THE SPIRIT OF THE PIS METHOD OF GOVERNANCE - PIOTR ZAREMBA IN POLSKA THE TIMES: “For now, we know one thing. The President of the Supreme Audit Office has already been stripped of access to classified information. The institution will be permanently paralyzed. PiS cannot count on orchestrating controls favorable to itself, but it also probably doesn't have to fear anything. The paralysis of the control institution is in the spirit of this camp's method of governance. I'm not claiming it was planned with premeditation. Something else was planned: political control over control, which, to varying degrees, was also practiced by PiS's predecessors. The story of the Marshal returning Banaś's resignation shows that this control over control is important for PiS.”
https://polskatimes.pl/piotr-zaremba-czy-istnieje-dobry-scenariusz-serialu-jak-odwolac-prezesa-nik/ar/c1-14635389

-- MONIKA OLEJNIK ON ANALOGIES BETWEEN THE SITUATION WITH LEPPER AND BANASIA: “The scandal surrounding Deputy Prime Minister Andrzej Lepper led to early parliamentary elections. Will this happen now too?”
https://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,25481229,trafila-kosa-na-banasia-pancerny-marian-silniejszy-niz-pis.html

-- HE APPOINTED HIM BECAUSE KACZYŃSKI WANTED IT THAT WAY - ANDRZEJ STANKIEWICZ in Onet: “My conversations with Andrzej Duda's people confirmed this – he doesn't want Piotrowicz in the Constitutional Tribunal, but he will appoint him because Jarosław Kaczyński decided so.”

-- MR. PRESIDENT, YOU CAN'T HIDE THIS - STANKIEWICZ CONTINUES: “Yesterday, the President showed how ashamed he is of this. His chancellery organized a clandestine swearing-in ceremony – it did not invite state officials or journalists. And it issued a one-sentence statement about the appointments. In this clandestine manner, the President has given Piotrowicz a job for 9 years for over PLN 20,000 per month, which is twice as much as he had in the Sejm. In addition, the right to a company apartment, travel discounts, and a separation allowance. And an eternal pension after the term ends – currently around PLN 16,000. Mr. President, you can't hide this.”
https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/tylko-w-onecie/newsletter-onetu-stankiewicz-duda-dal-piotrowiczowi-hojna-emeryture/rdr0h7f

-- GERSDORF ON WHAT'S NEXT AFTER THE RULING OF THE LABOUR AND SOCIAL SECURITY CHAMBER OF THE SUPREME COURT - 300LIVE: https://300polityka.pl/live/2019/12/06/

-- ANOTHER CONSTITUTIONAL SIN OF THE PRESIDENT - PROF. ANDRZEJ RZEPLIŃSKI IN CONVERSATION WITH JACEK NIZINKIEWICZ IN RZECZPOSPOLITA: “Many who observe the public scene will remember the scenes from the committee meetings he chaired, the crude scenes. And he is now to be a constitutional judge? The Sejm elected them, and the President took no part in their election or blocking the election, and this is another constitutional sin of the President. If he could, he contributed to the blight in Poland, to the fact that our state is increasingly becoming a bankrupt entity. He could have participated in the process of appointing these three judges to the positions that began to fall vacant on Wednesday. He did not participate.”

-- KACZYŃSKI DESTROYS INSTITUTION AFTER INSTITUTION - RZEPLIŃSKI CONTINUES IN RZECZPOSPOLITA: “Does the lady who unlawfully serves as the acting president of the Tribunal have these qualities? No. I would never agree to become a constitutional judge under such circumstances. I fought for maximum transparency in the appointment of constitutional judges and for it to take as long as necessary for everyone to review the candidacy of a person who, the moment they are appointed and take the oath to the constitution before the president, begins to judge. Because this is enormous power. The blight spread to the Constitutional Tribunal four years ago. Kaczyński is destroying institution after institution. The so-called remedial act of December 20, 2015, was written hastily, with obvious errors. An institution unknown to the constitution was introduced, namely the 'acting president of the Constitutional Tribunal.' This was handled in a manner that insulted the dignity of the Polish state, including towards our partners in the European Union, but not only. The East is probably looking at us like brothers.”
https://www.rp.pl/Wywiady-i-rozmowy/312059901-Prof-Andrzej-RzeplinskI-Trad-w-Trybunale.html

-- CHAMBER TO THE BIN - front page of GW.

-- COURT REVERSES PIS REFORMS - front page of RZ.

-- EWA SIEDLECKA ON THE CHAMBER OF RELAXATION IN THE SUPREME COURT, OR WHERE THE EXTRAORDINARY CASTA IS - writes in Oko: “The Disciplinary Chamber is the most expensive chamber in the Supreme Court; its judges earn 40% more than other Supreme Court judges. It employs 10 judges. The word 'employs' is somewhat exaggerated, as this year each of them handled an average of 2.3 cases per month. For comparison, a judge in the Civil Chamber handles 15 per month, in the Criminal Chamber – 11, and in the Labour Chamber – 10.”

-- THE RELAXED PACE OF PIS ORGANS - SIEDLECKA CONTINUES: “It so happens that the bodies taken over by PiS, at least in the judiciary, are characterized by a relaxed pace of operation. The Constitutional Tribunal hears two-thirds fewer cases than before Julia Przyłębska took it over, and the judges of the Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court – about two cases per month. Before the 'good change,' the functions of a disciplinary court were performed by other Supreme Court judges drawn by lot, in addition to their normal duties. And no one paid them extra. But who's going to stop a rich person from throwing money around?”
https://oko.press/relaks-w-izbie-dyscyplinarnej/

-- PROF. EWA ŁĘTOWSKA FOR OKO: “Prof. Ewa Łętowska comments on the effects of the ruling by the Labour and Social Security Chamber of the Supreme Court. And she warns: if the authorities do not comply with the ruling and do not undertake to amend the laws on the Supreme Court and the National Council of the Judiciary, it will be an additional burden in the case of the European Commission's complaint against Poland.”
https://oko.press/prof-letowska-chaos-w-sadach-staje-sie-faktem-winni-sa-politycy-naruszajacy-zasade-podzialu-wladz

-- PIS IS FUNDING US WITH ANARCHY - EWA IVANOVA in GW: “Those who declare war on the Court of Justice of the EU, the Supreme Court, and independent common court judges will not escape criminal and disciplinary responsibility in the future. Earlier, however, we will watch as those summoned before the Disciplinary Chamber do not appear for hearings. Parties will also soon start challenging rulings issued by the Disciplinary Chamber and reopening proceedings flawed by defects. A domino effect will occur throughout the judiciary. All judges faithful to their oath will follow this path. Threatening judges with the prosecutor, disciplinary spokesperson, dismissal from the profession, or salary cuts will not help. It is already evident that this is not working. And if the authorities do not yield and do not start recognizing court rulings, the matter will become clear: PiS has led us out of the EU.”
https://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,25484142,po-wyroku-sadu-najwyzszego-pis-funduje-nam-anarchie-i-wyprowadza.html

-- WOJCIECH TUMIDALSKI in RZECZPOSPOLITA ON UNRAVELING JUDICIAL GORDIAN KNOTS: “Thursday's ruling by the Supreme Court's Labour and Social Security Chamber concludes nothing. Rulings issued by bodies whose authority has recently drastically declined remain in legal circulation, such as the ruling of the Constitutional Tribunal on the KRS, or verdicts issued by judges selected with its participation, like the June resolution of the Supreme Court's Disciplinary Chamber, which declared itself legal. These are factual legal matters that should only be discussed through legal channels – if one wishes to remain within the framework of a democratic state. A lawyer unravels a Gordian knot, not cuts it. Although this is a tempting prospect, especially for politicians.”
https://archiwum.rp.pl/artykul/1417856-Cios-w-reforme-nie-konczy-chaosu.html

-- BIRTHDAYS: Konrad Szymański, Janusz Wojciechowski, Marcin Walter.