-- 80TH BIRTHDAY OF THE LATE SENATOR ZBIGNIEW ROMASZEWSKI. Special service of Polish Radio: https://www.polskieradio.pl/435?utm_source=polskieradio.pl&utm_medium=mozaika&utm_campaign=mozaika -- MILLER CRITICIZES THE LEFT - 300LIVE: https://300polityka.pl/live/2020/01/02 -- PIS RECEIVED A GIFT FROM FATE - MICHAŁ SZUŁDRZYŃSKI IN RZ: “As a result, PiS received a gift from fate. Firstly, the ruling party will now boast that, contrary to critics, Poland's role has grown, as representatives of governments from so many countries stood with Poland in the dispute over history. In the PiS narrative, this will undermine the opposition's thesis about our country's isolation. Secondly, PiS can say they were right when they attached such importance to history and fought against stereotypes attributing a decisive role in the Holocaust to Poland. They can use the reaction to Putin's words as proof that the campaign concerning the memory of World War II was not only justified but also effective. In the short term, the Russian president, by wanting to attack Poland, gave PiS a gift. In the long term, that remains to be seen. The question is, what is Putin really aiming for and what will happen during the anniversaries of the liberation of Auschwitz or the end of World War II.” https://www.rp.pl/Komentarze/301019957-Szuldrzynski-Putin-pomogl-PiS.html -- SIKORSKI IS WRONG - MICHAŁ POTOCKI IN DGP: “Russian historical policy operates on a sinusoidal principle. The recent attacks may be the strongest, but they are not the first. Contrary to Radosław Sikorski's tweet, it's not the case that 'President Putin once honored Poland at Westerplatte and in Katyn, and now calls them collaborators.' Sikorski should remember this, because during the previous wave of attacks in 2009 – which, although they didn't prevent attempts to improve relations with Russia – he was the Minister of Foreign Affairs.” https://wiadomosci.dziennik.pl/opinie/artykuly/616901,rosja-ataki-propaganda-iii-rzesza-moskwa-polska.html -- ANTONI DUDEK IN THE ARTICLE BY GRZEGORZ OSIECKI AND TOMASZ ŻÓŁCIAK ON THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION FOR PIS: “Some politicians of the ruling camp, its support base in the government and state-owned companies, may conclude that the chances of a third term are slim. Then they will start thinking primarily about securing their own future, and this can weaken the cohesion of PiS. On the other hand, if Andrzej Duda wins the election, everything suggests that the leader of PiS will strive to consolidate the changes introduced by this group in the current term and implement further ones, for example, in the structure of the courts. If Duda wins, not only will the reform of the judiciary be completed, but there will be further proposals concerning the media and local governments – emphasizes Antoni Dudek.” -- PLATFORMA WILL DEAL WITH ITSELF AT THE BEGINNING OF 2020 - ACCORDING TO THE DGP AUTHORS: “In the first months of 2020, the largest opposition party will primarily focus on itself. This is all due to the election of the PO chairman. The first round is scheduled for January 25, and a potential second round for February 8. The deadline for submitting candidacies expires this Friday.” -- THE LEFT MAY HAVE TROUBLE REPLACING PLATFORMA - ACCORDING TO OSIECKI AND ŻÓŁCIAK:“The Left is waiting to select a presidential candidate. There is no great faith that such a candidate would have a chance to reach the second round. The contortions surrounding the choice of a candidate who was supposed to bring additional votes show that the Left may have trouble achieving its strategic goal of replacing PO as the opposition leader.” https://wiadomosci.dziennik.pl/polityka/artykuly/616907,pis-po-lewica-wybory-prezydenckie-andrzej-duda.html -- YOU CAN'T WIN IN THE NEWS WITHOUT WINNING IN ENTERTAINMENT - JACEK KARNOWSKI: “This is a prestigious victory, but not only prestigious. Major television spectacles, and more broadly speaking: the ability to gather a multi-million audience, is a matter of serious consequences. If TVP were unable to undertake such projects, if it dropped to second or third choice stations on days like New Year's Eve, it would not be able to be effective in other areas. Sooner or later, this would lead to a sharp degradation of the public broadcaster's significance. And there could be no question of balancing the power of commercial stations, which from the very beginning have been strongly politicized and participating in the political game.” -- A STEP TOWARDS TAKING AWAY TVN'S POWER OVER POLAND, BOTH CONCRETE AND SYMBOLIC - KARNOWSKI'S CONCLUSION: “The viewership and television success of projects like 'New Year's Dream' is another small step towards taking away TVN – both the concrete and symbolic entity – from its power over Poland. That is why these 8 million viewers in front of their TVs are worth appreciating, as are other quite numerous commercial and entertainment successes of TVP under the leadership of Jacek Kurski. These are truly not insignificant matters, especially for the political camp that is struggling with a consistently waged rebellion by the establishment.” https://wpolityce.pl/media/480171-nie-mozna-wygrywac-w-newsach-nie-wygrywajac-w-rozrywce -- THE MOMENT TO WEAKEN PIS SEEMS TO BE PASSING - MICHAŁ KARNOWSKI: “The broadly understood opposition failed to capitalize on the natural wear and tear of the ruling camp in 2019. The opportune moment to initiate processes effectively weakening PiS seems to be passing. The further we are from the October elections, the more it becomes clear that the success achieved by the opposition in the Senate was not the beginning of reclaiming Poland, but the peak achievement of the total opposition line initiated in 2015. It seems impossible to go further on this fuel. The silence that followed the presentation of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki's balanced budget for 2020 is strong evidence of this.” -- PIS'S WEAR AND TEAR HAS NOT AFFECTED ITS LEADERS - KARNOWSKI CONTINUES: “The wear and tear of the ruling camp/reforms has not affected the most important figures for it (...). Despite continuous campaigns aimed at weakening their personal and moral authority, they gained trust in the eyes of Poles. Primarily due to 'delivering' on electoral promises. The leadership of the ruling camp seems to understand how much still needs to be done. Contrary to opposition propaganda, no one is building propaganda of success (which doesn't mean an inability to boast about what is succeeding), no one is indulging in self-satisfaction. As a result, there are few areas that the opposition can credibly claim are neglected. And when they do emerge, they are addressed.” -- NO ONE IN THE OPPOSITION HAS GAINED AUTHORITY - KARNOWSKI CONTINUES: “None of the figures put forward by the opposition last year gained the authority that would allow them to consider reaching the level of national leadership. Ms. Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska confirmed her pleasant image but also revealed political weaknesses, an inability to play in the big leagues. Mr. Professor, Speaker of the Senate Tomasz Grodzki is probably not as squeaky clean as they said and is becoming an increasing problem for the opposition. And Mr. Szymon Hołownia is certainly a guy from TVN television, with support from the business oligarchy. And that's it. He hasn't shown more yet.” https://wpolityce.pl/m/polityka/480083-oboz-rzadzacy-stoi-w-roku-2020-przed-gigantyczna-szansa -- MARCIN FIJOŁEK ON MORAWIECKI'S SUCCESS: “The head of government, by necessity, was the face of Law and Justice in successive victorious campaigns; it is his data (both economic and electoral) that he defends; it is he who ultimately defended, and in fact partially strengthened, his position in internal struggles within the United Right camp. Morawiecki himself has matured in the role of prime minister, consistently shedding the last remnants of the mask of an unfriendly bank president. It may not have been a sensational year for the interested party (PiS had even greater appetites, aiming for 50% support, and stories like the Banaś nomination also burden his account), but when summarizing the calendar for 2019, the prime minister can record a few small pluses and, incidentally, flex his political muscles.” -- TUSK IS LEFT WITH INCREASINGLY LESS NOTICED INTERVIEWS ON TVN AND TOK FM - FIJOŁEK CONTINUES: “So, the former prime minister is left with increasingly less noticed interviews on TVN and TOK FM with friendly journalists and increasingly less effective pumping of expectations – as, for example, with the book 'Szczerze' (Sincerely). A book marred by many bizarre errors and inaccuracies, surprisingly unprofessional and banal for an author of his caliber. Sure, the former prime minister still has many loyal fans in Poland, but let's not fool ourselves: this is probably the political twilight. At least for the coming years.” -- POLES HAVEN'T EVEN SHOWN PIS A YELLOW CARD - FIJOŁEK'S CONCLUSION: “2019 was supposed to be a political reset, the ultimate answer to the fact that Poles, by voting 'for' or 'against' PiS in successive referendums (which was effectively the case in the last three votes, as indicated by Professor Antoni Dudek), would show Kaczyński's team a red card. They didn't even show a yellow one, at most pointing out that not everything in the 'good change' pleased them. The reflection that Jarosław Kaczyński called for during election night, however, is a topic for completely different considerations, already in 2020.” https://wpolityce.pl/m/polityka/479997-plusy-i-minusy-za-rok-2019-kto-zaliczy-go-do-udanych -- EDWIN BENDYK ON 2020 - writes in Oko: “In 2020, Mateusz Morawiecki will find out if there is such a thing as a climate discount (experts claim that the European Union does not know such a construct); Janusz Lewandowski will learn if genes really determine political format (science suggests they do not, and it's better not to entrust the success of a presidential campaign to ancestral DNA); PiS, and with it the entire ruling party, will check if a political course towards sectarian radicalization is a good recipe for maintaining power in our country.” https://oko.press/bendyk-o-2020-na-kryzys-polityczny-moze-nalozyc-sie-gospodarczy-ale-nie-lekajmy-sie-dzialajmy/ -- TVP HAS DESCENDED TO TVN'S LEVEL - ANDRZEJ ZYBERTOWICZ IN CONVERSATION WITH JACEK GĄDKIEWICZ IN GAZETA.PL: “Some tickers are exaggerated in relation to the phenomenon or process they refer to. For years, I've been annoyed by this on some yellow tickers on TVN, and public television has unfortunately descended to that level.” -- YOU DON'T NEED TO HAVE YOUR OWN MEDIA - ZYBERTOWICZ CONTINUES: “First, you need to have a good message. With intelligent strategic communication, you probably don't need to own media.” -- TVP SYMPATHIZES WITH THE RULING CAMP AS BEFORE - ZYBERTOWICZ FURTHER: “TVP sympathizes with the ruling camp, just as it did before. I remember from the PO era: I was in a studio in Toruń, and in Warsaw, a group of anti-PiS discussants plus the host. I was the only one rowing against the current. Such asymmetries can probably be seen in TVP today. However, opposition representatives are regularly invited to public media, they can speak, and often criticize the television on air. There's a tilt, yes, but it's not a gagging of the opposition.” http://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/7,114884,25528721,prof-andrzej-zybertowicz-dla-gazeta-pl.html -- RZ ON BANAS'S NEXT PROPERTY - Grażyna Zawadka AND Izabela Kacprzak: “'Rzeczpospolita' has followed the trail of another apartment owned by Marian Banaś – the president of NIK, whose assets were investigated by the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau (which found irregularities). The Regional Prosecutor's Office in Białystok has initiated an investigation in this matter – following a report from the head of CBA. Unofficially, we know that it will also examine the purchase in 2017 of a 40-square-meter apartment located in a renovated tenement house in Warsaw's Praga district. Banaś – then Deputy Minister of Finance – bought it from a private company for over PLN 320,000. The tenement house, nationalized by the Bierut decree after the war, was taken over by the PAX Housing Cooperative at the end of the 1990s and designated for demolition. Instead, after years, PAX sold its shares to a private company that turned it into a residence. Marian Banaś bought an apartment there.” https://www.rp.pl/Polityka/301019958-Mieszkanie-Banasia-w-kamienicy-za-1056-zl.html -- GW ON THE FRONT PAGE ABOUT JUDGE ŁĄCZEWSKI REMINDING OF A FORGOTTEN RULING: “In the struggle with the authorities, former judge Wojciech Łączewski is uncovering an important weapon: a 'forgotten' Supreme Court ruling, according to which the decisions of the Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court are not final and can be reviewed by ordinary courts.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,75398,25559481,tarcza-na-bat-ziobry-sedzia-laczewski-odkrywa-zapomniany.html -- JACEK ŻAKOWSKI IN GW ABOUT THE 20S: “The 20s are again not like any other. Just like a hundred years ago, these will be crucial years for many decades to come. Either in this decade we will build a project for a good future, win over voters with it and realize it, or others – as in the 20th century – will realize a bad project, which they are already beginning to implement in Poland, among other places.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,25558926,nadchodza-lata-20-witajcie-w-nowej-bajce.html -- THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF RZ REMINDS ABOUT THE EURO: “Of course, I do not diminish the weight of the arguments of economists critical of the euro. All should be listened to with seriousness, however, the arguments presented by authorities such as Grzegorz W. Kołodko, Stanisław Gomułka, Witold Orłowski, or Janusz Jankowiak are significantly more convincing than the voice of experts associated with the ruling team. Therefore, if it is not about economic arguments, then Poland's stance on the euro is undoubtedly decided by politics. And especially its ideological foundation, which is inherently eurosceptic.” https://www.rp.pl/Komentarze-ekonomiczne/301019947-Apel-Rzeczpospolitej-Nie-zapominajmy-o-euro.html -- THE COURSE OF THE SLOWDOWN WILL BE DIFFERENT - PAWEŁ BORYS IN CONVERSATION WITH BARTOSZ GODUSŁAWSKI IN DGP: “It is also worth noting that the situation on the labor market has changed diametrically. For this reason, the course of the slowdown will be different than before. Today, there is a shortage of workers and historically low unemployment, and the highest number of vacancies in companies, so there is less to fear about layoffs and increased unemployment. These are factors that deepen negative trends. Because when there is a slowdown, companies lay off people, which reduces consumption, leading to further slowdowns and layoffs, etc. In this case, if the labor market remains stable, we will get through the slowdown smoothly, and in 2021, growth will accelerate again. Especially since, despite the temporary jump in inflation to around 3.5%, Poles' real incomes should increase by over 4% in 2020. This will stabilize consumption and mitigate the effects of the slowdown.” -- PFR IS NOT ANALYZING THE TAKEOVER OF MBANK: “As PFR, we are not currently analyzing any acquisitions in the banking sector. We are not participating in any related processes, including mBank. Bank Pekao and PZU have announced that they will analyze the potential takeover, and I believe that is their duty. Decisions will be made after the analyses. Whoever pays the most will likely win.” -- BORYS ON GODUSŁAWSKI'S QUESTION ABOUT THE PKO AND PEKAO MERGER: “This is, of course, a purely theoretical discussion, as there is no such plan. Everything depends on the perspective from which we look at such a transaction. For the Polish market, it would be a very large entity, but from a European perspective, we would only have a mid-sized player. The Spaniards made a similar move on their market almost thirty years ago and unleashed the powerful Banco Santander upon the world. However, those were different times. Today, we have a banking union emerging, and the open question is whether it will force consolidation of banks, whether regulators will want it. Whether this will result in the creation of 5-7 pan-European institutions. If so, it is good for our entities to participate in this.” https://gospodarka.dziennik.pl/news/artykuly/616896,pawel-borys-pfr-wegiel-inwestycje-banki-pekao-sa-pko-bp.html -- BIRTHDAYS: Janusz Pałubicki, Piotr Łukasz Juliusz Andrzejewski, Joanna Kopcińska.