-- HOŁOWNIA SPEAKS MORE ABOUT HIS CAMPAIGN AND FIRST MEETINGS AFTER THE NEW YEAR: https://300polityka.pl/news/2020/01/03/holownia-zobaczcie-ile-juz-nam-sie-udalo-obudzic-nadziei-kandydat-ujawnia-na-fb-plany-kampanii-na-najblizsze-dni/ -- POLAND'S REACTION WAS CORRECT - PROF. ROGER MOORHOUSE, AUTHOR OF A BOOK ON THE STALIN-HITLER PACT, IN AN INTERVIEW WITH JACEK STAWISKI ON TVN24: “I believe the stance of Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki was correct: in a way angry, but still balanced. It was justified. I was positively struck by how many people in the West reacted and calmly presented the facts. That was very encouraging. And I also think that by raising this issue, Russia is drawing attention to it in a way, which means that the Soviet Union's actions in 1939, which were not widely known until now, will become known in the West. Such an expansion of knowledge about the Nazi-Soviet pact or the September campaign in Poland could be beneficial for your country. So the concerns you mention are not justified. Everything is rather moving in a different, favorable direction. Russia will become increasingly isolated with such a stance. It promotes its narrative about the war, but ultimately that narrative is slipping out of its control. The world is seeing the events of the beginning of World War II more and more differently.” -- IT WOULD BE REGRETTABLE IF POLAND HAD TO EXPLAIN ITSELF - MOORHOUSE FURTHER IN CONVERSATION WITH STAWISKI: “Well, it would be regrettable if Poland had to explain itself. But it should do so – calmly, honestly, countering the Russian narrative. The world today knows that Russia is waging an information war against the rest of the world, and this is part of that campaign. We are better prepared to combat this campaign than, say, 10 years ago. I understand Poland's difficult situation, especially in light of the significant anniversaries in 2020. But your country should stick to its position, trust in the world's support that we have seen in recent weeks, and repeat the truth. That's all that can be done.” https://tvn24.pl/magazyn-tvn24/reakcja-polski-prawidlowa-a-to-co-robi-putin-jest-fundamentalnie-nieuczciwe,251,4376 -- WE DO NOT HAVE A SITUATION LIKE IN 1914 TODAY - WITOLD WASZCZYKOWSKI IN CONVERSATION WITH JACEK GĄDKA ON GAZETA.PL: “I do not expect an open conflict between Iran and the USA. Even less do I expect a conflict that some are predicting: that we have a situation today like in 1914 before the outbreak of World War I. It is different, however, because no global power stands behind Iran that would want to die for Iran. Of course, Russia and China eagerly take advantage of the fact that Iran pursues anti-American and anti-Western policies – it suits them, but neither of these powers is interested in supporting Iran and joining some armed conflict with the West.” -- WASZCZYKOWSKI ON GĄDKA'S QUESTION WHETHER WE ARE NOT AT THE THRESHOLD OF WORLD WAR III: “Absolutely not. I am also convinced that there will be no open conflict involving large ground forces, as was the case in Afghanistan and Iraq. Iran would suffer greatly from such a war, but at the same time the Americans would have enormous problems, so they are not interested in engaging significant forces.” -- I DO NOT THINK IRAN WANTS RETALIATION LIKE 9/11 - WASZCZYKOWSKI FURTHER: “Because there is no American support for engaging large US forces in any conflict. Unless there were a huge provocation, or a tragedy like the September 11, 2001 attacks – then a massive US counteraction would be necessary, but I don't think Iran would want such retaliation.” http://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/7,114884,25563764,waszczykowski-o-zabiciu-gen-byl-ambasadorem-w-iranie-akcja.html#BoxWOpImg1 -- THE WHITE HOUSE IS NOT RULED BY AN ECCENTRIC MADMAN ALONE - KATARZYNA KOZŁOWSKA, HEAD OF FAKT: “Let's remember that Sulejmani was not a general in the European or broader Western sense – but a bloody military man. And another thing: those who think that the White House is ruled by an eccentric madman alone are naive. Such thinking shows a lack of respect for the centuries-old military tradition of a world power.” https://www.fakt.pl/wydarzenia/swiat/donald-trump-zlikwidowal-burzyciela-general-kassem-sulejmani-nie-byl-wojskowym-w/hkzmlcc -- DANGEROUS FABLES ABOUT MULTI-VECTOR POLICY - JACEK KARNOWSKI: “Let's remember this, especially these days, when the eruption of Moscow's fury, perhaps hiding a cynical plan to isolate Poland, has shown us the worth of stories about 'multi-vector policy'. These are not only empty fables, but also truly dangerously.” -- LET'S NOT GET DRAWN INTO CHEERING FOR AMERICA'S ENEMIES - KARNOWSKI FURTHER: “In the upcoming conflict, let's behave prudently and rationally, but let's also not get drawn into actually cheering for America's enemies, because only Poland's enemies can benefit from the USA's troubles. Regardless of the fact that the Iran problem is not our problem. Because our problem is constantly threatened independence.” https://wpolityce.pl/m/polityka/480561-nie-dajmy-sie-wciagnac-w-kibicowanie-wrogom-ameryki -- WHAT WILL BE YOUR ROLE? SCHETYNA: IMPORTANT - FRAGMENT OF A TEXT BY MULTIPLE AUTHORS FROM GW ON SUCCESSION IN PO: “According to our unofficial information, Schetyna finally resigned from running when he did not gain the support of the Civic Platform's Warsaw structures. As late as Thursday, he was considering supporting two candidates: Budka and Siemoniak. We also learned from activists that negotiations were taking place within the party regarding the position of PO secretary or deputy leader for Schetyna. Siemoniak told us after Friday's conference that he did not believe the current head of the Civic Platform would fight for these positions. – We will talk – Schetyna himself said when we asked him about new functions. What will be your role now? – Important – he replied with one word to the question.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,75398,25565467,ujawniamy-jak-doszlo-do-rezygnacji-schetyny-z-walki-o-przywodztwo.html -- SCHETYNA LOST BECAUSE HE WANTED TOO LITTLE - RAFAŁ KALUKIN: “Something completely different is truly instructive in this story. And generally unusual. In the past, we have often dealt with politicians whose careers collapsed due to excessive ambition. Because they wanted too much, aimed too high, overestimated their abilities. Which, after all, should not be surprising, as politics is definitely not a profession for people who doubt their capabilities. But it was different with Schetyna. Schetyna lost because he wanted too little.” -- THERE WAS NEITHER GRASS-BITING NOR STUNNING CONCEPTS - KALUKIN ON THE LAST CAMPAIGN OF THE CIVIC COALITION: “And when the actual campaign arrived, it turned out that there was neither grass-biting, nor stunning programmatic concepts, nor even a professionally prepared background extending beyond the traditional Civic Platform resource. Everything resembled a leisurely stroll. As if for Schetyna, the actual elections took place at the moment of forming the staff and registering candidate lists with the National Election Commission, the arrangement of which guaranteed him future control over the club.” -- WHAT IS LIFE WORTH WITHOUT DREAMS… - KALUKIN'S CONCLUSION: “Thus, once again the age-old dilemma of politics has made itself known. Minimalists claim it is the art of responding to reality. According to maximalists, reality should be shaped regardless of circumstances. And the truth probably lies somewhere in between. Though probably closer to the latter pole. Because what is life worth without dreams, seemingly unfounded hopes, faith (even if difficult) in the possibility of turning the bad card? This lesson is worth remembering. Especially in current times.” https://www.polityka.pl/tygodnikpolityka/kraj/1937540,1,dlaczego-schetyna-polegl-bo-chcial-za-malo.read? -- THE CIVIC PLATFORM SADNESS IS JUST BEGINNING, THE PLATFORM WILL STILL MISS SCHETYNA - MICHAŁ KARNOWSKI: “One can argue that two factors were key to Grzegorz Schetyna's inability to remain in the party leadership: first, constant scheming by Donald Tusk, who uses his arsenal of influence but faces no consequences for his actions. And second, political betrayal of Schetyna by Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska, whom the PO leader put forward, promoted, and who repaid him with this: War in the opposition? Kidawa-Błońska: I don't know if they will vote for Grzegorz Schetyna in the elections for PO leader. I think this will have consequences in the presidential campaign. For a large group of PO politicians, Mrs. Kidawa-Błońska's victory will mean marginalization, and they know it. Much indicates that the Civic Platform's great sadness is just beginning. PO activists and voters will still miss Schetyna.” -- THE PLATFORM IS ENTERING TURMOIL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE POLITICAL CYCLE - KARNOWSKI FURTHER: “Each of the two possible (and not mutually exclusive) interpretations of the events in the Civic Platform – that Schetyna lost and that he will retain power by putting forward a deputy – means that this party is entering a period of strong turmoil and internal struggles. This is happening in the middle of a political cycle that the PO itself defined as crucial: from local elections (behind us), then European (in May last year), through parliamentary (October 2019, recently brought PiS another term in the Sejm) to presidential (2020).” -- NEUMANN NO LONGER BOTHERS ANYONE - KARNOWSKI FURTHER: “But the fact that Mr. Sławomir Neumann appeared at the 'renewal' party press conference, and no one minded, is indeed characteristic.” https://wpolityce.pl/m/polityka/480497-platformiana-wielka-smuta-dopiero-sie-zaczyna -- THE PLATFORM WITH TRAUMA - MARCIN FIJOŁEK: “The names of Schetyna's potential successors: from Arłukowicz, through Budka and Mucha, to Siemoniak and Zdrojewski (in alphabetical order) do not send shivers down one's spine. None of the mentioned politicians have recently questioned the course adopted by Schetyna in 2015; a strategy that can be simplified to the slogan 'street and abroad'. Each of today's candidates has, on a larger or smaller scale, contributed their bricks to the state in which today's PO finds itself. Hence, it is difficult to expect any qualitative breakthrough, a reset, a change that would give the Civic Platform, and more broadly – the entire opposition – some deeper breath.” https://wpolityce.pl/m/polityka/480438-walkower-schetyny-to-dowod-na-fiasko-projektu-total-opozycji -- THE CHALLENGE FOR THE PLATFORM IS THAT CITIZENS NEED THE PARTY LESS AND LESS BECAUSE THEY ORGANIZE THEMSELVES - AGATA SZCZĘŚNIAK ON OKO.PRESS: “The new chairperson of the Civic Platform faces two challenges: short-term and long-term. In the long run, they must rebuild the party – perhaps get rid of someone, perhaps promote someone. The challenge will be to adapt PO to the new reality – on a Polish and global scale. It seems that citizens need the party less and less because they organize themselves ad hoc around various goals. And they have successes, sometimes spectacular (the Black Protest). And at the same time, it is not these civic groups that win elections, but parties, and fundamental changes can be blocked or approved by the president.” https://oko.press/juz-nie-bedzie-mozna-zwalac-na-schetyne-kto-zbuduje-od-nowa-platforme-obywatelska/ -- GOOD RESULTS IN CITIES DO NOT COMPENSATE FOR THE WEAKNESS OF DISTRICT-LEVEL CIVIC PLATFORMS; IF WE DON'T WIN IN THE DISTRICTS, WE CAN FORGET ABOUT A NATIONWIDE VICTORY - TOMASZ SIEMONIAK IN AN INTERVIEW WITH WIADOMO.CO: “Regarding the party, I believe we must continue everything that Grzegorz Schetyna managed to achieve, expanding it with new elements, because we did not win the parliamentary elections after all. I assess that we lack presence at the district level, and good results in large cities do not compensate for this weakness. When PO was winning, it was also strong in smaller towns, which is why I declared today that more money from the party subsidy, which is larger thanks to the good result in the 2019 elections, must go to the regions. Every district must have an office, and not a closed one where someone just sits at a computer, but one open to citizens, sympathizers, NGOs, and social activists.” -- SIEMONIAK ON THE CAMPAIGN IN PO AND SUPPORT FOR KIDAWĄ: “The presidential elections and Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska's candidacy are an absolute priority – I think for every member of PO and for every candidate for chairman. If there is a need, I will resign from running to support Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska – I said this today at the conference, and I also discussed it with our candidate today. This is how the party campaign should be conducted, so as to simultaneously support Kidawa-Błońska.” https://wiadomo.co/tomasz-siemoniak-jestem-to-winien-platformie-obywatelskiej/ -- KACZYŃSKI THE GREATEST POLITICAL MANIPULATOR OF THE LAST 30 YEARS - DR. ANTONI DUDEK IN CONVERSATION WITH ELIZA OLCZYK IN RZ: “I'll start by saying that manipulation is an inherent part of politics, so it's not something extraordinary or inherently reprehensible. The greatest manipulator of the past 30 years is Jarosław Kaczyński. His first great manipulation was Lech Wałęsa's presidency. Kaczyński manipulated Wałęsa to build his own political camp through him and come to power. He succeeded only partially, as he couldn't agree with Wałęsa. Later, he manipulated his own brother. If not for Lech Kaczyński's career as Minister of Justice in Jerzy Buzek's government, Jarosław would have spent the rest of his life in political retirement.” -- TUSK ON CHEMICAL CASTRATION OF PEDOPHILES LIKE MORAWIECKI ON A MILLION ELECTRIC CARS - DUDEK FURTHER IN CONVERSATION WITH OLCZYK: “The incumbent prime minister is always accused of lying because he constantly has to promise something publicly, and his words are what is remembered. I don't think Morawiecki or Tusk lie more than other prime ministers, or that one is a bigger liar than the other. Tusk talked about the chemical castration of pedophiles, and Morawiecki about a million electric cars. Both announcements amounted to nothing. Examples can be multiplied. However, it is certain for me that Morawiecki loves the sound of his own voice more than Tusk, and therefore he likes to pontificate. Personally, I have no complaints about politicians for deviating from the truth or breaking their election promises. If they always told the truth, they would never win any elections. The question is whether, in the process, they are solving any truly important problems of the country they govern?” -- EVERYONE SWEPT THE COAL PROBLEM UNDER THE RUG - DUDEK FURTHER: “Absolutely. After 2004, Polish elites decided they had a ready answer for everything – the European Union. This myth is now falling apart with a bang, because for 15 years of EU membership, Poland has not acknowledged, for example, the EU's decarbonization policy. For 15 years, our rulers – first from PO, and now from PiS – have swept the problem of moving away from coal under the rug. They did almost nothing to acquire energy from alternative sources. They thought it would somehow work out because the EU would help us. In the next decade, this attitude will bite us back, because the EU will not only not help us, but will also start tightening the screws.” -- DUDEK SPEAKS INTERESTINGLY TO OLCZYK ABOUT THE POLITICAL REPRESENTATION OF UKRAINIANS: “If the head of the Union of Ukrainians in Poland, Piotr Tyma, decides to build his own parliamentary representation and persuades Ukrainians with Polish citizenship to register as voters in selected constituencies, he can easily introduce up to five deputies to the Polish parliament. If he had done so this year, they would have become the decisive factor. It would depend on them whether Mateusz Morawiecki or someone else ruled in Poland today. In my opinion, this would cause a huge political crisis. Fortunately, we have avoided this so far, but it is not certain that we will succeed indefinitely. And all this is a consequence of the lack of demographic policy. The only thing done about this for 30 years is 500+. And along the way, we had the liquidation of nurseries, underfunding of kindergartens, shortening of maternity leave, etc.” https://www.rp.pl/Plus-Minus/301039987-Antoni-Dudek-Oszustwa-zludzenia-manipulacje-w-III-RP.html -- KRZYSZTOF BOSAK ON DRAWING CONCLUSIONS FROM PUBLIC DEBATE - TALKING TO PIOTR WITWICKI ON RZ: “I think some people take my casual reflections on social media too seriously. If something takes the form of a provocative reflection or question, it doesn't have to be my view on a matter immediately. However, I also draw conclusions from the outrage that my posts have caused, and I am aware that operating at the parliamentary politics level, I can no longer afford such considerations.” -- YOUNG POLISH BOYS ON SCOOTERS - BOSAK IN REFLECTIONS ON UBER EATS AND INDIANS: “Someone would be found. Our office is located next to two Polish restaurants where food is delivered by ordinary young Polish boys on scooters.” https://www.rp.pl/Plus-Minus/301039990-Krzysztof-Bosak-Ruch-LGBT-prowadzi-do-deprawacji-spolecznej.html -- THE MARKET WILL NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY - ŁUKASZ PAWŁOWSKI FROM KULTURA LIBERALNA: “The situation we are currently facing shows that market mechanisms alone will not quickly and effectively solve the problem of housing accessibility. We are reaching a situation where even Bronisław Komorowski's infamous saying that to have your own 'M' (apartment), you just need to 'change jobs and take a loan' is losing its relevance. In such conditions, a comprehensive state program for building rental units, as well as regulations for the short-term rental market, seem like a desirable and unavoidable step. Of course, the scale of the challenges is not identical everywhere, so not everywhere will the same tools applied in the same way be needed. But instead of blaming each other for the current state of affairs or arguing about the housing legacy of the PRL, it is better to get to solving the problem. Because we undoubtedly have one.” https://tvn24.pl/magazyn-tvn24/nowe-mieszkania-nikogo-nie-stac-wszyscy-kupuja,251,4374 -- NEXT WEEKEND THE Jagiellonian Club CONGRESS IN ŁÓDŹ - as Piotr Trudnowski writes: “We are dedicating our Congress, which will take place in Łódź on the weekend of January 11 and 12, to the postulate of 'the second round of Polish transformation'. This topic is particularly important, as on one hand, the Polish political dispute has begun to focus around the postulate of a 'prosperous Polish state', and on the other hand, a generational conflict is becoming increasingly apparent, in which the 30-year-old generation is increasingly sharply criticizing the achievements of the 'transformation boomers'.” https://klubjagiellonski.pl/2019/12/09/dolacz-do-v-kongresu-klubu-jagiellonskiego-transformacja-drugie-okrazenie/ -- DONALD TUSK ON HEDONISM - TALKING TO DONATA SUBBOTKO IN GW: "I am a bit of a hedonist. There are many valuable things in life that cost little. Reading, good company, good wine. A sunny beach and the knowledge that I can enter the water at any moment. I love swimming, I can swim for kilometers." -- SAVING EVERY DAY - TUSK FURTHER: "When I was looking for the most fitting fragments that would convey my mood towards what I see in the world today, I was devastated by the identicity of certain phenomena. Because if today we have Korkyra, then we can have everything else that has happened in history. That's why I have an ultra-pragmatic approach to life – to save every day. Since catastrophes will come anyway, and our planet – although climate change depends on our activity – will eventually cease to exist, it is worth snatching one more day for the good. That's also what I think about the European Union or liberal democracy. I am quite a simple person and I have figured it out this way – based on playground pragmatism. I won't save the world, ultimate things are inscribed in the logic of our existence, but one must save what one can and for as long as one can.” -- TUSK ON SUBBOTKO'S PROVOCATIVE QUESTION ABOUT AN EPITAPH: “I have no funeral claims. As long as we exist, there is no death; since there is death, we don't exist. That's all about death! But I let myself be provoked…” -- TUSK ON HIS MOTHER, WHOM HE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SUN: “– There were several such moments, I don't want to talk about them. The death of a mother, for example, is known. Mine died in 2009, she was 75 years old. My mother – Ewa – I associated her with the sun from childhood, my first memory is of my mother wearing sunglasses. Smiling, very kind, and a blonde. I loved her dearly. I was afraid of my father, he used to hit me.” -- TUSK ON WAR LIKE THUCYDIDES: “Generally, the war is on. A world war has never been so intense as now. The American-Chinese confrontation is an anticipation of what will happen in 10 or 20 years. Like in Thucydides' trap between Athens and Sparta, a clash must happen here. One center is ceasing to be the most important, and the other must prove that it is in charge. Usually, analogies are simplistic; here too, it's unlikely to end in a conflict in the classic sense, where someone attacks someone. There will be no Pearl Harbor, but rather, year after year, decade after decade – a constant change of the world. There will be no need to shoot. Americans are aware that their undisputed military advantage – the only one they have left – is useless if they don't use it. But no one will declare war just because they are about to lose their leading position. So there will be a shift in the balance of power. China is rather not interested in acute conflicts. China has time.” -- THE RULERS DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE GRAVITY OF THE SITUATION: “About the disintegration of the European Union and NATO. It has allies and helpers in this project: aware, unwitting, and so-called useful idiots. All three categories can be found in PiS. The situation is more serious today than in the past. The changes in Kyiv, the close reintegration of Moscow and Minsk, and President Trump's policy are sufficient reasons to try at all costs to rebuild elementary internal consensus in international policy and restore Poland's status as a regional leader of European integration. I fear that the rulers do not fully understand the gravity of the situation.” -- TUSK ON KACZYŃSKI: “– I believe he has a lot of evil in him, he is a misfortune for Poland – which does not mean I feel hatred. Personal relations with Kaczyński do not matter to me. I have my emotions, but I manage to control them in politics. But I would be lying if I said that before going to sleep, I pray for his success.” -- TUSK ON LONELINESS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY: “Hopper captures that, whether he painted a hotel interior or a bar. I remember this feeling from childhood. Holidays, friends from the neighborhood went to camp, it was hot, I went out into the yard – and complete emptiness, a crushing moment. To this day, when such a quiet, hot day occurs, that sadness from late childhood returns to me, loneliness in the middle of the day.” -- TUSK ON BACH AND SYMMETRY: “– Yes, there is. Perhaps that's why he's so brilliant. I find it much more pleasant to listen to Bach than Beethoven, because he has a simpler, geometric structure. And since I have a disturbed sense of orientation, I feel insecure in new places, so I like clear structures. Although I can't stand the symmetrism and symmetry in life, in politics.” https://wyborcza.pl/magazyn/7,124059,25565457,donald-tusk-nie-zbawie-swiata-ale-trzeba-ratowac-co-sie-da.html -- BOOM! IF SOMEONE WAS BORN WHEN JKB BECAME PRIME MINISTER, THEY ARE 29 TODAY! -- BIRTHDAYS: Mariusz Walter, Stanisław Wądołowski, Andrzej Adamczyk, Bartek Węglarczyk, Andrzej Ostrowski, SUNDAY: Maria Bnińska, Michał Lorenc Jr, Julia Krysztofiak-Szopa, Przemysław Gdański, MONDAY: Elżbieta Radziszewska, Grzegorz Szymański, Maciek Żakowski.