-- DON'T CLOSE THE FORESTS TO POLES - DOMINIK UHLIG IN GW: “The Senate is now dealing with amendments to the special act on ASF. On Thursday, PiS senators escorted representatives of social organizations out of the committee meeting, and this week the entire Senate will make a final decision. Let's hope that politicians will not fall for the idea that a group armed with firearms needs special protection. And they will vote for freedom for all citizens.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,75398,25591085,nie-zamykajcie-lasow-przed-polakami.html -- MANAGEMENT OF PGNIG, EFFECTIVELY DEFENDING AGAINST RUSSIAN MONOPOLY, REMOVED - ANDRZEJ KUBLIK IN GW: “On the same day that the Sejm rejected Putin's lies about Polish history, the management of PGNiG, controlled by Deputy Prime Minister Jacek Sasin, was removed, a management that effectively defended us against Gazprom's monopoly.” -- CHAMPAGNE CORKS POPPING AT THE KREMLIN - DALEJ KUBLIK: “On Thursday, champagne corks should have been popping at Gazprom's headquarters, which is one of the main instruments of the Kremlin's international policy. On that very day, in the Polish gas company PGNiG, recently overseen by Deputy Prime Minister Jacek Sasin, the supervisory board dismissed the previous management led by CEO Piotr Woźniak.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,155290,25583567,pis-sprawil-prezent-gazownikom-putina.html -- HOŁOWNIA ON BEING A SUPPORTER OF WORKING LONGER - 300LIVE: https://300polityka.pl/live/2020/01/13/ -- ROKITA DECIDED TO BECOME A PiS PROPAGANDIST - WITOLD GADOMSKI IN GW: “The language of lawyers is different from the language of politicians. Jan Maria Rokita, a lawyer by education, uses the latter. He was once a young, brilliant politician, who was predicted a great career. The predictions did not come true; instead, Rokita became an insightful commentator on Polish and international political life, whose texts were gladly printed by newspapers of various political leanings. In his mature years, the former Member of Parliament from the Democratic Union, considered Bronisław Geremek's most talented student, decided to become a propagandist for the Law and Justice party.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,25588082,rokita-dolacza-do-ataku-na-sedziow.html -- JOUROVÁ PERCEIVED THE BEHAVIOR OF POLISH AUTHORITIES AS DISRESPECTFUL - TOMASZ GRODZKI IN CONVERSATION WITH JACEK NIZINKIEWICZ IN RZ: “That is their problem. Commissioner Jourová was disappointed that she sent letters to the President, the Prime Minister, and the Speakers of the Sejm and Senate, and no one responded except me, not even superficially. One should not treat the Vice-Presidents of the European Commission this way. The Vice-President of the EC perceived the behavior of the Polish authorities as disrespectful. Commissioner Jourová would have liked to talk to the representatives of our government to hear all sides, but the other side lacked the will.” -- THIS IS A GIGANTIC DANGER FOR POLAND - MARSZAŁEK SENATU IN RZ: “When the law returns to the Sejm in one form or another, and then the President signs it, the European Commission will likely react to it. It may request the ECJ to issue an interim measure, meaning the law should not be enforced. The budget for EU funds will depend on the observance of the rule of law, which means that countries about which there are doubts about not observing this rule of law will receive a kind of warning. ‘Fix the rule of law, and you will receive EU funds, because it is not just money, but also a community of values, and either we all respect these common values, or we don't.’ As the Marshal of the Senate, as a patriot, I am concerned about this, because this is a gigantic danger for Poland, and I don't know if the people making these decisions are disregarding it, or if they are not aware of it.” -- SENATE WILL PRESENT THE ACT ON KRS - GRODZKI ANNOUNCES: “Probably at the end of February, at the plenary session of the Senate, we will present a Senate legislative initiative, a new draft act on the KRS.” -- SOMEONE WANTS TO DESTROY THIS SENATE - GRODZKI FURTHER: “This is no longer about Professor Grodzki, who for 36 years had not a single case concerning ethics violations or corruption; this is about the Senate and the Marshal of the Senate. Someone wants to destroy this Senate because the Senate has started to inconvenience someone. The ABW approached the matter with a completely different level of professionalism than the CBA.” https://www.rp.pl/Sadownictwo/301129957-Tomasz-Grodzki-Polsce-grozi-niebezpieczenstwo.html -- THE OPPOSITION PLAYS AS KACZYŃSKI DECREES - ANDRZEJ STANKIEWICZ IN SE: “Indeed, the opposition plays as Jarosław Kaczyński dictates. Kaczyński dictates the opposition's agenda. For PiS, the Banasi case was an image disaster. They needed to change the playing field to one where they couldn't lose, and they did so with a law disciplining judges. I'm not discussing who is right, or what PiS has done with the Constitutional Tribunal, etc. And this has been repeated under PiS rule since 2016. They have done it many times, and the opposition has fallen for it.” -- PLATFORMA IS UNABLE TO GENERATE ANY NEW ELECTORATE, CLOSES IN ON ITSELF AND WALKS INTO THE SAME PATHS THAT LED TO DEFEATS - STANKIEWICZ FURTHER: “Platforma cannot break free from this. In this regard, it cannot generate any new electorate. It closes in on itself and walks into the same paths that have already led to electoral defeats. Regaining the Senate gave them a glimmer of hope, but it's clear they are again making it easier for PiS.” -- IT GIVES THE IMPRESSION THAT PLATFORMA HAS NO IDEA OTHER THAN PARTICIPATING IN MARCHES: “They should react, because it's important for their electorate. However, it gives the impression that they have no idea other than participating in marches. Even when they have a chance to torpedo a bill in parliament, it turns out they don't show up for the vote. They cannot generate any topic that is uncomfortable for PiS. Most such issues were generated in the previous term by the media, not by them. They have a Pavlovian reflex. Kaczyński says: courts, and they take to the streets.” -- PLATFORMA IS LOOKING FOR A GENERAL AMONG COLONELS - STANKIEWICZ FURTHER: “Siemoniak is considered a man of Schetyna in some way. Among the others, Budka might win, but it's a bit like looking for a general among colonels. The question also is how he will build his relationship with Tusk, because it is clearly visible that the former leader has not given up and is rebuilding his position in PO. It might be that Budka will manage day-to-day, but Tusk will set the goals.” https://www.se.pl/wiadomosci/polityka/stankiewicz-o-marszu-1000-tog-opozycja-ma-odruch-pawlowa-aa-N4kZ-esnZ-n5hN.html -- THE SENATE AS A CENTER FOR THINKING ABOUT A BETTER STATE - RAFAŁ ZAKRZEWSKI IN GW QUOTES KUBA WYGNAŃSKI: “The Senate can also become a center for thinking about a future, better – not just better than PiS's – state. Simply better. Wygnański suggests that ‘the Senate should actively come forward with its own initiatives.’ And he elaborates: ‘It could establish its own clear calendar for addressing important issues.’ He supplements this with a list of almost 20 such issues. It is worth taking this document seriously and considering the suggestions of the NGO representative.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,25590899,senat-przyczolek-demokracji-pis-chce-go-przejac.html -- WPROST ON PLATFORMA POSSIBLY LOSING ITS SUBSIDY: “As the weekly magazine 'Wprost' wrote, the Państwo Prawa Foundation received over PLN 3 million from Civic Platform. The organization was founded by Piotr Borys, Grzegorz Schetyna's right-hand man. Most prominent PO politicians were unaware of the foundation's activities. – There is panic in Platforma. People have started to panic that someone is touching on the issue related to the foundation. Because if the National Electoral Commission questions our financial statement for 2019, considering that the money was spent in violation of the foundation law, we will have trouble. We could lose all the money. Especially since the National Electoral Commission questioned statements for lesser offenses in the case of Nowoczesna, PSL, or Gowin's Porozumienie – says our interviewee.” https://www.wprost.pl/tylko-u-nas/10288984/klopoty-platformy-obywatelskiej-grzegorz-schetyna-blokuje-kidawie-pieniadze.html -- BORYS BUDKA ON STOPPING THE RACE FOR POPULISM - in conversation with Tomasz Żółciak and Grzegorz Osiecki in DGP: “I want PO to respond to the needs of hard-working people: from entrepreneurs and freelancers to public employees. Everyone focuses on the weaker ones, announcing further social programs, and no one cares about the people who earn for them. 'Work pays off' – this slogan should guide the creation of economic solutions. I believe in a strong party of the rational center. We cannot constantly compete with the left and right on populism, because implementing their extreme proposals can cause destabilization. Our goal is to win the upcoming presidential elections, and then the parliamentary elections, and to start healing Poland.” -- PSL GIVES UP THE COUNTRYSIDE AS A WALKover - BUDKA FURTHER: “I regret that instead of reclaiming Poland from PiS in the countryside, the PSL is entering into competition with us. We should jointly, as we have done so far, expand our electorates. Through the alliance with Kukiz, the PSL is trying to be an urban party, conceding the countryside as a walkover.” -- BUDKA DOES NOT WANT TO DECLARE A DATE FOR ABANDONING COAL: “Ultimately, we should strive for cheaper and cleaner energy based on diverse sources, especially renewables. Coal sources should be replaced by other, ecological and cheaper ones. This requires a comprehensive approach. But I would be cautious about declaring a final date for abandoning coal. I believe we will achieve this as stipulated in our program.” -- WE DO NOT EQUATE PARTNERSHIP UNIONS WITH MARRIAGE - BUDKA FURTHER: “Yes, but let's not equate partnership unions with marriage. Let's give people of the same sex the chance to formally regulate their affairs too. Human dignity and respect for the individual are elementary values.” -- BUDKA TELLS DGP ABOUT EARLY ELECTIONS: “PiS governments harm Poland. If there is an opportunity to end the parliamentary term, I will vote for it, as will the entire Civic Coalition club. I cannot imagine the opposition not supporting such a motion. Early elections are possible, and the presidential elections are key.” https://wiadomosci.dziennik.pl/opinie/artykul_prasowy/6420756,borys-budka-wybory-szef-po-wywiad.html -- IT IS DIFFICULT TO DESCRIBE THE REGIME, IN WHICH THE RULING PARTY SYSTEMATICALLY FORCES JUDGES TO ISSUE VERDICTS OF A SPECIFIC CONTENT, OTHER THAN AS APPROACHING AUTHORITARIANISM - TOMASZ SAWCZUK IN KULTURA LIBERALNA: “In practice, the situation is dramatic and complicated. It is dramatic because Lenaerts is right – it is difficult to be a member of the EU when one refuses to comply with EU law. In addition, PiS persists in its foolish stubbornness and does not want to back down an inch. This brings the regime of our state closer to authoritarianism. Regardless of what PiS supporters and Jan Rokita think, it is difficult to describe the regime, in which the ruling party unlawfully and systematically forces judges to issue verdicts of a specific content, in any other way. -- TUSK TALKS ABOUT BEING KICKED OUT, AND ORBAN'S PARTY WASN'T EVEN EXPELLED FROM THE EPP - SAWCZUK FURTHER: “Finally, it is difficult to imagine that Poland will simply be kicked out of the EU – that there will be an 'expulsion,' as Donald Tusk suggested. It is worth remembering that Viktor Orbán's party has not even been expelled from the European People's Party, currently led by Tusk himself. It is true that law dislikes chaos, but legal and political tidiness are two different things.” https://kulturaliberalna.pl/2020/01/13/sawczuk-w-poniedzialek-pis-chce-zmusic-sedziow-by-nie-przestrzegali-prawa/ -- TOMASZ SEKIELSKI ON POLITICIANS BOYCOTTING MEDIA AND EDITORIAL OFFICES THEY FEAR - tells Press: “Today, I would gladly host a hard-hitting political talk show, but there's no chance for it. And not because a brave television station wouldn't be found, but because no politician would come to it. Politicians boycott media and editorial offices they fear – they go where they feel comfortable and safe. Politicians have learned to exploit divisions among journalists and the lack of adherence to the basic principles of our profession.” -- SEKIELSKI TELLS PRESS THAT HIS PROGRAM ON TVN WAS CANCELLED DUE TO TUSK MINISTERS' BOYCOTT: https://www.dorzeczy.pl/kraj/126046/przez-ludzi-tuska-sekielski-ujawnia-kulisy-zdjecia-jego-programu-z-anteny.html -- ADAM LESZCZYŃSKI IN OKO ON THE DISPUTE OVER HAVING A PAWEŁ ADAMOWICZ STREET AND NOT COMMEMORATING LECH KACZYŃSKI: “Thanks to the Mayor of Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski, an avenue in the city center will be named after the murdered Mayor of Gdańsk, Paweł Adamowicz, despite the custom of a five-year waiting period from the date of death. PiS councilors protest: there is no street for Lech Kaczyński. Why can't Poles agree on such matters? We recall the history of disputes over coffins and streets.” https://oko.press/w-warszawie-bedzie-aleja-adamowicza-ale-nie-kaczynskiego-dlaczego-nie-potrafimy-sie-dogadac/ -- TADEUSZ MAZOWIECKI WOULD BE TOO RADICAL FOR TODAY'S LEFT AND LIBERALS - DARIUSZ GAWIN IN CONVERSATION WITH KLUB JAGIELLOŃSKI: “From the very beginning of the Third Republic, it was known that only close integration with Western structures, both the EU and NATO, could provide us with some guarantee of security. Polish society is one of the most enthusiastic about its country's membership in the Union; it is also hard to hear anyone denying the justification for the presence of American soldiers in Poland. The same applies to social policy. Of course, the '500+' program was initiated by PiS, but does anyone question it today? We have matured as a state to provide aid on this scale, so no one rationally thinking would negate this program. In terms of worldview, however, a process of sharp polarization has begun. Here, a change might occur, given that for many years there was a compromise on abortion or attitudes towards the Church. But when it was being worked out, the subject of debate was abortion or the concordat, not the issue of same-sex marriages. At that time, there was no such violent anti-clericalism in the mainstream of post-Solidarity liberalism – after all, the leader of this milieu was Tadeusz Mazowiecki. For today's radical left and progressive liberals, he would be too conservative today. All these examples are seemingly obvious, but please consider: can a country where political consensus is not created solely on the basis of the principles of a democratic rule of law state, but also concerns the most pressing contemporary issues, simultaneously be in a state of almost civil war, as we can read in the media? Poles have always been like this – outwardly vociferous, emotional, calling each other traitors and thieves, and internally moderate and striving for the, incidentally, old Polish ideal of 'concordia' – universal agreement. There is a contradiction hidden in this, but this is who we are.” -- GAWIN ON POLISH REPUBLICANISM: “Republicanism in Poland is insurrectionary. It reacts to exceptional political situations, and of course most strongly when the existence of the state is threatened. In times of relative peace, it is difficult for Poles to make such an effort. We are citizens of war, not peace. Such a state is burdensome because it is governed by existential uncertainty. Constantly, a bit like Gombrowicz, we are searching for our own form. Republicanism is neither right-wing nor left-wing. It simply rejects reasoning in terms of negatively understood liberal freedom, freedom from politics. There is no republicanism without the category of the common good. This is precisely how the republican political myth was understood and it indirectly struck at the liberalism limited in Polish conditions, but this was rarely the goal, and often a means to an end.” https://klubjagiellonski.pl/2020/01/11/republikanizm-mial-rozszerzyc-wyobraznie-polityczna-polakow-w-jakiejs-mierze-sie-to-udalo/ -- WILL "SIN TAXES" CHANGE BEHAVIOR? - MARIA LIBURA IN KLUB JAGIELLOŃSKI: “The Ministry of Health has announced the swift introduction of a package of 'sin taxes,' meaning special levies imposed on products and services considered socially harmful. While we have become accustomed to additional burdens related to stimulants such as alcohol and tobacco products, the novelty is the proposed sugar tax in the draft law, which is in fact a tax on sweetened beverages. Presented as a tool to combat obesity, it has generated much emotion, unfortunately focused mainly on the division between 'tax opponents' and supporters of 'punishing consumers for thoughtlessness.' Meanwhile, there are serious doubts about to what extent the sugar tax in its current form will motivate consumers to make healthier choices, and to what extent it will turn out to be a socially unjust additional health contribution, collected mainly from the less affluent.” https://klubjagiellonski.pl/2020/01/11/czy-podatki-od-grzechu-uzdrowia-polakow/ -- ADAM BODNAR APPRECIATES THE COURAGE OF SOCIAL ACTIVISTS - IT'S EASIER TO BE BRAVE WHEN YOU HAVE A MANDATE, OFFICE, AND BUDGET: “It's easier to be brave when you have a public mandate, office, and budget. It's much harder when you are a citizen deprived of these – said the Ombudsman Adam Bodnar. The occasion for the debate was the 10th anniversary of the activity of the 'Na Granicy' Community Center. https://krytykapolityczna.pl/multimedia/adam-bodnar-swietlica-kp-cieszyn-debata/ -- BIRTHDAYS: Tomasz Sekielski, Joanna Frydrych, Jacek Żalek, Karolina Korwin Piotrowska, Daria Kwiatkowska.