-- FIGHTING THE VIRUS, BUT THE PRESS PUBLISHERS CHAMBER SECURES GOVERNMENT CONCESSIONS: “An incorrect interpretation of the Minister of Health’s regulation led to the closure of newsstand points in shopping centers. - This was not the intention; newspapers can be sold there - Marek Frąckowiak, Director General of the Chamber of Press Publishers, told Wirtualnemedia.pl. Following intervention at the Prime Minister’s Chancellery, the Chamber obtained a clarification of the regulations.” https://www.wirtualnemedia.pl/artykul/saloniki-prasowe-w-centra-handlowe-zamkniete-epidemia-koronawirusa-iwp-interweniowala-u-premiera# -- SOLORZ WANTS TO BUY INTERIA: “Monday marked the deadline for submitting initial offers to buy Interia. One of the offers was submitted by a company from the Cyfrowy Polsat group.” https://www.wirtualnemedia.pl/artykul/cyfrowy-polsat-chce-kupic-interia-pl-oferta-kupna -- EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF FAKT, KATARZYNA KOZŁOWSKA PRAISES THE PRIME MINISTER: “This is a prestigious success for Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki’s government. His cabinet announced radical restrictions on international movement on Friday, March 13. It banned foreigners from entering Poland while maintaining international cargo traffic. It showed that when faced with rare events having a significant impact on the lives of many people, the measures taken must be unconventional and broad-ranging. Today, there is no doubt that the leaders of 26 EU countries were inspired by Poland’s bold stance.” https://www.fakt.pl/wydarzenia/swiat/koronawirus-unia-zamyka-granice/jf430wn -- PEKAO S.A. POSTPONES REPAYMENTS: “The bank is meeting its clients’ needs by offering, among other things, a deferral of principal and interest or interest-only payments for up to 3 months. The total repayment period of the obligation will be automatically extended by the same period. The suspension of payments applies to credit, leasing, and factoring agreements. Bank Pekao clients whose credit lines are expiring in the coming months can count on their simplified renewal for a period of up to 6 months. - As Bank Pekao S.A., we have actively supported the Polish Bank Association’s initiative from the beginning, being involved in its creation at every stage. We realize that in the current situation, some of our clients may have current financial problems and thus temporary difficulties in repaying their obligations. We want to make it as easy as possible for them to get through this difficult period - says Marek Lusztyn, President of Pekao.” -- STATE SHUT DOWN - front page of DGP. -- KIDAWA PROPOSES AN ECONOMIC PACKAGE, THE PRIME MINISTER WILL ALSO PROPOSE A CRISIS SHIELD TODAY AFTER A CABINET MEETING: https://300polityka.pl/live/2020/03/18/#post-558215 -- ANDRZEJ DUDA, BY REMAINING ALONE ON THE BATTLEFIELD, WILL BECOME AN USURPER, MARKING HIMSELF WITH AN IRRESPONSIBLE CHARGE FOR RE-ELECTION - JACEK NIZINKIEWICZ IN RZ: “Candidates should withdraw from the presidential race. If the PiS candidate does not do so, regulations will have to be changed for him. Andrzej Duda, by remaining alone on the battlefield, will appear as a usurper and an indecent person. Such behavior and ambitions of the president could harm PiS in the long run. The presidential elections will likely not take place on time. The mathematics of infections will be relentless. PiS will have to yield and lead to the postponement of the May election, but it will be remembered in social memory for the president’s irresponsible charge for re-election. It is better for Andrzej Duda to withdraw now with dignity, like all other candidates, rather than in a few weeks when there will be no other choice and an epidemiological catastrophe will occur. And if he is the best candidate, he will be re-elected president at any other time.” https://www.rp.pl/Analizy/200319203-Jacek-Nizinkiewicz-Wladza-czy-przyzwoitosc-Test-na-odpowiedzialnosc.html -- WE HAVE A STATE OF EMERGENCY - LAWYER SYLWIA GREGORCZYK-ABRAM in conversation with Agata Szczęśniak in OKO.press: “Enough is enough. Everything happening around us indicates that we have this state of emergency. According to the Constitution, two conditions must be met: first, a sudden threat, for example, to the population, and second, exceptional restrictions on human freedoms and rights. Therefore, the elections should be postponed. And why are they not being postponed? Because there is a psychological tendency to rally around the center of power in crisis situations. The authorities are trying to take advantage of this. To introduce a state of emergency using legislative mechanisms, not constitutional ones. This is, moreover, a characteristic feature of this government. We have repeatedly encountered attempts to change the Constitution through laws.” https://oko.press/gdyby-wszyscy-kandydaci-opozycji-sie-wycofali-wybory-nie-moglyby-sie-odbyc/ -- THIS IS A MILD STATE OF EMERGENCY - WOJCIECH HERMELIŃSKI in conversation with Paweł Wroński: “This state of epidemic threat is a mild state of emergency without the need to postpone elections. But elections are not just the act of casting a ballot into the ballot box, but also a whole series of events that lead up to it. For democratic elections to occur, an election campaign is necessary. Voters choose between programs, personalities; from their perspective, the behavior of politicians, for example, in debates, is important. This is, in fact, the essence of the electoral act. We can conclude that from the perspective of conducting an election campaign, Article 96 of the Constitution, which speaks of the 'equality of elections', is violated. In this case, there is no equality, although it is indeed difficult to distinguish what is a campaign and what is the president’s role. Moreover, the electoral procedure has been underway since the announcement of the elections. Committees are being registered until March 16, and candidates who must gather at least 100,000 signatures will be registered on March 26.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,25796439,byly-szef-pkw-nalezaloby-przemyslec-termin-majowych-wyborow.html -- IF POSTPONING, THEN BY A YEAR SO THE GOVERNMENT HAS A CHANCE TO CLEAN UP AFTER A CATASTROPHE IT DID NOT CAUSE - JACEK KARNOWSKI: “If, however, the elections cannot be held by the May deadline, the question arises when to set a new vote. The opposition would likely prefer autumn to coincide with potential economic troubles. However, if we take their assurances seriously that it is only about the ability to conduct a campaign and ensure safe voting without risk for all participants, one can ask why not move the vote, for example, by a full year, which is how much UEFA postponed the European football championship? This would be the fairest solution. The government would have a chance to clean up after a disaster it did not cause.” https://wpolityce.pl/m/polityka/491671-jesli-przekladac-wybory-to-o-caly-rok-a-nie-kilka-miesiecy -- PERHAPS IT IS WORTH CONSIDERING POSTPONING THE 13TH PENSION? - Anna Cieślak-Wróblewska in Rzeczpospolita: “Voices are slowly being heard that 'if necessary,' money can always be printed. But that is a last resort and, moreover, currently impermissible by the constitution. For now, the government should focus on its expenditures and review them for rationality during this exceptional period. Perhaps it is worth considering postponing the payment of the so-called thirteenth pensions or the infamous subsidy for public media. These two items alone amount to about PLN 12 billion, and much more savings can be found. The sooner the Ministry of Finance presents a plan to exit this critical situation, the better.” -- CIEŚLAK-WRÓBLEWSKA IN RZ CRITICIZES THE IDEA OF MERELY DEFERRING ZUS CONTRIBUTION PAYMENTS: “The President of ZUS announces that officials will look favorably upon all applications from companies for deferring contribution payments. But only for three months, after which the arrears will have to be paid in full. This could be a significant problem for entrepreneurs. Because what guarantees are there that the problems will pass in three months, and even if they do - where will the money come from for three times higher payments?” https://www.rp.pl/Komentarze-ekonomiczne/303179877-Anna-Cieslak-Wroblewska-Miedzy-mlotem-a-koronawirusem.html -- CHAOTIC FIGHT AGAINST THE FIRE - Paweł Rożyński in Rzeczpospolita: “For now, the fight against the fire in the Polish economy seems chaotic. Individual ministers promise various tax reliefs, the president adds credit payment reliefs, and we are still waiting for a sensible and comprehensive rescue package agreed upon with business and Polish economic leaders. 'Let's pray we maintain economic growth at some decent level,' said the Minister of State Assets, Jacek Sasin, recently on RMF FM. If our generals fail, prayer is not a bad idea at all.” https://www.rp.pl/Komentarze-ekonomiczne/303179876-Pawel-Rozynski-Co-ma-w-sikawce-prezes-Glapinski.html -- BIRTHDAYS: Edward Miszczak, Grzegorz Napieralski, Marek Kossakowski, Anna Sarzyńska, Jan Bajorek, Marek Dziubek.