-- KWAŚNIEWSKI BELIEVES THE OPPOSITION SHOULD FIGHT AND JOINTLY SUPPORT KOSINIAK: “The opposition should consider whether not to go to the elections and fight for victory, instead of boycotting them – stated Aleksander Kwaśniewski on the program "Tomasz Lis.". The former president added that the opposition should also have a single candidate: - It seems that Kosiniak-Kamysz could be such a candidate. His wave is growing. This is visible in the polls - he added.” https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/tylko-w-onecie/wybory-prezydenckie-2020-kwasniewski-radzi-opozycji-poparcie-kosiniaka-kamysza/v96nh77 -- IF WE HAD VOTED AGAINST THE ELECTION LAW, WE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE HAD A MINORITY GOVERNMENT BEFORE CHRISTMAS; I HAVE POSTPONED THIS SCENARIO - says Jarosław Gowin in an interview with Marcin Fijołek in Sieci: “I disagree with maintaining the May 10th deadline, and hence my resignation. At the same time, I believe that Poland, in such a dramatic crisis, needs a majority government. If we had voted against this law on April 6th, we probably would have had a minority government before Christmas – a period of a gigantic epidemic crisis and economic catastrophe would have been compounded by a political crisis. - Was it a zero-one alternative? Was the message from Jarosław Kaczyński and Mateusz Morawiecki exactly this: either vote yes, or the entire Agreement (Porozumienie) gets kicked out of the government? - It would be dishonest towards my partners to reveal the course of the talks. However, I believe such a scenario was probable. In the name of responsibility for the state, I have postponed this scenario. The final decisions regarding the law will be made by the MPs of the Agreement after the bill returns from the Senate. We have given ourselves and our partners from PiS time for reflection and for talks.” -- POSTPONING THE ELECTION DATE BY AMENDING THE SEJM MARSHAL'S ORDINANCE IS CONSTITUTIONALLY DEBATABLE - Gowin continues: “This is not about games or ambitions. I have proven this by leaving the government. This is about responsibility for Poland. The May 10th elections are organizationally unfeasible. Their outcome will be challenged, which will result in the coming months, and perhaps years, being a period of political chaos, and the epidemic risk will not be insignificant. - And the PiS loophole regarding May 17th? - Constitutionally postponing the election date by amending the Sejm Marshal's ordinance is debatable. However, I do not wish to make a definitive statement on this matter, I am still analyzing expert opinions.” -- WE MUST HAVE A FUNDAMENTAL, SERIOUS CONVERSATION WITH KACZYŃSKI - announces the leader of the Agreement: “We are in frequent contact. And certainly, before the final vote at the beginning of May, we must have a fundamental, serious conversation. - What will you tell President Kaczyński then? - How I define the good of Poland at this dramatic moment.” -- THE STATE CAN BE CRITICIZED FOR MANY THINGS, BUT NOT FOR FAILING IN THE FACE OF THE EPIDEMIC - RAFAŁ WOŚ in SE: “The Polish state can be criticized for many things. But not for failing in the face of the COVID-19 epidemic. At least for now. Perhaps – for a change – it is worth appreciating this sometimes. A few days ago, the "Wall Street Journal" published an article about 'poorer countries in Eastern Europe.' Its authors couldn't praise enough how surprisingly well places like Poland, the Czech Republic, or Slovakia were coping with the coronavirus. -- ON THE RITUALISTIC BASHING OF THE STATE OF CARDBOARD - WOŚ continues: “I cite these data not to foolishly rejoice that others have it even worse. I would rather ask if it's not worth taking some distance from the belief, repeated in recent years (usually unthinkingly), that Poland is allegedly a 'state of cardboard' – inefficient, incapable, and vulnerable to collapse at the first stronger wind. I understand that bashing 'cardboard Poland' is a form of ritualistic catharsis for general political frustration – for example, caused by the fact that 'our guys are not in power now.' This is also how one can channel ordinary human dissatisfaction with the deficits and absurdities of daily life that surround us (in any political circumstances). However, any complaint must maintain some contact with reality. Because if we have a 'state of cardboard,' should we consider Italy, Spain, or Belgium as failed states? That's absurd.” https://www.se.pl/wiadomosci/polityka/rafal-wos-nasze-panstwo-nie-jest-z-kartonu-aa-QECG-S3mG-eidn.html -- THERE IS NO MENTION OF CLOSING CEMETERIES IN ANY GOVERNMENT REGULATION - MICHAŁ KARNOWSKI: “There is no mention of closing cemeteries in any regulation. Therefore, each time it is an independent decision of the people managing these areas – priests, cemetery administrations, etc. The Church is also perfectly aware of this. Some cemeteries are closed, others are open. Some are sometimes closed, sometimes open. This is how it is throughout the country. Such a legal status allows for the realization (with the consent of the cemetery administrators) of a task that is so exceptional and of national character, such as paying tribute to those who perished in the greatest national tragedy after 1945. This includes laying flowers on the symbolic grave of the late President Lech Kaczyński and other graves of the victims. And I am convinced that those who came to Krakowskie Przedmieście and to the graves of the victims every year are grateful to Jarosław Kaczyński that this gesture of remembrance, despite such special circumstances, was also realized this year.” https://wpolityce.pl/polityka/495786-atak-na-prezesa-pis-oparty-jest-na-manipulacji -- DEJA VU FROM GIEREK'S TIME - MICHAŁ SZUŁDRZYŃSKI in RZ: “Gierek's times are long gone, although on Tuesday I didn't know if I was watching the 'unloading ceremony' at Okęcie airport on TV (that's how the Ministry of State Assets called it) of a post-Soviet transport plane bringing equipment from China, or a historical group reenacting Comrade Edward's economic visit to model workers in a workplace. The government claims it is doing everything best, that Poland is lucky to have it at the helm today, and if something fails, the opposition is to blame.” -- LET THE OPPOSITION ALSO TAKE A STEP BACK - SZUŁDRZYŃSKI continues: “This is a great strategy for political conflict, but not for fighting the crisis together, which requires dialogue and consensus. On the other hand, the opposition should abandon total doomsaying. This week, they criticized the government even for deciding to withdraw from the sale of the German Condor. It is the opposition's prerogative to criticize the government and feel schadenfreude, but in this situation, acquiring the German airline would be political madness and an economic crime. Therefore, it is worthwhile for both the ruling party and the opposition to take a step back and agree on a strategy to combat the crisis.” https://www.rp.pl/Komentarze/200419654-Michal-Szuldrzynski-Odmrazanie-bezkonfliktowe.html -- IT IS HARD NOT TO BE SURPRISED BY THE EMOTIONS OF PEOPLE WHO WITNESSED THE CEREMONIES - MARCIN FIJOŁEK: “Against this layered background, one doesn't need a genius to predict that social frustration is greater than usual, and hypersensitivity is an almost obvious state. Many of us instinctively notice 'strange' behavior in series or films shot before the epidemic, where people hug, shake hands, or simply go to matches or concerts. This is also why it's hard to be surprised by the emotions of those who opened their eyes wide in astonishment when they saw such a large delegation on Piłsudski Square on April 10th, also in close proximity, with press photographers crowded right next to them.” -- LACK OF SENSITIVITY, ANTICIPATION, AND UNDERSTANDING - FIJOŁEK continues: “And the sovereign's emotions cannot be trivialized – also, and perhaps especially, during times like an epidemic and the related restrictions. There was a lack of sensitivity, anticipation, and understanding. A separate issue is the exploitation of this story for ritualistic attacks on Jarosław Kaczyński by some politicians and media, but we will probably never get rid of that, and it cannot be an excuse for every situation, otherwise we become hostages of one name or another. It will be worth remembering the 'social veto right,' voters' emotions, and public sentiment during the economic reopening, the pace at which it will happen, as well as the sense of threat among many voters. To say that nothing will be the same after the coronavirus is a platitude, but for a long time, we will have to live in a very specific reality, which the Prime Minister described as the 'new normal.' And this cannot mean closing our eyes to smaller and larger 'social veto rights.'” https://wpolityce.pl/m/polityka/495674-o-spolecznym-prawie-weta-w-epidemii-i-nowej-normalnosci -- GOWIN AVOIDS EVALUATING THE OBSERVANCES, FOGIEL ON THE ABORTION COMPROMISE, DWORCZYK ON SLOW REOPENING - 300LIVE: https://300polityka.pl/live/2020/04/15 -- IN THE CIVIC PLATFORM (KO), THEY SUSPECT THAT PIS IS INTENTIONALLY PROVOKING - AGATA KONDZIŃSKA AND IWONA SZPALA ON THE SEJM: “In the Civic Platform, they suspect that PiS is intentionally provoking. They want to present them as a group of troublemakers who cannot behave properly during the crisis caused by the epidemic. – It's good that MP Nitras withdrew from the doors. They are doing this unlawfully, hoping that force will be used, and then all attention will be focused on us, and PiS will push through whatever they want – believes Budka.” -- PAWEŁ OLSZEWSKI ON THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF HOLDING A COMMISSION SESSION: “Olszewski: – The Sejm has been incapacitated. As MPs, we cannot perform control activities, for which we are appointed. Commissions are enshrined in the constitution, the risk of these elections is enormous, I felt obliged to have PiS ministers provide details, to explain how they see May 10th – he explains to 'Wyborcza.' – I received the Marshal's negative decision with regret.” -- BUDKA ON THE FAKE SEJM AND SOON THE SUPREME COURT: “Budka: – It is typical that people who want absolute power turn institutions into fakes one after another. We already have a fake president and prime minister, a fake Constitutional Tribunal and National Council of the Judiciary, and soon the same will happen with the Supreme Court. Now we have a fake Sejm.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,75398,25867881,opozycja-mamy-atrape-sejmu-chca-nas-z-niego-wypchnac.html -- PIS HAD NO CHOICE WITH CITIZEN PROJECTS - ANDRZEJ STANKIEWICZ AND KAMIL DZIUBKA on ONET: “In reality, PiS had no choice. The regulations state that the Sejm must consider citizen projects submitted in the previous term at the latest after half of its term. Since the ruling camp had other things on its mind during the first months, now is the last moment to decide what to do with the citizen projects.” -- EVERYTHING POINTS TO THE FREEZER - ONET continues: “– Everything indicates that we will vote to refer these projects to parliamentary committee work. The political decision is that they will stay there for a long time – says our source from the PiS club leadership. This refers to the so-called parliamentary freezer, i.e., blocking a project by slowing down its work in committees. – No one in PiS wants ideological wars in the near future – claims our source. However, he notes that at the last minute, Jarosław Kaczyński may change his mind – then some laws might even be rejected.” https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/tylko-w-onecie/kontrowersyjne-projekty-dot-aborcji-w-polsce-wiemy-co-pis-zrobi-z-aborcja/9bsfrvq -- THERE WON'T BE A BETTER MOMENT TO FORCE A QUANTUM LEAP IN HEALTHCARE FUNDING: “JAKUB BODZIONY in KULTURA LIBERALNA: “it is worth doing everything to ensure that the impulses of social solidarity and unity in the face of threat do not exhaust themselves after a one-time surge. The pandemic experience should serve as an argument for building a well-funded healthcare system. According to research, most Poles already consider this a fundamental issue. Politicians also notice this, which is why public health was one of the key themes during the autumn parliamentary campaign and the current presidential elections. The image of doctor-superheroes created by the government should be used to exert pressure for real systemic changes. There will likely be no better moment to force a quantum leap in funding for Polish healthcare.” https://kulturaliberalna.pl/2020/04/14/koronawirus-w-polsce-epidemia-opieka-zdrowotna-bodziony/ -- MICHAŁ SUTOWSKI ON HIS BOOK A NICE COUNTRY TO LIVE IN - in the Krytyka Polityczna podcast: “My interlocutors argued that without good public services, without trade unions, without progressive taxes or energy transformation, not only will there be no justice, equality, or general prosperity in Poland, but there will also be no growth, development, and future for our civilization. They explained that without all of this, living in Poland in one or two generations will simply be impossible. And certainly, we will lose the will to live.” https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/tylko-w-onecie/wybory-prezydenckie-2020-kwasniewski-radzi-opozycji-poparcie-kosiniaka-kamysza/v96nh77 -- BGK LAUNCHES LIQUIDITY FUND: Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (BGK) is launching a Liquidity Guarantee Fund, which will provide guarantees for medium and large companies affected by the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Entrepreneurs can use the FGP program until the end of 2020. https://media.bgk.pl/92950-rusza-program-gwarancji-plynnosciowych-dla-srednich-i-duzych-firm -- Photo. The Supper at Emmaus – paintings by Rembrandt *addressing the same New Testament motif in different representations. The subject of the works is a motif taken from the Gospel of Luke (24:13-31), concerning two disciples walking to the town of Emmaus near Jerusalem and their encounter with a stranger. The meeting ended with a shared supper, where during the blessing of the food, the pilgrims recognized the figure of Jesus in the stranger. Rembrandt repeatedly took up the theme of supper. Throughout his artistic life, he created several such works, the most famous of which today are those from Parisian collections. Created over many years, they allow us to trace the painter's spiritual and artistic development. The first of them was created in 1629. The young painter was then inspired by his teacher Lestman and the Caravaggisti. For Rembrandt at that time, the moment of revelation itself was most important. The figure of Christ, visible on the right, obscures the light source. A disciple before him kneels, overturning a chair, another at the table looks with surprise at the monumental figure of Jesus. In the background, a second light source is visible, this time obscured by a servant. The obscured light, in the manner of the Utrecht Caravaggisti, creates a contrast between the bright and dark areas of the canvas. -- BIRTHDAYS: Beata Szydło, Krzysztof Szczerski, Michał Kobosko, Agnieszka Woźniak-Starak, Michał Kolanko.