-- 39TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF PRIMATE CARDINAL STEFAN WYSZYŃSKI. -- POLAND WILL BE ONE OF THE MAIN BENEFICIARIES OF THE MERKEL AND MACRON PLAN - RZ HIGHLIGHTS. -- THE UNION IS AGAIN GENEROUS TO POLAND - DGP HIGHLIGHTS. -- THE PRIME MINISTER AND PRESIDENT ON SUCCESS IN THE UNION, JAŚKOWIAK ON THE JULY 19TH ELECTION - 300LIVE: https://300polityka.pl/live/2020/05/28/ -- OUR ROLE IN THE UNION WILL BE GREATER THAN BEFORE THE CRISIS - JACEK CZAPUTOWICZ IN AN INTERVIEW WITH WPOLITYCE: “I believe there will be some shifts. Some countries are more affected by the economic crisis resulting from the pandemic than others. We know the predictions of experts and international organizations regarding the expected GDP decline in individual countries. Poland is among the group of countries where the decline will be smaller than the average. This would mean that Poland's relative strength may increase. We will continue to catch up with the wealthiest EU countries in terms of development, and our role and significance, both in the Union and in the world, will be greater than before the crisis. This is because Poland is handling the pandemic well, has made the right decisions, and finally, it is well-managed. This is a result of the quality of governance. The fact that risks were not feared, and entire spheres of life and entire sectors were quickly shut down. The Visegrad countries did this, and they are now in a better situation both health-wise and economically. All of this will influence the position of countries.” -- WE SUPPORT THE UNION - CZAPUTOWICZ CONTINUES: “Blaming the European Union does indeed occur, but it concerns countries most affected by the pandemic. They also use this to justify their actions, perhaps delayed ones. Today, the European Union has an important role to fulfill, in the sphere for which it was established, i.e., the economic sphere, in terms of aid. And this aid is appearing, there are financial programs. We support these actions.” https://wpolityce.pl/polityka/502181-minister-czaputowicz-o-tym-jak-pandemia-zmieni-uklad-sil -- A POLL FOR WPOLITYCE SHOWS TRZASKOWSKI CLOSING THE GAP WITH DUDA AND HOLOWNIA REMAINING STRONG: PAD 40, RT 27 (+6), SH 17, KB 6, WKK 5, RB 4: https://wpolityce.pl/polityka/502226-prezentujemy-najnowszy-sondaz-prezydencki-jest-ciekawie -- THE DUOPOLY IS HOLDING UP EXCELLENTLY, BOTH PARTIES SECRETLY ENSURED THIS WHILE WAGING TOTAL WAR OUTWARDLY - ANDRZEJ STANKIEWICZ IN TYGODNIK POWSZECHNY: “We have once again been condemned to choose between PiS and PO. Both parties have secretly ensured this while waging total war on each other outwardly. (...) Kaczyński entered into an unofficial compromise with Civic Platform regarding the elections. It turned out that both parties temporarily had a common goal: to conclude the May elections and call new ones within a few weeks.” -- BUDKA HANDLED IT WELL - STANKIEWICZ CONTINUES: “For the first serious and incredibly delicate political operation of his leadership of PO, Budka managed well. He managed to air out the party's inner workings discreetly enough that the Platform did not lose out. On the contrary: the first polls show that Rafał Trzaskowski has moved into second place in the presidential race.” -- STANKIEWICZ DESCRIBES THE PLATFORM'S PLAN - TRZASKOWSKI'S LEFT-WING WORLDVIEW WILL LOSE SIGNIFICANCE IN THE SECOND ROUND: “The model is PiS in 2015 – accusing the Platform directly of theft and attributing ruin to Poland under its rule. PO politicians will act this way until the formal campaign begins – that is, until the election courts, which handle cases in 24 hours, start operating, and thus the risk of a quick trial and defeat will be real. Then, a massive promotional campaign for Trzaskowski is being prepared, presenting him as a man of presidential stature: educated and worldly. The finale is to be a confrontation between Trzaskowski and Andrzej Duda in the second round of the elections. Then, complete polarization of electorates is to occur. Either you are for PiS, or against it. Trzaskowski's left-wing worldview is supposed to lose significance in this plan.” -- KURSKI RETURNS TO SAVE HIS INCOMPETENT PERSECUTOR - STANKIEWICZ CONTINUES: “However, it turned out that such a makeshift solution is not enough during a political crisis. Kurski, from the position of an advisor, was unable to manually control people and money. That's why he's returning now to save his incompetent persecutor.” -- STANKIEWICZ WRITES THAT KACZYŃSKI WAS INFLUENCED BY THE CONSTITUTIONAL OPINIONS PREPARED FOR GRODZKI, WHICH GOWIN BROUGHT TO NOWOGRODZKA STREET: “Ultimately, Kaczyński sided with the moderates. But at the same time, he abandoned the idea of calling new elections through the Supreme Court. Why? Not only Lemańska's warning had significance. According to my unofficial information, legal opinions commissioned from constitutionalists by Senate Marshal Tomasz Grodzki (PO) reached Kaczyński – via Gowin. They indicated that the Supreme Court could rule that since the elections did not take place, it cannot be determined whether they were legal or not. This would be a catastrophe, as PiS would fall into a legal trap, which could postpone the elections for several more months.” https://www.tygodnikpowszechny.pl/duopol-trzyma-sie-swietnie-163502 -- 14 DAYS HAVE PASSED AND WE ARE WORKING ON A LAW WITHOUT A LEGAL BASIS. IN PRINCIPLE, WE COULD REFUSE TO WORK ON IT ALTOGETHER, MANY AMENDMENTS WERE SUBMITTED BECAUSE THE LAW WAS FULL OF HOLES - MAREK BOROWSKI IN AN INTERVIEW WITH WIADOMO.CO: “There is also a proposal from the National Electoral Commission (PKW), which adopted a resolution stating that the elections did not take place, and this corresponds to a situation where no candidate registered. Therefore, it can be assumed that the decisions pass to the Marshal of the Sejm, who has 14 days, etc. Only this resolution must be published in the Journal of Laws, and it still is not, for now it is only on the PKW website. The question is, therefore, on what legal basis did the Sejm adopt the law we are now dealing with. The resolution has not been published, but the Sejm adopted the law and sent it to the Senate.” -- BOROWSKI ON WHEN THE LAW WILL LEAVE THE SENATE: “We have commissioned an opinion from constitutionalists, which we will receive on Monday. Then the final debate and vote will take place.” -- BOROWSKI ON THE REASONS FOR THE DELAY IN PUBLISHING THE PKW RESOLUTION: “The truth is that PiS is delaying so that the Marshal can make a decision at the last minute, in order to maximally shorten the period for collecting signatures. The aim is to put the opposition, and especially Trzaskowski, in a difficult situation and reduce his chances of a good result. This is the game being played, so if we talk about obstruction, this is what it is, and PiS and Prime Minister Morawiecki are engaging in it.” -- I DO NOT ACCUSE SZUMOWSKI OF MISDEEDS - BOROWSKI CONTINUES: “Of course, I do not accuse Minister Szumowski of any misdeeds, but such a conflict of interest should not occur. If it has occurred, the minister should resolve it today. Either he and his family will leave the industry, which is unlikely, or he will cease to be the Minister of Health.” https://wiadomo.co/marek-borowski-nie-polozymy-uszu-po-sobie-dla-kaczynskiego/ -- THE LEFT AND PSL SET A TRAP FOR PO - DOMINIKA WIELOWIEYSKA IN GW: “There is no shortage of suspicions within Civic Coalition that it is no coincidence that representatives of PSL and the Left are now pushing doubts, although they did not have them before. Because both the Left's candidate Robert Biedroń and the PSL's candidate Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz are performing very poorly in the polls. If they lose miserably, they can claim that these were rather illegitimate elections. Moreover, both the Left and PSL know that this is a problem that can weaken the mobilization of PO voters.” -- QUESTIONING JUNE 28 IS NOT BENEFICIAL FOR TRZASKOWSKI - WIELOWIEYSKA CONTINUES: "Questioning the legality of the June 28 elections today is in the interest of the smaller parties, but it is not good for Rafał Trzaskowski. Everyone in the opposition knows this. However, they do not want to publicly discuss these issues so as not to give the impression that the opposition is divided." https://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,25979071,wybory-prezydenckie-kto-w-co-gra-na-opozycji.html -- THIS TIME GOWIN WAS NOT FOOLED BY THE OPPOSITION - MICHAŁ KARNOWSKI: “First, that there will be no negotiations about further postponements of the deadline, especially beyond constitutional limits. Second, this time, none of the United Right politicians, including Jarosław Gowin, will be fooled by tricks and will not play this game, and therefore will not hold a pistol to the partners' heads called 'loss of parliamentary majority.' Third, those politicians, local or national, who once again resort to unlawful threats of refusing to cooperate in the electoral process, must be prepared for decisive countermeasures.” -- EVERYONE SEES WHO IS TO BLAME, THE STATE IS CAPABLE OF DEFENDING CITIZENS' RIGHTS TO PARTICIPATE IN ELECTIONS - KARNOWSKI CONTINUES: “As I understand these words, if they hide behind the conducting of matriculation exams (in how many schools are they taking place?) or the alleged impossibility of forming electoral commissions, people who can fulfill the constitutional task of organizing elections can temporarily replace them. And if the Senate majority stretches the deadlines during the work on the bill such that in effect there will be only a few days for new candidates to collect signatures – then so be it, everyone will know who is to blame. The Polish state is capable of defending citizens' right to participate in free, democratic presidential elections. Another successful blackmail will not happen.” https://wpolityce.pl/polityka/502137-tak-tym-razem-szantaz-opozycji-sie-nie-uda -- THE OPPOSITION IS BREAKING RECORDS OF TOTALITY - JACEK KARNOWSKI: “Today, the opposition is breaking its own records of totality. Waving the banner of democracy and the constitution, it is blocking the foundation of democracy: elections organized cyclically, at specified times. It also refuses the president exceptionally clearly defined prerogatives. It openly pushes for the interruption of the continuity of one of the most important institutions of the Polish state. In sum – it is running around with matches, trying to set our house on fire. The United Right faces perhaps the most serious task in its history today. Because the most important foundations must be defended again.” https://wpolityce.pl/polityka/502110-zjednoczona-prawica-musi-dzis-bronic-podstaw-panstwowosci -- HOŁOWNIA FOR MAYOR OF THE CAPITAL? - as Jacek Nizinkiewicz writes in RZ: “It is no coincidence that PO, by putting forward Trzaskowski as a candidate for President of the Republic of Poland, has not nominated an eventual candidate for the new mayor of the capital. The Platform is considering making Hołownia an offer he cannot refuse: support in the elections for mayor of the capital. Withdrawing his candidacy or even loudly supporting Trzaskowski in the second round would allow Hołownia to remain on the political scene and lose the presidency with dignity – by winning the mayor's office, if he agreed to fight for it. Meanwhile, Hołownia is still intoxicated by his internal polls, which show an upward trend in support for him.” -- PIS IS SHAKING - NIZINKIEWICZ CONTINUES: “The Konfederacja electorate could help in Duda's re-election. The remaining candidates remain in the realm of the exotic, but one of them can be dangerous for Duda. Paweł Tanajno, by escalating protests, is stirring up social anger that threatens the government, including the president. And street anger is something that Jarosław Kaczyński fears most. Regardless of when the presidential elections are held, the strongest opposition candidates should already be holding talks about a common front to reclaim the Presidential Palace. PiS is already shaking.” https://www.rp.pl/Analizy/200529349-Jacek-Nizinkiewicz-Wygrac-z-Duda-moze-tylko-jeden.html -- THE SENATE AMENDMENT HAS INFUSED NEW FAITH INTO THE TIRED RANKS OF KACZYŃSKI'S KNIGHTS - ZUZANNA DĄBROWSKA IN RZ: “The amendment aimed at calling elections after the end of President Andrzej Duda's term, i.e., in the autumn, has infused new faith into the ranks of Jarosław Kaczyński's knights, who were somewhat tired by the long march. TVP Info went wild with delight. What's worse, Civic Coalition itself lost its voice and was unable to withdraw from its own ideas for a long time. Eventually, Borys Budka managed to do so. After this one-day turning point, it seems that the June 28 date for the first round of presidential elections is looming again.” -- IF THE KO CAMPAIGN IS TO PROCEED AT THIS PACE, TRZASKOWSKI'S MOMENTUM MAY CEASE TO BE RELEVANT - DĄBROWSKA CONTINUES: “However, the most interesting are the signals from within PO. Rafał Trzaskowski's campaign staff felt directly attacked, and from within. Not all wounds from the candidate change have probably healed, and there are those who believe they would be better 'second candidates,' especially since they hold positions similar to Trzaskowski's. If the KO campaign continues at this pace, the freshness and momentum of Trzaskowski's campaign start may cease to be relevant. But in the Wednesday demonstration of the three leaders of the United Right, what was striking was not only the satisfaction of the opposition showing its chin, but also the determination of the right-wing politicians to hit that chin hard. And the opposition should draw conclusions from this.” https://www.rp.pl/Komentarze/200529355-Zuzanna-Dabrowska-Opozycja-natychmiast-do-poprawki.html -- TRZASKOWSKI HAS A PROBLEM - IT'S KURSKI - WRITES SŁAWOMIR SIERAKOWSKI IN ONET: “PiS is currently preparing for an attack. And the main attacker is to be Jacek Kurski, who has already managed to win the presidency for PiS once. (...) Trzaskowski does not lack stature, as he is the President of Warsaw. Journalists have to address him as 'Mr. President,' and it works. However, he will have another problem, and its name is Jacek Kurski. And it's not just about the cesspool that Kurski can create even from a sewage treatment plant. In 2005, Kurski did not yet have television, yet he played a decisive role. Tusk was entering the final stretch as the favorite. Polls showed him winning. Then Kurski got to work. First, on the note below (in the photo), he wrote down ideas for what to accuse the PO candidate of in order to destroy him in the eyes of public opinion.” -- TRZASKOWSKI STARTED THE CAMPAIGN BRILLIANTLY - SIERAKOWSKI CONTINUES: “Rafał Trzaskowski has started the campaign brilliantly. He has clearly scared PiS. He is setting the agenda, and the rest are reacting. Szymon Hołownia's interviews are not about Szymon Hołownia, but about Rafał Trzaskowski. Whoever is reactive is always one step behind the one they are referring to.” https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/opinie/trzaskowski-ma-problem-nazywa-sie-jacek-kurski/98ml3vx -- ORDO IURIS, CITIZENS' MILITIA - Józef Krzyk in GW. -- JACEK ŻAKOWSKI ON THE PRIVATIZATION OF THE STATE - writes in GW: “It really works that way. Owners of privatized tenement houses do with them as they please. It's no one's business that they give them away as gifts, ruin them, or hand them over for management to a troglodyte who torments residents. On this matter, we agreed. PiS has extended this principle to the state. Some are indignant that the owners of privatized Poland are acting this way. But they believe it is their good right, and when we protest, many people think they are right. Because the power is theirs and Poland is theirs – just like a tenement house belongs to others.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,25980583,polska-sprywatyzowana.html -- PHOTO. View of Toledo (Spanish: Vista de Toledo) – a painting by El Greco depicting a panorama of the city of Toledo, currently housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. At the end of the 16th century, Toledo was the religious and secular center of Christian Spain. In 1570, a major reconstruction of the city began. The main goal was the reconstruction of the main square, Plaza de Zocodover, and the construction of a new water supply system. At the same time, El Greco lived and worked in the city. In 1597, he began painting View of Toledo, referring to both the traditional image of the city and its new transformations. The depiction of a city view as an independent subject of painting was an innovative move in El Greco's era. -- BIRTHDAYS: Joanna Wnuk-Nazarowa, Jacek Weksler, Krzysztof Lisek, Bożena Sławiak.