-- POLICE OFFICERS' CONDUCT REQUIRES URGENT CLARIFICATION - RPO ADAM BODNAR IN A STATEMENT: “Recordings from the scene available in the media and public accounts from witnesses, including members of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, indicate that the conduct of Police officers requires urgent clarification in terms of its correctness and legality. For this reason, I have already initiated ex officio proceedings in this matter. In the course of these proceedings, the following will be clarified: - the reasons and legal grounds for the Police intervention against protesters, - the circumstances and reasons for the detention of a large number of people (based on currently available information – approx. 50 people), - the use of direct coercion against protesters, - respect for the rights of detainees at Police stations, including access to a lawyer or legal advisor during actions undertaken by the Police towards detainees.” -- ALL CITIZENS SHOULD ENJOY THE FULL EXTENT OF THEIR RIGHTS IN A SENSE OF SECURITY AND DIGNITY - FURTHER FROM RPO: “In a democratic state governed by the rule of law, all citizens – regardless of any characteristics, including sexual orientation and gender identity – should enjoy the full extent of their rights in a sense of security and dignity. I emphasize that protecting this security is one of the primary tasks of the Police.” https://www.rpo.gov.pl/pl/content/RPO-po-wydarzeniach-7-sierpnia -- ZBIGNIEW ZIOBRO AT A BRIEFING - FROM MATERIAL PROVIDED BY THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE: “Zbigniew Ziobro emphasized that the two-month arrest of Michał Sz. for hooliganism was decided by an independent court, and its decision was based on the provisions of the law. – Any decent person, regardless of their views, does not consent to this kind of aggression manifested in bandit-like, hooligan attacks. I call upon representatives of the opposition: do not go down this path! You don’t need to be an intellectual giant to know what allowing physical violence and banditry in the public sphere can lead to – Minister Ziobro appealed to politicians from Civic Coalition and The Left.” -- THIS IS A CRIME, NOT A PUBLIC DEBATE - FURTHER FROM ZIOBRO: “– Brutal violence, assault, puncturing a car with a knife are criminal offenses, not political debate. A hooligan attack in broad daylight, in the center of Warsaw, throwing a person out of a car and then beating an defenseless person is an act of banditry. It cannot be justified. Even the highest temperature of political disputes does not excuse criminal misbehavior, nor for representatives of the opposition. Boundaries that seemed insurmountable have been crossed. It seemed that all political forces agreed that there was no place for physical violence in public debate. However, the opposition has crossed this boundary by defending a bandit acting under LGBT flags – said the Minister of Justice, Prosecutor General Zbigniew Ziobro at today’s (August 8th) press briefing.” -- NO ONE SHOULD BE KNOCKED DOWN, LET ALONE HAVING THEIR WRIST INJURED, BUT ARREST? - EWA SIEDLECKA IN POLITYKA: “No one should be knocked down, let alone have their wrist injured. But arrest? The prosecution was not so resolute towards people who kicked, shoved, spat at, and insulted women sitting on the route of a march by nationalists carrying fascistic slogans. They discontinued proceedings initiated after a complaint from the victims, stating in the justification that the men were simply “expressing their dissatisfaction,” and their physical assault was not directed at sensitive body parts, thus they did not intend to cause harm.” -- THE STATE IS A SOURCE OF THREAT FOR THEM - FURTHER FROM SIEDLECKA: “ LGBT individuals, insulted and humiliated by trucks from the Pro-Life Foundation circulating through city streets, also expressed their dissatisfaction. But as “eitizens of a lower order,” unlike “prima sort” citizens, they not only don’t have the right to dissatisfaction, but also to state assistance. On the contrary: the state is a source of threat for them. In his Thursday address, President Andrzej Duda spoke about the equality of all citizens and their equal right to be Polish. But – to avoid any misunderstandings – he listed all characteristics for which discrimination is frowned upon by the authorities: wealth, place of residence, and religion. He did not mention sexual orientation or gender identity. He did not include LGBT individuals among “loyal citizens.” So Margot goes to jail. What is particularly distressing in this matter is that the court decided this way. But “you won’t lock up all of us.” https://www.polityka.pl/tygodnikpolityka/kraj/1966790,1,aktywistka-lgbt-idzie-siedziec-panstwo-przeciw-obywatelom.read?src=mt -- THE POLICE ARE NOT THE PROBLEM, PUNISH THE HAND, NOT THE BLIND SWORD - SZCZEPAN TWARDOCH:” I understand that it all looks very dramatic, the scuffles, being dragged out by hands and feet, arrests, being thrown into vans, and so on, but this looks exactly the same always and everywhere. The Polish police are what they are; compared to, for example, the French police (to mention only European examples), they appear as gentle as lambs. So it is not the police officers who are to blame for what is happening. At least not those you yell at during demonstrations. The police are a tool that someone uses. Only someone completely devoid of social imagination and awareness of the financial situation of most police officers and the institution they have to function in can expect ordinary police officers on the street to suddenly go on strike and boycott their superiors' orders. Abuses, of course, happen constantly; police officers very often do not know the law they are supposed to enforce, nor the scope of their rights and duties, and they function in a toxic institution, but hello, check how much they earn, and the surprise might be somewhat smaller. I have seen hundreds of times on reports from demonstrations leaders provoking and verbally attacking police officers, just like football hooligans chanting "chavedepe." To me, it looked like they were desperately hoping someone would arrest them, so they could later show off, as in PRL times, that "they were beaten for freedom." Such provocations in France would guarantee an immediate and severe beating, or a rubber bullet from an LBD grenade launcher, after which anyone would lose the desire for any discussion. The police are not the problem. Punish the hand, not the blind sword.” https://www.facebook.com/szczepan.twardoch -- JAN ŚPIEWAK: IT'S THE SAME JUDGE WHO MADE ME A CRIMINAL: The judge who made me a criminal for revealing Ms. Górnikowska's role in the illegal privatization of a tenement house is the same judge who approved the arrest of Margot. This is what the violence of neoliberal elites against the weaker looks like. A civil reform of the courts is needed yesterday. https://twitter.com/JanSpiewak/status/1292050451635019778?s=20 -- I GET FURIOUS WHEN SOMEONE SAYS THAT VIOLENCE AND HOOLIGANISM IS DEFENDING VALUES - PATRYK SŁOWIK IN BEZPRATNIK: “I respect LGBT people, and I have publicly opposed slandering them. I am against unnecessary arrests, which in practice replace punishment. However, when someone says that violence and hooliganism are defending values and a manifestation of independence, then – forgive me for saying so – I get furious.” -- SUCH HOOLIGAN BEHAVIOR SHOULD NOT BE DEFENDED - FURTHER FROM SŁOWIK: “Firstly, Margo was not arrested (I write ‘was arrested’ because she herself wishes to be described this way; it is not for me to judge whether the male body or the female brain is more important) for her views, her own opinion, and her independence. The prosecutor’s charge, which formed the basis for the imposition of pre-trial detention, concerns the destruction of a van (cutting tires, slashing the tarp, breaking off a mirror, removing the license plate, smearing the car with paint) and causing injuries to the vehicle’s driver. Yes, I know, it is an “anty-abortion” van, meaning a vehicle from which terrible sewage is broadcast from loudspeakers, and the car is disgustingly stickered. In my opinion – I have already written this publicly – there should be no place for inciting hatred against LGBT people on Polish streets. However, destroying a van and beating the driver is certainly not a solution. And it is definitely not worth defending such hooligan behavior with claims of “being oneself” and “having one’s own opinion.” If someone needs to destroy someone else’s property and beat people to be themselves – perhaps it would indeed be better to limit their contact with other people.” -- THERE IS A GENERAL PROBLEM IN POLAND WITH THE EXCESSIVE USE OF PRE-TRIAL DETENTION - FURTHER FROM SŁOWIK: “There is a general problem in Poland with the excessive use of pre-trial detention. It is worth remembering that innocent people are held in detention. Because a person whose guilt has not been proven and who has not been convicted by a court is innocent. And many of those taken into custody will never be convicted. The system of imposing sanctions is pathological. Prosecutors, of course, request detention in very questionable cases. Because, quite simply, a suspect locked up behind bars is the best thing that can happen to a prosecutor. Who knows, maybe he will get bored in custody and confess faster? On the other hand, judges comply with prosecutors' requests in over 9 out of 10 cases. Judicial control over prosecutorial requests is illusory. And everyone has known for a long time that the system is hopeless. It is a shame that politicians channel their indignation through social media posts, rather than preparing a bill to improve the reality of thousands of suspects.” -- LET'S NOT GLORIFY HOOLIGANS - FURTHER FROM SŁOWIK: “Margo is being made into a heroine. Many people are standing up for her, politicians are vying to see who will praise her more. However, let us not forget that we are talking about a girl who – no matter how we phrase it – demolished a car and injured its driver. Let’s not place hooligans on a pedestal.” https://bezprawnik.pl/lewicowa-wizja-panstwa-czyli-jak-z-chuliganki-zrobic-bohaterke/ -- OKO PRESS REPORT FROM THE NIGHT EVENTS: “We have the impression that the police operated according to a key – people were taken out whose attire and rainbow accessories or flags could indicate that they were LGBT+ activists. The police did not provide us with information about the basis for the detention.” https://oko.press/dziesiatki-zatrzymanych-policja-wylapuje-kolejne-osoby-biejat-mamy-okolo-40-nazwisk/ -- CIVIC PLATFORMers ARE COMPETING TO PUBLICLY CONDEMN THESE GIRLS, I WILL NOT JOIN THEM - ADRIAN ZANDBERG IN CONVERSATION WITH AGATA SZCZĘŚNIAK FOR OKO: “I express my views differently, but it is not me who is denied basic human rights, it is not about me that terrible things are said on television. Civic Platformers are now competing to publicly condemn these girls. I will not join them. I prefer to ask what led to this situation. Anger, a sense of despair and hopelessness did not come from nowhere. Those who cowardly remain silent every time the incitement escalates are also responsible for them. The detention of these girls was a scandalous matter. For standing with a flag by a monument! This is completely disproportionate. It is good that our MPs intervened in this matter. -- TALKING ABOUT CONSERVATIVE VALUES, SOMEONE WITH THREE DIVORCES, WHAT MORE FAMILY-ORIENTED FORMATION THAN US - FURTHER FROM ZANDBERG IN OKO: “I think it is also worth dismantling a certain fear that the right-wing is fueling. They threaten that someone wants to ban life according to traditional principles. That soon terrible leftists will legalize families and take children away from mothers. This is, of course, quite amusing when a guy after his third divorce talks about these conservative principles, or another who left his wife with children for a mistress twenty years his junior. These men, as is well known, kneel primarily before TVP cameras. But the hypocrisy of the Polish right-wing ceased to surprise me long ago. These lies must be patiently dismantled. It is difficult to find a more family-oriented formation than us.” -- THE ANTI-PIS VERSUS ANTI-PO DIVIDE SIMPLY SERVES THE PIS - FURTHER FROM ZANDBERG: “Because there were 440,000 fewer voters who voted against PiS. This divide, Anti-PiS versus Anti-PO, simply serves PiS. (...) There is a tendency, most common among commentators closely associated with Civic Platform, to say that these are 10.4 million people hostile to human rights, to Europe, to Poland being a modern, democratic country. This is nonsense. Of course, there are those who believe that Duda is the best president in history. But even right-wing public opinion research centers admit that roughly a quarter of Andrzej Duda’s voters actually voted against the Civic Platform candidate. They voted for him because it was the “lesser evil” for them. They are not in love with Kaczyński or Macierewicz. On the other hand, they fear the return of what was before 2015. The answer to the question of whether PiS can lose the next election lies within this group of people.” -- MANY PEOPLE ASSOCIATE THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT WITH A CERTAIN RESPITE IN THEIR OWN ECONOMIC SITUATION - FURTHER FROM ZANDBERG: “We need to talk to them honestly. Instead of offending them, yelling at them – understand with respect what lies behind their decisions. Instead of treating them as “the ignorant masses” – discuss as equals and simply be honest. Because these people have their reasons. Many of them fear a deterioration of their living situation. They associate the current government with a certain respite in their own economic situation. For several years, wages have actually been growing – never mind to what extent this was related to politics and to what extent to economic conditions, but PiS undoubtedly benefits from this. Finally, they fear the liquidation of the 500+ program, because they vividly remember those who said “there is no money for social welfare and there never will be.” This fear did not come from nowhere. For millions of people, those governments meant they earned less and felt less secure.” -- THERE IS NO REASON WHY FOLLOWING THE PATH SUGGESTED BY TOMASZ LIS SHOULD EVER END ANY DIFFERENTLY THAN IT HAS SO FAR - FURTHER FROM ZANDBERG: “The Left faces a major challenge. It is the problem of media bubbles. Society has broken down into bubbles that watch completely different TV channels, read different newspapers, do not trust each other, and do not particularly want to talk to each other. Today it is much harder than fifteen years ago to cross these boundaries. But this does not mean we can give up. If we do not cross these boundaries, there will be no change. Giving in to the blackmail of those who react allergically to any attempt at dialogue guarantees very long rule for PiS. This has been tested six times and each time yielded the same result. PiS victory. There is no reason why following the path suggested by Tomasz Lis and other similar “opinion leaders” should ever end any differently.” -- POWERFUL MEDIA STAND BEHIND THE LIBERAL CAMP, AND THE LEFT CAN JUST POST ON FACEBOOK - FURTHER FROM ZANDBERG AT SZCZĘŚNIAK: “Let’s be honest: the left differs from the liberal camp in that powerful media stand behind the liberal camp. And the left can just post on Facebook. The cross of the liberals, who wear every sarcastic comment from the internet like a stigma, while simultaneously brutally attacking the left in their high-circulation media, is somewhat plush.” -- I ONLY SEE AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT CIVIC PLATFORM WANTS TO CHANGE ITS BRAND - ZANDBERG ON SZCZĘŚNIAK'S QUESTION ABOUT CITIZEN MOVEMENTS: “Social movements start from the bottom, not from the top. Movements are built around issues. Sometimes they turn into political parties, sometimes they remain outside politics. I do not see any social movement here yet. However, I see an announcement from Civic Platform politicians that they want to change their brand because the name “Civic Platform” has negative connotations. Although the Civic Coalition didn’t work out, because everyone knows it’s still Civic Platform, maybe it will work this time. In my opinion, this will not happen. Trzaskowski would like to politically capitalize on the votes he received. A few people in his circle probably believed that “this support is simply due to them.” I warn against this illusion. A significant portion of those 10 million were votes against Kaczyński’s monopoly, not for Trzaskowski. This was the sole purpose of these elections: whether the full power would be in the hands of one political camp for the next few years. If, in the second round, the proverbial Jan Kowalski had been in Trzaskowski’s place, he would have received those votes too. But that doesn’t mean that millions of voters dreamed of Jan Kowalski’s Support Movement.” -- ZANDBERG ON THE REVELATION OF A LARGER DISPUTE ON THE RIGHT: “There is clearly a dispute between figures like Patryk Jaki and, on the other hand, Morawiecki’s team. It is a dispute about which direction the ruling camp will go in the coming years. It has two paths: either to go all out, as Ziobro wants, by mobilizing increasingly nasty emotions, towards an alliance with Konfederacja. Or to calm moods, which Morawiecki seems to want. This is a revelation of a larger dispute that will sooner or later tear apart the right-wing camp. https://oko.press/adrian-zandberg-nie-mozna-tchorzliwie-milczec-gdy-prawica-szczuje-na-mniejszosci/ -- RAFAŁ TRZASKOWSKI ON FB: “The actions of the activist arrested today are an expression of powerlessness and a cry of protest against an act of hatred. I am surprised by the fact that arrest was applied in such a case. I do not believe in the coincidence of the recent actions of the authorities and law enforcement agencies. The authorities are cynically striving to escalate the situation in Poland and are trying to divide us and turn us against each other. What is happening on the streets of my city today resembles methods known from the previous era. I cannot accept that strong opposition to hate speech and the insult of people is met with such a reaction from the authorities. The law must be respected, but the law must always defend the weaker.” https://www.facebook.com/65335771090/posts/10158221661916091/ -- SZYMON HOŁOWNIA ON TWITTER: The two-month arrest of someone who is not hiding, using such police force, "coincidentally" after an action with a rainbow flag, in a country where the justice system has been powerless for years against people hanging photos of MPs on gallows – this is repression, not a preventive measure. https://twitter.com/szymon_holownia/status/1291965109074628608?s=20 -- I WILL BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE RIGHTS OF THE OPPOSITION IF A REAL ATTEMPT IS MADE TO CLEANSE THE JUDICIARY OF UNWANTED PEOPLE - PIOTR ZAREMBA IN POLSAT NEWS: “Courts still judge in different ways. There is no reason to accuse the Chamber of Extraordinary Control and Public Affairs of the Supreme Court, which legitimized these elections, because it was appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary. It just recently allowed the opposition to take over the Senate, and there were protests then too. However, I will be concerned about the rights of the opposition if a real attempt is made to cleanse the judiciary of unwanted people, and this is what Minister Ziobro is proposing.” -- TO WHAT EXTENT THE PRESIDENT WILL UNDERTAKE TO UPHOLD THE RULES OF THE COMMON PLAYING FIELD - FURTHER FROM ZAREMBA: “In these matters, without great hope, but still, I appeal to the president. It is not enough to speak nicely about agreement, to extend a hand to the opponent. When delivering his address, Andrzej Duda even literally made this gesture. However, to what extent will the head of state, who won without hiding his ties to one camp, undertake to uphold the rules of the common playing field? They should not help some to persecute others.” -- GAJOS HAS THE RIGHT TO EXPRESS HIS DISAPPROBATION, NEVERTHELESS, WHEN HE CLAIMS THAT WHAT CHARACTERIZES THE PIS GOVERNMENT REMINDS OF THE BEGINNING OF HITLER, HE CROSSES THE BOUNDARIES OF ABSURDITY - FURTHER FROM ZAREMBA:“A bigger problem for the opposition is the chorus of intellectuals, artists, and celebrities who, during the campaign, with the best intentions of helping their favorites, insult entire social classes. Or they present a completely false picture of Poland, so absurd that it mobilizes a reflex of defiance, a desire to vote against it. Although it is after the campaign, Janusz Gajos can be an example. As a citizen, he has every right to express his disapproval of the Polish reality. He ceases to be the “actor of all Poles,” but that is his choice. Nevertheless, when he claims that what characterizes the PiS government resembles the beginning of Hitler’s rule, he crosses the boundaries of absurdity.” -- THE UNWISE INSULT OF GAJOS - FURTHER FROM ZAREMBA: “The response is to focus artistic circles around him. The response is also the unwise, excessive reactions of right-wing politicians. This should have been ridiculed, not used to insult Gajos, or worse – all artists. I suspect, however, that after something like this, in the eyes of ordinary Poles, the elites are even more detached from reality. Even if quite large niches clap madly. https://tygodnik.polsatnews.pl/news/2020-08-07/byc-albo-nie-byc-czyli-dylematy-opozycji-przed-zaprzysiezeniem-prezydenta/ -- THE AUTHORITIES WERE CAUGHT OFF GUARD - SŁAWOMIR SIERAKOWSKI IN A CORRESPONDENCE FROM MINSK FOR KRYTYKA POLITYCZNA: “The authorities were caught off guard when they underestimated women and allowed the wife of the imprisoned Siarhiej Cichanouski – Sviatlana – to run. An English teacher with no prior political involvement quickly became a symbol of change – a Belarusian Joan of Arc – and rallied hundreds of thousands of Belarusians. They are now taking to the streets not only in Minsk but also in Slonim, Volkovysk, and Grodno. These are the largest gatherings in the history of a country that in 1991 voted in a referendum against leaving the Soviet Union by 83 percent, and today wants democracy and independence.” -- RUSSIA PREFERS LUKASHENKA BUT DOES NOT INTEND TO MAKE HIS LIFE EASIER - FURTHER FROM SIERAKOWSKI: “And another mistake: the loss of Russian guarantees. Russia, of course, prefers Lukashenka to the opposition and will not let him out of its sphere of influence, but it no longer intends to make his life easier. Lukashenka can be satisfied that he managed to exploit Moscow for so long. He received raw materials at a bargain price, maintaining Belarus's economy and standard of living at a much better level than, for example, in Ukraine, but he had to pay with his independence. Meanwhile, neither economic, legal, nor political integration with Russia has occurred. Belarus was supposed to pay with the Russian ruble, a common justice system was supposed to operate, a common parliament, and state industry was to fall into Russian hands. None of this has happened, or it is semi-fictional. Even cultural Russification, instead of being completed, is beginning to recede. Independent media are bilingual, the Belarusian language is slowly reviving, and the white-red-white flag has returned. Few now dream of unification with Russia. https://krytykapolityczna.pl/swiat/sierakowski-z-minska-wiec-opozycji-zakazany/ -- A MASK IS A SIGN OF CONCERN FOR OTHERS - JACEK KARNOWSKI: “The matter is not simple, and I do not mock those who view the global hysteria with a distance. But at the same time, I understand those who are very afraid because they are elderly, in poor health, or have had surgery. We have the right to weigh the costs, but we must protect them. Therefore, I do not even hesitate to put on a mask where other people are present or where someone wishes me to. It is not only a sign of concern for oneself, but above all for others. The same rules apply in any environment, including the Sejm. You have the right to think whatever you want about all of this, but respect the right of others to feel safe. That is why I was so astonished by the cheerful happening of Konfederacja MPs, who came to the National Assembly without masks.” -- KONFEDERACJA'S ACTION IS A SYMBOL OF EXTREME EGOISM - FURTHER FROM KARNOWSKI: “But intoxicated by this fame and the support of some young entrepreneurs, convinced that they will always manage on their own and will never get seriously ill, the politicians of Konfederacja have probably forgotten about those who do not necessarily feel so safe, confident, and healthy. I myself know parliamentarians who have close relatives recovering from surgery at home. I know those who are afraid that infection will kill them. Konfederacja without masks is a bad sign of extreme egoism, of only seeing one's own interests. https://wpolityce.pl/polityka/512540-konfederacja-bez-maseczek-to-sygnal-skrajnego-egoizmu -- MICHAŁ KARNOWSKI ON STIRRING UP SENTIMENTS: “such an escalation of emotions in Poland, and immediately after the elections, so that opposition voters do not spend even a second on a calm assessment of the quality of the current governments and how their lives are changing (then 500 Plus), how we are defending ourselves (now) against the effects of the coronavirus epidemic. Emotions are to be at the highest possible level, because they are burning gasoline that fills the already dug ditch, preventing many people from moving to the pro-Polish camp.” -- SO THAT PROVOKED BRAWLS DO NOT DIVERT FROM THE COURSE - FURTHER FROM MICHAŁ KARNOWSKI: “Equally important was and is the ability to ensure that provoked brawls do not divert the pro-Polish camp from the course of caring for Poles and state affairs. They could shout, they could organize march after march, they could try to force their way into parliament, but this did not stop the implementation of pro-family programs or investment planning for a single minute. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has this important trait of focusing on tasks, and this also bodes well today and will bear fruit.” -- DON'T GET DRAWN INTO BRAWLS - FURTHER FROM KARNOWSKI: “But something must be changed, certain adjustments are necessary. Because the most dangerous element of the operation that the opposition is trying again is the exhaustion of Poles. They can achieve this because the key here is the media. They decide what image reaches people. And it is already visible that only a negative image, full of brawls, will reach them. From the day of the president's inauguration! I warn – we must strengthen those media, educational, and cultural centers that do not play in the controlled opposition orchestra. Communication is key here. But this is a topic for another conversation; it is done (if you want to), not talked about. For today, the most important thing is: protect places of worship, defend monuments, but do not get drawn into brawls. That is what they want. https://wpolityce.pl/polityka/512612-wylania-sie-nowy-plan-opozycji-na-kolejne-lata-jak-reagowac -- SUPPORTERS HOPE DUDDA WILL BE THE LAST PRESIDENT OF THE 3RD RP - JAKUB MAJMUREK ON TVN24: “Andrzej Duda's supporters hope that he will be the last president of the 3rd Republic, someone who will open the way to a new 'national democracy'. The president's opponents fear the same. Duda may disappoint both groups – much suggests that, as in the previous term, he will be a president who almost always submits to the decisions of his parent party, both when it charges ahead and when it slows down. The disputes within the United Right seem so sharp that the president may unexpectedly find himself in conflict with at least part of his own camp – especially if Jarosław Kaczyński treats him with contempt one too many times.” -- MAJMUREK ON THE PRESIDENT POSSIBLY PROTECTING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS: “Also in this term, the opposition – not only parties, but also social movements, local governments, etc. – will necessarily, when all other options are exhausted, orient themselves towards the president, try to play him. How effectively? In most cases, the president will go without hesitation with his party. The whole problem is to sense the moment when he might act differently. Remembering the veto on the RIO law, one can wonder if the area where Duda does not necessarily have to sign everything that the Sejm sends him for signature will not be local governments. We hear about plans to divide the Mazovian Voivodeship, to separate a separate Warsaw Voivodeship from it. It is difficult to believe that this is about anything other than taking away one of the last voivodeship strongholds of the PSL party. Will Andrzej Duda stand against his own party in defense of the familiar, functioning, and accepted by residents Mazovian self-government?” -- THE SOCIAL POTENTIAL FOR LASTING ORBANIZATION IS WEAK - FURTHER FROM MAJMUREK: “The fact that despite excellent economic conditions and the support of the entire state apparatus, Duda won so narrowly shows that the social potential for lasting Orbanization of society is quite weak. The power structure has functioned in a similar rhythm – revolutionary attacks and withdrawals – over the past five years. The president has mainly gone with the dominant current in the ruling camp, rarely saying "no" and applying the brake. Much suggests that the second term will look similar. If this is indeed the case, history will remember Andrzej Duda as a moderately significant companion on Jarosław Kaczyński’s political journey. However, politics has a way of surprising us all – in April 2015, no one really believed that Andrzej Duda would become president at all. https://tvn24.pl/magazyn-tvn24/andrzej-duda-ostatni-prezydent-iii-rp,283,4960 -- THE HARDWORKING PROFESSIONAL KOSINIAK BUILDS MORE TRUST THAN AN EFFECTFUL BENEFICIARY OF PURELY MEDIA DEMOCRACY - PIOTR ZAREMBA IN RZ: “It is difficult to consider Kosiniak-Kamysz a consistent or very brave politician. And yet, his decision to run independently in last year's parliamentary elections evoked respect and hope for a buffer formation that would introduce some calm and substance into the usually tribal debate. And it's not about "Christian democracy" here. PiS fulfills the function of defending traditional values – better or worse. However, when not everyone fits into the ritual division, I trust a hardworking professional more, i.e., the head of PSL, than an enigmatic, showy beneficiary of purely media democracy. And Szymon Hołownia still remains such a person for me. https://www.rp.pl/Plus-Minus/308079995-Kosiniak-Holownia-i-Konfederacja-w-zatloczonym-centrum.html -- POLITICS IS BECOMING SOLELY ABOUT SERVICING INDIVIDUAL SOCIAL CLASSES - MICHAŁ SZUŁDRZYŃSKI IN RZ: “We are reaching a situation where politics is becoming solely about servicing individual social classes. Let’s call it plainly: it breeds boors. Politicians from both sides – yes, a boor supporting Duda is not particularly different from a boor who supports Trzaskowski; whoever doesn’t believe, let them look at social media – convince the people that they are wonderful. Everything is being leveled downwards, and the reference point becomes the statistical Pole – who does not read books, newspapers, or magazines, listens to disco polo, stares at the TV for two hours a day, drinks 11 liters of pure spirit annually, and readily reaches for pornography.” -- INSTEAD OF CELEBRATIONS, AN OUTDOOR SPECTACLE AT THE STADIUM WITH TRENCHES ON THE PITCH - ŁUKASZ WARZECHA IN POLSAT NEWS: “The centenary of the Battle of Warsaw is just around the corner. A battle that – without any exaggeration – truly changed the fate of Europe, and perhaps the world. A battle that was part of a broader military operation, which we have every right to be exceptionally proud of. Meanwhile, we have neither a museum of the battle, announced a few years ago for the anniversary, nor even a bizarre monument in the form of a deformed cube that was supposed to be erected at Plac na Rozdrożu. Instead, we will have an outdoor spectacle at the National Stadium. With trenches on the pitch.” -- ANOTHER ANNIVERSARY SLIPPING THROUGH OUR FINGERS - FURTHER FROM WARZECHA: “We have not seen any Polish film about Pilecki (apart from two chamber productions from years ago), but in January this year, information appeared that the well-known Austrian director Feo Aladag intends to make one. Simply because it is a fantastic subject for her. I wonder if anyone from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage has contacted the Austrian woman yet to ask if Poland can help in some way. I bet they haven’t. However, I fear that these proposals are the voice of one crying in the wilderness. No government likes to let go of an instrument it has managed to seize, even if it cannot use it at all. The sphere of historical PR has been usurped by politics, and effectiveness is not the decisive criterion here. Meanwhile, another anniversary is slipping through our fingers. https://tygodnik.polsatnews.pl/news/2020-08-06/czas-na-rozproszona-promocje-polski-warzecha-o-polityce-historycznej/ -- IS THIS REALLY THE DREAM DIRECTION OF OUR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT? - RAFAŁ WOŚ IN TYGODNIK POWSZECHNY: “Drivers and couriers, usually working on extremely precarious agreements, are at a disadvantage from the outset. This is a sad but true side of someone being able to be served even faster and more conveniently somewhere. Is this really a healthy and sustainable direction for our social development? https://www.tygodnikpowszechny.pl/wyhamuje-czy-nie-wyhamuje-164413 -- ORLEN SUPPORTS A CLIP FOR THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF WARSAW: ​​PKN ORLEN is beginning preparations for the production of a film on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Warsaw, featuring athletes supported by the Company. One of its elements will be the flight of a Boeing 737 aircraft over Warsaw. Filming will take place on Sunday, August 9, 2020. -- PHOTO. Pablo Picasso, 1903, The Tragedy (The Poor by the Sea), National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC “Blue painting like the damp bottom of an abyss” – Guillaume Apollinaire, a leading representative of the poetic avant-garde in France, wrote about Picasso's works from the Blue Period. The oppressive, cold, and depressing images seemed to strongly reflect the state of the artist's soul, who in 1901 experienced the tragic death of his friend Carlos Casagemas. “I started painting in blue because I constantly thought about him,” said the artist, who continued his Blue Period until 1904, struggling with severe depression for many years. In his Blue Period, Picasso most often depicted the world of outcasts; themes of misfortune and poverty were closest to him. Prostitutes, the poor, and alcoholics populate his canvases, which at the time did not attract any interest from buyers. However, immersed in severe depression, the painter did not care about the favor of collectors, continuing his dark, blue-tinted creation. https://www.laminerva.pl/2017/05/picasso-blekitny-okres.html -- BIRTHDAYS: Alfons Nossol, Jarosław Sroka, Piotr Cieśliński, SUNDAY: Marek Kuchciński (65).