-- THIS IS POLAND'S MOST IMPORTANT INITIATIVE ON THE EU FORUM SINCE THE PIS TAKEOVER, IT CAN ERASE DISPUTES WITH BRUSSELS - JĘDRZEJ BIELECKI IN RZ: “Funds for economic recovery, opening the European market – Poland has the support of the majority of the EU for its program for Minsk – Rzeczpospolita has learned. The condition: free elections beyond the Bug River. This is undoubtedly Warsaw's most important initiative on the EU forum since the PiS takeover in 2015. If it succeeds, it may, to some extent, erase the disputes that have characterized our country's relations with Brussels for the past five years. As with Ukraine seven years ago, Poland has a plan to break a key crisis in the Community's immediate neighborhood. https://www.rp.pl/Bialorus/200919494-Polska-ma-pomysl-na-przelamanie-kryzysu-na-Bialorusi-I-ma-poparcie-w-UE.html -- WE NEED TO STOP DELUDING OURSELVES ABOUT MANY "TRUE POLES" - TOMASZ SAKIEWICZ IN NIEZALEŻNA: “Regarding cooperation with countries east of Poland, especially Ukraine, Lithuania, and Belarus, there is a veritable river of arguments against from those concerned about true 'Polishness.' Conflicts with Polish minorities in these countries are brilliantly exploited here. These countries are not without fault. But it is primarily in our interest that they be independent and democratic. Leaving them to Moscow's mercy is a betrayal of Polish interests. We can argue about what Polish interests are today, but they certainly cannot be defined in Moscow. And they are certainly defined there when every action has one denominator: the Kremlin's interest. We need to finally look at this honestly and stop deluding ourselves about many 'true Poles.' https://niezalezna.pl/352412-bialorus-kolejny-test -- IKONOWICZ FOR OMBUDSMAN - RAFAŁ WOŚ IN TYGODNIK POWSZECHNY: “For the last 30 years, he has served as the unpaid 'ombudsman for the rights of the common person.' Today, there is no better candidate in Poland to replace Adam Bodnar as the constitutional Ombudsman. (...) Judging by these criteria, the question is not 'does Ikonowicz meet the requirements?' but rather, 'why hasn't he been the Ombudsman yet?' Because looking at his achievements, he deserves this position more than anyone else. We are talking about a man who for over 30 years has been practically helping people whose fundamental civil rights are violated: tenants affected by reprivatization, exploited workers, or the homeless who have fallen into a spiral of debt and lost their homes. What's more, he does this both systemically (as the first in Poland he started providing free legal advice through the Social Justice Office) and 'on the street': blocking evictions or supporting illegal strikes where official trade unions are afraid to even peek'. https://www.tygodnikpowszechny.pl/ikonowicz-na-rpo-164884 -- REPORT FROM THE PRO-ANIMAL ORGANIZATION VIVA ON THE LATE-NIGHT PROCEEDINGS OF THE "LAW FOR ANIMALS" IN COMMITTEE: Today at 7:00 AM, after 11 hours, the Agriculture Committee session concluded! We stayed until the end. There were 84 votes. Why did the session drag on so long? Because Konfederacja MPs did everything they could to block the proceedings of the bill. They compared starving dogs to crickets, spoke out of turn, submitted absurd amendments in bulk, and incited a loss of quorum. HAD they succeeded, the bill could not have had its second reading today. However, MPs from other parties rose to the occasion and did not give up! THE BILL PROCEEDS! (17:4) THE BAN on breeding animals for fur and their use in circuses REMAINS in the amendment! https://www.facebook.com/fundacjaviva/ -- KAMIŃSKI ON THE UNCERTAIN OUTCOME IN THE SENATE, FOGIEL ON SACHAJKI'S COURAGE - 300LIVE: https://300polityka.pl/live/2020/09/17 -- A STATE THAT DOES NOT SHIRK RESPONSIBILITY - ADRIAN ZANDBERG IN CONVERSATION WITH PAULINA SIEGIEŃ IN KRYTYKA POLITYCZNA: “Simply, a state that does not shirk responsibility. For schools, for public transport, for healthcare, for labor rights, for environmental protection. We want development, but intelligent development. One that does not devastate nature, does not destroy the lives of residents. That is why we intervene in matters like this, why we stand up to defend the communities of Podlasie whose lives are poisoned by industrial farms. Development must mean a better quality of life for everyone, not just for residents of a few large cities. And we are here with these proposals.” -- THE LIBERAL WISDOM THAT POLAND EAST OF THE VISTULA IS A BROWN SPOT IS HARD TO EVEN COMMENT ON, I WON'T BE PERSUADED TO INCITE THE CITY AGAINST THE COUNTRYSIDE - ZANDBERG CONTINUES: “The condescending attitude of liberals towards eastern Poland is a political mistake. It is hard even to comment on this 'wisdom,' as if Poland east of the Vistula were one large brown spot. Podlasie is the most culturally diverse region of Poland. If anyone thinks that everyone here votes for the right, they should check the election results of the last twenty years again. I will not be persuaded to incite the city against the countryside. I prefer to look for allies.” -- WE WANT A POLAND WITHOUT 'LGBT-FREE ZONES', SO LET'S ENSURE THERE ARE NO POLANDS WITHOUT LABOR AGREEMENTS AND PKS (STATE BUS LINES) - ZANDBERG CONTINUES: “In Podlasie, the problems that the left has been talking about for years are concentrated: transport exclusion, poor access to healthcare, unstable working conditions. And these are what need to be addressed. Without this, democratic Poland will always be weak. We want a Poland where there are no 'LGBT-free zones'? Then let's ensure there are no zones free from employment contracts, zones free from trade unions, zones free from PKS (state bus lines)...” -- HOŁOWNIA'S MOVEMENT IS A KINDER EGG - ZANDBERG CONTINUES: “Hołownia's movement is a novelty, so it's getting a bonus for being new. For now, people who often have completely contradictory views hope it will represent their convictions. Szymon Hołownia is a bit like a Kinder Surprise egg. It's still not very clear what's inside, in what political direction he wants to go. We know and tell people directly what we're about.” https://krytykapolityczna.pl/kraj/zandberg-lewica-podlasie-czyze-kopalnia-torfu/ -- WAITING FOR THE CIVIC COALITION CLUB LEADER, THE PUBLIC HELD ITS BREATH... SO AS NOT TO YAWN - RAFAŁ KALUKIN IN POLITYKA: “While waiting for the new head of the Civic Coalition club, the public held its breath... so as not to yawn. Meanwhile, politics is quickly returning to the schemes of the previous term, which guaranteed PiS dominance.” -- PLATFORMA, LIKE ANY MATURE ORGANIZATION WITH AN OLIGARCHIC TINT, HAS ADORED SHUFFLING HIERARCHIES AND CALCULATING INTERESTS SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL - KALUKIN CONTINUES: “For this reason, it shouldn't make much difference to the public who heads the largest opposition club this time. There is something indecent about stoking a media soap opera, endless anonymous discussions, and denunciations. Although this is nothing new. Platforma – like any mature organization with a strong oligarchic tint, for that matter – has always adored personal reshuffles, shuffling hierarchies, and calculating interests. This has never ended well; excessive self-focus usually indicates helplessness in dealing with the external world. As well as the minimalism of leaders who primarily want to position themselves somehow, and only then effectively fight for power and influence.” -- THE SURPRISE EFFECT HAS PASSED, TRZASKOWSKI IS FALLING INTO SERIOUS IMAGE TROUBLE - KALUKIN CONTINUES: “Meanwhile, the surprise effect has long passed, and Trzaskowski, in turn, is falling into serious image trouble, and in the current circumstances, it will be much harder for him to organize the promised movement. It is likely not by chance that he is now tempering expectations; a large civic cloud has turned into a somewhat expanded think tank. At the same time, the recent KO presidential candidate remains a hostage of 'Nowa Solidarność' and can no longer afford to abandon this concept. Although in the current circumstances, perhaps more sensible political solutions could be found with his participation.” -- BUDKA HAS EFFECTIVELY STEPPED OUT OF THE SHADOWS, BUT HAS SHOWN INCOMPETENCE - KALUKIN CONTINUES: “It's another matter that it's hard to launch bold initiatives when strong leadership is lacking. And that has also become a problem. After the presidential elections, there were boastful declarations from Borys Budka's entourage that now the leader would step out of the shadows of both presidential candidates and finally show his skills. After which, he indeed stepped out, demonstrating clumsiness. After the uproar over MP salary increases, Budka's enthusiasts have significantly decreased.” -- THE NEW CYCLE: PLATFORMA STARTED THE WORST WAY POSSIBLE, THE REAL DIAGNOSTIC VALUE OF ITS DECENT POLLS IS AMBIGUOUS - KALUKIN CONTINUES: “The largest opposition party has therefore begun the new political cycle in the worst way possible. With unfulfilled hopes for a new beginning, a leadership crisis, and symptoms of internal conflict. The polls do not yet reflect this (KO holds a stable second place with 25-30% support), although their real diagnostic value is not unambiguous at all. The political fever has passed, there are over three years until the next elections, and with reduced engagement, some voters are likely declaring their political preferences out of habit rather than genuine reflection. The polls can be deceptive.” https://www.polityka.pl/tygodnikpolityka/kraj/1971592,1,nieudany-poczatek-sezonu-platforma-znow-traci-inicjatywe.read -- WHY IS PLATFORMA STILL LAGGING BEHIND? - JACEK ŻAKOWSKI IN GW: “Donald Tusk could no longer cope. Ewa Kopacz clearly could not cope. Grzegorz Schetyna, unfortunately, also could not cope. Finally, Borys Budka also could not cope. Bronisław Komorowski, Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska, and Rafał Trzaskowski also could not cope. (...) Generally, we hear that Platforma isn't moving because its wheels are spinning. That is, the ground is too boggy, meaning society is not right – unaware, corruptible, naive, fearful, etc. This line of reasoning leads nowhere, because society won't change quickly. But others manage to drive on this boggy ground. However – unfortunately – in the wrong direction. So why is Platforma still lagging behind?” -- A DEMOCRATIC PARTY THAT ELECTS LEADERS AND CANDIDATES FROM A SMALL, TIRED, ALWAYS THE SAME GROUP BEHIND CLOSED DOORS - ŻAKOWSKI CONTINUES: “Look at its wheels. Aren't they square? Can a democratic party that elects its leaders, presidential candidates, and now club leaders from a small, tired, always the same group behind closed doors – instead of in a general, open party debate or at a club meeting – utilize its political potential, i.e., the collective energy and wisdom of its members and sympathizers? Or rather – in a tribute to misunderstood efficiency – does it stifle and waste the energy and competencies it has within its own, still quite numerous, ranks around it? Democrats stubbornly avoiding democratic procedures – that is a squaring of the circle. Democratic energy grows by flowing from the bottom up, and when it flows in the other direction – it dissipates. It's hard to win even against worse opponents when you're riding on square wheels.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,26303994,platforma-na-kwadratowych-kolach.html -- PIS KNOWS PERFECTLY WELL THAT ZIOBRO WANTS TO KNOCK MORAWIECKI OUT, TO MAXIMALLY WEAKEN HIM BEFORE THE PIS CONGRESS - IWONA SZPALA IN GW: “In PiS, they know perfectly well that Ziobro wants to knock Morawiecki out. He has an idée fixe to maximally weaken him before the PiS congress, which is supposed to make the Prime Minister a party vice-chairman and position him as the leader's successor [the date has not yet been set, but the congress is not expected before late autumn – ed.]. Ziobro's actions do not go unnoticed. In PiS, there are groups and cliques who believe that Morawiecki lacks political skills. In the corridors, they conspire and support Ziobro's line to ultimately prevent Morawiecki's party promotion – says our interlocutor connected with Nowogrodzka.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,75398,26307632,przepychanki-w-zjednoczonej-prawicy-cel-oslabic-morawieckiego.html -- ULTIMATELY 14 MINISTRIES, EMILEWICZ WILL RECEIVE A POSITION IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE FROM MORAWIECKI'S ALLOCATION - KAMIL DZIUBKA AND ANDRZEJ GAJCY IN ONEȚ: “According to coalition agreements, there will ultimately be fourteen of them. The Ministry of Sport, Digitization, Maritime Economy, Climate, Education, or Funds and Regional Policy, among others, will disappear or be absorbed by larger ministries. Solidarna Polska, in addition to the Ministry of Justice, which will of course go to Zbigniew Ziobro, will have its minister in the Prime Minister's Chancellery. The same share in the government will go to Porozumienie, whose leader Jarosław Gowin will return to the government as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Development. It also appears likely that the current Deputy Prime Minister Jadwiga Emilewicz will receive a position in the Prime Minister's Chancellery from Prime Minister Morawiecki himself, which will not, however, come from the coalition's allocation. Leaders will discuss other personnel matters on Thursday afternoon.” https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/tylko-w-onecie/rekonstrukcja-rzadu-prezes-pis-jaroslaw-kaczynski-szachuje-koalicjantow/p0ez528 -- MARGOT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE EVERYONE'S HERO, AND YOU DON'T NEED TO SHOUT "F*** THE POLICE" TO DEFEND LGBT - JAKUB SZEWCZENKO IN KULTURA LIBERALNA: “Criticism of more aggressive forms of protest is not accompanied by the belief that nothing else has been tried before, as some claim. On the contrary, hundreds of activists have been working in Poland for years, doing meticulous work for their community. Their actions do not always gain media attention, and the results are not immediately visible. But the measure of their success is that the Equality Parade in Warsaw has grown from a small event, initially counting a thousand participants, to now gathering tens of times more (in 2019, the number of participants was estimated at 50-80 thousand, in 2005 at a thousand). It is an event that, in terms of size, can only be rivaled by the Independence March! And large corporations participate in it, believing that it will bring them more customers in our country, not fewer. The movement fighting for the rights of sexual minorities has become strong enough that opponents seriously fear it – that it must be reckoned with. This is a good sign. Therefore, it is worth not overestimating the effectiveness of aggressive activism and not underestimating the achievements of other activists. Margot does not have to be everyone's hero. After all, convincing the majority of one's demands should be the key topic in this discussion.” https://kulturaliberalna.pl/2020/09/17/margot-nie-trzeba-krzyczec-jec-psy-zeby-popierac-lgbt/ -- BIRTHDAYS: Jacek Sutryk, Waldemar Andzel, Teresa Lubińska, Michał Stuligrosz.