-- AN INTERESTING CULTURE LIBERALE CONFERENCE FROM 6 PM: The conference 'Freedom in Turbulent Times: Pandemic, Liberalism and The Future' will begin at 6 PM. This year, the event is entirely online. It can be followed in Polish, English, and for the deaf, on the Kultury Liberalnej YouTube channel. Participants include: Rafał Trzaskowski, Andrzej Seweryn, Timothy Garton Ash, Jarosław Kuisz, Zdzisław Krasnodębski, Karolina Wigura. https://www.youtube.com/user/KulturaLiberalna -- PIS LOSES VOTE, TERLECKI ACCUSES PO, MINISTER OF HEALTH SPEAKS OF POLITICAL MANEUVERING VICTORY - 300LIVE: https://300polityka.pl/live/2020/10/20/ -- THE BALTIC STATES HAVE GROWN WARY OF GERMANY, HENCE THEIR ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT IN THE THREE SEAS INITIATIVE SUPPORTED BY THE USA - JĘDRZEJ BIELECKI IN RZ: “In the past two years, this logic has gained new adherents. These are the Baltic states and Romania itself. For a quarter of a century of independence, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia did not dare to do anything that would not be approved by the Federal Republic of Germany. They considered Berlin to be the guarantor of their independence. However, Merkel's push for Nord Stream 2, and most recently the lack of a serious reaction from the EU and Germany to the democratic revolution in Belarus and the attempted poisoning of Alexei Navalny, have forced a reassessment of this approach. This is the source of the development of their relations with the USA and America's main partner in Central Europe – Poland. The organization of the Three Seas summit by Estonians is a manifestation of this. Such an arrangement will not change in the event of Joe Biden's victory on November 3. On the contrary, it could become an important element of America's rivalry with China, which is the main goal of the Democratic candidate's foreign policy. – Biden has always advocated for Poland as a leading democracy in Europe and a partner of the USA. He may prioritize the Three Seas initiative and expand it to the Western Balkans. It would be ideal if the Three Seas became a transparent, privately-led alternative to China's Belt and Road Initiative – Michael Carpenter, Biden's foreign policy advisor, told PAP.” https://www.rp.pl/Polityka/310199927-Trojmorze-Odrodzenie-snu-Pilsudskiego.html -- THE COURSE OF THE PANDEMIC DEPENDS NOT ONLY ON THE OPERATION OF HEALTHCARE - MARIA LIBURA AT KLUB JAGIELLOŃSKI: “The course of this pandemic depends not only on the operation of the healthcare system. This system is, in a way, the last resort. The increasing number of cases shows that other safeguards have failed. It turned out that the way schools and kindergartens were organized was not optimal. Many infection clusters appeared in them, which were not identified. Countries that managed to limit the rapid increase in coronavirus cases in the second wave succeeded by implementing rigorous and rapid identification of new sources of infection, and then testing the entire environment to nip these outbreaks in the bud.” https://klubjagiellonski.pl/2020/10/19/libura-w-niektorych-regionach-polski-sytuacja-systemu-ochrony-zdrowia-zaczyna-przypominac-scenariusz-wloski/ -- EASY TO GET IRRITATED AND ANGRY, HARDER TO SEE THE GOVERNMENT'S DILEMMA - HOW TO FIGHT WITHOUT ANOTHER LOCKDOWN - MICHAŁ OKOŃSKI IN TYGODNIK POWSZECHNY: “In this situation, it is easy to become irritated and angry. It is easy to make accusations, with the most serious ones at the forefront: that in recent months, the government, instead of preparing for the second wave of the epidemic, announced that the problem had practically disappeared – and then spent a lot of energy on internal conflict and surrogate ideological warfare. It is easy to question the sense of many restrictions introduced in recent days, given that they are not accompanied by all schools moving to remote learning. It is easy to feel frustrated by the fact that regulations are created on the fly and published at the last minute. It is harder to recognize the dilemma that not only the Polish authorities face: how to fight to limit the number of infections without introducing another lockdown, i.e., without actually stifling the economy. It is even harder to look in the mirror and admit how many times one has disregarded epidemic safety rules, feeling that life must go on. The most difficult thing is to cope with fear and the apprehension of losing control over one's own destiny without trying to tame it with outward aggression – not just directed at the rulers, by the way.” https://www.tygodnikpowszechny.pl/kiedy-panstwo-nie-odbiera-165298 -- THE PRIME MINISTER MAY RECEIVE A CREDIT OF TRUST, BUT THE MINIMUM CONDITION IS A SINCERE ADMISSION OF MISTAKES AND NEGLIGENCE - WOJCIECH CZUCHNOWSKI IN GAZETA WYBORCZA: “The authorities need a credit of trust. At least as much as they had in the spring, during the first wave of the pandemic. After months of lies and blatant propaganda, they no longer have this trust today. A symbol of the authorities' attitude so far is the Minister of Health, the steadfast helmsman and sailor, who abandoned the ship, despite assuring until the end that he would bravely stand his ground. However, the prime minister may receive a credit of trust. The minimum condition is a sincere admission of mistakes and negligence. Only then will the government have a moral mandate to introduce restrictions, demand sacrifices, set tasks, and enforce penalties.” -- HE SHOULD START WITH AN APOLOGY - CONTINUES CZUCHNOWSKI: “Instead of boasting about successes, assuring how much he values the health and lives of Poles, and blaming doctors or teachers – Morawiecki should start today with an apology. Then we can talk about cooperation. The example of New Zealand, Finland, or Germany, where the rulers had the courage to admit their mistakes in order to move forward, shows that only this path is the right one. And that it is not shameful to say: 'I was wrong.' Let Morawiecki apologize, let the government finally get to work. I believe that then everyone will help, and we will somehow get through this.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,75398,26413332,przeproscie-i-wezcie-sie-do-pracy.html -- WHEN RIGHT-WING JOURNALISTS WRITE ABOUT LIFE AS THE HIGHEST VALUE, ONE CAN SHRUG THEIR SHOULDERS, BECAUSE COVID-19 EXPOSES THEM - JOANNA LICHOCKA IN GPC: “When right-wing journalists contesting the introduction of coronavirus restrictions write in the future about 'human life as the highest value,' one can shrug their shoulders. Because COVID-19 exposes them. This value ends when they are inconvenienced by wearing masks or not being able to attend concerts. Two weeks ago, at the 'Unbroken, Unyielding, Outlawed' film festival, before one of the screenings, a member of the staff asked someone in the hall to put on a mask in accordance with the requirements. She was met with refusal. 'I don't wear masks,' replied Maciej Pawlicki, an editor for wpolityce and the weekly 'Sieci,' with a hint of superiority. And neither he nor the people accompanying him put on masks. There were several elderly people in the hall. I was astonished that this journalist, as he calls himself, a right-wing journalist, completely disregards their health. His statement 'I don't wear a mask' carried a sentiment close to the slogan 'death to the losers.' At least that's how I perceived it. The healthy, young, and strong will win against the virus, but what about the fact that the weaker, older, and sick may be exposed to serious trouble due to such an attitude? 'The mortality rate is not high,' Pawlicki insists and doesn't wear a mask. He calls this freedom. I call it contempt for the weaker and I lament that such a voice is clearly audible in the media that consider themselves right-wing and libertarian.” https://niezalezna.pl/358747-solidarnie-damy-rade -- BASED ON CAMPAIGN SPENDING, MICHAŁ SZUŁDRZYŃSKI IN RZ: IN THE NEXT ELECTIONS, THE OPPOSITION WILL BE IN A MUCH BETTER POSITION: “Therefore, it must be stated that Trzaskowski performed much better than previously thought. This is fatal news for PiS. One can understand why frustration set in on the right after the elections. It was realized that the next elections cannot be won this way. If the commitment of such astronomical resources only yielded a two-percentage-point advantage, then the systemic limitations of the ruling camp's policy are obvious. And this is an opportunity for the opposition and Trzaskowski. Although it must be remembered that, unlike Duda, whom most voters voted for to become president, the majority of Trzaskowski's voters voted for him so that Duda would not become president. Nevertheless, the opposition will be in a much better position in the next elections. Especially if, as in this one, Trzaskowski brings new ideas and concepts to them. However, he will have to build all his strength and support from scratch.” https://www.rp.pl/Analizy/310199879-Szuldrzynski-Andrzej-Duda-slono-zaplacil-za-zwyciestwo.html -- DOUBTS ABOUT THE ONE-SIDED REACTION OF THE BAR - ATTORNEY BEATA SIEMIANIAKO IN AN INTERVIEW WITH PAULINA SIEGIEŃ IN KRYTYKA POLITYCZNA: “My doubts concern the one-sided reaction of the bar to what has happened. Indeed, in the case of Roman Giertych's arrest, there is a very high risk that the prosecutor's office violated procedures. However, in addition to this issue, we must also address the fact that a member of the legal community is facing very serious charges. The bar, however, does not do this. And beyond the political dimension of the case, there are many other layers that need to be addressed and clarified so that society does not lose trust in us, meaning the legal self-government.” -- THE BAR SHOULD ALSO CLARIFY GIERTYCH'S ROLE, AS IT WILL LOSE SOCIAL TRUST - CONTINUES ADV. SIEMIANIAKO: “When there is suspicion that an attorney has committed an offense, the Bar Association publishes a statement on the matter. This is good practice, but it is not enough. The statement appears when a scandal erupts and the topic is hot. But there is a lack of follow-up; the proceedings are not transparent. It is unknown whether they have ended and what their outcome was. Not only in the case of advocate Giertych, but in the case of every attorney. I believe that in a similar crisis situation, such as the one surrounding Roman Giertych's case, the bar association has a duty to care not only for the violated good name of one specific attorney but also for the good of the entire legal profession. Roman Giertych and the practices he employed are controversial. It is understandable that attorneys are concerned about the search of a law firm in violation of proper procedures, but for the general public, the role he allegedly played in various scandals, according to various media reports, is more concerning. The legal profession, in its own interest, should clarify all these doubts. Otherwise, it will lose social trust.” -- SHADY CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE BAR AND BUSINESS, THE ROLE IN THE REPRIVATIZATION SCANDAL - THESE MOST CLEARLY INDICATE PROBLEMS WITHIN THE PROFESSION - SIEMIANIAKO: “I think to a large extent yes, at best the perception is mediocre. The instances of shady connections between the bar and business appearing in the media do not endear attorneys to the public. It is enough to mention the role of attorneys in the reprivatization scandal. After all, a former dean of the bar association is in the dock in this scandal. This probably most clearly demonstrates the problems within the profession.” https://krytykapolityczna.pl/kraj/roman-giertych-adwokatura-rozmowa-beata-siemieniako/ -- MARGOT WAS ARRESTED, BUT THE SON OF A DECLINING OLIGARCH WAS NOT - PIOTR LISIEWICZ IN NIEZALEZNA: “Observers may draw an interesting conclusion: despite the full might of LGBT ideology, Mr. 'Margot' was initially arrested for using violence, although he is not particularly good at fighting. And the son of a declining oligarch was not arrested. It's his first time, was it emotions? No, 'Gazeta Wyborcza' and others have previously written about the fact that the 'Little Prince of the Tricity' likes to cause disturbances. Aleksander K., an athlete, is skilled at fighting and did not fight another opponent skilled in this art, but a person who does not participate in this competition.” https://m.niezalezna.pl/358707-krew-na-sadzie-wrazenia-nie-robi -- LEADING REPRESENTATIVES OF THE OPPOSITION ARE UNDER SCRUTINY - ANDRZEJ STANKIEWICZ IN TYGODNIK POWSZECHNY: “The Giertych case, as well as earlier operations by the services against Sławomir Nowak, show one thing: leading representatives of the opposition are under scrutiny, and materials about them are used at a moment convenient for the authorities.” -- NOT EVERY JUDGE APPROVED BY THE KRS IS A DOCILE IMPLEMENTER OF THE AUTHORITIES' WISHES - CONTINUES STANKIEWICZ: “Krauze and the rest of those detained were released by Judge Renata Żurowska, whom the PiS-controlled National Council of the Judiciary recently recommended for promotion. Therefore, not every judge approved by the KRS is a docile implementer of the authorities' wishes.” https://www.tygodnikpowszechny.pl/giertych-nieudana-oblawa-165299 -- PIS COULD NOT BACK DOWN FROM CZARNEK; IF NECESSARY, HE WILL OUTBID ZIOBRO - ZUZANNA DĄBROWSKA IN RZ: “PiS cannot afford to break its promise to appoint a minister who is strongly identified with the TV Trwam environment. Przemysław Czarnek, as a link to Toruń, may prove even better than Antoni Macierewicz. The second reason is Zbigniew Ziobro. PiS must have someone in an important position who, if necessary, will outbid the Ziobrists in ideological demands and raise the 'anti-LGBT' banner even higher. Przemysław Czarnek is perfectly suited for this. Moreover, the composition of the government should reflect not only the participation of individual factions and wings in governance but also the participation of regions. And the Lublin region is one of the more important regions from the perspective of PiS pragmatism. Another reason why this nomination took place is the president's favor.” -- PERHAPS HIS OWN EXPERIENCES WITH CORONAVIRUS ADDED EMPATHY TO THE MINISTER - CONTINUES DĄBROWSKA IN RZ: “It is good that Czarnek himself recognized that his 'absolute priority is the organization of work in schools and universities in the era of fighting the coronavirus.' Perhaps his own recent experiences with Covid-19 have added empathy to the minister.” https://www.rp.pl/Komentarze/201019308-Zuzanna-Dabrowska-Przemyslaw-Czarnek-do-wszystkiego.html -- THIS IS A DEEP AND LASTING DEPARTURE FROM LIBERALISM - ZBIGNIEW KRASNODĘBSKI QUOTED BY DGP: “This was when the United States began to change its policy. The necessity of protectionism, of national interest, which is not at all identical with opening all borders, with the utopia of an open society and an open world, began to be discussed. For many years before, it was thought that globalization was essentially Americanization of the world, the transfer of the American way of thinking to the whole world. Today, we see increasing rivalry not only between Beijing and Washington but also between the European Union and the United States. In this context, the EU is increasingly talking about changing its competitiveness policy, building European champions, and protecting the European market. There is a revolution in European policy because not so long ago, the European Commission meticulously guarded the rules of state aid and free competition. Today, we see a retreat from this paradigm, and the pandemic has accelerated it. No one pays attention to how much states are allocating to support their own businesses. The Union and individual states intend to pump billions, even trillions of euros, into the economy. The assumption, of course, is that this is temporary aid, but in my opinion, it is a deep and lasting transformation.” -- THE EUROPEAN POLITICAL CLASS IS UNABLE TO REJECT ITS DOCTRINE, EVEN IF IT PRACTICES POLITICS INCONSISTENT WITH IT DE FACTO - CONTINUES KRASNODĘBSKI: “This does not mean, of course, that people with liberal views, ideologues of an open society, free trade, multilateralism, the idea of global governance, will disappear. They still constitute, I would say, a certain global class that thinks the same way. However, their representatives feel increasingly threatened. For example, in Poland, they have lost power, but this process is happening throughout the Western world, including the USA. This group of people ruling the world reacts with a certain lack of understanding to the processes happening today. People who were accustomed to thinking in certain categories have lost power in democratic elections and do not understand why. Therefore, they talk about the threat to democracy from dictatorship, about external influences, they are the ones who today weave absurd conspiracy theories. Others are trying to adapt to the changing situation. Today, leaders who grew up in the liberal current, like the President of France Emmanuel Macron, the Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte, or the Chancellor of Austria Sebastian Kurz, won their elections only because they adopted some slogans from those they call populists, fascists, or anti-democrats. Only this guaranteed victory in the elections. Today, the entire European political class is confronted with a completely new reality, but it is unable to abandon its political doctrine, even if de facto it practices politics inconsistent with it.” https://wiadomosci.dziennik.pl/opinie/artykuly/7984330,profesor-zdzislaw-krasnodebski-koniec-liberalizmu-pandemia-koronawirus.html -- COVID LEAVES IMMENSE DEVASTATION - SENATOR ARTUR DUNIN, WHO RECOVERED FROM THE ILLNESS, IN AN INTERVIEW WITH JACEK GĄDKIEM ON GAZETA.PL: “Unfortunately, yes. I am still weak. My heart is weaker than before the illness. Unfortunately, I get tired very quickly. A CT scan showed that there are still infiltrates in my lungs from the coronavirus. And let me remind you, the symptoms of the illness ended for me on August 10. Unfortunately, covid leaves immense devastation in the body.” -- I WAS DYING OF PAIN - CONTINUES DUNIN ON GAZETA.PL: “Because this is not some flu. I have had the flu many times, and there is a huge difference. For four days, while having covid, I was dying of pain. People experience the coronavirus differently – some asymptomatically, and others actually die. I'm talking to my pulmonologist, and she says: I examine people who have had covid without symptoms, and yet their bodies are devastated, they don't even realize it, and it only shows up after 2-3 months.” -- I HAVE NEVER HAD SUCH PAIN IN MY LIFE - CONTINUES DUNIN: “In reality, I had a terrible headache, then pain all over my body. From the roots of my hair to my toenails, everything hurt for four days. I've had various headaches: migraines and sinus. But I have never experienced such pain in my life as I did with coronavirus. No painkillers helped. Then came the terrible weakness of the body. Even now, just talking, I get out of breath. When I no longer had symptoms, I tried to clean something. Vacuum the room. I couldn't manage. I was so weak.” https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/7,114884,26412088,dunin-serce-slabsze-niz-przed-choroba-pluca-sa-zacieki.html -- NORBERT WOŹNIAK ON THE APPOINTMENT OF AN ANIMAL ADVOCATE - WRITES IN KULTURA LIBERALNA: “That is why the appointment of an Animal Protection Advocate is so important. In the current situation, where only some interested parties have representatives embedded in the state system, and the regulations are interpreted solely in one direction, animals are at a predetermined disadvantage. Farmers have received support from their Advocate. The role of the Ombudsman is not to protect the interests of animals – its responsibilities primarily include ensuring the implementation of human rights. However, since the Ombudsman himself admits that animal rights exist, it means that there is a significant gap in the representation of the other side of the dispute. An office is needed that will be the voice of animals.” https://kulturaliberalna.pl/2020/10/20/wozniak-czas-na-rzecznika-ochrony-zwierzat/