-- ZOFIA ROMASZEWSKA turns 83.

-- AUGUST 80: The Gdańsk Inter-Factory Strike Committee presented its 21 demands.

-- 34 YEARS AGO, the OKP-SD-ZSL coalition was formed. Tadeusz Mazowiecki was nominated as a candidate for prime minister.

-- BIEDROŃ ON PETRU: IF HE WERE PROPOSED BY ONE OF THE GROUPS, WE SHOULD SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THIS CANDIDACY - 300LIVE: http://300polityka.pl/live/2023/08/17/

-- TO ACHIEVE THE ANTI-PIS PARLIAMENTARY MAJORITY: CONFEDERACY NEEDS TO DROP TO APPROXIMATELY 10%, THE THIRD WAY NEEDS TO RISE TO APPROXIMATELY 13-14%, AND PLATFORM NEEDS TO INCREASE TO 30-32%, WHILE PIS MAINTAINS ITS CURRENT VOTING PERCENTAGE - MARIUSZ JANICKI IN TYGODNIK POLITYKA: "Some adjustments are therefore possible. For now, PiS has - according to polls - around 190 seats, and Platform, Third Way, and the Left together - around 210. The rest is the Confederacy. To achieve an anti-PiS parliamentary majority, the Confederacy needs to drop to about 10%, the Third Way needs to rise to about 13-14%, and Platform needs to increase to 30-32%, while PiS maintains its current voting percentage. There is still time for a turning point, but perhaps only one more."

-- A POLITICAL STALEMATE CONTINUES, AWAITING A NEW TURNING POINT, WHICH IS CAUSING INCREASING AND VISIBLE IRRITATION, ESPECIALLY IN KACZYŃSKI - CONTINUES THE FIRST DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF POLITYKA: "A political stalemate continues, awaiting a new turning point, which is causing increasing and visible irritation, especially in Kaczyński. PiS still has too few votes in the polls to 'buy' enough Confederacy MPs. Potential negotiations with the entire Confederacy are being prepared, and this will remind Kaczyński of the nightmare of 2005-07, with stabilization pacts, Lepper and Giertych."

-- IN THE FINAL PHASE, i.e., THE FORMAL CAMPAIGN, THREE IMPORTANT MOMENTS ARE STILL EVIDENT - WRITES JANICKI: "In the final phase, i.e., the formal campaign, three important moments are still evident. The first, expected around the beginning of September, is the presentation of PiS's program 'for eight years' and – likely concurrently – the presentation of Platform's comprehensive program. The third moment is the march announced by Tusk for October 1st, serving as a final boost. Programs will be presented by the Left, the Third Way, and the Confederacy. There will be televised debates, but without the participation of Tusk, Kaczyński, and Morawiecki; various substitutes will attend, although surprises cannot be entirely ruled out."

-- KACZYŃSKI'S PARTY MAY SEEM ABSURD, TIRED, AND CLUMSY IN THIS CAMPAIGN, BUT THIS IS LARGELY AN ILLUSION. IT REMAINS A HELLISHLY DIFFICULT OPPONENT FOR THE OPPOSITION - CONTINUES MARIUSZ JANICKI IN TYGODNIK POLITYKA: "Kaczyński's party may seem absurd, tired, and clumsy in this campaign, but this is largely an illusion. It remains a hellishly difficult opponent for the opposition, calculating, ruthless, possessing a huge organizational, institutional, and financial advantage, which will also be very important after the elections. Whoever backs down first will lose."

-- ARE THE OPPOSITION AND ITS VOTERS MENTALLY PREPARED FOR A LONGER AND MORE COMPLICATED BATTLE TO GET RID OF KACZYŃSKI'S GOVERNMENT? - JANICKI'S CONCLUSION: "Thus, a time for adult politics may be approaching, and getting rid of the current government will require actions that go beyond the triumphant scenario previously envisioned by the anti-PiS camp. The question is, are the opposition and its voters mentally prepared for a longer and more complicated battle to get rid of Kaczyński's government?"
https://www.polityka.pl/tygodnikpolityka/kraj/2223530,1,przegra-ten-kto-pierwszy-odstawi-noge-jakie-jeszcze-punkty-zwrotne-czekaja-nas-do-wyborow-i-po-nich.read?src=mt

-- TOK.FM REPORT: I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED - WE HEAR: "Farmers from the Lublin region – often seen at protests alongside AgroUnia – do not hide their surprise at Michał Kołodziejczak's decision to run for Sejm on the Civic Coalition list. As they say, they have repeatedly heard that such a candidacy was ruled out. - I was very disappointed - we hear."

-- I RECEIVED DOZENS OF CALLS TODAY FROM FELLOW FARMERS. THEY ALL SAY THE SAME THING - CONTINUES THE TOK.FM REPORT: "This is not the only voice we hear from farmers in the Lublin region. - I am very disappointed with AgroUnia - admits Mr. Wojciech from near Zamość. - Platform has never supported Polish farmers, and there's no point deceiving ourselves that this will change. And Kołodziejczak running on their list is a purely political maneuver. I doubt Tusk will gain anything from this. I think he might just - as they say - fall flat on his face. He also frankly admits that he will not vote for AgroUnia on the KO lists. - I received dozens of calls today from fellow farmers. They all say the same thing. I'm afraid only the Confederacy will benefit, because that's who farmers will vote for - claims our interlocutor."

-- I DON'T KNOW WHO WILL GAIN AND WHO WILL LOSE FROM THIS. BUT IT WILL CERTAINLY BE VERY DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN TO THE AGROUNIA ELECTORATE THIS MARRIAGE WITH TUSK - SAYS THE HEAD OF THE "DECEIVED VILLAGE" ASSOCIATION TO TOK.FM: "Wiesław Gryn, chairman of the 'Deceived Village' association, is also surprised by the AgroUnia leader's candidacy on the Civic Coalition list. On Wednesday, after Kołodziejczak's candidacy was announced, he was in constant contact with farmers from the region. - I don't know who will gain and who will lose from this. But it will certainly be very difficult to explain this marriage with Tusk to the AgroUnia electorate. In my opinion, it shows how short the bench of candidates Platform has in agriculture. Today we see that it's only about power, not about changes in rural Poland - he comments. It was Gryn himself who met with Donald Tusk a few months ago."
https://www.tokfm.pl/Tokfm/7,189654,30085298,nie-wiem-czy-koalicja-obywatelska-nie-strzela-sobie-samoboja.html

-- THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT KOŁODZIEJCZAK WAS RECEIVING SUPPORT FROM A PORTAL THAT SPREAD PRO-KREMLIN CONTENT, ESPECIALLY ANTI-UKRAINIAN NARRATIVES - MICHAŁ DANIELEWSKI, ANNA MIERZYŃSKA, AND DOMINIKA SITNICKA IN OKO.PRESS: "An analysis of Michał Kołodziejczak's private account revealed that among the pages he 'liked' in 2019 were content of an anti-immigrant, anti-Semitic, nationalist, and far-right nature, including: 'Stop Islamization of Europe,' 'Warsaw Gazette,' 'I will not forget Volhynia – a Ukrainian is not my brother,' 'Vilnius is Polish.' In the summer of 2018, articles about AgroUnia appeared for the first time in the mainstream media, but also on the kresy.pl portal. In all rankings of accounts disseminating information about AgroUnia in 2018-19, kresy.pl appeared at the top of the most popular active accounts on this topic. There is no doubt that Kołodziejczak was thus receiving support from this portal, which spread pro-Kremlin content, especially anti-Ukrainian narratives."

-- AT DEMONSTRATIONS WITH KOŁODZIEJCZAK, ONE CAN ALSO SEE, FOR EXAMPLE, PIOTR RYBA, A NATIONALIST AND ANTI-SEMITE, CONVICTED FOR BURNING A JEWISH EFFIGY IN WROCŁAW - CONTINUES DANIELEWSKI, MIERZYŃSKA, AND SITNICKA IN OKO.PRESS: "Around AgroUnia and Kołodziejczak, politicians associated with the Confederacy primarily appeared at that time. The intensity of political contacts increased during the European Parliament election campaign, which is understandable given that Kołodziejczak officially supported the Confederacy in those elections. Around the leader of AgroUnia, the most frequent figures were: Robert Bąkiewicz from the Independence March Association and ONR, Robert Winnicki from the National Movement, and Jacek Wilk (then KORWiN). These were not very frequent contacts, as Kołodziejczak mostly operates in the company of farmers, not politicians. But at demonstrations with Kołodziejczak, one can also see, for example, Piotr Ryba, a nationalist and anti-Semite, convicted for burning a Jewish effigy in Wrocław."

-- DID I SUPPORT THE WOMEN'S PROTEST? I DON'T THINK SO. I DID NOT PROVIDE SUCH SUPPORT ANYWHERE," STATED KOŁODZIEJCZAK IN MEDIA NARODOWE - WE READ FURTHER IN OKO.PRESS: "In 2020, Kołodziejczak distanced himself from the women's protests against the draconian tightening of the anti-abortion law: 'Did I support the women's protest? I don't think so. I did not provide such support anywhere,' stated Kołodziejczak in Mediach Narodowych. He added that one cannot argue with the ruling of the Constitutional Tribunal, as its members ruled based on law, not 'their own whim.' 'Killing unborn children is a grave sin, we understand this as Catholics, and people who are not Catholics must understand that it is inflicting suffering on unborn beings who defend themselves before being killed,' stated Kołodziejczak, although he kindly conceded that one should extend a hand to the protesters and talk."

-- BESIDES THE SHINING OBVERSE, THIS COIN ALSO HAS ITS LESS ATTRACTIVE REVERSE – IT IS EQUALLY PROBABLE THAT KOŁODZIEJCZAK ENTERING INTO AN ALLIANCE WITH TUSK WILL LOSE AMONG HIS SUPPORTERS - WRITE FURTHER DANIELEWSKI, MIERZYŃSKA, AND SITNICKA IN OKO.PRESS: "But besides the shining obverse, this coin also has its less attractive reverse – it is equally probable that Kołodziejczak, entering into an alliance with Tusk, will lose the allure of an anti-system warrior among his supporters, and the Confederacy will benefit from this – well. Similarly, Kołodziejczak and AgroUnia on the KO lists may take votes from the Third Way, but in this case, the same doubt remains – will the alliance announced today undermine Kołodziejczak's credibility among younger rural residents?"

-- TUSK HAS DECIDED ON A RISKY MOVE – BOTH FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF KOŁODZIEJCZAK'S VIEWS AND DEMOCRATIC-LIBERAL VALUES, AS WELL AS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF POLITICAL TACTICS - CONCLUSION OF THE AUTHOR(S) OF OKO.PRESS: "This project is unconventional. I will do everything to make it credible," promises Kołodziejczak. The question is whether Kołodziejczak's own unconventionality will not become a problem for KO in the campaign. Donald Tusk has decided on a risky move – both from the perspective of Kołodziejczak's views and democratic-liberal values, as well as from the perspective of political tactics."
https://oko.press/kolodziejczak-z-agrounii-jedynka-na-liscie-tuska

-- THE THIRD WAY AND THE LEFT NOW HAVE SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. THE THREAT OF THEM SLIPPING BELOW THE ELECTORAL THRESHOLD IS GROWING - MICHAŁ SZUŁDRZYŃSKI IN RZ: "And it is this alliance with Agrounia that is meant to strike at PiS, but also at PSL. Therefore, it was not good news for other opposition parties. The Third Way and the Left now have something to think about. The threat of them slipping below the electoral threshold is growing, which for the opposition as a whole could prove fatal – it would not be able to form a majority. And this is the greatest risk of Donald Tusk's move on Wednesday."

-- ON THIS OCCASION, THE CHAIRMAN OF PLATFORM MADE NUMEROUS PERSONNEL CHANGES BETWEEN THE SEJM AND THE SENATE, REARRANGING THE COMPOSITION OF THE FUTURE PARLIAMENTARY CLUB AND PACIFYING POTENTIAL REBELS - CONTINUES SZUŁDRZYŃSKI: "But this move strengthens Platform itself. Firstly, it solidifies the party's role as the main political force on the opposition side, and secondly, Donald Tusk's position as the undisputed leader of the opposition. And on this occasion, the Chairman of Platform made numerous personnel changes between the Sejm and the Senate, rearranging the composition of the future Parliamentary Club and pacifying potential rebels."
https://www.rp.pl/komentarze/art38956481-michal-szuldrzynski-do-czego-donald-tusk-potrzebuje-michala-kolodziejczaka-adama-bodnara-i-boguslawa-woloszanskiego-na-listach-po

-- AGROTUSK, OR AS IF ONE LIST WITHOUT ONE LIST - AGNIESZKA KUBLIK IN GW: "If KO along with Kołodziejczak gets a few more percentage points, it might overtake PiS. And if the Third Way falls below the threshold, the votes of the losers will go to KO and PiS, but Tusk will gain slightly more than Kaczyński. There are many 'ifs,' it's a very risky game. Tusk is building, as it were, one list without one list. He has never forgotten how the D'Hondt system works – the more unified a party is entering elections, the more seats it wins; the fewer lists, the more seats. Kaczyński has more sulking than the democratic opposition, but he knows that elections are for postponed grievances."
https://wyborcza.pl/7,75398,30081642,agrotusk-czyli-jakby-jedna-lista-bez-jednej-listy.html

-- BODNAR - GREAT! KOŁODZIEJCZAK - MEGA! WITH THESE TWO SHOTS ALONE, TUSK HAS WON THE OPENING OF THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN - JACEK ŻAKOWSKI IN GW: "A winning opening doesn't guarantee victory, but it makes it easier. After the lists were announced, the electoral forecast for KO has improved, and with it, the forecast for the entire opposition has improved. Finally, the democrats have received some good news. Thanks."
https://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,30084492,bodnar-kolodziejczak-celne-strzaly-tuska.html

-- IT IS PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE OPPOSITION TO HAVE A CHANCE TO GOVERN – IF THE THIRD WAY FALLS BELOW THE THRESHOLD – KO WOULD NEED ABOUT 45 PERCENT, WHICH WILL NOT HAPPEN - LESZEK KRASZYNA, ELECTORAL SYSTEM EXPERT IN CONVERSATION WITH GRZEGORZ SROCZYŃSKI ON GAZETA.PL: "In short, this is madness. Political madness. I don't believe these people wish for the opposition's victory. Either they completely don't know what they're talking about and how our electoral system works, or they are hidden friends of PiS."

-- THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM GIVES A SLIGHT ADVANTAGE TO PIS, AND LOOKING AT THE POLLS, WE SHOULD TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT - CONTINUES KRASZYNA AT SROCZYŃSKI'S: "The electoral system gives a slight advantage to PiS, and looking at the polls, we should take that into account. If voters are not prepared for such a message – that a party that comes second in the election might get more seats – we could have a huge political crisis. More voters might vote for one party, but another party will win. We are used to something like this happening in the United States, but people are generally unaware that it happens here too."
https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/7,114884,30079784,tak-pis-wygrywa-wybory-glos-w-warszawie-znaczy-mniej-niz-w.html

-- VOICES OF FARMERS DISAPPOINTED WITH KOŁODZIEJCZAK ARE APPEARING ONLINE: "Mr. Michał Kołodziejczak, shame, shame, and only shame. Shame for you, and shame for some farmers whom you have deceived. (...) Those farmers whom you have convinced should not be ashamed. Only you should be ashamed. You were supposed to be the second Lepper, but you became the second Palikot."
https://twitter.com/Lemingopedia/status/1691894792366575822?s=20

-- HISTORIAN MICHAŁ KOZŁOWSKI ON BOGUSŁAW WOŁOSZAŃŃSKI'S OPERATIONAL CASE FILE AS A SECRET INFORMANT - HE WAS SUPPOSED TO SPY ON NATO: https://twitter.com/mich_kozlowski/status/1692081015668244517?s=20

-- WITH THE DECISION TO COOPERATE WITH TUSK, KOŁODZIEJCZAK BETRAYED RURAL POLAND. THE MASKS HAVE FALLEN - JAN KRZYSZTOF ARDANOWSKI: "Certainly, his personal traits have also been revealed in the process – the drive for political career, the desire to get into the Sejm, rather than the actual defense of the interests of rural Poland. The mask has fallen, and this decision by Michał Kołodziejczak is essentially a betrayal of rural Poland. I am sad about this because I believe there will be great disappointment among a significant portion of farmers who are quite skeptical of PiS politics. However, Law and Justice is a party that can draw conclusions from mistakes and various stumbles, and tries to correct these mistakes. I do see actions, perhaps sometimes chaotic, but actions nonetheless, that aim to save, support, and help farmers survive the exceptionally difficult situation we are currently in – both internationally and in the market. Kołodziejczak, on the other hand, despite criticizing everyone, and recently even declaring that he would not be 'Tusk's footstool,' is now showing that the masks have fallen."
https://wpolityce.pl/polityka/658705-ardanowski-ta-decyzja-kolodziejczak-zdradzil-polska-wies

-- I WATCHED THE PARADE WITH DISGUST - MAGDALENA ŚRODA IN GW: "The parade on August 15th, like all events whose purpose is to build national pride on the capacity for killing – left me with a ghastly impression. And not only because of the heat, detours, and road damage. Firstly, I fear living in a state that – from our taxes – spends three times more on armaments than on education, science, culture, and healthcare."
https://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,30084419,z-niesmakiem-patrzylam-na-defilade.html

-- BANK PEKAO SA: POLAND'S POSITION IN THE EU IS GROWING, WHILE SLOVAKIA'S FALLS AFTER ADOPTING THE EURO: "Analysts at Pekao presented a similar conclusion. Citing the percentage of average EU GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power parity, they noted that while in 2009 this parameter for Slovakia was 72% of the EU average, in Poland it was less than 60%. By 2022, this indicator in Slovakia had fallen below 70%, while in Poland it had consistently grown, approaching 80% this year. The report also stated that Slovakia's recession in 2009 – related to the global economic crisis – was sharper than in neighboring countries, and one possible reason could have been the lack of an exchange rate channel, i.e., the absence of its own currency. It was added that during the same period, the currencies of countries outside the euro area weakened significantly, giving them a competitive advantage."
https://www.tvp.info/72028675/bank-pekao-sa-pozycja-polski-w-ue-rosnie-podczas-gdy-slowacji-spada

-- BIRTHDAYS: Zofia Romaszewska, Małgorzata Potocka, Ewa Spychalska, Jacek Wilk.