-- PIS LEADS, BUT LOST 2.9 PERCENTAGE POINTS IN A MONTH - OPINIA24 SURVEY IN GW: "PiS is leading with 26.3% support. Just behind Kaczyński's party is Donald Tusk's Civic Coalition with 24.3% support. And at the beginning of December, they were 4.5 percentage points apart. Because in one month, PiS lost 2.9 percentage points. These are not significant differences, we need to wait for the trend." https://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,30582910,okiem-liberala-nieskuteczne-panstwo-rozszerza-sie-jak-wszechswiat.html -- AMONG PIS RANKS, EARLY ELECTIONS ARE CONSIDERED AN ABERRATION - AN IMPOSSIBLE AND HARMFUL SOLUTION - JACEK GĄDEK IN GAZETA.PL: "- Should we win again and still not govern? Elections would change nothing, at best we would have an even worse result. We need to let Tusk's government make mistakes - a PiS parliamentarian tells us. The party is rallying around something. That something is jailing Kamiński and Wąsik. And against someone: Prime Minister Donald Tusk. - This confrontation gives us power. We should thank Donald Tusk for mobilizing us so much - a PiS parliamentarian laughs." https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/7,114884,30585623,opcja-atomowa-andrzeja-dudy-i-pis-nikt-jej-nie-chce-a-kaczynski.html -- MORAWIECKI: I WILL VOTE AGAINST THE REMOVAL OF BOSAK - 300LIVE: https://300polityka.pl/live/2024/01/12/ -- KACZYŃSKI'S FORMATION WANTS TO BLUR A FUNDAMENTAL DIVISION TO BENEFIT FROM IT - MARIUSZ JANICKI IN TYGODNIK POLITYKA: "Kaczyński's formation wants to blur a fundamental division to benefit from it, however, the ruling coalition on public media and other matters proves to be remarkably durable. This clearly surprises and irritates the previous administration." -- THIS DOES NOT CHANGE THE FACT THAT THE COALITION LED BY TUSK, FOR THE SAKE OF ITS OWN POLITICAL HYGIENE, SHOULD AVOID EASILY DENIABLE PERSONAL APPOINTMENTS, I.E., SENDING CLOSE FRIENDS, FORMER COLLEAGUES TO PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OR STATE-OWNED COMPANIES - MARIUSZ JANICKI FURTHER IN TYGODNIK POLITYKA: "This does not change the fact that the coalition led by Tusk – not even due to the grumbles of the 'equal-distancers,' but for the sake of its own political hygiene – should avoid easily deniable personal appointments, i.e., sending close friends, former colleagues, people from political offices, and deserving comrades to public institutions or state-owned companies." -- THE BREAKTHROUGH OF OCTOBER 15TH MAY ALSO BE THE BEGINNING OF CHANGING STANDARDS, OPENING UP TO PEOPLE SELECTED IN TRANSPARENT COMPETITIONS, THE REALITY CREATED BY TUSK MUST FINALLY BE DIFFERENT IN QUALITY - WRITES MARIUSZ JANICKI: "The breakthrough of October 15th may also be the beginning of changing standards, opening up to people selected in transparent competitions. Every government needs trusted, reliable people, but a new intake, comparable to that which occurred after 1989, is also essential. To distance itself from Kaczyński's world, the reality created by Tusk must finally be qualitatively different, although without neglecting necessary tidying up and settlements. The slogan 'anti-PiS' has two meanings: settlement and distinction." https://www.polityka.pl/tygodnikpolityka/kraj/2240971,1,swiaty-rownolegle.read -- WE NEED DE-ESCALATION LIKE AIR. PRESIDENT DUDA MADE A MOVE, NOW IT'S THE GOVERNMENT'S AND MINISTER BODNAR'S TURN - WRITES GRZEGORZ SROCZYŃSKI IN GAZETA.PL: "We need de-escalation like air. President Duda made a move, now it's the government's and Minister Bodnar's turn. Poland's state interest – however lofty it may sound – requires the Prosecutor General to release former PiS ministers Kamiński and Wąsik from prison. Keeping them in correctional facilities any longer, when it's known that Duda will pardon them anyway, is just a tug-of-war." -- IN THE ABSENCE OF COMMON INSTITUTIONS – RECOGNIZED BY BOTH SIDES – THE LAW DE FACTO DOES NOT WORK – SROCZYŃSKI FURTHER IN GAZETA.PL: "The problem with Poland today is not Wąsik and Kamiński, but a complete loss of control over reality. Events are unfolding almost on their own and escalating arbitrarily. Is someone directing this? Not really. Is there an endpoint? Nobody knows. Anything – for example, the verdict on Wąsik and Kamiński announced after 17 years – explodes in our faces like a badly ignited firecracker. Next time, something else will get blown off, because there is no one who can say 'stop the fun' and take away the matches. In the absence of common institutions – recognized by both sides – the law de facto does not work, nor do any rules, so everything is possible, and no one really has control over events anymore." https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/7,114884,30586881,problemem-polski-nie-jest-wasik-z-kaminskim-ale-kompletna-utrata.html -- WHY ANDRZEJ DUDA'S DECISION IS A SMALL STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION BY BOGUSŁAW CHRABOTA IN RZ: "The President did not withdraw from the previous act of grace, he maintained – in his opinion – his dignity, but he contributed to solving a problem that could have become an inflammatory spark in a dispute prepared to blow up Polish politics entirely." -- IN THIS WAY, HE EARNS IMPORTANT POLITICAL POINTS – CHRABOTA FURTHER: "Undoubtedly, he earns important political points in this way. On what path? And there is no secret here. To build his position on the right, in contrast to Kaczyński. Because certainly not for another presidency." https://www.rp.pl/komentarze/art39687721-boguslaw-chrabota-dlaczego-decyzja-andrzeja-dudy-to-maly-krok-we-wlasciwym-kierunku -- WHAT VALUE WOULD BE BEHIND SUCH A SUSPENSION OF THE SENTENCE? CALMING THE SITUATION IN THE SEJM? THE EFFECT IS UNCERTAIN AND POTENTIALLY DEMORALIZING - EWA SIEDLECKA ON THE TYGODNIK POLITYKA PORTAL: "If the Prosecutor General revokes their sentence, he will devalue the message of the Regional Court's verdict. And there will be no precedent. What value would be behind such a suspension of the sentence? Calming the situation in the Sejm? The effect is uncertain and potentially demoralizing. By pardoning, the president takes it upon his conscience. But Andrzej Duda has decided to place it on Adam Bodnar's conscience." https://siedlecka.blog.polityka.pl/2024/01/11/ulaskawieni-ale-nie-zaraz -- PIS BROUGHT PARTICIPANTS TO ITS MARCH, BUT DID NOT DELIVER CONTENT AND STRONG SPEECHES - WITOLD GŁOWACKI IN OKO.PRESS: "Because the truth is that while PiS supporters flocked to Warsaw, their party completely failed to 'deliver' the means to give the mass demonstration appropriate political weight." -- THE MARCH SHOWS THAT WHILE HARDCORE PIŚ VOTERS HAVE AMPLE PROTEST ENERGY, PIŚ POLITICIANS STILL HAVE A LOT TO LEARN IN THEIR NEW OPPOSITIONAL ROLE - GŁOWACKI FURTHER IN OKO: "It is another matter, however, whether PiS will be able to transform this potential for street protest into political strength that will be a real support in the fight for results in the upcoming elections. These, serving as a sort of warm-up, are local government and European elections – and those that will determine Poland's situation for years to come – namely, presidential elections. Today's march shows that while hardcore PiS voters have ample protest energy, PiS politicians still have a lot to learn in their new oppositional role." https://oko.press/marsz-pis-analiza -- PERHAPS IT IS GOOD THAT ADAM GLAPIŃSKI WILL NOT STAND TRIAL BEFORE THE TRIBUNAL OF STATE - WOJCIECH TUMIDALSKI IN RZ: "The current parliamentary majority might have counted on a show trial of Adam Glapiński before the Tribunal of State. And it's not as if there weren't reasons for it. But thanks to the Constitutional Tribunal, the NBP president can sleep soundly." https://www.rp.pl/opinie-prawne/art39687171-wojciech-tumidalski-moze-to-dobrze-ze-adam-glapinski-nie-stanie-przed-trybunalem-stanu -- POLAND URGENTLY NEEDS LIBERAL REFORMS AND A PARTY TO PROMOTE THEM - WITOLD GADOMSKI IN GW: "Everyone today notices the weakness and lack of direction of the state, but no one has a sensible idea for its repair. When a mechanism breaks down, we call a specialist who unscrews the bolts, replaces the faulty parts, and reassembles them. To repair the state, a program of liberal reforms is necessary. It can be created within existing groups – Civic Platform, perhaps Poland 2050, or perhaps a new liberal party, like the former Modern of Ryszard Petru, is needed. Such a party would be an essential component of a democratic coalition, demanding policies that would result in the state withdrawing from areas where it performs poorly: direct economic management, some public services, and the media." https://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,30582910,okiem-liberala-nieskuteczne-panstwo-rozszerza-sie-jak-wszechswiat.html -- OBVIOUS THIEVES ARE FREED, TRIUMPH IN TELEVISIONS, AND UNCOMPROMISING STATE OFFICIALS ARE JAILED - MICHAŁ KARNOWSKI: "Obvious thieves are freed, they triumph in televisions, and uncompromising Polish state officials fighting corruption using officials involved in a political conspiracy, politicized court officers, and police violence are jailed, threatened with rape. Disgusting! Freedom of speech has already been drastically limited, the legal signal of TVP has been forcibly replaced, and in many homes, we only have regime propaganda. The industry of contempt has launched. The rights of MPs are not respected." -- WE NEED TO REMAIN CALM, WATCH OUT FOR PROVOCATIONS - THEY HAVE MANY CITY BUSES, A FEW BRAUNS WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHERS, LOTS OF FORMER SECURITY SERVICE OFFICERS - MICHAŁ KARNOWSKI FURTHER: "But despite justifiable anger, natural pain, and a sense of terrible injustice, we must remain calm. The regime always wants to have enraged individuals against them; it fears organized protest the most. So, beware of provocations – they have many city buses, a few Brauns with fire extinguishers, lots of former SB officers, and – to quote the German press – 'the full might of a police state.' Free Poles have the right on their side, the achievements of eight years of very good governance for Poland, and a growing conviction among many Poles that the elections on December 13th were won by a massive fraud." https://wpolityce.pl/polityka/677924-uwaga-na-prowokacje-oni-maja-duzo-autobusow-miejskich -- ON THIS DAY IN 2017, THE "COUP" ENDED. -- BIRTHDAYS: Anna Fotyga, Piotr Serafin (turning 50), Dariusz Joński, Czesław Czechyra, Agnieszka Hanajczyk.