-- OVER 56 PERCENT OF POLES POSITIVELY ASSESS THE NEW GOVERNMENT'S ACTIONS - IZABELA KACPRZAK ON AN IBRIS POLL FOR RZ: “We asked Poles how they assess the actions of the new authorities so far – Civic Platform, Third Way, and The Left. According to an IBRiS poll for ‘Rzeczpospolita’, 56.3% assess them positively, including 28.6% who think they are ‘definitely good’ and 27.7% who think they are ‘rather good’. Within this group, as many as 85% are voters of the ruling coalition. The actions of the new government are assessed negatively by 36.9% of respondents, including ‘definitely badly’ by nearly one in four Poles (24.4%) and 79% of PiS and Confederation voters.” https://www.rp.pl/polityka/art39710661-sondaz-pierwszy-miesiac-rzadow-pomyslny-dla-donalda-tuska-wiekszosc-polakow-dobrze-ocenia-dzialania-nowej-wladzy -- TUSK: MORAWIECKI'S BUDGET REQUIRED DEEP CHANGES. WE HAVE IT, IT'S A BUDGET FOR THE PEOPLE - 300LIVE: https://300polityka.pl/live/2024/01/18/ -- HE FALLS INTO HIS OWN TRAP, SUFFERING ALMOST SOLELY PAINFUL AND EMBARRASSING DEFEATS - CEZARY MICHALSKI IN TYGODNIK POLITYKA: “If we add to this the purge of Ziobro's prosecutors initiated by Adam Bodnar (at the clear encouragement of Donald Tusk), we can say that Andrzej Duda has so far either clearly lost all cohabitation crises or ‘drew them with a nod to Tusk’. At the same time, he weakened his most important asset in the game for dominance in the right-wing camp with Kaczyński. That is, the fact that he possesses some power in the state, while Kaczyński, at least on the surface, possesses nothing. Both commentators involved on one side and those who take a symmetrical approach to Polish politics are inclined to describe the current conflict as a clash between the former authorities and the current ones. In reality, however, the game is being played in a political triangle whose vertices are Tusk, Kaczyński, and Duda.” -- DUDA IS REPORTEDLY THINKING OF ENTERING THE RACE AGAINST MASTALEREK - CONTINUES MICHALSKI: “Kaczyński is considering putting forward Mariusz Błaszczak, Mateusz Morawiecki, or Tobiasz Bocheński for the presidential race in 2025. Even if they don't win, it will cement his control over the right-wing camp, and besides – as Duda's candidacy in 2015 showed – even a candidate put forward merely as a ‘hare’ can win in the unpredictable roulette of presidential elections. Meanwhile, Duda is reportedly thinking of entering the race against Mastalerka. Not because he would have a chance of nomination, but because by gauging the level of support, he would become one of the assets allowing the already retired president to fight for the succession after Jarosław Kaczyński.” https://www.polityka.pl/tygodnikpolityka/kraj/2241895,1,miny-andrzeja-dudy-wpada-we-wlasne-sidla-ponosi-niemal-wylacznie-bolesne-i-zawstydzajace-porazki.read?src=mt -- WHAT DONALD TUSK DID IN POLAND, THE EPP WANTS TO DO IN EUROPE - MANFRED WEBER FOR OKO.PRESS IN CONVERSATION WITH PAULINA PACUŁA: “By winning the elections on October 15th and forming a coalition with pro-European, pro-rule of law, and Ukraine-supporting parties, Tusk rescued the country from the hands of the nationalist far-right, which had already seriously damaged the democratic system and pushed the country into a rule-of-law vacuum, from which – as recent weeks show – it is very difficult to escape. ‘He returned to Poland. He campaigned. He tried to convince Poles to choose a different path for Poland. And Poles voted for him. Tusk has a majority [in parliament]. [The Tusk group taking power from the nationalist far-right] is a clear symbol of what the EPP is about and what the EPP wants to do in Europe. Our principles are clear,’ stated the EPP leader.” https://oko.press/manfred-weber-dla-oko-press-epl-donald-tusk -- “IT WAS CALMER THAN WE EXPECTED” – ADMITS ONE OF THE GOVERNMENT MEMBERS. THE MOST EXTREME AND FANTASTICAL SCENARIOS DID NOT MATERIALIZE. PiS NOT ONLY INTERRUPTED ITS PERFORMANCE BUT DID NOT EVEN TRY TO TORPEDO THE BUDGET BILL - WRITES AGATA SZCZĘŚNIAK IN OKO.PRESS: “'It was calmer than we expected,' admits one of the government members. The most extreme and fantastical scenarios did not materialize. PiS not only interrupted its performance but did not even try to torpedo the budget bill by submitting hundreds of amendments. A note of schadenfreude towards PiS MPs can be felt in conversations with representatives of the ruling majority. In the previous two terms, politicians who are now in power themselves brought various banners and signs to the parliamentary chamber. Symbols replaced real power and masked helplessness. 'What else could they invent today? After what we did in the previous term. And after what they did themselves?' – a Civic Platform politician recalls the infamous vote in the column hall without the presence of 100 MPs. 'Our calm is killing them,' says an important majority politician, half-jokingly, half-seriously. Only Szymon Hołownia engages in skirmishes with PiS; the rest of the politicians do not react.” -- FOR PI'S MPS, WHAT IS HAPPENING IS A WARNING SIGNAL: THERE WILL BE NO FREE PASSES. DID YOU SIGN DOCUMENTS? DID YOU EXCEED YOUR AUTHORITY? DID YOU BREAK PROCEDURES? THERE WILL BE A COURT, AND PERHAPS EVEN PRISON - CONTINUES SZCZĘŚNIAK IN OKO: “For PiS MPs, what is happening is a warning signal: there will be no free passes. Did you sign documents? Did you exceed your authority? Did you break procedures? There will be a court, and perhaps even prison. What is PiS defending? 'Only its own legend now,' assesses a Civic Platform MP. And what will be the most dangerous thing for PiS from the entire list of announced actions? 'Audits in ministries,' answers a non-governmental Civic Platform politician without hesitation. Already, every few hours, the public receives news of further irregularities, swindles – we hear, for example, about beneficiaries of the Justice Fund politically connected to the former authorities and about exorbitant fees for appearances by right-wing commentators on TVP.” -- “HE OPERATES ON THE EDGE OF THE LAW. I AM NOT SAYING HE IS CROSSING IT, BUT HE IS ON THE EDGE” – ADMITS ONE OF OUR INTERLOCUTORS - WRITES SZCZĘŚNIAK FURTHER IN OKO: “'He operates on the edge of the law. I am not saying he is crossing it, but he is on the edge,' admits one of our interlocutors. He adds that Bodnar could not leave the prosecution in the hands of Ziobro's people. Because the obstruction visible in the parliamentary chamber is only one of the hindrances used by PiS. Others include summonses to appear before Ziobro's prosecution.” https://oko.press/pis-nie-ma-pomyslu-jak-zatrzymac-rzad-tuska-zabija-ich-nasz-spokoj -- A FORCEFUL VARIANT IS ALSO IN PLAY. PARLIAMENT IS READY FOR THE RETURN OF KAMIŃSKI AND WĄSIK - ŁUKASZ ROGOJSZ IN INTERIA: “The ruling majority assures that it will be prepared for any scenario when Mariusz Kamiński and Maciej Wąsik appear in the Sejm after being released from custody, wishing to continue exercising their revoked mandates. Despite this, the ruling camp feels uneasy about what might happen then. - I fear that Kaczyński will do everything to destabilize the work of the Sejm, including a forceful variant - Monika Wielichowska, Deputy Marshal of the Sejm, tells Interia.” https://wydarzenia.interia.pl/raport-mariusz-kaminski-maciej-wasik/news-wariant-silowy-tez-jest-w-grze-sejm-gotowy-na-powrot-kaminsk,nId,7275094 -- SOME PART OF THE VOTERS OF THE DEPARTING RULING PARTY MAY LOOK FAVORABLY UPON THE NEW AUTHORITIES, BUT THE MAIN SOURCE OF VOTES FOR THE GROUPINGS OF SZYMON HOŁOWNIA AND WŁADYSŁAW KOSINIAK-KAMYSZ ARE TRANSFERS WITHIN THE OPPOSITION - JACEK KARNOWSKI IN TYGODNIK SIECI: “Based on generally available data, such as published average poll results, it is certain that after the elections on October 15th, there has been no reshaping of the political scene, as happened after events that shocked public opinion (Bronisław Komorowski's defeat led to PiS and PO overtaking each other). Since August last year, PiS has continued its downward trend but remains the leader in polls. Third Way is strengthening, but at the cost of declining ratings for PO. This means that some part of the voters of the departing ruling party may look favorably upon the new authorities, but the main source of votes for the groupings of Szymon Hołownia and Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz are transfers within the opposition.” -- THE ONLY WAY TO ERASE THE BAD IMPRESSION FROM AUTUMN IN THE SPRING IS TO DRAW THE RIGHT CONCLUSIONS FROM WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PREVIOUS CAMPAIGN - CONTINUES KARNOWSKI: “We are in the pre-campaign phase before the next election showdown, which will likely begin in January. PiS maintained its leading position and did not allow voters to drift to the opposing camp, giving it a victory bonus. This is a good starting point for the spring clash, but not enough to politically recover. The only way to erase the bad impression from autumn in the spring is to draw the right conclusions from what happened in the previous campaign.” -- CURRENTLY, THERE ARE NO ATTEMPTS ON THE RIGHT TO FIND THESE SYSTEMIC BLOCKS. THE DISCUSSION IS QUITE SHALLOW AND FOCUSES SOLELY ON THE ASPECT OF COMMUNICATION - CONTINUES KARNOWSKI: “At the same time, we believe that these theses require further deepening and research. Currently, there are no attempts on the right to find these systemic blocks. The discussion is quite shallow and focuses solely on the aspect of communication, which is an important, but not the only, element contributing to gaining voters. As we warned, the temptation to reduce the discussion about election results to campaign communication issues is an oversimplification. A trap that could keep PiS in opposition for many years.” https://wpolityce.pl/tygodniksieci/678182-do-przemyslenia-przed-wiosennym-starciem -- THE QUESTION IS WHETHER THE EPISCOPATE TODAY CAN AFFORD TO LOOK FURTHER THAN THE PROSPECT OF THE NEXT ELECTIONS. WHETHER IT CAN AFFORD TO INVITE NEW PEOPLE TO COOPERATE, ESPECIALLY THOSE EXPERTS WHO ARE ALSO OUTSIDE THE CLOSE CIRCLE OF ALLIES - FR. KAZIMIERZ SOWA ON GW OPINIONS: “The question is whether the Episcopate today can afford to look further than the prospect of the next elections. Whether it can afford to invite new people to cooperate, including those experts who are also outside the close circle of allies. Such an opening, according to Przeciszewski, is a 'chance to rebuild a healthy separation of Church and state.' And it is in this context that the election of a new presidium of the Episcopate and new episcopal appointments for key cities in Poland: Krakow, Poznań, and Warsaw, will provide an answer as to whether the Episcopate is made up of people capable of looking at the challenges facing the Church in Poland without complexes, but also without a peculiar sense of superiority that leads to too easily pigeonholing both the faithful and political partners.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,30603837,zmiana-warty-w-polskim-episkopacie-co-przyniesie-rok-2024.html -- KURSKI WANTS TO BE AN MEP - JEDYNKA SE: “The European Parliament is the object of desire for most Polish politicians. Earnings in Brussels several times exceed parliamentary or ministerial stipends, so it is not surprising that a queue of candidates for the European elections is already forming. Jacek Kurski (58), former CEO of TVP, and Julia Przyłębska (65), President of the Constitutional Tribunal, are among those who are to appear on PiS lists.” https://polityka.se.pl/wiadomosci/kolejka-chetnych-do-parlamentu-europejskiego-pis-ma-wystawic-kurskiego-i-przylebska-aa-19vU-CjYE-J7kJ.html -- A BROAD COMPROMISE COULD CONSIST OF THE GOVERNMENT ABANDONING PLANS FOR THE UNIVERSAL VERIFICATION OF JUDGES APPOINTED BY THE SO-CALLED NEO-KRS IN EXCHANGE FOR SHORTENING ITS TERM - TOMASZ PIETRYGA IN RZ: “A broad compromise could consist of the government abandoning plans for the universal verification of judges appointed by the so-called neo-KRS in exchange for shortening its term with the involvement of the Constitutional Tribunal. It could issue a ruling on the unconstitutionality of the provisions relating to the composition of the Council. This, in turn, could dispel the president's constitutional doubts and open the way for electing the KRS according to new rules, in which judges would elect their representatives in universal judicial elections, which the ruling coalition wants.” https://www.rp.pl/opinie-prawne/art39710541-tomasz-pietryga-jak-ugasic-pozar-w-wymiarze-sprawiedliwosci -- THE PEGASUS COMMISSION SHOULD BE MORE THAN JUST A POLITICAL REVENGE AGAINST ADVERSARIES WHO ABUSE THE LAW. IT MUST PRESENT CONCLUSIONS THAT WILL PROTECT CITIZENS FROM MODERN SURVEILLANCE IN THE FUTURE - ZUZANNA DĄBROWSKA IN RZ: https://www.rp.pl/komentarze/art39710641-zuzanna-dabrowska-po-co-nam-komisja-sledcza-ds-pegasusa -- JAN LITYŃSKI WOULD HAVE TURNED 78 TODAY. -- BIRTHDAYS: Helena Łuczywo, Ernest Skalski, Wiesław Dębski, Arkadiusz Marchewka.