-- POLISH PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO KYIV IS A FIRST STEP IN BREAKING TENSION IN MUTUAL RELATIONS - KRYSTYNA GARBICZ IN OKO.PRESS: “The visit of the Polish Prime Minister to Kyiv is the first step in breaking tension in mutual relations. In Ukraine, Donald Tusk is known for his pro-Ukrainian stance and has authority among European politicians – and this is what Ukrainians are counting on.” https://oko.press/pierwsza-wizyta-premiera-tuska-kijowa-jakie-nadzieje-pokladaja-w-nim-ukraincy -- WARMING UP IN KYIV - ANNA SŁOJEWSKA IN RZ: “Prime Minister Donald Tusk promised support to Ukrainians. However, he must – from the EU – defend Polish economic interests.” https://www.rp.pl/gospodarka/art39729661-ocieplenie-w-kijowie-donald-tusk-obiecal-ukraincom-wsparcie -- POLAND COMES TO THE AID OF UKRAINE - JĘDRZEJ BIELECKI IN RZ: “Supporters of Donald Trump are blocking aid to Ukraine in Congress, and Viktor Orbán is vetoing it in Brussels. Meanwhile, during his visit to Kyiv, Donald Tusk announced that our country, as much as it can, will try to compensate for this. (...) At a time when doubts are growing in many capitals about whether it is still worth supporting Ukraine, given that the summer offensive did not lead to a significant change on the front line, Tusk stated that 'there is no more credible politician in the world working for peace today than President Zelensky.'” https://www.rp.pl/dyplomacja/art39727621-jakie-znaczenie-ma-wizyta-donalda-tuska-w-kijowie-polska-przybywa-na-odsiecz-ukrainie -- THE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN WARSAW AND KYIV SHOULD BE PERMANENTLY REGULATED BY AN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT, MODELED AFTER, FOR EXAMPLE, THE ELYSÉE TREATY BETWEEN FRANCE AND GERMANY - BOGUSŁAW CHRABOTA IN RZ: “Finally, a permanent regulation of the strategic partnership in an international agreement modeled on the Elysée Treaty between France and Germany or the Quirinal Treaty between France and Italy. This is a necessary end point of the path that both countries have been following more or less consistently for many years. With goodwill from both sides, this will eventually become possible.” https://www.rp.pl/opinie-ekonomiczne/art39729651-boguslaw-chrabota-tusk-w-kijowie-wymiar-symboliczny-jednoznaczny-teraz-potrzeba-traktatu-z-ukraina -- TUSK, NOR ANYONE ELSE, CAN FIX IT ANYMORE. THIS SYSTEM HAS COLLAPSED UNDER THE WEIGHT OF EXTREME POLARIZATION BECAUSE IT WAS NOT DESIGNED TO FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY IN SUCH CONDITIONS - ADAM LESZCZYŃSKI, AUTHOR OF "A PEOPLE'S HISTORY OF POLAND" IN AN INTERVIEW WITH GRZEGORZ SROCZYŃSKI: “History is unfolding. The political system in Poland is changing into something new. The procedural democracy with the separation of powers, which we imported from the West after 1989, has collapsed. Tusk, nor anyone else, can fix it anymore. This system has collapsed under the pressure of extreme polarization because it was not designed to function effectively in such conditions. It can withstand political conflict up to a boiling point, and then the institutions of liberal democracy become hollow shells.” -- THE MEMORY OF PAST MUTUAL WOUNDS PROVED MORE IMPORTANT THAN WORLD WAR II - LESZCZYŃSKI TELLS SROCZYŃSKI: “Foreign invasion changes little regarding polarization. Sanacja collapsed in 1939 along with Poland, and the subsequent dark chapter in our occupation history was the political reckoning conducted in exile. The pre-war opposition took power in exile and treated former Sanacja ministers like traitors, and General Sikorski sent political opponents to the island prison on Wyspa Węży without any trial. This was because they remembered the authoritarianism, the Brześć trial, Bereza, and all those repressions. The memory of past mutual wounds proved more important than World War II.” -- HOW THE LAW AND JUSTICE PARTY (PiS) WILL REGAIN POWER - IT MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT NAME, IT MAY EVEN BE PiS WITHOUT KACZYŃSKI - IT WILL DO WORSE THINGS THAN BEFORE AND WORSE THINGS THAN THE CIVIC PLATFORM IS DOING NOW, BECAUSE MORE SAFETIES HAVE BEEN REMOVED - LESZCZYŃSKI CONTINUES IN GAZETA.PL: “How PiS will regain power – it may have a different name, it may even be PiS without Kaczyński – it will do worse things than before and worse things than Platforma is doing now, because more safety mechanisms have been dismantled. We have an escalation in the destruction of institutions, and this is done in good faith, because some believe they are fighting for tradition and identity, while others are convinced they are fighting for democracy, the constitution, and Poland's belonging to the Western civilization. In the name of this, one must fight, move forward, remove the prosecutor, dismiss judges by a Sejm resolution, even though we condemned such actions just a moment ago. And behind the politicians stand their electorates. If one looks at the reactions of the liberal public opinion to Platforma's reckoning with the remnants of PiS, it is delighted. The television has been taken over, Kamiński and Wąsik are in prison, and the radical approach, operating at the border of or sometimes outside the law, also evokes delight. What is appreciated is that we act assertively, not with kid gloves.” -- LET'S HOLD ON TIGHTLY TO OUR HISTORICAL MINIMUM, WHICH ALLOWS EVERYONE TO LIVE. HOWEVER, THIS WILL NOT BE ANY LIBERAL MINIMUM, BECAUSE IT WILL NOT RETURN - WRITES LESZCZYŃSKI: “They have limits. Therefore, I repeat, I am seeking salvation in a minimum program. Let's not demand the impossible, such as national consensus or even a quieting of disputes; let's not count on either side to refrain, to yield a little, to stop escalating. Instead, let's hold tightly to our historical minimum, which allows everyone to live. The thing is, it will not be any liberal minimum, because it will not return.” -- WE ARE ALREADY LIVING IN A DIFFERENT SYSTEM, WHERE EXECUTIVE POWER HAS STRENGTHENED ITSELF AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHER BRANCHES OF POWER; EVERYTHING IS DECIDED BY THE ONE WHO CAN DECLARE MARTIAL LAW - LESZCZYŃSKI TELLS SROCZYŃSKI: “That's what I think. And this is generally the problem of the entire West. Soon, the AfD may win in Germany, and the far-right in France. What will happen? The institutions of the Western world are much stronger than ours, but all those who dream of the return of the old peaceful times, that the Platform will now restore liberal democracy here, will be disappointed. Bullshit. Nothing will be restored. Whatever they do, the others will come and destroy it, because they will have the argument that their predecessors did the same. We are already living in a different system, where executive power has strengthened itself at the expense of other powers, and everything is decided by the one who can declare martial law. And so it will be. We may not agree with it; I, for example, do not agree – write this clearly – but my disagreement yields nothing.” https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/7,114884,30613537,leszczynski-pojednania-nie-bedzie-wladze-ma-ten-kto-ma-policje.html -- TUSK CAREFULLY OBSERVED HOW HOŁOWNIA WAS MANAGING THE PARLIAMENT, AFTER WHICH HE CONCLUDED THAT THIS, IN ESSENCE, GENTLE APPROACH TO THE OPPOSITION HAD ALREADY BEEN EXHAUSTED - MAREK KĘSKRAWIEC IN TYGODNIK POWSZECHNY: “In PiS, after several weeks of heightened activity, a depression set in, as only now have the politicians on the right realized who they are fighting against. Tusk carefully observed how Szymon Hołownia was managing the parliament, after which he concluded that this, in essence, gentle approach to the opposition, although diligently implemented by the Marshal, had already been exhausted. He also coincided with the public mood, which was expecting some breakthrough.” -- IT IS THEREFORE IMPORTANT HOW THE NEW GOVERNMENT WILL TRULY GOVERN AFTER ACCOUNTING FOR THE OLD ONE. WHETHER IT HAS A VISION, AND WHETHER ITS PROGRAM WILL INDEED BE THE ANNOUNCED "KORYTO MINUS" (TROUGH MINUS) BY THE PRIME MINISTER - KĘSKRAWIEC CONTINUES IN TYGODNIK POWSZECHNY: “The sequence of recent events has caused a large part of Poles to forget about PiS's grand social programs, feeling as if they were crumbs from the master's table. However, the fact is that Platforma, at one time, did not even want to throw these crumbs to the people, and 500 plus was, according to its narrative at the time, supposed to devastate the budget. It is therefore important how the new government will truly govern after accounting for the old one. Whether it has a vision, and whether its program will indeed be the announced 'Koryto Minus' by the Prime Minister.” https://www.tygodnikpowszechny.pl/taktyka-tuska-jak-premier-wyrwal-kierownice-z-rak-prezesa-pis-185974 -- "TOMORROW AT THE LATEST". EJCHART ON WHEN BODNAR WILL PRESENT HIS OPINION TO THE PRESIDENT REGARDING KAMIŃSKI AND WĄSIK - 300LIVE: https://300polityka.pl/live/2024/01/23 -- JAROSŁAW KACZYŃSKI ANNOUNCED TO HIS COLLABORATORS HIS DEPARTURE FROM THE POSITION OF CHAIRMAN OF LAW AND JUSTICE (PiS) - ANDRZEJ GAJCY IN ONE: “Jarosław Kaczyński announced to his collaborators his departure from the position of chairman of Law and Justice and the transfer of party leadership to the younger generation. The leadership change in PiS is to take place next year, and the party's new chairman is to be chosen by an electoral congress planned for the first half of 2025. — The chairman's decision will be final — can be heard from the headquarters at Nowogrodzka. This means that the race for the party succession after Kaczyński is now in full swing.” -- IS CZARNEK EMERGING AS THE NEW PI?S LEADER? - GAJCY CONTINUES: “Former Education Minister Przemysław Czarnek led the rebellion, and his speech against Błaszczak was met with thunderous applause. It is Czarnek – according to an increasing number of PiS MPs – who is emerging in Kaczyński's party as the one who best reads the moods of both PiS members and voters. — Przemek, if he enters the race for the PiS chairmanship, he might win it — we hear from politicians from the United Right camp.” https://www.onet.pl/informacje/onetwiadomosci/kaczynski-podjal-decyzje-zmiany-w-pis-w-grze-cztery-nazwiska/jxfm7mk,79cfc278 -- THE COURAGE OF A COURT REFEREE MAKING A DECISION ON THE LIQUIDATION OF POLISH RADIO COULD SHAME MANY JUDGES. MINISTER SIENKIEWICZ WENT A BIT TOO FAR IN REVIEWING IT - TOMASZ PIETRYGA IN RZ: “Court referees are part of the justice system. They make decisions in cases involving the largest economic ventures, even the largest companies. Diminishing their role or questioning their integrity undermines the entire justice system. Meanwhile, Karolina Ilczuk has primarily demonstrated independence and courage. The referee, contrary to the positions of legal authorities with professorial titles who had already ruled on this matter, and despite political pressure, dared to rule differently, meticulously justifying her motivations.” -- HOWEVER, IT IS WORTH RESPECTING THE DECISIONS OF ARBITRATORS STANDING ASIDE - PIETRYGA CONTINUES IN RZ: “A brutal political war is raging around public media, which in recent years have become an unprecedented propaganda mouthpiece for PiS. However, it is worth respecting the decisions of the arbitrators standing aside, because if legal arguments are decided solely by the will of the stronger, we will descend into a world where, regardless of political convictions, life would become unbearable.” https://www.rp.pl/opinie-prawne/art39728141-tomasz-pietryga-referendarz-nie-klania-sie-ministrowi -- THE ONLY CONCLUSION FROM THE COURT'S DECISION CAN BE ONE: THE STATUS OF PUBLIC MEDIA MUST BE REGULATED BY LAW AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE - PIOTR ŚMIŁOWICZ IN TYGODNIK POWSZECHNY: “The law should be formulated in such a way that no political force has a monopoly on appointing media authorities. Such a project would be a step forward and the most pro-state way out of the stalemate surrounding the current situation in public media.” https://www.tygodnikpowszechny.pl/likwidacja-polskiego-radia-i-tvp-sady-nie-uznaja-wnioskow-co-zrobi-minister-sienkiewicz-185997 -- AFTER THE ARREST OF WĄSIK AND KAMIŃSKI, THE PRESIDENT DOES NOT TRUST HIS OWN SECURITY - WOJCIECH CZUCHNOWSKI IN GW: “'Gazeta Wyborcza' sources: After the arrest of Maciej Wąsik and Mariusz Kamiński at the Presidential Palace, Andrzej Duda became offended with the State Protection Service. There is a fear in the president's entourage that the current government – through the SOP – is monitoring what is happening in the palace. — The president even insulted members of his immediate security detail. He told them to get out. He directly accused the security commanders of participating in a conspiracy – says an SOP officer we spoke with.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,75398,30618657,po-zatrzymaniu-wasika-i-kaminskiego-prezydent-nie-ufa-swojej.html -- IF THE EDUCATION REFORM IS A SIMPLE FLICK OF THE SWITCH FROM THE FAR RIGHT TO THE LEFT, WE WILL FACE A SERIES OF CULTURAL WARS, CONFUSION AMONG STUDENTS AND TEACHERS, AND FURTHER YEARS OF INSTITUTIONAL INSTABILITY FOR POLISH SCHOOLS - PRZEMYSŁAW SZUBARTOWICZ IN INTERIA: “If the education reform is a simple flick of the switch from the far right to the left, and the changes are driven by ideological fervor – for example, the religious conservatism promoted by Przemysław Czarnek is mechanically replaced by galloping progress, political correctness, and ahistorical verification of the school reading canon – we will face a series of cultural wars, confusion among students and teachers, and further years of institutional instability for Polish schools.” https://wydarzenia.interia.pl/felietony/news-mlodziezy-chowanie,nId,7284607 -- TIME TO CONSIDER REVISING THE CONSTITUTION - JAKUB MAJMUREK IN KRYTYKA POLITYCZNA: “All such solutions, however, carry a certain risk. While protecting liberal democracy from its populist enemies, one must be careful not to stifle the democratic element of the system entirely, not to close the channels through which social discontent and the will of the political nation are expressed. This dilemma is very real, and if the right side of the political scene in Poland does not undergo a radical revolution and deradicalization process, it will remain a real challenge for Polish democracy. It may be that it will not be able to cope with it without opening a discussion about the constitution.” https://krytykapolityczna.pl/kraj/czas-pomyslec-o-rewizji-konstytucji/ -- 23 YEARS SINCE a rally in support of the newly formed Civic Platform took place at Hala Olivia in Gdańsk. -- 8 YEARS since Włodzimierz Czarzasty was elected chairman of the Democratic Left Alliance. -- BIRTHDAYS: Michał Kleiber, Zbigniew Niemczycki, Jan Maria Jackowski, Katarzyna Szymańska-Borginon.