-- IT WAS FORESEEABLE THAT THE DECISIVE YEAR FOR UKRAINE WAS ONE THAT IS ALREADY GONE - JERZY HASZCZYŃSKI IN RZ: “It was foreseeable that the decisive year for Ukraine was one that is already gone. The war between Hamas and Israel could not have been predicted. But that the past year was decisive for Ukraine – that could have been. American television crews moved from Kyiv to Tel Aviv, showing what is more important to the local viewer and voter.” -- DESPITE THE US ELECTION CAMPAIGN START DATE NOT BEING A SECRET, WE WAITED CALMLY, WITHOUT A BACKUP PLAN - HASZCZYŃSKI FURTHER IN RZ: “Despite the US election campaign start date not being a secret, we waited calmly, without a backup plan. And now suddenly we hear that by not agreeing to multi-billion dollar aid for Ukraine, the American Congress (especially Republicans) has surprised, failed, betrayed. Failed, perhaps betrayed, but not surprised. Neither is the fact that Donald Trump has a chance to become president, nor that to defeat Joe Biden, he will do everything – including betraying allies and supporting Russia.” https://www.rp.pl/opinie-polityczno-spoleczne/art39805861-jerzy-haszczynski-nie-ma-pieniedzy-dla-ukrainy-wybory-w-usa-byly-do-przewidzenia -- AN AMERICAN, A COMPLETE IGNORAMUS, SWALLOWED IT ALL - WACŁAW RADZIWINOWICZ IN GW: “Kremlin needed this precisely now so that Putin could focus on what he is professionally well-prepared for on a global scale, namely recruitment. His target was the electorates of two great powers preparing for presidential elections: Russia and the USA. He should – and likely did – boost his ratings in his own country by the very fact of speaking with a 'great' journalist. And Americans needed to be convinced that the aid, which President Joe Biden wants to provide to Ukraine and which is controversial there, makes no sense because it only prolongs the war, and a better head of their state would be Trump, who is seeking a return to the White House.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,75399,30681368,putin-przystroil-sie-w-piorka-jastrzebia-pokoju.html -- TUCKER CARLSON'S INTERVIEW WITH PUTIN IS A SPECIAL OPERATION AGAINST THE USA - MICHAŁ SZUŁDRZYŃSKI IN RZ: “Probably no one doubts that Tucker Carlson's infamous 'interview' with Vladimir Putin is an element of a Russian special operation targeting the US presidential election. -- PUTIN IS INCREASINGLY BOLDLY TESTING THE WEST - SZUŁDRZYŃSKI FURTHER IN RZ: “That is precisely why I am not optimistic. Even more so, Putin is increasingly boldly testing the West. (...) What about the riots on the Polish-Lithuanian border, which would cut off Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia from land connection with the rest of Europe? Will the West want to risk Putin's anger because of this? Or will it prefer to say: oh well, oh well, we won't send F-35s to strangely speaking tractor drivers who will block the Suwałki Gap?” https://www.rp.pl/plus-minus/art39807901-michal-szuldrzynski-wywiad-tuckera-carlsona-z-wladimirem-putinem-to-akcja-specjalna-przeciw-usa -- PUTIN'S ASSURANCES THAT HE IS NOT INTERESTED IN POLAND OR LATVIA ARE LIKE A TIGER'S PROMISES TO GO VEGAN - ARTUR BARTKIEWICZ IN RZ: “If we are to draw conclusions from Tucker Carlson's interview with Vladimir Putin about the moment in history we are in, then, referring to the period preceding World War II, we can say that we are in the 21st-century equivalent of 1938.” https://www.rp.pl/komentarze/art39810061-artur-bartkiewicz-co-z-wywiadu-wladimira-putina-z-tuckerem-carlsonem-wynika-dla-polski -- THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS INTERVIEW COULD BE SINISTER - TOMASZ ZALEWSKI ON THE TYGODNIK POLITYKA PORTAL: “The interview is a propaganda triumph for Putin, to whom Carlson gave a platform to speak directly to the American public at a time when the fate of further Western aid for fighting Ukraine is being decided. (...) Trump is ready to accept his offer. Carlson's interview could play a sinister role if Americans watching it online are convinced by the Russian dictator's arguments.” https://www.polityka.pl/tygodnikpolityka/swiat/2244861,1,putin-w-programie-tuckera-carlsona-skutki-tego-wywiadu-moga-byc-zlowrogie -- TELUS ON THE EVENTS IN FRONT OF THE SEJM: I KNOW THAT THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. STANDING THERE I WAS ASHAMED IN FRONT OF THE GUARDS - 300LIVE: https://300polityka.pl/live/2024/02/09 -- A WILD SEJM SESSION. GET READY FOR FRIDAY WITH FANATICS - AGATA SZCZĘŚNIAK IN OKO.PRESS: “Something like this has never happened before. In one day, the Sejm will debate four draft laws submitted by fundamentalists, religious fanatics, and Ziobro's party. If these drafts pass, Poland would withdraw from the Istanbul Convention and ban Pride Parades. It is possible that the debates on these drafts will surpass everything we have seen in this Sejm term. Anti-women, homophobic, and anti-Semitic statements will be heard from the parliamentary podium. The debate on the 'morning-after' pill, where PiS MPs showed their ignorance, may pale in comparison to what we will hear on Friday.” https://oko.press/odlotowe-posiedzenie-sejmu-szykujcie-sie-na-piatek-z-fanatykami -- IN LAW AND JUSTICE, THERE IS A HANGOVER AND ANGER AFTER THE STORMING OF THE SEJM, - THE OLD MEN OF PIS ARE SCRAPING WITH THE MARSHAL'S GUARD. HOW DOES IT EVEN LOOK? - A PIS POLITICIAN THROWS THEIR HANDS UP IN DESPAIR - JACEK GĄDEK IN GAZETA.PL: “- The old men of PiS are scraping with the Marshal's Guard. How does it even look? – a PiS politician throws their hands up in despair over how the storming of the Sejm looked. Because such images went out into the world. (...) In Law and Justice, there is a hangover and anger after the storming of the Sejm. – There was not supposed to be an attempt to storm the Sejm, but emotions took over – we hear in PiS. There will be no repeat of the storming. Around President Jarosław Kaczyński, Mariusz Kamiński, and Maciej Wąsik, there were few other people from the party. So, Antoni Macierewicz and Robert Telus took the lead.” https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/7,114884,30679428,kac-po-szturmie-dziadki-z-pis-szarpia-sie-ze-straza-jak-to.html -- BY ACCUSING TUSK'S TEAM OF "POLITICAL MURDERS," KACZYŃSKI HIMSELF IS COMMITTING POLITICAL SUICIDE. SUCH IS THE ELECTION STRATEGY - AGNIESZKA KUBLIK IN GW: “These are just the words of a defeated politician who cannot cope with his loss. His psychological state compels him to save himself by blaming everyone else. However, this does not justify him in any way. With these words, Kaczyński has committed political suicide – whatever he says now will not deserve any attention.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,75398,30679663,zabojstwa-polityczne-rzadu-tuska-czym-nas-jeszcze-wprawi.html -- PARTIES NEVER POSED A REAL THREAT TO JACK MAJCHROWSKI. ONLY I DID - ŁUKASZ GIBAŁA IN CONVERSATION WITH MAGDALENA KURSA AND MICHAŁ OLSZEWSKI IN GW: “And this is the difference between me and other actors in local politics – they simply did not want to listen to people, because they were satisfied with Jacek Majchrowski receiving them in his office and giving them positions. That is why parties never posed a real threat to Jacek Majchrowski. Only I did.” -- IN RECENT YEARS, PRESIDENT MAJCHROWSKI HAS BEEN TOO SILENT, AND AT TIMES EVEN EMBRACED AUTHORITIES THAT VIOLATED BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS - GIBAŁA FURTHER TELLS KURSA AND OLSZEWSKI IN GW: “In recent years, President Majchrowski has been too silent, and at times even embraced authorities that violated basic human rights – yes, it must be said. As I understand it, this was due to financial calculations, real or alleged, because PiS did not treat Krakow well at all. This policy turned out to be flawed. In my opinion, the president of a large city cannot be a errand boy for national authorities.” -- THE BIGGEST BLOW WAS THE "NEW DEAL." I HOPE THE OCTOBER 15 COALITION WILL BE MORE FAVORABLE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS - GIBAŁA STILL TELLS KURSA AND OLSZEWSKI IN GW: “The biggest blow was the New Deal. I hope that the October 15 Coalition will be more favorable to local governments, although I am concerned that Tusk did not specifically indicate how he would compensate for the loss of income from raising the tax-free allowance to PLN 60,000. If this falls on the shoulders of local governments – disaster is imminent. Secondly, there is no other way than a thorough audit in municipal units and searching for savings in a way that is least painful for residents.” https://krakow.wyborcza.pl/krakow/7,44425,30677924,lukasz-gibala-partie-nigdy-nie-wypracowaly-realnego.html -- POLSKA 2050 WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE A WOMAN FOR PRESIDENT OF BYDGOSZCZ. THE MOST SERIOUS CANDIDATE IS THE VICE-CHAIRWOMAN OF THE CITY COUNCIL, WHO WAS A MEMBER OF NOWOCZESNA - JACEK GLUGLA IN GW: “Unofficially, we know that Polska 2050 would like to nominate a woman for president. The most serious candidate is the vice-chairwoman of the city council, who was a member of Nowoczesna – Joanna Czerska-Thomas. She is an activist popular not only among women's movements, but also a successful entrepreneur. She runs a marketing agency but is also involved in the fight for women's rights, equality, and aid initiatives in Bydgoszcz. – I don't want to talk about this yet – she replies when asked if she will run for mayor of Bydgoszcz.” https://bydgoszcz.wyborcza.pl/bydgoszcz/7,48722,30678383,kobieta-moze-wlaczyc-sie-w-walke-o-prezydenture-bydgoszczy.html -- MAJOR INVESTMENTS IN THE STYLE OF CPK, NUCLEAR ENERGY, ARMAMENTS, AND A GENEROUS SOCIAL POLICY BASED ON BROAD REDISTRIBUTION. THESE ARE THE FOUR PILLARS OF PIS-NOMICS FROM 2015-2023, WHICH THE NEW GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT DISMANTLE - RAFAŁ WOŚ IN INTERIA: “However, it seems to me that anti-PiS is to some extent also a victim of its own attitude. Namely, of that 'original sin' of dogmatic anti-PiS-ism. If they could leave that behind and allow that many of the aforementioned assumptions of PiS-nomics (CPK, nuclear, military, redistribution) are solid foundations for further development of Poland, then they would govern better.” https://wydarzenia.interia.pl/felietony/news-dogmatyczny-antypisowiec-patrzy-na-cpk,nId,7319591 -- IN THE MATTER OF ABORTION, THE BEST SOLUTION WOULD BE A RETURN TO COMPROMISE - ALEKSANDER HALL IN RZ: “The ruling of the politically independent and socially highly reputable Constitutional Tribunal of May 28, 1997, overturned this premise. The first point of the ruling stated that it violated the 'constitutional right to life protection at every stage of its development.' In my opinion, this ruling, with only one dissenting opinion, brings credit to the Tribunal at that time. This ruling was respected and did not cause street protests. Has our knowledge of the beginnings of human life changed since then, or has our sensitivity to the need for its protection diminished?” https://www.rp.pl/opinie-polityczno-spoleczne/art39805981-aleksander-hall-w-sprawie-aborcji-najlepszych-wyjsciem-bylby-powrot-do-kompromisu -- INSTEAD OF CANDIDATES FROM POLITICAL PARTIES, MEDIA CANDIDATES WOULD COMPETE - JAKUB MAJMUREK IN KRYTYKA POLITYCZNA: “If we actually saw such contenders for the palace, then in the presidential elections, instead of candidates from political parties, media candidates would compete: Kanał Zero, Polsat, and TVN – because let's not forget Szymon Hołownia, who has been building his career at this station for years. To complete the picture, all that's missing is for PiS, instead of a strictly party-affiliated candidate, to opt for someone from Telewizja Republika or the former TVP – Michał Rachoń, especially supported by the team from the program Jedziemy! or Miłosz Kleczek could actually bring unprecedented quality to the presidential race. If Republika decided to convince us that it is a right-wing land of milk and honey, it could, in turn, opt for Danuta Holecka: she would be a female candidate, well-known, perhaps controversial, but presenting an exceptionally non-aggressive face of 'kurszczyzna' (a play on words referencing a political group).” -- AS A SOCIETY, WE REALLY MUST NOT TRUST POLITICAL PARTIES AND THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE PARTY SYSTEM - MAJMUREK FURTHER IN KP: “As a society, we really must not trust political parties and that something is wrong with the party system. One of the functions of political parties should be, after all, to educate and create leaders for the highest positions in the state, which in Poland also means the president elected in direct popular elections.” -- UNFORTUNATELY, HOPES THAT SOMEONE KNOWN FOR GENERATING REACH ON YOUTUBE WILL CUT THE GORDIAN KNOT OF POLISH POLITICS ARE MISPLACED - MAJMUREK WRITES FURTHER IN KRYTYKA: “Unfortunately, hopes that someone known for generating reach on YouTube will cut the Gordian knot of Polish politics are misplaced, primarily due to how the presidency is structured in the Polish constitution. Because even if the elections were to elect a celebrity president in Poland, more of Zelensky's caliber than Trump's, they would still not be able to solve the problems that political parties are struggling with.” -- ONE CAN ONLY STRENGTHEN THE CONVICTION ABOUT THE SUPERIORITY OF PARLIAMENTARY-CABINET SYSTEMS OVER PRESIDENTIAL ONES - MAJMUREK STATES: “When one looks at successive celebrity candidates, one can only strengthen the conviction about the superiority of parliamentary-cabinet systems over presidential ones. The former, after all, protect against entrusting power to someone whose considerable reach on television or YouTube has created a false impression of possessing recipes for healing the homeland.” https://krytykapolityczna.pl/kraj/dlaczego-szukamy-kandydatow-na-prezydenta-na-youtubie/ -- 9 YEARS AGO, THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN WAS GAINING MOMENTUM, FAKT WROTE: WILL DUDA WIN THE ELECTION THANKS TO HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTER? – a headline on the front page, and Paweł Wroński in GW wrote that at Komorowski's convention, “even the chairs were yawning.” http://300polityka.pl/stan-gry/2015/02/09/stan-gry-tabloidy-entuzjastycznie-o-dudzie-stankiewicz-pbk-zaczal-od-falstartu-wronski-po-wystapieniu-pbk-nawet-krzesla-ziewaly/ -- BIRTHDAYS: Tadeusz Syryjczyk turns 76.