-- OUR LOUD SOVEREIGNTY RHETORIC LEADS TO THE REALIZATION OF THE INTERESTS OF THOSE STATES VIATALLY INTERESTED IN REDUCING THE EU BUDGET AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS, WHILE MAINTAINING HIGH PROFITS FROM THE COMMON MARKET - KONRAD SZYMAŃSKI IN RZ: “The more strategic disorientation in the right-wing camp after the lost elections, the greater the susceptibility to increasingly eccentric and factually detached theories. If we were to take seriously all the rhetoric that has flooded right-wing media, including social media, over the last six to seven years, Poland should seek the smallest possible budget in the EU, unilaterally withdraw from the Recovery Fund while other economies received support, and volunteer to block all new EU financing proposals to relieve the wealthiest EU members of this burden. This is how our loud sovereignty rhetoric leads to the realization of the interests of those states vitally interested in reducing the EU budget and their contributions, while maintaining high profits from the common market.” -- A COUNTRY LIKE POLAND, GEOPOLITICALLY THREATENED, CANNOT AFFORD DOCTRINAIRE GAMES OF ISOLATION FROM THE CONTINENT - KONRAD SZYMAŃSKI FURTHER IN RZ: “One thing is certain – a country like Poland, successfully fighting for its prosperity in the EU and simultaneously being geostrategically threatened, cannot afford doctrinaire games of isolation from the continent, playing for a weak Union, and the decomposition of its common market, which is the main driving force of the Polish economy. It is not certain that anything significant will change regarding EU financing in the near future. However, Poland has no reason to relieve other countries of responsibility for the shortcomings, and perhaps the failure, of the European project in the new world order.” -- IF THE RIGHT WISHES TO PLAY A POSITIVE ROLE FOR POLAND AGAIN, IT MUST DEEPLY REFLECT ON THE EXPERIENCE OF THE CONFLICT OVER THE SO-CALLED JUDICIAL REFORMS, DRESSED UP IN THE GUISE OF SOVEREIGNTY - KONRAD SZYMAŃSKI'S CONCLUSION IN RZ: “All of this would be obvious, even to the Polish right, if not for the toxic, but – as I have tried to explain – not accidental conflict over the so-called judicial reforms, dressed up in the guise of sovereignty by those who could not, or indeed did not want to, implement them in accordance with our European obligations. If the right wishes to play a positive role for Poland again, it must deeply reflect on the experience described here.” https://www.rp.pl/plus-minus/art39999481-konrad-szymanski-pulapka-reform-sadownictwa -- KACZYŃSKI SURVIVED THE HEARING BEFORE THE PEGASUS INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE WITHOUT MAJOR DAMAGE, THOUGH ALSO WITHOUT TRIUMPH. HOWEVER, HE SHOWED HIMSELF TO BE IN A FORM NOT SEEN FOR A LONG TIME - JAKUB MAJMUREK ON NEWSWEEK PORTAL: “Jarosław Kaczyński survived the hearing before the Pegasus investigative committee without major damage, though also without triumph. However, he showed himself to be in a form not seen for a long time. (...) Kaczyński performed much better than could have been expected, considering his form in recent months, but the hearing was also not a triumph for the PiS politician. If the Pegasus committee is to truly hold this affair accountable, it must try harder in subsequent sessions. Regarding Kaczyński, it made a schoolboy error: it raised great expectations for grilling the chairman and was unable to deliver.” https://www.newsweek.pl/polska/polityka/sezon-na-grillowanie-odwolany-w-takiej-formie-prezes-kaczynski-nie-byl-od-dawna/rqq2fkd -- SUBSTANTIVELY, KACZYŃSKI LOST YESTERDAY'S HEARING BEFORE THE PEGASUS INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE. BUT NOT NECESSARILY IN TERMS OF SPECTACLE - MARIA PANKOWSKA IN OKO.PRESS: “The chairman's nonchalance was striking against the backdrop of Professor Jerzy Kosiński's earlier testimony, who explained the uniqueness of Pegasus and the threats it poses. The hearing itself was groundbreaking for a simple reason: for the first time in years, Kaczyński had to answer questions from people on the opposite side of the barricade. But politically, Kaczyński outplayed the committee, showing calm against the nervousness of the committee members and surprising rhetorical skill and physical endurance.” https://oko.press/na-zywo/dzien-na-zywo-najwazniejsze-informacje/kaczynski-komisja-analiza-pegasus -- DURING THE PEGASUS COMMITTEE PROCEEDINGS, KACZYŃSKI DID AS HE PLEASED AND SAID AS MUCH AS HE PLEASED. THE COMMITTEE'S STATURE WAS DIMINISHED BY ITS REPRESENTATIVES. PIS TRIUMPHS - JACEK NIZINKIEWICZ IN RZ: “The truth is that Jarosław Kaczyński showed no goodwill during his testimony before the committee. The PiS chairman put on a display of arrogance, rudeness, and contempt. He was prepared for his testimony in such a way that he was to hit the committee members' sensitive points and manipulate them. He did so ruthlessly. (...) Rhetorically, it was 3:1 in favor of Kaczyński. But even though the PiS chairman wore down the committee representatives during the hours-long testimony, he presented himself as a politician devoid of scruples, using lies, rudeness, and manipulation to convince others of his position and to drown his opponents.” -- HE SHOULD APPEAR BEFORE IT AGAIN WHEN THE COMMITTEE IS WORKING ON SPECIFIC DOCUMENTS - NIZINKIEWICZ FURTHER: “Some committee members indeed showed legal and eristic deficiencies, but Kaczyński could only convince his supporters of his positions. By hiding the truth and trying to ridicule the committee's work, the PiS chairman proved that in the future, he should appear before it again when the committee is working on specific documents.” https://www.rp.pl/polityka/art40006301-jacek-nizinkiewicz-kaczynski-przesluchal-komisje-sledcza-ds-pegasusa-triumf-chamstwa-i-klamstwa -- I learned about my enemy on November 13, the day the newly elected MPs were sworn in. On my way to the Sejm, I drove to the MSWiA hospital in Warsaw - Zbigniew Ziobro recalls in his latest social media post: https://x.com/ZiobroPL/status/1768881110048514285?s=20 -- THERE WILL BE NO CHANGE TO THE ABORTION LAW BEFORE NEXT YEAR'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS - DOMINIKA WIELOWIEYSKA IN GW: “There will be no change to the law before next year's presidential elections. The only thing Donald Tusk's government can do here and now is to use administrative decisions to force hospitals and prosecutors not to respect the Constitutional Tribunal's decisions due to the participation of unauthorized substitutes in ruling. And the Prime Minister has announced this very clearly – for example, hospitals will have their National Health Fund contracts cut.” -- FOR THE LEFT AND CIVIC COALITION, THE ALTERNATIVE IS AS FOLLOWS: EITHER MORE LIBERAL LAW COMPARED TO THE SO-CALLED COMPROMISE, OR A DEADLOCK FROM WHICH ONLY A REFERENDUM WILL BE THE WAY OUT - WIELOWIEYSKA FURTHER IN GW: “For the Left and Civic Coalition, the alternative is as follows: either more liberal law compared to the so-called compromise, or a deadlock from which only a referendum will be the way out. Especially since if Hołownia becomes president, according to his current declarations, he will not sign a liberal law. Unless a majority of Poles opt for this solution in a referendum.” https://wyborcza.pl/magazyn/7,124059,30793158,nie-bedzie-zadnej-zmiany-ustawy-aborcyjnej-przed-przyszlorocznymi.html -- THE CAMPAIGN OF HATE AIMED AT HOŁOWNIA IS JUST A FORETASTE OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN DURING LEGISLATIVE WORK; PERHAPS HE WILL YIELD IN THE END - PIOTR ZAREMBA IN RZ: “I would not rule out surprises, however. The campaign of hate aimed at Hołownia is just a foretaste of what will happen during legislative work. It is possible that some MPs from Poland 2050 will yield under pressure. Some of them, especially female MPs, have such an attitude already now, without any pressure. I would not even rule out the capitulation of some Peasants' Party members. They also aspire to the mainstream. Perhaps Hołownia will yield in the end, because his research will show that a progressive stance will help him fight for the presidency.” -- A VETO WILL CAUSE HYSTERIA AND BECOME ONE OF THE TOPICS OF THE 2025 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN. THE RIGHT WILL LIKELY NOT WIN THE PRESIDENCY, A MIRACLE WOULD BE NEEDED - ZAREMBA FURTHER IN RZ: “If abortion is pushed through in this Sejm, the last resort will be President Andrzej Duda. He, I believe, will use his veto power. This will cause hysteria and become one of the topics of the 2025 presidential campaign. The right will likely not win the presidency, a miracle would be needed. Changes recognizing free abortion as the crowning achievement of human rights, and the conscience clause as a sad relic of times when Poland was a 'reactionary backwater,' will therefore happen sooner or later. In any case, it is highly probable.” -- THE MORE IDEOLOGICAL CLAMOR IN IT, THE LESS OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THE NEW COALITION TROUBLESOME QUESTIONS - ZAREMBA WRITES FURTHER IN RZ: “What [Tusk] is currently presenting is a sense of prevailing trends in Europe. Plus a prescription for Polish politics. The more ideological clamor in it, the less opportunity to ask the new coalition troublesome questions, for example, about keeping election promises. Especially those that involve large expenditures.” https://www.rp.pl/plus-minus/art39994651-piotr-zaremba-marszalek-i-aborcja-kiedy-zmusza-holownie-zeby-ustapil -- THE POLITICAL AND IDEOLOGICAL BRAWL IS INTENDED TO BE A PERMANENT PRESCRIPTION FOR THIS GOVERNMENT'S POLICIES. IT INTEGRATES A DIVERSE COALITION, TURNING IT INTO AN ARMY MARCHING OBEDIENTLY - PIOTR ZAREMBA IN INTERIA: “This is related to a more general assumption. The political and ideological brawl is intended to be a permanent prescription for this government's policies. It integrates a diverse coalition, turning it into an army marching obediently in one direction, as the constant goal is to fight the demonized enemy, i.e., the defeated PiS. It also diverts attention from unfulfilled election promises. It will soon be 100 days of the government's rule. Out of the 100 specific points of Civic Coalition announced and written during the campaign, only a few have been implemented.” -- PIS HAD ITS GREAT "MERITS" IN STIRRING UP MUTUAL ENMITY, BUT TUSK HAS LONG SURPASSED THE "MASTER." MOREOVER, KACZYŃSKI HAD THE MAINSTREAM OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AGAINST HIM, SO HE RETREATED ON VARIOUS MATTERS - ZAREMBA FURTHER IN INTERIA: “The question is, when will this fuel start to run out? Certainly, Polish politics today is poisoned by such a permanent revenge. PiS had its great "merits" in stirring up mutual enmity, but Tusk has long surpassed the "master." Moreover, Kaczyński had the mainstream of the European Union against him, so he retreated on various matters. Tusk is consistently praised by eurocrats. Purges and bypassing the law are presented in Brussels as restoring the rule of law. Meanwhile, Poles, according to polls, have taken a liking to this political theater. The question is, when will they notice the fundamental weaknesses of the new coalition being covered up by it? Possibly not soon.” https://wydarzenia.interia.pl/felietony/news-tusk-z-sikorskim-zaczeli-kolejne-polowanie-tym-razem-na-piso,nId,7391812 -- IN PIS, THERE IS AN EXPECTATION THAT SOMETHING WITH GREATER IMPACT WILL EMERGE - JACEK GĄDEK ABOUT OBAJTEK IN GAZETA.PL: “The scale of the surveillance of Obajtek within the PiS camp is surprising, however. Because – according to earlier information from Onet – during the United Right's rule, the CBA, as part of Operation "Vampirina," tapped and recorded phone conversations with Orlen CEO Daniel Obajtek, and now there's also a bug in Obajtek's office. - It is quite surprising that the CEO of the largest company in Poland had a bug in his office - says a PiS politician. The disclosure of Obajtek's tape is considered in the PiS camp as a prelude to what may still appear in the media.” https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/7,114884,30799776,tasma-obajtka-w-pis-mowia-ze-teraz-widac-jak-dzialal-nieoficjalny.html -- APART FROM MAREK CZYŻ'S "PURE WATER," AND I REMEMBER HIM WHEN HE WAS KAMIL DURCZOK'S DEPUTY AT "WIADOMOŚCI," I HAVEN'T SEEN MUCH - AGNIESZKA ROMASZEWSKA IN A CONVERSATION WITH JAKUB SZCZEPAŃSKI IN INTERIA: “I don't watch it, I don't have time. They made sure I don't have it. Apart from Marek Czyż's 'pure water,' and I remember him when he was Kamil Durczok's deputy at 'Wiadomości,' I haven't seen much. I felt it was terribly unsophisticated. Well, but that was the technological situation.” -- I WOULD HAVE TO BE A NAIVE GIRL TO BELIEVE IN MEDIA BALANCE - ROMASZEWSKA TELLS SZCZEPAŃSKI: “I lost faith that it could be anything else. A long time ago. Since I started working at TVP, I've seen maybe eighteen chairmen. I think you understand that with such experience, I would have to be a naive girl to believe in media balance?” -- FEW PEOPLE REMEMBER THIS, BUT IN 2016 I COMPETED AGAINST KURSKI FOR THE POSITION OF TVP PRESIDENT - ROMASZEWSKA FURTHER IN INTERIA: “I have often gotten out of various scrapes unscathed, so it would seem that the specter of being fired doesn't concern me. After all, I didn't come with Jacek Kurski's team, do you understand? Few people remember this, but in 2016, I competed against him for the position of TVP president.” -- BRONIATOWSKI (HEAD OF TVP WORLD - ED.) IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS FATHER BEING A HIGH-RANKING OFFICIAL IN THE PRL, WORKING FOR THE SECURITY SERVICES... AND I SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO WORK AT TVP BECAUSE MY MOTHER WORKS FOR PRESIDENT DUDA? - ROMASZEWSKA SAYS IN A CONVERSATION WITH SZCZEPAŃSKI: “I admit the possibility that someone thinks so, but that doesn't mean I agree with such reasoning. I have been an adult for 40 years; what does my mother have to do with this matter? What does her role have to do with my work? Michał Broniatowski (head of TVP World - ed.) is not responsible for his father being a high-ranking official in the PRL, working for the security services... And I should not be allowed to work at TVP because my mother works for President Duda? Of course, we are raised in a certain way, but we are not responsible for our parents.” https://wydarzenia.interia.pl/kraj/news-agnieszka-romaszewska-guzy-niech-powiedza-ze-zrobilam-hister,nId,7392087 -- IN THIS DRAMATIC SITUATION - AS A POLISH PATRIOT - KURSKI WOULD PREFER TO SETTLE IN BRUSSELS - ANDRZEJ STANKIEWICZ IN NEWSWEEK: “Furthermore, Kurski claims – and he is not alone in this – that before the last elections, Morawiecki and his people supplied the PiS headquarters with 'faked polls and analyses' that 'formed the basis of many wrong decisions.' However, what hurts him the most is something else: that Morawiecki is trying to seize power within PiS, 'the greatest institutional work and success of the right in free Poland.' He is literally running out of words, so he reaches for a classic: 'That we are in shit is clear, the problem is that we are starting to get comfortable in it.' It is therefore understandable that in this dramatic situation, he himself – as a Polish patriot – would prefer to settle in Brussels.” https://www.newsweek.pl/opinie/tajna-historia-pis-wedlug-kurskiego-odslonil-pikantne-tajemnice-kulisy/hl0h38n -- FOR ME, THE WORLD IS ENDING NOT ONLY BECAUSE I AM GETTING OLD. ALSO BECAUSE, LIKE MANY PEOPLE, I HAVE A FEELING OF AN UNSPOKEN, APPROACHING TSUNAMI. SOMETHING IS IN THE AIR - JAN ENGLERT IN A CONVERSATION WITH LIDIA RAŚ IN GAZETA.PL: “I think this performance is close to how Jan Kott [Polish theatre critic and theorist, d. 2001 – ed.] viewed 'King Lear' – as a drama about the end of a certain world. I can add: Lear's world and mine. For me, the world is ending not only because I am getting old. Also because, like many people, I have a feeling of an unspoken, approaching tsunami. Something is in the air. You feel it in conversations, in the way people behave, in the need to shout oneself out, as if everyone truly had something extremely important to convey to others. We are running away from something. I am too. I am fleeing from something, defending myself against something, and I feel I am on the defensive. Perhaps because I have detached myself from the online world, because its insistence terrifies me. I am 19th-century, not even 20th-century. I was raised with the belief that one's pain, suffering, and flaws should be hidden, not sold for the illusory belief that one is participating in the world's life. In theatre, I am most interested in the human being, around whom everything changes, but who himself remains the same two-legged – as Lear says – naked animal. Even though we defend ourselves greatly against this comparison, because we believe – wrongly – that we can control nature. Now I know that to play Lear, one must understand what aging means, general incapacity.” https://weekend.gazeta.pl/weekend/7,177333,30796728,jan-englert-jestem-rzemieslnikiem-i-jestem-z-tego-dumny-nigdy.html -- FOUR YEARS AGO (ON SUNDAY), THE CABINET COUNCIL WAS POSTPONED AFTER MINISTER WOŚ TESTED POSITIVE… -- BIRTHDAYS: Wanda Buk. SUNDAY: Elżbieta Jakubiak, Zbigniew Girzyński, Ewa Tomczyk, Andrzej Rozenek.