-- UNLIKE OUR PREDECESSORS, WE ARE NOT PUTTING ALL OUR CHIPS ON ONE NUMBER. SOME CONTACTS DON'T NEED TO BE PUBLIC - RADOSŁAW SIKORSKI IN CONVERSATION WITH JERZY HASZCZYŃSKI AND JĘDRZEJ BIELECKI IN RZ: "Even during my recent visit to Washington, I met at our embassy with one of the individuals who belongs to the intellectual support base of that wing of the Republican Party, because indeed, unlike our predecessors, we are not putting all our chips on one number. Some contacts don't need to be public, but it is a significant person." -- THESE ARE THE PRACTICAL CONSEQUENCES OF THE END OF OUR COLD WAR WITH BRUSSELS AND BERLIN - SIKORSKI STATES IN RZ: "This means we see these matters a bit differently. But please admit, when in history has it happened that Poland, Prime Minister Tusk, was an element of reconciliation between Germany and France? He was the element that allowed the two largest EU countries to resolve issues in their relations. And thanks to this, we advanced a matter important to us, namely 5 billion euros for Ukraine. These are the practical consequences of the end of our cold war with Brussels and Berlin." -- I DOUBT THAT PUBLIC OPINION IN MOST EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, INCLUDING POLAND, WAS READY FOR THIS - SIKORSKI CONTINUES IN RZ: "I recall that when we invited Sweden and Finland, we simultaneously announced that this meant the guarantees towards them were already in effect, so as not to create a transition period. If Ukraine were invited and it already had security guarantees, it would be an invitation to go to war with Russia. I doubt that public opinion in most European countries, including Poland, was ready for this." -- THERE ARE AREAS WHERE I WILL DEFEND THE VETO FOR EVER AND EVER - SIKORSKI TO HASZCZYŃSKI AND BIELECKI IN RZ: "So, if we were to move to majority voting on this issue, would it be submission or rather a benefit? Well, precisely: it strengthens our effectiveness in opposing Russia. In this specific matter, it is therefore a good thing. I therefore propose not to use that PiS-like language, the intellectual basis of which is that the Union is some external body to which we submit, some mysterious force controlled by Germany. This is a mental universe that is fundamentally false. But there are areas where I will defend the veto for ever and ever. For example, the enlargement of the Union: decisions here should always be made unanimously. But the same should apply to matters related to identity, culture, religion, and worldview." https://www.rp.pl/polityka/art40042301-radoslaw-sikorski-wybory-w-usa-nie-stawiamy-wszystkich-zetonow-na-jedno-pole -- SIEWIERA ON RUSSIAN MISSILE CRITICIZES BŁASZCZAK: ALL PREMISES WERE MET TO INFORM THE SUPREME COMMANDER OF THE ARMED FORCES - 300LIVE: https://300polityka.pl/live/2024/03/22/ -- THE ANTI-PIS CARNIVAL IS FADING - RAFAŁ KALUKIN IN TYGODNIK POLITYKA: "In short, Tusk's upcoming 'prom night' coincides with the natural fading of the anti-PiS carnival and the gradual emergence of new expectations towards the authorities. It would be good to seize the opportunity and respond convincingly to them. This will not be easy at all, as on the other hand, media 'Tuskometers' are already working intensively, holding the strongest ruling party accountable for the implementation of its election promises. And if these dominate the narrative in the coming days, the coalition majority may have significant problems maintaining its current political momentum." -- THE PACE OF MOOD DECLINE, HOWEVER, SEEMS TOO RAPID - KALUKIN CONTINUES IN TYGODNIK POLITYKA: "The coalition has covered a surprisingly long distance in these hundred days. From a wave of enthusiasm that we defeated PiS and will now clean up after them together, to the first public accusations, mutual scoldings, and party auctions. This is probably the prose of coalition life, although the pace of mood decline seems too rapid. The 'October 15 Coalition' was supposed to be more than just another party cartel. It was constituted by a historic moment and an unprecedented scale of challenges. While for now it's just friction, unity doesn't seem seriously threatened. Nevertheless, there are reasons for concern." -- IF WE ARE TO TRULY LOOK FOR MORE SERIOUS MISTAKES AND OMISSIONS BY TUSK'S FORMATION, WE SHOULD RATHER POINT TO THE LACK OF GENERAL ORIENTATION AT THE MOMENT OF TAKING POWER IN MATTERS STRATEGIC FOR THE STATE, SUCH AS THE CONSTRUCTION OF CPK - KALUKIN CONTINUES IN TYGODNIK POLITYKA: "And if we are to truly look for more serious mistakes and omissions by Tusk's formation, we should rather point to the lack of general orientation at the moment of taking power in matters strategic for the state, such as the construction of CPK, investments in nuclear energy, and the consolidation of the coal sector. PiS did not disclose or consult anything with the opposition. Today, one might get the impression that decisions on these matters are made on the fly, and moreover, the government is not very adept at engaging in polemics with the magic of PiS's 'grand projects,' whose aspirational and spectacular values are attractive even to some of its supporters." https://www.polityka.pl/tygodnikpolityka/kraj/2249475,1,100-dni-rzadow-tuska-antypisowski-karnawal-dogasa-czy-sa-powody-do-niepokoju.read -- THE COHABITATION CONFLICT WILL SUPPRESS CRITICISM OF THE GOVERNMENT BY ITS SUPPORTERS; IT WILL ONLY EMERGE WHEN, AFTER THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, THE SENSE OF THREAT FROM PIS DECREASES TO PRACTICALLY ZERO - PROF. ANTONI DUDEK IN CONVERSATION WITH JAKUB MAJMUREK IN NEWSWEEK: "We will see after the local and European elections. If the ruling coalition recaptures more regional assemblies from PiS and then wins the European elections, it will mean that the anti-PiS fuel is still working. In my opinion, it will last approximately until the presidential elections. The cohabitation conflict will suppress criticism of the government by its supporters; it will only emerge when, after the presidential elections, the sense of threat from PiS decreases to practically zero. Tusk is increasingly making it clear that President Duda is a big problem, that he will block everything – and this rhetoric will, in my opinion, intensify in the coming months. It is not without basis and may be convincing to voters. So, as long as President Duda is in office in the Presidential Palace, in my opinion, there will be no clear erosion of support for the ruling coalition. Problems may arise when a sharp rivalry between Trzaskowski and Hołownia for the presidency breaks out." -- FOR THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT, THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN THE COMING YEAR WILL BE TO BALANCE THE NECESSARY STATE EXPENDITURES DRIVEN BY ELECTORAL EXPECTATIONS AND BUDGET REVENUES - PROF. DUDEK CONTINUES WITH MAJMUREK: "And at the same time, it is impossible to avoid significant expenditures on defense or energy transformation; the European Union will not finance them for us. Overall, the era of easy governance ended with the pandemic and the outbreak of a new wave of war in the east. The PiS government was unable to cope with new difficulties, having failed on the issue of Ukrainian grain. For the current government, the biggest challenge next year will be to balance the necessary state expenditures, driven by electoral expectations, and budget revenues." -- A TRAGICALLY WRONG DECISION BY POLSKA 2050 NOT TO FIELD ANYONE IN THE RACE FOR THE WARSAW MAYOR - PROF. DUDEK TELLS MAJMUREK: "Regarding Poland 2050, here, assimilation could occur not by Tusk adopting the party's programmatic slogans, but by undermining the foundations of Hołownia's movement. Because this movement has a clear problem with its own identity, the symptom of which, in my opinion, is the tragically wrong decision by Poland 2050 not to field anyone in the race for the Warsaw mayoralty. Poland 2050 emerged from opposition to Civic Coalition, and today it governs together with Tusk; it's not entirely clear what the reason for this formation's existence is; Hołownia's presidential ambitions are a bit too little. So, it is very possible that in the next elections, Poland 2050 voters will decide that there is no point in voting for a smaller version of Civic Coalition and will support a bigger player. If, at the same time, activists start leaving for Tusk, then Poland 2050 may end up similarly to Nowoczesna." https://www.onet.pl/informacje/newsweek/koalicja-przed-powaznym-problemem-tusk-nie-ma-wyboru/2c55760,452ad802 -- THE MOST IMPORTANT GOAL OF THE TERM IS STILL AHEAD OF TUSK - DEFINITIVELY DEPRIVING KACZYŃSKI OF THE CHANCE TO RETURN TO POWER. BECAUSE IF KACZYŃSKI EVER RETURNED, TUSK'S POLAND WOULD IGNITE FROM HIS REVENGE - ANDRZEJ STANKIEWICZ ON ONE: "All elements of Tusk's policy are designed to leave Kaczyński with no chance of rebuilding and returning to the power game. In other words, Tusk is eliminating the mistakes he made during his previous terms. On the one hand, through social policy and skillful populism, he wants to take the oxygen away from Kaczyński. On the other hand, by harshly holding PiS members accountable, he wants to make the party repulsive and trigger centrifugal movements that will lead to a split on the right. The recent infighting within PiS between Morawiecki's people and the Ziobrists shows that United Right, deprived of power, is beginning to divide – and this is an inevitable process. Division, disintegration, or succession in PiS are variants that Tusk is playing on. Let's call things by their name – Tusk will do everything to ensure Kaczyński never returns to power. And each of these options guarantees it." -- THERE WILL BE A LOT OF BALANCING ON THE EDGE OF PIS RHETORIC IN THIS TERM, BECAUSE TUSK WANTS TO TAKE AWAY THE POPULIST AMMUNITION THAT KACZYŃSKI USED FOR YEARS TO STRENGTHEN HIS POSITION - STANKIEWICZ CONTINUES ON ONE: "Tusk is already clashing with the European Commission on these two issues. He is taking advantage of the fact that the head of the EC, Ursula von der Leyen, is seeking a second term and needs the support of the Polish government. The Prime Minister is not yielding to the pressure of the most left-wing wing of his party on another issue regulated by the Union – migration. Tusk is not a proponent of the forced relocation of immigrants; moreover, he does not intend to demolish the wall built by PiS on the border with Belarus. What's more, he wants to strengthen it. There will be a lot of such balancing on the edge of PiS rhetoric in this term, because Tusk wants to take away the populist ammunition that Kaczyński used for years to strengthen his position." -- BY BEING PRESIDENT OR HAVING A FAVORABLE PRESIDENT, HE WILL BE ABLE TO SHAPE THE COUNTRY'S SYSTEM FOR DECADES - STANKIEWICZ'S CONCLUSION: "Regaining the presidency from PiS is key to Tusk's plan. By being president or having a favorable president, he will be able to shape the country's system for decades – by adopting specific laws, such as the liberalization of abortion. In this sense, the government's first 100 days are a small step towards realizing a broader vision – the clash between Tusk's Poland and Kaczyński's Poland. The PiS leader failed to arrange Poland for decades, so that the system he created would outlast him. Tusk has much greater chances for this." https://www.onet.pl/informacje/onetwiadomosci/na-zawsze-z-donaldem-tak-tusk-chce-wyeliminowac-kaczynskiego-z-polityki-opinia/lwh02f1,79cfc278 -- WE ARE DEFINITELY ON THE DEFENSIVE REGARDING ECONOMIC PROPOSALS, WE HAVE UNSATISFIED NEEDS IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC ISSUES, AND THEREFORE WE WILL SUBMIT OUR DEMANDS - RYSZARD PETRU IN CONVERSATION WITH PIOTR ŚMIŁOWICZ ON GAZETA.PL: "MP from Poland 2050-TD Ryszard Petru admits that the government has succeeded in some areas and failed in others over these hundred days. - We are definitely on the defensive regarding economic proposals. As Poland 2050, we will submit proposals of this type so that the economy also becomes an important element in this coalition government – Petru says in an interview with jedennewsdziennie.pl. - It is very good that the government managed to recover funds from the KPO. But that is not enough; these are external funds that stimulate additional demand. However, we ourselves must create conditions for the Polish economy to develop rapidly and not solely from external funds. We have unsatisfied needs regarding economic issues, and therefore we will submit our demands, such as the project concerning Sunday trading – adds Petru." https://jedennewsdziennie.pl/article/208 -- BIRTHDAYS: Ewa Łętowska, Mariusz Chłopik, Stanisław Stec.