-- SIRENS WILL WAIL IN WARSAW ON FRIDAY. ON THE 81ST ANNIVERSARY OF THE WARSAW GHETTO UPRISING. For many years, Warsaw residents have been sticking paper daffodils to themselves. The flower became a symbol of remembrance of the uprising after Marek Edelman began laying them at the Ghetto Heroes Monument. -- PHOTO CREDIT: LULLA LA POLACA (ANDRZEJ SZWAN). PHOTO CREDIT: A. KARCZMARCZYK / VAN DORSEN ARTISTS - FOR POLIN: https://www.polin.pl/pl/zonkile -- MISZALSKI JUST FOUR PERCENTAGE POINTS AHEAD OF GIBAŁA - MAGDALENA KURSA IN GW: “In the first round, the candidates were separated by as much as 11 percentage points. Some commentators, including Janusz Majcherek, suggested that Miszalski had the victory in the bag. However, a poll for 'Wyborcza' shows that the Civic Platform candidate cannot sleep soundly. The survey conducted this week gives him 39% support, and Łukasz Gibała 36%. Meanwhile, 25% of voters in Krakow have still not made up their minds.” -- AMONG DECIDED VOTERS, IT'S 52:48 FOR MISZALSKI - COURSES CONTINUED IN GW: “If we consider only the votes of decided voters, the proportions are as follows: Aleksander Miszalski - 52% support, Łukasz Gibała - 48% The difference between them has therefore shrunk to four percentage points. What happened? Undoubtedly, the votes of PiS voters play a role, as does who voters for the other candidates from the first round want to vote for.” https://krakow.wyborcza.pl/krakow/7,44425,30900132,sondaz-wyborczej-dla-krakowa-kto-po-dwoch-dekadach-przejmie.html -- RAFAŁ DUTKIEWICZ SPOKE AT THE THIRD WAY CONVENTION AND STRONGLY DENOUNCED JAKUB SUTRYK: “- There are many more things and matters that make me ashamed and outraged. This bizarre house purchase, the Collegium Humanum scandal, for example, the over a hundred sinecures for various politicians supported by public funds through municipal companies. Annually, this is equivalent to one kindergarten. In five years, Jacek Sutryk has taken five kindergarten buildings from Wrocław through these over a hundred sinecures – Dutkiewicz thundered.” https://www.tuwroclaw.com/wiadomosci,dutkiewicz-ludzie-dutkiewicza-powinni-odejsc-sutryk-jest-pierwszy-na-tej-liscie,wia5-3315-74359.html -- THE THIRD WAY IS TRYING TO SEND A SIGNAL THAT IT STANDS OUTSIDE OF ARRANGEMENTS – BOTH WARSAW'S AND WROCŁAW'S. AND REMAINS IN OPPOSITION TO DONALD TUSK - AGATA SZCZĘŚNIAK IN OKO.PRESS: “Hołownia allows himself philosophical-metaphorical talks, while Kosiniak-Kamysz supplements them with hard economic or military specifics. At the same time, the leader of the Polish People's Party has clearly gained some ease thanks to his stage collaboration with Hołownia. In Wrocław, they sent a clear signal that they are still a tandem, playing for the same goal. And this goal is positioned between the main political forces – PiS and Civic Platform. 'The office of the president is not something that can be traded in the privacy of Warsaw's offices,' said local activist Michał Kwiatkowski from the stage, likely referring to the fact that Sutryk was supported by Donald Tusk and New Left, but not by the local structures of the Civic Coalition. By speaking of change, the Third Way is trying to send a signal that it stands outside of arrangements – both Warsaw's and Wrocław's. And it remains in opposition to Donald Tusk. The question is whether Izabela Bodnar – if she wins against Jacek Sutryk – will indeed bring about such a change.” https://oko.press/go-girl-torpeda-zmiany-i-zarty-z-kota-holownia-i-kosiniak-kamysz-we-wroclawiu-o-izabeli-bodnar -- SHOCK IN THE CIVIC PLATFORM, AS THE MAYOR OF LUBLIN SUPPORTED EXTREME-RIGHT CANDIDATE CZARNEK - JACEK BRZUSZKIEWICZ IN GW: “Krzysztof Żuk, Mayor of Lublin and Vice-Chairman of the local structures of the Civic Platform, supported Zdzisław Niedbała, an ultra-right PiS councilor who removed the European Union flag and opposed LGBT communities, in the local elections. - Krzysiek has probably pushed himself out of the Civic Platform – say activists of Donald Tusk's party. Following Krzysztof Żuk's city councilors' approval for the construction of a Lech Kaczyński monument in the city's representative center and his participation in the last elections with his own committee, not the Civic Coalition committee, this is another right-wing U-turn by the Mayor of Lublin. - Krzysiek has probably pushed himself out of the Civic Platform – assess party activists of Donald Tusk's party from Lublin.” https://lublin.wyborcza.pl/lublin/7,48724,30898569,prezydent-lublina-krzysztof-zuk-wiceszef-platformy-w-regionie.html -- THE MORE THEY WERE ENGAGED IN DEFENDING CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY, THE MORE THEY FELT ABANDONED. IF THE OCTOBER 15 COALITION IS TO WIN THE EUROPEAN ELECTIONS, IT MUST WIN BACK THIS GROUP BY STRONGLY SHOWING THAT IT WANTS NOT ONLY THEIR VOTES BUT ALSO PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNANCE - JACEK ŻAKOWSKI IN GW: “Awakened on October 15th, they engaged in democracy, opposing the government for two PiS terms. They joined gradually – from the first KOD (Committee for the Defence of Democracy) to the March of a Million Hearts. Thanks to them, the coalition won. But when it won, it didn't ask them about anything anymore. The more they were engaged in defending constitutional democracy, the more they felt abandoned. They thought: 'No, this is not it!' – and on April 7th, they chose abstention, giving electoral victory to PiS. If the October 15 Coalition is to win the European elections, it must win back this group by strongly showing that it wants not only their votes but also participation in governance. Just as President Macron did, who also won thanks to the awakened and in response to the 'yellow vests' movement, he harnessed social energy by organizing civic debates with the participation of 1.5 million French people, and then appointed, among others, the Citizens' Convention on 'the end of life.'” https://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,30895571,demokracja-nie-tylko-republika-blad-jaki-popelnia-koalicja.html -- BEFORE THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS, FOUR "TOXIC CANDIDATES" ARE ELECTRIFYING PIŚ. AMONG THEM, FORMER TVP BOSS JACEK KURSKI. BUT PIŚ HAS GAINED AN ADDITIONAL ARGUMENT TO NOMINATE HIM IN THE LUBLIN REGION - AGATA KONDZIŃSKA IN GW: “Just behind Kamiński would be Jacek Kurski and – as heard within PiS – the party has gained an additional argument to nominate him there. Konfederacja will be represented in the Lublin region by Mirosław Piotrowski. He is a former MEP who successfully ran for the European Parliament twice on PiS lists. Favored by Tadeusz Rydzyk's circle, he fell out of favor with PiS, however, because he left delegations after winning elections each time. - Kurski can be a worthy opponent for him, we need someone to make our voters realize that Piotrowski has not represented us for a long time – I hear from a PiS politician.” -- KONDZIŃSKA ON CALCULATING THE OBAJEK CASE: “Concerns about too harsh a campaign are also heard within Jarosław Kaczyński's party. And the candidacy of Daniel Obajtek from Podkarpacie would certainly contribute to such a campaign. - On the one hand, the leader is betting on those loyal for years, but he is also drawing those 'oppressed' onto the lists. We can't stand Obajtek here, he made millions and will go to earn again – a PiS politician explains. He adds that 'the harsher the campaign, the more the opposing voters may be mobilized.' But others also see positives. - Obajtek will care, he will try, and he still has money for the campaign – we hear.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,75398,30899328,pis-uklada-listy-do-europarlamentu-w-partii-lychac-o-toksycznych.html -- ADAM BODNAR SHOULD PRESENT DATA SHOWING WHAT PERCENTAGE OF SURVEILLANCE APPLICATIONS, INCLUDING PEGASUS, WERE APPROVED BY JUDGES. IT IS DISHEARTENING THAT AMONG THOSE GRANTING APPROVAL WERE JUDGES WHO LOUDLY POINTED OUT OTHER THREATS TO DEMOCRACY AND CIVIL RIGHTS - TOMASZ PIETRYGA IN RZ. -- THE MAJORITY OF JUDGES, WHEN MAKING SUCH DECISIONS, DID NOT BOTHER TO CONFRONT THEM WITH THE THREATS THEY POSE TO CIVIL RIGHTS - PIETRYGA CONTINUES IN RZ: “In the Warsaw court, the first option was usually used: the services' requests were routinely accepted. The majority of judges, when making such decisions, did not bother to confront them with the threats they pose to civil rights. The routine acceptance shows that civil rights were not on the judge's scale, or perhaps it was difficult to write the necessary justifications.” https://www.rp.pl/opinie-prawne/art40195201-tomasz-pietryga-reksio-z-sekcji-tajnej-w-sprawie-pegasusa-sedziowie-nie-sa-ofiarami-sluzb -- ALTHOUGH COMMENTS ON THE NUMBER 578 NAMES WILL REMAIN IN THE REALM OF SPECULATION, ALL THE INDICATED ISSUES MUST BE RESOLVED. THEN, BASED ON FACTS, IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO DETERMINE TO WHAT EXTENT THE PEGASUS PROGRAM CONTRIBUTED TO THE CRISIS OF THE RULE OF LAW IN POLAND - KATARZYNA SKRZYDŁOWSKA-KALUKIN IN KULTURA LIBERALNA: “Politically motivated surveillance is fundamentally incompatible with the rules of a state governed by the rule of law, while clarifying whether Pegasus was purchased and used legally evokes less emotion. However, this is also a fundamental issue, as it infringes upon civil rights. Clarification is also needed regarding the potential consequences of wiretaps and how they were used, especially against criminals. Although comments on the number of 578 names will remain in the realm of speculation, all the indicated issues must be resolved. Then, based on facts, it will be possible to determine to what extent the Pegasus program contributed to the crisis of the rule of law in Poland. The answer to this question may, in turn, have further consequences – individuals potentially responsible for this crisis may run in the European Parliament elections. It is also important to establish rules that will protect us from such impunity of power in the future.” https://kulturaliberalna.pl/2024/04/18/skrzydlowska-kalukin-w-czwartek-co-oznacza-lista-578-ofiar-pegasusa/ -- BOSAK ON THE DUDA-TRUMP MEETING: SENSEFUL. IT IS ACCOMPANIED BY ARTIFICIAL CONTROVERSY, AND TUSK GIVES VENT TO HIS MALICE - 300LIVE: https://300polityka.pl/live/2024/04/19 -- DONALD TRUMP AND ANDRZEJ DUDA HAD DINNER. AND THAT'S GOOD, THAT'S POLITICS - PAWEŁ ŁEPKOWSKI IN RZ: “No criminal charges were brought against Bill Clinton. No foreign politician refuses to meet with him, even though the scale of accusations is incomparably greater than in Trump's case. The private meeting of Messrs. Duda and Trump, therefore, has nothing inappropriate about it, although it is not as significant an event from the perspective of Washington, Berlin, or Paris as we think it is in Warsaw. It falls within diplomatic convention. Whether it will bring tangible benefits, we will find out in November.” https://www.rp.pl/komentarze/art40193371-pawel-lepkowski-donald-trump-i-andrzej-duda-zjedli-kolacje-i-dobrze-to-wlasnie-polityka -- IN MANY POLISH MUNICIPALITIES, THERE IS NO TALK OF ANY LOCAL GOVERNMENT. FOR YEARS, THE SAME PEOPLE HAVE BEEN RULING, WHO ARE NOT INTERESTED IN ANY CHANGE - TOMASZ KRZYŻAK IN RZ: “On the local government map of Poland, it is easy to find places where the rulers have virtually no competition, as councils are dominated by representatives of one option. In these towns, the mayor is practically an absolute ruler. Governance is exercised by a court of obedient councilors and officials. We need a debate about local government in Poland. Talking about it cannot end on Sunday, April 21st, in the evening.” https://www.rp.pl/publicystyka/art40197511-tomasz-krzyzak-potrzeba-nieustannej-debaty-nad-samorzadem -- THE UPCOMING EUROPEAN ELECTIONS WILL BE THE MOST IMPORTANT IN HISTORY. THE STAKES ARE THE QUESTION OF WHETHER REAL, DEMOCRATIC CHANGE CAN EVER OCCUR IN THE UNION. OR WHETHER THE LIBERAL ESTABLISHMENT WILL RULE HERE ABOVE DEMOCRACY FOREVER - RAFAŁ WOŚ IN INTERIA. -- THE ELITES HAVE BEEN AND ARE ACCUSTOMED IN THE UNION TO THE FACT THAT REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME OF SUBSEQUENT VOTES, THE FULL POWER REMAINED WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE UNION'S "NATIONAL UNITY FRONT" - WOŚ CONTINUES IN INTERIA: “A serious test of strength is gathering in the Union between the old, established liberal establishment and the contenders seeking to break their hegemony. Elites have been and are accustomed in the Union to the fact that, regardless of the outcome of subsequent votes, full power remained within the framework of the Union's 'National Unity Front.' At times more in the hands of Christian Democrats, at other times more with socialists. Taking into account the interests of liberals or greens. But always 'within the family' of political forces whose programs and approaches to key issues (energy, migration, ecology) or symbolic matters differed less and less from each other.” -- THE EURO-ELITES UNDER THE SIGN OF VON DER LEYEN AND TIMMERMANS ARE THE BIGGEST "EXITERS" TODAY. PRECISELY BECAUSE THEY DO NOT WANT TO ACCEPT DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW - WOŚ CONTINUES IN INTERIA: “If you listen honestly (without prior prejudice), you are unlikely to hear a slogan for dismantling the Union here. Quite the opposite. They will tell you that it is the euro-elites under the sign of von der Leyen and Timmermans who are the biggest 'exiters' today. Precisely because they do not want to accept different points of view on many issues (from ecology to migration) and increasingly alienate broad masses of society who do not feel well represented by the mainstream. And increasingly, not represented at all. And honestly, it's hard to completely deny this argument.” https://wydarzenia.interia.pl/felietony/news-wybory-do-europarlamentu-czuja-konkurencje,nId,7459199 -- POLISH ENERGY NEEDS A MARKET - WITOLD GADOMSKI IN GW: “Wholesale electricity prices in Poland are among the highest in the European Union. In March, they averaged PLN 323 per 1 MWh, or EUR 75. In Germany, they were EUR 65, in France EUR 54, in Sweden EUR 53, in Hungary EUR 65. High prices in Poland result not only from the fact that Polish coal-fired power plants, which still supply over 70% of electricity, are burdened by the cost of purchasing CO2 emission allowances, but also from the lack of real competition between energy suppliers.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,30897247,okiem-liberala-polska-energetyka-potrzebuje-rynku.html -- BIRTHDAYS: Barbara Labuda, Małgorzata Sekuła-Szmajdzińska, Iwona Kutyna. SATURDAY: Piotr Gliński turns 70, Andrzej Gałażewski. SUNDAY: Andrzej Mietkowski, Piotr Pałka, Artur Gierada.