-- THEY AREN'T GIVING ME HIGH ODDS, BUT I'M FIGHTING. I WANT TO LIVE FOR MY CHILDREN – ZBIGNIEW ZIOBRO IN SE: “– My results are, to put it mildly, poor, and a second visit to the surgical ward has been scheduled – announces Ziobro, who is currently fighting the most serious battle of his life. – They aren't giving me high odds, but I'm fighting. I want to live for my children – he confesses. And he appeals for people to get tested. – I have an appeal to everyone: get tested! Periodically, preventatively, and consult any worrying signs with doctors. Don't neglect it. Health is simply more important than career, prestige, or earning money – Zbigniew Ziobro admits to us”. https://polityka.se.pl/wiadomosci/ziobro-ujawnia-swoje-szanse-w-walce-z-rakiem-przerazajace-wiesci-aa-mWij-rJKz-7VC1.html -- NEXT WEEK, I WILL INFORM THE POLISH PUBLIC ABOUT THE ACTIONS OF THE POLISH STATE AIMED AT AUTHORS OF PROVOCATIONS, SABOTAGE, AND DIVERSION – PDT AT MONTE CASSINO: https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/7,114884,30983123,donald-tusk-zapowiedzial-wazne-oswiadczenie-panstwo-polskie.html -- PRIME MINISTER TUSK ANNOUNCED THE LAUNCH OF THE "EAST SHIELD" PROGRAM IN KRAKÓW. UNDER THIS PROGRAM, THE GOVERNMENT WILL ALLOCATE PLN 10 BILLION TO STRENGTHEN SECURITY ON THE POLISH BORDER, INCLUDING THE CONSTRUCTION OF FORTIFICATIONS. https://next.gazeta.pl/next/7,151003,30983129,donald-tusk-oglasza-narodowy-plan-obrony-i-odstraszania-tarcza.html -- DONALD TUSK IS SULKING BECAUSE HE HAS BECOME DISAPPOINTED WITH HIS OWN ELECTORATE – KATARYNA IN RZ: “More than half a year has passed since the historic victory of the "smiling Poland coalition," and the new government hasn't even managed to establish a hastily invented national holiday to commemorate the record electoral result of October 15th. Of the 100 concrete goals, a few might have been started, but the Prime Minister has already managed to become disappointed with his own electorate, for whom the narrative of a post-election smiling Poland is not enough to mobilize them for the upcoming elections to a degree the Prime Minister finds satisfactory. The disappointment is therefore mutual, and if it continues like this, the voters won't see the promised holiday in memory of the election victory, and the Prime Minister will get bored with governing Poland even before the end of his term.” -- I WILL ALSO NOT BE SURPRISED IF LAW AND JUSTICE ACHIEVES A GOOD RESULT IN THE EUROPEAN ELECTIONS DESPITE NOMINATING EXTREMELY REPUGNANT FIGURES ON SOME LISTS – KATARYNA CONTINUES IN RZ: “If Donald Tusk's statement is an expression of his concerns about the outcome of the upcoming elections in light of the growing impatience of the "smiling electorate" with the government's poor performance, then I don't blame the Prime Minister at all. And I will also not be surprised if Law and Justice achieves a good result in the European elections despite nominating extremely repugnant figures on some lists.” https://www.rp.pl/plus-minus/art40375231-kataryna-donald-tusk-ma-focha-bo-zdazyl-sie-rozczarowac-wlasnym-elektoratem -- THE CIVIC PLATFORM'S ELECTION SPOT AIMS TO TURN FEAR INTO HATRED FOR PIS. TUSK IS LIKE KACZYŃSKI – PIOTR PACEWICZ IN OKO.PRESS: “The election spots of PiS and PO are separated by 36 minutes, but otherwise, they are fundamentally the same. PO gives the impression that it hasn't noticed it won the election and it's time to compete by showing new horizons, not by stepping into the predecessor's shoes to kick them.” -- THE PRIME MINISTER COULD TREAT US SERIOUSLY, NOT LIKE A FLOCK OF SHEEP, OR RATHER RAMS, DRIVEN BY SIMPLE INSTINCTS OF FEAR AND AGGRESSION – PACEWICZ CONTINUES IN OKO: “The Prime Minister could treat us seriously, not like a flock of sheep, or rather rams, driven by simple instincts of fear and aggression. The former President of Europe could say that Poland's security is a European issue and he will do everything to ensure that the European Union, together with us, develops a policy of support for Ukraine. And then he should be praised to the heavens for having such a position in the EU, that they reckon with him.” -- A PLATFORM PROPAGANDIST REACHES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS OF PEOPLE THEY WANT TO DISCREDIT, WITHOUT REGARD FOR CONTEXT – PACEWICZ CONTINUES: “Subliminal image juxtapositions from the initial sequence are meant to associate Kaczyński and Macierewicz with Russian victims in Katyn. The replacement of the logo with a double-headed eagle, the traditional emblem of Russia restored in 1993, is a crude propaganda trick from the level of the 'gallows for Sikorski' and Tusk in Wehrmacht uniform (which Agata Szczęśniak wrote about in OKO.press in April 2017). We don't recall PiS propaganda playing with the PO logo (a 'pirated version' of the smiling orange with two tibias circulated online), perhaps now PiS will respond with some graffiti. The Platform's propagandist reaches for illustrations of people they want to discredit, without regard for context.” -- IT INTENSIFIES SOCIAL FEAR, WHICH IS JUSTIFIED BY REAL THREAT. ESPECIALLY IN THE PO SPOT, THE CLEAR GOAL IS TO ESCALATE TENSION. A PARTY PROPAGANDIST HAS DECIDED THAT THE PARTY CAN BENEFIT FROM FUELLING FEAR – PACEWICZ CONTINUES IN OKO: “Firstly, it intensifies social fear, which is justified by real threats. Especially in the PO spot, the clear goal is to escalate tension. A party propagandist has decided that the party can gain from fuelling fear. Certainly with the approval of Donald Tusk, who, in a way, announced the spot's message in his Sejm speech with the epithet PZPR. Secondly, the sense of threat is linked here with the most serious accusation of treason. As is known, fear can easily become a source of aggression, especially since both spots clearly indicate the perpetrator of the situation we find ourselves in. The recipient is meant to be certain that it is very dangerous and to know who is to blame.” -- FOR KACZYŃSKI, THE HATEMONGERING PO SPOT IS A DREAM GIFT, BECAUSE THE DEMAGOGUERY AND BRUTALITY OF THE MESSAGE CONFIRM THE IMAGE OF TUSK'S FORMATION AND HIMSELF – PACEWICZ WRITES FURTHER IN OKO.PRESS: “PiS's political calculation is obvious and remains the same, with "Tusk's guilt" taking on the already known form of "Tusk's treason." This will likely mobilize PiS's electorate. Especially now, because for Kaczyński, the hateful PO spot is a dream gift, as the demagoguery and brutality of the message confirm the image of Tusk's formation and himself, which PiS has been building for over a decade. The right-wing populist opposition gains an argument: look how they hate us, how they lie and manipulate. Go vote, you must respond to them.” -- THE PRIMITIVISM AND BRUTALITY OF THE MESSAGE CAN, IN TURN, HAVE A DISCOURAGING EFFECT EVEN ON LESS FERVENT SUPPORTERS OF THE PLATFORM – PACEWICZ WRITES: “The primitivism and brutality of the message can, in turn, have a discouraging effect even on less fervent supporters of the Platform and Donald Tusk, because it offends the intelligence of the intellectual electorate. The electoral victory of October 15th was the result of mobilization, driven on the one hand by anger and rejection of PiS's rule, but on the other by hope for a different Poland. A serious conversation and mobilization of society in the face of real threats from Russia is an obvious task for the authorities. But why build it on hatred of PiS and a one-dimensional diagnosis?” https://oko.press/spot-wyborczy-po-ma-zamieniac-strach-na-nienawisc-do-pis-tusk-jak-kaczynski -- THE PRIME MINISTER IS SPEAKING THE LANGUAGE OF PIS TODAY – PIOTR ZAREMBA IN RZ: “One thing we know for sure: exchanging accusations about ties to Russia will be one of the main topics of the European Parliament campaign. Tusk intends to beat the war drum of mobilization. Assuming the role of defender of the eastern border, which is natural for a Polish Prime Minister, is just one of the consequences, and in overall a positive one. Immigrants are no longer "poor people looking for a place on earth." They are "Łukaszenka's tools." The Prime Minister is speaking the language of PiS on this matter today.” -- THE PATH TO THE COMPLETE DESTRUCTION OF THE NATIONAL COMMUNITY. IF ANYTHING OF IT STILL REMAINS AT ALL, BECAUSE ONLY THE PRESIDENT SEEMS TO BELIEVE IN ITS EXISTENCE TODAY – ZAREMBA CONTINUES IN RZ: “Another consequence will be the creation of the myth of a Russian-PiS conspiracy. Absurd, but since Roman Giertych accused Mateusz Morawiecki's government of intending to divide Ukrainian lands in league with Putin two years ago and was awarded a parliamentary mandate on behalf of Civic Coalition, this was to be expected. This is the path to the complete destruction of the national community. If anything of it still remains at all, because only President Andrzej Duda, repeating appeals for cooperation with the government, seems to believe in its existence today.” -- ON THE ONE HAND, POLITICIANS OF THE CURRENT RULING COALITION BLAME PIS FOR THE GREEN DEAL. ON THE OTHER HAND, THEY CANNOT BRING THEMSELVES TO REJECT IT – ZAREMBA WRITES IN RZ: “On the one hand, politicians of the current ruling coalition blame PiS for the Green Deal. On the other hand, they cannot bring themselves to reject it. They are limiting themselves to still unclear and inconclusive announcements of its "modification." It is possible that the steamroller will continue to roll.” -- HOŁOWNIA HAS TAKEN ON THE ROLE OF A FACILITATOR OF ACCOUNTABILITY – ZAREMBA AGAIN IN RZ: “Is Hołownia's resistance to the commission investigating Russian influence the first sign that KO coalition partners recognize this fuel as increasingly ineffective, and by the way, marginalizing them within the government alliance? We don't know. This same Hołownia has taken on the role of a facilitator of these settlements. Just recently, in a television program, the Marshal of the Sejm remarked about the "stinking lists of PiS." The spirit of bidding on anti-PiS sentiment thus remains vibrant. Certainly, in the eyes of many voters, PiS has not yet atoned sufficiently for its alleged ideological fundamentalism or party arrogance.” https://www.rp.pl/plus-minus/art40376161-europejskie-wybory-kota-w-worku -- THE PRIME MINISTER VERY WELL READS SOCIAL SENTIMENTS. THAT IS WHY HE IS DRAWING HEAVILY FROM PIS'S RHETORIC – LATELY INTENSELY FRIGHTENING PEOPLE WITH WAR – ANDRZEJ STANKIEWICZ IN NEWSWEEK: “Where does such a change in rhetoric come from? Firstly, it must be remembered that Tusk was always a soft populist. By flirting with populism, he was the only Prime Minister so far able to govern for almost two terms. Therefore, today he is simply returning to his proven political method. Tusk knows perfectly well that liberal voters have little choice – which is why he has suppressed the Left and is doing everything to push it into oblivion. He could have formed a coalition with the Left in the local elections, which would have given him a chance to win against PiS at the regional assembly level – but he did not do so, because victory would have strengthened Czarzasty. And Tusk wants liberal and left-wing voters to be condemned solely to him.” -- TUSK NEEDS ADDITIONAL VOTES – AND REALLY MANY – IF HE WANTS TO BECOME PRESIDENT. THE ELECTIONS ARE IN A YEAR, AND THE LEADER OF THE PLATFORM IS STILL SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT – STANKIEWICZ CONTINUES IN OKO: “Tusk wants to broaden his electorate not only to weaken PiS. He also wants to guarantee himself stable rule and not depend on the whims of smaller coalition partners. Tusk's change in rhetoric is a flirtation with the populist electorate, it has another goal. Tusk needs additional votes – and really many – if he wants to become president. The elections are in a year, and the leader of the Platform is still seriously considering running for president. However, he will only run if he is almost certain of victory. Today, he has a large negative electorate – this is baggage he inherited from PiS's rule, when the entire state apparatus, led by TVP Kurskiego, was engaged in attacking him and his family.” https://www.newsweek.pl/opinie/tusk-pojechal-kaczynskim-wraca-do-sprawdzonej-politycznej-metody/2dqrb3q -- IT IS TOO SHORT TO FULFILL ALL CAMPAIGN PROMISES – DOMINIKA WIELOWIEYSKA IN GW: “Donald Tusk's cabinet has been governing for almost half a year. This is too short to fulfill all campaign promises, and one must not forget that many of these proposals would have been vetoed by President Andrzej Duda.” -- THE CAMPAIGN MODE FORCES THE SUSPENSION OF CERTAIN PROJECTS THAT NOT ALL MEMBERS OF THE COALITION AGREE WITH – WIELOWIEYSKA CONTINUES IN GW: “The European Parliament elections are approaching, and the ruling coalition is operating in campaign mode. And this mode forces the suspension of certain projects that not all members of the October 15 Coalition agree with. The Polish People's Party (PSL) does not want to touch upon worldview issues or the privileges of the Church, as it fears protests from bishops and imprecations from parish priests, which can be fatal in rural areas and small towns. Church hierarchs have begun nervously searching for PSL members' phone numbers in their notebooks. For eight years, they could disregard or even humiliate the PSL members, and now they have developed a great affection for them.” -- A NEW PROGRAMMATIC OPENING OR ACCELERATION MAY OCCUR AFTER THE ELECTIONS – WIELOWIEYSKA CONTINUES IN GW: “A new programmatic opening or acceleration may occur after the elections, because although we will be voting for president next year, the PSL members will not play a significant role here. And perhaps they will be more open to compromise with coalition partners on certain issues.” -- THIS APPEALS TO EMOTIONS THAT ARE VERY STRONG AMONG KO VOTERS: PIS, BY BREAKING UP THE EUROPEAN UNION AND SETTING US AGAINST BRUSSELS, IS NATURALLY REALIZING THE KREMLIN'S PLAN. THIS MANEUVER WITH THE GOVERNMENT COMMISSION IS UNDERSTANDABLE – WIELOWIEYSKA CLAIMS IN GW: “The hard electorate of Civic Coalition believes that Russian influence agents, preying on this electorate's radicalism and its anti-EU and anti-Western emotions, were circulating around PiS. The pro-Putin slogans at farmers' demonstrations are the best example. Therefore, Tusk's sharp speech in the Sejm and the invocation of the slogan "Paid Traitors, Pawns of Russia" in the context of PiS, used in the Polish People's Republic and the early years after the breakthrough of 1989 against the ruling PZPR (Polish United Workers' Party), had one goal: to mobilize the hard electorate in the European elections. Paweł Wojtunik on his way to a hearing in the wiretapping scandal case, where he is to testify as a witness. District Court in Warsaw, September 2016. This appeal to emotions, which are very strong among KO voters: PiS, by breaking up the European Union and creating discord with Brussels, is naturally realizing the Kremlin's plan. This maneuver with the government commission is understandable.” -- TODAY WE KNOW THAT THIS BONUS IS A MYTH – WIELOWIEYSKA CONTINUES: “Today we know that this bonus is a myth. This year's local government elections showed this, in which the support pattern for individual parties did not change. Therefore, the outcome of the presidential elections depends primarily on the quality of Donald Tusk's government's work over the next year.” https://wyborcza.pl/magazyn/7,124059,30976875,hierarchowie-kosciola-zaczeli-nerwowo-odszukiwac-numery-telefonow.html -- IF THE EUROPEAN CAMPAIGN SHOWS THAT THE ISSUE OF "DEFENDING THE CROSS" IS POLITICALLY EFFECTIVE, THEN PIS WILL CERTAINLY USE IT IN THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN AS WELL. ESPECIALLY IF RAFAŁ TRZASKOWSKI BECOMES THE PO CANDIDATE – JAKUB MAJMUREK IN NEWSWEEK: “If the European campaign shows that the issue of "defending the cross" is politically effective, then PiS will certainly use it in the presidential campaign as well. Especially if Rafał Trzaskowski becomes the PO candidate. So, did the Mayor of Warsaw make a mistake by issuing this particular regulation? He was certainly right on the merits. Poland is not a confessional state, religious symbols should not be placed in institutions that serve all citizens, so that no one who is not a Christian feels like an intruder in an office with a cross on the wall. (...) However, the situation becomes a bit more complicated when we think about Trzaskowski's presidential ambitions. Not all of Poland is secularizing as quickly as Warsaw; the traditionalist electorate still plays a certain role here – and PiS will certainly use Trzaskowski's regulation to mobilize it against the PO candidate.” https://www.newsweek.pl/polska/polityka/nowe-polityczne-zloto-kaczynskiego-robia-z-ludzi-zwierzeta/fg42kny -- KIERWIŃSKI: I DID NOT APPLAUD AGNIESZKA HOLLAND'S FILM – IN AN INTERVIEW WITH MAGDALENA RIGAMONTI IN Onet: “— But a few months ago you said something else when PiS was in power. You applauded Agnieszka Holland's film – Rigamonti retorted. - No, I didn't applaud. Please don't impute such behavior to me – Kierwiński defended himself.” https://www.onet.pl/informacje/onetwiadomosci/marcin-kierwinski-o-sytuacji-na-granicy-z-bialorusia-nie-klaskalem-na-filmie/66q994l,79cfc278 -- DOMAŃSKI MUST EMPHASIZE THAT THE PROMISE OF A TAX-FREE ALLOWANCE WILL BE FULFILLED. THE PROBLEM IS THAT NOTHING WOULD HAPPEN IF THE GOVERNMENT FORGOT ABOUT IT. THIS IS NOT A THOUGHT-OUT REFORM, BUT AN ELECTORAL IDEA TO OUTBID PIS – JAKUB SZYMCZAK IN OKO.PRESS: “Domański must emphasize that this promise will be fulfilled. The problem is that nothing would happen if the government forgot about it. This is not a thought-out reform, but an electoral idea to outbid PiS and show effectiveness. PiS raised the tax-free allowance to PLN 30,000. Donald Tusk therefore decided to multiply this amount by two. However, the consequence of such a reform will be as much as approximately PLN 50 billion less in the state budget. And the benefits will primarily be felt by those earning medium and high incomes. It will therefore be a resignation of the state from a huge amount of money to slightly deepen income inequality in Poland. For now, however, the government and the Ministry of Finance are succumbing to opposition pressure and emphasize that they are working on this reform. It may come into effect at the earliest in January 2025.” -- THE SITUATION ON THE POLISH-BELARUSIAN BORDER CAUSED HUGE EMOTIONS UNDER ONE GOVERNMENT, AND AFTER THE CHANGE OF POWER, A GREAT LIFT APPEARS – MICHAŁ SZUŁDRZYŃSKI IN RZ: “Therefore, no one should be surprised that the same humanitarian crisis under one government evokes huge emotions, and after the change of power, a great leniency suddenly appears. Indeed, some still speak their minds, and credit to them for that. Because at least they are consistent. But there are no broadcast vans on the border, there is no widespread outrage on social media. Well, these are the times of post-politics dictated by social media feeds. Even the noblest topic can become tiresome. Especially when it ceases to be politically convenient. These two mechanisms complement each other here. Therefore, Prime Minister Tusk's words must be listened to more carefully.” https://www.rp.pl/plus-minus/art40375921-michal-szuldrzynski-plynnosc-kryzysow-humanitarnych -- ONE DAY, ONE OF THE KACZYŃSKI BROTHERS CAME TO ME AT THE CC, I DON'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS JAROSŁAW OR LECH, I DIDN'T DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THEM THEN, AND ANNOUNCED: “I WANTED TO INFORM YOU THAT THE PZPR, ZSL, SD COALITION NO LONGER EXISTS” – LESZEK MILLER IN AN INTERVIEW WITH ELIZA OLCZYK IN RZ: “What can I say, everything started to fall apart in the Sejm. Probably under the influence of the Kaczyński brothers' concept, i.e., acceleration. One day, one of the Kaczyński brothers came to me at the CC, I don't remember if it was Jarosław or Lech, I didn't distinguish between them then, and announced: “I wanted to inform you that the PZPR, ZSL, SD coalition no longer exists, and the Solidarity coalition, i.e., OKP, PSL, and SD, now exists.” I replied: “You realize that this is a breach of the Roundtable Agreement.” To which Kaczyński replied: “That's true, but when parliamentary games begin, one must be prepared for various scenarios.” https://www.rp.pl/plus-minus/art40375901-leszek-miller-mial-zostac-socjalizm -- 33 YEARS AGO (on Sunday), Donald Tusk became the chairman of the Liberal Democratic Congress. -- BIRTHDAYS: Bogdan Zdrojewski, Edyta Kazikowska-Gręda, Paweł Poncyljusz. SUNDAY: Leszek Kubicki, Krzysztof Tchórzewski, Krzysztof Mieszkowski, Danuta Jazłowiecka.