-- LUDWIKA WUJEĆ SHOWED US WHAT TRUE PATRIOTISM IS - KATARYNA WR: “I like this Ludka-style patriotism, although it is much more demanding because one has to cultivate a sense of community with those who hold 'wrong' views and even worse political choices. Perhaps one day I will grow up to it too. I am sure that Poland would be a much better place to live today if we listened more often to people like her, instead of engaging in further battles over whose opinion is the 'most right'. (...) She spoke with everyone as an equal and was curious about everyone. I'm sure she and Henryk have a lot to talk about now, up in Heaven.” https://www.rp.pl/plus-minus/art40498481-kataryna-ludwika-wujec-pokazala-nam-czym-jest-prawdziwy-patriotyzm -- WHERE HAS DONALD TUSK GONE, WHOM WE LISTENED TO WITH FLUSHED CHEEKS DURING THE MARCH OF A MILLION HEARTS - PROF. DR HAB. RAFAŁ KOWALCZYK, A 30-YEAR RESIDENT OF BIAŁOWIEŻA, SCIENTIFIC WORKER AT THE MAMMALS RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF THE POLISH ACADEMY OF SCIENCES IN BIAŁOWIEŻA, IN GW: “Where has Donald Tusk gone, whom we listened to with flushed cheeks during the March of a Million Hearts, and whose current actions are increasingly contradictory to the words we heard before and immediately after the elections? – writes the scientist from Białowieża in an open letter to the Prime Minister.” -- DO YOU REALLY THINK, BY QUOTING WORDS WELL KNOWN TO YOU FROM A POLITICAL OPPONENT, WHOSE CATCHY PHRASES DIRECTLY AFFECTED YOU TOO, THAT "THE COMMON FOLK WILL BUY IT"? - PROF. KOWALCZYK CONTINUES IN GW: “Why do you want to close off the areas where we live, work, walk with our children, grandchildren, and guests? You often publish photos from your walks with your grandchildren. No one limits you in this. But you want to limit us and all visitors to the Białowieża and Knyszyn Forests, the Bug and Świsłocz valleys, and many other beautiful areas along the border, from using places that are our home and workplace, which we love.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,162657,31021957,panie-premierze-jak-zyc-w-miejscu-ktore-za-chwile-stanie-sie.html -- WE ARE PUSHING PEOPLE TO BELARUS WHO COULD SHARE INFORMATION WITH THE SERVICES - ADAM WAJRAK IN GW: “Being pushed behind the wall means that the Polish services have lost control, on their own initiative, of someone who illegally crossed the border and intends to do so again. Using a board game analogy: instead of removing people from the smuggling board, for example by placing them in a refugee center where they could be thoroughly examined, granted asylum, or deported, the Polish state only moves them back one space. This does not discourage people from coming to the Polish-Belarusian border; rather, it encourages them. It is true, as is being said and written, that many migrants prefer to be pushed back than to be registered as refugees in Poland, which closes the path to Germany.” -- THE ONLY CHANCE TO CATCH SUCH FAKE REFUGEES IS COOPERATION WITH THE REAL ONES - AND THAT REQUIRES TREATING THEM WITH RESPECT - WAJRAK CONTINUES: “The only chance to catch such fake refugees is cooperation with the real ones – and that requires treating them with respect. Then, perhaps, they will inform our uniformed services that there is someone strange in their group, someone who appeared recently or was even forced upon them by the Belarusians. Beating, breaking phones, mocking, spraying gas will not lead to people willing to cooperate with people in Polish uniforms – and this should be in our broadly defined interest.” -- I DON'T HAVE A SIMPLE ANSWER AS TO WHY THE POLITICIANS OF THE RULING PARTY, AND ESPECIALLY THE CIVIC COALITION, SO QUICKLY STEPPED INTO THE PIS SHOES ON BORDER MATTERS - WAJRAK CONTINUES IN GW: “I don't have a simple answer as to why the politicians of the ruling party, and especially the Civic Coalition, so quickly stepped into PiS's shoes on border matters. I have two theories, and both are probably true. One is that it's simply easier. People truly believe in fences and barriers, they believe that walling oneself off can be effective. The second is that our services are in a bad state, and politicians know this, so instead of a realistic assessment of the situation, they tell us about walls.” https://wyborcza.pl/magazyn/7,124059,30996271,wajrak-wypychamy-na-bialorus-ludzi-ktorzy-mogliby-sie-podzielic.html -- AGNIESZKA HOLLAND: I AM NOT GOING TO THE RALLY ON JUNE 4th ORGANIZED BY TUSK - SHE SAID ON TOK FM: “'Firstly: at that time, I have film shooting in Berlin, and I will not be in Poland on June 4th. And secondly: I would have to consider what I would want to express during such a demonstration,' she stated. When pressed by journalist Jacek Żakowski, she added: 'I think if I were to go there, it would be to protest against breaking election promises, (...) against the disregard for the rights of women, minorities, or refugees, against the violation of basic humanity on the Polish-Belarusian border.'” https://oko.press/na-zywo/na-zywo-relacja/agnieszka-holland-nie-wybieram-sie-na-wiec-4-czerwca-organizowany-przez-tuska -- THE "START" CREDIT IS AN ORPHAN. WHAT THE COALITION PROPOSED, EVEN KO DID NOT PROMISE BEFORE THE ELECTION - JAKUB MIKULSKI IN RZ: “After Szymon Hołownia declared that he would not vote for the government's housing loan subsidy project, the chances of its implementation drastically decreased. This will mean the demise of an idea that, in its current form, was not supported by... anyone during the election campaign. (...) In essence, the 0 percent loan, which Platforma Obywatelska promised before the elections, is an orphan. Public opinion is against it, and the coalition's supporters are at the forefront of the opposition. Trzecia Droga and Lewica do not want subsidies. And PO has abandoned what they themselves previously announced – through Leszczyna. Instead, they are pushing a solution that is programmatically closest to PiS.” https://www.rp.pl/polityka/art40490991-kredyt-na-start-jest-sierota-tego-co-zaproponowala-koalicja-przed-wyborami-nie-obiecywala-nawet-ko -- THE NEW, ALLEGEDLY DEPOLITICIZED, TVP INFO IS RELEASING RECORDINGS ALSO AVAILABLE TO THE ALLEGEDLY DEPOLITICIZED PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE OF ADAM BODNAR - PIOTR ZAREMBA IN RZ: “It is exactly the same now. The new, supposedly depoliticized, TVP Info is releasing recordings available to the also supposedly depoliticized prosecutor's office of Adam Bodnar. These are currently conversations of Tomasz Mraz, former director of the Department of the Fund for the Judicial Development in the Ministry of Justice, with the then deputy minister Marcin Romanowski from Suwerenna Polska. Mraz appears as a kind of repentant king's evidence witness. His dowry is 50 hours of recordings made in the ministry during various meetings and secret gatherings.” -- WE HAVE, THEREFORE, CAUGHT THE ARROGANT PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT RED-HANDED. THIS IS ALSO WHY IT LOST THE NEXT ELECTIONS - ZAREMBA CONTINUES: “It is possible that these phenomena had a larger scale in Ziobro's ministry. However, how to count it? From the first revealed conversations between Romanowski and Mraz, it appears that the politicians of Suwerenna Polska were aware of acting in violation of the law. They knew they were 'pushing the envelope,' but they chose the risk without any reflection. We have, therefore, caught the arrogant previous government red-handed. This is also why it lost the next elections. At the same time, it behaved as if it would never lose.” -- PRIEST OLSZEWSKI WAS IMPRISONED AS AN EXAMPLE. THIS IS A SIGNAL TO THE OPPOSITION POLITICIANS, WHO ARE CURRENTLY PROTECTED BY IMMUNITIES, BUT ALSO TO THE CHURCH - ZAREMBA WRITES FURTHER IN RZ: “Even if the priest was recorded and received a grant in violation of the rules, the reprisal seems too severe. And it resonates grotesquely with Minister Bodnar's complaint about the misuse of pre-trial detention. Priest Olszewski was imprisoned as an example. This is a signal to opposition politicians, who are currently protected by immunities, but also to the Church, which was spoiled with subsidies during PiS's rule.” -- THE CURRENT HARSH METHODS ARE INTENDED TO CLOSE THE DOOR FOR PIS TO RETURN TO POWER FOR MANY YEARS. THEY HAVE A GREATER INFLUENCE ON THE MEDIA, ON ELITES, THEY HAVE THE SUPPORT OF EU INSTITUTIONS - ZAREMBA FURTHER: “Perhaps there will be more caution, perhaps Tusk even wants to discipline his own people... Undoubtedly, however, politicians from KO and other mainstream parties may have an illusion of greater integrity in their structures. It seems unlikely that someone from them would defect to the right, and their current harsh methods are intended to close PiS's path back to power for many years. They have greater influence on the media, on elites, they have the support of EU institutions. On the other hand, however, Civic Coalition MP Sławomir Neumann was recorded as a result of internal feuds within Tusk's camp. He was not caught for corruption, but for explaining the rule of legal impunity for his colleagues. The right-wing still refers to this to this day.” -- FOR NOW, THIS UPROAR ALLOWS TUSK TO AVOID DIFFICULT ISSUES - CLAIMS PIOTR ZAREMBA IN RZ: “For now, this uproar allows Tusk to avoid the difficult issues that this campaign is most closely linked to. The latest example. The Prime Minister has just announced that Poland will be a 'beneficiary of the migration pact.' That it will neither have to accept migrants nor pay for them. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister of France, Gabriel Attal, sees it quite differently. He has just announced on French television that Eastern European countries have been forced into one or the other. PiS MPs are demanding that the Sejm convene a session dedicated to this issue soon. Marshal Szymon Hołownia refuses, citing the campaign. But this would be fulfilling the duty of a key, campaign-related debate.” -- THE LOGIC OF REVENGE POISONS POLISH POLITICS. WHAT'S WORSE, IT FINALLY BREAKS OUR NATIONAL COMMUNITY AT A TIME WHEN WE MAY PARTICULARLY NEED IT - ZAREMBA'S CONCLUSION: “If the new government had honestly explained PiS's real sins, including those related to subsidizing their own, I would not be worried. But it is characteristic that when talking about the Fund for the Judicial Development, Giertych does not promise purification of public life. He talks about revenge. The logic of revenge poisons Polish politics. What's more, it finally breaks our national community at a time when we may particularly need it.” https://www.rp.pl/plus-minus/art40498301-piotr-zaremba-logika-zemsty-zatruwa-zarowno-ko-jak-i-pis -- BECAUSE IT IS A GOOD TOOL FOR MOBILIZING OPPONENTS OF A UNITED RIGHT-WING, WE ARE GOING ALL OUT. THE DISMISSAL OF POLARIZATION BY SOME LIBERAL ELITES IS INCREASINGLY IRRITATING TO ME - MICHAŁ SZUŁDRZYŃSKI IN RZ: “Because it is a good tool for mobilizing opponents of the United Right-wing, we are going all out. As if the only way liberal democracy supporters have found to defeat the alt-right is to unleash extreme polarization. I don't want to say that the liberal side started it. PiS, Jacek Kurski's television, the entire state apparatus from 2015-2023 was harnessed to divide us. And yes, polarization is natural, and politics involves division. It's a consequence of our freedom: we have the right to perceive various matters differently.” -- IDENTITY POLITICS – WHICH WAS INITIALLY A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE RIGHT-WING, OR ALT-RIGHT, AND IS NOW BEING TAKEN OVER WITH ALL ITS CONSEQUENCES BY THE LIBERAL CAMP UNDER THE BANNER OF "SMILING POLAND" - SZUŁDRZYŃSKI CONTINUES IN RZ: “Meanwhile, identity politics – which was initially a characteristic of the right-wing, or alt-right, and is now being taken over with all its consequences by the liberal camp under the banner of 'smiling Poland' – precludes any consensus. Because how can you make agreements with mortal enemies, traitors? Donald Tusk quickly learned this from Jarosław Kaczyński. First, he accused him of Russophobia, of wanting to start a war with Putin, then of an attack on democracy, and today he accuses him of pursuing Kremlin interests.” -- WITH SUCH SMALL DIFFERENCES, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF INTERFERING IN THE ELECTION PROCESS - SZUŁDRZYŃSKI CONTINUES IN RZ: “Firstly, with such small differences, there is a possibility of interfering in the election process. You don't need to spend millions; small moves are enough to tip the scales. The risk of interference from external actors, such as Russians, therefore becomes great. Secondly, we see that this polarization is murderous. The assassination attempt on Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico showed extremely drastically how dangerous playing on polarization is.” https://www.rp.pl/plus-minus/art40498431-michal-szuldrzynski-polaryzacja-przestala-byc-traktowana-powaznie -- MORAWIECKI IN DEFENSE OF THE CROSS: WE DO NOT NEED AN IDEOLOGICAL WAR. POLAND NEEDS CALM AND RESPECT FOR IMPORTANT SYMBOLS: “The right to display religious symbols is one manifestation of this freedom. Our homeland cannot become a battlefield for ideological war, and at the same time a place from which an important symbol of Polish identity, the cross, is removed. Let us not make the mistakes of the West! This precedent at the end of the term may be a forecast of a significant correction in European climate policy – a correction very much needed for Poland. Finally, a political impulse is reaching Brussels, one that has been obvious to European capitals for years.” https://x.com/MorawieckiM/status/1796800961349878188 -- THE REBELLIOUS RIGHT-WING MUST WELL DEFINE ITS GOALS, ENGAGE IN THE GAME, AND GET RID OF THE LOUD, CHEAP-EFFECT EMPTY RADICALISM - KONRAD SZYMAŃSKI IN RZ: “The regulation has stalled in the Council of the EU, where at the last minute, under the influence of farmers' protests, the majority needed to adopt it was lost. Sweden, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, Hungary, and Poland with its new government have declared their opposition, while Belgium and Austria, due to protests from regional authorities, have declared abstention. This precedent at the end of the term may be a forecast of a significant correction in European climate policy – a correction very much needed for Poland. Finally, a political impulse is reaching Brussels, one that has been obvious to European capitals for years. It does not eliminate the competition between traditional right-wing parties and the rebellious right-wing. But it opens the way for cooperation or programmatic diffusion, which opens up space for political play. In this sense, the left's fears about such a scenario are fully justified. There is one condition – the rebellious right-wing must well define its goals, engage in the game, and get rid of loud, cheap-effect empty radicalism. This new EU political dynamic will only be utilized by those rebellious parties that undergo such an evolution.” -- TWO VISITS BY URSULA VON DER LEYEN TO ROME WERE A TRUE POLITICAL INVESTMENT IN MELONI HERSELF - SZYMAŃSKI CONTINUES IN RZ: “Giorgia Meloni, incidentally, has already reaped significant benefits from her European policy. Two visits by Ursula von der Leyen to Rome were a true political investment in Meloni herself. The EC President pointed to the Italian Prime Minister as a key EU player in Africa, and the finalization of the anti-migration agreement between the EU and Tunisia and Egypt took place with her personal involvement. Italian gains may soon increase.” -- THE TRAUMA OF THE RULE OF LAW STILL TEMPTS THE POLISH RIGHT-WING WITH THE COMFORT OF KEEPING ITS DISTANCE FROM POLITICAL PLAY, LOUD PROTESTS, AND EFFECTIVELY LEADS TO SELF-ISOLATION - SZYMAŃSKI WRITES IN RZ: “This is a strategic dilemma for the numerous PiS delegation – to step into the shoes of a protest party or to seek their role in the political game on the European right-wing. If not for the dispute over the rule of law, the 'Meloni option' would have been obvious from the first days of governance in 2015, as happened in Italy. For eight years in power in the fifth largest EU country, despite many attempts, the Polish right-wing has not managed to resolve this dilemma. The trauma of the rule of law still tempts the Polish right-wing with the comfort of keeping its distance from political play, loud protests, and effectively leads to self-isolation.” https://www.rp.pl/plus-minus/art40498241-unijna-rozgrywka-staje-sie-dla-polski-coraz-bardziej-skomplikowana -- THE LEFT'S MISTAKE WAS FOCUSING ON ABORTION ISSUES. EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THESE MATTERS ARE NOT DECIDED IN MUNICIPALITIES AND DISTRICTS. AND PUSHING IT NOW? - ALEKSANDER KWAŚNIEWSKI IN A CONVERSATION WITH JAROSŁAW KURSKI IN GW: “Its mistake was focusing on abortion issues. Everyone knows that these matters are not decided in municipalities and districts. And pushing it now? Until August next year, Duda will veto any law liberalizing abortion. In any case, I have made a declaration that I stand by. As long as I can crawl to the ballot box – not my own, but the electoral one – I will vote for the left! It is needed in Poland.” -- THE DAY PIS STARTS TO DECLINE WILL BE THE BEGINNING OF PROBLEMS. THE UNIFYING, DISCIPLINING ELEMENT WILL BE MISSING. AS PARADOXICAL AS IT MAY SOUND – A STRONG PIS STRENGTHENS THE COALITION – KWAŚNIEWSKI CONTINUES WITH KURSKI IN GW: “The day PiS starts to decline will be the beginning of problems. The unifying, disciplining element will be missing. As paradoxical as it may sound – a strong PiS strengthens the coalition. And it's good that Kaczyński wants to run for another term, and may he do so for as long as possible. The unity of the coalition might be threatened by the strong egos of leaders. Of course, you can't do politics without an 'ego,' but the 'ego' must be controlled, and some in the coalition have trouble with that.” -- THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IS A GAME FOR EVERYTHING - KWAŚNIEWSKI TELLS KURSKI IN GW: “I want to reassure you, if the governing coalition does not fall apart, a relapse may occur in 3.5 years at the earliest. But agreed, the presidential election must be won along the way. Of course, if it turns out that the coalition cannot win them, the synergy effect will be dramatic. A new president from PiS will hinder the government's actions, and the coalition of October 15th will not last until the end of its term. In this sense, the presidential election is a game for everything.” -- SPIES SHOULD BE PROSECUTED, TRIED, AND PUNISHED. BUT THAT'S WHAT SERVICES AND COURTS ARE FOR - KWAŚNIEWSKI CONTINUES WITH KURSKI: “All true, but I am far from stating that entire political formations are paid traitors, pawns of Russia. Leszek Moczulski directed it at us. Later, we even became friends, but one must be careful with such statements. Spies should be prosecuted, tried, and punished. But that's what services and courts are for.” -- THE "OLIN" CASE WAS UNDOUBTEDLY PLAYED BY RUSSIAN INTELLIGENCE. THIS WAS THE PERIOD OF POLAND'S ACCESSION TO NATO - KWAŚNIEWSKI CONTINUES IN GW: “But seriously. The 'Olin' case, which you mentioned, was undoubtedly orchestrated by Russian intelligence. It was the period when Poland was joining NATO. The goal was to accuse the prime minister of cooperating with Russia, and thus cast a shadow on the president of a country aspiring to NATO. Fortunately, the Americans remained calm because they knew these mechanisms. They acted impeccably, saying that it was all 'bullshit.' This is a very strong word, Ambassador Rey used it in a conversation with me.” https://wyborcza.pl/magazyn/7,124059,31013535,aleksander-kwasniewski-jestesmy-na-powaznym-zakrecie.html -- HIPSTER LEFT HAS NO CLUE ABOUT THIS, IT IS ALREADY IN SUCH A DISTANT FUTURE THAT IT DOES NOT KNOW WHY THE PAST IS STILL REPEATED IN POLAND - CEZARY MICHALSKI IN INTERIA: “By people who, after 1989, lacked such caretakers. The new state, procedures, or common law did not always manage to replace them. Nor were they always truly 'common.' Every case of corruption, nepotism, or clientelism revealed after 1989 was perceived by these people as confirmation of their nostalgia for 'real socialism,' for the times when 'our man in the center would sort things out for us, not for himself, for his own.' The left, even the most 'post-communist,' even the most 'populist,' failed to capitalize on this nostalgia. The hipster left has no clue about this; it is already in such a distant future that it doesn't know why the past is still repeated in Poland. Kaczyński and Ziobro used this very nostalgia as a political lever. I don't know what the publicists, historians, professors of philosophy and sociology supporting the right will say about this, at least those among them who still genuinely experience their anti-communist aversion to the PRL. Perhaps they will again say nothing.” -- THE CONFLICT WILL BECOME EVEN MORE INTENSIFIED. THE BREAKDOWN OF COMMUNITY WILL BE EVEN DEEPER - MICHALSKI CONTINUES IN INTERIA: “Even if, however, the polls (in America, in Poland) do not change from all this, it does not mean that 'nothing happened.' The conflict will become even more intensified. The breakdown of community will be even deeper. Those who go to prison will become criminals for some, but 'prisoners of conscience' for others. The punishment imposed on them will revive dreams that, after an eventual change of government, 'the others' will be sent to prison. And the institutions of liberal democracy will be destroyed completely, the courts will be destroyed, the state institutions will be destroyed.” -- NOT A STONE WILL BE LEFT UPON A STONE OF SUCH A SOCIETY AND STATE. RUSSIAN TROLLS WON'T HAVE TO MAKE ANYTHING UP; THEY JUST NEED TO GENTLY PUSH THE ALREADY ROLLING AVALANCHE - MICHALSKI CONTINUES: “Not a stone will be left upon a stone of such a society and state. Russian trolls won't have to make anything up; they just need to gently push the already rolling avalanche. And what about me in all this? I will still not be a 'symmetrist'; I will still be biased; however, I will still prefer conservative hypocrisy to openly boasting about Kali's morality.” https://wydarzenia.interia.pl/felietony/news-donald-trump-i-fundusz-sprawiedliwosci,nId,7546019 -- THE ENTIRE STATE APPARATUS WAS THROWN INTO THE FIGHT AGAINST THE OPPOSITION, AND EXPERTS WERE FIRED. THE TUSK REGIME HAS NO MORE STRENGTH AND SKILLS TO DEFEND POLAND - MICHAŁ KARNOWSKI ON THE SITUATION FROM PAP: “The entire state apparatus was thrown into the fight against the opposition, and experts were fired. The Tusk regime has no more strength and skills to defend Poland. The Prime Minister himself has to save himself by recalling the arrest of Russian agents, which took place... during PiS rule. The remnants of his energy are devoted to attempts to erase from human memory the period when, on orders from Berlin, he gave full power to cooperation with Moscow – and continued it even over the Smoleńsk coffins. In the hands of these people, Poland is much more threatened than we think. Cynicism combined with amateurism is a deadly dangerous mix in these times and in this part of Europe.” https://wpolityce.pl/polityka/693759-na-obrone-polski-rezim-tuska-nie-ma-juz-sil -- 21 YEARS AGO Donald Tusk became the chairman of Civic Platform. -- BIRTHDAYS: Kamila Baranowska, Anita Czupryn, Wiesław Szczepański, Grzegorz Pietruczuk, Gwidon Wójcik, Zbigniew Gryglas, Tadeusz Zieliński, Tosia Kamińska. SUNDAY: Stanisław Kluza, Tomasz Żółciak.