-- ANDRZEJ POCZOBUT. A SYMBOL OF OUR POWERLESSNESS - RUSŁAN SZOSZYN IN RZ: “Under German pressure, Maria Kalesnikava's father saw his daughter in a Belarusian prison. What are the Warsaw government and the Presidential Palace doing to free this journalist, one of the leaders of the Polish minority? It's high time we welcomed Poczobut to freedom.” https://www.rp.pl/dyplomacja/art41450201-ruslan-szoszyn-andrzej-poczobut-symbol-naszej-niemocy -- INFLATION IS RETURNING TO SHOPS. WEAK CONSUMPTION IS HURTING THE ECONOMY - MIKOŁAJ FIDZIŃSKI, PIOTR MAZURKIEWICZ ON RZ'S FRONT PAGE: “Prices in stores are once again rising faster. In October, they were on average 5.4 percent higher than a year ago. As a result, consumption is weakening, and the most important engine of the economy is faltering.” https://www.rp.pl/gospodarka/art41453411-drozyzna-znow-wraca-do-sklepow-slabosc-konsumpcji-bije-w-gospodarke -- AND WHERE IS THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY? THIS IS A BIG CAUSE FOR CONCERN FOR DONALD TUSK'S GOVERNMENT - PAWEŁ ROŻYŃSKI IN RZ: “After a very weak last year, when our economy stood still, this year was supposed to bring a solid recovery. Unfortunately, it is becoming increasingly fragile. This is a big cause for concern for Donald Tusk's government. (...) It is evident that Poles are limiting their consumption and prefer to save, so after exports, the second engine driving the Polish economy is starting to choke.” https://www.rp.pl/opinie-ekonomiczne/art41450481-pawel-rozynski-i-gdzie-to-ozywienie-w-gospodarce -- THERE IS NO STRONG MOMENTUM. THE PACE OF RECOVERY AFTER LAST YEAR'S STAGNATION IS THE SLOWEST SINCE THE TRANSFORMATION - SAYS KAROL POGORZELSKI FROM PEKAO S.A. - IN AN INTERVIEW WITH MARIA MAZUREK ON GAZETA.PL: “- Especially September, which was dramatically weak. Poles are still in savings mode, they have a pessimistic outlook, which we know from GUS surveys on consumer sentiment. Consumers are reluctant to go to stores and reluctant to buy, especially 'bigger' items like furniture or home appliances - notes Pogorzelski.” https://next.gazeta.pl/next/7,151003,31465964,gospodarka-nam-hamuje-ale-dlaczego-tempo-odbudowy-najwolniejsze.html -- INSTEAD OF STIMULATING THE ECONOMY WITH BUDGET MONEY, LET'S REMOVE BARRIERS - WITOLD GADOMSKI IN GW: “The cause of a recession or economic slowdown is not always weak demand, but often other issues – labor shortages, a poorly functioning economy burdened by excessive regulations, an inflexible labor market, etc. Stimulating demand does not solve these problems in any way.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,31462607,okiem-liberala-zamiast-stymulowac-gospodarke-pieniedzmi-z-budzetu.html -- MORE AND MORE OFTEN, THE ORDINARY POLE FACES AN IMPORTANT QUESTION. WHY, DAMN IT, WAS THERE MONEY FOR EVERYTHING UNDER THE "EVIL" PIS GOVERNMENT? - RAFAŁ WOŚ ON INTERIA: “More and more often, the ordinary Pole faces an important question. Why, damn it, was there money for everything under the "evil" PIS government? There was enough for social benefits, for freezing electricity prices, for maintaining state-owned companies, and for investments. And under these "good" anti-PIS individuals, there's not enough for anything? For now, the smiling ones are blaming everything – of course – on their predecessors. But you can't ride this indefinitely.” https://wydarzenia.interia.pl/felietony/news-czemu-za-pis-u-bylo-na-wszystko-a-teraz-nie-ma-na-nic,nId,7855408 -- MORAWIECKI AHEAD OF CZARNEK - SE POLL AMONG PIS VOTERS: “According to a poll conducted by the Pollster Research Institute for 'Super Express', former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki received the highest support among United Right voters. 34% of respondents indicated him as the ideal presidential candidate. Former Minister of Education Przemysław Czarnek ranked second in the survey with 19% of the vote. Mariusz Błaszczak, former head of the Ministry of National Defence, took third place with 12%.” https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/7,114884,31466163,kto-powinien-reprezentowac-pis-w-wyborach-prezydenckich-wyborcy.html -- PIS LEADS IN POLLSTER POLL FOR SE: https://wpolityce.pl/polityka/712974-sondaz-przelomowe-wyniki-pis-wyprzedzilo-ugrupowanie-tuska -- "I FEAR THIS MEANS PIS WILL RETURN TO POWER IN 2027." HOŁOWNIA ON THE POTENTIAL VICTORY OF TRZASKOWSKI OR SIKORSKI - 300LIVE: https://300polityka.pl/live/2024/11/15/ -- THIS IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF POLITICS BEING PURSUED NOW THAT CAN ENABLE KACZYŃSKI'S PARTY TO RETURN TO POWER - AGNIESZKA HOLLAND IN AN INTERVIEW WITH RYSZARDA WOJCIECHOWSKA ON THE REGIONAL PORTAL ZAWSZE POMORZE: “- It seems to me that it is precisely the kind of politics being pursued now that can enable Kaczyński's party to return to power. I really think so. And this stems not only from my imagination but also from various studies and historical experience. Whenever democratic parties have adopted the agenda of fascists, they have not won against fascists, but have in a way legitimized them.” -- I CANNOT REMAIN SILENT WHEN THOSE I VOTED FOR INITIATE PROCESSES OF CRUELTY AND RACISM, PLACING US ON A SLIPPERY SLOPE - HOLLAND CONTINUES TO WOJCIECHOWSKA: “I know the situation at the eastern border quite well. And I know that what politicians are saying now is propaganda and lies.” https://www.onet.pl/film/onetfilm/agnieszka-holland-dziekuje-pis-to-sie-naprawde-oplacilo/ncscc1j,681c1dfa -- THE MALICIOUS WILL SAY THAT FOOLS ARE ALWAYS LUCKY. BUT WHO CARES WHEN TRUMP CALLS WITH HOLIDAY GREETINGS ON INDEPENDENCE DAY - RENATA GROCHAL IN NEWSWEEK: “After the Republican candidate's victory, Duda's political stock soared. Today, politicians of the ruling coalition are no longer publicly counting down the days to the end of his term, but express hope that Duda can be a bridge for them in relations with Trump. As for the president, hopes for an international position after his second term have been rekindled. Isn't he a truly lucky man? The malicious will say that fools are always lucky. But who cares when Trump calls with holiday greetings on Independence Day.” https://www.newsweek.pl/polska/polityka/andrzej-duda-w-czepku-urodzony-prezydent-znow-marzy-o-karierze-opinia/3m6ltjj -- BIRTHDAYS: Jerzy Borowczak, Aleksander Kwaśniewski (70), Eugeniusz Kłopotek, Wadim Tyszkiewicz, Marzena Suchan, Stanisław Janas.