Their parties were both in the conservative European People’s Party in the European Parliament, both had cut their teeth in the anti-communist opposition in the late 1980s, and both had often encountered each other as they rose through the ranks in their respective countries. “Being in the same EU party and sharing a passion for … Read more
According to the Polish interior ministry, however, Czarnecki’s Wednesday arrest was related to a different case concerning Collegium Humanum, a private university. The school is under investigation by Poland’s Central Anticorruption Bureau (CBA), which alleges that Collegium Humanum issued MBA diplomas entitling students to sit on the boards of Polish state-owned companies in exchange for … Read more
The issue has become a major point of contention between the new government and PiS. Tusk has long promised to hold PiS accountable for what he said was their “eight corrupt years” in power. One of the most striking examples was the accusation that the State Forests — a body that owns most of the country’s forests and … Read more
But while progressives may take some heart from this democratic alliance in the short-term, a lot more needs to be done than simply oppose. To win, democratic mainstream parties have to develop a new radical centrism. They need an injection of fresh ideas, fresh faces and a willingness to act on voters’ priorities with courage … Read more
In an interview with Polsat News, Kosiniak-Kamysz insisted abortion was not such a priority to voters. “In the latest CBOS [a state pollster] survey, the most important issues the government should address were listed as follows: Polish security and border security ranked first, followed by healthcare security, and then the quality of life and the … Read more
His backers allege that he was mistreated and tortured in prison, a charge the Justice Ministry strongly denies. “We are shocked by the information we received regarding the circumstances of the arrest and detention of Father Michael Olszewski, who is currently in temporary custody,” said PiS MP Michał Wójcik. Other MPs accused the new government … Read more
“Tusk wants to stand high profile figures to try and raise the stakes of the election in order to persuade supporters that it’s really important that they turn out to vote, as he’s worried that they are less motivated than PiS supporters,” said Szczerbiak, the U.K.-based professor. PiS is also fielding high-profile figures to draw … Read more
Poland’s TVN television estimated that Civic Platform won in 10 regions, up from seven in 2018, and PiS was in the lead in six. However, other parties making up the incumbent ruling coalition are likely to have won enough regional seats to be able to control most regional assemblies, which are key bodies for managing … Read more
Other top officials facing a summons to appear before the commission include former PiS Prime Minister Beata Szydło, former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro, and former PiS MPs Mariusz Kamiński and Maciej Wąsik — who headed the interior ministry and were recently pardoned by President Andrzej Duda following their conviction in an old corruption case. Kamiński … Read more
Polish President Andrzej Duda said Thursday that he would pardon two members of parliament facing two years in prison for abuse of power — a significant retreat on his earlier position that a pardon he issued in 2015 was enough to spare them from jail. He said he made the decision after meeting with the … Read more
