Political crisis continues in Poland

[Jaga]

Political crisis continues in Poland

07.08.2007

Junior partners in Poland’s ruling coalition want Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski to resign. The partners are setting new terms for the coalition to survive, and the crisis continues.

Vice-premier and the League of Polish families leader, Roman Giertych, told Polish Radio One that the main fault of the Prime Minister is inability to cooperate and readiness to provoke conflicts. He said that the political crisis was sparked off by what he described as illegal corruption probe undertaken in the agriculture ministry by the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau. Premier Kaczynski dismissed vice-premier and farmers’ Self-Defense leader Andrzej Lepper over the probe. The League wants to hear an information on the Bureau’s action in the farm ministry until Thursday. It also calls for teachers’ salaries to be raised, in line with the government’s earlier promise.

According to the latest survey, 81 percent of Poles feel ashamed observing the political turmoil, 80 percent are angered. 71 percent say it is ridiculous.

www.polskieradio.pl/zagranica/gb/dokument.aspx?iid=56604

[Pawian]

admin said:

Political crisis continues in Poland
According to the latest survey, 81 percent of Poles feel ashamed observing the political turmoil, 80 percent are angered. 71 percent say it is ridiculous.

I have stopped being worried, angered or ashamed by those clowns long ago. Today I belong to the 71 percent group who say it is ridiculous. When I accidentally watch the news, I always laugh a lot. I really want this circus to continue. hahahahahahahahahahahahaha

[bescheid]

Pawian

It is my sincere hope, you will trust only of your self and your instincts, for not to be drawn into the foolishest of these typen of people.

For you are much too valuable as a person and thinker... For the people of your kalibour are much too valuable to be used up and lost for nonsense.

Charles

[pieter]

POLITICS
On the Brink
By W.Z.
8 August 2007

Poland looks set to be heading for early elections after the two junior partners in the governing coalition, Samoobrona and the League of Polish Families (LPR), declared they could no longer work with Prime Minister Jaros?aw Kaczy?ski, accusing him of "dictatorial" methods and breaking the three parties' coalition agreement.

"The coalition is over," said Andrzej Lepper, the former deputy prime minister and agriculture minister who was dismissed from his government posts by Kaczy?ski July 9 amid an alleged corruption scandal. Lepper was speaking after a meeting of his party's leadership Aug. 5. He added that Samoobrona was no longer bound by any coalition agreements. He also said Samoobrona ministers, Construction Minister Andrzej Aumiller and Labor Minister Anna Kalata, were ready to quit their government jobs.

Lepper said President Lech Kaczy?ski and his twin brother, Prime Minister Jaros?aw Kaczy?ski, "have declared a war on Samoobrona." Lepper insisted it was the prime minister who had ended the coalition by his behavior.

He added that one of the reasons for Samoobrona breaking off cooperation with Law and Justice (PiS), the senior party in the coalition, was the prime minister's decision July 31 to appoint Wojciech Mojzesowicz, a former Samoobrona member and now a PiS deputy, as minister of agriculture. Mojzesowicz left Samoobrona after a fierce clash with Lepper. Samoobrona saw the appointment of Mojzesowicz as a violation of the coalition agreement, under which the post of agriculture minister was supposed to be reserved for candidates nominated by that party. Earlier, Samoobrona had proposed that the post vacated by Lepper be filled by one of his close associates, Krzysztof Sikora, but the prime minister rejected the idea.

Lepper said he would soon reveal what he described as compromising information about PiS, the Central Anti-Corruption Office (CBA) and the prime minister himself. "The news will be shocking," Lepper said, without specifying when he was going to disclose his revelations or what they related to.

Investigations by the Central Anti-Corruption Office at the Agriculture Ministry led to Lepper's dismissal. Lepper said his party was determined to appoint a special investigation committee in parliament to examine the CBA's probe at the Agriculture Ministry, to inspect the files and clear Lepper and other suspects who are members of his party.

"Samoobrona is responsible for the coalition not working," said Deputy Prime Minister Przemys?aw Gosiewski, commenting on the decisions taken by the Samoobrona leadership. He added two scenarios were possible: an attempt to restore a parliamentary majority or early elections. Which of the two scenarios will turn out more likely will probably be clear by the end of August.

"If there is no parliamentary majority, then obviously an election will be needed because no [draft] law prepared by the government will receive support from the lower house of parliament," said Gosiewski. He said he did not believe a minority government in any form would be viable.

Some observers say the Polish Peasants' Party (PSL) and some Samoobrona deputies could help PiS maintain a parliamentary majority. In the run-up to the meeting of Samoobrona leaders, the media speculated that only 15 to 20 of Lepper's closest associates would stand by him, while the remaining members of Samoobrona's parliamentary group would back PiS. Lepper insisted there would be no split within his party. He said that only a few politicians were likely to leave Samoobrona.

Meanwhile, the LPR, the other junior coalition partner in power, said the coalition could not be resurrected in its present form. "It is not possible to reconstruct the coalition government under Jaros?aw Kaczy?ski," said deputy LPR leader Wojciech Wierzejski, adding his party did not rule out that its ministers would resign.
LPR politicians agreed with Samoobrona that the coalition "was broken off by PiS and because of PiS." They also demanded that the prime minister should withdraw his decision to dismiss Daniel Paw?owiec, an LPR deputy, from the post of vice-chairman of the Office of the Committee for European Integration (UKIE). The LPR also insisted that a parliamentary investigation committee should be set up at the first meeting of parliament following the summer recess to investigate CBA operations and "punish all PiS deputies" involved in the affair that led to Lepper being fired from government. They were referring to CBA chief Mariusz Kami?ski, Zbigniew Wasserman, the minister in charge of the secret services, and other PiS members.

Most politicians agree that the next meeting of the lower house of parliament, scheduled for Aug. 22, will be key.

www.warsawvoice.pl/view/15472

[hollister]

I know that this may be somewhat hoo-hum for you in Poland, but I am very much interested in what this all means and what will happen next. I understand that the Interior Minister was dismissed today. The pending corruption report (written by dismissed WSI agents) should be interesting too. I know I am making an assumption here - but since the PIS and SD parties are making such a fuss - it seems that they have the most to be potentially embarrassed over.
So please, please write about what is going on -

[Pawian]

hollister said:

I know that this may be somewhat hoo-hum for you in Poland, but I am very much interested in what this all means and what will happen next.

It means nothing serious and whatever happens next, the life will go on. Business as usual, leisure as usual. When I was on vacation with my sons, we didn` t listen to the radio, even in the car, we put on some relaxing music. We were unaware of all this political quagmire and what? Did the world finish for us? No. Life went its course.

I understand that the Interior Minister was dismissed today. The pending corruption report (written by dismissed WSI agents) should be interesting too. I know I am making an assumption here - but since the PIS and SD parties are making such a fuss - it seems that they have the most to be potentially embarrassed over.

PiS lost a few percent points in voting polls. But everything is possible, Polish politics is a total abberation and voters are unpredictable. Trying to make any prognosis today is hazardous.

So please, please write about what is going on -

Holly, there are really more interesting things to read and see. E.g., the next episode from our trip to the seaside. Stay tuned! hahahahahaha

[Pawian]

bescheid said:

Pawian

It is my sincere hope, you will trust only of your self and your instincts, for not to be drawn into the foolishest of these typen of people.

For you are much too valuable as a person and thinker... For the people of your kalibour are much too valuable to be used up and lost for nonsense.
Charles

Thanks for warm words. I try to remain a reasonable man, although I am sometimes too humorous and it unnerves a few people in my environment.

[zooba]

The crisis is permanent, it has lasted for about two years now. Either the politicians have some hidden agenda and are heading toward some specific goal, or they have lost their mind.
I stopped caring about it.

Two weeks without news about PiS, Lis, PO and others were real relief.

Life does go on, the only real effect of the crisis is unstable stock market, even a bit declining.

[Pawian]

zooba said:

Life does go on, the only real effect of the crisis is unstable stock market, even a bit declining.

It plays a role but there are more important factors. The news from American market, especially real estate one, is making European markets go down.

[Bob S]

I have stopped being worried, angered or ashamed by those clowns long ago. Today I belong to the 71 percent group who say it is ridiculous. When I accidentally watch the news, I always laugh a lot. I really want this circus to continue. hahahahahahahahahahahahaha[/quote]

Pawian. As long as the "clowns" are acting the rest of the normal people can remain safe. The same holds true for us in the States. As long as the politicians fight amongst themselves, no harmful laws can be passed. ;D

[Jaga]

They write about Polish crisis even in Washington Post:

Poland's Interior Minister Fired

By RYAN LUCAS
The Associated Press
Wednesday, August 8, 2007; 3:55 PM

WARSAW, Poland -- Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski fired the interior minister Wednesday, citing suspicions that he leaked information that hindered a corruption investigation _ the latest episode in Poland's deepening political crisis.

Kaczynski said he was forced to fire the minister, Janusz Kaczmarek, because he was suspected of leaking classified information, obstructing an investigation of alleged bribery at the Agriculture Ministry.

Kaczmarek denied he violated his duties. "I am not the source of the leak," he was quoted as saying by Poland's PAP news agency.

President Lech Kaczynski, the prime minister's twin brother, swore in Wladyslaw Stasiak, the head of the National Security Council, as the new interior minister _ the country's top security official

www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/08/AR2007080801481.html

[Jaga]

The mess in Polish government reminds me the mess in Italian politics...

Poland Plans Early Elections As Government Loses Majority []

8/12/2007 3:58:05 PM In a statement, the Polish government revealed its decision to hold early elections as an internal conflict between two of its coalition partners resulted in a hung parliament. The election is now expected to be held in October or November this year, according to Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski.

The crisis followed the recent termination of the country's Interior Minister Janusz Kaczmarek, who has been alleged of hampering an ongoing investigation against former Agriculture Minister Andrzej Lepper.

Currently, Kaczynski's government is not having a parliamentary majority to continue in power, forcing him to resort to early polls. As per the Polish constitution, the parliament requires approval from at least two-thirds of its legislatures to conduct early elections.

[Pawian]

The crisis is gaining momentum. There are new revelations and twists. The former Interior Minister implicates his former mates from PiS and accuses them of illegal actions such as tapping government ministers from the coalition. Also opposition leaders were tapped by special services fully controlled by Kaczyński brothers who zealously have been looking for hooks on restive politicians.

The opposition demands full investigation run by independent bodies. The ruling party PiS objects vehemently and uses all legal (though ridiculous) tricks to stop the investigation or at least delay it until new elections. They are afraid the truth is going to topple their party even more. That is why they press on dissolving the parliament now and starting a campaign.

Current Justice Minister Ziobro is blamed for all these actions together with Prime Minister Kaczyński. Former Education Minister from a former coalition party LPR openly talks about Polish Watergate.

Former Prime Minister Marcinkiewicz from PiS admits that he could have been tapped too.

This all looks more like quagmire than circus today.

Kaczyński brothers turned out to be more harmful than we thought before.

Those guys are crazy.

[Pawian]

According to the opposition, Watergate affair has its Polish mirror reflection with actors who played the same roles:

Dean - Kaczmarek, former Interior Minister. He is currently revealing appalling news about spying, tapping and finding hooks on coalition and opposition politicians.

Haldeman - Dorn, the Head of the Parliament. He is trying to sweep everything under the carpet.

Elrichman - Ziobro. He ran all the tapping and spying action.

Nixon - Kaczyński.

[Jaga]

Pawian,

thank you for a brief and clear update. Frankly, I do not watch Polish TV that much anymore since there is so much political fighting going on. Therefore your update is even more apprieciated!