Yet again Jurek Owsiak’s charity action Wielka Orkiestra Świątecznej Pomocy proved to be well rooted in the hearts of Poles. This year’s finale ended up with 175 938 717.56 zł raised, which is almost 50 000 000 more than a year before, which also been a record year. PiS constant rage against Owsiak seems to only anger Poles, who now give money to it not only to help children but also as a way to show them their middle finger.
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Perhaps he should now consider helping the school system as well. Apparently, it’s also in ruin, as proved by PiS’ MP Marek Suski lack of basic math skill, when he said that teacher’s salaries are only slightly lower than MP’s salaries. It’s basically true, except from that 5000 is the highest possible income for a teacher with decades of experience and all extras and bonuses included, while 8000 is just a basic salary of the MP before any premiums or allowances are added. Also, MP’s have ten times higher tax-free allowance than anyone else. But perhaps he just wanted to show how proposed classes in spotting fake news are needed, as his information probably came from the campaign of the Ministry of Education that spent 64 000 zł to place ads in the papers with fake information about how much teacher’s salary improved under PiS government…
Access to higher education also becomes more difficult. Even such bad universities like that run by Father Rydzyk’s organisation are hard to get to: a wannabe student just sued this institution after being barred from undertaking the course in Environmental Politics funded with public money because he did not provide a reference from his parish priest. But perhaps PiS just prefers Poles to have in-job training? A judge with just three weeks (!) experience has just been appointed a chairman of the regional court.
Many citizens demand the government to tackle issues of morality. Police was called by a water park customer who was outraged that a lady wanted to use sauna naked. Warsaw’s mayor Rafał Trzaskowski’s decision for Warsaw schools to tackle the issues of LGBT according to WHO educational standards, teach children tolerance and tackle xenophobia sparkled outrage on the right. Apparently, it’s the first step to “sexualisation of children” and the pupils will be taught masturbation (or, as Polish episcopate call it, “solitary-ipsative behaviours”). Those leftist should understand that “sexualising children” is only good when “immaculate conception” or “adultery” is explained to children by priests. Teaching them about their body, that it is OK to be gay or how to avoid being groped by a paedophile is unacceptable (although, since it comes from Catholic Church, I can understand why they might be against the latter). It is funny though, that the problem of masturbation becomes a top issue mostly for priests, elderly bachelors like Jarosław Kaczyński or spinsters like Krystyna Pawłowicz… But one has to admit, there are some experts in that field in PiS: an aide to Mariusz Kamiński was in 2016 sentenced to 5 days in jail for three cases of exhibitionism and public onanism…
The fact, that this story has not been reported by TVP does not mean that PiS controlled TV station is not interested in cases of public morality. They took a keen interest to the case where a CCTV footage from the supermarket was published, showing that newly elected mayor of Gdańsk (who used to be a deputy of murdered Paweł Adamowicz) bought a bottle of vodka and two small bottles of coca cola: They used it as a proof, that the opposition has no program for incoming elections (it is beyond me how they came to this conclusion).
Seems that being related to Adamowicz in any way can make you a target of attacks from PiS. A judge awarded by the late mayor with Gdańsk Equality Award for “promoting equality and respecting human rights” and “opening judicial circles to citizens” faces disciplinary action for “transgression against the dignity of the profession”. Well, let’s hope that she will be at least allowed to attend her hearing, which is not guaranteed: a prosecutor who faces disciplinary action for taking part in the protest defending independence of the Polish judiciary system was not allowed into the building for nearly an hour, despite turning up 30 minutes before hearing was scheduled, and the hearing went out without him, while he was waiting on the stairs outside… And even despite minister Ziobro promises that those disciplinary hearings are going to be transparent, media were barred from recording the hearing. Who knows, perhaps he prefers to inform the public using different channels? A twitter account @KastaWatch publishes documents that clearly have to be leaked by high-ranked officials of the Ministry of Justice…
But at least this prosecutor HAD a hearing. This is not so easy in other cases: the prosecutor dealing with a financial scandal involving Jarosław Kaczyński does everything to delay starting the investigation. The prosecution office announced that translations of the depositions in German need to be done and it will take over a month. Perhaps if they haven’t tormented the main witness with over 50 hours of interrogation during which they were asking him the same questions over and over again, they would have less material to translate? No wonder that the Polish justice system becomes so untrustworthy, that even a citizen of North Korea, who was abused by his employer while working in Poland, decided to seek justice in a Dutch court instead.
Meanwhile, the government drivers are catching up: there was no accident week before, but last week there were two: one on the 5th of March government’ Škoda rear-ended a third party car in Warsaw. Just three days later another government car caused an accident near Kraków. Perhaps it’s time that citizens would take the transport matter in their own hands? Some already tried – in Ostrołęka a 29 years old drunk man stole a bus from the depot and drove it home, while in Szczecin a passenger tried to take the wheel of the moving bus after realising that he boarded a bus of different route he wanted – and so far drunk people stealing buses seem to have better safety record than government limo drivers… I wonder what was the real reason that Policewoman were unhappy that they were forced to participate in Woman’s day celebrations organized by Jarosław Zieliński deputy minister of interior (who’s megalomaniac activities we have already mentioned a few times in this series, here or here). Was it because they had better things to do than participate in PiS propaganda rally, or that they were scared as he sent police and government cars to pick them up?
But when comes to the crashes there is some good news as well. We now know who is guilty for that Polish Air Force’s jet fighters keep crashing. Yes, you guessed it: it’s previous government fault! Finances of one of the “court ladies” of the chief of National Bank of Poland crashed as well. She had to ask her boss to get a pay-reduce, and now she apparently earns “only” 23 000 zł basic salary. She can be now sure, that nobody will ask stupid questions again, especially that after Polish Radio journalist was sacked for asking questions about her, others will think twice…
Meanwhile, there is yet another financial scandal. According to portal onet.pl, a government agency participated in a fraud that helped a certain company to unlawfully obtain EU funds destined to support the fishing industry. And since we talk about Polish coastal region, there was an (allegedly) unexpected discovery at Vistula Split (Viselska Kosa), where the planned canal to Elbląg is to be dug. It turned out that there are amber deposits estimated to be worth 900 000 000. What a luck, that we decided to build that canal there, as otherwise, its exploitation would be impossible, as the area is protected under Natura 2000 scheme and in Poland the law is very important and nobody will do even a step to bent it! 9 years old Bartek can vouch for that, as he was just refused electric wheelchair from National Healthcare Fund. Why? Because such wheelchairs are given only to people, who have disability impacting three or four limbs, and Bartek was born without arms altogether. Dura lex, sed lex: no limbs, no wheelchair!
But at least in Poland we have no problems with migrants abusing local population, like in Sweden. Jerzy Grunwald, a popular 1970’s singer who lives in Sweden, announced on the cover of the right-wing magazine, that he had to flee Sweden from immigrants (oh, the irony…).
[OKŁADKA] „Do Rzeczy” nr 10: Znany polski muzyk Jerzy Grunwald: Uciekłem ze Szwecji przed imigrantami pic.twitter.com/Vetut0sbET
— DoRzeczy (@DoRzeczy_pl) 3 marca 2019
Apparently, he learned hard way how difficult it is to flee to another country, as according to right-wing press he is fleeing for years now: he first announced his decision to flee Sweden in April 2017:
At least in Poland he will be able to harass migrants for a change, just as that young man did to Ukrainian Uber driver. They abused and assaulted him after he was unable to play Disco Polo music in his car. Disco Polo is simple kind music located somewhere between 1980’s Italo Disco and Russian/Balkan Pop or Eurodance that recently enjoys a huge come back – “Ona tańczy dla mnie” by Weekend is said to be most popular Polish Youtube video ever:
I wonder in what part the government-controlled media are responsible for its recent surge of popularity? After all, since TVP went to war with the whole pop industry (see here) they still need some new music stars to promote. And Disco Polo is popular despite being, so far, ignored by most mainstream media, so this is a chance for PiS controlled TVP to show to the people “look, we are not some elitist know-alls, we don’t tell you what music you should like, we are just like you! Look how TVP’s boss Jacek Kurski enjoys this type of music!”. And so even unsinkable Maryla Rodowicz is reduced to Zenek Martyniuk side-kick in their shows:
Meanwhile, other legendary stars are blacklisted – Skaldowie for example, for protesting against their songs being used during PiS rally. So forget to hear such legendary songs like “Uciekaj, uciekaj” in TVP:
Folk-inspired prog-rock is passé, today’s people’s music is Zenek Martyniuk and Sławomir:
PiS government has an impact even on popular culture…
This piece was written for Britské listy
Picture: Pixabay
