Many of us might remember a situation from primary school: a kid, who desperately wanted to be admitted to the group of cool kids tries to buy his way in. But even if he spent all his pocket money for sweets to give to those cool kids, it only makes the thing worse: they lose […]
Cuckooland
Meanwhile in Cuckooland 95 1/2: Special Edition
Sometimes I am being accused, that I am biased. I am accused of picking up the stories so that my column portrays Poland in a crooked mirror. The truth is, that it is actually the opposite. I am trawling the media and the internet through the week, picking up interesting stories, I also get some […]
Meanwhile in Cuckooland 95
Last two weeks in Poland were of course dominated by a tragic murder of the mayor of Gdańsk (see here). Some say that this might become an important point for the future of Polish politics, that after that nothing can be the same. PiS quickly pulled all dreamers down to earth, by outrageous opposition blaming […]
Meanwhile in Cuckooland 94
Christmas have passed and the year is drawing to close. But it does not mean, that things are slowing down in Poland. The government vehicles escorting VIP’s still trying to beat US army in the number of crashes. There is no lack of local absurd situations. PiS councillor, for example, is outraged with the city […]
Meanwhile in Cuckooland 93
There is a first Polish Netflix production. The story is set in alternative reality, where in 2003 communist party is still in power as a result of the unification of the nation after a chain of terrorist attacks in 1983. I watched it, and I do agree with the critics: the story is not really […]
Meanwhile in Cuckooland 92
There is a serious problem in Piotrków Trybunalski. One of the first decisions of the newly elected council was to vote on entrusting the city to Immaculate Heart of the Holy Mary, Queen of Poland. This might be too problematic, as the local chief of the Order of Friars Minor points out: “Piotrków has been […]
Meanwhile in Cuckooland 91
Today’s chapter will deal solely with financial matters. This is number one topic in Poland at the moment. PiS still goes about the pyramid scam “Amber Gold”, which they call the biggest financial scandal in Polish history (as we are going to learn, wrongly). For nearly three years they try to tie Donald Tusk to […]
Meanwhile in Cuckooland 90
Here we are again. 11th of November. Polish day of Independence. My first ever article for Blisty.cz was an attempt to explain, how is it that Poles celebrate their independence by rioting on the streets of Warsaw. I explained how Jarosław Kaczyński and his party are responsible for rise of extreme right in Poland. Six […]
Meanwhile in Cuckooland 89
The second round of local elections came without surprises: PiS candidates have been knocked out pretty much everywhere where it mattered usually by the ratio of 2:1 against them. Even the city of Elbląg, despite all those promises of the golden era that is about to be delivered by new shipping channel to be dug […]
Meanwhile in Cuckooland 88
The dust after local elections slowly settles down. With the official results in, it becomes clear that PiS actually performed better than expected in local parliaments, so contrary to what I wrote last week, it might be able to take over power in a few more than just two. But those official results also allow […]