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Before the EU election, Poland’s PM issued a dire warning: “Vote or face war.”

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Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk urges voters to avoid war by voting in the European elections. Emphasizing security and the threat of Russian aggression, Tusk’s Civic Coalition stresses the importance of a united EU stance against Moscow, particularly with pro-Russian parties gaining traction in central Europe.

Poles, historically and geographically wary of Russia, are being urged to vote to protect themselves. Northern Poland shares a heavily monitored 230km (142 miles) border with Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Poland has tightened security and plans to further reinforce the border with a 10-billion-zloty (£1.992bn) “Shield East” project, coordinated with Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.

While Tusk’s opponents, the Law and Justice party (PiS), focus on issues like the EU’s migration deal and the Green Deal, they also recognize the Russian threat, having invested heavily in defense during their governance. This election sees PiS candidate Karol Karski drawing attention with a campaign video of him symbolically stopping a Russian tank.

In schools, Polish children are learning survival skills, reflecting the national concern over the Russian threat. Captain Dominik Pijarski of the 6th Mazovian Brigade confirms that Poland is preparing for a real threat from Russia, with the entire nation learning lessons from the Ukraine invasion.

However, not all Poles unconditionally support Ukraine. In rural areas, farmers protest against the EU Green Deal and competition from Ukrainian farmers who benefit from tariff-free exports and can use banned chemicals, leading to higher productivity. These farmers support Ukraine militarily but feel the economic impact is unfair.

The European election has not generated much excitement, with traditionally lower turnout compared to national votes. However, Tusk’s final rally in Warsaw will likely focus on security, reiterating the ongoing risk of living next to Russia and the need for European vigilance.

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Polish state TV host decries past anti-LGBT output

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A journalist working for Poland’s state broadcaster has publicly expressed remorse for the channel’s complicity in disseminating anti-LGBT sentiment. Wojciech Szelag, the host of TVP Info, acknowledged the channel’s role in perpetuating hateful rhetoric against the LGBT community over the course of several years. He recognized that LGBT individuals had been subjected to derogatory language and discrimination, emphasizing that they are not merely an abstract ideology but are people with specific identities, relationships, and experiences.

During the Guest of the Evening show, Szelag offered a heartfelt apology to two LGBT activists, Bart Staszewski and Maja Heban. He emphasized the importance of acknowledging the humanity of LGBT individuals, expressing regret for the hurtful language and narratives propagated by TVP Info. Staszewski, deeply moved by the apology, highlighted the significant impact of the channel’s previous actions on the lives of LGBT people in Poland.

Under the previous government led by the Law and Justice (PiS) party, TVP Info frequently broadcast content that vilified the LGBT community. PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski and his allies, including President Andrzej Duda, often condemned expressions of LGBT identity and promoted discriminatory rhetoric. However, since the new Prime Minister Donald Tusk assumed office, changes have been made to the broadcaster in an effort to depoliticize state media and promote more inclusive narratives.

The recent apology from TVP Info’s host reflects a broader shift in Poland’s media landscape, as the country grapples with issues of discrimination and intolerance. While the apology signifies a step towards acknowledging past wrongs, there is still much work to be done in fostering greater acceptance and understanding of the LGBT community in Polish society.

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Polish state TVP Info channel off air as Tusk reforms kick in

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The Polish state TV channel TVP Info has been taken off the air as part of Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government efforts to depoliticize public media. The move follows a parliamentary resolution calling for independence, objectivity, and pluralism in public TV and radio.

The heads of TVP and Polish Radio have been dismissed by the new culture minister. The Law and Justice (PiS) party, which lost power in October, staged a sit-in at state TV HQ in protest. State media is crucial in Poland, with about a third of people relying solely on it for news. TVP had become a propaganda tool for the previous PiS government. The new coalition, led by pro-EU Prime Minister Donald Tusk, aims to transform state media into a platform for reliable information.

The former PiS prime minister and President Andrzej Duda criticized the government’s actions, accusing it of violating constitutional principles and the law. The Tusk-led coalition won elections in October on a promise to overturn PiS reforms. PiS had exerted extensive control over TVP’s narrative, changing media laws and appointing sympathetic journalists. The Tusk government is swiftly removing PiS appointees from government bodies.

The dismissals have faced criticism, with the National Broadcasting Council stating they are illegal. The media regulator claims turning off TVP Info is an act of lawlessness reminiscent of martial law. PiS argues that the parliamentary resolution does not grant the power to sack management boards. However, the culture minister asserts ownership rights over state companies, justifying the authority to make changes.

The Tusk government may encounter resistance, as President Duda has the power to veto legislation and has called for respect for the Polish legal order. The coalition government plans changes to TVP personnel by Christmas, targeting up to 60 employees who violated journalistic standards.

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Polish election: Right-wing ruling party to lose majority – exit poll

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According to an exit poll, Poland’s Law and Justice party, led by Jaroslaw Kaczynski, is projected to secure the most seats in the general election but might not secure a third term. The party is estimated to receive 36.6% of the vote, with the Civic Coalition, led by Donald Tusk, closely trailing at 31%.

The high turnout, possibly the highest since the fall of communism, reflects the gravity of the election. While the initial results indicate PiS’s lead, it falls short of the majority needed.

Tusk aims to improve relations with the EU and unlock frozen EU Covid recovery funds, while Kaczynski maintains anti-migration policies. The final government formation depends on potential coalition building, with the fate of Poland’s political future at stake.

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Poland election: Bitter campaign splits country ahead of key vote

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In the old Lenin shipyard in Gdansk, where striking workers were once the catalyst for major political change, young Poles now debate how to protect democracy in their country.

They worry that the rights and freedoms won by the Solidarity movement over three decades ago are at risk, as the ruling right-wing Law and Justice party, or PiS, campaigns to secure a record third term in office.

“It’s a very important election. We’re deciding whether we’re going back to being a democratic country,” was student activist Julia Landowska’s stark take on this weekend’s vote.

“This is our last call, to go to the election and fight for a better future in Poland.”

The event she helped organise was held under the slogan In My Day, Things Will Be Better.

A mixture of discussions and live music topped off with a silent disco, it was designed to encourage reluctant younger voters to the polls.

The activist’s worries are echoed by others in Gdansk, who point to the shrinking independence of the courts under a PiS government and backsliding on women’s rights, including a near-total ban on abortion.

There is also concern about media freedom – publicly-funded TV becoming a government mouthpiece – as well as acrimonious wrangling with Brussels on issues from judicial reform to migration.

That is why many Poles are now hailing the election on 15 October as the most important since 1989, when Solidarity candidates swept the board in the first partially-free vote since communist rule.

Freedom City The story of Poland’s struggle for freedom dominates the northern port city of Gdansk.

There is a Solidarity museum in the shipyard once occupied by strikers and billboards through the city centre that recount the momentous changes brought by their protest, led by an electrician named Lech Walesa.

This year, his son is running for re-election.

“We have to make sure we win, to reform all that has been destroyed in eight years,” Jaroslaw Walesa explained, referring to the two terms PiS have held office so far.Representing the opposition Civil Coalition, like fellow Gdansk-native and party leader Donald Tusk, he is most worried by Poland’s increasingly antagonistic relations with the EU.

Like Brussels, he is also concerned about the politicisation of Polish courts.

“If you look at what has been done to our democracy, we took a huge step backwards. That’s definitely not what my father fought for,” Mr Walesa told the BBC this week, wandering the paths of the handsome Oliwki park, greeting voters with leaflets and a promise of change.

The 1989 slogan – Don’t sleep, or they’ll outvote you! – has been resurrected in Gdansk for this election, all part of pitching it as another critical moment for Polish democracy.

The city is expected to vote solidly for the opposition, as usual.

But opinion polls put the governing Law and Justice Party ahead nationwide, although probably without a big enough majority to form a government.

So the last-minute battle for votes is intense.

PiS and Security In the town of Elblag, a short drive from Gdansk, campaigners spent Saturday canvassing for the governing party at a food market.

Between piles of potatoes and giant pumpkins, they dished out bags printed with the PiS logo and leaflets promoting the city’s main candidate, who didn’t show up.

“PiS have a good programme for us young people and for my children. I have twins and they’ve got a good programme for our future,” party activist Monica explained, referring to the 500 zloty (£95) monthly child benefit the government now pays.

It is set to rise to 800 next year if PiS win.

“In Poland, this amount can solve many things,” her husband added.Neither accepted the opposition’s fears for the future of democracy in Poland. “Democracy is good for us,” Monica said – and she wants to stay in the EU.

The pair both talked about security, including the government’s slogan that it is “protecting the future of Poles”.

“We’re not ready to accept immigrants. Muslims,” Monica clarified, adding that Poland had already taken in “a lot of Ukrainians”, meaning those who came in 2022 as refugees.

The Russian exclave of Kaliningrad is nearby and there is a new barbed-wire fence along its entire length.

The activists’ pro-government message was not universally welcomed by marketgoers, even though the Elblag regional vote was strongly pro-PiS at the last election.

Several shoppers thrust the free bags back when they realised which party logo was printed on them. Others retorted that PiS had been so good for Poland that their children had moved abroad for better opportunities.

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Poland’s Government Faces Mounting Pressure Amid Escalating Visa-for-Cash Scandal

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The Speaker of Poland’s upper house of parliament, Tomasz Grodzki, has urged the government to disclose its knowledge regarding an escalating scandal involving cash for visas. Grodzki expressed concern that the issue was damaging Poland’s international image as a responsible democracy.

Reports suggest that migrants paid substantial sums, up to $5,000 (£4,000) each, to expedite their work visa applications. While seven individuals have been charged in connection with the scandal, none of them are public officials.

The Deputy Foreign Minister of Poland, Piotr Wawrzyk, was dismissed last week in the wake of these allegations. His removal coincided with a search of the foreign ministry conducted by Poland’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBA). The director of the ministry’s legal service was also terminated.

In response to the scandal, the foreign ministry announced the termination of all contracts with outsourcing companies responsible for handling visa applications since 2011. Opposition MPs allege that as many as 250,000 visas for individuals from Asia and Africa were irregularly issued through these outsourcing companies, a claim disputed by the government, which maintains that only several hundred were involved.

Donald Tusk, the leader of the opposition Civic Platform party, criticized the government’s migration policy, stating that anyone seeking to travel from Africa to Poland could easily obtain a visa at the embassy. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki dismissed these allegations, asserting that there is no widespread issue.

Speaker Grodzki characterized the scandal as the most significant Poland has faced in the 21st century, with corruption reaching the highest levels of government, posing a direct threat to the country. Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro downplayed the scale of the problem in an interview with state-run news channel TVP Info.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBA) became aware of the matter in July 2022 and has been conducting investigations since then. This scandal has the potential to cast a shadow over the Law and Justice party’s (PiS) anti-immigration stance ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for the next month. While PiS currently leads in polls, it remains uncertain whether they can secure the outright majority required to continue governing for a third term.

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