Explain it to me

It’s been a long time since I posted anything on my blog, so it may seem that I didn't have anything to say actually. Nothing could be further from the truth. I’ve been doing the ground work for writing on the issue that has long been on my mind. I was very close to giving up writing on the topic, but browsing through the news prompted me to get my act together, tough it out, and write the post.

The news that made the trick was the account of the latest equality march that took place in Warsaw last weekend. In response to the march, the far-right League of Polish Families (LPR) party organized a counter-march. During the counter-march, the leader of LPR, and the Minister of Education – horror of horrors!, called the participants of the equality march “despicable homos” (trans. “wstrętni pederaści”). This was the final argument to give vent to my pent-up frustration with the government, and my grievance against all those who are still in favor of that infamous coalition. It is to them that this post is largely addressed so that they can realize their stupidity and ignorance. Offended by my caustic words? If you give up reading now, that will mean you are merely a brainless block that builds up the masses, thus reassuring my theory. Thank you! But I’d much rather you read on, and considered the reasons of my deep discontent with the government and the grudge I bear against the coalition’s supporters. My intention is to prompt an open discussion on the government and its performance, and therefore, it is especially the pro-coalitionists that I want to participate. In this way I hope, let’s be frank, not to understand their point of view as I find it futile, but rather to sway them by this post. Thus, I urge you to read on and prepare for a long lecture. I’m going to list a few facts illustrating the government’s ineptitude in handling the country’s affairs, showing at the same time that supporting the coalition in the face of these facts indicates at least political ignorance. I sincerely hope that these facts will sway the coalition supporters and affect their voting preferences in the coming elections.

There is so much to accuse the coalition of that I can hardly organize my thoughts. But first things first – what causes the most damage to Poland should be discussed at the beginning.

1. Thus, the President’s refusal to attend the summit of the Weimar Triangle is my first line of fire. Officially, the reason was the President’s “health problems”. Quite unexpectedly, quite not in time. Let’s forget that this decision followed a sort of a crisis caused by a satire in one of German newspapers, comparing the Kaczyński brothers with potatoes (hahJ). The Tageszeitung, where the satire appeared, is well known for ridiculing everything and everybody, which does widen the scope of its readers, yet spoiling its image as a serious, opinion-forming medium. That given, Kaczyński’s reaction to the satire (ordering an investigation into the alleged defamation of the Head of State in Tageszeitung) seems a satire itself. As I see it, no respectable politician would waste their time and risk their public image for fighting with such a petty thing. But if Kaczyński jeopardized only his image, I wouldn’t give a fart on a high wind actually. But it was also Poland’s image that he ruined. And that deserves the most stringent criticism.

2. Next goes the case in the European Court of Justice concerning the construction of the Augustów bypass through the Rospuda valley. By mentioning this matter, I don’t claim that building the bypass road is illegitimate in every single detail. Augustów lies in the way of a major state road and there have been many road accident and casualties because of this. Therefore, a bypass is a must, that’s a given. What I see as a gross dereliction, however, is allowing Poland to stand a trial in the European Court of Justice. For one thing, it ruins Poland’s international image as a serious, law-abiding country. Second, standing a trial in the European Court of Justice puts our country in jeopardy. We should bear it in mind that 90% of all cases in the Court are adjudicated in the Commission’s favor and a lost case usually entails exorbitant penalty charges imposed on the country sued. So the odds are that Poland loses the trial and pays astronomical amounts of money from the state budget (read from people’s budget). If that wasn’t bad enough, the Court may impose a fixed or periodic financial penalty if the member state concerned does not comply with its judgment. What I’m afraid of is that, given the Prime Minister and his cabinet’s arrogance and insolence, the government may ignore the Court’s judgment should it turn out not in their favor. And then, farewell to your pocket money kids.

3. Another thing that has done substantial damage to Poland’s international image, or rather her international relations, is Kaczyński’s appeal to get rid of the Soviet-era monuments in Poland. As I see it, the idea itself is justifiable: if there was a Nazi monument in the middle of your town, nobody would hesitate to remove it. Analogically, why not to remove Soviet monuments when this ideology and its system killed actually more people than the Nazis did? So the idea itself appeals to me personally, but more precisely, it was the timing Kaczyński chose that screwed up. It was just before the WW II victory celebration in Russia – a celebration of the utmost importance for the Russians – that Kaczyński expressed solidarity with Estonia (wrought at the time by internecine struggles and disputes over the very same topic) and the government’s wish to get rid of the Soviet-era monuments. This, quite understandably, provoked indignation among the Russian leaders, spoiling the already tenuous Polish-Russian diplomatic relations. Admittedly, Russia is a difficult diplomatic partner, but despite this the Polish government should make every effort to keep the relations as friendly as possible. After all, Russia is a powerful country, rich in resources, and very promising for economic development. The benefits of keeping friendly relations with Russia are obvious, but no, it was better to shoot yourself in the foot and get, as the Brits say, sweet Fanny Adams.

4. A more recent incident concerns the vetting law overruled by the Constitutional Tribunal. Before the Tribunal announced the verdict, the Prime Minister publicly said that if the vetting law was declared illegal, this would be a proof of the ‘order’ (in Polish układ – the enemy of the state, i.e. everyone who criticizes, disagrees with, or not agrees with the governmentJ) has infected the panel of judges. Later on he threatened to change the members of the panel should the judges declare the vetting law illegal. These were flagrant attacks on the Tribunal, with which any respectable politician in, take Germany or the UK, would sully their reputation. The Constitutional Tribunal is the highest judicial body, and its fierce independence means its decisions are unquestionable. Therefore, I think Prime Minister is the last person to question its objectivity. Yet, Jarosław Kaczyński did that, which discredits him as the Prime Minister of Poland.

The above list could be easily expanded by at least three items such as the government’s wish to subsidize the construction of the Temple of Providence in the face of massive strikes in the health care system and education, the deputy minister Orzechowski’s implicitly calling the Polish Teacher’s Union (ZNP) communists, and the Minister of Education’s matura exam amnesty. So now it seems there are numerous reasons why to oppose the ruling coalition. And honestly speaking, I can’t understand how one can support it in the face of such incidents. Let’s face it, the coalition screws it in every sense, but it still gets much support from the public. And that’s really beyond my can. So, if you, dear reader, can provide some arguments for supporting the coalition, please share them. But please, no arguments of the ‘true-Polish-Catholic-party’ type.