The first blood was drawn today. What’s next?
On the 19th of October Polish civil war stopped being a cold one. The first blood was drawn. 62-year-old taxi driver Ryszard Z. (Polish legislation prohibits publishing criminals’ last names before the court ruling to become effective) broke into the PiS office in Łódź, having shot one of the employees and heavily wounded the second one with a knife. This has never happened in the contemporary Polish history before. First political murder in the post-communist Poland has blown up already electrified Polish society. Most part of Poles has treated this incident in a rather adequate manner. Every sane person understood even clearer that the PiS-inspired policy of hatred eventually hit those who were imposing it on the country.
Polish press media was adding special savor to the entire situation, having intentionally relishing the details of the political murder victims’ funerals. After the funerals top PiS functionaries went not to the funeral repast as the customs demand, but rather straight to the anniversary of Tadeusz Rydzyk — father-architect of the “Radio Maryja”. Head of the Polish Redemptorists Order cell and the PiS ideological mouthpiece, turned out to be shameless enough to celebrate his birthday right in front of the innocent victims’ graves — who might as well be the victims of his delirious, violence-provoking sermons. Firstly, all the Polish media strived to search the murderer’s biography for something, pointing out to his partisan membership or at least certain political sympathies. They were completely disappointed. There were no traces of the criminal’s membership in PZPR[1], CP[2] or SLD[3] either. Ryszard Z. spent his entire conscious life driving a taxi. Even during his two years of Canadian residence he was loyal to his profession. According to the words of his neighbors and colleagues, he was never engaged in politics, although he often expressed a desire to kill some politicians — who, according to him, were “doing their dirty business, without giving a slightest concern of the common folk needs” — with his bare hands. Quite naturally, nobody treated these threats seriously as long as every sane person might have such wishes from time to time. But judging by the fact that he was constantly listening to the “Radio Maryja”, both in his cab and at home, he was sympathizing to PiS.
Without doubt, Jaroslaw Kaczyński couldn’t do better but try to use this tragic incident to start yet another offensive against the government and the President. With maniac passion he is putting up a weekly show, accusing everyone around him of his own sins. Murder at Łódź has made Kaczyński even more radical, although as far back as three weeks ago that seemed merely impossible. In the first place, PiS chairman conducted the partisan purges. Joanna Kluzik-Rostkowska and Elżbieta Jakubiak — who shared Joanna’s views — have fallen the victims of the purge. Both women, representing the moderate wing of PiS were expelled from the party — let me remind you that Kluzik-Rostkowska headed the election staff of Jaroslaw Kaczyński during the elections.
Pre-election PiS poster
J.Kaczyński with Joanna Kluzik-Rostkowska and Elżbieta Jakubiak “purged” from the party
Signature on the Polish flag says: «Poland first of all»
Disorder within the PiS ranks followed this extraordinary event. One of the PSL leaders stated that recently certain group of the PiS fraction Seim deputies offered him to join the PSL fraction. There are 35 of such defectors. If it really happens, PiS fraction will decrease by 20%, while PSL fraction will become twice bigger. Thus, coalition members might be able to gain 270 seats out of 460, which make up almost 59%. And if we take the fact that not a single parliamentary party can ally with PiS due to the ideological matters, into consideration, Jaroslaw Kaczyński is to face not the brightest prospects, indeed.
Partisan purges right in front of the municipal elections can hardly be claimed to be a successful idea. Be as it may, but the certain part of PiS electorate would obviously be displeased with the banishment of moderate party members. Kaczyński has put his own political future at stake of these elections: he said that if the results turn out to be dissatisfactory, he will resign. The problem however is that his resignation would hardly bring much joy to his political opponents. Zbigniew Ziobro, Kaczyński’s deputy is actually scheming against his chief. It was him who initiated the purges, having felt that Kluzik-Rostkowska is turning into a dangerous competitor. Unlike Kaczyński, Ziobro is always guided by cold estimates rather than emotions in his actions. He was simultaneously Minister of Justice and Public Prosecutor General in Jaroslaw’s government. Ziobro backed up all the loud criminal-related scandals during the era of PiS rule. After the Smolensk catastrophe he stayed in the shadow, allowing his boss to compromise himself with the nonsense and bellicose statements. At the same time, he demonstrates his loyalty and devotion to the chairman and engages in the internal partisan intrigues. As long as the demand of Polish society for the national-Catholic ideology never ceased, coming of a young (born in 1970) yet experienced lawyer — sophisticated not only in the internal intrigues but in the politics as well — to the partisan leadership would obviously allow PiS to score some more votes. Zbigniew Ziobro has a considerable experience in the practical aspects of law-making and law enforcement practices. While late Lech Kaczyński was Minister of Justice in Jerzy Buzek government, Ziobro held the post of State Secretary Minister Deputy. In 2006 Ziobro was claimed to be a “Man of the year”, according to the “Wprost” magazine. Jaroslaw Kaczyński — compromised by his own freaks — would sooner or later have to leave his post, but Ziobro who is to replace him, will be able to significantly mend the PiS affairs.
Relationship with Germany and Russia has always been the cornerstone of discords between PiS and CP. Having exploited the long-time historical Polish fear for the possible “deal” between significantly stronger Western and Eastern neighbors, PiS proclaimed Tusk government to be treacherous and Poland is now dubbed in no other way but the “Russo-German condo”. Anna Fotyga — former Foreign Affairs Minister in the Jaroslaw Kaczyński’ government — is actively engaging this sort of policy, too. Repeated calls of current Foreign Affairs Minister Radosław Sikorski to “stop insulting Russia, as long as it undermines the success of Polish foreign policy” face furious resistance of this not completely steady lady, who acts pretty much like her dear chief.
Anna Fotyga
In her article, titled “Prime Minister Tusk deceives Poles” she makes a furious advance on the Polish government and Russia, undertaken by Jaroslaw Kaczyński in his already mentioned opus “Allies and values”. Russian policy of Tusk’ government is the main aim of her strike.
“The greatest in the Polish foreign policy history and the most tragic (due to its consequences) violation of consensus was Donald Tusk’s embrace with Russians on the matter of Katyn celebrations against his own President. After the Smolensk catastrophe, your place, Mister Prime-Minister, was in the darkness and dirt by the President’s body but not in Putin’s arms. You would never be able to get rid of his embrace from now on. I don’t envy you“.
One of Kaczyński’ brothers with the initiatives on the “Eastern Partnership”
There’s no point in analyzing fierce PiS position on the issue of relationship with our country. The only merit of these passionate Russia-haters is the discrete formula of discords with the sensible majority. From now on and for a long time Russian policy of Polish government would become a touchstone for Polish political elites and electorate. Without clear and straight stance on the Russian issue, not a single political discussion in Poland is possible.
PiS split, appearance of Janusz Palikot at the political scene, abrupt electrification of the Polish society and Polish elite created an unprecedented configuration of Polish politics — it allows us to make an attempt to predict the further development of this small, but yet so important for us country.
(To be concluded)
No comments:
Post a Comment