“We need to change the way we conduct mutual relations. Take it easy,” said PiS Vice-President Przemysław Czarnek, addressing Sławomir Mentzen. “It’s difficult to cooperate with someone who doesn’t want to, who doesn’t see the need for social programs, who lacks social sensitivity,” added Zbigniew Bogucki, head of the Presidential Chancellery.
The leader of the Confederation, Sławomir Mentzen, had earlier criticized the proposals presented during the PiS convention.
“Annual indexation of the 800+ benefit, housing vouchers worth 100,000 PLN for a third child, a 500 PLN basic income for everyone, abolishing the tax-free allowance, a four-day workweek for seniors, guaranteed down payments, and many similar ideas — all of this is part of today’s socialist PiS program,” he wrote.
“Is anyone still surprised that I want nothing to do with this?” he asked.
In response to these remarks, Zbigniew Bogucki commented to reporters:
“Mr. President Sławomir Mentzen is a liberal — he doesn’t hide that. Meanwhile, PiS is a conservative party when it comes to values, identity, and patriotism, but it has a strong social conscience. That’s what sets us apart. On Mentzen’s side — not the whole Confederation — we’re dealing with a hard, sometimes even ruthless liberalism.”
Bogucki recalled the Confederation’s past proposals to introduce tuition fees for university studies and co-payments in healthcare.
“The state is a community that should show solidarity. The state must help those who can’t manage on their own — unlike Mr. Mentzen, who can. That’s not a reproach. Entrepreneurs are a great asset to the nation. But there are people who don’t have such opportunities. Should they be pushed to the margins?” he asked.
According to Bogucki, what unites PiS and the Confederation are patriotism and conservative values.
Difficult cooperation
“It’s hard to cooperate with someone who doesn’t want to, who doesn’t see the need for social programs, who lacks social sensitivity. Cooperation is possible in the field of identity-related issues,” Bogucki stressed.
He added that social programs had restored dignity to many people:
“I understand that Sławomir Mentzen would say: you can’t do that, you can’t help people. We believe you can.”
He also noted that such programs must be implemented with sound fiscal policy, something PiS did during its time in government. In Bogucki’s view, the slogan “PiS–PO — one evil” is misguided:
“Pushing that slogan is an attempt to pit Polish conservatives against each other. It’s a bad way to do politics,” he concluded.
Czarnek: “I like Mentzen, but…”
PiS Vice-President Przemysław Czarnek also commented on Mentzen’s statements:
“I appeal to Sławek Mentzen, whom I personally like very much — take it easy. The Confederation includes many wonderful patriots with whom one can always reach an understanding, but we need to change the way we build these relations. It’s an appeal to Sławek Mentzen to slightly change course,” he said.
When asked by journalists why, as head of the Presidential Chancellery, he was attending a PiS event, Bogucki reminded them that he is also the party’s district leader in Szczecin and was at the convention “primarily as a PiS member.”
“Even the recent elections showed that our ideological closeness is obvious. The President’s direction of change is very much aligned with the approach represented by PiS,” he emphasized.