Wojciechowski against CAP budget reduction
Janusz Wojciechowski, new Commissioner for Agriculture, proclaimed on Tuesday defence of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and actions against its cost reduction.
Janusz Wojciechowski, EU Commissioner for Agriculture, participated on Tuesday in Brussels in a conference on the perspectives of agriculture in the EU. According to him, the new tasks facing EU agriculture require additional help. Relating to the CAP budget, Wojciechowski repeated that he would make every effort to defend it against all attempts to cut it. – We have a draft budget prepared by the former EC, which is supported by the new EC. The decision regarding the new budget belongs to the member countries. My role is to defend the agriculture budget – he said. On Wednesday, the European Commission will provide detailed information on the European Green Deal, a key EU project that is heading by energy, industrial and economic transformation towards EU climate neutrality by 2050. – If we expect a larger contribution of European agriculture to the European Green Deal, a bigger input into agriculture is needed – he said, adding that these two things tie together completely.
Born to the saber
The history of the saber and its impact on the history of Poland is the subject of the film “Born to the saber”, which was shown on Tuesday on “History” television. Feature-documentary story by Paweł Deląg presents saber symbolism, noble traditions and Polish myths on this subject.
The Polish saber is inherent in the nobility culture. She was surrounded with exceptional reverence and respect. Sabers were consecrated, passed from father to son along with the tradition of family glory associated with it. Legend has it that sons were baptized on the crossed sabers, and the captured ones were passed along with the banners as an offering to God – in this way the “History” channel encourages watching the film. “History” is an American television station (formerly The History Channel), which has been broadcasting in Poland since 2008. The film was directed by Paweł Deląg, who also played the role of Jan Jerlicz.
Lotos Kolej trains train drivers
Professional trainings for train drivers on the Dragon 2 locomotive simulator began at Lotos Kolej in Gdańsk on Monday. The machine cost about PLN 1.5 million. It will improve the skills of over 400 train drivers working in the company.
In the simulator, which accurately reflects the locomotive’s cabin, you can recreate the conditions of train movement close to real. In addition, the classes carried out on the device allow you to check the driver’s reactions in emergencies that may actually occur, e.g. car entry on a rail crossing. Lotos Kolej currently employs over 400 train drivers and is the second largest rail freight carrier in Poland in terms of transport performance, as well as a leader in the transport of dangerous goods. At present, the company trains 22 future train drivers for its own needs. There is a high demand for train drivers because the average age of train drivers in the company is over 55 years.
Banaś strikes back
The Supreme Audit Office announced yesterday their report and findings after an audit of one of the projects run by the Ministry of Justice. In connection with the improprieties identified in the report, the Supreme Audit Office filed a series of motions to the attorney general’s office. The opposition interprets this as evidence of a continuing conflict between Marian Banaś, the president of the Supreme Audit Office, and the ruling Law and Justice party. The Supreme Audit Office emphatically denies these allegations.
The Supreme Audit Office focused on an audit of the program of the justice ministry „Work for prisoners”. The Office announced a total of 16 motions to the attorney general office, with half already filed and the rest in the final stages of preparation.
”If someone has any reasonable suspicion that anyone, has a real influence as to the results of the findings of the agents of the Supreme Audit Office they have only one option – it is going to the attorney general. The context of time coincidence or external events coincidence have no merits in this case, because they just could not”- says Marek Bieńkowski, Head of International Security and Social Order.
The person responsible for the inception and implementation of the „Work for prisoners” project was Patryk Jaki, back then the deputy minister of justice and now an MEP, who reacted strongly to the Supreme Audit Office allegations.
”I am flabbergasted with those ridiculous allegations. It is obvious to me the allegations are just a political game. As a result of the great program, the national treasury lost nothing. The prisoners went to work and started to work for themselves. Their families have received alimony, the recurrent crime rate is declining, and state-owned companies earn more. But despite all good results, they see it as still bad. It is major nitpicking . I just do not get it, their reasoning. I simply give up”- says Patryk Jaki, former Deputy minister of Justice.
The opposition links the publication of today’s report with the conflict between the Supreme Audit Office president, Marian Banaś, and his political environment.
”The problem we are talking about today is that we have an internal conflict in the ruling party and someone is breaking the rule of silence. I have already pointed to the irregularities that the Supreme Audit Office presented today, there was no political will today, it is obvious that all of that is happening around Marian Banaś”- says Adam Szłapka, Civic Coalition.
”Firstly, we have to make public the findings of Marian Banaś’s report. Next, we have to bring Marian Banaś in front of the state tribunal and there will be no problem anymore. I do not understand why the Law and Justice party doesn’t want to take such steps…”- says Tomasz Trela, Left Alliance.
Politicians of the Law and Justice have been saying all along that the best solution to the crisis around the president of the Supreme Audit Office would be his resignation. However, nothing indicates that Marin Banaś is going to take advantage of this option.
In the report published today, the Supreme Audit Office indicated 27 cases of awarding contracts in violation of the provisions of the Public Procurement Law, for over 115 million zloty and a dozen or so cases of lowering the amount of rent for industrial halls leased. Losses on this account may amount to 37 million zloty.
France Rebellion
Mass protests are continuing in France against the government’s planned reform of the pension system. Despite the protests, President Macron and the government of Prime Minister Philippe are determined to make what they see as necessary changes to create a unified pensions system from the 42 current systems with different retirement ages.
The “yellow vests” movement in France has returned with full force in the protest against pension reform. Demonstrations by many thousand participants in Paris and other cities have been continuing since Saturday, and on Sunday there were brutal clashes with police. However, the French Prime Minister, Edouard Philippe, announced in an interview for the “Le Journal du Dimanche” weekly, that the announced reform will be carried out to the end.
“I am determined to carry out this pension reform to the end.If we do not carry out a thorough, serious and progressive reform now, then someone else will do it in the future, but much more brutally”- says Edouard Philippe, Prime Minister of France.
Railway and urban transport workers are on strike against the announced reform. Teachers, students, police, garbage collectors and lawyers have joined the strike. The chaos in public transport is widespread in France.
Passengers are being affected by difficulties with public transport throughout France. Most trams, buses and trains do not run. At 7 AM in the capital region you could see traffic jams up to 300 kilometres long. The people of Paris are divided on the legitimacy of the strike.
”I am not totally opposed to the strike, but I do have some difficulty understanding the claims of the strikers and I believe that this movement is disproportionate to its outcomes, which have the potential to greatly influence those surrounding the capital region” – says resident of Paris.
”I fully support the strikers, even if it means making changes. I am with them and I agree with their strike”- says French citizen.
French Prime Minister Paul Eluard is to present details of the pension reform. However, the head of the General Confederation of Labour (or CGT) Philippe Martinez warned that the strike would last until the government completely withdraws from the planned changes.
Protests in Kiev
The protests in Kyiv against President Volodymir Zelensky are continuing. Protesters are worried that during their meeting in France President Zelensky will make concessions to Russia’s President Putin at the expense of Ukraine’s independence.
”I’m not happy with Zelensky’s actions on the international arena. I don’t know why and what for he went to France. If he makes an agreement which means a capitulation, I’ll stay here and I’ll still be protesting. I support Ukraine’s victory but I don’t support mottos like ‘we are brothers’ or ‘we want peace”- says Ukrainian citizen.
“For international meetings like this, we have to go there to defend Ukraine and not sell it out. All these people who came here to support the President so that he have enough strength to defend our homeland. And not capitulate”- says Kiev resident.
”Firstly, President Zelensky will meet the President of France, Emmanuel Macron one to one. After the meeting, he will meet with Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel. Then, the consultations in the Normandy Format with the 4 prime ministers will take place. The last point of the meeting will be a meeting with the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin”- says Kyrylo Tymoshenko, Ukrainian Head of the Presidential Office.
