As President of the European Council, Tusk proved he was no friend of Britain. Couldn’t care less if he gets strung up now by the Law and Justice government.
The author is right we’ve seen this type of political persecution before: the use of power by the left in this country to seize control of our institutions and to isolate and neuter political opponents
The author is right we’ve seen this type of political persecution before: the use of power by the left in this country to seize control of our institutions and to isolate and neuter political opponents
Martin Layfield
11 months ago
As President of the European Council, Tusk proved he was no friend of Britain. Couldn’t care less if he gets strung up now by the Law and Justice government.
stephen archer
11 months ago
I have no doubt that Russia is meddling in Polish politics, since it’s happening in all other European countries and the US, often under the radar. There’s nothing wrong in principle with this commission, although there are at least three other overriding issues which Poland needs to focus on.
1 State control of the media, where amongst other things Tusk seems always to be projected in a negative light, at least onTV.
2 State influence in the judicial system, appointment of supreme court judges.
3 Having a party leader, Kaczynski, who dictates policy and influences public opinion whilst not holding an elected government position, also manipulating his puppets Duda and Morawiecki. This is a man obsessed with the Smolensk air crash and an adult politician who didn’t own a bank account but let his mother handle his finances.
It seems to be a choice between two poor alternatives, Tusk or Kaczynski-dominated PiS. My Polish wife has always been anti-Kaczynski but now she’s also anti-Tusk. As long as PiS is in power the three issues above will continue to prevail.
State influence on judicial appointments is not unusual in USA and other EU countries.
How, for example, are USA supreme Court justicies choosen?
Clear out of former judges who gained their positions under communism was long overdue.
Communism only collapsed just over 30 years ago, so many current senior judges were appointed before.
Apart from communist secret service, judges were most loyal servants of communist party.
It is a shame it took that long but one of the reason was former PM Tusk.
No idea how good your Polish is but state media under Tusk were not exactly independent.
Many top media journalist in privately owned stations are children of communist party officials and senior communist security service officers.
It would take too long to explain but official narrative of Solidarity led transformation from communism to democracy is far from the truth.
It was more an agreement between parts of pro independence movement (Walesa faction which included people like Tusk) and communist officials that for giving up political power they would gain control of many areas of business.
Kaczynski brothers were opposed to it, hence current animosity between Tusk and PiS goes back many years.
Idea that Tusk was always opposing Russia is nonsense.
Both him and his foreign minister Radek Sikorski were fully on board with Merkel policy of appeasing Russia.
Excellent comments.
The narrative disseminated outside of Poland seems to be dictated by the Polish opposition. It gets repeated by journalists with no in-depth knowledge of the intricacies of the present day situation or of history.
Thanks for your reply. I’m aware on point 2 that the cradle of democracy is no better than Poland on appointing judges. My Polish is very poor but almost every evening while in Poland, as I am just now, there’s archive video of Tusk from many years ago, last night showing Tusk shaking hands with Putin, in a past EU capacity, totally unrelated to any topical issue on the news. Like I said I have no opinion on Tusk vs. PiS as such. Regarding Lidia’s comment, it’s the narrative inside Poland I was commenting on. It’s definitely influenced my wife’s view on Tusk, and with my background in the UK and W Europe it’s the first time I’ve experienced government controlled media on this level. The BBC is another kettle of fish.
Excellent comments.
The narrative disseminated outside of Poland seems to be dictated by the Polish opposition. It gets repeated by journalists with no in-depth knowledge of the intricacies of the present day situation or of history.
Thanks for your reply. I’m aware on point 2 that the cradle of democracy is no better than Poland on appointing judges. My Polish is very poor but almost every evening while in Poland, as I am just now, there’s archive video of Tusk from many years ago, last night showing Tusk shaking hands with Putin, in a past EU capacity, totally unrelated to any topical issue on the news. Like I said I have no opinion on Tusk vs. PiS as such. Regarding Lidia’s comment, it’s the narrative inside Poland I was commenting on. It’s definitely influenced my wife’s view on Tusk, and with my background in the UK and W Europe it’s the first time I’ve experienced government controlled media on this level. The BBC is another kettle of fish.
State influence on judicial appointments is not unusual in USA and other EU countries.
How, for example, are USA supreme Court justicies choosen?
Clear out of former judges who gained their positions under communism was long overdue.
Communism only collapsed just over 30 years ago, so many current senior judges were appointed before.
Apart from communist secret service, judges were most loyal servants of communist party.
It is a shame it took that long but one of the reason was former PM Tusk.
No idea how good your Polish is but state media under Tusk were not exactly independent.
Many top media journalist in privately owned stations are children of communist party officials and senior communist security service officers.
It would take too long to explain but official narrative of Solidarity led transformation from communism to democracy is far from the truth.
It was more an agreement between parts of pro independence movement (Walesa faction which included people like Tusk) and communist officials that for giving up political power they would gain control of many areas of business.
Kaczynski brothers were opposed to it, hence current animosity between Tusk and PiS goes back many years.
Idea that Tusk was always opposing Russia is nonsense.
Both him and his foreign minister Radek Sikorski were fully on board with Merkel policy of appeasing Russia.
Last edited 11 months ago by Andrew F
stephen archer
11 months ago
I have no doubt that Russia is meddling in Polish politics, since it’s happening in all other European countries and the US, often under the radar. There’s nothing wrong in principle with this commission, although there are at least three other overriding issues which Poland needs to focus on.
1 State control of the media, where amongst other things Tusk seems always to be projected in a negative light, at least onTV.
2 State influence in the judicial system, appointment of supreme court judges.
3 Having a party leader, Kaczynski, who dictates policy and influences public opinion whilst not holding an elected government position, also manipulating his puppets Duda and Morawiecki. This is a man obsessed with the Smolensk air crash and an adult politician who didn’t own a bank account but let his mother handle his finances.
It seems to be a choice between two poor alternatives, Tusk or Kaczynski-dominated PiS. My Polish wife has always been anti-Kaczynski but now she’s also anti-Tusk. As long as PiS is in power the three issues above will continue to prevail.
Last edited 11 months ago by stephen archer
Andrew F
11 months ago
This article like all previous efforts of the author is nothing more than pro PO propaganda.
Tusk is nothing more then EU stooge task with changing Poland’s policies to follow all usual woke idiocies like net zero, transgender and other so called “European values”.
His supposed opposition to Russia is a sick joke.
It was him and his foreign minister Radek Sikorski who instigated pro Russian policies against strong opposition from former Polish president Lech Kaczynski (died in Smolensk).
It was he who allowed Russia to take control of investigation of the crash in Smolensk and did nothing to stop destruction of the evidence.
Just compare what happened after Lockerbie disaster with films of Russian destruction of the Polish presidential plane.
With not a single protest from Tusk government.
Andrew F
11 months ago
This article like all previous efforts of the author is nothing more than pro PO propaganda.
Tusk is nothing more then EU stooge task with changing Poland’s policies to follow all usual woke idiocies like net zero, transgender and other so called “European values”.
His supposed opposition to Russia is a sick joke.
It was him and his foreign minister Radek Sikorski who instigated pro Russian policies against strong opposition from former Polish president Lech Kaczynski (died in Smolensk).
It was he who allowed Russia to take control of investigation of the crash in Smolensk and did nothing to stop destruction of the evidence.
Just compare what happened after Lockerbie disaster with films of Russian destruction of the Polish presidential plane.
With not a single protest from Tusk government.
Lidia F
11 months ago
“neo-McCarthyite autocracy” is an alarmist hyperbole which could equally be applied to the actions of the Tusk government, which controlled the media and under which journalists supporting the opposition were losing their jobs .
Lidia F
11 months ago
“neo-McCarthyite autocracy” is an alarmist hyperbole which could equally be applied to the actions of the Tusk government, which controlled the media and under which journalists supporting the opposition were losing their jobs .
Jonathan Nash
11 months ago
It is reported in Rzeczpospolita this morning that KO (Tusk’s coalition) has overtaken PiS (Kaczynski) in the latest polling. This may, just, be the turning point.
Jonathan Nash
11 months ago
It is reported in Rzeczpospolita this morning that KO (Tusk’s coalition) has overtaken PiS (Kaczynski) in the latest polling. This may, just, be the turning point.
As President of the European Council, Tusk proved he was no friend of Britain. Couldn’t care less if he gets strung up now by the Law and Justice government.
Yes, anything that brings Donald Tusk to book works for me.
The Great Brexit Flounce, i.e., “anybody who disagrees with Brexit is no friend of Britain’s”
The author is right we’ve seen this type of political persecution before: the use of power by the left in this country to seize control of our institutions and to isolate and neuter political opponents
Yes, anything that brings Donald Tusk to book works for me.
The Great Brexit Flounce, i.e., “anybody who disagrees with Brexit is no friend of Britain’s”
The author is right we’ve seen this type of political persecution before: the use of power by the left in this country to seize control of our institutions and to isolate and neuter political opponents
As President of the European Council, Tusk proved he was no friend of Britain. Couldn’t care less if he gets strung up now by the Law and Justice government.
I have no doubt that Russia is meddling in Polish politics, since it’s happening in all other European countries and the US, often under the radar. There’s nothing wrong in principle with this commission, although there are at least three other overriding issues which Poland needs to focus on.
1 State control of the media, where amongst other things Tusk seems always to be projected in a negative light, at least onTV.
2 State influence in the judicial system, appointment of supreme court judges.
3 Having a party leader, Kaczynski, who dictates policy and influences public opinion whilst not holding an elected government position, also manipulating his puppets Duda and Morawiecki. This is a man obsessed with the Smolensk air crash and an adult politician who didn’t own a bank account but let his mother handle his finances.
It seems to be a choice between two poor alternatives, Tusk or Kaczynski-dominated PiS. My Polish wife has always been anti-Kaczynski but now she’s also anti-Tusk. As long as PiS is in power the three issues above will continue to prevail.
State influence on judicial appointments is not unusual in USA and other EU countries.
How, for example, are USA supreme Court justicies choosen?
Clear out of former judges who gained their positions under communism was long overdue.
Communism only collapsed just over 30 years ago, so many current senior judges were appointed before.
Apart from communist secret service, judges were most loyal servants of communist party.
It is a shame it took that long but one of the reason was former PM Tusk.
No idea how good your Polish is but state media under Tusk were not exactly independent.
Many top media journalist in privately owned stations are children of communist party officials and senior communist security service officers.
It would take too long to explain but official narrative of Solidarity led transformation from communism to democracy is far from the truth.
It was more an agreement between parts of pro independence movement (Walesa faction which included people like Tusk) and communist officials that for giving up political power they would gain control of many areas of business.
Kaczynski brothers were opposed to it, hence current animosity between Tusk and PiS goes back many years.
Idea that Tusk was always opposing Russia is nonsense.
Both him and his foreign minister Radek Sikorski were fully on board with Merkel policy of appeasing Russia.
Excellent comments.
The narrative disseminated outside of Poland seems to be dictated by the Polish opposition. It gets repeated by journalists with no in-depth knowledge of the intricacies of the present day situation or of history.
Thanks for your reply. I’m aware on point 2 that the cradle of democracy is no better than Poland on appointing judges. My Polish is very poor but almost every evening while in Poland, as I am just now, there’s archive video of Tusk from many years ago, last night showing Tusk shaking hands with Putin, in a past EU capacity, totally unrelated to any topical issue on the news. Like I said I have no opinion on Tusk vs. PiS as such. Regarding Lidia’s comment, it’s the narrative inside Poland I was commenting on. It’s definitely influenced my wife’s view on Tusk, and with my background in the UK and W Europe it’s the first time I’ve experienced government controlled media on this level. The BBC is another kettle of fish.
Excellent comments.
The narrative disseminated outside of Poland seems to be dictated by the Polish opposition. It gets repeated by journalists with no in-depth knowledge of the intricacies of the present day situation or of history.
Thanks for your reply. I’m aware on point 2 that the cradle of democracy is no better than Poland on appointing judges. My Polish is very poor but almost every evening while in Poland, as I am just now, there’s archive video of Tusk from many years ago, last night showing Tusk shaking hands with Putin, in a past EU capacity, totally unrelated to any topical issue on the news. Like I said I have no opinion on Tusk vs. PiS as such. Regarding Lidia’s comment, it’s the narrative inside Poland I was commenting on. It’s definitely influenced my wife’s view on Tusk, and with my background in the UK and W Europe it’s the first time I’ve experienced government controlled media on this level. The BBC is another kettle of fish.
State influence on judicial appointments is not unusual in USA and other EU countries.
How, for example, are USA supreme Court justicies choosen?
Clear out of former judges who gained their positions under communism was long overdue.
Communism only collapsed just over 30 years ago, so many current senior judges were appointed before.
Apart from communist secret service, judges were most loyal servants of communist party.
It is a shame it took that long but one of the reason was former PM Tusk.
No idea how good your Polish is but state media under Tusk were not exactly independent.
Many top media journalist in privately owned stations are children of communist party officials and senior communist security service officers.
It would take too long to explain but official narrative of Solidarity led transformation from communism to democracy is far from the truth.
It was more an agreement between parts of pro independence movement (Walesa faction which included people like Tusk) and communist officials that for giving up political power they would gain control of many areas of business.
Kaczynski brothers were opposed to it, hence current animosity between Tusk and PiS goes back many years.
Idea that Tusk was always opposing Russia is nonsense.
Both him and his foreign minister Radek Sikorski were fully on board with Merkel policy of appeasing Russia.
I have no doubt that Russia is meddling in Polish politics, since it’s happening in all other European countries and the US, often under the radar. There’s nothing wrong in principle with this commission, although there are at least three other overriding issues which Poland needs to focus on.
1 State control of the media, where amongst other things Tusk seems always to be projected in a negative light, at least onTV.
2 State influence in the judicial system, appointment of supreme court judges.
3 Having a party leader, Kaczynski, who dictates policy and influences public opinion whilst not holding an elected government position, also manipulating his puppets Duda and Morawiecki. This is a man obsessed with the Smolensk air crash and an adult politician who didn’t own a bank account but let his mother handle his finances.
It seems to be a choice between two poor alternatives, Tusk or Kaczynski-dominated PiS. My Polish wife has always been anti-Kaczynski but now she’s also anti-Tusk. As long as PiS is in power the three issues above will continue to prevail.
This article like all previous efforts of the author is nothing more than pro PO propaganda.
Tusk is nothing more then EU stooge task with changing Poland’s policies to follow all usual woke idiocies like net zero, transgender and other so called “European values”.
His supposed opposition to Russia is a sick joke.
It was him and his foreign minister Radek Sikorski who instigated pro Russian policies against strong opposition from former Polish president Lech Kaczynski (died in Smolensk).
It was he who allowed Russia to take control of investigation of the crash in Smolensk and did nothing to stop destruction of the evidence.
Just compare what happened after Lockerbie disaster with films of Russian destruction of the Polish presidential plane.
With not a single protest from Tusk government.
This article like all previous efforts of the author is nothing more than pro PO propaganda.
Tusk is nothing more then EU stooge task with changing Poland’s policies to follow all usual woke idiocies like net zero, transgender and other so called “European values”.
His supposed opposition to Russia is a sick joke.
It was him and his foreign minister Radek Sikorski who instigated pro Russian policies against strong opposition from former Polish president Lech Kaczynski (died in Smolensk).
It was he who allowed Russia to take control of investigation of the crash in Smolensk and did nothing to stop destruction of the evidence.
Just compare what happened after Lockerbie disaster with films of Russian destruction of the Polish presidential plane.
With not a single protest from Tusk government.
“neo-McCarthyite autocracy” is an alarmist hyperbole which could equally be applied to the actions of the Tusk government, which controlled the media and under which journalists supporting the opposition were losing their jobs .
“neo-McCarthyite autocracy” is an alarmist hyperbole which could equally be applied to the actions of the Tusk government, which controlled the media and under which journalists supporting the opposition were losing their jobs .
It is reported in Rzeczpospolita this morning that KO (Tusk’s coalition) has overtaken PiS (Kaczynski) in the latest polling. This may, just, be the turning point.
It is reported in Rzeczpospolita this morning that KO (Tusk’s coalition) has overtaken PiS (Kaczynski) in the latest polling. This may, just, be the turning point.