Conquer Club

WARSAW, Dec 13 (Reuters) - New Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government was sworn in by Poland's president on Wednesday, the final step in a transfer of power that marks a huge change after eight years of nationalist rule.

Following years of disputes between Warsaw and Brussels under the previous government, led by the Law and Justice (PiS) party, Tusk's appointment has raised hopes of smoother relations with the rest of the European Union.

Dukasaur wrote:https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/sea-change-poland-donald-tusk-sworn-pm-2023-12-13/

WARSAW, Dec 13 (Reuters) - New Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government was sworn in by Poland's president on Wednesday, the final step in a transfer of power that marks a huge change after eight years of nationalist rule.

Following years of disputes between Warsaw and Brussels under the previous government, led by the Law and Justice (PiS) party, Tusk's appointment has raised hopes of smoother relations with the rest of the European Union.

After all the bad news from Hungary and Slovakia, it's nice to see Poland heading back towards civility.

Polish GDP ... 680 billion USD
Hungarian GDP ... 181 billion
Slovak GDP ... 117 billion
Net gain for civilized Europe ... 382 billion USD

bigtoughralf wrote:He's also a massive Islamophobe who wants to reduce immigration specifically only from Muslim countries.

How many inches is OP talking about though?

Polish President Andrzej Duda said on Saturday he would veto the government’s amended 2024 spending bill and propose his own, in a challenge to new Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

“At the same time,” Duda wrote in a second post on X. “I would like to inform you that after Christmas, I will immediately submit my own project to the parliament, regarding, among other things, raises for teachers and other expenses planned in the budget-related act.”

Jan Grabiec, the head of the prime minister’s chancellery, called Duda’s announcement “absurd.”

“The president doesn’t have much say. The president says he will submit some kind of a budget bill, and that is completely out of the president’s remit,” he said.

https://www.politico.eu/article/poland- ... e-his-own/

saxitoxin wrote:CAN'T TOUCH THIS!

Votanic wrote:

saxitoxin wrote:CAN'T TOUCH THIS!

That guy's just lucky most educational texts are online nowadays, because I wouldn't want to drive by a School Book Depository looking like that.

Dukasaur wrote:After all the bad news from Hungary and Slovakia, it's nice to see Poland heading back towards civility.

Polish GDP ... 680 billion USD
Hungarian GDP ... 181 billion
Slovak GDP ... 117 billion
Net gain for civilized Europe ... 382 billion USD

saxitoxin wrote:This is great craftiness by Duda ... the President of Poland can dissolve parliament if 120 days pass without a budget. If Duda clogs up the budget making process by vetoing Tusk's budget and then presenting his own with all sorts of candy in it like teacher's raises, it will fracture Tusk's delicate coalition and jam the system up. Once 120 days pass, Duda can then just dissolve the entire parliament, throw Tusk out on his ass, and impose direct presidential rule.

Dukasaur wrote:

saxitoxin wrote:This is great craftiness by Duda ... the President of Poland can dissolve parliament if 120 days pass without a budget. If Duda clogs up the budget making process by vetoing Tusk's budget and then presenting his own with all sorts of candy in it like teacher's raises, it will fracture Tusk's delicate coalition and jam the system up. Once 120 days pass, Duda can then just dissolve the entire parliament, throw Tusk out on his ass, and impose direct presidential rule.

I think most people could see through such a cheap trick. The next election would be an overwhelming victory for the good guys.

Beata Szydło, a former PiS prime minister, called them “the first political prisoners of the Tusk regime.”

The fight over Kamiński and Wąsik is part of a wider war as Tusk and his government try to take control of institutions in the hands of PiS loyalists, while setting up special commissions to investigate and prosecute wrongdoing by the former government.

The government last month bent the rules and seized control of the state media, which had become the propaganda arm of PiS. That led to a furious reaction from PiS loyalists, with Duda promising to veto a spending bill and lawsuits being filed with courts favorable to the former ruling party.

“Did anyone really think we were in for a light, easy and pleasant job? No, it will be hard, difficult and unpleasant for a while. That’s what you hired me for. I’m not complaining,” Tusk tweeted last week.

https://www.politico.eu/article/poland- ... iej-wasik/

While prime minister it is alleged that Tusk ignored information given to him by the head of the Internal Security Agency and the president of the National Bank of Poland, who warned him that his son was involved in the Amber Gold Ponzi scheme.

It is also alleged that Tusk's government did nothing when in December 2009 the state-run Financial Oversight Commission, KNF, issued a warning that Amber Gold had no permit to carry out banking activities.

At the time Amber Gold owned almost all shares in OLT Express airlines, which employed Michal Tusk, the prime minister's son.

It turns out that Amber Gold regarded Michal's employment as a protective umbrella. Marcin P. said: "I employ the prime minister's son. As long as he works for us, I think we are untouchable."

https://www.dw.com/en/donald-tusks-elep ... a-46168594

(a) Slovakia will now adhere to Hungary's principles of providing no military aid to Ukraine
(b) Slovakia will join Hungary in only considering Ukrainian membership to the EU under normal (non fast track) conditions
(c) Slovakia will join Hungary in blocking any discussion of Ukraine membership in NATO
(d) Slovakia will immediately resume cultural contacts and normalize exchange relations with the Russian Federation

saxitoxin wrote:Left-Right Populist Unity!

Bobby Fico of Slovakia today held a joint press conference with Viktor Orban of Hungary. In it:

(a) Slovakia will now adhere to Hungary's principles of providing no military aid to Ukraine
(b) Slovakia will join Hungary in only considering Ukrainian membership to the EU under normal (non fast track) conditions
(c) Slovakia will join Hungary in blocking any discussion of Ukraine membership in NATO
(d) Slovakia will immediately resume cultural contacts and normalize exchange relations with the Russian Federation

Unfortunately this is all in some peasant language:

Netanyahu will be arrested if he comes to Auschwitz memorial, Polish government confirms

Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Wladyslaw Bartoszewski told Rzeczpospolita on Friday that if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu comes to Poland, he will be arrested in line with Poland's commitment to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Bartoszewski, discussing preparations for the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz on January 27, confirmed that if Netanyahu enters Polish territory, he will be arrested.

https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/benja ... cle-834302

KoolBak wrote:My only input is the distinction between NORMALCY and NORMALITY.

I've never used or heard NORMALCY; I'm a NORMALITY guy. The infinite wisdom of the interwebs tells me I'm weird

Apparently NORMALCY is more the norm in the USA where NORMALITY is normal in the rest of the world...normally.

Surprised to see the Duck of Death using NORMALCY, as a good hoser should apparently prefer NORMALITY.

Now they both sound weird.

jonesthecurl wrote:I once wrote a comic strip called 'Norman Normal and the incredible kettle'.