Editors note: The cost of our politicians
I'm sorry because this means nothing less than publicly calling politicians from the ruling coalition liars. However, one has to be careful when calling things by their names. In fact there is no ruling coalition - the Prime Minister, who set up the government, has long ago withdrawn from it. He plans to devote his efforts to building a new political party.
The Democratic Left Alliance (SLD), the largest party in the parliament, which has blocked the opposition's appeal for earlier elections, long ago lost almost all public support. And with it, it has also lost the legitimate right to rule the country. A few months ago the party deputies expressed their full support for earlier elections, but the more their ratings have slumped, the more determined they became to hold on to their well-paid seats. There's no point in calculating how much the deputies would have lost if the elections were held a few months earlier - the sum is quiet impressive. It is disgusting that, when polls show support for the SLD has slumped below the five percent threshold, the party has radically changed its views on the election date and broken its promise to the electorate.
Why would it be better for Poland if the elections took place in the spring?
Firstly, the new government should have some time to prepare the budget for 2006. Elections in fall will leave it with very little time to do so.
Moreover, Marek Belka's government, having no political support, will be powerless to do anything. Not only because most deputies will be concentrated on preparing their election campaigns, but mainly because having no legitimate right to govern it just shouldn't make any key decisions that the future government will have to respect and abide by.
That's why the President's calls for Belka to carry on with privatization and economic reforms and parliament to pass laws sound so insincere.
The voters remain the country's hope. I hope their memory is much better than that of the politicians' who quickly forget their own promises.
Eliza Durka
Editor-in-chief
The Democratic Left Alliance (SLD), the largest party in the parliament, which has blocked the opposition's appeal for earlier elections, long ago lost almost all public support. And with it, it has also lost the legitimate right to rule the country. A few months ago the party deputies expressed their full support for earlier elections, but the more their ratings have slumped, the more determined they became to hold on to their well-paid seats. There's no point in calculating how much the deputies would have lost if the elections were held a few months earlier - the sum is quiet impressive. It is disgusting that, when polls show support for the SLD has slumped below the five percent threshold, the party has radically changed its views on the election date and broken its promise to the electorate.
Why would it be better for Poland if the elections took place in the spring?
Firstly, the new government should have some time to prepare the budget for 2006. Elections in fall will leave it with very little time to do so.
Moreover, Marek Belka's government, having no political support, will be powerless to do anything. Not only because most deputies will be concentrated on preparing their election campaigns, but mainly because having no legitimate right to govern it just shouldn't make any key decisions that the future government will have to respect and abide by.
That's why the President's calls for Belka to carry on with privatization and economic reforms and parliament to pass laws sound so insincere.
The voters remain the country's hope. I hope their memory is much better than that of the politicians' who quickly forget their own promises.
Eliza Durka
Editor-in-chief
