In Brief: Opole; Samoobrona splits from SLD; Blockades; Kalinowski

During a Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) meeting on Sunday, the ruling party requested that two top politicians from the Opolskie voivodship resign from their positions. Yesterday, the Voivod, Leszek Pogan stepped down, while the councilors' club of the Opole Regional Assembly demanded the same of Ewa Olszewska, the local Speaker. SLD revealed that their decision was triggered by press reports which publicized abuses of power in the management of Opole when Pogan was Mayor and Olszewska was Deputy Mayor. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 5) ... Self-Defense (Samoobrona) have decided to withdraw from their coalition with the SLD in the Zachodniopomorskie voivodship. Andrzej Lepper, the head of Samoobrona, announced that the reason for the move was the "arrogance and pride" of SLD politicians. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 5) ... Monday was the eleventh day of road blockades organized by protesting farmers. The protests were conducted across 12 voivodships and lasted until late evening. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 5) ... The prosecutor's office in Poznan is examining the recent case of Agriculture Minister Jaroslaw Kalinowski, who was hit by eggs thrown by protesting farmers. The investigation relates to the "insulting of constitutional bodies of Poland". (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 5) A.K.