May the force be with you
By Aleksander Nowacki
In an apparent attempt to set himself up as Master Yoda of the local political scene, Rywingate investigative commission chairman Tomasz Nałęcz described attacks on his person as "the empire striking back." Last Monday, three separate publications called for his resignation, alleging that his wife had helped to draft the Radio and TV Broadcasting Act, which gave rise to the whole scandal. The Labor Union (UP) politician explained that his wife's role was confined to writing an opinion on a piece of the proposed law - completely unrelated to the case - as a routine part of her job as the head of the State Archives.
Nałęcz immediately went on the counter-offensive, stating that the calls for his resignation reveal that the commission has hit gold. The evil empire, which had enlisted Lew Rywin's services, is now worried, Nałęcz claims, and has decided to subvert the investigative process by attacking the man whose unwavering quest for the truth threatened to unravel the evil empire's machinations. The fact that three papers picked up the story at the same time is seen as clear evidence that they were tipped off by someone interested in toppling the commission chairman. It has since been alleged that the newspapers were alerted to Mrs. Nałęcz's role by a former journalist and secret service man who is close to Aleksandra Jakubowska, the former deputy minister of culture who oversaw the work on the Broadcasting Act and stands accused of improper dealings herself.
Even as the Rywingate commission seems to be heading off towards the stars, next year's budget has brought enthusiastic markets down to the ground. The currency in particular has suffered a serious crush and, observers say, is unlikely to bounce back in the near future. According to some economists, the markets are beginning to pine after the former finance minister Grzegorz Kołodko. This must be the first time investors have taken a cue from Samoobrona leader Andrzej Lepper, who has always excluded Kołodko from his tirades against "thieves and liars in power."
September is a month loaded with historical connotations and it is history that seems to have gripped the imagination of politicians in recent weeks. Jarosław Kaczyński, Law and Justice (PiS) leader, took it upon himself to ensure in a parliamentary speech that the "passing of the European Union constitution will not leave this country where it was after September 1939." Some may think this should be easily achieved, as German tanks in the streets of Warsaw is not a sight likely to become common, but the brave PiS leader seems to think his undertaking truly heroic.
His efforts, however, paled into insignificance against the valiant League of Polish Families (LPR) deputies who boycotted Pat Cox, head of the European parliament, as he spoke to this country's lawmakers. This man is credited with helping this country negotiate better terms of EU accession, but he is guilty of describing the deportation of 10 million Germans from Poland and the Czech Republic as "a cause of suffering." Apparently his remark represents a threat to this country's sovereignty, though no one seems quite sure how. Perhaps Yoda could tell.
