Political shenanigans

A new initiative to reduce bureaucracy and protect citizens from "absurd regulations" was launched last week under the name "Friendly State" (Przyjazne Państwo). The most innovative element of the commission's work is its use of the website www.przyjaznepanstwo.pl, where citizens can inform the authorities of cases in which the law is irrational or unreasonable. The commission consists of seven Sejm deputies. Janusz Palikot, a member of Civic Platform (PO), is serving as the commission's head.

Palikot is a businessman and a flamboyant figure who has spurred controversy several times over the last few months, particularly for his unconventional press conferences. On one occasion, for example, he brandished a plastic sex toy and a toy gun. At another conference he wore a t-shirt which on one side read "I'm from SLD" (the Democratic Left Alliance party) and on the other read "I'm gay."

Recently Palikot drew attention in a different way, after speculating on his blog that President Lech Kaczyński might have an alcohol problem. In response, the President's Chancellery said it would sue Palikot for libel. Although the deputy later apologized, he received a "yellow card" censure from the head of PO's parliamentary club, Zbigniew Chlebowski.

The press conference launching the Friendly State website saw no new surprises from Palikot, but the opposition remains skeptical. Law and Justice's (PiS) deputy Maks Kraczkowski, the deputy head of the Sejm's Economic Committee, said that before the blog incident he would have praised the Friendly State initiative even though its focus overlaps with that of his own commission. Now his enthusiasm is diminished, he said.

"After recent events I doubt that Janusz Palikot is a figure capable of heading such a commission. Economic issues require a serious approach," he told WBJ.

Janusz Palikot was unavailable for comment.