“Final touch”. Abortion. Civic Coalition. Aleksandra Gajewska: the issue of access to safe abortion is a matter of life or death

The guests of “Kropka nad i” Aleksandra Gajewska and Ryszard Petru addressed the issue of legalization of abortion up to the 12th week of pregnancy. The host Monika Olejnik quoted the statement Włodzimierz Czarzastywho stated that they did not want to agree to this Third Way and PSL.

– Since 2021, when we presented the women’s rights package, the Civic Coalition has been saying clearly: the issue of access to safe, legal and free abortion is a matter of life or death and it is not an ideological issue – said Aleksandra Gajewska.

– I am convinced that the first thing we will do is decriminalize abortion – added the politician. – I hope there will be no problem with this – she emphasized. She also said that for her group, women’s rights are a priority.

Ryszard Petru from the Poland 2050 movement, which is part of the Third Road coalition together with the Polish People’s Party (PSL), announced that he “will vote for the possibility of performing abortions up to the 12th week.” – It’s not that the Third Way disagrees. There are only MPs who do not agree, he said, adding that “there will be no club discipline.”

– If such a bill appears and there is a vote, it may even gain a majority in parliament – emphasized Petru, recalling that the president Andrzej Duda may veto such a bill.

– As for decriminalization (of abortion), as far as I know, there is agreement in this case (…). From what I have heard, all coalition partners agree. This is the minimum we can do at the very beginning – added Petru.

In the conversation, the host of “Kropka nad i” reminded that the coalition agreement will probably be announced on Friday. It will refer to an investigative commission that will investigate abuses of power.

What should such an investigative commission do? Petru talked about several areas of abuse: we have abuses of authorities in the justice system, in public finances, in social issues.

– We say that all those who stole Poland in recent years must be held accountable. They must be held responsible for this, Gajewska said. She referred to her earlier statement PiS MP Marcin Horała, who stated that “If someone stole something contrary to the procedures, they must, of course, return it“.

– No, anyone who acted in such a way as to steal Polish public funds will be held accountable. We are talking about it with one voice, Gajewska added.

Petru said that the commission “shouldn’t be too many”. – We have to focus on the most important things – he said. He added that everyone should focus on their own area, emphasizing that he would like to address the issue of public finances and taking “a whole lot of money out of the budget.”

The conversation also included a question about whether there would be an accounting of the activities of the President of the National Bank of Poland, Adam Glapiński.

– I would like to check whether he broke the law. Each time we will check whether the law was broken or whether there was mismanagement, Petru replied.

– If it is true that the president (Glapiński) breaks the law, does not inform the management board, which is a body and must have certain knowledge about the actions taken by the Monetary Policy Council, and he (Glapiński) does not make it public or makes only part of it public, then operates illegally. We need to check whether this is confirmed. If this is the case, he will certainly be held accountable, Gajewska said.

– Any other person who diverted public funds beyond the budget or for villa plus programs will be held responsible – she added.

Gajewska also talked about revising the budget, taking a closer look at it and checking its actual condition. – We must approach this with great responsibility. PiS has brought Poles very difficult times. Expensive prices and price increases. We cannot leave people with this, she declared.

To the comment of the host of “Kropka nad i” that President Andrzej Duda “gives little time” to adopt a new budget because he entrusted the mission (forming a government – ed.) Mateusz MorawieckiRyszard Petru replied: “we know about it.”

– We will have to adopt the PiS budget, make a small self-amendment, adopt it so that Andrzej Duda will not be able to dissolve the parliament and within six months make a deep correction of the budget, which will adapt it to our plans – said Petru.

– PiS leaves us with a big “hole” for Morawiecki this year. PLN 192 billion! This is “Morawiecki’s hole”. We spend so much more than we earn, Petru pointed out. He also admitted that the coalition had a “very difficult starting situation.”

The host of “Kropka nad i” recalled that President Duda did not appeal to Prime Minister Morawiecki “not to take any steps that should belong to the next government.” The term of office of the head of the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF) is coming to an end soon. The Prime Minister may appoint a new head of the Polish Financial Supervision Authority, what will result from this? – Monika Olejnik asked the guests.

According to Petru (Morawiecki), he should agree the candidacy of the new head of the Polish Financial Supervision Authority with the democratic opposition that will take power. As the guest of the program stated, “this will not be the case, and the head of the Polish Financial Supervision Authority will be Morawiecki’s man.”

– We have two solutions before us. If the head of the Polish Financial Supervision Authority behaves in accordance with the state’s interest, I do not see the need to introduce any corrections. If he acts to the detriment of the state, which I fear, it will be a strong action, i.e. changing the law and replacing the head of the Polish Financial Supervision Authority. It cannot be that PiS appoints people to office who will block the smooth functioning of the state. Poles expect effectiveness from all of us, Petru added.

Gajewska confirmed that “if it is necessary to change laws, we will change them.”