The PiS president spent the last Sunday of the campaign as he likes best – safely, among clapping supporters, criticizing and threatening Donald Tusk. Jarosław Kaczyński avoids face-to-face meetings with the PO leader. Meanwhile, Donald Tusk takes Monday’s debate on TVP seriously – he canceled meetings to prepare.
Jarosław Kaczyński does not have to prepare for the debate, because even though he has been ruling Poland for eight years, he refused to take part in it. Much to the regret of even some of his supporters who would like to see a Tusk-Kaczyński clash.
PiS is aware of the importance of the debate and the potential benefits, hence Mateusz Morawiecki’s participation. – There will be a clash of achievements and a complete lack of achievements – says Waldemar Buda, Minister of Development and Technology, KP PiS.
The PiS leader not only does not want to debate with the opposition leaders, but he does not even debate in his own district – in Kielce – with the other candidates. The opposition has been constantly reminding Kaczyński of his cowardice and his escape from the debate since Friday. Kaczyński himself gave an excuse for this. – He fled Warsaw from Tusk, and now he is afraid to take part in the debate – explains Borys Budka from PO, the Civic Coalition. – He is terrified of contact with democratic opposition politicians, Kaczyński is brave when he is surrounded by his clappers – says Michał Kobosko, KKW Trzecia Droga, Polska 2050.
Debate on government television without the leader of PiS. “Jarosław Kaczyński is terribly afraid of Donald Tusk”Katarzyna Kolenda-Zaleska/Fakty TVN
Donald Tusk is not afraid of TVP
The opposition is also publicly surprised that Kaczyński does not go to government television, which is PiS’s propaganda mouthpiece and does not show any opposition activities in the campaign. That’s why they expect everything. – If they see that they are not doing well, I would not be surprised at all if the electricity went out after five minutes during the debate – says Tomasz Trela from Nowa Lewica.
– Even if they stand on their heads. Even if they turn off the lights, add horns to me, or turn me into an ultra-redhead, or put subtitles in German as I speak. Devil knows what will come to their mind – says Donald Tusk. Despite such a risk, the Civic Coalition is sure that Tusk will only gain from the debate. – Some TVP viewers will see that Tusk speaks Polish, talks interestingly, has an idea for Poland – explains Barbara Nowacka from Initiative Poland, Civic Coalition.
The opposition wants to make the most of the debate. In the debate, they want to present themselves not only as individual political entities, but also as a team that wants to rule after the elections. – In this debate, opposition representatives will show voters that everyone can choose something – says Magdalena Biejat from Razem, Nowa Lewica.
This is the last Sunday of this campaign. Kaczyński in Jasionka mainly attacked Tusk and his voters. – Sometimes I even hear people saying that they (Kaczyński’s political opponents – editor’s note) are disgusted with Polishness, so let them go to hell – Kaczyński said. The opposition believes that such statements only help it. – Change is already on the streets – notes Adrian Zandberg from Razem, Nowa Lewica. – From dawn to dusk, our candidates, not at one thousand, not at two thousand, at ten thousand meetings, are present all the time – says Władysław Kosiniak Kamysz, leader of PSL, Trzecia Droga. The last five days of the campaign begin on Monday.
Main photo source: Darek Delmanowicz/PAP