Borsukrates
8 Nov 2015 #1
Okay, this is a bit of old news, and not surprising for any Pole who hasn't been living under a rock. For foreigners, this Dutch article might be eye opening. It cleanly explains why there's so much vitriol flying here.
Emphasis mine.
===============
Polen haat Polen
Trouw
Ekke Overbeek − 28/09/15, 20:11
trouw.nl/tr/nl/4324/Nieuws/article/detail/4151323/2015/09/28/Polen-haat-Polen.dhtml
---------------------------------
Elections are coming in Poland and everything indicates that polish populists, kinsmen of Wilders and Marine Le Pen will rule. They've been working for this victory for years - using their own media funded by their own banks. Because whoever has media, has power.
In the recent years new press outlets have been popping up like mushrooms after a rain. One of them is "wSieci" magazine, which calls itself "A Weekly of Young Poland". Journalists who work there call themselves "rebellious", as opposed to competition, whom they sum up as "mainstream" and "politically correct". As such, they're becoming a part of European trend. "The nation" no longer trusts "lügenpresse", the lying press, as Pegida supporters say in Germany. So alternatives show up. However, the observant will notice it's not a spontaneous process. It's steered by politicians.
The central part is played by the former prime minister, 66 year old Jarosław Kaczyński. There are many similarities between him and Geert Wilders or Marine Le Pen. The refugee crisis has emphatically shown, how very alike they are. Kaczyński, like Wilders, can't stand the "politically correct mainstream". But there's one notable difference: Wilders can exploit media, whom he hates, to further his goals. Kaczyński hasn't learned it. Wilders surfs on the scandal waves. But they overwhelm Kaczyński.
So Kaczyński is dependent on friendly media. The largest is Radio Maryja, with subordinate Trwam Television and the paper "Nasz Dziennik" (Our Journal). The radio has became one of the most popular organisations in Poland's Catholic Church. Its charismatic founder, rev. Tadeusz Rydzyk, has hundreds of thousands of listeners, mostly in advanced age. They take his voting advice to the heart. And he says: vote for Kaczyński.
Yet Radio Maryja's support proved insufficient. It's been shown in 2011, when PiS couldn't regain the power lost in 2007. But the leader knows who's responsible for all the setbacks - in European, domestic and regional polls. It's all fault of the mass media, which spread remarkably perfidious lies day after day.
Kaczyński knows something else: media is power. When he gained power in 2005, he immediately placed all public media under party's control, and in a very determined way. But the control wasn't enough to keep the power in 2007. Then he must have asked himself, what can he do if he can't claim media using power. And he's found the answer: you need to claim power using media. You need to make sure the media will carry the voice of the party.
The "True Journalists" from "Gazeta Polska" are named "niezalezna.pl" (independent) in the internet, but since 2012 the majority of journal's shares is owned by a foundation with close ties to PiS.
The weekly "wSieci" is, in turn, a product of "SKOKs". In 2012, the SKOKs have founded a media network, which encompasses "Gazeta Bankowa", "Fronda" and a weekly "ABC". Nothing unusual in that, except SKOKs also fund the Kaczyński's party. They don't do that directly, rather through a web of foundations which fund exhibitions, concerts, events and book publishers. All pieces fell together when it was discovered that SKOKs are also sponsors and shareholders in two large commercial ventures of Radio Maryja: geothermal basins and its telecom network. Well, the actions of SKOKs show the nature of Kaczyński's "moral revolution". Since 2011, the founder and chairman of SKOKs is also a senator from PiS. The party managed to keep SKOKs out of reach of financial controls for years. A significant role in this was played by (president as of 2015) Andrzej Duda, at the time a clerk in president's Lech Kaczyński's chancellery. But ultimately SKOKs fell under scrutiny of "Komisja Nadzoru Finansowego" (Financial Supervision Authority). It's been revealed that millions were disappearing inside. Those were distributed technically as loans, but never repaid. The founder of SKOKs has siphoned an equivalent of 15,000,000 EUR off to a foreign company, of which he's the main shareholder.
Eventually "Bankowy Fundusz Gwarancyjny" had to step in ("Bank Guarantee Fund" - unofficial translation) as it hasn't received a dime. In practice all banks' clients pay for this, which means all Poles. The weekly "Polityka" calculated that this effectively made each Pole pay 80 PLN (18.72 EUR) for Kaczyński's party.
But Poles hear two completely different narrations. Public opinion no longer exists in Poland. Those on the opposite sides of the barricade don't read other side's newspapers, don't watch other side's TV, and don't listen to other side's radio. Many, tired by the mud wrestling, have turned off their receivers entirely. No one gets out clean. It no longer matters, who started. An increasing number of Poles is fed up - they shrug and take offence at politics.
But politics goes on. Poland hates politics. That's the image painted by the "rebellious" media. The ruling PO is the enemy. If PiS comes into power the next month, there will be payoff time. Kaczyński's media promise themselves a lot. Opponents of the PiS's leader point out he incites people against each other for political gain. Naturally, Kaczyński's followers see this differently. Both sides agree on one thing - Poland fell prey of "Divide and Conquer". According to all polls, PiS will win the next month's election.
Until now, the similarities between PiS and the anti-muslim parties of Western Europe weren't apparent. The topic of immigrants and muslims didn't exist in Poland. The refugee crisis has changed everything. Last week, the leader of PiS painted his vision of Europe conquered by radical muslims. The he asked if that's the Poland they want, and assured PiS doesn't. The differences between the Polish and the Dutch populists are significant: the far right PVV wants to protect Netherlands from foreigners and Brussels, so the country can remain as it is. Kaczyński, however, desires fundamental changes in his country, he wishes to wipe out the anti-polish elements. The "rebellious" media are the avantgarde of the "moral revolution". They adore catholic values and patriotism. They call European Union a German domination machine, and postulate a "repolonisation" of economy. That's the recipe for success - that's Kaczyński's way to make his country great, strong and respected.
Emphasis mine.
===============
Polen haat Polen
Trouw
Ekke Overbeek − 28/09/15, 20:11
trouw.nl/tr/nl/4324/Nieuws/article/detail/4151323/2015/09/28/Polen-haat-Polen.dhtml
---------------------------------
Elections are coming in Poland and everything indicates that polish populists, kinsmen of Wilders and Marine Le Pen will rule. They've been working for this victory for years - using their own media funded by their own banks. Because whoever has media, has power.
In the recent years new press outlets have been popping up like mushrooms after a rain. One of them is "wSieci" magazine, which calls itself "A Weekly of Young Poland". Journalists who work there call themselves "rebellious", as opposed to competition, whom they sum up as "mainstream" and "politically correct". As such, they're becoming a part of European trend. "The nation" no longer trusts "lügenpresse", the lying press, as Pegida supporters say in Germany. So alternatives show up. However, the observant will notice it's not a spontaneous process. It's steered by politicians.
The central part is played by the former prime minister, 66 year old Jarosław Kaczyński. There are many similarities between him and Geert Wilders or Marine Le Pen. The refugee crisis has emphatically shown, how very alike they are. Kaczyński, like Wilders, can't stand the "politically correct mainstream". But there's one notable difference: Wilders can exploit media, whom he hates, to further his goals. Kaczyński hasn't learned it. Wilders surfs on the scandal waves. But they overwhelm Kaczyński.
So Kaczyński is dependent on friendly media. The largest is Radio Maryja, with subordinate Trwam Television and the paper "Nasz Dziennik" (Our Journal). The radio has became one of the most popular organisations in Poland's Catholic Church. Its charismatic founder, rev. Tadeusz Rydzyk, has hundreds of thousands of listeners, mostly in advanced age. They take his voting advice to the heart. And he says: vote for Kaczyński.
Yet Radio Maryja's support proved insufficient. It's been shown in 2011, when PiS couldn't regain the power lost in 2007. But the leader knows who's responsible for all the setbacks - in European, domestic and regional polls. It's all fault of the mass media, which spread remarkably perfidious lies day after day.
Kaczyński knows something else: media is power. When he gained power in 2005, he immediately placed all public media under party's control, and in a very determined way. But the control wasn't enough to keep the power in 2007. Then he must have asked himself, what can he do if he can't claim media using power. And he's found the answer: you need to claim power using media. You need to make sure the media will carry the voice of the party.
The "True Journalists" from "Gazeta Polska" are named "niezalezna.pl" (independent) in the internet, but since 2012 the majority of journal's shares is owned by a foundation with close ties to PiS.
The weekly "wSieci" is, in turn, a product of "SKOKs". In 2012, the SKOKs have founded a media network, which encompasses "Gazeta Bankowa", "Fronda" and a weekly "ABC". Nothing unusual in that, except SKOKs also fund the Kaczyński's party. They don't do that directly, rather through a web of foundations which fund exhibitions, concerts, events and book publishers. All pieces fell together when it was discovered that SKOKs are also sponsors and shareholders in two large commercial ventures of Radio Maryja: geothermal basins and its telecom network. Well, the actions of SKOKs show the nature of Kaczyński's "moral revolution". Since 2011, the founder and chairman of SKOKs is also a senator from PiS. The party managed to keep SKOKs out of reach of financial controls for years. A significant role in this was played by (president as of 2015) Andrzej Duda, at the time a clerk in president's Lech Kaczyński's chancellery. But ultimately SKOKs fell under scrutiny of "Komisja Nadzoru Finansowego" (Financial Supervision Authority). It's been revealed that millions were disappearing inside. Those were distributed technically as loans, but never repaid. The founder of SKOKs has siphoned an equivalent of 15,000,000 EUR off to a foreign company, of which he's the main shareholder.
Eventually "Bankowy Fundusz Gwarancyjny" had to step in ("Bank Guarantee Fund" - unofficial translation) as it hasn't received a dime. In practice all banks' clients pay for this, which means all Poles. The weekly "Polityka" calculated that this effectively made each Pole pay 80 PLN (18.72 EUR) for Kaczyński's party.
But Poles hear two completely different narrations. Public opinion no longer exists in Poland. Those on the opposite sides of the barricade don't read other side's newspapers, don't watch other side's TV, and don't listen to other side's radio. Many, tired by the mud wrestling, have turned off their receivers entirely. No one gets out clean. It no longer matters, who started. An increasing number of Poles is fed up - they shrug and take offence at politics.
But politics goes on. Poland hates politics. That's the image painted by the "rebellious" media. The ruling PO is the enemy. If PiS comes into power the next month, there will be payoff time. Kaczyński's media promise themselves a lot. Opponents of the PiS's leader point out he incites people against each other for political gain. Naturally, Kaczyński's followers see this differently. Both sides agree on one thing - Poland fell prey of "Divide and Conquer". According to all polls, PiS will win the next month's election.
Until now, the similarities between PiS and the anti-muslim parties of Western Europe weren't apparent. The topic of immigrants and muslims didn't exist in Poland. The refugee crisis has changed everything. Last week, the leader of PiS painted his vision of Europe conquered by radical muslims. The he asked if that's the Poland they want, and assured PiS doesn't. The differences between the Polish and the Dutch populists are significant: the far right PVV wants to protect Netherlands from foreigners and Brussels, so the country can remain as it is. Kaczyński, however, desires fundamental changes in his country, he wishes to wipe out the anti-polish elements. The "rebellious" media are the avantgarde of the "moral revolution". They adore catholic values and patriotism. They call European Union a German domination machine, and postulate a "repolonisation" of economy. That's the recipe for success - that's Kaczyński's way to make his country great, strong and respected.