Statement on the growth of authoritarianism in Poland

February 16, 2012

 As members of the President Lech Kaczynski Civic Academic Club in Poznań we wish to express our deep concern over the growth of the symptoms of authoritarianism in the functioning of the Polish state. In a democratic nation this is a dangerous phenomenon as it leads to the severing of the bonds that should connect the democratically elected authorities with the people. The absence of such bonds  leads to the destruction of the rules of democratic government. For some considerable time now, we have been witnessing a tendency towards this unfortunate development in many areas of public life in Poland.

In the political sphere the most dangerous is restricting the opposition’s rights to exert control over state institutions and state officials, and especially to inform public opinion when irregularities and infringements of the law do occur. This is particularly apparent in such acts of the ruling establishment as:

– barring opposition parties from sending freely their representatives to  major parliament committees, especially the refusal to grant the strongest opposition party the right to appoint the chair of the special services committee, which is the norm in democratic nations, and which used to be the norm in Poland until recently;

– blocking the formation of extraordinary parliament committees to investigate  important state and public issues, e.g. a committee to investigate the Smolensk plane crash. Whenever an investigative committee is nevertheless formed, its composition and leadership are shaped by the majority in such a way as to deprive the opposition of any real influence on its work;

– in the investigation of the causes of the Smolensk plane crash, the government is deliberately ignoring the findings of experts independent of the official investigation and is preventing scientists from conducting independent inquiries by refusing funding. The government has failed to seek allied governments’ support for an independent investigation, and has even resorted to harassing politicians and public figures who have been trying to obtain such international assistance. Both the public prosecution office and other state institutions have been constantly refusing to acknowledge the findings of the independent parliamentary team investigating the crash;

– filing lawsuits or threatening to do so to harass members of parliament and journalists attempting to inquire into various pathologies of public life in Poland;

– filling managerial posts in public institutions, state companies and enterprises with members of the ruling parties, which disrupts their functioning, creates tension and intimidates the staff;

– undermining effective supervision of state institutions and senior state officials by the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBA) and the Supreme Audit Office (NIK).

What is extremely dangerous for the proper functioning of a democratic country is the  shaping of the media and of  channels of communication of the authorities and opposition  with the public in a way that distorts the reality and puts forward a completely false image of current politics.

We find it as completely unacceptable that:

-all journalists critical of  the government and those ‘just’ promoting traditional values in public life are being sacked from public media – leading to an extreme domination of the  ruling parties in the media, which resembles the days of communist Poland;

– the Roman-Catholic Radio Maryja and Television TRWAM are being excluded from the media market by administrative means;

– we are witnessing a reappearance of clandestine circulation  in the media and culture- where a considerable amount of artistic and documentary production can only be made accessible to the public at shows in private homes and churches (like under martial law)- the examples being films about Smoleńsk and Krakowskie Przedmieście demonstrations in its aftermath, e.g.- “Fog”, “The Cross”, “The Awakening” and a film about “Roj” (a Polish wartime anticommunist hero);

– there are attempts at administrative censorship limiting the freedom of expression on the Internet;

– manifestations of religious affiliation are administratively discouraged in the public sphere, even though a great majority of Poles are Catholic (the Polish Airlines incident was an example of the authorities testing how far they can go);

– the advertising market has been dominated by politics and the conservative press has been practically deprived of the possibility to find advertisers, which makes economic survival very difficult. Many ‘niche’ editorial boards important for developing political and civic ideas and right-wing circles have been deprived of financial support whereas, at the same time, the leftists and liberal circles are getting an  even stronger financial support.

All the above negative aspects (only some among many) of the functioning of the state and its institutions, of the circulation of information, of unfair treatment of various groups of  citizens dramatically weaken the Polish state and make it impossible for millions of citizens to identify with it. The process of large groups of Poles distancing themselves  from their own state is destructive and potentially very dangerous for both the state and the Polish nation.

We call on the present authorities of Poland to once and for all change their attitude towards the citizens and to return to truly democratic ways of governance. The only government that can honestly and legally organize the state and govern in the interest of the nation is that really controlled by the opposition and citizens.

 

Signed by:

 

  1. Prof. Dr. Stanisław Mikołajczak – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

–  Chairman of the Club

2. Rev. Dr Adam Adamski Cor  – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

3. Przemysław Alexandrowicz, M. Sc. – Catholic Intelligentsia Club

4. Mirosław Andrałojć, M. Sc – archeologist

5. Dr.  Aleksandra Andruszewska – Natural  Fiber Institute, Poznań

6. Krystyna Andrzejewska, M. Sc.– Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

7. Prof. Dr.  Marek Andrzejewski – University of Szczecin

8. Dr. Roman Andrzejewski

9. Dr. Bartłomiej Andrzejewski – Polish Academy of Sciences

10. Dr. Róża Antkowiak – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan

11. Prof. Dr. Wiesław Antkowiak – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

12. Prof. Dr.  Barbara Apolinarska – Polish Academy of Sciences

13. Dr. Adam Babula – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan

14. Dr. Lidia Banowska – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan

15. Dr. Arkadiusz Bednarczuk – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan

16. Prof. Dr.  Czesław Błaszak,  Honorary Doctorate – Adam Mickiewicz University

17. Janina Błaszak, M. Sc. – Technical University, Poznań

18. Dr.  Mirosława Błaszczak-Wacławik – Silesian University

19. Prof. Dr. Jacek Błażewicz , Honorary Doctorate – Technical University, Poznań

20. Dr. Paweł Binek – Agricultural University, Cracow

21. Prof. Dr. Krystyna Boczoń – Poznan Medical University

22. Prof. Dr. Władysław Boczoń – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

23. Prof. Dr. Mieczysława Irena Boguś – Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw

24. Dr. Krzysztof  Borowczyk – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

25. Dr.  Krzysztof Borowiak

26. Rev. Prof. Dr. Paweł Bortkiewicz – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

27. Dr. Mariusz Bryl – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

28. Prof. Dr Jerzy Brzeziński – University of Zielona Góra

29. Dr. Krystyna Celichowska – physician

30. Prof. Dr. Bogdan Celichowski – architect

31. Dr. Marek Chabior – Technical  University, Szczecin

32. Dr. Remigiusz Ciesielski – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

33. Prof. Dr. Andrzej Cieśliński – Poznan Medical University

34. Dr. Ewa Ciosek – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

35. Dr. Elżbieta Czarniewska – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

36. Dr. Bożena Cząstka-Szymon – Pedagogical University, Katowice

37. Prof. Dr.  Janusz Czebreszuk – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

38. Zbigniew Czerwiński, M. Sc.  – Member of Council of Voivodship, Poznań

39. Dr.  Stanisław Czopor – forester

40. Prof. Dr.  Jacek Dabert – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

41. Dr. Mirosława Dabert – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

42. Jan Dasiewicz, M. Sc. – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

43. Dr. Maria Dąbrowska-Bąk – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

44. Maria Dolata, M. Sc. (Eng.) – architect

45. Danuta Anna Domaradzka, M. Sc. – Poznan Medical University

46. Józef Drausowski, engineer

47. Prof. Dr. Leon Drobnik – Poznan Medical University.

48. Prof. Dr  Edward Dutkiewicz – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

49. Prof. Dr. Maria Dutkiewicz – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

50. Dr. Tadeusz Dziuba – Member of  Parliament

51. Sylwiana Firin – Gramowska, M. Sc.

52. Agata Fischbach, M. Sc.

53. Dr.  Jerzy Fischbach

54. Prof. Dr.  Bolesław Fleszar – Technical University, Rzeszów

55. Prof. Dr.  Antoni Florkiewicz

56. Wojciech Foltyn, M. Sc. (Eng.) – farmer

57. Bogdan Freytag, M. Sc.

58. Dr.  Jerzy Galina – Polish Academy of Sciences

59. Witold  Gedymin, M. Sc. – Poznan University of Economics

60. Dr. Grzegorz Gertig –  Poznan Medical University

61. Prof. Dr  Bożena Górczyńska-Przybyłowicz – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

62. Prof. Dr   Ewa Anna Gruszczyńska-Ziółkowska –  University of Warsaw

63. Prof. Dr.  Witold Grzebisz – Poznan University of Life Sciences

64. Stanisław Grzesiek, M. Sc. – artist

65. Dr. Michał Haake – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

66. Dr. Jolanta Hajdasz –  university lecturer & journalist

67. Iwona Horodecka, M. Sc. – library custodian

68. Prof. Dr.  Henryk Hudzik – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

69. Eugeniusz Ilmak, M. Sc –   University of Zielona Góra

70. Prof. Dr. Jacek Jackowski – Technical University, Poznań

71. Prof. Dr. Zbigniew Jacyna-Onyszkiewicz , Honorary Doctorate – A. Mickiewicz University

72. Prof. Dr. Dobrochna Jankowska – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

73. Prof. Dr.  Artur Jarmołowski – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

74. Prof. Dr.  Jarosław Jarzewicz – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

75. Dr. Teresa Jerzak-Gierszewska – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

76. Prof. Dr. Marek Jerzy – Poznan University of Life Sciences

77. Jolanta Jasińska, M. Sc. – teacher

78. Prof. Dr.  Tomasz Jasiński – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

79. Andrzej Judek, M. Eng.

80. Kazimierz Jósko-Wielgocki, M. Sc. – solicitor

81. Dr. Jerzy Kaczmarek – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

82. Dr.  Józef Kapusta – Biochemistry of Antibiotics Institute, Warsaw

83. Prof. Dr.  Janusz Kapuściński

84. Dr. Zofia Karaszkiewicz

85. Dr. Anna Kasprzyk – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

86. Prof. Dr.  Andrzej Kaźmierski – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

87. Iwona Klimaszewska, M. Sc – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

88. Prof. Dr.  Bożena Klimczak – Economical University, Wrocław

89. Prof. Dr.  Zdzisław Kołaczkowski – Poznan University of Physical Education

90. Izabela Komar-Szulczyńska, M. Sc.– Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

91. Prof. Dr. Aleksander Kośko – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

92.. Prof. Dr. Edmund Kozal – Poznan University of Life Sciences

94. Prof. Dr. Stanisław Kozłowski – Poznan University of Life Sciences

95. Prof. Dr. Henryka Kramarz – Agricultural University, Cracow

96. Prof. Dr. Marek Kraska – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

97. Prof. Dr.  Tadeusz Marek Krygowski  –  University of Warsaw

98. Dr. Henryk Krzyżanowski – Adam Mickiewicz University

99. Prof. Dr. Grzegorz Kubski –  University of Zielona Góra

100. Prof. Dr. Grzegorz Kucharczyk – Polish Academy of Sciences

101. Dr. Dariusz Kucharski – Republican Ideas Workshop

102. Prof. Dr. Mieczysław Kujawski

103. Prof. Dr. Maria Kujawska – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

104. Julian Kulczyński, (Eng.) – farmer

105. Ewa Kuleczka – Drausowska, M. Sc.

106. Dr. Małgorzata Kulesza-Kiczka – physician

107. Dr. Katarzyna Kulińska – Polish Academy of Sciences

108. Prof. Dr. Tadeusz Kuliński – Polish Academy of Sciences

109. Dr. Krystyna Laskowicz –  university lecturer

110. Dr. Przemysław Lehmann – Polish Academy of Sciences

111. Elżbieta Leszczyńska, M. Sc. – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

112. Dr. Maria Leśniewicz – Technical University, Poznań

113. Prof. Dr. Ignacy Lewandowski – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

114. Dr. Jarosław Liberek – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

115. Jolanta Lisiak, M. Sc. – architect

116. Rafał  Lisiak, M. Sc. – architect

117. Prof. Dr. Władysław Łańczak – Technical University, Poznań

118. Agata Ławniczak, M. Sc. – journalist

119. Dr. Eryk Łon – Poznan University of Economics

120. Małgorzata Łośko, M. Sc. – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

121. Dr. Piotr Łukasiak – Technical University, Poznań

122. Prof. Dr.  Andrzej Maciejewski – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

123. Małgorzata Maciukiewicz, M. Sc. – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

124. Rev. Tadeusz Magas , canon, B. Sc.– chaplain of  “Solidarność”

125. Rev. Jan Majchrzak, (Eng.)

126. Dr.  Przemysław Makarowicz – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

127. Prof. Dr.  Andrzej Malinowski –  Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

128. Prof. Dr.  Jerzy Marcinek – Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poznań

129. Prof. Dr.  Arkadiusz Marciniak – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

130. Prof. Dr.  Wojciech Markiewicz – Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań

131. Jan Martini, M. Sc. – musician

132. Helena Materny, M. Sc. – teacher

133. Ryszard Materny, M. Sc.

134. Maria Matysiak, M. Sc. – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

135. Janusz Matysiak, Eng. – entrepreneur

136. Prof. Dr.  Karol Mausch – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

137. Prof. Dr.  Krystyna Mędrzycka – Technical  University, Gdańsk

138. Dr. Jerzy Michalik – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

139. Prof. Dr.  Jacek Bolesław Michalski – Poznan University of Life Sciences

140. Dr. Bożena Mikołajczak – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

141. Prof. Dr.  Krzysztof Moliński – Poznan University of Life Sciences

142. Celina Monikowska-Martini, M. Sc. – musician

143. Grażyna Musiał, M. Sc. – National Museum, Poznań

144. Prof. Dr. Grzegorz Musiał – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

145. Prof. Dr. Czesław Muśnicki – Poznan University of Life Sciences

146. Danuta Namysłowska, M. Sc.

147. Prof. Dr.  Andrzej Nowak – Jagiellonian University, Cracow

148. Wilhelmina Nowak, M. Sc.

149. Dr.  Aurelia Nowicka – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

150. Prof. Dr.  Elżbieta Nowicka – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

151. Dr. Małgorzata Okulicz-Kozaryn – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

152. Prof. Dr.  Radosław Okulicz-Kozaryn – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

153. Włodzimiera Pajewska – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

154. Ryszard Paprzycki, (Eng.)

155. Prof. Dr. Jan Paradysz – Poznan University of Economics

156. Prof. Dr.  Stanisław Paszkowski – Poznan University of Life Sciences

157. Dr. Andrzej Pawuła – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

158. Prof. Dr.  Krystyna Pecold – Poznan Medical University

159. Dr. Barbara Peplińska – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

160. Dr. Ryszard Piasek – movie director

161. Mikołaj Pietraszak-Dmowski, M. Sc.–  Raczyński Foundation

162. Prof. Dr. Barbara Piłacińska – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

163. Dr. Ryszard Piotrowicz – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

164. Dr. Jacek Piszczek – Plant Protection  Institute, Toruń & Poznań

165. Prof. Dr. Jan Prostko-Prostyński – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

166. Maria Przybylska, M. Sc. – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

167. Prof. Dr. Andrzej Przyłębski – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

168. Prof. Dr. Zdzisław Puślecki – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

169. Dr. Jacek Radomski – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

170. Dr. Wiesław Ratajczak – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

171. Prof. Dr. Lucyna Rempulska – Technical University, Poznań

172. Emilia Rogalińska, M. Sc. – teacher

173. Prof. Dr. Tadeusz Rorat – Polish Academy of Sciences

174. Prof. Dr. Grzegorz Rosiński – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

175. Prof. Dr. Ewa Ryś – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

176. Wanda Różycka-Zborowska, M. Sc. – movie director

177. Prof. Dr. Wojciech Rypniewski – Polish Academy of Sciences

178. Prof. Dr. Jan Sadowski – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

179. Prof. Dr.  Jerzy Samson-Zakrzewski – Poznan Medical University

180. Halina Aurelia Siwa, M. Sc.– journalist

181. Prof. Dr. Jan Skuratowicz – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

182. Dr. Andrzej Jan Skrzypczak – Technical University, Poznań

183. Prof. Dr. Marian Smoczkiewicz – Poznan Medical University

184. Janusz Smulski, M. Sc.

185. Maria Sobańska-Liberek, M. Sc. – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

186. Prof. Dr.  Marek Sozański – Technical University, Poznań

187. Zygmunt Sporny, M. Sc. – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

188. Dr. Teresa Stanek – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

189. Prof. Dr.  Anna Stankowska – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

190. Prof. Dr.  Wojciech Stankowski – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

191. Piotr Stawicki, M. Sc. – solicitor

192. Gabriela Stępczak, M. Sc.

193. Prof. Dr.  Kazimierz Stępczak – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

194. Bernadeta Sturzbecher, M. Sc. – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

195. Prof. Dr. Wojciech Suchocki – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

196. Prof. Dr.  Eugeniusz Szcześniak – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

197. Prof. Dr.  Zofia Szczotka – Poznan University of Life Sciences

198. Dr.  Andrzej Szpulak – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

199. Prof. Dr.  Jacek Sztaudynger – University of  Łódź

200. Dr. Anna Szukalska – Technical University, Poznań

201. Edwin Szukalski, M. Sc. (Eng.)

202. Maciej Szulc, M. Sc. – entrepreneur

203. Prof. Dr.  Roman Szulc – Poznan Medical University

204. Dr. Mirosław Szulczyński – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

205. Halina Szwarc-Hetmaniak, M. Sc. – physician

206. Dr. Hanna Szweycer

207. Prof. Dr. Michał Szweycer

208. Prof. Dr. Zofia Szweykowska-Kulińska – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

209. Dr. Urszula Szybiak-Stróżycka – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

210. Prof. Dr.  Henryk Szydłowski – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

211. Stanisław Szymański, M. Sc. – entrepreneur

212. Rev. Prof. Dr.  Jan Szymczyk – Catholic University,  Lublin

213. Prof. Dr.  Wojciech Święcicki – Polish Academy of Sciences

214. Małgorzata Talarczyk-Andrałojć, M. Sc. – archeologist

215. Prof. Dr. Jerzy Tarajkowski – Poznan University of Economics

216. Prof. Dr.  Kazimierz Tobolski – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

217. Grzegorz Tomczak, M. Sc. – movie director

218. Prof. Dr.  Lech Torliński – Poznan Medical  University

219. Jacek Tuchołka, M. Sc.

220. Prof. Dr.  Ryszard Vorbrich – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

221. Prof. Dr.  Jerzy Bożydar Warchoł – Poznan Medical University

222. Prof. Dr.  Jan Wawrzyńczyk – University of. Warsaw

223. Dr. Marek Wedemann – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

224. Dr. Maria Wejchan-Judek – Technical University, Poznań

225. Prof. Dr.  Jerzy Weres – Poznan University of Life Sciences

226. Dr. Józef Wieczorek – Independent. Academic Forum

227. Dr. Jerzy Wierzchowiecki – Municipal. Hospital  (Grodzisk Wlkp.)

228. Prof. Dr.  Michał Wierzchowiecki – Poznan Medical University

229. Dr. Maria Wołuń-Cholewa – Poznan Medical University

230. Prof. Dr.  Henryk Woźniakowski – University of. Warsaw

231. Dr. Bartłomiej Wróblewski – Social Psychology Academy, Poznań

232. Prof. Dr. Andrzej Wybrański

233. Prof. Dr.  Barbara Wysocka – Polish Academy of Sciences

234. Prof. Dr.  Zygmunt Zagórski – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

235. Maria Zawadzka, M. Sc. – teacher

236. Prof. Dr.  Stefan Zawadzki – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

237. Tomasz Zdziebkowski, M. Sc. – entrepreneur

238. Dr. Franciszek Zerbe – physician

239. Dr. Jerzy Zerbe – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

240. Małgorzata Zielonacka, M. Sc. – attorney

241. Dr. Andrzej Zielonacki – attorney

242. Dr. Bronisława Zielonka – University of Gdańsk

243. Dr. Tadeusz Zysk – entrepreneur

244. Jerzy Żarnowski – emeritus, Solidarity activist (Hipolit Cegielski Works)

245. Prof. Dr hab. Tadeusz Żuchowski – Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

246. Dr. Jakub Żmidziński – University of Arts, Poznań