Poznań, 16.02.2012
STATEMENT
by
President Lech Kaczynski Civic Academic Club in Poznan
on the growth of authoritarianism in today's Poland
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:
• 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. Maciej Kozak - Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań
93. 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
16.02.2012r.
RODAKpress
