Tuesday, September 26, 2006

The Polish Watergate?

Massive political scandal hits government

I am watching TVN 24 at the moment and they have ‘secret camera’ footage of a Law and Justice (PiS) government representative offering to pay the ‘fine’ dissident members of Andzrej Lepper’s party Samoobrona are being asked to pay by their party, for leaving the party and staying with the government.

And this fine, amounting to over one hundred thousand Euro (which almost no Samoobrona MP could pay), was not being offered by PiS but from the coffers of the State – meaning the tax payer would pay for the government’s dirty dealing.

Looks very, very bad. The TV program has lots of ‘hidden camera’ stuff of the arm twisting that is going on by the government to stave off an election. The government really does not want an election.

The TV ‘set up’ was arranged by the beatroot’s very own political sex bomb, Renata Beger, who set up the ‘candid photography’. I suggested a few days ago that she was considering joining the government. This was wrong. She was actually conspiring against the Kaczynskis.

It looks very bad for a government that has fashioned itself as the ‘anti-corruption’ government.

Whatever the reality the only phrase that comes to mind is that ‘the shit has hit the fan’.

The weirdest thing about this is that it is a massive journalistic exclusive for TVN 24 news channel but the programme was broadcast at 10 O’clock at night!

This is potentially a huge story which I am writing down as the news is happening on the TV. Much more later….

Polish govt under fire after secretly filmed talks, Reuters,

10 comments:

Lucia Maria said...

Must be something in the air. Governments falling apart all over the place. I wish our one would hurry up - the death pangs are annoying.

Frank Partisan said...

Wouldn't another parochial party takeover?

michael farris said...

Go Renata!

Of course part of this is just everyday deal making and she's as crooked as a dog's hind leg too, but everybody knows that (see signatures, false).
But PiS has been trying to portray itself as Caeser's wife so it badly needed to avoid even the appearance of possible corruption. So the fact that their representative would even consider something like this should hit them hard, right in the pollocks.

Anonymous said...

Finally, the nation will catch up with the harsh reality of policy making between half-wited politicians. Maybe, in some undiscribed future we will get a Capitol Hill / Westminster-like policy making, but it's a long and rocky road ahead. For now, let's enjoy the duck shooting (pun most definitely intended).

Gustav said...

Political crises aside (we've had plenty of them over the past year), this is absolutely hilarious. I agree with Michael. PiS has been trying to portray itself as the anti-corruption crusaders, and now they're caught on film bribing SO members. Tsk tsk.

Early elections anyone?

michael farris said...

PiS seems to be taking the position that "IT'S ALL A COMMIE PLOT!!!!"

Pretty lame.

The question now is can the ducks take a direct hit like this? Who will reap the rewards if they can't? If there are new elections and PO wins (very unlikely, but let's pretend) then who would they form a coalition with?

beatroot said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
beatroot said...

Lame ducks, indeed.

I would love to be in the TVN director's office today. The uklad has its tenticles everywhere. I bet they are taking shit from PiS...

The problem for them now is getting PSL back into talks. Yesterday Pawlak was on television saying the biggest problem was one of 'trust'. That was before this all happened. What have PSL been offered, apart from ministries? What will now happen to the Self Defense splinter Rush Ludowe?

It's all questions at the moment, Mike. Not many answers...

Anonymous said...

what i love most about today's events is the way PiS handles Crisis PR. They do it by the book... there's a quote from Edward Bernays i like to go back to whenever this kind of crisis happens.

The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country.

Pretty much, i'd like to be the puppetmaster when puppets run the country :D

Anonymous said...

Great stuff (to see corruption transparent)!