Warsaw Voice - Long and Winding RoadTime in Warsaw: Latest News Politics Economy Business Banking & Finance Markets Law Society Culture Politics Culture Business Law Real Estate From the News Editor Voices from the past Viewpoint Hit of the week World of Movies Stage and Screen Listings Exhibits Out & About Warsaw Events Warsaw Culture Restaurant Review Guide to Warsaw Intercity Leisure & Heritage Polish your Polish The Polish Voice The City Voice Regional Voices National Voices Office & Home Voice Education Voice The Polish Science Voice ISO ALMANAC 2002 Chair of the Year Expat's Guide PPPE Destination Warsaw Voice Club Hotels in Poland Rent a car Archives Classifieds e-Shop e-Cards Conference Venues DB Europages Data Base Share your views Letters Opinion polls About the Voice The staff Contact us Register Subscribe Bulletin Join the Club POLITICS Long and Winding Road By L.Ż. 12 October 2005 The tough election campaign preceding the first round of presidential elections effectively blocked efforts aimed at forming a new government. The two prospective coalition partners, Law and Justice (PiS) and Civic Platform (PO), did not manage to find time to talk about a program for the new government, its shape and make-up. Instead they worked hard at exchanging memos. The first working meeting finally took place Oct. 4 between Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, nominated by PiS for prime minister, and Jan Rokita, selected by PO as Marcinkiewicz's deputy. The talk, which lasted an hour and a half, focused on a memo which Rokita had sent to Marcinkiewicz. In his correspondence, the PO politician listed the principles according to which the joint government should be formed. Rokita's concepts differ slightly from what had been proposed with respect to the coalition government by PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński a week earlier. Rokita's proposals related to standards of public life include a draft law on reforming public life and fast trials for perpetrators of the most serious offenses. As part of the standards of the new government, Rokita proposed the adoption of rigorous procedures governing the work of civil servants and advisors in political cabinets. One day before, PiS presented a government code of ethics, which includes similar proposals. Rokita also proposed a new government structure involving only 12 ministries: of the economy, Treasury and infrastructure; agriculture and the environment; health, labor and social provision; education, higher education, research and sport; culture, national heritage, religious beliefs and dialogue with non-governmental organizations; foreign affairs and European integration; defense; justice; administration; development; finance; and internal affairs. PiS politicians did not hide their satisfaction with Rokita's memo. "It is interesting; many postulates diverge from ours, but there are also many convergent points," commented Ludwik Dorn, the leader of the PiS parliamentary caucus. "We will quickly reach a compromise," said Marcinkiewicz whose opinion of the letter was favorable though he did not comment on the contentious details. "We and the PO have similar views on ruling methods," he said. Rokita, however, was less optimistic. "The task I have undertaken is a desperado's task. This is perhaps the most difficult thing I have ever done in my life-forming a government when the partners are competing for presidency," he said. The PO and PiS have not yet managed to compromise on the number of people on the Sejm Presidium. The PiS would like the Presidium to include five deputy speakers, while PO is in favor of only four. Ludwik Dorn (PiS) received representatives of other caucuses: Waldemar Pawlak (PSL), Roman Giertych and Marek Kotlinowski (LPR) and Grzegorz Schetyna (PO). After these meetings, there are few concrete decisions and much divergence. It is unclear, for example, whether a PSL representative will fill the post of deputy Sejm speaker. The PSL is the only party to which PiS did not offer this post. According to Dorn, there is still much disagreement between the future coalition partners on posts in the Senate Presidium. Moreover, there is still uncertainty concerning a candidate for the post of Sejm speaker. Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz's comment that homosexuality is "unnatural" aroused a great deal controversy in Brussels. Asked about his attitude to homosexuals in an interview, Marcinkiewicz said: "This is unnatural. What is natural is the family and the state should protect the family." Polish EuroMPs had to explain the words of the candidate for prime minister. "I was asked about it by many people. Here, people are quite sensitive about these issues and everyone remembers another PiS politician who banned a gay pride parade in Warsaw. This is a serious matter. It may be brought up for discussion by the Human Rights Commission and the Commission may motion for the EU to express concern over the attitude of the head of government to minority issues," said EuroMP Józef Pinior, a member of the commission. He said that if the issue is put to a vote, Poland may lose. send to a friend print article © 2005 The Warsaw Voice. All rights reserved..Project: | Top New Europe Report on Transformation Program for Promoting the Polish Economy Warsaw Destination Alliance Cheaper international calls Registration How to make a call? Price list Wroclaw Voice Lodz Voice Kujawy-Pomerania Region Voice Bydgoszcz Voice Malopolska Voice Toron Voice America in Poland Austria in Poland Britain in Poland Denmark in Poland France in Poland Finland in Poland Germany in Poland Greece in Poland Ireland in Poland Italy in Poland Netherlands in Poland Norway in Poland Portugal in Poland South Africa in Poland Spain in Poland Sweden in Poland Switzerland in Poland