Pawel Poncyljusz. Photo: east newsPawel Poncyliusz, one of the leading members of the so-called moderate ‘dove’ faction in the opposition Law and Justice, has announced that if the party does not recant its sacking of Joanna Kluzik-Rostkowska and Elzbieta Jakubiak last week, then he too may leave the party.
In an interview the Rzeczpospolita daily, Poncyliusz, who led Jaroslaw Kaczynski’s presidential election campaign along with Joanna Kluzik-Rostkowska over the summer, states that he does not want to be placed in such a position, however.
“They are my friends,” Poncyliusz says, “or rather they are my closest colleagues from everyday working life. When we lose our closest friends, we too lose our drive and enthusiasm to do various things.”
“I appeal to the Law and Justice [political committee] to repeal their decision, but I am conscious of the fact that might be no response, or even some chicanery against me,” admits Poncyliusz.
According to the Law and Justice politician, the party’s decision to reinstate Kluzik-Rostkowska and Jakubiak is possible. “We have seen many various things in Law and Justice: people with a communist background being admitted, as well as Ryszard Czarnecki from [rural populist former coalition partner] Self-Defence,” Poncyljusz states, adding that the greatest loss for the party will be if both of the women were to remain outside the party.
Pawel Poncyliusz believes that the problem with Law and Justice is that the party does not communicate with people. “Certain things are made known by way of television,” Poncyliusz says, “it would look differently if there were normal conversations.”
Pawel Poncyliusz maintains that voices have been raised by representatives of the party’s political committee in dealing with problems within Law and Justice.
“The problem is that there are no doors in Law and Justice which can be opened so that one can discuss the party’s activities, as well as those of its members. Our political councils are merely demonstrations of power and chances to applaud the party leadership, and not a chance to exchange internal opinions,” Poncyljusz underlines.
“It is time to change this, otherwise Law and Justice will end up in the margins of political life in Poland,” Pawel Poncyiusz warns. (jb)