Latest news with #Kaczyński
Euronews
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Romania overtakes Poland as worst country in the EU for LGBTQ+ people
Romania has overtaken Poland as the worst country in the EU for LGBTQ+ people, according to a ranking published by the Brussels-based non-governmental organisation ILGA-Europe. Poland had occupied the top spot in the rankings since 2019, which are based on a score that takes into account factors such as the number of hate crimes in a given year and the rights afforded by authorities to the LGBTQ+ community. Based on new data from 2024, Romania has now overtaken Poland, while Malta, Belgium and Iceland find themselves on the opposite side of the spectrum. In the past, several Polish political leaders, including the chairman of the Law and Justice (PiS) party Jaroslaw Kaczyński, have campaigned against what they call "LGBTQ+ ideology." Asked about the "threat of the imposition of gender and LGBTQ+ ideology on Poland" during a virtual meeting with the editors of the Gazeta Polska newspaper in 2021, Kaczyński said that "all this madness- because it really is madness - is happening in a world in which there are tough and strong civilisations, both economically and militarily, which are weakening. This weakening of the West will be taken advantage of." Poland's lowly ranking changed after the country's 2023 parliamentary elections, indicating that conditions for LGBTQ+ people have improved. However, the new government has not introduced any new reforms to improve LGBTQ+ rights, despite having promised to do so during the pre-election campaign. Nevertheless, ILGA-Europe reports that in the "civil society space" category, Poland has seen an improvement, referring to the fact that there were fewer obstacles to "LGBT+ events" such as pride marches. "Last year, more than 35 marches were organised across Poland and almost all of them took place peacefully," reads the latest ILGA-Europe report. "However, the protection of these events is insufficient." Poland recently abolished its last "LGBT-free zone", six years after the first one was introduced. These zones, although mainly symbolic, were an attempt to exclude the LGBTQ+community from public life, according to activists. "LGBT-free zones" have also faced criticism from the European Union. In 2019, the European Parliament voted with a majority of 463 to 107 to condemn the zones, of which there were more than 80 at the time. According to an Ipsos+ poll, 67% of Poles support same-sex marriage or legal recognition of unions for LGBTQ+ couples. Although there were two motions in place for the ruling coalition to introduce bills on civil partnerships into parliament, both failed due to a lack of support by more conservative members.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Protesters in Russia try to disrupt Poland's commemoration of president's plane crash
Poland's ambassador to Russia said a small group of Russians tried to disrupt a commemoration on Thursday marking the 15th anniversary of the plane crash that killed Polish President Lech Kaczyński and 95 other people. The protesters held banners and chanted anti-Polish slogans as Krzysztof Krajewski, the Polish ambassador to Russia, led the event in Smolensk, Russia, where the plane crashed on April 10, 2010, he told RMF FM radio. 'They questioned everything, including the war in Ukraine. I heard slogans that were already familiar to me, that Poland is a sponsor of terrorism, that we are falsifying history," Krajewski said told the private broadcaster. Back in Poland, observances were being held to remember what is widely considered the greatest tragedy in the nation's post-World War II history, one that has led to greater mistrust of Russia and deep divisions within Poland. Immediately after the crash, gestures by Russian President Vladimir Putin created hopes for better ties between Russia and Poland. But Russia's ensuing refusal to hand over the wreckage to Poland has instead engendered greater distrust as fears grow of Russian aggression in the region. Among those who joined remembrance events in Warsaw was Jarosław Kaczyński, the surviving twin of the late president and leader of the country's main opposition party, Law and Justice, who continues to have a prominent role in political life in the Central European nation of 38 million people. The plane crash occurred when the presidential delegation was flying to Smolensk, Russia, to pay tribute to some 22,000 Polish officers killed in the Katyn massacres by the Soviet secret police during World War II. Traveling with Kaczyński and the first lady were military commanders, the president of the national bank, senior members of the clergy as well as lawmakers and other top officials. All 96 aboard were killed. A Polish investigation carried out soon after the crash concluded that it was an accident resulting pilot error and heavy fog. However, Kaczyński has long suggested that Prime Minister Donald Tusk, his political rival, and Putin colluded to eliminate his brother from public life. Years of investigations while his party was in power did not produce evidence of that claim. Many Poles accuse Kaczyński of fomenting a dangerous conspiracy theory. He repeated his unproven allegation of foul play in an interview Thursday in the 'Super Express' tabloid. He said his brother had a political plan, and he remains convinced that there was "an assassination attempt organized by those for whom this plan was detrimental.' Tusk said it was time for reconciliation. 'The memory of the Smolensk disaster and its victims should no longer divide us,' Tusk said on X. 'Rebuilding community and mutual respect is possible and necessary, even if it is still very difficult.'
The Independent
10-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Protesters in Russia try to disrupt Poland's commemoration of president's plane crash
Poland 's ambassador to Russia said a small group of Russians tried to disrupt a commemoration on Thursday marking the 15th anniversary of the plane crash that killed Polish President Lech Kaczyński and 95 other people. The protesters held banners and chanted anti-Polish slogans as Krzysztof Krajewski, the Polish ambassador to Russia, led the event in Smolensk, Russia, where the plane crashed on April 10, 2010, he told RMF FM radio. 'They questioned everything, including the war in Ukraine. I heard slogans that were already familiar to me, that Poland is a sponsor of terrorism, that we are falsifying history," Krajewski said told the private broadcaster. Back in Poland, observances were being held to remember what is widely considered the greatest tragedy in the nation's post-World War II history, one that has led to greater mistrust of Russia and deep divisions within Poland. Immediately after the crash, gestures by Russian President Vladimir Putin created hopes for better ties between Russia and Poland. But Russia's ensuing refusal to hand over the wreckage to Poland has instead engendered greater distrust as fears grow of Russian aggression in the region. Among those who joined remembrance events in Warsaw was Jarosław Kaczyński, the surviving twin of the late president and leader of the country's main opposition party, Law and Justice, who continues to have a prominent role in political life in the Central European nation of 38 million people. The plane crash occurred when the presidential delegation was flying to Smolensk, Russia, to pay tribute to some 22,000 Polish officers killed in the Katyn massacres by the Soviet secret police during World War II. Traveling with Kaczyński and the first lady were military commanders, the president of the national bank, senior members of the clergy as well as lawmakers and other top officials. All 96 aboard were killed. A Polish investigation carried out soon after the crash concluded that it was an accident resulting pilot error and heavy fog. However, Kaczyński has long suggested that Prime Minister Donald Tusk, his political rival, and Putin colluded to eliminate his brother from public life. Years of investigations while his party was in power did not produce evidence of that claim. Many Poles accuse Kaczyński of fomenting a dangerous conspiracy theory. He repeated his unproven allegation of foul play in an interview Thursday in the 'Super Express' tabloid. He said his brother had a political plan, and he remains convinced that there was "an assassination attempt organized by those for whom this plan was detrimental.' Tusk said it was time for reconciliation. 'The memory of the Smolensk disaster and its victims should no longer divide us,' Tusk said on X. 'Rebuilding community and mutual respect is possible and necessary, even if it is still very difficult.'
Associated Press
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Protesters in Russia try to disrupt Poland's commemoration of president's plane crash
Poland's ambassador to Russia said a small group of Russians tried to disrupt a commemoration on Thursday marking the 15th anniversary of the plane crash that killed Polish President Lech Kaczyński and 95 other people. The protesters held banners and chanted anti-Polish slogans as Krzysztof Krajewski, the Polish ambassador to Russia, led the event in Smolensk, Russia, where the plane crashed on April 10, 2010, he told RMF FM radio. 'They questioned everything, including the war in Ukraine. I heard slogans that were already familiar to me, that Poland is a sponsor of terrorism, that we are falsifying history,' Krajewski said told the private broadcaster. Back in Poland, observances were being held to remember what is widely considered the greatest tragedy in the nation's post-World War II history, one that has led to greater mistrust of Russia and deep divisions within Poland. Immediately after the crash, gestures by Russian President Vladimir Putin created hopes for better ties between Russia and Poland. But Russia's ensuing refusal to hand over the wreckage to Poland has instead engendered greater distrust as fears grow of Russian aggression in the region. Among those who joined remembrance events in Warsaw was Jarosław Kaczyński, the surviving twin of the late president and leader of the country's main opposition party, Law and Justice, who continues to have a prominent role in political life in the Central European nation of 38 million people. The plane crash occurred when the presidential delegation was flying to Smolensk, Russia, to pay tribute to some 22,000 Polish officers killed in the Katyn massacres by the Soviet secret police during World War II. Traveling with Kaczyński and the first lady were military commanders, the president of the national bank, senior members of the clergy as well as lawmakers and other top officials. All 96 aboard were killed. A Polish investigation carried out soon after the crash concluded that it was an accident resulting pilot error and heavy fog. However, Kaczyński has long suggested that Prime Minister Donald Tusk, his political rival, and Putin colluded to eliminate his brother from public life. Years of investigations while his party was in power did not produce evidence of that claim. Many Poles accuse Kaczyński of fomenting a dangerous conspiracy theory. He repeated his unproven allegation of foul play in an interview Thursday in the 'Super Express' tabloid. He said his brother had a political plan, and he remains convinced that there was 'an assassination attempt organized by those for whom this plan was detrimental.' Tusk said it was time for reconciliation. 'The memory of the Smolensk disaster and its victims should no longer divide us,' Tusk said on X. 'Rebuilding community and mutual respect is possible and necessary, even if it is still very difficult.'
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Polish lawmakers lift Kaczyński's immunity in defamation case
Polish lawmakers voted on Thursday to lift nationalist opposition leader Jarosław Kaczyński's immunity from prosecution in a defamation case. The PAP news agency reported that 236 members of parliament voted in favour of the authorization for prosecution, while 200 voted against. The lifting of immunity was based on a private lawsuit filed by Krzysztof Brejza, a member of the European Parliament, against Kaczyński. The politician from the ruling centre-right Civic Platform said that statements made by the leader of the Law and Justice party before a committee of inquiry have defamed him. The committee was investigating the so-called Pegasus affair. Critics accuse the Law and Justice government, which was voted out of office in 2023, of using the Pegasus spyware to monitor members of the opposition. Brejza was allegedly affected by the phone surveillance. Kaczyński is said to have justified this before the committee by claiming that Brejza committed "very serious and extremely repulsive crimes."
