From the beginning of the pandemic local governments had to face up to a difficult problem – how to organise council sessions in a safe way, at the same time without breaking regulations. It turns out it is not that simple. When the pandemic broke out, there were no dedicated regulations in force that would…
In 2018, a book by prof. Rafał Matyja, conservative political scientist, entitled “Emergency Exit”, brought a new outlook on the events in the political life. The author of the book recommends generational change in political life and rejection of the main divisions connected with two strong parties – Civil Platform and Law and Justice. However,…
38 Polish NGOs called upon prof. Jacek Czaputowicz, Polish Minister of Public Affairs and Zbigniew Boniek, the President of Polish Football Association (PZPN) to undertake urgent actions leading to releasing persons arrested or convicted for political reasons by the Russian Federation. Organizations present alarming facts and figures: Lists of the Memorial Human Rights Defence Centre…
What can be done when voters cannot identify with any of the candidates in the elections? Is there a threat that the next elections in Poland will be manipulated? Is it worth doing local debates for small groups of participants? These and other questions were asked during a three-hour debate in Lubartów (Est of Poland,…
A group of 16 organization requested Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki to withdraw from proceeding the law on transparency of public life. Each of us sees different dangers brought by this law. They derive from the fact that the law was made without prior discussion, reflection and assumptions. On the way some amendments recommended by citizens…
Where is Poland today? The most important challenges for 2018: local government elections and the change of the law on access to public information, and in the years to come – elections to the parliament as well as presidential elections. These make natural opportunities to take actions directed to politicians. Elections to local governments –…
They came from Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Belarus to discuss how citizens can influence the decision making. They were curious how Poles use their rights, how the rights are guaranteed in laws and how citizens take stands on public issues. Why do we call them “Rebels”? After all, they wanted to know how…
The Citizens Network Watchdog Poland presents its opinion on the new legislation entitled: Openness/Transparency of Public Life. This opinion mostly focuses on the part of the draft act that concerns access to information. The draft bill concerns much broader phenomena. Overview of the opinions on that by Polish NGOs can be read on the Citizens…
Since October 2016 I have observed that as regards the attitude of the authorities to free society we are moving dangerously close to the path taken by Russia and Hungary. The moment of particular importance was the month-long attack of the public television on civic organisations in which children of persons perceived by the government…
The English version of the short publication presenting the situation of local watchdogs in their local communities, prepared to provide more accurate and goal oriented support for this group of activists, journalists and organizations.
The film sums up the systemic project aimed at capacity building o watchdog community in Poland. The project was funded under EEA and Norway Grants in the years 2014-2016 and implemented by Citizens Network Watchdog Poland and partners Homo Faber Association, Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Court Watch Poland and Center for Citizenship Education.
This interview took place in March 2016. The name of the journalist is Mariusz Szczygieł. The local activits are the following: Alina Czyżewska, Gorzów Wielkopolski and Monika Bienias, village Czubajowizna, gmina Poświętne.
Interview of Tomasz Kwaśniewski with Agnieszka Podgórska and Szymon Osowski for Duży Format (a special supplement to Gazeta Wyborcza). We can share the translation thanks to the kind approval of Gazeta Wyborcza. *** We asked all provincial marshals and governors about the salaries of managers. And while we were at it, we also asked about…
First data concerning the disbursement of the Solecki Fund for 2010 are available. Even though the data are incomplete, they show the scale of Solecki Fund separation, its real disbursement as well as the amounts of refund from the state budget, which went back to the communes. It seems that the first year with the…
The Citizens Network Watchdog Poland runs a website funduszesoleckie.pl. Its aim is to collect data, run monitoring and support people and institutions, working with Solecki Fund. Solecki Fund has been established by national law, enacted in 2009. It has been dedicated to rural areas. The smallest administrative unit in Poland is called gmina (commune). Auxiliary…