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DONALD TUSK’S LONG-AWAITED dream to oust the Law and Justice (PiS) party from the Polish parliament came true on Monday after the parliament elected him as the next Prime Minister, ending eight years of governance from far-right, anti-EU party.
Tusk had billed the parliamentary elections as the “last chance” to save democracy in Poland. Putting the liberal opposition in power will bring a huge political shift and counter the PiS’s years of hardline nationalism, the former Polish PM and President of the European Council contends.
PiS increased its nationalist rhetoric in its campaign and even entered a row with its war-torn neighbour Ukraine, despite huge Polish solidarity with Kyiv in the face of the Russian invasion.
However, this wasn’t the only time PiS misjudged the public narrative in recent years – it was also accused of fuelling anti-EU sentiment by overriding European legislation and attempting to disrupt the bloc’s legislative processes.
Tusk, during the election campaign, called for major protests across the country so Poles could defend their European status.
“We have to save Poland, no-one will do it for us,” Tusk told the crowds who gathering in Warsaw, Krakow, Poznan and other cities with EU and Polish flags.
Previously the head of government from 2007, he was in office for seven years, which made him the longest-serving Prime Minister in democratic Poland.
Active on social media, Tusk frequently takes shots at PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski – his longtime bitter enemy.
Kaczynski holds Tusk morally responsible for the death of his twin brother Lech, who was president at the time, in an air crash in Russia in 2010.
Tusk was prime minister when the crash – an accident according to investigators – wiped out a large chunk of the Polish establishment. Conservatives accused Tusk’s then government of negligence in preparations for the presidential visit.
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He held power in Poland until 2014 when he went to Brussels to serve as leader of the European Council.
As chief, he handled crises including migration, Greece’s economic plight and tough Brexit negotiations, Tusk went onto serve as chief of the European People’s Party – the centre-right EU political group.
After learning English from scratch, he won a reputation for plain speaking with a penchant for colourful phrasing, most notably during Brexit when he warned “there will be no cakes on the table for anyone, there will be only salt and vinegar”.
Staunchly against Brexit, after the final deals were made and the United Kingdom began their must-desired secessions, Tusk returned to domestic politics and put in a successful bid for Civic Coalition party-leader.
While in Brussels, Tusk had become increasingly worried about what was happening in Poland – claiming in his acceptance speech as he took over in 2022 that “true evil” had taken over Poland and that his oppositional alliance were ready to “fight this evil”.
Tusk said his return was dictated by the conviction that Civic Platform is “necessary as the force … that can win the battle with Law and Justice over Poland’s future.”
“There is no chance for victory without the Platform,” Tusk said.
He said he also had a sense of responsibility for the party he had founded and led for many years before taking on the position of EU Council head in 2014.
With Tusk’s plan in motion, it’s up to him now to live to the responsibility he has placed upon himself and to maintain the large support he gained in pre-election anti-government rallies.
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Instead of taxing, shaming, guiltomg, regulating and penalising every little bit of joy we have in our day, how about incentivising inventord to invent our way out of these problems?
@Neal Ireland Hello.: There are disposable biodegradable cups, give a bit of a tax break fore using these, and put a tax on the others because 200 million trow away cups is out of order. Carrot and Stick, because starbucks and similar outlets do not understand carrot.
@Leitrim303: the compostable cups are very good but realistically though, how many of those compostable cups end up in the food bin as opposed to a general waste bin?
@ktsiwot:
The problem with the compostable cups is that you have to bring them to a brown bin (or your composter) for them to be actually composted. If they go in the street litter bins or at the unsegregated bins at shops and garages. The reusable cup really is the way to go- the challenge is for people to get one, and then get into the habit of using them. IMO.
@CC: I’m going to say what everyone is thinking. You’re a liar. It’s not practical to carry a reusable cup everywhere you go. Do you hand your cup over the counter and demand they wash it too? Where do you store it? Do remnants of your previous beverage not destroy your backpack/handbag because you sure as hell don’t keep it in your pocket. I’m all for doing my bit for the environment but I’m sorry (not sorry) at the expense of practically, I’d rather sit in and enjoy it that way.
They are really not that much of an inconvenience. It’s a cup. Not exactly the largest item in the world. OP said it’s dishwasher safe so assume it’s washed before they leave the house and can easily be carried until they get home/to work where they, you guessed it, wash it for the next day.
@Carl: and what about the hipster in his skinny jeans where does he keep it when he’s out for the day drawing onions and what not? I get they’re washable but you are talking about one use during the day. Not everyone has one coffee or go from point A to point B.
@Ian Breathnach: I have used them for years and rinse them once I’m in work or if I am not in the office and I’m finished I find a nearby drain to pour the remainder down so nothing is left to spill in my bag. The fact that your argument is that you can’t carry it everywhere you go is redundant. Effort is needed on everyone’s behalf to change the way things are. And no one drinks hot drinks EVERYWHERE they go, most people work in an environment where they can either leave their cup in a car, in a bag or on a desk etc. It’s not rocket science and the fact you’re so staunchly against making any kind of effort by the sounds of things is ridiculous and as such you’re part of the problem. What do you suggest we do? Tax those buying hot takeaway drinks? That’s not fair, they’re already expensive enough. And to answer your question, yes I’ve brought my cup into many places to reuse, they rinse the cup without you even asking and give you a discount on the drink you’re buying. It’s a win win.
@Ian Breathnach: turn your head to the left or the right. See that? That’s your shoulder. Follow it down, yep, your arm. All the way… past the elbow… the wrist… What’s that?!? A hand!! And there’s another one over here!!! You’re not hiking Kilimanjaro. If you don’t have a bag you can hold a cup for a few minutes until you find somewhere to put it down!
@Ian Breathnach: why would everyone think it’s a lie when many of us carry cups? It’s no big deal, fits easily into a handbag, sealable lids so never had a leak and even if I couldn’t rinse it out I drink black coffee so that really wouldn’t be a problem either. Personally I don’t like drinking from plastic so have a couple of glass and one of stainless steal. I reckon I now use single use cups less than 10% of the time.
@Ian Breathnach:
Some people find solutions to simple problems, others seem to find ridiculous problems in simple solutions.
A cup is no more hassle that a coat or a bag or an umbrella.
@Ian Breathnach: how dare you call me a liar! I absolutely do! I carry it everywhere with me. I make a coffee in the morning bring it into my job where there is a KITCHEN! Rinse it and make another . Jesus Christ I don’t even understand why I’m explaining myself to someone so negative and uncertain about people’s work places / circumstances etc. WHATEVER
@Ian Breathnach: many types of reusable cups that flatten to the size of the lid are on sale, simply rinse after you use them and you can stash them in your man bag, Hey presto B-)
@Ian Breathnach: here’s a thought, you could get 2-3 of them and a small back pack ….. I know it may seem as extreme outside of the box thinking , but, it’s a credible solution.
Ireland has the worst plastic recycling of any other country in the EU per capita. Its shocking. I went to buy a cool drink yesterday, only about 4 drinks came in alt packaging, coconut water was one. But 99% of the drinks came in plastic bottles.
We have a crisis on our hands and it needs to be addressed at the source! Fine companies for using plastics. Find alt packaging. It is needed!!!
Ya, a person in the office here. A new cup EVERY morning. I’ve inadvertently raised environmental issues in random conversation to try get her thinking about it. I might just get her a reusable cup and tell her why.
@Zossima: maybe go talk to your office manager or eco officer and ask them to promote it by corprate social responsibility as they can start an awareness programme for all employees not just the one beside you.
@Chipstix: in fairness to the company they re always promoting a green environment with recycling stations in every office and canteen. It’s even metric’d and is an end of year goal to be 40 % more environmental friendly over last year. However individuals make their own choices. She’s in the office now, NEW CUP AGAIN. Looks like a latte
@Zossima: you might have to explain it in child format as I don’t think a lot of people are getting the message about the impact plastic and throw away waste is having on the planet
@Ian Breathnach: people who care about the environment are superior. I don’t even have to walk anymore, I float around on a cloud of entitlement.
You should reply to this Ian so I can ignore it, smugly
@Zossima: ‘Shush’ is the only appropriate response to people like you, in the office, on the street, in fact anywhere. I read your comment in starbucks and i asked for a second disposable cup and threw about 10 straws in the bin without using them. #knowyourplace
@Rob: exactly ban them. Ban plastic trays for fruit and veg also. I m sick to death of looking at trays of 6or 8 apples or pears while shopping for my dad who lives alone and might like two apples two pears and two oranges oh and 1lemon not a net of three.
Use compostable cups and lids then dispose of them in your food waste bin. The government and councils need to put 3 bins on the streets. General , dry recycling and food waste to allow people to dispose of correctly.
By the way lids on standard PE cups are NOT recyclable as they’re made from polystyrene, even though they go in the recycling bin they’re separated by the waste company and incinerated.
There is a huge amount of plastic which cannot be recycled. A lot of it is used for wrapping fruit and cardboard cartons. Only plastic can be recycled should be allowed and legislation is urge ntly required.
@James O’Brien: Count the number of coffee stirrers used in a year, calculate the number of stirrers used on average per cup of coffee, divide one by the other then divide by 365. Then you launch a nationwide survey on the number of hours each coffee shop is open per hour, using this figure average out the number across the 24 hours in a day and divide by this number. Couldn’t be easier.
@Crocodylus Pontifex: coffee stirrers (those skinny wooden lolly-pop sticks) have to be the most useless invention ever. No matter how many you use they still don’t stir the sugar.
Just ban the sale of non-recyclable cups! I can’t say anything I’m responsible for 3 of them at least a day! None of your mocha choca bullship though, strong and black one sugar please! Coffee , it’s both a miracle and a curse at the same time!
@Mirabelle Stonegate: well first off the eu should probably give grants to recycling companies to invest in the machinery that would seperate the plastic from the cardboard in the cups we use now. Alternatively you still ban the use of non-recyclable cups and insist they use cups that are fully recyclable that have already been invented a few years back.
Well it improved the problem with plastic bag’s, but on it’s own, it won’t be enough. This requires more work with the corporations that use disposable plastic, to see what will make them change. Hitting the consumer for everything is lazy and will only give limited improvements.
Apologies in advance if it’s against rules to post this but Keep Cup are donating 100% of profits from the online sale of Sea Shepherd x KeepCups to Sea Shepherd during Plastic Free July. I’ve been using these cups for a couple of years and find them great, keeps coffee warmer than single use cups, they’re robust and they don’t leak. http://eu.keepcup.com/keepcup-series/sea-shepherd/sea-shepherd-brew.html
What needs to change is coffee culture. We should do as the italian/french/spanish and most of the rest of the world and drink our coffee in a cafe, take 10mins to relax and then move on. That and keep cups…keep cups are great
If you work in an office, there should be no reason for you to use a disposable cup, bring a reusable cup from the office to your local starbucks, drink coffee, bring back to office.
also the coffee shops need to do more to give discounts for brining in a reusable cup starbucks gives 35cent but, their coffee/tea is more expensive than anywhere, so you’re not really getting a discount.
Not to mention the millions of polystyrene cups in public service offices, hospitals etc. Tried to get them to buy paper in my place but no go till the tender goes out again next year. More BS
I dont get all this walking around with coffee , why not sit down in ure home or in the coffee shop and use a real live cup ceramic or pottery etc…. if your in work bring in a ceramic cup and wash it after each use . Whats with everyone nowadays spending a fortune on take away coffees ?? Why
I have a reusable cup and in some places your made to feel like their something wrong with you when you give it to them. One dope this morning filled up a coffee into a normal disposable cup and poured it into my reusable one throwing it into the bin and handing it to me.
What is the point with the compostable cups etc when they will still be put in the Bin if we are lucky.. why are there no recycle bins etc on our streets beside each other surely it makes sense to recycle that just put a tax on get the Money and not do anything to stop it going to landfill…
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