Roman Gierty: You gotta settle the PiS. That's why I'm voting for Trzaskowski

Roman Gierty

“Why do I, a Catholic, vote for Trzaskowski?” my friends ask me. I answer that I have very crucial reasons: I do not want a demoralized president doing Kaczyński's will. I don't want the Law and Justice to return to power with all thefts and global isolation. Trzaskowski is an honest, modest and very educated man – we will not be ashamed of him. It supports the PiS settlement process and guarantees cooperation with the democratic government. That's why I'm voting for him on June 1.

Roman Gierty explains why as a Catholic – and at the same time erstwhile critic of part of the demands of the liberal left – he will vote for Rafał Trzaskowski. In spite of appearances, this is not about abortion, worldview or moral issues. It is something much more fundamental: honesty, state safety and credibility of Poland's representation on the global stage.

Giertych cites Vatican documents, warns against returning the agreements from the times of the Law and spares no strong words to the candidate of the Kaczyński camp. It describes the choice not as an ideological declaration, but as a moral work to the country. For many readers his position may be amazing – for others he will become a point of mention in an increasingly polarized debate before the presidential election.

Below we print the full text of Roman Giertych in the first version.

Why do I, a Catholic, vote for Trzaskowski?

Many of my Catholic friends ask me this question and remind me that I was dismissed from the position of vice-president of the KO club for not wanting to support Anna Maria Żukowska's abortion project, and Trzaskowski supports this project.

I always remind them of what Joseph Ratzinger wrote erstwhile he was the Prefect of the Congregation of the Doctrine of religion at John Paul II. On July 1, 2004, in a letter to the American bishops, he wrote:

"If, on the another hand, a Catholic does not share the position of candidate for abortion and/or euthanasia, but votes for him for another reasons, this is considered to be a far-reaching material cooperation that can be allowed in the presence of proportionately crucial reasons."

Well, I have very ‘important reasons’ to vote for Trzaskowski.

First,I don't want president Nawrocki. I don't want my country to be represented by a man to the core of a depraved man, a fraud, a debt shark, a liar and a gangster friend dealing with human trafficking. And that he declares allegiance to the Church's teachings is of no importance to me erstwhile he is not surviving his declarations.

Second: I do not want my Homeland to represent specified a "president's decision" which will do Kaczyński's will in everything. This means the return of the Law and Justice to power – with all thefts, mass robbery of state property and global isolation.

ThirdTrzaskowski is simply a modest, honest and highly educated man. He's a man we won't be ashamed of. It will be large to represent our country internationally.

FourthIt is not the president in Poland who is the law, but the Sejm. As Prime Minister Donald Tusk has already said, there is no majority in this Sejm for a extremist change in abortion law.

Maybe there will be a majority for any compromise version (maybe there is simply a chance my project, which assumes that by the 12th week of the fetus's life is only a female who has had an abortion, can initiate prosecution of criminal aiders or instigators, and without her application there is no proceeding).

Furthermore, it is hard to imagine any extremist change in this issue erstwhile in yesterday's elections most citizens supported candidates who advocated a tightening and so severe abortion law. Even among women, the majority advocated candidates who do not want liberalisation.

By voting for the president of the Republic of Poland, we elect a representative, not a legislator. And in this area Trzaskowski beats Nawrocki.

Five. The government needs a cooperating president of the Republic of Poland. We are 1 step distant from becoming a regional power today. The choice of Trzaskowski guarantees specified cooperation.

Sixth, finally – I think the Law and Justice must be accounted for, due to the fact that specified gross deficiency of justice is demoralizing to society. They should be counted to the bone.

Without the President, it was impossible. Nawrock's election would mean a applicable end or a very hard settlement of the Law and Justice. Whoever the courts would convict, he would pardon them – at Kaczyński's command.

Trzaskowski, on the another hand, publically and at the PiS Clearance Team, declares full support for the settlement process. I think he's credible.

For these reasons, I will vote for Rafał Trzaskowski on 1 June. I am convinced that most Poles will do the same.

Roman Giertych, op. Dariusz Frach, thefad.pl