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January 25, 2019 www.intellinews.com I Page 4
Political fight to intensify in Poland in aftermath of mayor’s murder
onstage to thank people for supporting Poland’s famous nationwide charity event, the Great Or- chestra of Christmas Charity. Each January since 1993, the Orchestra raises money to buy hospital equipment to treat sick children or help newborn and infant care.
“This is a wonderful time to share what is good. You are lovely and Gdansk is the most wonderful city in the world. Thank you!” Adamowicz called from the stage. He was attacked moments later. His wounds proved fatal on the following day, January 14.
A minute or so of confusion ensued after the at- tack, long enough to allow the assailant to seize a microphone from an event staffer.
“I was innocently jailed, Civic Platform [Adamow- icz’s former party] tortured me, that’s why Ada- mowicz had to die,” the killer shouted from the stage in a moment of triumph.
The attacker had left prison in December after completing a 5.5-year term for several bank rob- beries. Evidence quickly emerged that the 27- year old Gdansk resident had a history of mental illness, which might explain his triumphant ges- tures and the boastful proclamation.
But literally invoking the name of Poland’s biggest opposition party – which Adamowicz recently left – also incited speculation that the killing was an act of political terrorism.
Questions flew: did Poland’s political divisions feed the assassin’s personal and, possibly, ill- ness-fuelled grudge against Civic Platform and
Adamowicz? Specifically, did the public media, which the government of Law and Justice (PiS) has made into ruthless propaganda outlets, play a role?
The killer’s trial might shed more light on his mo- tivations but no matter how many calls there have been not to make the tragedy in Gdansk political, it has become exactly that.
That is hardly a surprise in the year of two elec- tions: to the European Parliament in May and
to the domestic legislature in autumn. As the votes loom closer each week, the political fight- ing – destined to be divisive anyway – is now likely to become even more intense in the wake of the tragedy in Gdansk.
For the liberal opposition, Adamowicz’s sense- less death will likely cause it to lash out at PiS for creating a toxic political atmosphere in which no means can be spared to attack opponents.
Adamowicz was a case in point indeed: the government media regularly attacked him for alleged financial shenanigans, typically without giving him a platform to respond. But he was also under fire for making Gdansk open to refugees and LGBT people – all too much to stomach for conservatives in PiS and groups further to the right.
One such group, the borderline fascist
All-Polish Youth, had even produced a “certificate of political death” signed by the “Polish nation” for Adamowicz.
“I did not expect I would receive a real death cer- tificate for my brother,” the mayor’s brother Piotr Adamowicz said in his eulogy.
The assassination has complicated PiS strat- egy for the election year. The ruling party cannot budge, as it would mean admitting responsibil- ity and empowering the opposition in the crucial months ahead of the vote.
Whatever positive conclusions PiS might draw