This is the second installment of our weekly release of “On the Barricades.” In this episode we discuss some news from Poland of what could become a landmark in government fiscal irresponsibility, corruption, and lack of transparency– already at a time of deep crisis and inflation. A bill was pushed through the lower chamber of parliament to a) remove parliamentary barriers to circulation of money outside of budget (“extra-budget” funds), and b) allow government officials to transfer budget funds to extra-budget funds. This represents a move to further protect what is effectively a parallel economic system in the shadows of legality from which the state officials can spend freely.
Hosts Maria Cernat and Boyan Stanislavski also discuss a shift of tone in the mainstream press regarding the war in Ukraine in the last week or so. Why has the New York Times published an article authenticating a Russian story about the shooting of Russian soldiers by Ukrainian forces? Maria weighs in with a perspective from critical media theory.
03:00 Context: fiscal irresponsibility in Poland
07:00 Details on the law pushed through
9:15 Another law bringing private banks into the equation, to take on debt of these extra-budget funds
11:20 Massive public debt in Poland, costs of servicing it, lack of transparency
21:21: What’s the danger? Is Poland a mafia state?
30:05 Dangers to the legal system
33:40 NYT article validating a Russian claim– what does it mean?
44:00 Lack of preparation of journalists for critical reporting and analysis
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Law to make the budget more shadowy in Poland, shift in mainstream coverage of Ukraine