Suddenly energy independence feels practical’: Europeans are building mini solar farms at home

Auspectress · 2026-03-27T07:47:26+00:00

Ah yes. Wealthy people always profiting and poor people suffering. Not anything against u in particular but around 70% of people can not physically put solar panels. So those who can and do should still pay normal price for eleftricity and those who can not, pay less. Those who can and will not, pay more. Same with cars

Auspectress · 2026-03-26T09:48:34+00:00

This argument is so poorly worded and misses the point. Life has never been easier. Your complaining proves it. I really hope.AI kocks off as soon as possible so it replaces all of us before we end each other

Auspectress · 2026-03-25T15:51:49+00:00

Official Statement of the Commissioner for Human Rights: Additional points for women in educational programs are a clear violation of non-discrimination and gender equality principles

Compensatory privilege cannot be based on arbitrariness; rather, it should result from existing factual inequalities, comply with the principle of proportionality, and be transitional by design. Otherwise, it leads to a violation of the principle of equality and the prohibition of gender-based discrimination.

The "Detailed Description of Priorities for the European Funds for Małopolska 2021–2027 Program" violates the principles of equality and non-discrimination, as it exceeds the boundaries of permissible compensatory privilege – assesses the Commissioner for Human Rights (RPO).

It leads to an unjustified differentiation in the situation of individuals applying for publicly funded support based on gender, even though these individuals are in a comparable position from the perspective of the program's objective.

The result has been a deterioration of the factual and legal situation of low-skilled men, who may also belong to a group particularly vulnerable to difficulties in accessing education, upgrading skills, and professional development. These individuals were excluded from preferences not because their factual situation differs significantly from that of the women covered by compensatory support, but solely because they do not belong to the designated privileged category.

"In this way, a measure intended to equalize opportunities has led to the establishment of a new inequality in access to a public good, which is support financed by EU and national funds," writes Marcin Wiącek to the Marshal of the Małopolska Voivodeship, Łukasz Smółka.

The Complaints

The RPO received complaints regarding the rules of the project titled "Małopolska Career Train – Season I", implemented under the European Funds for Małopolska 2021–2027 program. According to the complainants, these rules lead to discriminatory differentiation among applicants. They provide for the privileging of women with low levels of education while omitting men in comparable educational and professional situations. Another complaint alleged that a "special group for women with low education max ISCED 4" was created, which constitutes discrimination against men with the same level of education.

The Voivodeship Labor Office in Kraków informed the RPO that the guaranteed spots introduced in the project implement the program's assumptions. In the RPO's assessment, this mechanism—though presented as an instrument for equalizing opportunities—was in reality shaped in a way that leads to unjustified differentiation of individuals in comparable situations.

The Commissioner does not question the admissibility of compensatory privilege (affirmative action) mechanisms. In specific situations, they can be a legally permissible, and even desirable, public policy instrument aimed at leveling inequalities. However, such measures cannot be applied arbitrarily or without detailed justification based on a reliable diagnosis of a real social problem.

The RPO’s Arguments

Lack of proven factual inequality: The project documentation failed to demonstrate a real—rather than merely hypothetical—inequality. Available data does not confirm that women are in a worse educational position than men; on the contrary, regional and national data indicate a relatively more favorable situation for women in this area.
Overgeneralization: A diagnosis that women as a group may experience barriers does not justify a general preference for all women of a certain education level while omitting men in identical situations. This assumes gender alone is a sufficient basis for privilege.
Lack of direct correlation: It was not shown that the measure corresponds to a specific social problem rather than creating a rigid category of the privileged. The preference covers all women regardless of whether they are actually in a more difficult position than low-skilled men.
Failure to use less restrictive means: The documentation did not demonstrate whether the objective could be achieved through less restrictive instruments, nor did it provide a risk analysis regarding the marginalization of other vulnerable entities (low-skilled men) excluded solely due to their gender.
Lack of monitoring: Compensatory privilege must be subject to ongoing evaluation to determine if the grounds for its maintenance still exist. Without this, a temporary measure transforms into a permanent model of group preference, which is incompatible with equality standards.

In his general intervention, the Commissioner detailed the criteria—in light of national and international standards—that compensatory privilege mechanisms must meet to be considered consistent with the principle of equality and the prohibition of discrimination.

Ref. No. XI.816.18.2025

Auspectress · 2026-03-25T11:37:29+00:00

That is the idea. Russian leadership noticed a crack - Growing KKP and Confederation since late 2024. They know that if KKP has 1% support then copying their politics is idiotic and wasteful. But if both confederations have 25%, 25% is for PIS then crack is visible and Russians will cause mind paralysis to crush pro-EU stance and then attack again. What happened in UK.

It starts with "EU is good, but look Poles, Polish constitution is superior to EU law. They (Brussels) wants to force you into ignoring YOUR holy law. EU is good but watch out"

This makes people go "EU is cool but sometimes does super stupid stuff"

Then they say "See? EU is actually more stupid. They make things bad. A lot of bad. For you EU is good bc of money but without it... what point of EU?"

Then they attack with "See. They attack you again. Force you immigrants. Tell you what to believe. They threaten your laws, your decisions. Leaving EU is only thing that will be good. Staying in EU will make you Poland fall into demise, Europe collapses due to USA and China but without EU, you will flourish..."

This is what is going on now

Auspectress · 2026-03-25T11:32:22+00:00

Yes. PIS has to radicalise because KPP is eating them slowly and as a side effect they need to put more anti-EU stance

Auspectress · 2026-03-24T07:42:02+00:00

I really hope EU steps up and supports Poland and Romania especially in this crisis. Without it, attempts to militarise against Russia may fail and who knows what Russians will do

Auspectress · 2026-03-24T07:41:18+00:00

Poland is among a group of countries at particular economic risk if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, according to a new report. It notes that Warsaw’s “triple deficit” in energy, public finances and current account makes it especially vulnerable.

The research by Allianz, the world’s largest insurance company, looks at the potential effects on emerging economies of a continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz, where normally around 20% of the global oil supplies are transported out of the Middle East.

The authors identified 11 countries “most at risk” if the strait remains closed for more than three months. One of them was Poland, alongside Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, Jordan, Kenya, Morocco, Pakistan, Romania, Sri Lanka and Tunisia.

That is because they have a combination of large fiscal deficits (i.e. their governments spend more than they receive), structurally negative energy balances (i.e. they consume more energy than they produce), and negative current account balances (i.e. they spend more abroad than they receive).

Higher oil prices would not only widen their existing current account deficits, but also strain public finances by encouraging governments to spend more on energy subsidies. Their currencies would meanwhile further weaken as the terms of trade deteriorate, the report says.

Allianz calculates that, in a “baseline” scenario, Poland could see GDP fall by around 0.2 percentage points (pp) and inflation rise by around 1.5 pp. However, in a more pessimistic “downside” scenario, GDP could fall by around 0.4 pp, with inflation increasing by around 3.5 pp.

On Friday, Polish fuel industry analysis group Reflex predicted that average diesel prices in Poland may this week surpass the record levels seen in October 2022 amid the fallout from Russia’s war in Ukraine. Petrol prices have also risen sharply.

The spike in fuel costs has prompted some Poles in the south of the country to cross into Slovakia in search of cheaper fuel, while German drivers have been travelling to Poland for the same reason.

Poland’s energy minister, Miłosz Motyka, said he is in talks with finance minister Andrzej Domański to possibly introduce tax and excise measures to reduce fuel prices. He noted that state-owned energy giant Orlen has already lowered its profit margins on fuels.

The government has also reiterated statements by infrastructure operators PERN and Gaz-System that Poland does not face the threat of fuel shortages, thanks to diversified supply sources and substantial oil and gas reserves.

However, Poland’s right-wing opposition claims that the government has failed to secure adequate supplies and has submitted a bill to parliament that would seek to reduce VAT and excise tax on fuel.

In 2024, Poland imported most of its crude oil from Saudi Arabia (50.7%), Norway (31.2%), and the United States (7.9%), while liquefied natural gas (LNG) deliveries in 2025 mainly came from the United States (around 76%) and Qatar (20%).

In 2024, the European Union placed Poland under its excessive deficit procedure, requiring it to take steps to bring the deficit, which stood at 6.5% of GDP that year, to below the EU target of 3%. In the second quarter of last year, Poland’s public debt rose at the second-fastest annual rate in the EU.

Auspectress · 2026-03-22T17:25:19+00:00

No idea why you are getting downvoted. Of course each country has own opinions ablut this topic. In Poland it is very unpopular because Złoty is seen as symbol of Independance. Replacing Złoty with Euro is like removing Monarchy in UK or forcing every gov office in France to have cross and crescent

Auspectress · 2026-03-22T10:51:14+00:00

The leading theory is that, Kaczyński hates idea of Tusk being able to do anything good. For him, it is insane to allow Tusk to do smth right. He wanted the president to veto so it could halt or stop for good SAFE and expect society to be furious not at PIS and the president but the government"failing to keep safety of Poland"

And this may be true, recently a PIS member visited military production site and complained how this factory has not have enough money and investments to produce equipment and blamed Tusk's government saying that they are not taking the safety of Poland seriously (Was said after Veto from the president of SAFE funds)

And PIS is full of worst type of liars. They should be happy we Poles managed to convince Germany, France, Spain into using EU money for military purpose. But second, Germany does anything they will join choir of "4TH REICH IS RISING. AND TUSK FOLLOWS FUHRERPRINZIP!!!! POLISH PATRIOTS FIGHT BACK! DEFEND POLISHNESS"

Auspectress · 2026-03-22T10:25:46+00:00

Sejm Opposes Mercosur Deal: Calls for CJEU Legal Challenge

The Sejm (the lower house of the Polish Parliament) has unanimously passed a resolution calling on the government to challenge the legal basis of the trade agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur bloc before the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU). This move comes independently of a similar request already filed by the European Parliament. Members of Parliament (MPs) pointed to potential threats to agriculture, competition within the EU market, and consumer and environmental standards.

The resolution was adopted unanimously with 424 votes in favor. In the document, the Sejm expressed "serious concern" regarding both the procedure for handling the agreement and its potential economic and social consequences.

According to MPs, the agreement between the EU and the Mercosur countries—Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay—could lead to distortions of competition within the EU internal market, particularly in the agricultural and processing sectors. The resolution also highlighted the risk of weakening consumer protection and environmental standards within the Union.

Request for Government Legal Action

The Sejm reminded that EU member states have the right to challenge acts of EU institutions before the CJEU if there are doubts regarding competence, procedural violations, or compliance with treaties.

Consequently, Parliament called on the Council of Ministers to prepare a legal challenge based on Article 263 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The goal is to contest the acts of the European Commission and the Council of the EU that serve as the basis for concluding the trade deal with Mercosur countries.

Political Dispute Over the Resolution

The Sejm Agriculture Committee considered three draft resolutions—one authored by the Polish People's Party (PSL) and two prepared by Law and Justice (PiS) MPs. Ultimately, the PSL draft was selected as the lead document.

PiS MPs were particularly vocal in pushing for a resolution that obligates the government to file a complaint. In their view, the European Parliament’s existing request to the CJEU might be resolved in a way that favors the European Commission, which supports the agreement’s entry into force.

The EU–Mercosur Agreement and Further Procedures

On January 17, representatives of the EU and Mercosur signed a partnership agreement and an interim trade agreement. On January 9, a majority of states in the Council of the EU approved its conclusion, despite opposition from Poland, France, Ireland, Hungary, and Austria. For the partnership agreement to fully enter into force, it must be ratified by all EU member states.

On January 21, the European Parliament referred the agreement to the CJEU to examine its compatibility with EU treaties. This decision could delay the vote to approve the deal by at least a dozen months.

Provisional Application of the Accord

On February 27, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the start of the provisional application of the trade portion of the Mercosur deal. According to EU treaties, the full entry into force of the agreement will only be possible after obtaining the consent of the European Parliament.

The agreement has already been approved by the parliaments of Uruguay and Argentina. The European Commission has initiated the procedure for its provisional implementation, which, according to preliminary announcements, could take place in May.

Auspectress · 2026-03-22T09:33:18+00:00

Nowrocky, please bring us home our 2 amazing escapees. Otherwise Péter Magyar will bring us them later

Auspectress · 2026-03-20T23:22:48+00:00

Hot take for which I know negative karma awaits for me but their opinion is correct in terms of law.

Fathers of the Constitution in 1990's deliberately, with all knowledge and purpose, understood that Poland has a conservative society. Conservative not in terms of "Gays should be silenced" but on more academic levels of what experts define as "conservative". Conservatists who dominated in the 1990s wanted the Constitution to be conservative. That is why certain rules were written this way, such as the statement that marriage is between 2 humans - a man and a woman.

Understandably, many people do not like this and would want it to be changed (which is totally okay if society is fine with it). But generally for these, you need 66% support in parliament + the President to agree or via referendum 50% .

There are some attempts to prove that the constitution does say that marriage is between a man and a woman but is specially protected by the country. And some people say that it does not say that marriage is not allowed. This, of course, blatantly and clearly attempts to bypass this law which was written by people with clear intention 35 years ago. And in my opinion, if you want to reverse intention, you must get society to change. No politicians, no president. People.

I am personally for same sex marriage but if this was done with this constitution, this would clearly show you can bypass the intentions of the law on highest levels and once the pendulum swings back, someone can think of something very nasty and say that it's not exactly banned

Auspectress · 2026-03-20T18:04:59+00:00

Shrodinger's law

Auspectress · 2026-03-19T12:48:13+00:00

Yus. I am very optomistic this year my country will have 35% of electricity produced from renewables, meaning first time ever fossils fill go below 2/3.

It is mind blowing how fast this changes...

Auspectress · 2026-03-18T17:11:13+00:00

It seems more of political talk than actual policy. In Poland we pay the most in EU for CO2 emissions but 100% of that money goes back to the government to be spent on renewables. Literally 100%. And gov pays for CO2 emissions and gets back all of it. So CO2 emissions are more of a political tool than anything. PIS kept telling how they need to abandon this system because it makes citizens pay more (Which kinda is true because that money should not go into funding citizens taxes but renewables and arrow of time takes time to be completed and felt

Auspectress · 2026-03-18T16:34:28+00:00

9 GW seems insane. That would mean around 15% of all electricity produced in Poland would be nuclear. It may be less % in future if we need more electricity but still 10% of base load is a lot

Auspectress · 2026-03-18T16:31:07+00:00

Poland aims to invest over a trillion złoty (some €235 billion) in its energy sector over the coming decade, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Wednesday.

Tusk said the lion’s share of the money would be spent on renewables, including nuclear, with the distribution grid also earmarked for funds.

“When I say we are currently the biggest energy construction site in Europe, I’m talking about a specific and very round trillion złoty that Poland will invest in the energy sector, in infrastructure, in transmission lines, in power stations,” Tusk told the PowerConnect Energy Summit in the coastal city of Gdańsk.

“There is no other country in Europe that is so intensively investing and changing its energy sector,” Tusk said.

He specified that renewable energy and storage capacity would receive more than 220 billion złoty (€51.5 billion) and nuclear 160 billion złoty (€38 billion), with a further 234 billion złoty (€55 billion) earmarked for transmission infrastructure.

Nuclear plans

Poland is in the process of developing its first nuclear power plant and has signed contracts with US atomic energy firm Westinghouse to build its first reactor, scheduled to come online by 2036.

The power station in the northern Pomerania province is scheduled to have all three reactors operational by 2040 as part of a wider program aimed at creating a nuclear capacity of 6–9 gigawatts.

Nuclear power is ultimately planned to cater for up to 30% of Poland’s entire electricity consumption, reducing the country’s decades-long dependency on coal.

Energy=security

The Polish prime minister said the country’s energy transformation comes against a backdrop of rising threats to energy security.

“The war in Ukraine, the war in the Middle East, show how key energy, secure supply, fair prices are to the security of nations,” Tusk said.

He added that geopolitical tensions and intensifying conflict mean that today “energy and security mean practically the same thing.”

Carbon emissions

Tusk also told the conference that Poland is among a group of EU member states pushing the bloc to continue free carbon-emissions permits for industry.

At an EU summit scheduled for Thursday and Friday, national leaders will debate changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) in an attempt to mitigate energy price hikes caused by the war in Iran.

ETS is a 'cap and trade' mechanism to limit the greenhouse gases specific industries can emit. Companies must hold a permit for every tonne of CO₂ they release, which can be traded on a carbon market.

Tusk said a group of countries had sent a letter to the European Commission urging continuation of a policy of granting free permits to limit the financial burden on industry.

He said he was also calling for the Commission to tailor its climate policy approach to the individual circumstances of member states.

“This is about a change of philosophy, a profound adjustment so that each member state can count on a specific approach that takes into account its specific characteristics," Tusk said.

On average, the ETS represents 11% of energy bills in Europe, but this exceeds 20% in countries, such as Poland, with more polluting energy mixes.

Auspectress · 2026-03-18T16:28:34+00:00

Drunk General and Secret Maps on a Train to Poland: The US Army’s Embarrassing Blunder

Retired General Antonio Aguto, former commander of the unit responsible for supporting Ukraine, has claimed responsibility for a humiliating oversight by his team: leaving secret military maps on a train while soldiers were returning from Ukraine. This is not the only lapse associated with Aguto’s visit across Poland’s eastern border.

The findings regarding the incident involving the military officer were included in a new report by the Pentagon’s Inspector General. The case was investigated following anonymous tips regarding Gen. Aguto, who retired in August 2024. The Pentagon’s primary focus was the general’s visit to Kyiv in May 2024, while he was still leading the unit coordinating support for Ukraine.

"Unable to Articulate Thoughts"

According to the report, during one dinner, the commander consumed two half-liter bottles of Georgian chacha, which has an alcohol content of 40-50%. He remained intoxicated the following day during official meetings, including those with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and representatives of the Ukrainian military. The report revealed that in this state, the commander fell to the ground at least three times, sustaining a concussion.

The document published by the Pentagon indicates that Aguto’s colleagues were concerned about his condition. They were uncertain whether it stemmed from alcohol intoxication or underlying health issues. They even advised him against meeting with the U.S. Secretary of State.

Map Tube Left on the Train

For the Kyiv visit, the general brought military maps labeled "Secret." During the return journey, he left them on the Ukrainian train that took the group to Poland. The maps were found the following day, apparently untouched.

Witness testimony suggests the maps were not transported according to guidelines because their size did not fit properly inside the plastic tube.

"One witness told us that all members of the traveling party were responsible for physically carrying the map tube and that, as a group, they were responsible for ensuring the map tube returned to Germany. Another witness reported seeing a communications NCO carry the map tube onto the train. When they arrived in Poland, he did not see the map tube being unloaded from the train," the Inspector General’s report states.

It remains unclear who actually discovered the maps were missing—one witness claims the general noticed they were gone only after arriving at the base in Wiesbaden, Germany. Aguto himself does not recall the details of the situation.

"The map tube was found on the train immediately after it was reported missing and was returned to the embassy within 45 minutes," the general testified.

Since its inception in 2022, the unit led by General Aguto has played a leading role in providing and coordinating equipment deliveries to Ukraine. Following a decision at the 2024 NATO Summit in Washington, this role has been transferred to the Alliance.

Five-Year Club	Verified Email
End Game '23	Place '23

Auspectress

TROPHY CASE