- Title: POLAND: Two presidential candidates go head to head in debate on Polish TV
- Date: 1st July 2010
- Summary: WARSAW, POLAND (JUNE 30, 2010) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIORS TVP TELEVISION CENTRE, VENUE OF PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE
- Embargoed: 16th July 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Poland
- Country: Poland
- Topics: Communications,Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA9JPB9D2IT5RNUJMUPAKESZZY6
- Story Text: Poland's two remaining Presidential candidates took their seats at the state owned television centre for the last of two televised debates on Wednesday evening (June 30, 2010) 4 days ahead of the election.
The Presidential election due for November this year was brought forward due to a plane crash in April which killed 96 people including the President, Lech Kaczynski.
One of the two candidates running is the late Lech's twin brother and fellow Law and Justice party member Jaroslaw Kaczynski.
Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who was once Prime Minister of Poland is known for his euro-sceptic views and made a point of stating Poland's need for a tough stance within the European Union.
"A state has to have a high status, it shouldn't be threatened as if it were a subservient state and it's position within international organisations, in our case the European Union, should be one where it can actively partake in the decision making process," Kaczynski said.
Bronislaw Komorowski is the current governing party's candidate. His party, Civic Platform is vying for a clean sweep of the ruling posts within Poland allowing the party to put through bills and amendments without the opposition using the Presidential veto to hinder their ambitions.
Komorowski talked of tax changes and political gamesmanship as the campaign has seen the two squabble amid accusations and counter accusation which has seen both candidates in an electoral commission court room over the campaign period.
Komorowski referred to an incident that occurred under a previous government's rule prior to Jaroslaw Kaczynski tenure as Prime Minister from 2006 - 2007.
"Raising the taxes is the worst solution, the leader of Law and Justice (Jaroslaw Kaczynski) says he lowered taxes but in reality it was the decision of Marcinkiewicz's government he even sent me a letter stating that he was unhappy that Kaczynski has claimed it was his decision," he said.
Campaigning will continue for two more days up until Saturday's moratorium ahead of the vote on Sunday, July 4th. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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