Had a
stressful weekend. My mum called me on Saturday evening to inform me father had
fever, problems breathing and high blood pressure. Not the virus, but general
strain probably caused by too intense gardening. Needless to say, had anything
bad happened, the health service burdened by the virus would not have helped
him. Update: dad has fully recovered.
Today and
tomorrow will be gloomy for many employees. In Poland a job termination is
effective as of the end of month in which it is handed, hence distressed,
cash-strapped businesses are rushing to give sack to people.
Tuesday, 31
March 2020
A less busy
day at work. Some moments to ponder upon the why and wherefore of what is
happening. I come to think the planet earth is taking revenge on the mankind
for how we have maltreated it.
Wednesday, 1
April 2020 (April Fool’s Day and nobody feels like joking)
Work-wise
and economy wise…
The
anti-crisis shield is a piece of shit. It offers nothing to large companies
with which I deal and to whose CFOs, treasurers or financial controllers I talk
to every day. A wave of bankruptcies is in the offing if no new aid measures
are pursued and if restrictions are not lifted by the end of April (update, the
second set of anti-crisis measure is to come into effect in mid-April, the
government is about to lift some restrictions back this month to avert economic
collapse).
Polish
zloty has depreciated markedly, yet it does not necessarily benefit exporters,
who often suffer due to either transport restrictions or dwindling demand in
the eurozone.
Some
clients who two weeks claimed they would persevere the crisis, today seek a
helping hand. With time it will be getting only worse.
Thursday, 2
April 2020
New
restrictions are in place in effect since yesterday or today. Some are wise,
especially those preventing high number of people inside shops or banning
gatherings in leisure areas, others are absurd, as the one ordering a couple
(who sleep in one bed) to keep a distance of 2 metres while walking on a
street. All restrictions are still not governed by any sort of state of
emergency, which should have been imposed some time ago. It is fully justified,
but the PiS government will not declare it.
The mail-in
voting is how PiSites are determined to carry on with the presidential election
in May. My anger prevents me from commenting on it any more. I hope the senate
(where the opposition has majority) will block the law draft for 30 days.
Friday, 3
April 2020
Two months
ago reduction of disposable plastic was one of priorities. Today ecology has
been shelved. We wear disposable gloves and produce tonnes of rubbish to
protect ourselves from the invisible enemy.
The
presidential election is one thing, but I feel sorry for primary school leavers
and high school leavers who are approaching their exams due respectively in
late April and May. So far the government has failed to communicate the exams would
be postponed (update from 9 April: exams were put off until mid-June at least).
Again, the PiS government does not pass the test.
After work
I write an emotional post on my facebook, in which I ask those of my friends
who still support PiS or the incumbent president to unfriend me. I no longer
cannot stand it. Only one person who does not give a shit about politics
unfriends me.
Saturday, 4
April 2020
My father
has a relapse of phlebitis. Fortunately, he get an online prescription for
injected medicines. Again, I fear what if symptoms exacerbate, as the health
service has run out of capacity to help in cases which a month ago were easily
handled (update: dad is pulling through).
Three new
stations of the second underground line are opened, for the record.
In the
evening I take a lonely walk to see the progress of works at S2 construction
site. Works near Ursynów Zachód junctions have not slowed despite the epidemic.
Sunday, 5
April 2020
I fear that
while overcoming the epidemic people will trade their personal and civic
liberties for security. I hope this will not be the price to pay and civilised
western democracy will not drift towards authoritarian surveillance.
Monday, 6
April 2020
The ruling
party, instead of tackling the economic aftermaths of the epidemic and focusing
on the ailing health service, sets carrying out the presidential election as a
priority. They vote twice, after a draw in the first voting, they call the
second one, with a provision that speaker of the parliament might defer the
election by a week or two, which is an abject violation of the constitution and
the election code. Now the new law will be frozen in the upper house for 30
days, but the aforementioned provisions do not let the Senate prohibit the
election.
PiS is the
biggest evil Poland has had to endure after 1989. But decent people are bound
by the obligation to fight evil. One day we will brings the account those
politicians who do harm to our homeland.
Tuesday, 7
April 2020
The biggest
tragedy plays out in nursing homes, where the virus is spread by nurses working
also in hospitals and then between the inpatients, often elderly and with
underlying illnesses. Same drama has been observed in western Europe.
Another
lousy day at work. Weather-wise, the first day this year with temperature above
+20C. I have my tyres changed for summer ones. After a careful analysis this
seems safer than going to a supermarket to do the shopping. The biggest
nuisance is taking the winter tyres (touched by a mechanic wearing gloves) out
from the boot.
Wednesday,
8 April 2020
The Polish
central bank further cuts interest rates by 50 basis points. I believe the move
is flawed. Cheaper cost of credit will give little relief to a business or a
person deprived of income, but will have negative impact on banking sector,
whose reluctance to pursue lending will exacerbate.
Thursday, 9
April 2020
Falsified COVID-19
death tolls become a topic of the day after mayor of Warsaw reveals discrepancies
between figures into which he has insight and those reported by the government.
Mayors of several other cities begin to openly raise this issue.
Friday, 10
April 2020
The tenth
anniversary of the Smolensk air crash. Jarosław Kaczyński and his retinue commemorate
it abjectly violating the stringent rules of social distancing. To quote George
Orwell, All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others. And
pigs are the most equal.
In the
evening I analyse on my Facebook profile a decree on mail-in presidential
voting, or pick holes in it. My friends do not need to be persuaded this a farce
and no decent man should take part in it.
Saturday,
11 April 2020
On this day
my thoughts go out to:
- mentally
ill,
- elderly
lonely people who cannot use technology to connect with their long unseen relatives,
- victims
of home violence, closed behind four walls with their oppressors,
- those who
have lost their jobs, or whose businesses or wealth accumulated over years of
hard work have been wiped out in the lockdown.
We have to
endure this sad Easter to spend the next one together. Although I remain
pessimistic about odds to get to trips with the invisible enemy within just a few
months.
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