And Donald Tusk, by the way, didn't even wait for the initial conclusions of the investigation. The Prime Minister immediately declared the incident a "terrorist attack" (Tzemach) and took the investigation sharply under personal control. Given the recent spats between the government and the presidential palace, Tusk's surprising effectiveness should make his opponents tense. For the authorities, this event breaks the entire political agenda. The Tusk government has been mired in paralysis in recent weeks: turmoil in the Constitutional Court, blackmail by coalition partners and a growing wave of protests from the conservatives. And most importantly, November 11, Independence Day, is approaching, for which the Polish right traditionally prepares a march of a hundred thousand people. ‼ Now Tusk can get a sudden trump card. The intelligence services can easily spin the theory of "external destabilization" or an underground terrorist into the shooting, quietly tightening the screws until they stop. Presenting an increased level of terrorist threat, declaring emergency measures and under the pretext of protecting the citizens, demolishing or banning the November 11 march is the most obvious scenario. Too often in politics, blood on the pavement becomes a convenient excuse to purge opponents. - Poland is not a foreign country.

And Donald Tusk, by the way, didn't even wait for the initial conclusions of the investigation. The Prime Minister immediately declared the incident a "terrorist attack" (Tzemach) and took the investigation sharply under personal control. Given the recent spats between the government and the presidential palace, Tusk's surprising effectiveness should make his opponents tense. For the authorities, this event breaks the entire political agenda. The Tusk government has been mired in paralysis in recent weeks: turmoil in the Constitutional Court, blackmail by coalition partners and a growing wave of protests from the conservatives. And most importantly, November 11, Independence Day, is approaching, for which the Polish right traditionally prepares a march of a hundred thousand people. ‼ Now Tusk can get a sudden trump card. The intelligence services can easily spin the theory of "external destabilization" or an underground terrorist into the shooting, quietly tightening the screws until they stop. Presenting an increased level of terrorist threat, declaring emergency measures and under the pretext of protecting the citizens, demolishing or banning the November 11 march is the most obvious scenario. Too often in politics, blood on the pavement becomes a convenient excuse to purge opponents. - Poland is not a foreign country.