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Środa, Magdalena


3 articles of this author have been cited in the European Press Review so far.


Gazeta Wyborcza - Poland | 11/06/2009

Magdalena Środa draws parallels between the Vatican and the European Parliament

Philosopher Magdalena Środa compares the European Parliament with the Vatican in the liberal daily Gazeta Wyborcza: "The European Parliament, like the entire Union, seems to many Poles like a mysterious place, far removed from daily life. You could compare it to the Vatican. Both institutions produce documents, perform rituals and speak foreign tongues. Both the Vatican and the Parliament are outside our country - far off among foreign peoples. Both institutions are very rich. The wealth of the Vatican is justified and in some way natural, while the wealth of the Union is somehow unknown and suspect. We also know that we can expect something from the one as from the other, and that after a certain time something will come our way from both. The Vatican sends secret documents concerning spiritual matters which we know are very important, even if they only quote a handful of clerics. No one has anything against that. The fact is that we prefer listening to reading ourselves. And the European Parliament creates laws that decide over the proper shape for bananas or subsidies for farmers."

Dziennik Gazeta Prawna - Poland | 08/08/2008

The Beijing Games are a scandal

On the day the Olympic Games begin in Beijing the daily Dziennik publishes an open letter written by 19 Polish intellectuals harshly condemning the International Olympic Committee (IOC). "Awarding the Olympic Games to China was a disgrace for which the functionaries of the Olympic Committee are responsible. Their claim that they do not want to interfere in politics is cynical and hypocritical. Respecting human rights is a universal norm of civilisation that only communists and fascists fail to observe. We do not condemn the athletes who participate in the Olympics - they did not choose the location. ... But we are expressing our displeasure with all those politicians who, by their very presence in Beijing - regardless of their verbal statements - are supporting a dictatorial state. Above all we want to show our solidarity with all those who are being deprived of their freedom and fundamental rights in China. We are convinced that any dictatorship - even that of a powerful state - must be condemned."

Gazeta Wyborcza - Poland | 05/03/2008

Magdalena Sroda calls for Polish journalists to show a greater sense of decency

Magdalena Sroda, a philospher based in Warsaw, accuses the Polish media of assisting former Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczyński with his disastrous policies. "The surveillance of political opponents, the (baseless) spectacular arrests and the charges, bugging operations and smear campaigns - these are all facts. Some of these activities were carried out by the PiS itself, but it needed the media for others. It's not enough to arrest someone to destroy him; the whole thing has to be covered by the media. ... A sense of decency is an important virtue - not only for people as journalists, but also as human beings. Of course, we can hope that this country will never again fall under the rule of politicians who abuse journalism to persecute, denounce and destroy people. But faith alone in democratic mechanisms and the common sense of politicians isn't enough."

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