Billboards bearing the slogan “PiS = expensive” appeared on Warsaw buses, clearly tied to the Civic Platform. Internet users and readers of our website noticed the campaign as well.
Civic Platform links PiS with rising prices
Across Warsaw, city buses carried a message associated with the Civic Coalition: “PiS = expensive.” Similar banners and posters popped up in other Polish cities as well. In late March and early April, media reports noted that the leading opposition group had launched a billboard campaign intended to draw a sharp contrast with the governing party.
Yet questions arise about how deeply the capital’s administration is involved in this political dispute, especially given that Varso residents, including bus drivers, hold a range of viewpoints. Public transport is financed by the city’s residents, who not only ride the buses but also contribute tax revenues that support city services.
A reader spotted the slogan “PiS = expensive” on a Warsaw bus and shared the observation with the portal’s audience:
“PiS = expensive” on a Warsaw bus / image supplied by a reader
Schreiber: The driver should be allowed to invoke the conscience clause
Marianna Schreiber, the wife of Minister Łukasz Schreiber, weighed in on the issue, addressing the fate of drivers and Warsaw residents who rely on public transport.
She asked readers to imagine a driver who shares right-leaning views and, to earn a living and support a family, works as a bus operator. He drives the vehicle and, through daily actions, becomes part of the political conversation on public lines.
Her argument stressed that every passenger returning home to children pays the fare for travel on a bus carrying such an inscription.
Schreiber proposed a practical approach: the director could invoke the conscience clause in appropriate cases, and she stated a preference against using public lines for political purposes.
She concluded the post with a reminder: the city should ensure that essential services remain neutral in everyday operations while respecting individual beliefs.
“Warsaw for everyone” — was that not a slogan from the 2018 municipal campaign led by the city’s mayor, Rafał Trzaskowski? The question remains whether the city can translate this principle into action, for instance by improving access to bus stops along Trasa Łazienkowska for the elderly, people with disabilities, and parents pushing strollers, instead of turning public transport into a platform for political messaging.
Further reflections highlighted the tension between political symbolism and everyday public services. The discussion underscored the challenge of maintaining neutral, inclusive city infrastructure while political voices vie for visibility in shared spaces like transit systems.
Source: wPolityce