Director Agnieszka Holland brushes off MP's lesbian taunt

Agnieszka Holland: photo - Polish Radio/Przemyslaw Golawski

Stefan Niesiolowski, an MP for senior coalition partner Civic Platform, criticised the director after she pledged in an interview with the Polish edition of Newsweek that she would never vote for the party again as it had broken its promises over legalising civil partnerships and regulating IVF treatment.

Niesiolowski responded in an interview with TVP public television that “this declaration means something along the lines of 'I'm not bothered about Poland, only my lesbian daughter.'”

Owing to Niesiolowski's refusal to apologise, Prime Minister took it upon himself to do so.

“I deeply apologise to Mrs Agnieszka Holland for those words, and for what was in my opinion an unacceptable expression used by Stefan Niesiolowski,” he told Polish Radio.

The director of In Darkness and Washington Square responded in an interview with Radio Zet that she did not feel there was any need to apologise, “as Mr Niesolowski's words did not offend me.

“Rather than the prime minister apologise to me for Mr Niesiolowski, I would prefer that steps were taken to ensure that such a situation is not repeated,” she said.

Civil partnerships legislation delayed?

On Wednesday, a meeting of Civic Platform MPs concerning new draft legislation on civil partnerships ended without an agreement.

Prime Minister Tusk had insisted in late January that momentum should not be lost on the issue, in spite of the fact that members of his party were among those who voted against legislation on 25 January.

However, MPs were undecided yesterday as to whether to prepare one or two draft laws on the matter.

“It's good that we are talking,” insisted Andrzej Mezydlo, one of the MPs who voted against legislation last month, in an interview with Polish Radio. (nh)