26

Sep

Polish venue cancels Roger Waters gigs after Ukraine comments

WARSAW  (Reuters) - Concerts by Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters were cancelled by a venue in the Polish city of Krakow, organisers said, after the artist's comments on the war in Ukraine caused a storm of criticism. Waters had been due to appear in Krakow next April, but Polish media reports about an open letter he wrote to Ukraine's first lady Olena Zelenska urging her to ask her husband to choose "a different route" and criticising the West for supplying Ukraine with arms provoked a fierce backlash. "Live Nation Polska and Tauron Arena Krakow have cancelled Roger Waters' concert," organisers…

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25

Sep

EPA’s Eye In The Sky: Szczecin, Poland

The sailing ship of Gdynia Maritime University, the Dar Mlodziezy, is moored at Chrobry Wharf, in Szczecin, western Poland. Photo: EPA-EFE/Marcin Bielecki

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24

Sep

Polish inflation could rise in September, finance minister says

WARSAW, Sept 24 (Reuters) - Inflation in Poland could rise slightly in September, the country's finance minister said on Saturday, adding that she still believed it would reach a peak this year. Poland is grappling with price growth that has surged to its highest level in a quarter of a century combined with a slowdown some economists say could tip the largest economy in the European Union's eastern wing into recession. "We forecast that in September there could be growth in inflation to around 16.4%," Magdalena Rzeczkowska told private broadcaster RMF FM. In August, inflation was 16.1%, according to statistics…

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24

Sep

Poland says no reason to allow Russians fleeing Putin’s draft into the country

A Polish deputy defence minister has cautioned against opening borders to Russian citizens fleeing Vladimir Putin’s call-up for the invasion of Ukraine. Marcin Ociepa made the comment in a TV interview on Friday, Polish state news agency PAP reported. The deputy defence minister told private broadcaster Polsat News: “Such an operation may represent an ideal opportunity for Russia’s security services to trick countries into admitting foreign agents posing as deserters or refugees.” Ociepa noted that Poland and the Baltic states had recently moved to limit entry of Russian citizens through their borders, in the interests of national security. “There must be…

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23

Sep

Poland’s unemployment rate falls to 4.8% in August

Sept 23 (Reuters) - Poland's registered unemployment rate falls to 4.8% in August compared with 4.9% in July, statistics office data showed on Friday, below analysts' expectations of 4.9%. The statistics office also said that the number of registered unemployed was 806,900 last month. (Reporting by Anna Banacka and Patrycja Zaras)

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23

Sep

Poland distributes iodine pills as fears grow over Ukraine nuclear plant

WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland, concerned about fighting around Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, has distributed iodine tablets to regional fire departments to give to people in the event of radioactive exposure, a deputy minister said. Iodine is considered a way of protecting the body against conditions such as thyroid cancer in case of radioactive exposure. Shelling at the site of Zaporizhzhia - Europe's biggest nuclear power plant - has damaged buildings close to its six reactors and cut power cables, risking a nuclear catastrophe that would affect neighbouring countries. Russia and Ukraine blame each other for the shelling around the…

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22

Sep

Controversy in Poland over Roger Waters’ concerts

Members of the City Council of Kraków representing Poland's conservative Law and Justice party have drafted a resolution aimed at declaring former Pink Floyd star Roger Waters persona non grata in the southern Polish city because of his statements about Russia's aggression against Ukraine. The British musician is due to give two concerts in Poland on April 21 and 22 next year at Kraków’s Tauron Arena. The draft resolution, which is set to be put to a vote on September 28, says: “Mindful of Russia’s criminal attack on Ukraine and of the successive war crimes committed by Russian soldiers that come to light, Kraków…

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19

Sep

Baltic states and Poland close doors to Russian tourists

NARVA, Estonia, Sept 19 (Reuters) - Four of the five European Union countries bordering Russia began turning away Russian tourists at midnight on Monday, saying they should not travel while their country is at war with Ukraine. Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania imposed new restrictions as Finland decided to remain open, though it has cut back the number of consular appointments available to Russian travellers seeking visas. The move was the latest in a series of sanctions and other steps taken by the European Union or its member states since Moscow invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24 in what it calls…

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18

Sep

Photo Story: First snowfall in the Polish Tatra Mountains

A wintery scene on Sunday in the Polish Tatra Mountains, near in the Morskie Oko lake (Eye of the Sea), southern Poland. The first snow fell in the Polish Tatra and the temperature dropped in the night a few degrees below zero. Via EPA-EFE/Grzegorz Momot

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15

Sep

Poland against EU-wide tax on energy firms, climate minister says

WARSAW, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Poland is against introducing an EU-wide windfall tax on energy companies but may introduce a similar solution independently, Polish Climate Minister Anna Moskwa said on Thursday. The European Union's executive on Wednesday outlined plans to raise more than $140 billion from energy firms to help shield households and businesses from soaring prices that threaten economic recession and insolvencies. "We are considering such an idea on a country level ... but we do not agree to introducing such a solution at a European level," Moskwa told private station Radio Zet. Moskwa said such a decision would…

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15

Sep

Poland to freeze electricity prices for households in 2023

Poland plans to freeze in 2023 electricity prices at current levels for households consuming less energy, the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) leader said this week, as the government looks for ways to shield consumers from soaring prices. PiS has seen a drop in public support as energy costs soared following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, driving Polish inflation to its highest in over two decades, with prices up 16.1% year-on-year in August. "We have taken steps to ensure that electricity for each family, for a household up to 2,000 kilowatt (hours), is at a fixed price and, in fact, the…

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12

Sep

Rate-hike cycle in Poland may be ending, central banker Kochalski says

WARSAW, Sept 12 (Reuters) - Polish central banker Cezary Kochalski said there was significantly reduced room for further interest rate hikes and that the probability of ending the monetary tightening cycle had increased. Last week, the MPC raised interest rates by 25 basis points, and the governor of the National Bank of Poland (NBP) said that in October, key rates may either be hiked by 25 basis points or remain unchanged amid concern that excessive tightening of monetary policy could hurt a slowing economy. "... the space for further rate hikes has been significantly reduced, and the likelihood of ending…

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08

Sep

Poland joins Baltic states on new limits to entry of Russian nationals

WARSAW, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Poland joined the Baltic states on Thursday in limiting the admission of Russian nationals on its territory, the government said, the latest move aiming to penalise Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia this week agreed to limit the entry of Russian nationals into their countries from Russia and Belarus. "It is unacceptable that, while people in Ukraine are being tortured and murdered, citizens from the aggressor state (Russia) can travel freely within the EU," the Polish government said in a statement, adding the new measures should enter into force by Sept.…

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07

Sep

Estonia purchases Piorun anti-aircraft missile systems from Poland

WARSAW, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Estonia on Wednesday signed a deal with Poland to purchase Piorun anti-aircraft missile systems, designed to target low-flying aircraft such as helicopters and drones. "This is a historic moment...for our bilateral cooperation and for our cooperation in the defence field," Estonia's Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur said during a news conference in Poland. "It's very important for us, for the region, for the region of the Baltic sea and especially for the NATO Eastern flank." Mesko, the Polish defence technology company producing the Piorun system, will deliver 300 missiles and 100 launch mechanisms to Estonia, according…

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07

Sep

Poland has not decided on windfall tax on energy firms, minister says

KARPACZ, Poland, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Poland has not decided if it will introduce a windfall tax on the profits of energy companies to support consumers, finance minister Magdalena Rzeczkowska said on Wednesday. Rzeczkowska said that while energy companies benefited from high prices of electricity and gas, they also needed to invest their profits to finance a transformation away from fossil fuels. "On the one hand, there are potential profits but prices are unpredictable. Meanwhile, energy transformation means these profits have to be invested in the coming years," Rzeczkowska told reporters at an economic conference. "It's hard to say if…

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05

Sep

Poland to order 48 Krab howitzers for nearly $800 mln

WARSAW, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Poland will order 48 more AHS Krab self-propelled howitzers and 36 accompanying vehicles from local arms producer Huta Stalowa Wola for 3.8 billion zlotys ($797 million), National Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said on Monday. "This is a second contract, the first was concluded in 2016, and is still being implemented ... the contract value is 3.8 billion zlotys," Blaszczak said. In 2016, the Polish military ordered 96 self-propelled howitzers from Huta Stalowa Wola to be delivered by 2024. The AHS Krab has a maximum firing range of 40 kilometres. Russia's invasion on Ukraine, which Moscow…

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02

Sep

Germany: Issue of WW2 reparations is closed

BERLIN, Sept 1 (Reuters) - The question of reparations has been concluded, a spokesperson for Germany's foreign ministry said after Poland estimated its World War Two losses caused by Germany at 6.2 trillion zlotys and said it would demand reparations. "The position of the German government is unchanged, the question of reparations has been concluded," said the German ministry spokesperson in an email. "Poland renounced further reparations a long time ago, in 1953, and has several times confirmed this renunciation. This is a basic foundation basis for today's European order. Germany stands by its political and moral responsibility for the…

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01

Sep

Poland manufacturing PMI falls in Aug as inflation bites

WARSAW, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Polish manufacturing activity contracted further in August, a survey showed on Thursday, with output and new orders falling at rates not seen since the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic as surging inflation eroded customers' purchasing power. S&P Global's Polish Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) fell to 40.9 in August from 42.1 in July, remaining below the 50.0 line that separates growth from contraction for a fourth consecutive month. Analysts polled by Reuters had expected a reading of 41.8. "Poland's manufacturing economy remained mired in deep contraction territory during August, amid reports of an increasingly…

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01

Sep

Poland to officially demand WW2 reparations from Germany

WARSAW, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Poland estimates its World War Two losses caused by Germany at 6.2 trillion zlotys ($1.32 trillion), the leader of the country's ruling nationalists said on Thursday, and he said Warsaw would officially demand reparations. The new estimate tops the $850 billion estimate by a ruling party lawmaker from 2019. The ruling Law and Justice (PiS) has repeated calls for compensation several times since it took power in 2015, but Poland hasn't officially demanded reparations. "The sum that was presented was adopted using the most limited, conservative method, it would be possible to increase it," Jaroslaw…

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31

Aug

Photo Story: The drought in Poland

Boats sit on the exposed bottom of one of the arms of the Solinskie (Solina) Lake, in the town of Chrewt, southeastern Poland.  Due to the lack of rainfall and the drought, the water level in the lake is constantly decreasing. Via EPA-EFE/DAREK DELMANOWICZ

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30

Aug

EU Commission stands by view Poland’s recovery plan merited approval

The European Commission said on Monday it fully stood by its proposal to approve Poland's recovery plan after four associations of European judges asked the EU court to annul it, because the plan disregarded earlier EU court judgements. On the basis of the Commission's contested recommendation, EU finance ministers approved Poland's recovery plan in June, paving the way for the disbursement of some 35 billion euros ($34.99 billion) in grants and loans to Warsaw, once it fulfils some conditions. But four associations of European judges - the Association of European Administrative Judges, the European Association of Judges, Rechters voor Rechters and Magistrats Européens pour la Démocratie et les Libertés - asked the EU General Court…

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29

Aug

European judges challenge EU approval of Poland’s recovery plan

WARSAW, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Four European judges associations challenged in European Union's General Court a decision to approve Poland's recovery and resilience plan, they said in a statement on Sunday. Poland's access to 23.9 billion euros ($23.8 billion) in grants and 11.5 billion euros in cheap loans had been blocked due to a dispute over judicial independence. But in June the Commission said it was approving Poland's recovery plan, opening the way for Warsaw to get the cash.  ($1 = 1.0039 euros) (Reporting by Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk; Editing by Edmund Blair) Reuters/EPA

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26

Aug

Carlsberg’s Poland unit could stop production; lack of CO2 threatens food industry

GDANSK (Reuters) - Danish brewery Carlsberg's subsidiary in Poland could cut or halt beer production due to a lack of carbon dioxide deliveries, that is becoming a problem for the food industry in the country. "If deliveries of carbon dioxide (CO2) are not resumed, there will be a high probability of significant production cut or production halt," spokeswoman for Carlsberg Polska Beata Ptaszyńska-Jedynak said. She explained that the beer industry uses carbon dioxide to keep oxygen out of beer, but that the lack of CO2 was hitting many other parts of the food industry which also uses it for refrigeration.…

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25

Aug

Photo story: Emergency on the Czarna Woda river in Poland due to flooding

An aerial view of flooding after a warning was issued due to heavy rainfall on the Czarna Woda river in the town of Gniechowice in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Poland.  The Institute of Meteorology and Water Management, due to the heavy rain issued warnings for Opolskie and Lower Silesian. Other parts of Poland are then facing severe drought. The water level in the Vistula in the Warsaw section is approaching a low record and to the lowest water level in history. Photo: EPA-EFE/Aleksander Kozminski

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24

Aug

Poland’s unemployment rate flat at 4.9% in July

Aug 24 (Reuters) - Poland's registered unemployment rate remains flat at 4.9% in July compared with 4.9% in June, statistics office data showed on Wednesday, above analysts' expectations of 4.8%. The statistics office also said that the number of registered unemployed was 810,200 last month. Separately, the statistics office said the unemployment rate as measured by the Labour Force Survey (BAEL) fell to 2.6% in the second quarter compared to 3.1% in the first quarter of 2022. (Reporting by Maria Gieldon and Anna Banacka)

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22

Aug

Mass fish die-off sparks political row between Poland and Germany’s leaders

 The death of thousands of fish in a river bordering Germany and Poland has sparked a political row between the two countries. Scientists are still trying to find an explanation for the mass die-off, which has seen over 200 tonnes of dead fish recovered from the Oder River. Poland's environment minister has accused Germany of spreading "fake news" about the environmental disaster after it reported on high pesticide levels in the waterway. "In Poland, the substance [pesticide] is tested and detected below the threshold with no effect on fish or other species and no link to die-offs," Anna Moskwa wrote…

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22

Aug

Photo Story: The International Mountain Folklore Festival in Zakopane, Poland

A Polish folk group takes part in a procession on Sunday along the streets of Zakopane at the foot of the Tatra Mountains, in Zakopane, Poland. The 53rd International Mountain Folklore Festival is underway, in which folk groups from Europe, Asia and America participate. Via EPA-EFE/Grzegorz Momot

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21

Aug

Algae toxins suspected of killing fish in Oder River

Research groups and laboratories investigating what killed thousands of fish in the Oder River running between Poland and Germany are pointing at algae toxins. "The results of the research of our experts from the Institute for Inland Fisheries indicate the presence of microorganisms (golden algae) in the water of the Oder," Polish Environment Minister Anna Moskwa said Thursday. Their bloom can emit toxins lethal to fish and shellfish but not harmful for humans, she added.   German researchers from the Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) in Berlin said Wednesday they identified Prymnesium parvum, a type of golden…

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21

Aug

Photo Story: The light festival “Bella Skyway Festival” in Torun, Poland

The Anookis , emblematic giant luminous statues, during the 13th Bella Skyway Festival in Torun, Poland. The slogan of this year's festival which ended Saturday, was "Event Horizon." For five summer evenings, the amazing glow of light installations enlivened the Polish city's night scenery Photo: EPA-EFE/Tytus Zmijewski https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awzP7PpF6NY&t=2s

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20

Aug

Fear for future after mass die-off of fish in Poland’s Oder river

WIDUCHOWA, Poland (Reuters) - As thousands of dead fish neared the banks of the Oder River in the village of Widuchowa in western Poland on Aug. 11, local people realised an ecological disaster that started in late July in the country's south-west was heading towards the Baltic Sea. As Widuchowa's residents searched for tools to remove the lifeless bodies from the the river, the government began crisis response that many scientists say came too late. "It's been the hardest five days of my life," said Pawel Wrobel, the mayor of Widuchowa, which is around 400 kilometres (250 miles) from the…

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20

Aug

Photo Story: Solina Lagoon in Wolkowya, Poland, drying up

Decreased water level at Solinski Lagoon in Wolkowya, southeastern Poland. Due to the drought, the water level in the lagoon has drastically decreased. Via EPA-EFE/Darek Delmanowicz

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15

Aug

Poland says Oder tests so far not showing poison as cause of fish die-off

WARSAW, (Reuters) - Poison cannot be ruled out as the cause of a mass die-off of fish in the Oder river but tests so far have not proven toxic substances were to blame, Polish Environment Minister Anna Moskwa said. Tonnes of dead fish have been found since late July in the river Oder, which runs through Germany and Poland. Both countries have said they believe a toxic substance is to blame, but have yet to identify what it is. "As of today, none of these (water) tests have confirmed the presence of toxic substances," Moskwa said after meeting with her…

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13

Aug

Germany and Poland search for cause of mass fish die-off in river Oder

BERLIN/WARSAW, (Reuters) - Polish and German authorities are working "flat-out" to establish the cause behind a mass fish die-off in the river Oder, German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke said, warning of an environmental catastrophe. Tonnes of dead fish have been found since late July in the river Oder, which runs through Germany and Poland. Both sides have said they believe a toxic substance is to blame but have yet to identify it. "An environmental catastrophe is in the offing," Lemke told the RND newspaper group. "All sides are working flat out to find the reasons for this mass die-out and…

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12

Aug

Mass fish die-off in German-Polish river blamed on unknown toxic substance

BERLIN, Aug 12 (Reuters) - An unidentified highly toxic substance in the Oder river, which runs through Poland and Germany, appears to be the cause of a mass die-off of fish, the German state of Brandenburg's environment ministry said. An analysis of river water taken this week showed evidence of "synthetic chemical substances, very probably also with toxic effects for vertebrates," the ministry said on Thursday, adding that it remained unclear how the substance entered the water. According to local broadcaster rbb, the state laboratory found high levels of mercury in the water samples. The head of Poland's national water…

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11

Aug

Poland to get recovery cash after meeting agreed milestones – Commission

Poland will get money from the European Union recovery fund only after it reaches the milestones and targets that the Polish government has jointly agreed with the EU in many months of negotiations, the European Commission said on Thursday. Poland is eligible for 24 billion euros in grants and 11.5 billion euros in very cheap loans to rebuild its economy greener and more digitalised after the COVID-19 pandemic. But the money is frozen because Poland's ruling eurosceptic PiS party does not want to roll back changes to the judiciary introduced over the last seven years, even though it is one of the conditions that was jointly agreed with the Commission. PiS leaders this week vowed they would not make any…

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11

Aug

Poland to get recovery cash after meeting agreed milestones – Commission

BRUSSELS, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Poland will get money from the European Union recovery fund only after it reaches the milestones and targets that the Polish government has jointly agreed with the EU in many months of negotiations, the European Commission said on Thursday. Poland is eligible for 24 billion euros in grants and 11.5 billion euros in very cheap loans to rebuild its economy greener and more digitalised after the COVID-19 pandemic. But the money is frozen because Poland's ruling eurosceptic PiS party does not want to roll back changes to the judiciary introduced over the last seven years,…

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11

Aug

Photo Story: Ecological disaster hits the the Oder River

Dead fish in the Oder River in Cigacice village, western Poland. Polish Environmental Protection Inspectorate had notified the prosecutor of an ecological disaster that hit the second longest river in Poland, the Oder. Tonnes of dead fish were found in the Oder river along with other animals, such as beavers. The president of state-owned Polish Waters, Przemyslaw Daca, said that due to drought and high temperatures even minor pollution can lead to an ecological disaster. The reason of the disaster in the Oder river is being investigated. Via EPA-EFE/LECH MUSZYNSKI

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10

Aug

Polish PM calls for reform against EU ‘imperialism’

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki accused the European Union of imperialistic behaviour towards smaller member states in an op-ed published on the Welt news website on Wednesday. "Political practice has shown that the positions of Germany and France count more than all the others," Morawiecki wrote for the German news outlet, calling for a more consensus-based approach. "So we are dealing with a formal democracy and a de facto oligarchy in which the strongest hold power," he said, adding that EU imperialism must be combated as well as Russian imperialism. The prime minister, whose nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) government has clashed repeatedly with Brussels over rule of law issues, said the Russian…

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10

Aug

Photo Story: The Odra river in Poland drying up

An aerial picture taken with a drone shows low water level at the Odra river near Czelin village, north-western Poland. Poland is experiencing dry weather and drought with high temperatures. Via EPA-EFE/Marcin Bielecki

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10

Aug

Polish PM calls for reform against EU ‘imperialism’ – Welt op-ed

BERLIN, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki accused the European Union of imperialistic behaviour towards smaller member states in an op-ed published on the Welt news website on Wednesday. "Political practice has shown that the positions of Germany and France count more than all the others," Morawiecki wrote for the German news outlet, calling for a more consensus-based approach. "So we are dealing with a formal democracy and a de facto oligarchy in which the strongest hold power," he said, adding that EU imperialism must be combated as well as Russian imperialism. The prime minister, whose nationalist…

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08

Aug

Former Polish president Walesa is in hospital with an infection

WARSAW (Reuters) - Lech Walesa, the former Polish president and Solidarity trade union leader who played a leading role in the fall of Communism, is in hospital with an infection and will remain there for at least a week, his spokesman said on Monday. Originally a shipyard electrician in the northern port city of Gdansk, Walesa became a symbol of the historic changes that ended the Cold War, leading the Solidarity trade union movement which brought about the switch to a free-market economy in 1989. Walesa posted a photo of himself lying in a hospital bed on Facebook on Sunday…

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06

Aug

UPDATE – Twelve Poles killed, 31 injured in Croatia bus crash on their way to Medjuorgje

VARAZDIN, Croatia (Reuters) - Twelve people were killed and 31 injured, 18 of them seriously, when a Polish bus filled with religious pilgrims slipped off a road and crashed near Varazdin in northwestern Croatia early on Saturday, authorities said. Police, firefighters and medical teams were deployed to the site of the accident that occurred at 5:40 a.m. near Breznicki Hum in the direction of the capital Zagreb, the police said. Rescue services at a scene of a Polish bus crash on a highway between Varazdin and Zagreb, Croatia, early morning of 06 August 2022. According to Polish Foreign Ministry, 12…

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05

Aug

Poland’s unemployment seen at 4.9% in July

WARSAW, Aug 5 (Reuters) - Poland's unemployment rate was 4.9% in July according to preliminary data, Family and Labour Minister Marlena Malag was quoted as saying by state news agency PAP on Friday. In June the unemployment rate was also 4.9%. (Reporting by Pawel Florkiewicz; Editing by Toby Chopra)

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03

Aug

Payment holidays, aid fund have left Poland’s banks less resilient, mBank says

WARSAW, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Regulatory changes introduced in Poland have left its banking sector less resilient to potential shocks than it used to be, mBank  deputy head Marek Lusztyn told a news conference on Wednesday. Sharp interest rate rises imposed by the central bank to tackle inflation have hit many borrowers and prompted the government to introduce payment holidays and increase its special aid fund. "The biggest threat (to the Polish banking sector) is the ability to cope with unpredictable shocks, both internal and external, because simply resistance to future shocks is lower than it used to be," Lusztyn said. Payment holidays for borrowers allow postponing eight instalments in 2022-23,…

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02

Aug

EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Lake Solina in Polanczyk, Poland

A picture taken with a drone shows kayaks moored at Lake Solina in Polanczyk, Poland. The village is a popular tourist destination. Via EPA-EFE/Darek Delmanowicz

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31

Jul

With massive Polish arms deal South Korea steps closer to Ukraine war

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's biggest ever arms deal will make it a major supplier of weapons flooding into Europe since the Ukraine war began, with sales to NATO-member Poland involving more than 1,600 tanks and howitzers, and nearly 50 fighter jets. South Korean and Polish officials signed a framework agreement on Wednesday in Warsaw in a deal that Poland says is a key part of their efforts to rearm in the face of the war in Ukraine, where it has sent at least $1.7 billion in military aid. The scale and speed of the multi-billion dollar deal caught some analysts off…

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31

Jul

EPA’s Eye In The Sky: Tarnobrzeg, Poland

A view of the beach and sunbathing tourists on a hot day at Lake Tarnobrzeg in Tarnobrzeg, Poland. Photo: EPA-EFE/Darek Delmanowicz

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30

Jul

Photo Story: Commemoration of the Warsaw Uprising

Polish President Andrzej Duda (R) and the Warsaw Uprising insurgent Janina Burza 'Janka' (C) during a meeting with Warsaw Uprising heroes as part of the Warsaw Uprising 78th anniversary commemoration events at the Warsaw Uprising Museum, in Warsaw, Poland, 30 July 2022. The Warsaw Uprising started on 01 August 1944 as the biggest resistance operation in Nazi-occupied Europe. Initially intended to last several days, it continued for over two months before being suppressed by the Germans. The uprising claimed the lives of about 18,000 insurgents and around 180,000 civilians. Via EPA-EFE/RADEK PIETRUSZKA

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29

Jul

Poland wants right to block EU plan to reduce gas demand

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that a possible decision on a compulsory reduction in gas consumption in the European Union must be made unanimously, not by a qualified majority vote. European Union countries bracing for further cuts in Russian gas supplies on Tuesday approved a weakened emergency plan to curb demand, after striking compromise deals to limit consumption reductions for some countries. Under the plan the cuts could be made binding in a supply emergency, provided a majority of EU countries agree. Hungary was the only country that opposed the plan, two EU officials said. Poland had said it…

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28

Jul

Photo Story: South Korean aerobatic team in Poland

A handout photo made available by the Republic of Korea Air Force shows the Black Eagles South Korean aerobatic flight team staging a performance aboard T-50 trainer jets at an air base in Deblin, Poland. The Polish government signed a contract to purchase 48 FA-50 light attack fighters from Korea Aerospace Industries the same day. Via EPA-EFE/ROK AIR FORCE

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28

Jul

Sweden dismisses move to return ‘spoils of war’ to Poland

Sweden’s Foreign Minister Ann Linde said she won’t return a historical document to Poland, as it was a “legitimate” spoil of war. Łaski’s statutes, the first codification of Polish law, was published in 1506 before a copy was taken by Sweden during an invasion in the mid-17th Century and is now in the collection of Uppsala University. Right-wing MP Björn Söder, from the Sweden Democrats, demanded earlier in July that Sweden return the “looted” parchment. Citing Poland’s swift backing for Sweden’s entry to the NATO military alliance, Söder said that it would be a gesture of goodwill to hand back…

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24

Jul

Researchers say Poland’s border fence threatens lynxes

Cutting through Poland's Bialowieza forest, the fence on the country's border with Belarus that is meant to stop the flow of migrants is hampering the movement of the Bialowieza lynxes and could lead to their extinction, researchers said. Before the border wall was completed in late June, about 40 of the lynxes, which are protected by Polish law, inhabited the dense forest, a UNESCO World Heritage site and an EU Natura 2000 special area of conservation. It is unclear how many of the lynxes stayed on the Polish side after the barrier was built, but the population is likely to…

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24

Jul

Photo Story: Heavy storm in Krakow, Poland

Fallen trees due to the heavy storm that hit Krakow, southern Poland. The Polish Institute of Meteorology and Water Management issued a warning of strong winds in Poland. Via EPA-EFE/Lukasz Gagulski

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23

Jul

Poland to give households one-off payment to offset rising coal prices

Poland will offer households a one-off payment of 3,000 zlotys ($646) to help cover the rising cost of coal amid surging energy prices prompted mainly by the war in neighbouring Ukraine Polish households and heating plants in smaller towns mostly used Russian coal on account of its high quality but imports were banned by Warsaw in April in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The subsequent spike in prices caused by the shortfall has left many Poles fearing they will be unable to heat their homes this coming winter. "Coal contracted by state-controlled companies and private buyers is coming to…

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23

Jul

Photo Story: Storks nest in Czechow, western Poland

Storks in their nest overlooking the village of Czechow, western Poland. Photo: EPA-EFE/Lech Muszynski

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22

Jul

Poland to buy jets, tanks and howitzers from South Korea

WARSAW, July 22 (Reuters) - Poland will buy 48 FA-50 fighter jets, a first instalment of 180 K2 Black Panther tanks and howitzers from South Korea, Warsaw's defence minister was quoted as saying on Friday, as the country strengthens its army because of the war in Ukraine. The Feb. 24 invasion, which Moscow calls a "special military operation" has raised security fears among many former eastern bloc countries, and NATO member Poland has vowed to boost defence spending to 3% of gross domestic product (GDP) and more than double the size of its army to deter any attacks. "This year,…

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15

Jul

Photo Story: Young Poitou donkey in Plock, Poland

A young poitou donkey named Malwinka in the enclosure of Zoo in Plock, Poland. The female of one of the world's rarest donkey was born on 04 July this year. Originating from the historic land of Poitou in northwestern France, Poitou donkeys are also one of the largest sizes breeds of domestic donkey. The first known description of the breed to date is dated to the early 18th century, while it is not impossible that it originated as far back as the Roman Empire. Via EPA-EFE/Szymon Labinski

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15

Jul

Polish central bank threatens legal action against Tusk over ‘threats’

Poland's central bank said it will ask prosecutors to investigate opposition leader Donald Tusk for threatening behaviour, after the former European Council president said its governor was reappointed illegally and should be sacked. The move marks an escalation in a war of words between central bank chief Adam Glapinski and Tusk, who has been scathing in his criticism of the governor's management of monetary policy at a time when inflation has surged to its highest level in a quarter of a century. The National Bank of Poland (NBP) said it would also ask prosecutors to investigate Tomasz Siemoniak, a lawmaker…

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