Poland’s president has urged global solidarity in the face of challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic and support for his country’s protest-riven eastern neighbour Belarus in a major address to the United Nations.

Addressing the virtual General Debate of the 75th Session of the UN General Assembly this week, Andrzej Duda said the following: “respect for international law, multilateral cooperation of states, international humanitarian law, protection of human rights and taking care of the natural environment are among themes of pivotal importance to Poland”. He noted in his pre-recorded speech that Poland last month celebrated 40 years since the establishment of the Solidarity movement which led to a domino effect across the wider region. The United Nations is marking its 75th anniversary, with world leaders addressing the General Assembly remotely because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Poland reported a new record daily rise in coronavirus infections on Thursday, confirming 1,136 new cases, the most since the pandemic hit the country in early March.

The death toll increased by 25, according to public health authorities. A total of 82,809 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in Poland since the start of the pandemic, and 2,369 have died from the disease so far, officials said on Thursday. Poland’s previous daily record was when 1,002 new coronavirus infections were confirmed nationwide on Saturday, September 19th. Of the new cases confirmed on Thursday, 183 were in the southern province of Małopolskie, which includes the historic city of Kraków. Meanwhile, 149 new infections were reported in the central region of Mazowieckie, which contains the national capital Warsaw.

A deal between three conservative groupings that together form Poland’s government will be signed by the end of the week, a politician from the senior party in the ruling coalition has said, following talks to end a crisis in the alliance.

A rift between the three ruling parties at one point threatened to break up their coalition and triggered warnings that Poland faced the prospect of a minority government or early elections. The coalition has ruled the country since 2015. It secured a second term in power in a parliamentary ballot last October.

And finally, the Polish government has approved a loan of 300 million PLN towards the construction of a new waste incineration plant in Gdańsk.