Poland’s health minister on Thursday announced a partial lockdown in two additional provinces from March 15th amid soaring coronavirus cases in the country.

The decision means that from Monday, restrictions will be imposed on shopping malls and a range of other facilities in the central Mazowieckie region, which includes the national capital Warsaw, and in the country’s western Lubuskie province. „Hotels will be closed, shopping malls will have limits on their operations, cultural institutions will be closed, and swimming pools and sports facilities will be shut” in those two regions, Health Minister Adam Niedzielski told reporters. Poland on Thursday reported 21,045 new coronavirus infections, the highest tally since November.

Source – Polskie Radio

Poland files complaint with top EU court over rule-of-law link to Brussels cash

Poland has filed a complaint this week with the European Union’s top court about a mechanism linking payouts of the bloc’s funds with observance of the so called „rule-of-law”. The mechanism was approved at an EU summit in December. Submitting its complaint, the government in Warsaw argued that the „rule-of-law” mechanism has no legal basis in EU treaties and interfered with the powers of the bloc’s member states. Poland denies accusations by Brussels of violating democratic principles and undermining the independence of its judiciary. Poland had protested that it could be financially punished by „arbitrary” political decisions from European officials critical of the conservative government in Warsaw.

Source – Polskie Radio

Poland’s energy transition to cost EUR 335 billion by 2040

Poland’s energy transition in the years 2021-2040 is likely to total PLN 1.6 trillion according to Poland’s new energy policy, valid till 2040. According to the new guidelines, renewable energy will constitute at least 23 percent of final energy consumption by 2030. Offshore wind farms will generate 5.9 GW of power by 2030 and 11 GW by 2040. Poland also aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 30 percent by 2030, as compared to 1990. By 2040, all households will be kept warm by district heating or by zero- or low-emission individual heating units. The energy transition costs are likely to total PLN 1.6 trillion. It has been estimated that by 2030, PLN 260 billion – EUR 57.8 billion, including both EU and domestic funds, will be invested in the national energy and climate transition. In 2033, Poland should launch the first unit in its first nuclear power plant, generating some 1-1.6 GW of power. Subsequent units should be started every two to three years until the target of six units is reached. Natural gas is planned as a „bridge fuel” between fossil fuels and renewable energy. In 2020, the share of coal in Poland’s energy mix was 70 percent compared to over 73 percent in 2019.

Source – Polskie Radio

Gdańsk Zoo’s 45 Year Old Chimpanzee dies

And finally, one of Europe’s oldest captive chimpanzees has died in Gdańsk zoo this week. „Kasia” the matriarch of the group of chimpanzees at Gdańsk zoo was born in London Zoo in 1976, coming to Gdańsk a year later. Michał Cichoń, chimpanzee and orangutan keeper at the Gdańsk Zoo, said that she was a wonderful and experienced mother and grandmother who had raised eight offspring. Two daughters, a son and a granddaughter, continue to live in the Gdańsk group. She was the oldest chimpanzee living in Polish zoos and one of the oldest in Europe. Chimpanzees in the wild live up to 40 years.

Source – trojmiasto.pl

Weather

Today will be a cloudy day with sunny intervals and a fresh breeze with highs of 7 degrees centigrade (45 degrees Fahrenheit) during the day, dropping to 1 degree overnight. Saturday will be another cloudy day with chances of rain throughout the day and a moderate breeze with temperatures reaching 8 degrees during the day and 3 degrees overnight.
That was the Radio Gdańsk English news and weather.

Martin Caren/mw