The Polish government is taking steps to 'swiftly resolve’ the standoff between Polish and Ukrainian transport companies and „quickly lift” the blockade of the Polish-Ukrainian border, the prime minister has said.

The prime minister told the media the government was making efforts to „effectively represent the interests of Polish carriers and drivers,” so as to end the blockade on the Polish-Ukrainian border. Tusk added that Polish officials were holding talks „in Kyiv and in Brussels,” which „can bring results” and „quickly lift the blockade on the border.” The EU waived the permits system following Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, but Polish road carriers say the move had undermined their earnings, according to news outlets.

Source – Polskie Radio

Poland has received the first tranche of the European Union post-pandemic recovery funds, worth EUR 5 billion, for green energy, the government in Warsaw has said.

The minister for EU funds and regional policy announced the payment from Brussels on the X social media platform on Thursday. On December 15, Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that EU recovery funds earmarked for Poland, withheld due to a dispute between Warsaw and Brussels over the rule of law under Poland’s previous conservative government, „have been unblocked at last.” Poland is entitled to EUR 59.8 billion from the EU’s post-pandemic recovery fund, including EUR 34.5 billion in loans and EUR 25.3 billion in grants, according to officials.

Source – Polskie Radio

The Royal Wawel Castle in Poland’s historic southern city of Kraków has attracted over 2.5 million visitors in 2023, an all-time record, according to officials.

The Royal Wawel Castle hosted 10 exhibitions in 2023, including its biggest-ever show, about Poland’s Jagiellonian dynasty, featuring „over 400 artefacts from all over the world,”. The castle’s art collection expanded with the acquisitions of paintings by the likes of Titian, Jan Brueghel the Younger and Paris Bordone, and rare Meissen porcelain sculptures, according to officials. In 2023, the Royal Wawel Castle also hosted concerts, published 27 books and catalogues and won 17 awards.

Source – Polskie Radio

And finally, a long-awaited road construction at the Northern Port in Gdańsk has started after the Christmas break.

The current road infrastructure around the Northern Port area is not sufficient to handle the ever-increasing number of trucks using the port and which causes frequent traffic jams in the area. The investment is expected to cost nearly PLN 70 million, and the work is expected to last until 2027. The works are being carried out in such a way as to avoid disrupting the traffic flow during the construction.

Source – Radio Gdańsk

Weather

Today will be a showery day with sunny spells in a moderate breeze and temperatures of 8 degree centigrade (46 degrees Fahrenheit) during the day and 4 degrees overnight.

Tomorrow will turn rainier in moderate winds and temperatures of 6 degrees during the day and 1 degree overnight.

Martin Caren/kł