Tens of thousands of Belarusians took to the streets again yesterday to call on Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to step down.
Despite repeated threats, mass demonstrations show no sign of abating nearly a month after an election Lukashenko’s opponents claim was rigged. Some estimates placed the size of yesterday’s crowd at over 100,000, with the Associated Press claiming the figure was closer to 150,000.
While the army and security forces were largely restrained during the protests, masked men reportedly began detaining individuals as the protest was ending and crowds began dispersing. Video footage shown by local media outlet TUT.BY showed women shouting “shame” at members of the security forces who were dragging people away into detention.
The human rights group Spring-96 said at least 70 people were arrested during yesterday’s demonstrations, while Deutsche Welle had confirmed at least two dozen arrests as of this morning.
Source: Radio Poland, Deutsche Welle
The heads of three conservative parties which together won Poland’s parliamentary elections last October are scheduled to meet today for talks on a new coalition agreement and a long-expected government reshuffle.
Top officials from the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party are expected to meet with their counterparts from the Porozumienie (Agreement) and the Solidarna Polska (Polish Solidarity) parties to discuss several administrative and political matters, according to a report by Polish state news agency IAR.
Plans for the reorganization were announced earlier this summer, with PiS party leader Jarosław Kaczyński stating his party’s intention to merge several departments and reduce the number of government ministries from 20 to “around 12.”
Despite the reshuffle, Kaczyński has previously stated that Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki will remain in his position.
Source: Radio Poland
Polish economy shows signs of stabilizing. Labor ministry recently announced that the unemployment rate has remained steady for the past three months, coming in at an estimated 6.1 percent for August.
According to labor minister Marlena Maląg, the figures are „further proof that the labor market appears to be stabilizing after a period of lockdown and the resulting restrictions in the economy.”
The state-run Central Statistical Office (GUS) reported last week that the Polish jobless rate stood at 6.1 percent in July, unchanged from June.
Meanwhile, the European Union’s Eurostat statistical office, which uses a different methodology, estimated this week that unemployment in Poland was a modest 3.2 percent in July, the second-lowest rate in the 27-nation bloc.
Source: Radio Poland
Over the weekend, a flight from Gdańsk to Greece had to be canceled at the last minute after a passenger informed the crew that she had tested positive for COVID-19.
The plane had reportedly already taxied and was preparing for takeoff when the passenger was notified via SMS of her positive diagnosis. After informing the crew, she and her companions were escorted off the plane and the flight was officially canceled.
Foreign passengers from the flight were allowed to continue on to Greece, but Polish residents were sent home to self-isolate and await further guidance from Sanepid\.
Source: Radio Gdańsk
Weather
Today will alternate between sun and clouds, with a slight chance of rain this afternoon and again overnight. Temperatures will be on the cooler side with a high of 18°C, or 64°F, and an overnight low of 11°C or 51°F. Clouds and some scattered rain showers are set to continue through tomorrow, with warm, sunny weather returning on Wednesday.
EP/am
