The Polish government has promised a swift response to Belarusian authorities’ recent decision to expel a Polish diplomat.
The Consul of the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Brest, Jerzy Timofiejuk, was told to leave Belarus after taking part in an event to honor the “Żołnierze wyklęci,” Poland’s post-World War II anti-communist resistance fighters.
In comments made yesterday to Polish Radio’s IAR news agency, Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Przydacz characterized the expulsion as an added „burden on the difficult relations between the two countries” in which Belarusian authorities have “excluded themselves from a path of dialogue and cooperation.”
He concluded by echoing previous calls for Belarus to “engage in dialogue with its people, free political prisoners and restore basic civil liberties.”
Registrations opened today for residents with underlying medical conditions as Poland moves forward with its vaccination program.
Cancer patients, patients undergoing dialysis, those recovering or preparing for transplants, and patients on oxygen support will be able to sign up for up inoculations beginning today. Vaccinations of this group, which comprises some 150,000 people, are set to begin on Monday, March 15th.
Referrals for patients in this group should be issued by the e-Health Center (CeZ) of NFZ by the end of today (March 10). Patients can check whether they have received such a referral by accessing their Online Patient Account via the website pacjent.gov.pl or by calling their primary care or attending physician.
Poland’s biggest refiner, PKN Orlen, announced on Tuesday that it had struck an unprecedented deal with US oil producer Exxon Mobil for a million tons of crude.
PKN Orlen CEO Daniel Obajtek announced the historic deal on social media, describing the agreement as “the first time ever” that his company “has concluded a long-term contract for the supply of crude oil from the US.”
The agreement with Exxon Mobil will reportedly supply nearly 1 million tons of crude oil to PKN Orlen refineries in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Lithuania over the course of the coming year.
Refineries belonging to the Orlen group currently receive crude under long-term contracts with suppliers from both Saudi Arabia and Russia. Poland has been making efforts to boost its energy security and diversify supplies while reducing its dependence on Russia.
The Polish Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW) is warning residents to prepare for strong winds and rain in tomorrow’s forecast.
According to a spokesman for the Institute, residents across Poland can expect heavy rainstorms to roll in beginning tomorrow afternoon, with a chance for snow in the eastern and northeastern regions of the country.
Gusts of wind may reach up to 70 km/h inland and up to 80-90 km/h (~50 mp/h) on the coast and foothills. Similar weather is expected to continue through the weekend, with storms creating potentially dangerous conditions on the Baltic sea. Residents are advised to exercise additional caution when going out and remain indoors if possible.
Weather
Today will be your last chance to get some sun before a series of storms roll in tomorrow. Skies will remain mostly clear throughout the day today, with a light breeze coming in from the south and almost no chance of rain or snow. Temperatures will warm up slightly during the day, with a high of 4°C, or 40°F, dropping to a chilly -4°C or 24°F overnight.
Elizabeth Peck/ako
