A Belarusian court sentenced Siarhei Tsikhanouski, the husband of opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, to 18 years in jail for organizing mass unrest and inciting social hatred.
Tsikhanouski was imprisoned in May last year as he prepared to run for the presidency against Belarus’ strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko, according to reports from Reuters.
Tsikhanouskaya ran in her husband’s place in the presidential election in August last year. Mass protests broke out after the opposition accused Lukashenko of rigging the vote after he declared victory.
In a tweet yesterday, President Andrzej Duda voiced his „solidarity with all the political prisoners of the Lukashenko regime, including those sentenced today in the show trial of Siarhei Tsikhanouski.”
Duda went on to praise „the courage of Belarusian men and women” and compared their struggle with „our own fight against the communist regime.”
Several other Belarusian opposition activists were handed prison terms ranging from 14 to 16 years. According to Tsikhanouskaya, those affected included Artsiom Sakau, Dzmitry Papou, Ihar Losik, Uladzimir Tsyhanovich, and Mikalai Statkevich.
Source: Radio Poland, Reuters
President Andrzej Duda has signed off on a new road safety initiative creating stricter traffic rules and tougher fines in a bid to improve road safety in Poland.
Under the amendments to the Road Safety Act, the maximum fine for traffic offenses will go up from PLN 5,000 (EUR 1,080, USD 1,215) to PLN 30,000 (EUR 6,500, USD 7,300).
Meanwhile, drivers failing to respect pedestrians at crosswalks will face a fine of no less than PLN 3,000. Those breaking the speed limit by more than 30 kph will be subject to a minimum fine of PLN 800.
The changes, which were previously approved by both houses of parliament, are expected to come into force in January.
Source: Radio Gdańsk, Radio Poland
A temporary hospital for COVID-19 patients is set to be re-established at the AmberExpo Exhibition and Congress Center in Gdańsk.
According to Marcin Tymiński, a spokesman from the Pomeranian Voivodeship, construction of the temporary hospital at Żaglowa Street will begin immediately, per the decision announced yesterday by Health Minister Adam Niedzielski.
Based on unofficial estimates, the hospital should accommodate up to 300 patients and be completed in the next 30 days. A similar institution operated in the same location from March to June last year.
Source: Radio Gdańsk
Two trams were destroyed, and three more were damaged after a fire broke out on Monday evening at the tram depot in Gdańsk Nowy Port.
Eight firefighters from Wrzeszcz and Oliwa fought the blaze for nearly two hours, assisted by the Florian port guard. No one was injured in the blaze, and the fire reportedly did not affect the surrounding buildings.
Officials estimate the damage at PLN 3 million, but all vehicles were insured, according to deputy mayor Piotr Borawski.
In discussions with the site manager, the police determined that the fire was probably caused by a short circuit in the electrical system and have initially ruled out actions by a third party.
Source: Radio Gdańsk
Weather
Today will be mostly cloudy and cold, with a chance of rain in the late afternoon and a gentle breeze coming in from the southwest. Temperatures will remain above freezing with a high of 7°C, or 44°F, dropping overnight to a low of 4°C or 39°F. The next few days will be slightly warmer, with an increasing chance for sunshine before clouds and snow return early next week.
Elizabeth Peck/MarWer
