?President Duda urged the unvaccinated to get their COVID-19 shots in his New Year’s message as Poland grapples with a fourth wave of the pandemic and braces for a surge in infections driven by the new omicron variant.???
Duda began his statement by expressing “profound sympathy to those bereaved in the pandemic” and thanking “the thousands of doctors, nurses, and paramedics for their “enormous effort and dedication” to saving the lives of their compatriots.?
?He then went on to reiterate his appeal to residents to „take advantage” of the easy availability of vaccines as an „opportune occasion to protect our own life and health, but also the health of others.”?
?Duda finished his statement by reminding residents that „it is up to us how quickly we defeat the pandemic.” According to data published by Statista in mid-December, Poland ranks in the bottom five countries of the European Economic Area for the number of adults who are fully vaccinated.
Source: Radio Poland, PAP, prezydent.pl, statista.com?
?Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau took on a new international role yesterday as Poland assumes chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
?Over the summer, Rau declared that ensuring a peaceful resolution to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict would be one of the priorities of Poland’s presidency of the OSCE. The issue has risen in importance after Russia issued demands last month for enhanced security guarantees from NATO and the United States and continues to amass troops on the Ukrainian border.??
As one Foreign Ministry official explained, the OSCE is a forum for debate between European countries, as well as the United States and Russia. Poland’s 2022 presidency is set to focus on addressing international conflicts, climate change, and post-pandemic crises.
Poland has chaired the OSCE only once before, with its previous turn at the helm in 1998.
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Source: Radio Poland, PAP?
Stricter traffic rules and tougher fines for drivers went into effect yesterday in a bid to improve road safety in Poland.?
?According to Poland’s Deputy Infrastructure Minister Rafa? Weber, stricter fines have been introduced to discourage the most dangerous behaviors on the road. ??
Under the new rules, the maximum fine for traffic offenses goes up from PLN 5,000 (EUR 1,080) to PLN 30,000 (EUR 6,500). Those breaking the speed limit by more than 30 kph will be subject to a minimum fine of PLN 800.
The new rules also introduce more legal protection for pedestrians; drivers failing to respect pedestrians at crosswalks will face a fine of no less than PLN 3,000, representing the first significant increase in traffic fines in years.??
Experts believe the move could potentially result in fewer accidents at crosswalks if the police appropriately enforce the new measures. President Andrzej Duda signed the new law into effect earlier in the year after it was overwhelmingly approved by both houses of parliament.??
Source: Radio Gda?sk, Radio Poland, PAP
Cezary Kulesza, head of the Polish Football Association (PZPN), recently announced that Poland will name the new coach of its national soccer team on January 19.??
The announcement by Kulesza came just after Poland’s governing body for football formally terminated the contract of Paolo Sousa, who had been in charge of the team since January 2021. According to media reports, Sousa had asked to leave his role by mutual consent after being offered a job by Brazilian club Flamengo.
Polish media outlets have speculated that Sousa could be replaced by former boss Adam Nawa?ka or Marek Papszun, who currently manages domestic top-flight side Raków Cz?stochowa.
Other potential candidates for the job include the Netherlands’ Dick Advocaat, Germany’s Jürgen Klinsmann, and Israel’s Avram Grant, according to PAP.??
Source: Radio Poland, PAP
Weather
Today will be mostly cold and wet, with a good chance of rain showers throughout the day and winds coming in from the southwest. Temperatures will peak at a high of 9°C, or 48°F, dropping slightly to an overnight low of 6°C or 43°F. Tomorrow will again be rainy and overcast, with a chance for more snow later in the week.
Elizabeth Peck/tm
