Top Polish officials will be in Vienna today after calling for an extraordinary session of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to discuss the crisis in Ukraine.
The session of the group’s Permanent Council was requested by Ukraine, according to a statement posted on Twitter by Poland’s permanent representative to the OSCE, Adam Hałaciński. Poland currently holds the rotating presidency of the regional security organization.
In an interview with PAP, Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Paweł Jabłoński said that the purpose of the meeting is to “discuss everything that has happened in recent hours and what steps the OSCE should take in this situation in order to – above all – bring about a de-escalation of tension.”
The meeting comes after Belarusian authorities announced over the weekend that joint military exercises between Belarus and Russia would continue despite previous assurances by both countries that the drills would conclude on Sunday.
Source: Radio Gdańsk, Radio Poland, Reuters
Forecasters from the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW-PIB) are warning of two additional low-pressure systems set to bring heavy rainfall along with gale-force winds. Storm system Antonia traveled from Denmark across the Baltic Sea on Sunday night, bringing wind gusts of 65 – 80 km/h (40-50 mph) in many parts of the country, along with rainfall up to 15mm.
According to IMGW, winds may be even stronger today, with wind speeds reaching up to 70 km/h and gusts up to 90 km/h. Coastal areas could see winds over 100 km/h (62 mph), and in the mountains, winds of up to 130 km/h are expected to accompany a series of blizzards and snowstorms.
While Antonia should lose force on Monday evening, she will be followed by storm Bibi, which forecasters warn will be equally dangerous. Gusts of wind up to 90 km/h are expected overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday, accompanied by a strong storm in the Baltic Sea, currently forecast at 11 on the Beaufort scale.
With sea levels already high at 549 cm, IMGW is warning that rising waters along the eastern coast and in the Pomeranian Bay could reach emergency levels.
The Hydrological Forecasting Office in Gdynia issued a second-degree high-water warning yesterday for the Pomorskie and Zachodniopomorskie voivodeships, including areas along the coast as well as rivers in Przymorze.
The warning will remain in effect until 15:00 Tuesday afternoon.
Source: Radio Gdańsk, PAP
Viewers and a panel of judges have selected Krystian Ochman’s “River” as Poland’s entry for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. The song was selected during a live competition, “The heart of Europe beats here! We choose the hit for Eurovision,” which aired on public television over the weekend.
Ochman beat out his closest competitors, “Daria” and the band “Unmute,” after winning 51 percent of the combined votes of the viewers as well as the jury.
The 23-year-old was born in the US state of Massachusetts to Polish parents but decided to complete his higher education in Poland, where he has been living for the past five years. In 2020, Krystian won the 11th edition of The Voice of Poland and released a self-titled debut album in November of last year.
This year’s Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Turin, Italy, from May 10 to 14.
Source: Radio Poland
Lechia Gdańsk shook up the Ekstraklasa league tables last night after defeating Lech Poznań 1-0 at PGE Arena in Gdańsk.
The winning goal was scored in the 86th minute by 18-year-old midfielder Filip Koperski. As a result, Lech lost its leading position in the Ekstraklasa league tables to Pogon Szczecin. Lechia Gdańsk is currently ranked fourth, just behind Raków Częstochowa.
Source: Radio Gdańsk
Weather
Today will be cloudy and cold, with strong winds coming in from the southwest and a chance of rain in the early morning and late evening. Temperatures will be slightly warmer than yesterday, with a high around 8°C, or 47°F, dropping to just above freezing overnight with a low of 1°C or 33°F. Temperatures are expected to drop again tomorrow as rain moves in on Wednesday, with a chance for some sun returning later in the week.
Elizabeth Peck/mrud
