Following Lithuania shutting access for goods crossing its territory into the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, including construction materials, metals and coal, which it says it is required to do under EU sanctions, a furious Russia called the move 'an illegal blockade’ and has threatened retaliation against Lithuania.
After the EU envoy Markus Ederer was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry yesterday, his spokesperson said Ederer „explained that Lithuania is implementing EU sanctions and there is no blockade, and asked Russia to refrain from escalatory steps and rhetoric”.
Kaliningrad, Russia’s southern Baltic outpost and major military base is just over 100 km from Gdansk. The whole Baltic region is set for a security overhaul as Sweden and Finland apply to join NATO following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Source: Radio Gdansk, BBC
The European Commission has approved PKN Orlen’s takeover of Grupa Lotos, Poland’s largest oil refiner and fuel distributor, in a deal which Poland hopes will create a global player in the oil business. The takeover is part of a wider plan by Poland’s government to create 'national champions’.
„The merger is necessary not only from the perspective of the further development of both groups, but also building their value for shareholders, Poland’s energy security and the interests of individual customers and local communities,” Orlen’s CEO Daniel Obajtek said in a statement.
Source: Reuters
The Vision for Development Forum has ended in Gdynia, the largest event in northern Poland, bringing together key players from the world of business. This is the fifth Development Vision Forum, and took place at the Naval Academy in Gdynia. It was devoted to the most important challenges facing the Polish economy, including security, energy, the maritime economy, and development of local communities.
The event was accompanied by the celebration of the 40th anniversary of Fighting Solidarity, the radical wing of Solidarnosc that fought for the abolition of communism and Russian influence in Poland, back in the 1980’s.
Gdynia saw debates, panel discussions, promotion of publishers dealing with the subject of Polish history of the 1980s. The event was rounded off with a concert set in the realities of the struggle for freedom in Poland in the 1980s. Further celebrations continue this week in Warsaw.
You can hear reports and podcasts from the Forum on the Radio Gdansk website.
Source: Radio Gdansk News
The weather
Today will be pleasant and warm. Any passing cloud will be gone by later this afternoon. Daytime temperatures will be in the mid 20’s Celsius (75 Fahrenheit) dropping to 17 degrees (62 Fahrenheit) overnight. The outlook for the rest of the week – stable and getting warmer.
Posłuchaj:
AG/MarWer
