The mayor of the city of Prague has confirmed that he is currently under police protection following reports by local press of an assassination plot.

Speaking to reporters from BBC Russian, Mayor Zdenek Hrib did not say exactly why he was under police protection but he did say he had filed a police report after suspecting he was being followed.

Over the weekend, a Czech investigative journalism magazine reported on a supposed attempt by Russian secret intelligence agencies to poison the mayor and another senior Czech official using a deadly toxin called ricin.

However, the magazine cites unnamed sources and Russia has dismissed the report  as fake news.

It comes after the mayor of the Czech capital gave his support to a plan to change the name of a square outside the Russian embassy in Prague to honour murdered Russian opposition figure, Boris Nemptsov. The city also recently took down a statue of a Second World War Soviet general.

Source: BBC News

MoF: Polish economy to shrink 3.4% in 2020

The Ministry of Finance has said it now expects the economy to shrink by 3.4% this year, ending 30 years of almost uninterrupted growth.

It’s part of a global downturn caused by the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic and the strict social distancing measures in place to stop it.

However, growth is expected to bounce back in 2021, with the International Monetary Fund predicting 4.2% for Poland next year.

Source: Reuters

As drought eases, focus turns to flood preparations

Rain has finally returned to many parts of Poland this morning, as Europe suffers some of the worst droughts in decades.

Eastern Poland has been particularly affected, with drought conditions leading to wildfires in some areas including the Biebrza National Park, the largest nature reserve in Poland.

But now attention in Gdansk is already turning to the issue of flooding. Floods are a often a problem in the city throughout spring and summer and there is concern that this year’s drought could make the problem worse.

Dry, compacted ground means heavy rain is less easily absorbed, increasing the risk of flash floods.

Speaking to Trójmiasto.pl, Gdansk Deputy Mayor Piotr Borawski said the city was working on an action plan to respond to flash floods including setting up a collection point for sandbags and encouraging residents to save and use rain water.

The city government is even running a competition to come up with the most interesting and innovative ideas for using garden rain water. The prize is a very impressive 300 litre wooden barrel for collecting rain water.

The name of the competition is „Nie Marnuj Deszczu” or „Don’t Waste Rain” and the deadline for applications is July 15th.

Drive-in movie theatres being considered as alternative for summer film festivals

As summer approaches and the lockdown goes on, there’s a question mark over one of Gdansk’s favourite summer activities.

The traditional outdoor cinemas that pop up across the city each summer have become a favourite or tourists and locals. But as coronavirus shuts down traditional cinemas, film festivals are now looking at some interesting alternatives.

Drive-in movie theatres, long been popular in the USA, could be one option this summer. Festivals including the popular Cinema on the Shakespeare, which takes place on the roof of the Gdansk Shakespeare Theatre, are looking at drive-in alternatives.

The Octopus Film Festival, which normally shows films in the disused warehouses on Gdansk Shipyards, is also looking at running a drive-in this year and there has been talk for a while now about setting up a huge drive-in cinema in the parking lot of Ergo arena.

Organisers say it’s too early to know for sure what will be possible, but stay tuned to Radio Gdansk News for updates as they come.

Weather

Finally some rain this morning but drying up as we go into the afternoon. Feeling cooler today with highs of 8°C, 46°F, but warming up again tomorrow with temperatures back in the high teens. 

Radio Gdansk News/TAH