The British government is facing growing international criticism today as it unveils legislation which many have said breaks international law.
The Internal Markets Bill, being published today, is ostensibly designed to ensure free flow of goods between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK post-brexit. However, many experts have said the new law would directly violate the UK’s Brexit agreement with the European Union.
Those experts say the Internal Markets Bill would essentially give the UK sole power to decide on some customs rules on goods moving between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, contravening the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement and potentially breaking international law.
British officials initially said the bill made „minor clarifications in extremely specific areas”, but a senior government minister has since admitted the bill would violate international law in a „specific and limited way”.
The UK government’s most senior lawyer has since stepped down, reportedly in protest at the new bill, and former Prime Minister Theresa May has criticised the government, saying the bill would damage trust with future partners.
The news comes as negotiations over a long-term agreement between Britain and Europe make little progress and the December 31st deadline rapidly approaching.
Here in Poland, the government has revealed plans to speed up the country’s transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
In a proposed update to Poland’s climate strategy published Tuesday, the Polish Climate Ministry described plans to invest 150 billion Złoty into renewable energy sources and expedite the shift away from coal power.
Speaking earlier this week, Climate Minister Michał Kurtyka said the transition would be spearheaded by a combination of offshore wind energy and the construction of Poland’s first nuclear power plant.
He also pointed to the importance of solar panels, or photovoltaics, in generating clean energy on a lower level, as well as the need to find cleaner ways of generating heat and eco-friendly transport.
Poland is currently the only EU country not pledged to carbon neutrality by 2050, largely down to it’s reliance on coal power.
A boy from Gdynia is heading to Warsaw this month to take a shot at qualifying for Europe’s most prestigious song contest.
Szymon Lubicki, age 11, will be appearing on „Szansa na Sukces”, a series of qualifying rounds to determine Poland’s entry in this year’s Eurovision Junior Song Contest.
Szymon, of Gdynia’s Primary School No. 3, is already a familiar face to many after appearing on The Voice Kids earlier this year.
Poland is currently the reigning champion at the Junior Eurovision, having won 1st place in the last two competitions; first with Roksana Węgiel singing „Anyone I want to be” in 2018 and then again in 2019 with „Superhero” by Viki Gabor.
Poland is also hosting this year’s competition for the second year running. The final is scheduled for November 29th in Warsaw.
You can catch Szymon on the Szansa na Sukces episode entitled „Songs from Fairytales” on September 20th.
We had a cloudy start to the day this morning but some sunshine breaking through as we go into the afternoon.
Looking set to cloud over again later on, though, with a chance of some showers later on in the evening and overnight.
Temperatures today getting up to 21°C, 69°F.
Tomorrow looking somewhat cooler but brighter with fine weather settling in for the coming days.
Thomas Holdstock/ako
