The Polish prime minister Mateusz Morawieck has criticised Germany’s president for backing a controversial Russia-Germany gas pipeline, calling it an anti-EU project.
The Nord Stream 2 pipeline has drawn criticism from the EU’s eastern members, the European Parliament and the United States owing to fears it will increase Russian influence both over the Baltic region and European energy supplies. However, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier recently told a German paper that the pipeline is „the last bridge linking Russia with Europe,” and reminded the paper’s readers of the 20 million Soviet citizens who died during World War II. Morawiecki in a tweet, replied that „While I agree with the German President that post-war debts were not paid, #NordStream2 is not a compensation.”
The European Commission has reported this week that Poland’s economic recession last year due to the coronavirus pandemic was among the mildest in the EU.
The Commission reported that Lithuania experienced the smallest GDP fall in the 27-nation bloc last year, at 0.9 percent, while the Polish economy contracted by 2.8 percent, according to the European Commission. Trailing Poland in 2020 were Estonia and Sweden, each of which recorded a 2.9 percent drop in GDP, data showed. The European Commission predicted in its Winter 2021 European Economic Forecast that Poland’s GDP would grow 3.1 percent this year and expand by 5.1 percent in 2022.
Heavy traffic is expected on roads leading to the mountains from Friday, when hotels and ski slopes will be allowed to reopen as the government partially lifts COVID-19 restrictions.
– Many roads leading to guest-houses and hotels are narrow and usually very steep. It only takes one driver unable to make it and you have snarl-ups guaranteed – said a spokesman for police in the popular southern resort of Zakopane.
As the wintry conditions continue to grip Poland, residents of the three cities are adapting to the wintry weather. In Gdynia yesterday, fire-fighters were dispatched to a number of buildings to remove a dangerous build-up of icicles.
Drivers are also reminded that is a legal requirement to clear snow from all areas of your vehicle before setting off on a journey, not just the windows. Police can impose fines of up 500 PLN and 6 penalty points if a car is deemed to be in a dangerous condition on the road. And on the Motława, ice breaker ships have been seen preparing themselves for any dangerous build ups of breakaway ice that may appear once the cold snap is finished. The cold weather is expected to last until the end of next week.
Today will be another cold and day with sunny spells and snow showers in a moderate breeze.
Temperatures will reach -4 degrees centigrade (25 degrees Fahrenheit) during the day, dropping to -5 degrees overnight. Saturday will remain cold with sunny spells and a fresh breeze but temperatures will struggle to freezing point during the day and -5 degrees overnight.
