The prime ministers of four Central European countries are meeting today in Kraków to mark 30 years of the regional collaboration as part of the Visegrad Group – V4.
The four heads of state will be joined by the current President of the European Council, Charles Michel, for talks on regional and European policies and a panel discussion on regional efforts to boost business, creativity, and innovation.
In commemoration of the group’s 30th anniversary, Poczta Polska and its counterparts in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary will be issuing a special stamp. The stamp is out today and will be available in all four countries.
The Visegrad Group is a regional cooperation platform started in 1991, it was followed by the establishment of the International Visegrad Fund in June 2000. According to the Polish Foreign Ministry, both organizations aim to support projects that „bring together people inside the V4 region but also within Europe as a common continent.”
In that capacity, the V4 Fund supports projects and awards scholarships to students and researchers from Eastern Partnership countries like Ukraine and Belarus. From 2000 to 2020, support from the Visegrad Fund totaled more than €15 million.
Source: Radio Poland, gov.pl
Poland’s health minister has warned the daily number of new COVID-19 infections has started to rise in a worrying new trend; a situation officials blame on irresponsible crowd behavior after curbs were eased.
Thousands flocked to the southern resort town of Zakopane over the weekend after hotels and ski slopes reopened last Friday, with police called out to dozens of alcohol-fueled incidents.
The prime minister’s top aide, Michał Dworczyk, who is leading the government’s vaccination campaign, condemned the behavior, arguing that such events „pose a real risk” for a rise in COVID-19 cases, and as a result, „we will have to close some branches of the economy again.”
Polish health officials reported 5 178 new coronavirus infections and 196 more deaths on Tuesday, roughly double Monday’s totals. Of the new cases confirmed on Tuesday, most – 824 – were in Mazowieckie and Warsaw, with Pomorskie and Gdańsk reporting the third-highest totals – 404 – nationwide.
Source: Radio Poland
The Polish government has adopted plans to change the law on ID cards issued to citizens, which will in the future contain fingerprints and a signature.
The move aims to reduce the risk of identity documents being forged and align Polish laws with existing European Union standards.
The new ID cards will be valid for ten years, while those issued to children under 12 will be valid for five.
People who cannot apply for the new document for medical reasons, including those who have suffered accidents or burns to their fingers, will be able to apply for a temporary card, valid for 12 months.
Source: Radio Poland
An exhibition featuring work from the iconic British street artist known as Banksy has opened at Centrum Koneser in Warsaw.
The exhibition comprises around 100 installations and pieces of art, some certified originals and others authorized replicas.
The exhibit has been hosted in numerous European capitals, including Paris and Berlin, but this is the first time that works of „the most famous and mysterious graffiti artist in the world” can be viewed in Poland.
„The Art of Banksy. Without Limits” can be seen in Warsaw from now until April 11.
Source: https://koneser.eu/en/the-art-of-banksy-without-limits-exhibition/
Weather
Today will again be cold and snowy, with a light breeze coming in from the southeast and snow expected throughout the day. Temperatures will stay just below freezing during the day with a high of -2°C, or 31°F, dropping to a chilly -11°C or 12°F overnight. Skies will clear off somewhat tomorrow, with similar snowy weather expected to return on Friday.
Elizabeth Peck/mw
