Polish President Andrzej Duda meets with his NATO counterparts today in Bucharest to discuss security issues affecting NATO’s eastern flank. The meeting of the so-called “Bucharest Nine” is being held at the initiative of Duda and his Romanian counterpart, Klaus Iohannis. Other NATO members attending virtually will include US President Joe Biden and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.
According to Krzysztof Szczerski, a spokesman for the Polish president, „the meeting is a very important signal of the American commitment to the security of the eastern flank and the security of Poland.” The B-9 formation is a joint Polish-Romanian initiative and includes the foreign ministers of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Romania, and Bulgaria.
In remarks earlier this morning, Szczerski also announced Duda’s upcoming participation in celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of Georgia’s independence from the Russian empire. The event is set to take place on May 26th in Tbilisi.
Source: PAP
Over 30 million people in Poland can now sign up for vaccinations after registration for residents over the age of 18 opened yesterday.
All persons born before May 9, 2003, can sign up for the COVID-19 vaccination; those born later in 2003 will be issued a vaccination e-referral on their birthdate.
According to Michał Dworczyk, the government official leading vaccination efforts, Poland has the capacity to vaccinate over 400,000 people per day and could theoretically vaccinate ten million residents over the next month.
Dworczyk went on to stress that Poland is now facing the challenge of convincing residents “that it’s worth getting vaccinated because it’s the only way to return to normalcy.”
Registration can be completed by calling the free helpline at 989, sending an SMS with the text “SzczepimySie to the number 880 333 333, via e-registration online at pacjent.gov.pl, or by contacting vaccination points directly.
Source: Radio Gdańsk, PAP
A company in Słupsk is offering PLN 1000 to each of its employees for getting vaccinated against COVID-19.
Fimal, a building-supply store in Słupsk, offered each of its 200 employees the chance to earn a PLN 1000 bonus by simply getting vaccinated. According to Ryszard Glaser, the managing director of Fimal, the company wanted “to reward those people who care about the safety of their co-workers and clients.”
The idea was apparently met with enthusiasm by employees; Glaser reports that over 72% of Fimal employees have been vaccinated with the first dose, with the second dose scheduled for next week.
Source: Radio Gdańsk
Several Polish musicians and ensembles are among the nominees for the 2020 International Opera Awards, with the winners being announced tonight in London.
Nominees include renowned Polish countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński, emerging composer Dariusz Przybylski, and costume designer Małgorzata Szcześniak.
Two recordings of operas by Stanisław Moniuszko, the so-called “father of Polish national opera,” have also been nominated in the “recording” and “rediscovered work” categories.
The International Opera Awards are an annual celebration of excellence in opera around the world. Last year, the ceremony was delayed due to the pandemic and will be held tonight as a virtual event hosted by classical music radio and television broadcaster Petroc Trelawny.
More information is available on the opera awards website at www.operaawards.org.
Source: Radio Poland
Weather
Today will be partly cloudy and warm, with a strong breeze coming in from the southeast and very little chance of rain. Temperatures will peak around a pleasant high of 23°C, or 74°F, dropping to a low of 12°C or 54°F overnight. The sunshine and warm temps are expected to continue through Thursday, with cooler weather and a chance for rain returning later in the week.
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