Sanctions against Belarus will be discussed at an EU summit today after a Ryanair plane carrying an opposition activist was forced to land in Minsk yesterday. Poland’s president and prime minister have both condemned Belarus for diverting the jet to the capital Minsk, where authorities proceeded to take opposition journalist Roman Protasevich into custody.
Protasevich, who co-founded the online opposition news service NEXTA, was traveling on board a flight heading from Athens to Vilnius on Sunday when the plane was suddenly diverted to the Belarusian capital in response to an alleged bomb threat. The Ryanair plane was subsequently escorted to Minsk by a MIG-29 fighter jet.
European Council President Charles Michel has joined other world leaders in calling on Belarus to immediately release Protasevich and guarantee his rights. Following a direct appeal by Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Michel has promised to include a discussion of the situation in Belarus as part of the agenda of the already crowded two-day summit of the European Council.
Other items for discussion include Russia, the EU’s relationship with the UK, climate change, and COVID-19 recovery. The two-day summit is set to wrap up Tuesday evening.
Source: Radio Poland, PAP, Reuters
Polish President Andrzej Duda is in Turkey today for scheduled talks with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
According to Polish officials, the two leaders will be discussing security cooperation as part of NATO ahead of the Western military alliance’s upcoming Brussels summit. During the visit, Polish and Turkish officials are also expected to sign an agreement under which Poland will buy 24 armed drones from Turkey, according to official reports.
Duda is being accompanied on the two-day trip by Polish Deputy Prime Minister Piotr Gliński and Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak. During the trip, the officials will meet with Polish soldiers stationed in Turkey on a NATO mission as well as meeting with members of the Polish community in that country.
Source: Radio Poland
The Polish government will soon be announcing a roadmap for a further easing of coronavirus restrictions, according to Health Minister Adam Niedzielski.
Speaking to private radio broadcaster RMF FM, Niedzielski expressed his optimism that social life may be returning to normal in the upcoming weeks. On Friday, cinemas, theatres, and music halls in Poland were allowed to reopen at half capacity. The government reportedly may allow nightclubs to reopen and ease remaining restrictions on large events If the downward coronavirus trend continues.
According to Niedzielski, the drop in COVID infection rates can be directly attributed to the success of Poland’s ongoing vaccination campaign. As of Saturday, 17.6 million vaccine doses have been administered across the country, with 5.4 million residents considered fully vaccinated.
Source: Radio Poland
Celebrations to mark Sopot’s 120th year of officially becoming a city will kick off this month and continue until June of next year.
Along with perennial favorites such as the Sopot Literary Festival and the NDI Classic music festival, many cultural institutions will be offering special programs for residents and guests, including lectures, walks, outdoor concerts, and picnics.
Several Sopot institutions, including the Sopot Library and the Museum of Sopot, will celebrate their own anniversaries. In honor of its 20th anniversary, the Museum of Sopot is currently hosting an exhibition of John Faltin, a photographer who documented the resort’s development.
A full list of activities can be found on the City of Sopot’s website.
Weather
The afternoon will be mostly sunny and warm, with a light breeze coming in from the south and very little chance of rain until tomorrow morning. Temperatures will peak around a high of 19°C, or 66°F, dropping to a low of 12°C or 54°F overnight. Clouds and a chance for rain will return tomorrow morning, with wet, springlike weather expected for the rest of the week.
