Poles and Belarusians living in Poland gathered in Warsaw over the weekend to manifest their solidarity with the Belarusian democratic opposition and demand the immediate release of dissident journalist Roman Protasevich.
The mass demonstration was held near the Royal Castle in the city center, with participants carrying Belarusian and Polish flags, chanting “free Belarus.” Roman Protasevich’s parents, Natalia and Dmitry, also took part in the event, calling on “all European Union countries, as well as the United States” to help free their son.
European Union leaders met last Monday in Brussels, where they agreed to impose more sanctions on Belarus. European carriers are now avoiding Belarusian airspace, and Belarusian state-owned Belavia airlines has been banned from European airspace, including flights over neighboring Poland and Ukraine.
Source: Radio Poland
Polish senators have approved a bill needed to unlock funds from Brussels, including money to help the economy bounce back from the coronavirus crisis.
Following the Senate’s vote on Thursday, President Andrzej Duda signed the act into law on Friday. A ratification ceremony is scheduled to take place tomorrow at the Presidential Palace.
The legislation initially drew mixed reviews in Poland’s bicameral parliament but eventually made it through the lower house with the support of a group of opposition lawmakers in early May.
The legislation is essential for Poland to receive more than EUR 23 billion in subsidies and over EUR 34 billion in loans from the European Union’s massive COVID-19 recovery fund. For the ambitious EU plan to be put into action, all 27 EU member states need to ratify a decision to increase the bloc’s resources.
Source: Radio Gdańsk, Radio Poland
Hard coal mines in Poland are to be shut by 2049 under a deal signed on Friday between the Polish government and coal mining trade unions.
According to Polish authorities, the agreement outlines a „fair path to the transformation of the Polish mining and energy industry,” as heavily coal-dependent Poland is striving to cut emissions that damage the environment without triggering massive job losses in its mining sector.
In April, Polish President Andrzej Duda announced that Poland aims to cut its dependency on coal so that by 2040 it will produce as little as 11 percent of the country’s energy, down from the current 70 percent.
Duda said his country would build a sustainable energy mix based on nuclear and renewable energy, as well as gas.
Source: Radio Poland
Gdańsk residents can win a memento of last week’s Europa League final between Villareal and Manchester United and take home flags used to decorate the city during the match.
The gdansk.pl portal is holding a photo contest for the decorative flags – interested participants should upload a photo to social media with their chosen team and the hashtag #finalgdansk featuring some element of the historic match between the Red Devils and the Yellow Submarines.
The contest closes tomorrow, May 31, and more information can be found at: https://www.gdansk.pl/wiadomosci/final-ligi-europy-w-gdansku-konkurs-finalgdansk-do-zdobycia-pamiatkowe-flagi-villarreal-i-manchesteru-united,a,196566.
Weather
This afternoon will be mostly sunny with a strong breeze coming in from the north and very little chance of rain. Temperatures will peak around a high of 14°C, or 57°F, dropping to a low of 7°C or 45°F overnight. Tomorrow should again be partly cloudy, with a warming trend continuing throughout the week.
RGEN/EP
