Polish officials are currently analyzing an incident in which a former director of the opposition group „Open Russia” was detained after being removed from a flight bound for Warsaw.

Andrei Pivovarov was escorted off an aircraft belonging to Polish national carrier LOT on Monday evening. According to LOT officials, the plane was ordered to turn back as it was preparing to depart St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo airport. The flight eventually departed an hour and a half late, without Pivavarov on board.

Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Piotr Wawrzyk condemned Russia’s „irregular behavior,” adding that „such activities are not undertaken in democratic countries.”

Source: Radio Poland, PAP

Poland will start administering anti-COVID shots to children aged 12 to 15 starting as early as next week, according to Polish government officials.

Michał Dworczyk, the official spearheading Poland’s inoculation drive, told reporters yesterday that children 12 and older would be eligible to receive Pfizer/BioNtech shots at current vaccination points and later in schools starting in September.

The move comes after the European Medicines Agency on Friday approved the use of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine for 12-15 year-olds. According to official estimates, there are over 2.5 million students in this age group, representing some 24,000 schools and educational institutions across Poland.

Source: Radio Gdańsk, Radio Poland

Unemployment in Poland held steady at a modest 3.1 percent in April, the lowest rate in the 27-nation European Union, according to recently released Eurostat data.

According to the EU statistical agency, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands tied for the second-lowest unemployment rate in the European Union in April, each at 3.4 percent, followed by Malta, with 3.8 percent.

Meanwhile, Greece had the highest seasonally-adjusted jobless rate in the EU, at 15.8 percent, according to the latest available data, while Spanish unemployment was the second-highest at 15.4 percent.

Poland’s Central Statistical Office (GUS), which uses a different methodology, reported last week that the Polish jobless rate dropped to 6.3 percent in April, down slightly from 6.4 percent in March.

Source: Radio Poland

Iga Swiątek is back on the court today competing in the women’s doubles competition of the French Open after easily beating Slovenia’s Kaja Juvan in the first round of the singles competition on Monday.

Swiątek is set to face off against Sweden’s Rebecca Peterson in tomorrow’s second round of singles competition, which will mark the first time she and Peterson have met on the court.

Along with world No.1 ranked Ashleigh „Ash” Barty of Australia, Świątek is highly favored to retain her French Open title, particularly after world No.2 ranked Naomi Osaka withdrew from the competition for mental health reasons.

Polish tennis player Magda Linette also cruised into the second round of the tournament yesterday after a straight-set win against home favorite Chloé Paquet.

The 29-year-old Pole, currently ranked world No. 45 by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), ousted the French player 6-3, 6-3 in their first-round encounter on Tuesday.

Linette, who is also competing in doubles today, will face the formidable Ash Barty tomorrow, with the official time yet to be announced.

Source: Radio Poland, WTA.com

Poland drew 1-1 with Russia in a friendly match here in Poland yesterday as football teams across Europe prepare for the upcoming Euro 2020 championships.

The Polish national team is ranked 21st worldwide by football’s governing body FIFA, while Russia is No. 38 in the FIFA table. Before officially kicking off the Euro 2020 group stage campaign on June 14, Poland is set to take on Iceland in a friendly match in Poznan on June 8.

Source: PAP

Weather

This afternoon will be mostly sunny and warm, with a slight breeze coming in from the east and very little chance of rain. Temperatures will peak around a high of 20°C, or 68°F, dropping to a low of 11°C or 52°F overnight. Tomorrow should again be mostly sunny and warm, with similar temps expected through next week.

EP/am