Poland showed the strongest jobs growth of any EU country over the course of the pandemic, according to new figures. Employment data from the agency Eurostat shows that the employment rate in Poland rose 2.4 percent over two years to the end of 2021. The Netherlands and Slovakia had the next highest growth rates.

The data also shows that overall employment in the EU had returned to pre-crisis levels by the third quarter of last year.

Poland’s unemployment figure is the second lowest in the EU after Germany, at 3.2 percent.

Greece and Spain each have more than 14 percent unemployment, putting them at the top of the jobless table.

Source: radiogdansk.pl

Polish ports handled a record volume of transshipments last year, moving 113 million tonnes of goods, up nine percent on the year before. Figures were announced at a conference of port leaders yesterday, showing Gdańsk was the leader in volume, followed by Szczecin-Świnoujście and then Gdynia.

Fuel made up the biggest portion of cargo moved at Gdańsk, which handled almost 38 percent more fuel in 2021 than the year before.

Container volume increased by 10 percent, and grain by 7.6 percent.

Deputy minister of infrastructure Marek Gróbarczyk said at the meeting that he believes ongoing investment in the ports, and the upgrading of rail and road links, will push the transshipment figures even higher in the future.

Source: radiogdansk.pl

Health minister Adam Niedzielski says the country is now experiencing a fifth wave of Covid-19 infections. The minister said the government expects the surge to peak in mid-February at around 60,000 cases per day, with the Omicron variant pushing infections to levels not seen before.

The highest daily total so far was just over 35,000 on 1 April last year.

At the same time, Niedzielski announced a new scientific advisory body will be formed to replace the Medical Council, which had been responsible for advising the prime minister on Covid.

On Friday, 13 out of 17 Council members resigned, saying there was a lack of scientific influence on government policy.

Source: Reuters

Councillors in the Oliwa district of Gdańsk have declared they want to protect a historic avenue of linden trees as a natural monument. The trees along Opacka street run in two symmetrical rows, and were first recorded there 80 years ago, although councillors say they are much older.

Tomasz Strug, chairman of the District Board, says the landscape value of the avenue should be protected because every few years it is “gnawed” away by cutting, and there has been talk of building work that would require trees to be felled.

Councillor Strug said that without action, in a moment the avenue simply will not be there, and it will be 150 years before we have another.

City officials will now make a decision on whether to submit an application to the conservator’s office.

Source: radiogdansk.pl

Weather

There should be some sun in Gdańsk this afternoon as the clouds clear, with light winds and the temperature reaching 2°C, 35°F. After touching freezing overnight, tomorrow it’ll be warmer still, with a high of 5°C, 41°F.

RGEN/AGC