President visits NATO exercises in northeastern Poland | Poles promised state-guaranteed mortgages | Polish conductor wins praise in UK | Murder trial of Gdańsk President continues

President visits NATO exercises in northeastern Poland

Poland’s president, Andrzej Duda, has visited troops taking part in NATO exercises in North-eastern Poland yesterday. He was accompanied by the Polish Defence Minister and the US ambassador to Poland. The president told a media briefing, „We are all familiar with the situation in Ukraine and we all realise the potential threat – these exercises are designed to show the readiness and interoperability of allied forces in collective defence”. The US ambassador added added this meant that US and European forces were standing shoulder to shoulder with the Polish people and that Poland’s security was “sacrosanct” to NATO. Thursday’s instalment of the Defender Europe 2022 drills near Nowogród featured troops from Poland, the United States and France, as well as NATO partner Sweden.

Source – Polskie Radio

Poles promised state-guaranteed mortgages

The Polish government is set to introduce state backing for Poles who will take mortgages as the country tries to tackle rising inflation. Under the programme, the government will guarantee between 10 and 20 percent of the value of a mortgage loan, up to PLN 100,000. The state guarantee means that the borrower does not have to pre-pay this part of the loan. Poland’s development bank BGK will cover part of the mortgage if the family expands (PLN 20,000, if a second child is born and PLN 60,000 if a third or further child is born). This second measure will be available even for those who do not apply for state guarantees for their mortgage, officials said.

Source – Polskie Radio

Polish conductor wins UK award

An up and coming Polish conductor has won praise and a prestigious award in the UK for her conducting talent. Agata Zając, a 27 year old from Poznan in the west of the country beat more than 120 budding conductors from across the world who took part in auditions for what is one of the most prestigious grants for conductors at the start of their professional career. During the 12-month programme, Zając will have the opportunity to work as assistant conductor with several British orchestras, including the BBC Philharmonic, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, and Manchester Camerata.

Source – Polskie Radio

Gdańsk President murder trial continues

And finally, the trial of the man accused of murdering the former mayor of Gdańsk’s city mayor at a charity event in the beginning of 2019 is continuing this week. Witness to the attack have been giving evidence at the trial as the accused sat and listened. Three witnesses were questioned – a man who saw the attacker jump over the barrier at the event before fatally stabbing the president as well as a security guard and former commander of a police station in the city. The accused has a history of mental illness and criminality. The case continues.

Source – Radio Gdańsk, Wikipedia

Weather

Today will be a day of sunny spells and scattered clouds in a moderate breeze with temperatures of 20 degrees centigrade (68 degrees Fahrenheit) during the day and 10 degrees overnight. Tomorrow will start showery day with a chance of strong gusts of wind later in the day and temperatures of 13 degrees during the day and 7 degrees overnight.

Martin Caren/aKa