The Polish government has announced plans to buy 500 advanced artillery rocket systems from the United States in a large addition to its previous order to purchase 20 of the long range launchers.
In February 2019, Poland’s government signed a deal to buy 20 artillery rocket systems from America for USD 414 million as part of a military modernisation drive. These 20 launchers are due to be delivered starting next year, together with ammunition as well as logistics, training and technical support, according to officials.
Source – Polskie Radio
Polish lawmakers have approved draft legislation that will scrap a disputed disciplinary mechanism for judges which was the cause of a major disagreement between Poland and the EU over a so called „rule of law”.
The bill, which had been submitted by President Andrzej Duda, passed the lower house by a 231 to 208 margin, with 13 MPs abstaining. The dispute which has been rumbling on since 2015 concerns whether the Polish government is able to exercise control over the judiciary by its introduction of its disciplinary chamber for judges. The Polish government argues that the disciplinary chamber was a necessary element of judicial reform in the country following its communist past. As a result of the row, Poland has been denied access to EUR 36 billion in the bloc’s post-pandemic recovery funds.
Source – Polskie Radio
Polish MPs have rejected a bid by opposition MPs to oust the Justice Minister over his involvement in changes to the judiciary and the long standing „rule of law” dispute with Brussels.
A total of 231 MPs on Thursday voted to defeat a no-confidence motion put forward against Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro by the opposition, with 224 deputies supporting the motion, and none abstaining. The motion had little chance of succeeding because the country’s governing conservatives hold a majority in parliament.
Source – Polskie Radio
And finally, an off-duty policewoman from Gdańsk has been hailed a hero after she saved the life of a 3 year old boy who was choking.
The incident unfolded when staff sergeant Joanna Mariańska from Gdańsk police was taking her own children to the swimming pool in her car. She noticed a couple on the street urgently attending to a child who turned out to be their 3 year old son who was suffocating. Stopping her car, Mariańska called 112 and talking through with the dispatcher the needed steps, she attended to the boy which allowed him to start breathing again. An ambulance arrived within 8 minutes and the boy was taken to hospital where he made a full recovery. Mariańska credits her success on being an impartial 3rd pary to the incident which allowed her to keep a cool head during the dramatic situation.
Source – Radio Gdańsk
Weather
Today will be a cloudy day with some sunny intervals and gusty winds and temperatures of 15 degrees centigrade (59 degrees Fahrenheit) during the day and 6 degrees overnight. Tomorrow will be a showery day in a moderate breeze and temperatures of 14 degrees during the day and 8 degrees overnight.
Martin Caren
