At a news conference yesterday, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced that his government would increase pensions next year by at least PLN 250 (EUR 50) per month to help offset inflation.
The additional funding will support previous efforts at what Morawiecki calls “intergenerational solidarity,” providing support for the elderly amid high inflation fueled by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Morawiecki also announced that the government would seek to make additional funding for pensioners in the form of the so-called 13th and 14th pensions, “a permanent fixture of the Polish budget.”
Poland’s Family and Social Policy Minister Marlena Maląg late reiterated the statement that pensions would rise by 13.8 percent next year, clarifying that the final decision would be made in February when the state-run statistics office (GUS) publishes its latest figures.
During Tuesday’s news conference, Morawiecki also told reporters that a decision “on whether to extend anti-inflation measures” would be made “by the end of December.”
The current “Tarcza Antyinflacyjna” or “anti-inflation shield” includes suspension of the value-added tax (VAT) on food, cutting the tax on fuel to 8 percent, and reducing the VAT on gas and heat, among other measures.
Source: Radio Poland, Radio Gdańsk
Russian airstrikes on cities across Ukraine this week have resulted in dozens of deaths and injuries, along with damage to civilian infrastructure providing heating, electricity, and water.
In posts on social media, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that Russian air strikes had destroyed 30 percent of Ukraine’s power stations since the start of last week.
The strikes have resulted in “massive blackouts across the country,” with Ukrinform reporting water and power outages in the central city of Dnipro, the northern city of Zhytomyr, and the southern city of Mykolaiv.
Strikes against power facilities and other civilian infrastructure were also reported yesterday in the capital of Kyiv, the eastern Donetsk region, and the cities of Kharkiv and Kryvyi Rih, where additional casualties were also reported.
According to the British Ministry of Defense, Russian forces have stepped up attacks on civilian targets across Ukraine and appear to be intent on causing serious damage to the country’s energy distribution network.
Source: Radio Poland, Radio Gdańsk
World-renowned Polish footballer Robert Lewandowski took home the 2022 Gerd Müller Trophy for best striker during a ceremony in Paris earlier this week.
During his 2021/22 season with former club Bayern Munich, Lewandowski scored a record-setting 57 goals in 56 matches, breaking a 49-year-old record for most goals scored in a single season set by Müller in 1972.
The 34-year-old Pole thanked his teammates from Poland, Bayern, and his current club Barcelona for his past and current successes, saying he was “happy, satisfied, and proud” to be recognized with the Gerd Müller Trophy.
Müller, who was widely regarded as one of the best strikers in the world, passed away in 2021 at the age of 75. In an interview at the time, Lewandowski praised the legendary striker, calling him a “Master” who would “always be an extraordinary inspiration to me.”
Lewandowski has continued his prolific form since leaving Bayern for Catalan giants Barcelona last summer, scoring 14 goals in 13 matches of the season.
Source: Radio Poland, Radio Gdańsk, goal.com
The Center for Student and Doctoral Activity at the University of Gdańsk (UG) and the Gdańsk branch of the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) have launched an urgent appeal for sleeping bags to donate to the people of Ukraine and members of the Polish diaspora in Mykolaiv.
According to Marcelina Wilczewska, organizer of the “Students for Ukraine” campaign at UG, the request for sleeping bags was made to IPN by the chairman of the Odesa branch of the Union of Poles in Ukraine.
“We know that winter will be difficult, and there are problems with energy supplies,” explains Wilczewska, who says the group has plans to collect flashlights, thermal clothing, and portable cooking devices in the future.
The collection point at the University of Gdańsk near the Bażyńskiego tram stop will be open from 7:30 to 14:30 until October 21. New or gently used sleeping bags can be dropped off at ul. Jana Bażyńskiego 1A in room 409.
Source: Radio Gdańsk
Weather
Today will be cool and mostly cloudy with a chance for rain showers in the morning and a strong breeze coming in from the north. Temperatures will peak around a high of 11°C, or 51°F, dropping to a low of only 4°C or 40°F overnight. Similar temps are expected for tomorrow, with a chance for some sunshine before rain showers return on Friday and Saturday.
Elizabeth Peck
