The Polish president and the First Lady have welcomed Poland’s schoolchildren back to school for the start of the school year yesterday.

More than 4.6 million students headed back to school after the summer break. Starting the new 2023/2024 academic year were children in some 20,000 schools nationwide, among them thousands of Ukrainian children who have fled the war in their country. In a special message for the first day of classes, President Andrzej Duda and First Lady Agata Kornhauser-Duda said the new school year was bringing new opportunities and experiences for students, teachers and parents after more than two months of summer vacation. The Polish Education Minister also announced on Monday that the government would raise teachers’ pay by „up to 20 percent” and put more money into schools nationwide thanks to an increase in the educational subsidy.

Source – Radio Gdańsk. wpolityce.pl

Poland’s Prime Minister has reiterated that the country will welcome any 3rd party observers to Poland when the county goes to elections on October 15th.

During a walkabout yesterday, the prime minister was asked about an observation mission designated for Poland’s October 15th parliamentary elections by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). He said, „There should be as many election monitors as possible … from all political parties. I encourage everyone. It is very important that there are no irregularities.” Poles will head to the ballot box on October 15th to elect 460 new MPs and 100 senators for a four-year term.

Source – Polskie Radio

From midday yesterday, the entire A1 motorway has been made free for passenger cars and motorcycles, the Ministry of Infrastructure announced.

Now all 567 km of the route from the border crossing in Gorzyczki which enters the Czech Republic to the Tricity in the north is free of charge for private passenger vehicles. Drivers will still need to collect a ticket at the start of their journeys which will need to be handed to inspectors at the toll sections at the end of their journeys. Writing on social media, the Prime Minister noted that the abolition of tolls on state motorways was one of the government’s pledges announced in the spring.

Source – Polskie Radio

The Polish tall ship „Dar Młodzieży”, meaning the gift of youth is ready to set sail on the next leg of the tall ships race in Portugal after coming second in the previous leg.

The next leg from Lisbon to Cadiz will see 116 students who are in the first year of the Faculty of Navigation at the University of Gdynia making their debut in the crew of the school sailing ship. The frigate will set a course for the Cape Verde Islands and further towards the zero parallel. There, the White Frigate will commemorate the 100th anniversary of crossing the equator by the first ship under the Polish flag – the sailing ship Lwów. The regatta will end on Thursday, September 7th.

Source – Radio Gdańsk

Weather

Today will be a sunny day in light winds, with temperatures of 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit) during the day and 13 degrees overnight. Tomorrow will remain sunny in light winds, with temperatures reaching 23 degrees during the day and 12 degrees overnight.

Martin Caren