The European Union has earmarked over €65 million to help Poland, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, and Romania support and host those “fleeing Russian aggression against Ukraine.”

The European Commission announced on Monday it would release the funds from the EU’s Asylum Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) to “help beneficiaries of temporary protection move out of collective accommodation towards private housing” and provide them financial support “during the transition period.” The funds can also be used to provide “language and vocational training, as well as access to social and health services.”

Over 4 million refugees from Ukraine benefit from temporary protection or a similar scheme in the EU, a designation which has been extended until March 2025, according to officials.

Today is day 665 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Source: Polskie Radio, ec.europa.edu

Poland, the Baltic states, and the European Commission have signed a political declaration aiming to synchronize power grids in Baltic countries with those of Western Europe by February 2025.

EU Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson emphasized that synchronization would allow the Baltic countries of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia to take full control of their electricity networks, integrate with the European market, and strengthen the region’s energy security.

The declaration, which was signed on Tuesday in Brussels during a meeting of the EU Energy Council, also contains a commitment to accelerate the implementation of the electricity connection between Lithuania and Poland.

Source: Radio Gdansk, PAP

Polish truck drivers have resumed their blockade of the country’s largest freight border crossing with Ukraine after a court order allowed them to return to the checkpoint.

According to media reports, nearly 1,600 lorries were again lined up at the Dorohusk crossing on Tuesday, with the wait time estimated at 100 hours.

Jan Piekło, a former Polish ambassador to Ukraine, told public broadcaster Polish Radio the issue was “being handled unprofessionally” and called on Poland’s new government to “implement decisive measures and promptly resolve the issue.”

Both Polish and Ukrainian businesses are losing out because of the protest,” Piekło explained, “which is why it clearly aligns with Russia’s interests.”

Source: Radio Poland

Legia Warszawa will face Norwegian champions Molde FK in the knockout stage of the UEFA Conference League following a draw earlier this week to determine the pairings for the competition.

The first match will be played in Norway on February 15, with the second match in Poland on February 22, 2024. The winners will go through to the last 16 of the 2023/2024 UEFA Conference League.

The final of the 2023/2024 UEFA Conference League, Europe’s third-tier club competition, will be held on May 29 in Athens, Greece.

Source: Radio Poland, uefa.com

A pair of figure skaters from Gdansk are the new Polish senior champions in ice dancing after taking home the top award in their category at the 2024 Polish Figure Skating Championships in the Czech Republic last weekend.

Despite training together for only eight months, Oliwia Rybicka Oliver and Filip Bojanowski of the GKS Stoczniowiec Gdańsk club dominated the field of competitors in the ice dancing competition.

In an interview with Radio Gdansk, the pair declared the win a dream come true, adding that they would be “starting intensive training to implement our long-term plan, which is to qualify for the 2026 Olympic Games.”

Oliwia and Filip train at the home base of the GKS Stoczniowiec Gdańsk club in Hala Olivia and in Egna, Italy, at the Young Goose Academy club under the supervision of coach Matteo Zanni.

Source: Radio Gdańsk, pzlf.pl, czechskating.org

Weather

Today will be mostly overcast, with a slight chance of rain showers in the early afternoon and a strong breeze from the southwest. Temperatures will be colder than yesterday but remain above freezing, with a high of 4°C, or 40°F, dropping slightly overnight to a low of 2°C or 35°F. Similar weather is expected tomorrow, with a chance for rain and potentially more snow on Thursday and Friday.

Elizabeth Peck