The Polish ex-Prime Minister Donald Tusk said this week that he will not run in the country’s presidential race next year, amid rumours that he was thinking of challenging current President Andrzej Duda. Poland’s largest opposition party, the Civic Platform, signalled last week it was thinking of holding a primary election to select a presidential candidate unless Tusk, its former leader, decided to enter the race.

Tusk was prime minister of Poland from 2007 to 2014, when he resigned to become president of the European Council and whose term in Brussels ends on 30th November.

Poland’s ruling party have confirmed their support for the current president, Andrzej Duda who is expected to seek re-election in May.

Recent surveys indicate that Duda would beat Tusk in the second round of Poland’s 2020 presidential election if they both entered the race.

Bloomberg Praises / Poland

Poland’s economy is continuing to perform well on the global stage and against other European economies. According to an article on the Bloomberg website this week, Poland topped the performance of 21 emerging market currencies against the Euro in recent data making gains of almost 3% last month.

The Polish Central Bank has also opted to keep interest rates at a record-low of 1.5% this week, keeping them at the same level since 2015. The bank governor is aiming to keep interest rates unchanged until at least when his term ends in 2022.

New Traffic Rules in Poland

Drivers will be required to “zipper merge” and move aside to let emergency vehicles through heavy traffic under new rules green-lighted by the country’s President who signed them into effect after they passed in an 84-0 parliament vote.

You will be required to merge at a late stage in places where two or more lanes of traffic narrow to one. Experts say that this helps to relieve road congestion and is preferred to early merging because studies show that leaving a lane unoccupied is inefficient and only makes traffic heavier.

All drivers will also be required to move aside and create „emergency corridors” to allow emergency services to reach the scenes of a road accidents as quickly as possible.

Biggest Maritime Project in Europe

The Port of Gdansk has unveiled ambitious plans to expand its operations in a $3.1 billion investment which would see its cargo volumes double from its current 50 million tonnes a year.

The expansions proposals include the construction of 19km of operational quays, 8.5km of breakwaters, nine terminals, four turning areas and three approach fairways as well as a nearly doubling of the current railway network according to website port technology.

The proposals are the most significant current maritime investment project in Europe.

The Weather: Friday is going to be cloudy with a gentle breeze and temperatures reaching 7 degrees centigrade (45 degrees Fahrenheit) during the day, and 5degrees centigrade (41 degrees Fahrenheit) overnight.

Saturday will remain cloudy with chances of rain and temperatures reaching a maximum of 8 degrees centigrade.

That was the R.G.E.N. news and weather.

What’s On – this weekend in the Tricity

Tomorrow at 7 pm at St Johns Church in Gdansk the Music Everywhere Choir, specializing in lively performances and an unconventional approach to singing will be giving a concert. Shortly after the concert, there will be special Choir Olympics Games, in which choirs will have to present themselves in very unusual disciplines. Entrance is free.

This weekend, ice hockey teams from Japan, Italy and Hungary will be playing alongside Poland in the Euro Ice Hockey Challenge Independence Cup, which is taking place all weekend at the Hala Olivia ice arena. Poland will be playing against Japan tonight at 6pm, against Italy tomorrow at 3pm and will wrap things up against Hungary on Sunday at 3pm. Tickets cost from 12zl to 75zl.

And finally, the famous and long-standing Jazz Jantar Festival continues at the Zak Student Club, on Grunwaldzka street up until the November 20th.

RGEN