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Notes from Poland

@notesfrompoland.bsky.social

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Independent and informed news and insight on Polish politics, culture, business and history. Support us: https://notesfrompoland.com/donations/support-us/

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Notes from Poland @notesfrompoland.bsky.social · Aug 7

Our small team can only keep bringing you free, high-quality news and analysis from Poland thanks to your support.

As a non-profit media outlet, we rely on reader donations to fund our work and remain independent.

Donate now by clicking here: notesfrompoland.com/donations/su...

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Notes from Poland @notesfrompoland.bsky.social · 9h

Poland is now "nearly as rich as the UK" after seeing real GDP per capita grow 18% since 2019, compared to 1% for the UK, notes @thetimes.com.

"In some ways Poland is already ahead...[with] faster mobile internet, cheaper electricity and more high-speed rail."

Poland is nearly as rich as the UK. How has it caught up so fast?

When it comes to investment, particularly in its regions, perhaps Britain is the country that needs to keep up

www.thetimes.com

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Notes from Poland @notesfrompoland.bsky.social · 11h

We are delighted to announce the start of our partnership with the EFC Foundation, a Polish NGO devoted to strengthening civic education in Poland and Central Europe, and which is now supporting the work of Notes from Poland.

To learn more about EFC, please go to: efc.edu.pl/en/

Notes from Poland @notesfrompoland.bsky.social · 1d

Poland’s opposition PiS party today held a protest against the EU’s migration pact and its proposed trade deal with the South American Mercosur bloc.

Leader Jarosław Kaczyński accused Prime Minister Donald Tusk of wanting to turn Poland into a "German protectorate" and called for him to be removed.

Polish opposition hold protest against EU migration and trade policies

notesfrompoland.com

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Notes from Poland @notesfrompoland.bsky.social · 1d

Poland has secured an exemption from accepting relocated migrants under the EU's new migration pact, says the government.

"I said that there would be no relocation of migrants in Poland, and there won’t be!" celebrated Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

Poland says it will be exempted from EU migrant relocations

notesfrompoland.com

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Notes from Poland @notesfrompoland.bsky.social · 2d

Poland’s interior ministry has proposed tougher rules for obtaining Polish citizenship.

They would increase the residency period from three to eight years and require applicants to take a test proving they are integrated and sign a declaration of loyalty.

Poland proposes tougher rules for foreigners to obtain citizenship

notesfrompoland.com

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Notes from Poland @notesfrompoland.bsky.social · 2d

The only way to negotiate with Russia is to "make a show of force first and only then have dialogue," writes Polish foreign minister Radosław Sikorski for the New York Times.

"It is essential to continue to support Ukraine, and to undermine the foundations of the Russian war economy."

Opinion | Putin Is Escalating His War. If You Are Surprised, You Have Not Been Paying Attention.

www.nytimes.com

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Notes from Poland @notesfrompoland.bsky.social · 2d

Our work is only possible thanks to the support of readers like you.

Please consider making a donation to allow us to continue our mission of providing high-quality news and analysis from Poland:

Support us

notesfrompoland.com

Notes from Poland @notesfrompoland.bsky.social · 2d

A court has ruled that Poland's recently introduced partial suspension of the right to asylum is justified and lawful.

It rejected a complaint by a Sudanese man who had been denied the right to claim asylum after crossing irregularly from Belarus.

Polish court rules asylum ban at Belarus border justified and lawful

notesfrompoland.com

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Notes from Poland @notesfrompoland.bsky.social · 2d

Prosecutors have charged 12 people in relation to over 1,000 false documents issued by three private Polish universities that were used to help people from Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe enter the EU and obtain legal residence.

Poland charges gang accused of issuing fake university documents to allow foreigners to enter EU

notesfrompoland.com

Notes from Poland @notesfrompoland.bsky.social · 2d

With growing military, economic and energy ties around the Baltic Sea, Poland's geopolitical focus is increasingly towards the north, unlike for most of its recent history, writes @danieltilles1.bsky.social.

How Poland is becoming a Baltic power

notesfrompoland.com

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Notes from Poland @notesfrompoland.bsky.social · 3d

Around 180 municipalities in Poland already have bans on nighttime alcohol sales, including its second-largest city, Kraków.

A proposal to introduce a nationwide ban was recently introduced to parliament by The Left.

For more, see our report:

Polish Left proposes nationwide ban on nighttime alcohol sales in shops

notesfrompoland.com

Notes from Poland @notesfrompoland.bsky.social · 3d

Poland's third-largest city, Wrocław, has today introduced a citywide ban on nighttime alcohol sales.

Shops and petrol stations are now prohibited from selling alcohol between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., although it can still be purchased in restaurants and bars.

Wrocław wprowadza nocną prohibicję. Miasto czekają wielkie zmiany

Od czwartku we Wrocławiu w godzinach 22-6 będzie obowiązywać zakaz sprzedaży alkoholu w sklepach i na stacjach benzynowych. Przedsiębiorcy, którzy go złamią, muszą się liczyć z karami i utratą koncesj...

wiadomosci.onet.pl

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Notes from Poland @notesfrompoland.bsky.social · 3d

Poland’s justice ministry has unveiled new plans for how to deal with the status of around 2,500 judges who were appointed by a body rendered illegitimate by the judicial reforms of the former PiS government, as well as rulings issued by them.

Polish justice ministry outlines new plan to resolve status of illegitimately appointed judges

notesfrompoland.com

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Notes from Poland @notesfrompoland.bsky.social · 3d

A Warsaw official accused of spying for Russia will stand trial.

The man used his access to city archives to copy documents that could enable the creation of false identities for undercover Russian agents, prosecutors say.

Warsaw official accused of spying for Russia to face trial

notesfrompoland.com

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Notes from Poland @notesfrompoland.bsky.social · 3d

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk earlier this year likewise said that Warsaw will not implement the EU's migration pact if it involves relocating migrants to Poland

Poland "will not implement" EU migration pact if it involves receiving relocated migrants

notesfrompoland.com

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Notes from Poland @notesfrompoland.bsky.social · 3d

"Poland will not agree to any actions by European institutions aimed at relocating illegal migrants to Poland, and I trust you will take this into account in your actions," Polish President Karol Nawrocki has said in a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Prezydent Karol Nawrocki napisał do szefowej Komisji Europejskiej. "Polska nie zgodzi się"

"Polska nie zgodzi się na jakiekolwiek działania instytucji europejskich, które zmierzałyby do rozlokowania w Polsce nielegalnych migrantów" -

wydarzenia.interia.pl

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Notes from Poland @notesfrompoland.bsky.social · 3d

Polish members of the Gaza aid flotilla have returned home after being deported by Israel.

One of them, a member of parliament, has accused Israel of "torturing" them during captivity. He criticised the Polish government for "turning a blind eye" to "genocide" in Gaza.

Deported Polish Gaza aid flotilla members return home, claiming "torture" by Israel

notesfrompoland.com

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Notes from Poland @notesfrompoland.bsky.social · 4d

Poland’s central bank has cut its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 4.5%, with the bank's Monetary Policy Council citing "improvement in the inflation outlook".

It is the fourth time since May that the rate has been cut, amid slowing inflation.

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Notes from Poland @notesfrompoland.bsky.social · 4d

The European Commission has launched legal action against Poland over its failure to submit a plan for reducing emissions.

Poland is the only member state that has failed to produce the document, the final deadline for which passed well over a year ago.

EU launches legal action against Poland over lack of climate plan

notesfrompoland.com

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Notes from Poland @notesfrompoland.bsky.social · 4d

The number of fully electric passenger vehicles in Poland has passed 100,000 for the first time.

Sales of EVs in Poland have risen at one of the fastest rates in the EU this year, following the introduction of state subsidies for buyers.

Number of fully electric passenger vehicles in Poland passes 100,000

notesfrompoland.com

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Notes from Poland @notesfrompoland.bsky.social · 4d

The US Senate has confirmed Trump nominee Thomas Rose as the new American ambassador to Poland.

For more, see our report on his nomination in February: bit.ly/3J11g5t.

Senat USA zatwierdził kandydata Donalda Trumpa na ambasadora w Polsce

Senat USA zatwierdził we wtorek nominację Thomasa Rose'a na stanowisko ambasadora Stanów Zjednoczonych w Polsce. Senatorowie głosowali nad pakietem nominacji na różne stanowiska, który obejmował ponad...

wiadomosci.onet.pl

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Notes from Poland @notesfrompoland.bsky.social · 4d

Polish PM Donald Tusk says it is "not in the interest of Poland or of decency and justice" to extradite to Germany the Ukrainian man recently detained in Poland on a European Arrest Warrant for his alleged involvement in the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines.

Tusk: "not in interest of Poland or justice" to extradite Ukrainian accused of Nord Stream sabotage

notesfrompoland.com

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Notes from Poland @notesfrompoland.bsky.social · 5d

The far-right Confederation party has submitted a resolution to Poland’s parliament condemning Israel’s “genocidal actions” in Gaza, as well as the “criminal terrorist attacks by Hamas”.

It has called on other parties to adopt the resolution in a vote.

Resolution condemning "genocide" in Gaza submitted to Polish parliament

notesfrompoland.com

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Notes from Poland @notesfrompoland.bsky.social · 5d

The European Parliament has voted to strip two MEPs from Poland’s opposition PiS party of immunity so that they can face criminal charges in their homeland.

Daniel Obajtek and Michał Dworczyk accused the EP of consenting to their "political repression" by the current Polish government.

European Parliament strips Polish opposition MEPs of immunity

notesfrompoland.com

Notes from Poland @notesfrompoland.bsky.social · 5d

"We cannot allow Ukrainians" - Poland's largest immigrant group - "to have representation in parliament", warns far-right leader Sławomir Mentzen.

His remarks come amid discussions over plans to toughen the criteria for foreigners to obtain Polish citizenship.

"Ukrainians cannot be allowed representation in Polish parliament," says far-right leader

notesfrompoland.com