Poland plans a public aid package of up to 2.94 billion zlotys ($805.35 million) for its national airline LOT, the PAP news agency said on Friday citing a government draft law.

Medical staff in Poland could start being vaccinated against COVID-19 this month, the prime minister's top aide, Michal Dworczyk, said on Wednesday.

Poland faces a real threat of a third wave of the coronavirus pandemic, Health Minister Adam Niedzielski said on Monday, adding he would recommend that current restrictions continue until at least Jan. 17.

The conservative Solidary Poland party decided on Saturday to remain in government despite its opposition to a European Union budget deal, the party's leader said, meaning the ruling coalition will keep its majority.

Poland should be able to administer 3.4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine a month, the prime minister's top aide said on Saturday, as the country's health service gears up for what is likely to be its biggest logistical challenge ever.

Rifts in Poland's ruling coalition widened after the justice minister criticised the prime minister for accepting a European Union budget compromise, although officials on Friday brushed off talk of an impending split.

European Union leaders unblocked on Thursday a 1.8 trillion euro financial package to help the economy recover from the pandemic-induced recession after reaching a compromise with Poland and Hungary, the chairman of EU leaders Charles Michel said.

Another European Union summit may be necessary to agree on the bloc's budget and coronavirus recovery fund, Poland's prime minister said on Tuesday, adding that the country's stance on the issue has not changed.

State-controlled Polish refiner PKN Orlen is buying regional newspaper publisher Polska Press from its German owner, bringing more of the local media back into Polish hands. "Through state-owned companies, with the money of Polish taxpayers, (PiS) is trying to take control of independent media," says Borys Budka, leader of opposition party Civic Platform. It is a business investment, emphasizes chief executive of PKN Orlen Daniel Obajtek.

Nobody other than the prime minister should communicate Poland's position on its European Union budget veto, the president's chief of staff Krzysztof Szczerski said in an interview published on Sunday, amid conflicting signals from members of government on the issue.

Poland is not changing its position on the EU budget and cannot accept funds being linked to a rule of law mechanism, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Friday.

Poland and Hungary should behave responsibly and reach an agreement on EU recovery fund, Spain's foreign minister, Arancha Gonzalez Laya, said on Thursday.

Polish politicians should stop stigmatising LGBTI people, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights said in a memorandum published on Thursday, adding that such behaviour risked legitimising homophobic violence.

The number of coronavirus cases recorded in Poland passed 1 million on Wednesday and a second wave of the pandemic is proving more serious than the first.

A zoo in Wroclaw, Poland has captured the birth of a tiny mouse deer on camera for the first time ever, in a hopeful moment for the highly endangered species originating from the Philippines.

Veterinary inspectors say they have found no evidence of COVID-19 among mink at a farm in northern Poland where other scientists reported finding eight cases.

Poland and Hungary reiterated on Friday that they will block a new European Union budget and coronavirus recovery fund if rule-of-law conditions are attached, raising the risk of a prolonged standoff with Brussels.

Hungary and Poland insisted there could be no rule of law conditions to access the European Union's multiannual budget and recovery fund unless the EU changes its founding treaty, digging in their heels as the bloc seeks to unwind the deadlock.

Poland is introducing a programme to help its economy withstand the hit from the novel coronavirus pandemic worth about $9-10 billion, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Thursday, as it confronts a second wave of infections.

Poland and Hungary should ask the European Union's top court to assess the link between access to EU money and observing the rule of law, instead of blocking the EU's 2021-2027 budget and recovery plan, the head of the European Commission said.

Poland reported on Wednesday a new daily record of 674 coronavirus-related deaths, while new daily coronavirus cases surpassed 15,000.

Polish scientists have identified eight cases of COVID-19 in minks at a farm in the north of the country, the Medical University of Gdansk said on Tuesday.

Police scuffled with protesters who gathered in front of Poland's Education Ministry on Monday following a ruling that tightened restrictions on abortion rights.

A dispute over the European Union's recovery fund and budget will eventually be resolved, Hungary's prime minister said on Friday, as a senior official in Warsaw said Poland had the right to demand a "new compromise" over the deal.

Poland reported a new daily high of 637 coronavirus-related deaths on Thursday, according to the health ministry's Twitter account.

Poland's ruling party leader accused opposition politicians of having "blood on their hands" for supporting protests the government blames for helping spread COVID-19, as police kept demonstrators against an abortion ruling away from parliament.

A Polish judge critical of the ruling party's judiciary reforms had his immunity from prosecution removed on Wednesday by a disciplinary chamber the EU says is not independent, underlining a rift over the rule of law that has left the country at odds with the bloc.

Poland reported a record 603 new coronavirus-related deaths in the past 24 hours on Wednesday, but a senior official expressed optimism over a fall in new infections since restrictions were tightened.

The European Commission convened with Polish officials on Tuesday to attempt to win support for a tougher European Union climate change target, after the country requested more analysis of the goal.

Poland expects Brussels to offer it new proposals to find a way out of stalemate after the country joined Hungary in vetoing the European Union's 1.8 trillion euro budget, a government spokesman said on Tuesday.