TVN24 News in English

TVN24 News in English

EU Commission demands answers by Oct.3 as Poland downplays visa-for-cash scandal

Poland's government has written to the European Union's Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson alleging that a cash-for-visas scandal is an exaggerated "media fact" timed to discredit the ruling nationalists in a tough battle for re-election next month. The EU Commission Spokesperson Anitta Hipper said on Friday (Sept.22) it had received the letter but found it "does not sufficiently answer all the questions asked".

President Duda: Poland's grain dispute with Ukraine won't largely impact relations

A dispute between Poland and Ukraine over grain imports will not significantly affect the countries' good bilateral relations, Poland's President Andrzej Duda said on Friday (Sept.22), as he moved to ease tensions over the issue. The president added that "cooperation and supporting Ukraine has a historical dimension to me and I am saying this in all seriousness".

Ukrainian and Polish ministers agree to work out solution to trade dispute

Ukraine agreed to license its grain exports to Slovakia on Thursday and pushed for a deal with Poland to end restrictions by its neighbours on grain that it has been forced to send overland since Russia's invasion last year. Ukraine's Ambassador to Poland Vasyl Zvarych said that there was "no person in Ukraine who would be interested in creating any problems for Polish farmers".

Polish MFA summoned Ukrainian ambassador over Zelenskiy's U.N. speech message

Poland's foreign ministry summoned the Ukrainian ambassador and conveyed the Polish side's strong protest against statements made by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the UN General Assembly, it said in a statement. Zelenskiy said in his U.N. address that Kyiv was "working hard to preserve the land routes for grain exports" and that the "political theatre" around grain imports was only helping Moscow, which invaded Ukraine last year.

PM Morawiecki: credit holidays extended for entire 2024

Payment holidays for mortgage holders in Poland will be extended through 2024 for people who meet the income criteria, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki was quoted as saying by Polsat News on Wednesday (Sept.20), ahead of parliamentary elections planned in October.

Visa scandal. Polish ambassador invited to German interior ministry

The German Interior Ministry invited the Polish ambassador on Tuesday (September 19) to discuss allegations about a cash for visas affair for migrants that has roiled Polish domestic politics, government sources told Reuters. Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Arkadiusz Mularczyk confirmed later that day that the Polish Ambassador Dariusz Pawłoś had spoken with German Interior Ministry State Secretary Bernd Krössser. Mularczyk added the meeting was about "clarifying the accusations that some Polish and German media are making against Poland".

Poland says it won't back down over Ukrainian grain dispute as Kyiv calls for compromise

Ukraine appealed to three neighbouring countries in the European Union on Tuesday to embark on "constructive dialogue" to end a dispute over agricultural trade, and approved what it called a "compromise scenario". Poland's Agriculture Minister Robert Telus commented on Ukraine's standpoint at a press briefing by saying: "This is nothing more than exerting pressure". "We shall not back down," he added.

President Duda at U.N. SDG summit: resilience should be voted word of the year

World leaders met for the opening day of the 2023 SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) summit on Monday (September 18) at the United Nations. The President of Poland Andrzej Duda's speech at the summit pertained to the topic of resilience. He pointed to several accomplishments made by Poland in facilitating resilience, including assistance to Ukrainian refugees fleeing Russian aggression, investments in the diversification of energy supplies, and the digitalization of healthcare.

MFA chief: I don't feel complicit in visa scandal as there's no such thing

The head of Poland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Zbigniew Rau said he does not feel complicit in the visa scandal, claiming that "it doesn't exist". "I'm not considering to step down over it," the minister told reporters in New York. He also commented on a document regarding Poland's defence plans declassified by the country's defence ministry.