TVN24 News in English

TVN24 News in English

President Duda signs "800+" child benefit program bill into law

Polish families will receive a 60% increase in child benefit payments from next January, under a policy the ruling nationalists hope will help win them a third term in office in a national election due this autumn. "The greatest support for development in the future is the family," President Andrzej Duda said after he signed the bill increasing the benefit into law.

Ukrainian and Polish generals discussed use of various foreign weapons

The Command of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine informed on Monday (August 7) the commander of this formation Lieutenant General Serhiy Naiev met with Operational Commander of the Polish Armed Forces Lieutenant General Tomasz Piotrowski. According to Ukrinform, the two generals discussed Wagner Group presence in Belarus and the use of various types of foreign weapons.

Belarusian government in exile calls for support for "New Belarus" movement

Exiled opponents of President Alexander Lukashenko met in Poland on Sunday, on the eve of the third anniversary of their unsuccessful post-election protests, to display unity and plan strategy including the issuance of "New Belarus" passports. The Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, and the Coordination Council held a conference in Warsaw, while the Belarusian diaspora and Belarusian minority in Poland organized a march in Białystok.

U.S. defence secretary expresses support for Poland's response to incursion by Belarusian helicopters

Poland's Minister of National Defence Mariusz Błaszczak spoke over the phone on Friday (August 4) with U.S. Secretary of Defence Lloyd J. Austin III. According to Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, Austin underscored U.S. support for Poland's response to the violation of Polish airspace by Belarusian helicopters. "Our commitments and obligations as members of the Alliance are clear – we jointly take care of our security. We are Allies," Błaszczak said on Twitter.

Poland strongly condemns prison sentence extension for Alexei Navalny

Jailed Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny had an extra 19 years added to his jail term on Friday in a criminal case that he and his supporters said had been trumped up to keep him behind bars and out of politics for even longer. Poland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday (August 4) that it "strongly condemns the verdict against the Russian oppositionist".

"Policy of hyenas and jackals". MFA issues a statement regarding former minister's comment

Poland's former foreign minister Jacek Czaputowicz said that, in the context of Polish-Ukrainian relations, Poland pursues "a policy of hyenas and jackals". His comment has met with a response from his predecessor in office, current PiS MEP Witold Waszczykowski. "And this guy replaced me! Was it worth it?" - Waszczykowski said on Twitter. In an interview with TVN24, he argued that Poland has its interest and it should pursue it. The current Minister of Foreign Affairs Zbigniew Rau issued a statement regarding Czaputowicz's words.

ABW detains 16th suspected member of Russian spy network

Poland has detained another suspected member of a Russian spy network, bringing the total number of people detained as part of an investigation to 16, Interior Minister and Special Services Coordinator Mariusz Kamiński said on Friday (August 4).

EU Commission says Polish law on Russian influence "continues to raise serious concerns"

The European Union executive said on Thursday (August 3) that Poland's new law on Russian influence, dubbed "Lex Tusk" by the opposition, "continues to raise serious concerns". Despite criticism that it could serve as a tool to persecute political rivals ahead of a national election due this autumn, Poland's President Andrzej Duda - an ally of the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party - signed the law into force on Wednesday.

"Bloodcurdling scenes". Police release footage of a high-speed pursuit

Warsaw police has released footage of a high-speed car chase after an intoxicated driver. In an attempt to escape, the man drove his vehicle along the hard shoulder, next he switched to the opposing lane and sped against the traffic. Once he was apprehended by the police, it turned out he was under the influence of an intoxicant.

Justice minister fires prosecutor over sentenced nationalist's case

Poland's Justice Minister and Prosecutor General Zbigniew Ziobro has decided to dismiss the deputy chief of Poznań-Stare Miasto District Prosecutor's Office. At a press conference on Wednesday (August 2), he explained that "the liability is adequate to the tasks the prosecutor was responsible for". The minister was referring to the case of 24-year-old Marika, a woman sentenced for attempted robbery. Ziobro also said that, in said case, "glaring mistakes were made that resulted in a dubious legal classification".

President Duda ratifies "Lex Tusk"

Poland's President Andrzej Duda on Wednesday (August 2) signed into law the amended bill that would set up a special commission to investigate Russian influence in Poland in 2007-2022. The bill is widely known as "Lex Tusk", as its critics argue it is primarily meant to target opposition ahead of this year's parliamentary election, including Civic Platform leader and former PM Donald Tusk.

Warsaw Uprising veteran: no one has right to govern us so that we feel humiliated

"At the beginning of the uprising the generals would ask: 'what do we need so many women for?'. And when the uprising was ending, we received the same rights as boys. And we shall not give up these rights," the Warsaw Uprising veteran Wanda Traczyk-Stawska said during commemorations of the 79th anniversary of the insurgency. She also stressed that although the constitution guarantees equality to everyone, the Polish government "has forgotten that women have their status guaranteed in this constitution".

Poland marked 79th anniversary of Warsaw Uprising

Poland and its capital city on Tuesday (August 1) marked the 79th anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising. Official commemorations of the insurgency were held all over Warsaw and in other Polish cities. The tragic insurrection commenced on the 1st of August, 1944, and lasted 63 days until it was crushed by better-equipped German army. To punish Warsaw and the insurgents, the retreating German forces razed approx. 85% of the city to the ground.

U.S. ambassador to U.N.: any attacks by Wagner Group will be seen as attacks by Russia

The Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said at a press briefing on Monday (July 31) that "any attacks by the Wagner Group will be seen as an attack by the Russian government". Responding to Fakty TVN reporter Marcin Wrona's question, the ambassador added that the Russian paramilitary organization composed of mercenaries was not operating independently, but rather "at the behest of the Russian government".

Warsaw opens revamped Operation Tempest Park at Uprising Mound

The revitalization of Operation Tempest Park in Warsaw's southern district of Mokotów has been completed. The revamped park reflects the historical significance of this place. It tells the story of the reconstruction of Warsaw and has display cases with photographs of the ruined city. The Warsaw Uprising Mound has therefore become a two-story observation platform.

Flash estimate: inflation in July at 10.8% y/y

Consumer prices in Poland in July 2023, compared with the corresponding month of the previous year, increased by 10.8% (price index 110.8), and as related to the previous month decreased by 0.2% (price index 99.8) - according to the flash estimate released on Monday (July 31) by Poland's Central Statistical Office (Statistics Poland).

MOD chief: Poland will equip its army with 96 Apache attack helicopters

"First Polish pilots will begin practice on Apache helicopters in the beginning of August. Right after the traning has been completed, first eight helicopters provided by the USA will be at the Polish Armed Forces disposal," Poland's Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak said on Friday (July 21). "Today we got to see what Apache helicopters are capable of, proof that this aircraft is the most advanced military helicopter in the world," said U.S. Ambassador to Poland Mark Brzezinski, who accompanied minister Błaszczak at a military proving ground in Nadarzyce.

Two Polish police officers rescued a drowning 29-year-old in Croatia

Two Polish police officers on duty in Croatia rescued a drowning 29-year-old. On Tuesday (July 18) morning, at the beach in Makarska, the policemen spotted a man in the water. "He was twisting in pain. You could see his left shoulder was in an unnatural position. He just couldn't swim anymore," said Officer Marcin Czyż. "Polish policemen great heroes of Makarska," wrote a local news portal.

Poland moves military formations to east as Wagner Group practices in Belarus. Putin warns against aggression on Minsk

Poland's security committee decided in a meeting on Wednesday to move military units to the country's east due to the Wagner Group's presence in Belarus, state-run news agency PAP quoted its secretary as saying on Friday (July 21). Later that day, Russia's President Vladimir Putin accused Poland of having territorial ambitions in the former Soviet Union, and said any aggression against Russia's neighbour and close ally Belarus would be considered an attack on Russia.