TVN24 News in English

TVN24 News in English

Coal crisis: gov't wants to offer households a single subsidy of 3,000 zlotys

Poland plans to offer households a one-off payment of 3,000 zlotys ($635) to help cover the rising cost of coal, according to a draft bill published late on Monday, as the country faces surging energy prices as a result of the war in Ukraine. The proposal was accepted by the government on Tuesday afternoon and will now face a vote in parliament.

Treasure hunters unearth Roman coins and other items in eastern Poland

Treasure hunters unearthed four Roman coins and some other items in a field located in Dołhobyczów municipality (Lublin Voivodeship). The oldest coin found, and at the same the best-preserved one, comes from the era of Emperor Vespasian's reign, that is years 69-79 AD. The coins have been placed in a museum in Hrubieszów, which is planning to search site once the harvest has been done.

Morawiecki: Poland will receive EU funds at the turn of the year

The first tranche of money from the European Union will flow to Poland at the turn of the year - Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Monday in the southern town of Gliwice. He added it was of a secondary importance to him whether the funds would come from Common Agricultural Policy, EU structural funds, or national recovery plan.

Defence minister: Abrams tanks meant for training Polish soldiers already in Poland

Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak said on Monday that Abrams tanks that will be used to train Polish soldiers had already arrived. "We will be ready when the first of 250 state-of-art tanks we purchased arrive," the minister said. Poland bought 250 Abrams tanks to fill the void created after handing over 240 T-72 tanks to Ukraine.

Supreme Court Disciplinary Chamber replaced by Chamber of Professional Responsiblity. Is it enough to unlock EU funds?

The recently amended law on the Supreme Court entered into force on Friday (July 15). As a result, the constested Disciplinary Chamber for judges ceased to exist and has been replaced by a newly created Chamber of Professional Responsibility. The amended law is meant end the long-running dispute between Warsaw and Brussels regarding the rule of law, and consequently to unlock money earmarked for Poland as part of the EU recovery plan. Whether the change is sufficient to achieve this goal remains to be seen, as the EU executive was still examining Poland's new law on courts. However, Vice-President of the European Commission Vera Jourova had already mentioned on June 30 that said legislation had not met the set out milestones.

June inflation highest in over 25 years

Poland's inflation in June was at 15.5% year on year, which was the highest level in 25 years - Statistics Poland said on Friday. The last time consumer prices increase was higher happened in March of 1997, when inflation had reached 16.6%. Inflation in June turned out to be just slightly lower than as it had been predicted in a flash estimate earlier this month - 15.6% yoy.

EU economic forecast: Poland with the highest inflation in the EU in 2023

Inflation in Poland in 2022 is to be at 12.2% and at 9% in 2023 - according to the latest European Commission forecast. In both cases this is more than in the May prediction. Moreover, inflation in Poland in 2023 will be the highest the EU. In its summer report, the EU executive also updated forecasts on GDP growth in EU member states.

John Kerry in Warsaw: we're on a journey to a carbon-free economy

During his official visit to Warsaw on Tuesday (July 12), United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry met with Poland's President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. At a press conference held in the afternoon, Kerry spoke about Polish-American cooperation in the scope of new technologies, carbon-free economy and using nuclear energy in Poland. "We’re also here to share in this journey to a carbon-free economy on a global basis," he said, adding that the USA were hoping to be helpful with "nuclear power here in Poland". We're committed and supportive of that effort. President Biden asked me to come here and meet with the president to talk about it," Kerry said.

"Time to return to normal relations". Israeli Ambassador to Poland submits letter of credence

"We have agreed with Israel's President Isaac Herzog it is time to return to normal relations (between) Poland and Israel," President Andrzej Duda said on Twitter. He added that "the first step" in that regard had been taken. "Ambassador @YacovLivne submitted letter of credence today," Duda said. "I arrived here in order to restore the relationship between Poland and Israel back on the normal track. This is our goal," ambassador Livne told TVN24 later on Tuesday.

NBP: spike in electricity and gas tariffs for households to reach double figures

The National Bank of Poland forecasts that increase in electricity and gas tariffs for households is to reach double figures. The bank, however, does not want to speak about exact figures as this is a purely technical projection - says NBP Economic Analysis and Research Department Director Piotr Szpunar. Poland's Energy Regulatory Office has already launched proceedings related to changes in electricity sales tariffs.

Warsaw opens a home for youth in homelessness crisis

Last week, a home for youth who had found themselves in homelessness crisis was opened in Warsaw. The house, which was rearranged to serve this particular purpose, already hosts seven residents. "Usually when we talk about homelessness, we think about an older man with a beard who doesn't smell too nicely, but we don't see a face of an 18-year-old - and I have met such persons. I thought to myself it should not be this way: these young people have the right to step into adulthood in convenient, decent starting conditions - and we saw about that," chief of "Po drugie" foundation Agnieszka Sikora told TVN24.

Anniversary of Volhynia Massacre. President Duda: it's not about revenge, we just want the truth

On Monday (July 11), Poland marked the National Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Genocide of Citizens of the Polish Republic committed by Ukrainian Nationalists. During a commemorative ceremony in Warsaw, President Andrzej Duda spoke about the memory of the Volhynia Massacre victims, saying that the crime was "in fact genocide". He added that Poland "wants the truth" and "wants graves" of the victims.

Niedzielski: COVID infections on the rise, but no restrictions necessary yet

Poland's Health Minister Adam Niedzielski said at a press conference on Friday that Poland was recording one of the highest coronavirus R values (reproduction number and growth rate of coronavirus) since the start of the pandemic, adding that approx. 450 COVID patients were being hospitalised at the time. He also said the government would not be considering to introduce any restrictions if the level of hospitalisations stayed below 5,000 cases.

Belsat: another burial ground of Polish soldiers in Belarus desecrated

Belsat TV informs, based on viewers reports, that a burial ground of Polish, soldiers located in Kachichi village, Grodno Region, has been vandalised. This is yet another such case in recent days. A few days ago, another cemetery of Polish soldiers was demolished in the same region in Mikulishki. "Poland strongly condemns acts of vandalism targeting resting places," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Twitter on Friday.

Tsikhanouskaya: demolition of Polish soldiers cemetery in Belarus is an outrage

Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called the demolition of a Polish soldiers cemetery in Belarus "an outrage". "I would like to express our friendship with Poland & support for Poles in Belarus," Tsikhanouskaya added in a tweet. Polish Ambassador in Minsk Artur Michalski thanked Tsikhanouskaya for her "important words" and "solidarity".

Polish MFA confirms a Polish citizen is among foreigners arrested in Iran

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms that a Polish national was taken into custody in Iran in September 2021, Polish MFA spokesperson Łukasz Jasina said in a statement on Thursday. Iran's Revolutionary Guards have detained several foreigners, including Britain's second most senior envoy in Tehran, for alleged acts of spying such as taking soil samples in restricted areas, state television reported on Wednesday.

PM Morawiecki on email scandal: a Russian provocation

Asked on Wednesday how many times the chief of his office Michał Dworczyk had met with Constitutional Tribunal chief judge Julia Przyłębska to discuss ongoing cases in said Tribunal, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki would not give a definitive answer. He called the so-called email scandal and messages allegedly leaked from Dworczyk's account a "Russian provocation", adding that various media outlets were "falling into Vladimir Putin's trap".

"Napalm Girl" came to Warsaw to escort war refugees from Ukraine

Phan Thi Kim Phuc, better known as the "Napalm Girl" from Nick Ut's award-winning photograph from 1972, visited Warsaw on Monday. She assisted a group of more than 200 refugees from Ukraine who boarded a plane to Canada. A photograph of her running away from an air strike in 1972 is one of the most important symbols of the tragic Vietnam War.

Email scandal: chief of PM's office was to discuss rulings of Constitutional Court with top judge

According to another message leaked from the head of prime minister's office Michał Dworczyk's email account, he is believed to have had a discussion with the President of Constitutional Tribunal Julia Przyłębska regarding functioning of the high court. The news sparked outrage among opposition politicians who commented on the issue on Tuesday. According to Civic Platform MP Grzegorz Schetyna, this demonstrates the way in which the ruling PiS party "wants to treat the whole judicial system". Chief of the Left parliamentary club Krzysztof Gawkowski said that Dworczyk should be charged by a prosecutor, while his party colleague Tomasz Trela demanded judge Przyłębska's resignation.

U.S. Ambassador Mark Brzezinski: my father loved Poland and wished it all the best

"Just as we have things to work on, the Polish government has things to work on. And that’s why we have a continuing dialogue with the Polish government on democracy and rule of law, which is two ways," U.S. Ambassador Mark Brzezinski said in an exclusive interview for "Fakty" TVN reporter Katarzyna Kolenda-Zaleska. He also shared some of his childhood memories, spoke about what Poland meant to his family, and how he understood his mission as ambassador. "It means a lot and it weighs heavily on me, I won’t lie to you. It means everything to and my family, because my dad loved Poland and he wanted the best for Poland," ambassador Brzezinski said.