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☆ Ukraine Warns of Border Delays Due to Polish Haulier Protest
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

KYIV/WARSAW (Reuters) - Ukraine's border guard on Thursday warned of possible delays at the country's border with Poland due to protest action by Polish hauliers that is set to block traffic on several crossing points. A co-organizer of the protest told Reuters that the blockade was the result of Ukrainian haulage companies flooding the Polish market and hurting local companies. It was set to start on Nov. 6 around noon, deputy head of the Committee to Protect Transporters and Transport Employers Jacek Sokol told Reuters. Ukrainian transport companies are also entering without restrictions and carrying out transport operations they have no right to perform," Sokol said. Most of the goods are carried by Ukrainian transport fleet.

Persons: Rava, Employers Jacek Sokol, Sokol, Pavel Polityuk, Marek Strzelecki, Karol Badohal, Alison Williams, Christina Fincher Organizations: Reuters, Employers, Ukrainian Infrastructure Ministry, European Union Locations: KYIV, WARSAW, Poland, Ukraine, Europe, Russia

[1/4] A view of the turbines at an offshore wind farm near Nysted, Denmark, September 4, 2023. Time is short: The EU has a legally binding goal to nearly double renewable sources as a share of total energy by 2030, to 42.5%, requiring a rapid expansion of offshore wind. But of the governments surveyed, only Britain and Poland said they had invested or budgeted for steps to improve the security of offshore infrastructure. It requires a lot of effort from the government side," said Mattia Cecchinato, senior adviser for offshore wind at WindEurope. It said it would establish a permanent coast guard base close to where offshore wind farms are planned.

Persons: Tom Little, Thomas Almegaard, Vladimir Putin, Mads Nipper, Orsted, Ewa Skoog Haslum, James Appathurai, Germany's RWE, Anitta, Mattia Cecchinato, Rasmus, Krzysztof Jaworski, Orsted's Errboe, Benjamin Mallet, Riham, Elizabeth Piper, Toby Sterling, Andrius Sytas, Marek Strzelecki, Sara Ledwith Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Baltic Seas, EU, NATO, NewNew, Sweden's, Soaring, Emerging, Research, Solutions, Internal, Fund, Military, Naval Operations Centre, Polish Navy, Thomson Locations: Nysted, Denmark, Europe, Baltic, Nord, Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Russian, Russia, NewNew Shipping, Netherlands, Britain, Poland, Germany, North, Swedish, Copenhagen, Moscow, Sofia, European, Anitta Hipper, Belgium, Norway, France, Lithuania, Latvia, Baltic . Poland, Paris, Berlin, London, Amsterdam, Vilnius, Warsaw

In another dispute, Warsaw resisted a German offer to station Patriot missile air defence units in Poland before eventually agreeing to it. Among the sticking points, one German source said Poland was asking for too much money for the repair works. Another source, a German diplomat, said the talks failed partly because German companies were reluctant to share technical information. SOURING RELATIONSWhile ties between Poland and Germany have been frosty since PiS first came to power in 2015, Poles now see them worsening. Just 47% think relations are good, according to a German Polish barometer poll this year, down from 72% in 2020.

Persons: Olaf Scholz, Andrzej Duda, Thibault Camus, Donald Tusk, PiS, Mateusz Morawiecki, Tusk, Angela Merkel, General Ben Hodges, Krauss, Maffei, Sebastian Chwalek, Thomas Kleine, Berlin, mushroomed, Camp David, ” Hodges, Joe, Biden, Andrzej, Duda, Chancellor Scholz, Justyna Pawlak, Marek Strzelecki, Anna Koper, Anna Wlodarczak, Alan Charlish, Sarah Marsh, Sabine Siebold, Andreas Rinke, Matthias Williams, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Russia, goading, NATO, Justice, Nazi Wehrmacht, Patriot, Law, Justice Party, U.S, Army, Reuters, Rheinmetall, Polska, Patriots, Foreign, German Marshall Fund, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Berlin, Germany, Russia Berlin, goading Warsaw, WARSAW, BERLIN, Polish, Nazi, EU, Slovakia, Poland, Warsaw, U.S, Europe, German, PiS, Japan, South Korea

☆ Poland Election Turns Germany Into Punchbag, Straining Western Alliance
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +7 min

Persons: Marek Strzelecki, Sabine Siebold, Anna Koper, Donald Tusk, PiS, Mateusz Morawiecki, Tusk, Angela Merkel, Olaf Scholz, General Ben Hodges, Krauss, Maffei, Sebastian Chwalek, Thomas Kleine, Berlin, mushroomed, Camp David, ” Hodges, Joe, Biden, Andrzej, Duda, Chancellor Scholz, Justyna Pawlak, Anna Wlodarczak, Alan Charlish, Sarah Marsh, Andreas Rinke, Matthias Williams, Mark Heinrich Organizations: Anna, Anna Koper WARSAW, NATO, Justice, Nazi Wehrmacht, Patriot, Law, Justice Party, U.S, Army, Reuters, Rheinmetall, Polska, Patriots, Foreign, German Marshall Fund Locations: BERLIN, Germany, Berlin, Ukraine, Polish, Nazi, EU, Slovakia, Poland, Warsaw, U.S, Europe, German, PiS, Japan, South Korea

☆ Thousands gather in Warsaw for opposition rally ahead of tight election
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Justyna Pawlak | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/6] Overview of crowds and city skyline during the "March of a Million Hearts" (Marsz Miliona Serc) opposition rally, two weeks ahead of the parliamentary election, in Warsaw, Poland October 1, 2023. The opposition is hoping Sunday's march becomes the biggest in decades and galvanises voters to participate in the election. Some carried banners saying "PiSexit" or "The cat can stay", referring to the pet animal of PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski. And we have been denied this money because someone has decided to destroy democracy in Poland," Warsaw mayor Rafal Trzaskowski told those at the rally. Reporting by Justyna Pawlak, Marek Strzelecki and Kuba Stezycki; Editing by Hugh LawsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Agencja, Slawomir Kaminski, Donald Tusk, Hanna Chaciewicz, Tusk, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, PiS, Rafal Trzaskowski, Justyna Pawlak, Marek Strzelecki, Hugh Lawson Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, Rights, European Union, Law and Justice, European, TVP, Warsaw, Thomson Locations: Warsaw, Poland, EU, Otwock, Public, Brussels

☆ Poland issues environmental permit for first nuclear power plant
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FILE PHOTO-Polish Minister of Climate an Environment Anna Moskwa, speaks during an interview with Reuters at Enviroment Ministry headquarter in Warsaw, Poland, June 15, 2023. REUTERS/Kuba Stezycki/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWARSAW, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Poland has issued an environmental permit for the country's first nuclear power plant, state run news agency PAP reported on Friday, citing Climate Minister Anna Moskwa. According to Poland's General Directorate for Environmental Protection (GDOS), the building and operation of the plant will not adversely affect the environment, and its impact will be monitored, PAP reported. Warsaw plans to build its first nuclear power plant on the Baltic coast by 2033. The U.S. consortium and Polish utility Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe are expected to sign an engineering services contract next week, according to Bechtel.

Persons: Anna Moskwa, Kuba, Moskwa, Bechtel, Marek Strzelecki, Christina Fincher Organizations: Reuters, Enviroment Ministry, REUTERS, Rights, Environmental Protection, Westinghouse Electric Co, U.S ., Polskie, Bechtel, Thomson Locations: Polish, Warsaw, Poland, Baltic

☆ Analysis-Poland's PiS Faces Far-Right Challenge Over Ukraine Support
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

While Poles' overall attitudes to Ukrainian refugees remain positive and support for Kyiv's war effort is almost unanimous, research shows that critical views are becoming more widespread. SHIFTING VIEWSA survey last month showed that the number of Poles who support allowing refugees from Ukraine in has fallen to 69% from 91% just after the war started. Other research has shown a higher level of aversion to Ukrainian refugees among young women than in other demographics. POLISH PUSHBACKIt is against this political backdrop that PiS decided to extend a ban on Ukrainian grain imports in response to rising anger in the party's rural heartlands. "When it was necessary, we opened our hearts, we opened our homes for refugees from Ukraine," Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said.

Persons: Alan Charlish, Marek Strzelecki WARSAW, Slawomir Mentzen, Piotr Muller, CBOS, Anna Brylka, PiS, Mateusz Morawiecki, Poland, Marek Strzelecki, Agnieszka Pikulicka, Justyna, Gareth Jones Organizations: Russia, Justice, Confederation, Reuters, EU, Ukraine Locations: Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Warsaw, heartlands, Kyiv, Western

☆ Poland's PGE reverses decision to bring forward carbon neutrality target
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna SA FollowWARSAW, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Polish utility PGE (PGE.WA) said on Monday it was reversing a decision to bring forward its carbon-neutrality target to 2040 from 2050, changing course less than a week after the announcement of a strategy that caused political fallout. PGE is one of a few state-controlled energy firms that is seeking to move away from coal-fired plants in a coordinated overhaul of the country's energy sector. "The Management Board of PGE S.A. repealed the resolution adopting the update of the PGE Group Strategy," PGE said in a statement. "The decision is due to the need to complete the process of establishing the National Energy Security Agency (NABE)." Reporting by Alan Charlish and Marek Strzelecki; Editing by Alexander SmithOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: PGE's, Jacek Sasin, Alan Charlish, Marek Strzelecki, Alexander Smith Organizations: PGE Polska Grupa, WARSAW, PGE, Poland, State, PGE S.A, National Energy Security Agency, Thomson Locations: PGE, Poland, Warsaw

☆ Exclusive: Poland charters tankers used for Russian oil to import Arab crude
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Many oil majors have avoided contracting tankers that have carried Russian crude because of the risk of sanctions and self-imposed restrictions. Under the price cap, western companies can ship and provide insurance for Russian oil and products provided they are sold at less than $60 per barrel. "Dead freight is one of the issues when working with Russian oil as not all companies agree to use ships involved in Urals deliveries," the trader said. Orlen said it was not involved in any Russian oil shipping and it screened all vessels it uses to ensure no Russian sanctions are violated. Russian oil has been mostly shipped to Asia following the EU embargo.

Persons: Orlen, Russia's Zarubezhneft, Sidi Kerir, Nissos Delos, Marek Strzelecki, Maha El, Barbara Lewis Organizations: MOSCOW, Group, European Union, Botafogo, TMS, Kyklades, Saudi Aramco, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Asia, Lithuania, Poland, Russian, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, ASIA, Poland's Gdansk, Lithuania's, Russian Baltic, Baltic, Primorsk, Mundra, West India, Saudi, Sidi, Gdansk, Waikiki, Bonita, Nissos, Calida, Butinge, Russia's, Ust, India, Warsaw, Maha, Maha El Dahan, Dubai

☆ Poland, Baltics will shut Belarus border if 'critical incident' occurs -minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WARSAW, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Poland and the Baltic states will close their borders with Belarus entirely if a "critical incident" involving Wagner mercenaries takes place, the Polish interior minister said on Monday, amid rising tensions on NATO's eastern flank. EU and NATO members Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, which share a border with Belarus, have been increasingly concerned about border security since hundreds of Russian battle-hardened Wagner mercenaries arrived in Belarus at the invitation of President Alexander Lukashenko. "If there is a critical incident, regardless of whether it is at the Polish or Lithuanian border, we will retaliate immediately. Lithuanian Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite told media that there were two criteria that could lead to a border closure. Poland has closed all but one border crossing point with Belarus this year following the imprisonment of a journalist of Polish origin and expulsions of Polish diplomats.

Persons: Wagner, Alexander Lukashenko, Mariusz Kaminski, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Agne Bilotaite, Bilotaite, Alan Charlish, Pawel Florkiewicz, Marek Strzelecki, Andrius, Conor Humphries, Nick Macfie Organizations: WARSAW, EU, NATO, Wagner Group, Lithuanian, Thomson Locations: Poland, Baltic, Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, Minsk, Latvian, Estonian, Lithuanian, Belarusian, Russia, Europe, East, Africa, Warsaw, Andrius Sytas, Vilnius

☆ One person dead, 46 injured after explosions at Romanian gas station
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] Flames rise after an explosion at a LPG station in Crevedia, near Bucharest, Romania, August 26, 2023. Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsBUCHAREST, Aug 26 (Reuters) - One person died and 46 were hospitalized after two explosions at a liquefied petroleum gas station in the Romanian town of Crevedia, near the capital Bucharest on Saturday. A second explosion took place at the LPG station on Saturday evening injuring 26 firefighters, Deputy Interior Minister Raed Arafat who is in charge of the emergency response unit told reporters. Of the 46 injured, eight were intubated after suffering severe burns, the government said. Reporting by Marek Strzelecki and Luiza Ilie; editing by Christina Fincher and Daniel WallisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ganea, Raed Arafat, Marcel Ciolacu, Arafat, Marek Strzelecki, Luiza Ilie, Christina Fincher, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Flames, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Thomson Locations: Crevedia, Bucharest, Romania, Rights BUCHAREST, Romanian, Italy, Belgium

Pressure gauges, pipes and valves are pictured at an "Dashava" underground gas storage facility near Striy, Ukraine May 28, 2015. The bloc is expected to reach a target of filling its storage facilities to 90% full by Nov. 1. "EP Commodities transports natural gas to Ukraine and uses Ukrainian gas storage facilities," Miroslav Hasko, chairman at EPH's EP Commodities, said. EU countries' gas storage facilities were 87% full on Aug. 7, according to transparency platform GIE. "We consider gas storage in Ukraine as one of the interesting business opportunities that we are currently considering," SPP told Reuters.

Persons: Gleb Garanich, Miroslav Hasko, Naftotgaz, Martin Pich, Bruegel, Jan Lopatka, Marek Strzelelcki, Pavel Polityuk, Barbara Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, European Union, Traders, Gas, Reuters, Commodities, Naftogaz, Thomson Locations: Striy, Ukraine, PRAGUE, WARSAW, Czech, Slovakia, Russia, Hungary, Poland, Kyiv

☆ Belarus-EU borders may be closed if Wagner group incidents happen, Poland says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WARSAW, July 27 (Reuters) - Poland, Lithuania and Latvia could jointly decide to shut their borders with close Russian ally Belarus if there are serious incidents involving the Wagner group along their frontiers with the country, Poland's Interior Minister said on Thursday. NATO member Poland on July 19 decided to move military units to its east after Wagner mercenaries began training Belarusian special forces a few miles from its border. Two days later President Vladimir Putin accused Poland of having territorial ambitions in the former Soviet Union, and said any aggression against Belarus would be considered an attack on Russia. "Undoubtedly, should there be serious incidents involving the Wagner group on the borders of NATO and EU countries, such as Poland, Lithuania or Latvia, we will undoubtedly take an action together," the minister, Mariusz Kaminski, said. Road traffic between Poland and Belarus has been curbed since February amid deteriorating relations between the two countries.

Persons: Wagner, Vladimir Putin, Mariusz Kaminski, Alexander Lukashenko, Kyiv's staunchest, Marek Strzelecki, William Maclean Organizations: WARSAW, NATO, Soviet Union, EU, Belarus, Thomson Locations: Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Belarus, Belarusian, Russia, Warsaw, Ukraine, East, Africa

Romanian port operators shipped 8.6 million tonnes last year, and 6.3 million tonnes in the first five months of 2023, the Constanta Port authority told Reuters. The port handled 12.17 million tonnes of grains overall in the first five months, a 21% jump on the year. "There are premises that Constanta Port will see a new traffic record," the authority said. As a result, the port could be overwhelmed, even if Black Sea grain initiative is extended, according to Cezar Gheorghe of Romanian grain market consultancy AGRIColumn. The port has a storage capacity of 2 million tonnes, but flows need to be stringently separated for origin certification.

Persons: Cezar Gheorghe, Gheorghe, Luiza Ilie, Marek Strzelecki, Pavel Polityuk, David Evans Organizations: United, Constanta Port, Reuters, AGRIColumn, European Union, EU, Thomson Locations: BUCHAREST, Constanta, Romania, Ukraine, United Nations, Turkey, Romanian, Constanta Port, Moldova, Odessa, Istanbul, Russian, Suez, Western Ukraine, Bucharest, Europe, Warsaw

☆ European wind developers play down Siemens Gamesa turbine troubles
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

UBS analysts said that in a worst-case scenario charges for Siemens Energy could exceed 5 billion euros. Denmark's Orsted said it operates one onshore wind farm with Siemens Energy turbines and that Orsted's portfolio of turbines has "high availability rates, reflecting that wind power has very little down-time." Siemens Gamesa has already told Iberdrola that it would proceed with a retrofit design, the source said, adding no technical issues for the remaining fleet of Siemens Gamesa turbines had been observed. Siemens Energy shares were up 5.7% at 1428 GMT, recovering some losses after analysts said Friday's sell-off was overblown. Siemens Gamesa first disclosed problems around its 5X model in July 2021, flagging higher than expected ramp-up costs.

Persons: Siemens Gamesa, Germany's, Denmark's Orsted, Eolus Vind, Iberdrola, Friday's, Andres Gonzalez, Forrest Crellin, Christoph Steitz, Marek Strzelecki, Nikolaj Skydsgaard, Nora Buli, Pietro Lombardi, Nina Chestney, Mark Potter, Alexander Smith Organizations: Siemens, Siemens Energy, UBS, EDF, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, Siemens Gamesa, Poland's PGE, Thomson Locations: Spanish, Copenhagen, Baltica, Baltic, London, Paris, Frankfurt, Warsaw, Oslo, Madrid

☆ Polish opposition supporters mark 1989 Solidarity win
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/8] People carry Polish and European Union flags as they take part in a march on the 34th anniversary of the first democratic elections in postwar Poland, in Warsaw, Poland, June 4, 2023. Crowds stretching for at least a mile marched with banners reading "Free, European Poland", "European Union yes, PiS no", referring to the governing Law and Justice (PiS) party. Donald Tusk, head of the Civic Platform grouping and a former European Union council chief, welcomed supporters saying that the voice of Poles could not be silenced. On Sunday, hundreds of buses arrived in Warsaw to bring opposition supporters from across the country. The opposition sees the legislation as a government attempt to launch a witchhunt against political opponents.

Persons: Jaroslaw Kaczynski, I've, Jacek Gwozdz, Mateusz Morawiecki's, Donald Tusk, Tusk, I'm, Andrzej Duda, Andrzej Majewski, Marek Strzelecki, Nick Macfie, Susan Fenton, Angus MacSwan Organizations: REUTERS, Justice, Police, Law and Justice, Kremlin, European Union council, Solidarity, European Commission, Thomson Locations: Poland, Warsaw, WARSAW, Nowy Sacz, Ukraine, Europe, it's, United States, Slupca

☆ Polish opposition supporters, seeking change, mark 1989 Solidarity win
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] People wait for a march organised by main opposition party the Civic Platform (PO) on the 34th anniversary of the first democratic elections in postwar Poland, in Warsaw, Poland, June 4, 2023. On Sunday, hundreds of buses were arriving in Warsaw to bring opposition supporters from across the country. Some said they were motivated by a row over legislation proposed by PiS to weed out undue Russian influence from the country. The opposition sees the legislation as a government attempt to launch a witchhunt against political opponents. "It's beyond comprehension," said Andrzej Majewski, 48, from Slupca in western Poland who was in Warsaw to join Sunday's protest march.

Persons: Mateusz Morawiecki, Donald Tusk, Tusk, Andrzej Duda, Andrzej Majewski, Marek Strzelecki, Nick Macfie, Susan Fenton Organizations: REUTERS, Law and Justice, Kremlin, European Union council, Solidarity, U.S . State Department, European Commission, Thomson Locations: Poland, Warsaw, WARSAW, Ukraine, Europe, Slupca

☆ Polish president signs 'Tusk Law' on undue Russian influence
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Opposition figures have nicknamed it Lex Tusk, using the Latin word for law. "In a normal democratic country, somebody who is president of that country would never sign such a Stalin-esque law," PO lawmaker Marcin Kierwinski told private broadcaster TVN 24. CONCERNSThe Polish Judges' Association Iustitia said the law breached European Union values and could prompt more punitive EU measures over democratic backsliding in Poland. Poland's dependence on Russian energy has progressively declined, even before Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal, allowing the import of non-Russian gas, started when Tusk was in power.

☆ Polish EU border patrol plane avoids collision with Russian jet
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WARSAW, May 7 (Reuters) - A Polish border guard aircraft on patrol for the European Union's border agency Frontex over the Black Sea near Romania narrowly avoided a collision with a Russian fighter jet on Friday, Romania and Poland said. A Russian SU-35 jet carried out "aggressive and dangerous manoeuvres" approaching the Polish aircraft without keeping a secure distance, leading to turbulence, loss of altitude and a temporary loss of control of the plane by the Polish crew, Anna Michalska, a border guard spokesperson, wrote on Twitter on Sunday. "The Russian jet flew just in front of the nose of the Polish plane, crossing its trajectory at a dangerous distance, estimated by the crew at about five metres," Michalska said. After three approaches the Russian jet flew away, Michalska added. "This incident is a further proof of the provocative approach of the Russian Federation in the Black Sea," the ministry said.

☆ Poland to call for EU sanctions on imports of Russian farm products
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WARSAW, May 6 (Reuters) - Poland will demand European Union sanctions on imports of Russian farm products, its ambassador to the EU Andrzej Sados was quoted as saying on Saturday by PAP news agency. "Europe isn't threatened by disruptions in supply chain of farm products now, contrary, we have a problem of surpluses. We are resolving a problem of increased imports of farm products from Ukraine," Sados said, according to PAP. Since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine last year, the EU has adopted 10 sanctions packages against Russian individuals and companies. Poland in April proposed a new set of punitive measures against Moscow, including a ban on pipeline oil and diamond imports.

☆ Poland may extend zero VAT on food into 2024 if inflation persists
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WARSAW, May 6 (Reuters) - Poland may extend zero VAT rate on food staples into 2024 if inflation persists, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Saturday. However, Brussels has allowed VAT on food staples to be kept at zero. "If inflation doesn't fall very significantly, it's not excluded that in the fourth quarter of this year we will make a decision to extend this relief for the next year," Morawiecki told a news conference. The decision will be made when inflation data for this year and forecasts for 2024 will be available, the prime minister said, adding that the measure costs around 10 billion zlotys ($2.41 billion) a year in lost budget income. ($1 = 4.1468 zlotys)Reporting by Marek Strzelecki Editing by Peter GraffOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

SummarySummary Companies Three EU states have banned Ukrainian grain, food importsRomania looks set to follow suitUkraine also trying to salvage Black Sea grain dealWARSAW, April 18 (Reuters) - Poland agreed on Tuesday to lift a ban on the transit of Ukrainian grain and food products, but Ukraine said a wartime deal allowing it to safely ship grain from Black Sea ports was still under threat. Failure to resume exports into eastern European countries or secure an extension of the Black Sea grain deal would trap large amounts of grain in Ukraine, hitting its exports and causing further economic problems for Kyiv as it battles Russian troops. Large quantities of Ukrainian grain have been trapped by bottlenecks in eastern and central Europe as low global prices and demand mean grain cannot easily be sold on. BLACK SEA GRAIN DEAL IN DOUBTUkraine, which relies on grain and food sales for a significant slice of its gross domestic product, also has concerns about the Black Sea Grain Initiative brokered between Moscow and Kyiv by Turkey and the United Nations last July. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will discuss the Ukraine Black Sea grain export deal with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York next week, Russia's U.N. envoy said on Tuesday.

☆ Moody's downgrades Poland's mBank, confirms Bank Millennium
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WARSAW, March 25 (Reuters) - Moody's has downgraded the long-term deposit ratings of mBank and changed the outlook to negative from "under review" citing risks stemming from the legacy of Swiss franc loans at Polish lenders, the agency said. Moody's has downgraded the long-term issuer ratings of the bank's mortgage unit mBank Hipoteczny and changed the outlook to negative from "under review". The agency confirmed Bank Millennium's long- and short-term deposits ratings and changed the outlook on its long-term deposit ratings to negative from "under review". An adviser to the European Union's top court last month sided with Polish borrowers with Swiss franc-denominated mortgages. Poland's regulator has warned the matter could cost Polish banks 100 billion zlotys ($22.98 billion).

☆ Polish ammunition firm to boost output severalfold as part of EU-Ukraine plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WARSAW, March 25 (Reuters) - Polish ammunition maker Dezamet, a unit of state arms producer Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ), will substantially boost capacity to supply EU-funded ammunition to Ukraine, Poland's prime minister said on Saturday. The announcement by Mateusz Morawiecki comes ahead of a planned visit by EU Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton, to Dezamet on Monday. Seventeen EU member states and Norway this week agreed to jointly procure ammunition to help Ukraine and to replenish their own stockpiles, the European Defence Agency said. Dezamet, which produces ammunition for artillery, mortars and grenade launchers, is one of PGZ group's more than 50 armaments enterprises. Morawiecki said that he also counted on private companies in Poland to boost their ammunition production.

☆ No conditions for Polish rate cuts until end of 2025, says c.banker Kotecki
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

"Today there are not conditions (for rate cuts) until the end of the projection period, so until the end of 2025," he told private broadcaster TOK FM. Glapinski has said he expects inflation to fall to single digits at the turn of August and September. However, Kotecki said that inflation did not show signs of weakening and that prospects of it reaching single digits by the end of the year were receding. "What worries me is that inflation still does not show significant, lasting signs of weakening," he said. Reporting by Alan Charlish and Marek Strzelecki; Editing by Toby Chopra and Bernadette BaumOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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