DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Man surrenders to Polish police after incident that closed Warsaw square
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WARSAW, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Polish police negotiators persuaded a man to come down from a monument in a central Warsaw square, a spokesperson said, putting an end to an incident that had seen part of the capital cordoned off amid reports of a bomb threat. Private broadcaster Polsat News reported that at around 1130 GMT the man surrendered to police. Police spokesperson Sylwester Marczak told reporters officers had seen the man climbing onto the Smolensk monument at around 0800 GMT. quoted by the state-run PAP news agency, did not confirm the reports that the man was threatening to blow himself up. A guest at the Sofitel hotel, which faces the square, said they had been told to only leave the building by the back exit.

Persons: Sylwester Marczak, Lech Kaczynski, Maria, Thomas Holdstock, Kuba Stezycki, Alan Charlish, Sharon Singleton, Helen Popper, Mark Potter Organizations: Polish, Polsat, Police, Twitter, Reuters, Thomson Locations: WARSAW, Warsaw, Smolensk, Poland

"Public media are paid for with our taxes in order to give citizens access to fair information. And that's particularly important at... election time," said Joanna Krawczyk from the German Marshall Fund, a think-tank. PiS says private media outlets such as Warner Bros' (WBD.O) TVN often distort public debate by representing foreign interests. This perceived bias in public broadcasting has exacerbated political divisions in Polish society. "When she watches TVP, he goes to the kitchen."

Persons: Kacper, TVP, Szalai, RSF, Joanna Krawczyk, KRRiT, PiS, Grzegorz Lewandowski, Donald Tusk, Alan Charlish, Gareth Jones Organizations: Telewizja Polska SA, REUTERS, Sunday Government, WARSAW, Law and Justice, Media, German Marshall Fund, European Union, Civic Coalition, Reuters, Warner Bros, TVN, European Centre for Press, Media Freedom, Thomson Locations: Warsaw, Poland, TVP, Sochaczew, Hungary, Turkey, Russia

☆ Poland set for high-stakes election amid disputes over EU, democracy
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Alan Charlish | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] Donald Tusk, the leader of the largest opposition grouping Civic Coalition (KO), walks towards an election convention in Lodz, Poland, October 10, 2023. "I know... that they are planning systematically, in cold blood, to take Poland out of the European Union," Donald Tusk, leader of the largest opposition grouping Civic Coalition (KO) told supporters. He repeated these words very often," PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski told a campaign rally, hammering home his party's message that Tusk is a German stooge. The KO leader said he would unblock billions in funds withheld by the EU over rule-of-law concerns on day one after winning the election. Opinion polls suggest that PiS will remain the largest party in parliament but may fall short of a majority.

Persons: Donald Tusk, Kacper, PiS, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Tusk, Andrzej Duda, Szymon Holownia, Alan Charlish, Jan Strupczewski, Gareth Jones Organizations: Civic Coalition, REUTERS, Sunday, Ukraine WARSAW, European Union, Law and Justice, European, PiS, NATO, Confederation, Thomson Locations: Lodz, Poland, Ukraine, Germany, German, European, Belarus, Warsaw, Brussels

☆ Anger in Poland after Legia Warsaw players arrested in Netherlands
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WARSAW, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Dutch police have arrested two players from Polish soccer team Legia Warsaw following their Europa Conference League match against AZ Alkmaar, officials said, prompting an angry reaction in Poland. The players were pulled off the team coach and taken to a police station, public broadcaster TVP reported. Legia Warsaw fans had attacked the local police force before the match, knocking one officer in riot gear unconscious as they violently stormed the stadium's entry gate, police said in a statement. "Polish players and fans must be treated in accordance with the law. Legia spokesperson Bartosz Zaslawski was quoted by RMF as saying the team would return to Poland without Josue and Pankov.

Persons: Radovan Pankov, TVP, Josue, Dariusz Mioduski, RMF, Mateusz Morawiecki, Bartosz Zaslawski, Alan Charlish, Bart Meijer, Gareth Jones Organizations: Polish soccer, Legia Warsaw, Europa Conference League, AZ Alkmaar, Legia, Thomson Locations: WARSAW, Polish, Poland, Serbia, Portugal

[1/2] Police detain suspects as they patrol along the German-Polish border to prevent illegal migration near Klinge, Germany, September 20, 2023. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser urged Germany's 16 states on Wednesday to provide asylum seekers with material benefits rather than cash, to reduce the country's pull factor. Migration analysts say much of the tougher stance is electioneering ahead of elections in Hesse and Bavaria on Sunday and in three eastern German states next year. Vorlaender noted that even if tougher controls worked, Germany risked creating a bigger problem for transit countries by bottling in migrants there. Germany's tougher stance on migration isn't so much a policy reversal as an evolution, said Susan Fratzke at the Migration Policy Institute.

Persons: Lisi Niesner, Nancy Faeser, Germany's, Olaf Scholz, Angela Merkel, Scholz, Russia's, Hannes Schammann, SHAM, Merkel, Friedrich Merz, “, ” Merz, Merz, Alberto ‑ Horst Neidhardt, Hans Vorlaender, Vorlaender, Ludovit, Susan Fratzke, Schammann, Sarah Marsh, Riham, Jan Lopatka, Alan Charlish, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Police, REUTERS, Authorities, EU, EU's Agency for Asylum, University of Hildesheim, Christian Democratic Union, European, Faeser, Migration Policy Institute, Berlin, Thomson Locations: Klinge, Germany, Berlin, BERLIN, Hesse, Bavaria, Europe, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Turkey, Ankara, Prague, 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

☆ Alleged victims of influencer Andrew Tate being intimidated, their lawyers say
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Andrew Tate walks before delivering a press statement outside his house in Voluntari, Ilfov, Romania, August 4, 2023. Inquam Photos/George Calin via REUTERS/ File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBUCHAREST, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Witnesses and alleged victims of controversial internet personality Andrew Tate are being harassed and intimidated in an effort to silence them, their lawyers said on Thursday. U.S. and British legal representatives of alleged victims held a press conference in Bucharest on Thursday. In Britain, four women are planning a civil lawsuit against Tate alleging he raped them between 2013 and 2016. Tate, a self-described misogynist, has gained millions of fans by promoting an ultra-masculine lifestyle that critics say denigrates women.

Persons: Andrew Tate, George Calin, Tate, Tristan, they've, Jillian Roth, Laffey, Kent, Roth, Mateea Petrescu, Matthew Jury, Luiza Ilie, Alan Charlish, Alex Richardson Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Tate, Bucharest, National Center, Thomson Locations: Voluntari, Ilfov, Romania, Rights BUCHAREST, Bucharest, Bucci, United States, United Kingdom, Britain

☆ 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

☆ Poland says it will bid to hold Olympics in 2036
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Poland, which hosted the multi-sports European Games this summer in Krakow and Malopolska, has never hosted an Olympic Games, summer or winter. The International Olympic Committee has awarded the 2032 Games to Brisbane, while there are already several interested potential candidates for the 2036 Games. "From everything the EOC saw there, Poland is well qualified to host the Olympic Games too," Arat said. The IOC usually awards the summer Olympics at least seven years in advance. Paris will host next year's summer Games while Los Angeles will stage the 2028 Games.

Persons: Henryk Reyman, Sarah Meyssonnier, Andrzej Duda, Hasan Arat, Arat, Alan Charlish, Pawel, Karolos Grohmann, Sharon Singleton Organizations: European Games REUTERS, Rights, Olympic Games, Polish Olympic, Sport, Games, Olympic, European Olympic, European Games, Olympics, IOC, Thomson Locations: Krakow, Poland, Indonesia, Mexico, India, Malopolska, Zakopane, Brisbane, Turkey, Hungary, Gulf, Paris, Los Angeles

[1/2] A suspected illegal migrant is searched after he was detained by German police during their patrol along the German-Polish border to prevent illegal migration, in Forst, Germany, September 20, 2023. In August, registered illegal border crossings to Germany reached 14,701, up 66% on the same month last year, police data shows. Czech police have increased random checks on the Slovak border as well as on highways to Germany, Czech police president Martin Vondrasek said. LAMPEDUSA CRISISAs well as the increase in illegal border crossings, Germany has also taken in around 1 million Ukrainian refugees over the past year. Previously, there have been random police checks on the borders and Germany has maintained stationary controls on the Bavarian border with Austria since 2015.

Persons: Lisi Niesner, Nancy Faeser, Martin Vondrasek, Markus Soeder, Rome, Faeser, Piotr Muller, Alexander Ratz, Sarah Marsh, Alan Charlish, Anna Wlodarczak, Jan Lopatka, Rachel More, Kirsti Knolle, Alison Williams Organizations: REUTERS, Faeser, Social Democrats, Reuters, Warsaw, Thomson Locations: Forst , Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, BERLIN, Germany, Berlin, Czech, Bavaria, Hesse, Bavarian, Austria, North Africa, Lampedusa, Italy, EU, Europe

☆ Polish experts confirm missile that hit grain facility was Ukrainian - media
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jakub Orzechowski/Agencja Wyborcza.pl via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsWARSAW, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Polish experts have confirmed that the missile that killed two people at a grain facility in southern Poland in November was fired by Ukraine, Rzeczpospolita daily reported, citing sources. Sources with knowledge of the investigation told Rzeczpospolita that Poland had established that the missile that landed in the village of Przewodow was an S 300 5-W-55 air-defence missile fired from Ukrainian territory. "At that time, the Russian positions were in a place from which no Russian missile could reach Przewodow." Rzeczpospolita reported that the Ukrainian side has not made any material available to Polish investigators. Lapczynski could not immediately be reached for comment and the prosecutor's office did not immediately respond to an emailed request.

Persons: Jakub Orzechowski, Wyborcza.pl, Lapczynski, Alan Charlish, Miral Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Rzeczpospolita, NATO, Russian, Thomson Locations: Przewodow, Poland, Ukraine, Warsaw, Ukrainian

☆ Poland to check vehicles crossing Slovak border amid migrant surge
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWARSAW, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Poland will introduce checks on vehicles crossing the border from Slovakia, the prime minister said on Monday, in measures to stem the flow of immigrants. Meanwhile, Slovakia has been struggling with a surge in illegal migrants. The number of illegal migrants detained in Slovakia has increased nine-fold from a year ago to more than 27,000 so far this year, according to the country's interior ministry. Morawiecki said that Scholz's words could be a preparation for closing the border with Poland. Muller had said that the government does not rule out also strengthening controls on the border with Germany.

Persons: Mateusz Morawiecki, Kamala Harris, Jonathan Ernst, Morawiecki, Piotr Muller, Muller, Olaf Scholz, adressing Scholz, Alan Charlish, Anna Koper, Andrew Cawthorne, Hugh Lawson, Alison Williams Organizations: Poland's, U.S, White, Washington , D.C, REUTERS, Rights, Law and Justice, Slovak, Thomson Locations: Washington ,, Poland, Slovakia, Warsaw, Polish, Germany

☆ Polish PM tells Ukraine's Zelenskiy 'never to insult Poles again'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Alan Charlish | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Polish President Andrzej Duda commemorate victims of World War II at the Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Lutsk, Ukraine July 9, 2023. REUTERS/Alina Smutko/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWARSAW, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Poland's prime minister told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday not to "insult" Poles, maintaining harsh rhetoric towards Kyiv after the Polish president had sought to defuse a simmering row over grain imports. "I... want to tell President Zelenskiy never to insult Poles again, as he did recently during his speech at the U.N.," Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told an election rally. Slovakia, Poland and Hungary imposed national restrictions on Ukrainian grain imports after the European Union executive decided not to extend its ban on imports into those countries and fellow EU members Bulgaria and Romania. "In defence of the Polish farmer I will never hesitate to take such a decision."

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Andrzej Duda, Saint Peter, Paul Cathedral, Alina Smutko, Zelenskiy, Mateusz Morawiecki, PiS, Duda, Zbigniew Rau, Rau, Morawiecki, Alan Charlish, Pawel, Alex Richardson, Jonathan Oatis, Gareth Jones Organizations: Saint, REUTERS, Rights, United Nations General Assembly, Kyiv, Law and Justice, Analysts, Politico, NATO, European Union, EU, Warsaw, European Commission, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Lutsk, Poland, Russia, New York, Moscow, Kyiv, Polish, Ukrainian, UKRAINE, Warsaw, EU, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania

☆ Poland No Longer Arming Ukraine, Says PM
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland is no longer arming Ukraine as it is focusing on building up its own stocks of weapons, the prime minister said on Wednesday, as Warsaw's stance towards Kyiv shifts just weeks before an election. "We are no longer transferring any weapons to Ukraine because we are now arming ourselves with the most modern weapons," Mateusz Morawiecki told Polsat News. Morawiecki's words came after Poland summoned the Ukrainian ambassador to the foreign ministry to protest against comments made by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy following Poland's decision to extend the grain ban. Poland, Slovakia and Hungary announced curbs on grain imports from Ukraine on Friday after the European Commission decided not to extend a ban on sales into five EU states, including Romania and Bulgaria. Ukraine's foreign ministry called for calm in the dispute on Wednesday, with a foreign ministry spokesman urging the Poles to "put aside their emotions".

Persons: Ukraine's, Mateusz Morawiecki, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Alan Charlish, Pawel, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: Polsat, United Nations General Assembly Kyiv, European Commission, Law and Justice Locations: WARSAW, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Warsaw, Ukrainian, Moscow, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria

☆ Poland investigates OpenAI over privacy concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A keyboard is placed in front of a displayed OpenAI logo in this illustration taken February 21, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Openai LLC FollowMicrosoft Corp FollowWARSAW, Sept 21 (Reuters) - A Polish watchdog is investigating Microsoft-backed (MSFT.O) OpenAI over a complaint that its ChatGPT chatbot breaks European Union data protection laws known as the GDPR, it said. OpenAI has already faced at least its second class action lawsuit in San Francisco federal court for allegedly breaking privacy laws. "The case concerns the violation of many provisions on the protection of personal data, so we will ask Open AI to answer a number of questions," said Jan Nowak, President of Poland's Personal Data Protection Office (UODO). The complainant said they were unable to find out which of their personal data was processed by the company, and received evasive and misleading answers to questions.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, OpenAI, Jan Nowak, UODO, ChatGPT, Alan Charlish, Jan Harvey Organizations: REUTERS, Microsoft, Google, Thomson Locations: WARSAW, San Francisco federal

☆ Poland no longer arming Ukraine, says PM
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WARSAW, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Poland is no longer arming Ukraine as it is focusing on building up its own stocks of weapons, the prime minister said on Wednesday, as Warsaw's stance towards Kyiv shifts just weeks before an election. "We are no longer transferring any weapons to Ukraine because we are now arming ourselves with the most modern weapons," Mateusz Morawiecki told Polsat News. Morawiecki's words came after Poland summoned the Ukrainian ambassador to the foreign ministry to protest against comments made by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy following Poland's decision to extend the grain ban. Poland, Slovakia and Hungary announced curbs on grain imports from Ukraine on Friday after the European Commission decided not to extend a ban on sales into five EU states, including Romania and Bulgaria. Ukraine's foreign ministry called for calm in the dispute on Wednesday, with a foreign ministry spokesman urging the Poles to "put aside their emotions".

Persons: Ukraine's, Mateusz Morawiecki, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Alan Charlish, Pawel, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: Polsat, United Nations General Assembly Kyiv, European Commission, Law and Justice, Thomson Locations: WARSAW, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Warsaw, Ukrainian, Moscow, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria

☆ Poland not supplying Kyiv arms now, 'will see' about future, says minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

WARSAW, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Poland is not currently supplying arms to Ukraine and "will see" about future deliveries, the state assets minister said on Thursday, after the prime minister said Warsaw was no longer supplying weapons. "At the moment it is as the prime minister said, in the future we will see," Jacek Sasin told private broadcaster radio Plus when asked about Prime Minister Mateusz Morawieci's comments. Reporting by Alan Charlish Editing by Bernadette BaumOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jacek Sasin, Mateusz Morawieci's, Alan Charlish, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Thomson Locations: WARSAW, Poland, Ukraine, Warsaw

☆ Poland summons Ukrainian ambassador over Zelenskiy comments
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Alan Charlish | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Viacheslav Ratynskyi/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWARSAW, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Poland summoned Kyiv's envoy to the foreign ministry on Wednesday, after comments by Ukraine's president on a ban on grain imports angered the government in Warsaw, which is toughening its stance ahead of October elections. It said Jablonski also told Ambassador Vasyl Zvarych that "putting pressure on Poland in multilateral forums or sending complaints to international tribunals are not appropriate methods of resolving disputes between our countries". He did not name the countries although Kyiv has previously said the complaint targeted Poland, Slovakia and Hungary. Polish Agriculture Minister Robert Telus told state-run news agency PAP that he took Kachka's comments as a way of "calming down a certain atmosphere that had been building for two or three days". Reporting by Alan Charlish and Pawel Florkiewicz; editing by Christina Fincher, Tomasz Janowski and Mark HeinrichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Viacheslav, Kyiv's, Ukraine's, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Pawel Jablonski, V, Zelenskiy, Jablonski, Vasyl Zvarych, Florin Barbu, Mateusz Morawiecki, Morawiecki, Facebook Morawiecki, Taras Kachka, Robert Telus, Alan Charlish, Christina Fincher, Tomasz Janowski, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Russian, REUTERS, Rights, United Nations General Assembly Kyiv, General, European Commission, Romanian, Trade Organization, Poland's, Polsat, Facebook, Trade, RMF, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Velykomykhailivka, Dnipropetrovsk region, Poland, Warsaw, Russia, Hungary, Slovakia, Moscow, Romania, Bulgaria, Kyiv, Republic of Poland

☆ 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

☆ Amid imports dispute, Poland tells Ukraine to remember its help
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Polish President Andrzej Duda speaks as he attends the military parade on Armed Forces Day, celebrated annually on August 15 to commemorate Poland's victory over the Soviet Union's Red Army in 1920, in Warsaw, Poland, August 15, 2023. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWARSAW, Sept 19 (Reuters) - Ukraine should remember that it receives help from Poland, the Polish president said on Tuesday, amid a deepening dispute between the countries over agricultural imports. The ban was introduced after the countries saw a flood of cheap imports from Ukraine as it struggled to ship grain further afield. Duda said that if Ukraine filed the complaint, Poland would explain the situation before the tribunal. He underscored that the ban regarded imports but not transit of Ukrainian grain.

Persons: Andrzej Duda, Kacper, Duda, Alan Charlish, Karol Badohal, William Maclean, Mark Potter Organizations: Armed Forces, Soviet Union's Red Army, REUTERS, Rights, United Nations General Assembly, European Commission, World Trade Organization, Kyiv, Thomson Locations: Warsaw, Poland, Ukraine, New York, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria

But the flood of grains and oilseeds into neighbouring countries reduced prices there, impacting the income of local farmers and resulting in governments banning agricultural imports from Ukraine. The European Union in May stepped in to prevent individual countries imposing unilateral bans and imposed its own ban on imports into neighbouring countries. Under the EU ban, Ukraine was allowed to export through those countries on condition the produce was sold elsewhere. EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said on Friday countries should refrain from unilateral measures against imports of Ukrainian grain, but Poland, Slovakia and Hungary immediately responded by reimposing their own restrictions on Ukrainian grain imports. Farmers in the five countries neighbouring Ukraine have repeatedly complained about a product glut hitting their domestic prices and pushing them towards bankruptcy.

Persons: Cernat, Valdis Dombrovskis, reimposing, Terry Reilly, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Robert Telus, Julia Payne, Alan Charlish, Jan Lopatka, Karol Badohal, Boldizsar, Pavel Polityuk, Luiza Ilie, Tom Polansek, Nina Chestney, Simon Webb, David Evans, Alistair Bell, Grant McCool Organizations: REUTERS, European Commission, European Union, EU, Ukraine, Facebook, EU Commission, Farmers, Solidarity, Thomson Locations: Black, Constanta, Romania, Ukraine, BRUSSELS, WARSAW, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Russia, EU, Bulgaria, Russian, Romanian, Prague, Warsaw, Budapest, Kyiv, Bucharest, Chicago

Hungary imposed a national import ban on 24 Ukrainian agricultural products, including grains, vegetables, several meat products and honey, according to a government decree published on Friday. Slovakia's agriculture minister followed suit announcing its own grain ban. EU PLEAEU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said on Friday countries should refrain from unilateral measures against imports of Ukrainian grain. Poland, Hungary and Slovakia previously said they may extend the restrictions unilaterally while Bulgaria on Thursday voted to scrap the curbs. In August, about 4 million tonnes of Ukraine grains passed through the Solidarity Lanes of which close to 2.7 million tonnes were through the Danube.

Persons: Cernat, Mateusz Morawiecki, Waldemar Buda, Valdis Dombrovskis, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Julia Payne, Alan Charlish, Jan Lopatka, Karol Badohal, Boldizsar, Luiza Ilie, Nina Chestney, David Evans, Alistair Bell, Grant McCool Organizations: REUTERS, European Commission, European Union, EU, EU Commission, Ukraine, Farmers, Solidarity, Thomson Locations: Black, Constanta, Romania, Ukraine, BRUSSELS, WARSAW, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Elk, Russia, EU, Russian, Romanian, Prague, Warsaw, Budapest, Bucharest

☆ Seven Charged in Polish Visa Irregularity Probe - Prosecutor
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

WARSAW (Reuters) - Seven people have been charged over alleged irregularities in the granting of Polish work visas, a prosecutor said on Wednesday, amid a deepening scandal on the hot-button subject of migration ahead of Oct. 15 elections. On Wednesday opposition lawmakers said knowledge about the irregularities was widespread in government, stretching as far as Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau. The opposition has said the irregularities could concern hundreds of thousands of visa applications, but prosecutors have said that their investigation concerns several hundred. Deputy coordinator of special services Stanislaw Zaryn said that none of the visa applicants concerned by the investigation posed a security threat to Poland. According to Eurostat data cited by Rzeczpospolita daily on Wednesday, Poland issued almost 2 million work visas over the past three years, including 600,000 in 2020, more than a quarter of the EU total that year.

Persons: Daniel Lerman, Piotr Wawrzyk, Wawrzyk, Lerman, Zbigniew Rau, PiS, Rafal Bochenek, Stanislaw Zaryn, Alan Charlish, William Maclean Organizations: Law and Justice, Department for, National Prosecutor's, Corruption Bureau, Union, Rzeczpospolita, EU Locations: WARSAW, Poland

☆ Romania says possible drone fragments found on its territory
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Sept 13 (Reuters) - Elements of a possible drone were identified on NATO-member Romania's territory, the defence ministry said on Wednesday, following Russian drone attacks on Izmail in southern Ukraine, just across the border. If confirmed, it would be the third time that such fragments have been found on Romanian territory in recent days. "The crew of an IAR 330 Puma helicopter of the Romanian Air Force ... (identified) fragments that could have come from a drone, dispersed over an area of several dozen metres," the defence ministry said in a statement. It said that the fragments were seen in the area of the towns of Nufarul and Victoria, in Tulcea county. Earlier, the defence ministry had said emergency services had received calls about possible cases of drones coming down in the area.

Persons: Alan Charlish, Kevin Liffey Organizations: NATO, Puma, Romanian Air Force, Thomson Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Romanian, , Nufarul, Victoria, Tulcea county, Warsaw

☆ Romania summons Russian charge d'affaires over drone fragments -Agerpres
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A crater visible at the presumed crash site of a Russian army drone, close to charred tree trunks and a blast area, near Plauru, Tulcea county, Romania, September 7, 2023. Inquam Photos/Ovidiu Micsik via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 10 (Reuters) - Romania's foreign ministry summoned the Russian charge d'affaires after the discovery on Romanian soil of new fragments of a drone similar to those used by the Russian military, the Agerpres website reported on Sunday. On Saturday, Romanian authorities found the second set of drone fragments to have crashed in the NATO member state in a week, amid Russian attacks on Ukraine's river ports, just hundreds of metres from the Romanian border. On Saturday, President Klaus Iohannis said the discovery of the fragments pointed to an unacceptable breach of Romania's air space. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Russian strikes near the border were "destabilising" even if there was no indication Russia intended to hit Romania, a NATO member state.

Persons: Micsik, Strategic Affairs Iulian Fota, Klaus Iohannis, Jens Stoltenberg, Alan Charlish, Elaine Hardcastle, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: REUTERS, NATO, Embassy of, Russian Federation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Strategic Affairs, Thomson Locations: Russian, Plauru, Tulcea county, Romania, Romanian, Bucharest, Ukraine, Russia, Moscow, Ukraine's, Constanta, Warsaw

Search resuls for: "Alan Charlish"

25 mentions found