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☆ Poland's elections this weekend could mark a crossroad for EU solidarity — and Ukraine support
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The Leader of Civic Coalition Party, Donald Tusk delivers a speech during the Women for Elections Campaign rally on October 10, 2023 in Lodz, Poland. EU tiesLaw and Justice's leadership has seen Poland's relationship with the EU and its various institutions become increasingly strained. It resulted in Morawiecki saying last month that his country would no longer supply weapons to Ukraine as it was "now arming Poland." Poland's vote follows elections in neighbor Slovakia which saw populist former Prime Minister Robert Fico return to power. Hungary's firebrand rightwing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has persistently used inflammatory language regarding the EU, attacking it repeatedly on social media.

Persons: Donald Tusk, Omar Marques, Tusk, —, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Mateusz Morawiecki, Morawiecki, Robert Fico, Fico, Viktor Orbán Organizations: Civic Coalition Party, Women, Elections, Getty, European Union —, rightwing Law, Justice, Civic Coalition, European, Law, EU, Nurphoto, Consultancy Eurasia Group, Eurasia Group, Confederation, Ukraine, ING, U.S, NATO, rightwing, European Union Locations: Lodz, Poland, Ukraine, Krakow, Berlin, Brussels, Slovakia, Russia, rightwing, Hungary, Germany

☆ Poland’s goodwill toward Ukraine is eroding. The far right is taking advantage
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

The group is capturing voters from the ruling populist party, forcing a hardening in the government's tone towards Ukraine. Anna Martynenko fled to Poland with her sons, in the first weeks of the war in Ukraine. “In our relationship, between Poland and Ukraine, there were many things that were not solved – for years,” he adds, with some weariness. But whoever enters power next week, displaced Ukrainian Martynenko believes – and hopes – that Poland’s support will not waver further. When Poles welcomed her last spring after she fled Ukraine, “I knew that everything is OK,” she said.

Persons: they’re, Poland’s, “, I’m, ”, Przemysław Chinek, –, Rob Picheta, Zelensky, Mateusz, Tomasz Piotr, Katarzyna, Anna Martynenko, Gianmarco Ercolani, Pew, Dan Kitwood, Sławomir Mentzen, TikTok, Martynenko, Filip Gajos, Mentzen, ” Chinek, “ Everybody, Dariusz Stola, ” Stola, “ There’s, Simon Oshinski, Volodymyr Zelensky, Rob Picheta “, Adam Zaleski’s, we’re, Adam Zaleski, Slovakia –, ” Zaleski, Zaleski, Justyna –, Rob Picheta Zaleski Organizations: Poland CNN, European Union, CNN, Confederation, Law, Justice, Ukraine, NATO, Pew Research Center, Twitter, “, ”, Polish Academy of Sciences, EU, United Nations General Assembly, PiS Locations: Lublin, Kostrogaj, Poland, wardrobes, European, Lublin’s, Russia, Ukraine, “, Ukraine’s, Moscow, Kyiv, Warsaw, Lodz, “ Ukraine, Soviet Union, Volhynia, Poland’s, Europe, Hungary, Slovakia, Ukrainian

☆ Take Five: War and peace of mind
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., September 28, 2023. U.S. retail sales increased more than expected in August as a surge in gasoline prices boosted receipts at service stations. Bar chart with data from LSEG I/B/E/S show the projected year-over-year growth in Q3 2023 earnings of S&P 500 industries. There have been reports the government is looking to increase its budget deficit to meet this year's 5% growth target. That said, inflation is still over three times the BoE's 2% target and growth isn't exactly stellar.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Kevin Buckland, Lewis Krauskopf, Naomi Rovnick, Karin Strohecker, Amanda Cooper, Goldman Sachs, Johnson, Philip Morris, It's, Banks, Amundi, BoE, it's, Sumanta Sen, Prinz Magtulis, Vineet, Pasit, Jayaram, Mark Potter Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Hamas, Bank of America, Johnson, Netflix, Philip Morris International, Investors, HK, Law, Justice, Reuters, The Bank of England, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Israel, Palestinian, China, Britain, Tokyo, New York, London, LSEG, Beijing, Europe's, Brussels, Europe

[1/2] Shadow of the supporter is pictured during the election convention of Law and Justice (PiS) party, before Sunday's parliamentary elections, in Przysucha, Poland October 9, 2023. "It is the most important election we have this year in Europe," said Viktor Szabo, portfolio manager at asset manager abrdn, adding markets had not priced in scenarios such as a hung parliament or the possibility of an early election. Such a scenario would be a key positive for both the currency and Polish equities, said Anna Zadornova, an economist at UBS. "Ultimately there is a point where you need to yield to the economics and how things are going," said Kaan Nazli, a portfolio manager at Neuberger Berman. ($1 = 0.9461 euros)Reporting by Karin Strohecker and Marc Jones, editing by Alexander SmithOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kacper, Viktor Szabo, Szabo, PiS, Daniel Wood, William Blair, Anna Zadornova, Banks, Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Adam Glapinski, Kaan Nazli, Neuberger Berman, Karin Strohecker, Marc Jones, Alexander Smith Organizations: Law, Justice, REUTERS, LONDON, abrdn, European Union, JPMorgan, Reuters Graphics EU, EU, liberal Civic Coalition, UBS, Poland's, Copley Fund, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Przysucha, Poland, Europe, loggerheads, Brussels, Romania, Hungary

☆ Poland, Czech Republic extend border controls with Slovakia
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Polish soldiers guard along a temporary checkpoint at the Slovakia-Poland border, as seen from the village Skalite, Slovakia, October 4, 2023. REUTERS/Radovan Stoklasa/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWARSAW, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Poland and the Czech Republic will extend temporary controls on their borders with Slovakia into November as countries seek to restrict the flow of illegal migrants. The Polish government has decided to extend the controls by 20 days to Nov. 2, the interior ministry said in a statement. On Wednesday, Slovakia extended its own border controls with Hungary until Nov. 3. Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria and Germany are all part of the EU's Schengen open-border zone.

Persons: Radovan Stoklasa, Mariusz Kaminski, Kaminski, Slovakia's, Anna Wlodarczak, Jason Hovet, Deborah Kyvrikosaios, Gareth Jones Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Union, Justice, Thomson Locations: Slovakia, Poland, Czech Republic, Czech, Austria, East, Afghanistan, Germany, Hungary, Serbia, EU, Europe, Warsaw, Prague

☆ Poland's toxic politics is splitting the country in two, one family at a time
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

“We always end up talking about politics,” Karolina says with an exaggerated weariness. An increasingly toxic politics has polluted kitchens and dining rooms in every region of the country. But the negativity of the country’s politics – arguments echoed each hour on state TV, which is almost always turned on – has worn her down, she says. The efforts sparked years of legal challenges, protests and international confrontations – and hardened the Polish public. Asked whether Polish politics is more divided than they remember it, three generations of this family explode in agreement.

Persons: Karolina, “, – Stella, Patrycja, – Stella’s, Stanisława –, ” Karolina, ”, Stanisława, Stella Martynowska, Rob Picheta, PiS, –, ” Stella, Rob Picheta “, “ That’s, Stella, billows, Piotr Buras, ” Women’s, Donald Tusk, patsy, Tusk, Lech Walesa, Poland’s, Jarosław Kaczyński, ” “, ” Jacek Kucharczyk, Ewa Majewska, I’m, Igor Konior, Konior, Wanda, … I’m, ” Lucyna, Aleksandra Lukasiewicz, Lukasiewicz, “ It’s, “ We’re, ” Aleksandra Lukasiewicz, they’re, they’ve, Michal, I’ll, gesturing, ” Patrycja Organizations: Poland CNN, Soviet, Justice, CNN, European Council, Foreign Relations, Civic Coalition, Warsaw’s Institute of Public Affairs, Tusk’s Civic Coalition, PiS, Union Locations: Warsaw, Poland, Rob Picheta Poland, Polish, Hungary, Russia, Western Europe, Brussels, Berlin, Lublin, “, Rotterdam, Łódź, Bonita

☆ 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

☆ Slovakia's Fico strikes deal on coalition after election win
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Jan Lopatka | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A Fico-led government would move Slovakia closer to Hungary at a time when the European Union and other Western countries have tried to keep unity on support for Ukraine. The memorandum did not specify any foreign policy details. He has not been specific on commercial supplies from the country's defence industry which include ammunition and heavy equipment makers. Prior to the election, also said he wanted to re-negotiate a defence cooperation treaty with Washington. Reporting by Jan Lopatka and Jason Hovet in Prague; Editing by Emelia Sithole-MatariseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Robert Fico, Zuzana Caputova, Radovan Stoklasa, Fico, Viktor Orban, Jan Lopatka, Jason Hovet, Emelia Sithole Organizations: REUTERS, EU's, Ukraine Coalition, Ukraine, Democracy, European Union, Justice, SNS, NATO, Washington, EU, Hungarian, Diplomats, Thomson Locations: Bratislava, Slovakia, Ukraine, Russia, Hungary, Slovak Republic, Prague

☆ Voters mull over women's rights in Polish election
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Reuters Editorial | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

PoliticsVoters mull over women's rights in Polish electionPostedAhead of Poland’s election on Sunday, the country’s liberal opposition is trying to galvanize undecided voters by highlighting what they see as an erosion of women's rights during the eight-year rule of the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party. Olivia Zollino has more.

Persons: Olivia Zollino Organizations: Law and Justice

☆ Two top Polish army commanders quit 5 days ahead of election
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Polish President Andrzej Duda and Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces General Rajmund Andrzejczak attend 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... Acquire Licensing Rights Read moreWARSAW, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Two top Polish army commanders resigned on Tuesday, spokespeople said, days before an election in which the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party has made national security a key issue in its bid for an unprecedented third term in power. On Tuesday, the armed forces operational commander, Lieutenant General Tomasz Piotrowski, and the chief of staff, General Rajmund Andrzejczak, submitted their resignations, spokespeople for the respective services confirmed to Reuters. National Security Bureau chief Jacek Siewiera said the president had accepted their resignations and new commanders would be appointed later in the day. "(It is) a complete disgrace for Minister Blaszczak, who has long crossed over the line into using the Polish army in a partisan way," Tomasz Siemoniak, a former defence minister from the opposition Civic Platform, wrote on social media platform X.

Persons: Andrzej Duda, Rajmund Andrzejczak, spokespeople, Mariusz Blaszczak, Tomasz Piotrowski, General Rajmund Andrzejczak, Jacek Siewiera, Blaszczak, Tomasz Siemoniak, Donald Tusk, Karol Badohal, Pawel Florkiewicz, Anna Wlodarczak, Gareth Jones, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Staff, Polish Armed Forces, Armed Forces, Soviet Union's Red Army, REUTERS, Justice, Defence, Reuters, National Security Bureau, Rzeczpospolita, Thomson Locations: Warsaw, Poland, WARSAW, Russian, Ukraine, Belarus, Moscow

☆ Role of women in society at stake in Polish election
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

"PiS doesn't respect women," Magdalena Bojko, a 36-year-old office worker, said during an opposition rally this month. Some surveys show the mainstream opposition could form a majority government even if PiS is in first place. Activists say that's in part because women are scared of having children following a handful of cases when pregnant women died of sepsis in hospitals as doctors waited for the fetus' heart to stop beating. "Women in Poland are terrified." "The opposition says the biggest problem for women is the lack of access to abortion.

Persons: Kacper, Agata, Magdalena Bojko, PiS, Anna Materska, Antonina Lewandowska, Anna Giszczak, Karolina Kowalewska, Agnieszka Pikulicka, Justyna Pawlak, Christina Fincher Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Law and Justice, Foundation, Civic Coalition, Reuters, Political, Warsaw University, Foundation for Women, Thomson Locations: Europe, Warsaw, Poland

☆ Poland will vote in a pivotal election next week. Its outcome will reverberate in Europe, Ukraine and the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-07 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Nonetheless, Poland remains in a powerful position in Europe, and this month’s vote could dramatically flip those dynamics. “Poland is a major player in Europe; it borders Ukraine, it has a major land army, substantial military spending, and is the key hub for supporting Ukraine,” Stola said. Poland pushed European partners to send Leopard battle tanks to Ukraine earlier this year. “One likely outcome is a coalition between PiS and Confederation, and that would be very bad news for Polish-Ukrainian relations,” Kucharczyk said. “Poland has very deep interests in supporting Ukraine,” Kucharczyk added.

Persons: White, Donald Tusk, Poland’s, –, ”, Tusk, ” Jacek Kucharczyk, ” Kucharczyk, Mateusz Morawiecki, Kacper Pempel, Piotr Buras, PiS, ” Buras, ” Dariusz Stola, Poland's, Omar Marques, ” Stola, “, Wojtek Radwanski Organizations: CNN, Justice, European, Tusk’s Civic Coalition, stoke, Public, Warsaw’s Institute of Public Affairs, European Council, Foreign Relations, Communist, EU, Warsaw, Institute of Political, Polish Academy of Sciences, Getty, ”, NATO, PiS, “ Locations: Poland, Ukraine, Brussels, Berlin, Polish, Warsaw, Hungary, Europe, Germany, Russia, ” Kyiv, Washington, Kyiv, AFP, “, Ukrainian, “ Poland

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

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s central bank lowered its key interest rate Wednesday, pointing to a drop in inflation despite a still-high rate of 8.2% last month, raising concerns about the cut being a political move. The National Bank of Poland cut its benchmark rate a quarter of a percentage point to 5.75%. It was the second rate cut since Sept. 9, when the central bank surprisingly slashed rates by three-quarters of a point. That's far below Poland's 8.2% inflation rate. Poland’s currency, the zloty, was slightly stronger after the rate cut.

Persons: Adam Glapinski Organizations: National Bank of Poland, Inflation, European Central Bank, Law, Justice Locations: WARSAW, Poland, Ukraine

Dealing with illegal migration has been a point of contention and unity in central Europe. Illegal migration was a key issue in elections in Slovakia last weekend, and in elections in Poland later this month. Slovakia has faced a rising number of illegal migrants crossing as they head to Germany and western Europe. Slovakia said last month the number of detained illegal migrants had soared nine fold, to more than 27,000 this year. "In recent weeks, we detected and detained 551 illegal migrants at the border with Slovakia.

Persons: Radovan, Vit Rakusan, Gerhard Karner, spillover, Robert Fico, Fico, Mariusz Kaminski, Kaminski, Jason Hovet, Jan Lopatka, Pawel Florkiewicz, Anna Wlodarczak, Francois Murphy, Andrew Heavens, Ed Osmond, Deborah Kyvrikosaios Organizations: REUTERS, Slovakia Czech, Austrian, Justice, Poland, Thomson Locations: Czech, Slovak, Stary Hrozenkov, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, PRAGUE, WARSAW, Poland, Europe, Hungary, Vienna, East, Afghanistan, Serbia, Prague, Warsaw

[1/2] SMER-SSD party leader Robert Fico arrives to the party's headquarters after the country's early parliamentary elections, in Bratislava, Slovakia, October 1, 2023. Caputova, a liberal who has a tense relationship with Fico, a three-time former prime minister, will first make a 2 p.m. statement on the election outcome. Fico and his SMER-SSD party won nearly 23% of the vote on Saturday, ahead of liberal challenger Progresivne Slovensko (Progressive Slovakia, PS) with 18%. HLAS, led by Fico's former colleague and prime minister Peter Pellegrini, could also support a potential PS-led coalition if negotiations with SMER fail. Fico's pledge, however, may have limited practical impact as analysts say Slovakia has already provided much of what it could spare.

Persons: Robert Fico, Radovan Stoklasa, Fico, Zuzana Caputova, Progresivne Slovensko, Fico's, Peter Pellegrini, Reuters Graphics Fico, Viktor Orban, Pellegrini, Jason Hovet, Jan Lopatka, Andrew Heavens, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: REUTERS, Ukraine Won, Russian Slovak National Party, SNS, SMER, Reuters Graphics, European Union, Russia's, Hungarian, Law and Justice, Brussels, NATO, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Bratislava, Slovakia, Ukraine, Progressive Slovakia, SMER, Russian, Hungary, European, Russia, Europe, Slovak

☆ Opinion: The US Congress, Slovakian voters just threw Ukraine under the bus
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( David A. Andelman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

David A. Andelman CNNBoth appear to have thrown Ukraine and its war with Russia under the bus. Nationwide, Fico himself was the largest single vote-getter, while three of the top five are members of his anti-Ukraine party. They said they’re going to support Ukraine in a separate vote,” Biden said. Only 52% of French voters and 49% of German voters are in favor of offering EU membership to Ukraine. Quick action by Congress is needed to stem further erosion — or even the possible collapse — of determined support for Ukraine across the western democracies.

Persons: David A, CNN —, Vladimir Putin, Robert Fico, Fico, Michal Šimečka, Volodymyr Zelensky, Antony Blinken, Lloyd Austin —, Zelensky, Joe Biden, Republicans –, ” Biden, “, Viktor Orban, “ Guess, ” Orban, Tomas Benedikovic, ” Fico, Orban —, Mateusz Morawiecki, ” Poland’s, Donald Tusk, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Putin, Marine Le, Turkey, Hungary’s Orban, Slovakia’s Fico, waffling Organizations: CNN, French Legion of, The New York Times, CBS News, Russian, Russia, Nationwide, Ukraine Progresivne, Ukraine, United Nations General Assembly, Republicans, Putin, Slovak, Getty, European Union, NATO, Law, Justice Party, Polsat, European Council, Social Democratic, National Rally, Kremlin, Congress Locations: Slovakia, Ukraine, Russia, Russian, Fico, Washington, New York, Bratislava, Hungary, AFP, Luhansk, Poland, Europe, Germany, France, Sweden, United States

According to preliminary results released by Slovakia’s Statistical Office at 6 a.m. local time, Robert Fico’s populist SMER party won 23.3% of the vote. While in opposition, Fico became a close ally of Hungary’s Prime Minister Victor Orban, especially when it came to criticism of the European Union. Fico previously served as Slovakia’s prime minister for more than a decade, first between 2006 and 2010 and then again from 2012 to 2018. Kuciak reported on corruption among the country’s elite, including people directly connected to Fico and his party SMER. In the Czech Republic, which used to form one country with Slovakia, 71% of people blame Russia for the war.

Persons: Robert Fico’s, Fico, upend, Peter Pellegrini, Hlas, ”, Pellegrini, Slovakia “, “, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Victor Orban, Orban, Jan Kuciak, Martina Kušnírová, Kuciak, Věra Jourová, GlobSec, – Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, NATO, Slovakia’s, SMER, Progressive, Ukrainian, Ukraine, European Union, Russia, Hungary’s, European, Justice, Kyiv Locations: Slovakia, Ukraine, Progressive Slovakia, Slovak, Kyiv, Brussels, Russia, Bratislava, Baltic, Czech Republic, States

☆ 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

☆ Slovakia's election could turn Ukraine's stanchest supporter into a Kremlin ally
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( Ivana Kottasová | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The frontrunner, former Prime Minister Robert Fico, has made no secret of his affinity for the Kremlin during the election campaign. Fico’s left-wing populist SMER party has been leading for months, although opinion polls published earlier this week showed SMER neck-and-neck with the Progressive Slovakia (PS) party. “The approach to Russian war in Ukraine is a divisive line (in the election),” she said. It is also far from certain that the leader of the biggest party will become the prime minister. While in opposition, Fico has also become a close ally of Hungary’s Prime Minister Victor Orban, especially when it comes to criticism of the European Union.

Persons: Robert Fico, Slovakia’s, Zuzana Čaputová, Fico’s, Michal Šimečka, Věra Jourová, ”, Peter Pellegrini, Pellegrini, Fico, Ján Kuciak, Martina Kušnírová, Russia ”, OLaNO, Kyiv’s, “, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Victor Orban, Orban Organizations: CNN, European Union, Kremlin, NATO, Progressive, EU, Kyiv, West ., “, Coalition, Republika, Russia, ”, and Solidarity Party, Independent, Ukraine Fico, Hungary’s, Justice Locations: Ukraine, NATO, American, Progressive Slovakia, Slovakia, “ Slovakia, Russia, Russian, Brussels

☆ 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

[1/2] A general view of Polish shoe retailer CCC shop is pictured, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Warsaw, Poland, September 8, 2020. "Let me tell you, there was a time when I couldn't even afford to buy salmon, for example. Buczek has benefited from the fact that PiS has raised her pension as part of hefty welfare spending moves which, opinion surveys show, are easing Poles' concerns over high inflation. The Polish minimum wage, already the highest in central Europe, will rise by nearly a fifth next year. With many houseowners on variable loan rates, Warsaw recently extended a scheme for mortgage repayment holidays into next year.

Persons: Kacper, Jadwiga Buczek, Buczek, PiS, Steffen Dyck, Adam Glapinski, Fitch, Federico Barriga Salazar, Andrzej Kuzniak, Moody's Dyck, Kacper Pempel, Jan Strupczewski, Gergely, Mark John, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Justice, European Union, European Commission, National Bank of, Sovereign Risk, Moody's, International Monetary Fund, Civic Coalition, Thomson Locations: Warsaw, Poland, WARSAW, Poland's, Europe, NBP, Brussels

☆ Poland's arms spat with Ukraine has angered many in Europe, and it's only good news for Putin
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

A senior EU diplomat told CNN: “Ukraine already offered Poland a solution on grain. The country is currently trying to join both the EU and NATO, for which it has unanimous support. Most EU member states accept that in order to accommodate Ukraine, there will need to be substantial reform to how the EU operates. The final reason that officials across Europe are furious about this week’s events is that it hands Russian President Vladimir Putin a propaganda coup. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, when asked about the spat, used it to say “there are certain tensions between Warsaw and Kyiv.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Russia’s, Zelensky, Mateusz Morawiecki, Andrzej Duda, Angela Weiss, Wojtek Jargilo, ”, –, Poland –, Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Peskov Organizations: CNN, Ukraine, European Union, EU, Justice, UN, Getty, NATO, “, EU Commission, Kremlin Locations: Poland, Warsaw, Kyiv, Ukraine, Hungary, Slovakia, Europe, Polish, ” Poland, New York City, ”, Russia, EU, “ Ukraine, “, Brussels

☆ Ukraine's Zelenskiy stops over in Poland to award two volunteers
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks, as he attends a joint press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (not pictured) in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada September 22, 2023. REUTERS/Blair Gable/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWARSAW, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy awarded two Polish volunteers state awards during a stopover on Saturday, but did not meet any officials as relations between the two countries are strained over grain imports. Poland decided last week to extend a ban on Ukrainian grain imports, shaking Kyiv's relationship with a neighbour that has been one of its staunchest allies since Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year. Poland's prime minister told Zelenskiy on Friday not to "insult" Poles, maintaining harsh rhetoric towards Kyiv ahead of elections on October 15. One of the award recipients, Duda, told Reuters that Zelenskiy was very informal at the meeting like an old friend.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Justin Trudeau, Blair Gable, Zelenskiy, Bianka, Damian Duda, Duda, Marcin Przydacz, Onet.pl, Zelenskiy's, Anna Wlodarczak, Lewis Macdonald, Elaine Monaghan, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: Canadian, REUTERS, Rights, Justice, United Nations General Assembly, Kyiv, Reuters, Polish, Thomson Locations: Ottawa , Ontario, Canada, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, New York, Moscow, Warsaw, Gdansk, Washington

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