Notes from Poland
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Independent and informed news and insight on Polish politics, culture, business and history.
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President Nawrocki has signed into law a government bill increasing the corporate income tax rate for banks in Poland.
The measure will provide billions in revenue at a time when Poland is seeking to tackle rapidly rising public debt.
The measure will provide billions in revenue at a time when Poland is seeking to tackle rapidly rising public debt.
Poland raises corporate income tax on banks after president approves government bill
notesfrompoland.com
November 27, 2025 at 8:59 PM
President Nawrocki has signed into law a government bill increasing the corporate income tax rate for banks in Poland.
The measure will provide billions in revenue at a time when Poland is seeking to tackle rapidly rising public debt.
The measure will provide billions in revenue at a time when Poland is seeking to tackle rapidly rising public debt.
The mayor of Wrocław, two former MEPs and a former presidential spokesman were among 29 people indicted by prosecutors today in relation to a private university alleged to have corruptly issued MBAs without requiring recipients to actually study for them.
Leading politicians to face trial over links to Polish university accused of corruptly issuing MBAs
notesfrompoland.com
November 27, 2025 at 1:53 PM
The mayor of Wrocław, two former MEPs and a former presidential spokesman were among 29 people indicted by prosecutors today in relation to a private university alleged to have corruptly issued MBAs without requiring recipients to actually study for them.
Russia has ordered Poland to close its consulate in Irkutsk in retaliation for the “hostile and unjustified” decision to shut Russia’s consulate in Gdańsk. Warsaw made that move in response to Russian sabotage of a rail line.
It means neither country will have any consulates operating in the other.
It means neither country will have any consulates operating in the other.
Russia closes last Polish consulate in tit-for-tat move
notesfrompoland.com
November 27, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Russia has ordered Poland to close its consulate in Irkutsk in retaliation for the “hostile and unjustified” decision to shut Russia’s consulate in Gdańsk. Warsaw made that move in response to Russian sabotage of a rail line.
It means neither country will have any consulates operating in the other.
It means neither country will have any consulates operating in the other.
Poland leads the EU in terms of the number of transactions carried out through mobile and internet banking, according to a new report by Deloitte
It points in particular to the success of the BLIK payment system, which is now used by over half of Poles.
It points in particular to the success of the BLIK payment system, which is now used by over half of Poles.
Poland leads EU in mobile and internet banking transactions
notesfrompoland.com
November 27, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Poland leads the EU in terms of the number of transactions carried out through mobile and internet banking, according to a new report by Deloitte
It points in particular to the success of the BLIK payment system, which is now used by over half of Poles.
It points in particular to the success of the BLIK payment system, which is now used by over half of Poles.
Poland has chosen Sweden as the supplier of new submarines for its navy.
It intends to buy three A26 submarines from Saab, which will replace the Polish navy's only current submarine, a 40-year-old Soviet-era vessel that is in need of constant repair.
It intends to buy three A26 submarines from Saab, which will replace the Polish navy's only current submarine, a 40-year-old Soviet-era vessel that is in need of constant repair.
Poland picks Sweden to supply submarines for its navy
notesfrompoland.com
November 26, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Poland has chosen Sweden as the supplier of new submarines for its navy.
It intends to buy three A26 submarines from Saab, which will replace the Polish navy's only current submarine, a 40-year-old Soviet-era vessel that is in need of constant repair.
It intends to buy three A26 submarines from Saab, which will replace the Polish navy's only current submarine, a 40-year-old Soviet-era vessel that is in need of constant repair.
One of the leaders of the mass protests against Poland's near-total abortion ban has been denied security clearance, meaning she cannot continue serving on a government commission investigating surveillance of civil society groups, including her own, under the former PiS administration.
Polish abortion activist denied security clearance to investigate surveillance of her own movement
notesfrompoland.com
November 26, 2025 at 12:28 PM
One of the leaders of the mass protests against Poland's near-total abortion ban has been denied security clearance, meaning she cannot continue serving on a government commission investigating surveillance of civil society groups, including her own, under the former PiS administration.
Poland will implement yesterday's EU court ruling requiring it to recognise same-sex marriages conducted in other member states, says the justice minister.
By contrast, the president's office says it "will not succumb to the terror of rainbow rulings" that "completely destroy the family".
By contrast, the president's office says it "will not succumb to the terror of rainbow rulings" that "completely destroy the family".
Poland will implement EU court order to recognise same-sex marriages, says justice minister
notesfrompoland.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Poland will implement yesterday's EU court ruling requiring it to recognise same-sex marriages conducted in other member states, says the justice minister.
By contrast, the president's office says it "will not succumb to the terror of rainbow rulings" that "completely destroy the family".
By contrast, the president's office says it "will not succumb to the terror of rainbow rulings" that "completely destroy the family".
The departure of one of the leaders of Poland's ruling coalition threatens the future of his party, and in turn the prospects of Donald Tusk's government maintaining its parliamentary majority and winning another in 2027, writes
@aleksszczerbiak.bsky.social.
@aleksszczerbiak.bsky.social.
Will the Tusk government lose its parliamentary majority?
notesfrompoland.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:23 PM
The departure of one of the leaders of Poland's ruling coalition threatens the future of his party, and in turn the prospects of Donald Tusk's government maintaining its parliamentary majority and winning another in 2027, writes
@aleksszczerbiak.bsky.social.
@aleksszczerbiak.bsky.social.
The Solidarity trade union, which played a central role in bringing down Poland's communist regime, has won a long-running legal battle for control over its famous logo against the man who designed it, Jerzy Janiszewski.
Poland's Solidarity trade union wins legal battle for control of iconic logo
notesfrompoland.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:39 PM
The Solidarity trade union, which played a central role in bringing down Poland's communist regime, has won a long-running legal battle for control over its famous logo against the man who designed it, Jerzy Janiszewski.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki has proposed plans to reform the EU so that it infringes less on national sovereignty, stops “dictating the terms” of member states’ political or judicial systems, and ceases trying to “regulate the entire lives of citizens”.
Poland's president proposes EU reform to stop Brussels "dictating terms" to member states
notesfrompoland.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:06 PM
Polish President Karol Nawrocki has proposed plans to reform the EU so that it infringes less on national sovereignty, stops “dictating the terms” of member states’ political or judicial systems, and ceases trying to “regulate the entire lives of citizens”.
The EU court has ruled that Poland must recognise the marriage of a Polish same-sex couple who married in Germany, even though Polish law does not allow such marriages.
The ruling requires Poland to change its system for recognising such marriages so as not to discriminate against same-sex couples.
The ruling requires Poland to change its system for recognising such marriages so as not to discriminate against same-sex couples.
EU court orders Poland to recognise same-sex marriages conducted in other member states
notesfrompoland.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:34 AM
The EU court has ruled that Poland must recognise the marriage of a Polish same-sex couple who married in Germany, even though Polish law does not allow such marriages.
The ruling requires Poland to change its system for recognising such marriages so as not to discriminate against same-sex couples.
The ruling requires Poland to change its system for recognising such marriages so as not to discriminate against same-sex couples.
Prosecutors have charged a Ukrainian man with assisting in the recent sabotage of a rail line in Poland on behalf of Russia.
He is the first person to hear charges in the case, after the two main suspects fled to Belarus immediately after the incident.
He is the first person to hear charges in the case, after the two main suspects fled to Belarus immediately after the incident.
Poland charges Ukrainian with assisting in Russian rail sabotage
notesfrompoland.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Prosecutors have charged a Ukrainian man with assisting in the recent sabotage of a rail line in Poland on behalf of Russia.
He is the first person to hear charges in the case, after the two main suspects fled to Belarus immediately after the incident.
He is the first person to hear charges in the case, after the two main suspects fled to Belarus immediately after the incident.
The Polish government has criticised Israel's Holocaust remembrance centre, Yad Vashem, for a social media post suggesting that Poland was responsible for introducing anti-Jewish measures during the Holocaust.
In fact, Poland was under Nazi-German occupation and rule.
In fact, Poland was under Nazi-German occupation and rule.
Poland criticises Israeli Holocaust institute's post suggesting Polish responsibility for German crimes
notesfrompoland.com
November 24, 2025 at 11:49 AM
The Polish government has criticised Israel's Holocaust remembrance centre, Yad Vashem, for a social media post suggesting that Poland was responsible for introducing anti-Jewish measures during the Holocaust.
In fact, Poland was under Nazi-German occupation and rule.
In fact, Poland was under Nazi-German occupation and rule.
Poland’s justice minister has pledged to take action after far-right leader Grzegorz Braun gave an anti-Jewish speech outside the former Auschwitz death camp.
Braun accused the government of "implementing directives presented by various Jewish organisations".
Braun accused the government of "implementing directives presented by various Jewish organisations".
Polish justice minister pledges investigation into far-right leader's Auschwitz speech
notesfrompoland.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:24 AM
Poland’s justice minister has pledged to take action after far-right leader Grzegorz Braun gave an anti-Jewish speech outside the former Auschwitz death camp.
Braun accused the government of "implementing directives presented by various Jewish organisations".
Braun accused the government of "implementing directives presented by various Jewish organisations".
Kraków has become a hub for business services in recent years, but such jobs are now at risk of being replaced by AI, writes Bloomberg.
The city is seeing growing layoffs, with the likes of Shell, Heineken, HSBC and UBS among those cutting positions.
The city is seeing growing layoffs, with the likes of Shell, Heineken, HSBC and UBS among those cutting positions.
AI Threatens to Spoil Poland’s $1 Trillion Economic Party
Krakow became a hub for business services jobs, driving salaries to the highest in Poland. Now the city is learning to live with artificial intelligence.
www.bloomberg.com
November 22, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Kraków has become a hub for business services in recent years, but such jobs are now at risk of being replaced by AI, writes Bloomberg.
The city is seeing growing layoffs, with the likes of Shell, Heineken, HSBC and UBS among those cutting positions.
The city is seeing growing layoffs, with the likes of Shell, Heineken, HSBC and UBS among those cutting positions.
While the Catholic church remains a totemic force in Polish society, the relationship between parties and religion in post-communist Poland is a complex one and continues to evolve, writes @aleksszczerbiak.bsky.social.
Does religion still matter in Polish politics?
notesfrompoland.com
November 22, 2025 at 11:17 AM
While the Catholic church remains a totemic force in Polish society, the relationship between parties and religion in post-communist Poland is a complex one and continues to evolve, writes @aleksszczerbiak.bsky.social.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Karol Nawrocki have offered a lukewarm response to Donald Trump’s peace plan to end Russia's war in Ukraine – one of whose 28 points relates specifically to Poland.
Trump's peace plan for Ukraine receives lukewarm response from Poland
notesfrompoland.com
November 22, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Karol Nawrocki have offered a lukewarm response to Donald Trump’s peace plan to end Russia's war in Ukraine – one of whose 28 points relates specifically to Poland.
A seven-year-old Polish girl, Amelia, was among those killed during Russia's attack on civilians in the western Ukrainian city of Ternopil this week, the Polish foreign minister has announced.
Polish seven-year-old girl killed in Russian attack on Ukraine
notesfrompoland.com
November 21, 2025 at 6:03 PM
A seven-year-old Polish girl, Amelia, was among those killed during Russia's attack on civilians in the western Ukrainian city of Ternopil this week, the Polish foreign minister has announced.
Poland and Germany's Catholic bishops have jointly called for “Europe to stand united” and not submit to "fatigue" in the face of “the war being waged by Russia against Ukraine”
They also condemned "political actors who exploit painful and historically unresolved issues" between their two countries
They also condemned "political actors who exploit painful and historically unresolved issues" between their two countries
Polish and German bishops urge "Europe to stand united" in face of "Russia's war in Ukraine"
notesfrompoland.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Poland and Germany's Catholic bishops have jointly called for “Europe to stand united” and not submit to "fatigue" in the face of “the war being waged by Russia against Ukraine”
They also condemned "political actors who exploit painful and historically unresolved issues" between their two countries
They also condemned "political actors who exploit painful and historically unresolved issues" between their two countries
Poland will buy $100 million of weapons from the US and supply them to Ukraine, foreign minister Radosław Sikorski has announced.
He says the move is part of Warsaw’s response to the recent Russian rail sabotage in Poland, which Sikorski says was "clearly intended to kill Polish citizens".
He says the move is part of Warsaw’s response to the recent Russian rail sabotage in Poland, which Sikorski says was "clearly intended to kill Polish citizens".
Poland to buy $100m of US arms for Ukraine in response to Russian rail sabotage
notesfrompoland.com
November 21, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Poland will buy $100 million of weapons from the US and supply them to Ukraine, foreign minister Radosław Sikorski has announced.
He says the move is part of Warsaw’s response to the recent Russian rail sabotage in Poland, which Sikorski says was "clearly intended to kill Polish citizens".
He says the move is part of Warsaw’s response to the recent Russian rail sabotage in Poland, which Sikorski says was "clearly intended to kill Polish citizens".
The new US ambassador to Poland has condemned the "grotesque falsehood" that Poles were to blame for the Holocaust.
Thomas Rose, who is himself Jewish, also said that Poland is today “the safest country in Europe for a Jew to walk the streets”.
Thomas Rose, who is himself Jewish, also said that Poland is today “the safest country in Europe for a Jew to walk the streets”.
New US ambassador condemns "grotesque falsehood" that Poles responsible for the Holocaust
notesfrompoland.com
November 21, 2025 at 10:04 AM
The new US ambassador to Poland has condemned the "grotesque falsehood" that Poles were to blame for the Holocaust.
Thomas Rose, who is himself Jewish, also said that Poland is today “the safest country in Europe for a Jew to walk the streets”.
Thomas Rose, who is himself Jewish, also said that Poland is today “the safest country in Europe for a Jew to walk the streets”.
Poland’s constitutional court has ruled that a government bill aiming to depoliticise the body responsible for nominating judges, one of the institutions at the heart of the country’s rule-of-law crisis, is unconstitutional and therefore cannot be introduced into law.
Constitutional court rejects government bill overhauling body at heart of Poland's rule-of-law crisis
notesfrompoland.com
November 20, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Poland’s constitutional court has ruled that a government bill aiming to depoliticise the body responsible for nominating judges, one of the institutions at the heart of the country’s rule-of-law crisis, is unconstitutional and therefore cannot be introduced into law.
Poland has submitted a request to Belarus to hand over the two Ukrainians suspected of carrying out last weekend's rail-line sabotage on behalf of Russia.
The pair fled to Belarus immediately after the incident.
The pair fled to Belarus immediately after the incident.
Polska chce wydania dwóch Ukraińców. Białoruś otrzymała notę
Białoruskiemu charge d'affaires została przekazana nota o wydanie dwóch obywateli Ukrainy - przekazał rzecznik MSZ Maciej Wewiór. Jak dodał, mężczyźni
wydarzenia.interia.pl
November 20, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Poland has submitted a request to Belarus to hand over the two Ukrainians suspected of carrying out last weekend's rail-line sabotage on behalf of Russia.
The pair fled to Belarus immediately after the incident.
The pair fled to Belarus immediately after the incident.
Poland’s ambassador to Russia has been attacked in Saint Petersburg by a group protesting Polish support for Ukraine.
Polish ambassador attacked in Russia
Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and is published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support.
notesfrompoland.com
November 20, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Poland’s ambassador to Russia has been attacked in Saint Petersburg by a group protesting Polish support for Ukraine.
Polish news website Onet has determined that the names of the two Ukrainians suspected of sabotaging a rail line on behalf of Russia are Yevhenii Ivanov, aged 41, and Oleksandr Kononov, aged 39.
The pair fled to Belarus immediately after the incident.
The pair fled to Belarus immediately after the incident.
Znamy nazwiska ściganych terrorystów, którzy chcieli wysadzić pociągi w Polsce
Jak ustaliliśmy, działający na zlecenie Rosji terroryści, którzy dokonali aktu dywersji na kolei i uciekli na Białoruś, to Jewhienij Iwanow [Yevhenii Ivanov] oraz Ołeksandr Kononow [Oleksandr Kononov]...
wiadomosci.onet.pl
November 20, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Polish news website Onet has determined that the names of the two Ukrainians suspected of sabotaging a rail line on behalf of Russia are Yevhenii Ivanov, aged 41, and Oleksandr Kononov, aged 39.
The pair fled to Belarus immediately after the incident.
The pair fled to Belarus immediately after the incident.