Latest news with #Katowice
Russia Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Anti-immigration protests sweep Poland (VIDEOS)
Anti-immigration protests were held in around 80 Polish cities on Saturday, according to local media. The largest demonstration reportedly attracted around 3,000 people. The rallies were organized by a political alliance called the Confederation Liberty and Independence. The coalition of right-wing groups has taken a hardline stance against the EU and its immigration policy. Around 3,000 people took part in a protest in the southern Polish city of Katowice, public broadcaster TVP reported on Saturday, citing police sources. According to the channel, most of the protesters were men and many were from football fan clubs. Videos from the scene show protestors waving Polish flags and chanting anti-immigration slogans. Protest przeciwko masowej imigracji. Donald Tusk zjednoczył kibiców. Tak to dzisiaj wyglądało w Katowicach The demonstrators also held a large banner reading: 'Refugees NOT welcome.' 🇵🇱 Poland: 'Refugees not welcomed'Massive protest. About 80-100 cities all over Poland are put aside any Footbal rivalries & stand together against illegal immigration.'This is Poland, not Brussels, here we don't support immigration' Confederation co-chairman Krzysztof Bosak, speaking to a rally in Bialystok on Saturday, accused the EU and NATO ally Germany of sending migrants across the border into Poland. The Polish border patrol is too overworked and undermanned to stem the flow of illegal immigrants, he said. According to local news, some of the protests carried out minutes of silence in remembrance of a 24-year-old Polish woman who died after being stabbed in Torun last month. A 19-year-old Colombian national has been charged with murder. Anti-immigration sentiment in Poland has been on the rise lately. In recent weeks, local Polish community groups have begun to form so-called 'citizen patrols' to block the entry and return of migrants at the country's border, according to local media. Earlier this month, Warsaw reintroduced border controls with fellow EU members Germany and Lithuania, and deployed more troops to the areas to fight the flow of illegal immigration. Poland previously accused Berlin of 'dumping' thousands of migrants across the Polish border.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Anti-immigrant rallies staged across Poland
Anti‑immigration protests have taken place in dozens of towns and cities across Poland. Most demonstrations attracted several hundred people or fewer on Saturday - but police estimated that about 3,000 took part in the largest rally in the southern city of Katowice. The protests were organised by far-right political group Konfederacja, and another nationalist from Konfederacja and the opposition Law and Justice party have been warning about a flood of illegal migration in Poland - but official figures do not support their claims. "Without closing Poland to illegal immigration, without starting deportation campaigns, without abandoning political correctness... security will gradually deteriorate," Konfederacja co-chairman Krzysztof Bosak told the crowd in the eastern city of Bialystok.A minute's silence was held at some gatherings in memory of a 24-year-old Polish woman murdered in the central city of Torun. In the capital Warsaw, rival rallies took place just metres away. There were no reports of violence. Police have since arrested a Venezuelan man in the case. Right-wing politicians claim Poland is in danger of being flooded by illegal migrants. Immigration has increased over the last decade - but official figures show that migration is lower so far this year than in previous this month, Poland introduced checks on its borders with Germany and Lithuania after Berlin began turning away asylum seekers. Germany introduced its own controls on the Polish and Czech borders in March, Poland temporarily suspended the right of migrants arriving in the country via its border with Belarus to apply for asylum.
Globe and Mail
01-07-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Worksol Group CEO Urges Strategic Labor Policy During EEC 2025 in Katowice
Leading Polish Staffing Firm Calls for Long-Term Plan on Foreign Employment as Poland Emerges as European Labor Hub Katowice, Poland--(Newsfile Corp. - July 1, 2025) - At the prestigious European Economic Congress (EEC) held in Katowice, Michael Solecki, CEO of Worksol Group, addressed a packed auditorium of policymakers and business leaders, calling for a comprehensive national strategy on the employment of foreign workers. As a keynote speaker, Solecki emphasized the urgent need for Poland to adopt a long-term vision for labor migration, ensuring sustained economic growth amid evolving demographic and market challenges. "Poland is at a crossroads," said Solecki during his panel at the EEC. "We must decide whether we want to be merely a transit country for foreign workers-or a long-term destination. Without a forward-thinking policy, we risk losing the competitive advantage we've worked so hard to build." A pioneering role in cross-border staffing Headquartered in Kępno, Poland (Warszawska 32 St.), Worksol Group has built its reputation by specializing in the recruitment and legal employment of workers from countries as diverse as Colombia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Japan, UAE and beyond. With a strong focus on ethical recruitment, compliance, and operational transparency, Worksol has helped companies across Poland and Europe meet critical labor shortages in sectors like manufacturing, agriculture, and logistics. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: "At Worksol, we don't just fill vacancies. We create sustainable partnerships between businesses and people from around the world," added Solecki. The company's approach aligns closely with the European Union's emphasis on fair labor mobility, positioning Poland not only as a growing economic force but also as a strategic labor corridor between East and West. A call to action for policymakers During his EEC appearance, Solecki underlined the pressing need for regulatory stability and institutional cooperation in the employment of third-country nationals. The call resonated strongly with the audience, especially amid ongoing debate within the EU on how to balance labor demand with integration and social cohesion. Worksol Group's presence at the EEC symbolizes more than business success-it highlights Poland's emerging role as a case study in post-transition economic resilience and innovation in workforce solutions. About Worksol Group Founded in Poland, Worksol Group is a premier temporary staffing and recruitment agency offering cross-border employment services across Europe. The company has helped hundreds of employers meet their workforce needs while facilitating ethical and legal migration for skilled and semi-skilled workers from outside the European Union.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sulliden secures 48% stake in Polish nickel, zinc and lead exploration project
Sulliden Mining Capital has announced its acquisition of a 48% interest in a nickel, zinc and lead mining exploration project in Poland. This strategic move involves the purchase of shares from Ferrite Resources Polska, with the project comprising the Szklary and Dabrowka concessions. The acquisition saw Sulliden pay €62,500 ($73,136.9) and agree to indemnify a former director of Ferrite Resources Polska for any costs related to his previous role. The transaction, conducted at arm's length, aligns with the policies of the Toronto Stock Exchange and did not result in a change of control for Sulliden. The target property consisting of the Szklary and Dabrowka concessions is fully owned by Ferrite Resources Polska. Szklary, located approximately 50km south of Wroclaw, is known for its nickel laterite deposit. Historical records show a production of 3.5 million tonnes (mt) at 0.79% nickel, equating to 28,000 tonnes. Despite extensive drilling during the Soviet era and a NI 43-101-compliant technical report, additional drilling is planned to confirm historical inferences. The project's potential is further underscored by the proximity of two smelters within the Katowice mining hub, less than 20km away. Established infrastructure including road and rail access complements the proven room and pillar mining methods and magnetic separation technology used at the site. Dabrowka, situated 25km north of Katowice, has an existing historical shaft but requires a new decline shaft. Sulliden anticipates minimal primary development and plans to drill an additional 27 holes to augment historical exploration data. The project's upside is enhanced by the presence of a second zinc and lead deposit, which the company intends to explore further with the additional drilling. "Sulliden secures 48% stake in Polish nickel, zinc and lead exploration project" was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Reuters
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Society Watch: Poland tries to learn lesson from the past as it seeks to power past coal
June 9 - Steep paths zigzag through the pine and silver birch trees that smother the slopes of a vast slag heap looming over Murcki, a suburb of Katowice. For over 100 years it was the dumping ground for the spoil from the Boze Dary mine, until it closed in 2015. Standing at the top of the heap, with the green forests of Silesia stretching out to the horizon, it is difficult to imagine that there were once around 70 coal mines across the country, employing 400,000 miners. Then in the 1990s, as Poland moved from a Communist to a free-market economy, state support for coal abruptly ended, and dozens of uneconomic mines closed, often overnight, leaving thousands of miners without work or support, explains Sebastian Pypwacz, from the local environmental NGO BoMiasto. 'In the 1990s the premise was very simple – we close the coalmines… (we) give money to the people,' says Pypwacz. While they were told to use the money to start their own businesses, there was no practical advice about how to do it. Today the country's remaining 19 pits, which produce around 60 million tonnes of thermal coal a year, face a similar fate, as Poland implements targets to wean itself off coal. Pypwacz fears that lessons from that last wave of closures haven't been learned, even though many communities are still visibly struggling with the consequences of those redundancies from the 1990s. In Katowice, the state capital of Silesia, Momika Bajka has been helping to rebuild some of the lives shattered by those first closures. In 1994, shocked at the number of homeless children living around the town's train station, she founded the House of Guardian Angels. It offered support and shelter to these children, many of whom were on the streets after the breakdown of family life. The centre is in the town's Zalenze neighbourhood, on the edge of a former worker's estate,. Bajka recalls that with jobs scarce in post-Communist Poland 'lots of men were sitting around not going to work or doing anything'. There were tensions between husbands and wives, she says, as women went out to find jobs to support their families, something the men found difficult to accept. Bajka agrees that it was wrong to just hand out large sums of money, as few people knew how to invest it. Under communism, rent and bills were often paid by the mines, so their workers weren't used to responsibilities. And miners didn't just lose their jobs, but their friends, their community, their sports clubs and the whole structure to their lives. The money soon ran out, spent on cars and holidays, alcohol became a big problem, then depression and a tragic spike in suicides. Bajka sees the legacy living on today, with the children of the young people she originally helped now attending homework clubs and after-school activities at the centre, because they have inherited the problems of their parents. Many are socially excluded, she says, and 'lack the opportunities that others had'. With the next round of mining closures, the process needs to be properly managed. 'The best way is to prepare before the coalmines close,' she says, building relationships and 'listening to people to find what they are afraid of'. Iwona Bojadzhijewa, a project manager in the Just Transition Advisory Hub at the Warsaw-based Instrat Foundation think-tank, believes one of the biggest barriers to a just transition this time is the insistence on sticking to a 2049 deadline to close all the remaining mines, part of a social contract signed by the last government, coal companies and trade unions. In 2024, coal produced 57% of Poland's energy, and nearly 150 million tonnes of CO2 emissions, but much of this coal is now imported from places such as Kazakhstan and Indonesia, not mined in Poland. Instrat's research suggests the majority of Poland's surviving coal mines will close over the next decade, with coal production predicted to drop to around 23 million tonnes in 2030. No one will benefit from prolonging coal's demise. 'The schedule needs to be amended,' says Bojadzhijewa, 'they all know it's going to happen earlier… it's not honest.' EU climate targets and market pressures are also likely to accelerate this timeline. The problem is that Poland lacks a coherent energy strategy, she says. Regional and national government, as well as the EU, all have an interest in energy production, especially as Poland is the largest beneficiary of the EU's Just Transition fund, with Silesia alone set to receive over 2 billion euros, much of it earmarked for job creation. Earlier this month, the right-wing populist Karol Nawrocki won the Polish presidency, having run a campaign that was both critical of climate policy and defended coal's role in Poland's energy mix. However, with more political power vested in parliament, Bojadzhijewa doesn't believe Nawrocki's election will make any substantial changes to Poland's decarbonisation strategy. However, she adds. the comments will still prove unsettling for those living in mining communities. 'These statements seem particularly unfair towards the inhabitants of coal-dependent regions, as they can fuel false hopes that the transition will be postponed indefinitely,' she says. 'Rather than engaging constructively in building a sustainable future beyond coal, there is a risk that people may cling to unrealistic promises that could undermine long-term progress.' BoMiasto has developed a Just Transition Barometer to research public sentiment around mine closures. It reveals that while people are deeply aware that closures will impact the majority of local residents, what they care about most is securing stable energy prices, clean air and access to well-paid, future-oriented jobs. Patryk Bilas, a local independent councillor, agrees that Poland needs a 'concrete, step-by-step, long-term plan' for the transition from coal, and to be able to communicate this to affected communities. Bilas is a director of the Innovation and Competence Centre at Katowice's Euro-Centrum Science and Technology Park, which supports energy-efficient technologies and clean industry. While the closure of old coal-fired plants over the next decade will cut Poland's electricity capacity by a third, an 'explosion of small-scale photovoltaics, wind turbines and so on' will replace coal, he says. Bilas believes miners have many transferable skills that are suited to new green technologies, such as solar installation, heat pumps and wind turbines. Around 194,000 people are currently employed in the renewable sector, he says, with predictions this could rise to 300,000 by 2030. Some local businesses are already shifting. Katowice-based manufacturer Formar, for instance, is now building new green technologies alongside mining machinery, much of which is destined for China. The company has also launched a training programme for miners looking to work on wind turbines, and has developed a transition strategy that involves buying up and investing in new clean energy companies. 'Setting out a timeline (for closing the mines) can help the miners,' says Pypwacz . 'We want to communicate with miners that 'your skills are viable in another industry'.' A growing interest in post-industrial tourism is also creating new jobs. The Silesian Museum opened in Katowice's former colliery 10 years ago, while the Museum of Coal Mining is housed inside the former Guido mine in nearby Zabrze, a town which once had eight mines, as well as various smelting and coking plants. Elsewhere, the vast blast furnace at Ruda Slaska, which hasn't been active for 20 years, is set to be turned into an exhibition hall, with interactive displays about the region's industrial heritage. Creative thinking has also helped some of the town's that felt the brunt of those initial closures to find a new life. In sharp contrast to the apartments in Zelenze, Kolonia Zgorzelec, an historic worker's estate in the town of Bytom, has been revitalised over the last decade, with the support of a local development company. Pyplacz also points to Nikiszoweic, five kilometres from Katowice, another architecturally important cluster of former miners' tenement blocks. The neat blocks of brick apartments, with their shops and school, became a violent no-go area after the mine closed, but today the flats are occupied by young families, and the estate transformed into a tourist attraction, with a museum, art gallery and high-end restaurants. Nearby, the sheds and warehouses of the old Wieczorek mine, many with elaborate brick facades, are set to be turned into the Katowice Gaming and Technology Hub, a new centre for business startups, where the next wave of redundant miners may be able to put their redundancy cheques to good use. 'Change is inevitable,' says Bojadzhijewa '(but) we need to make sure that it doesn't happen at the cost of the people.'
