The Digest – Best Stories of 2019

It’s been almost a year of The Digest and so we have decided to delve into the archives and compile a list of stories that we felt defined or represented 2019 in Poland on a month by month basis.

January – No Escape

The year began with a horrific story about five young teenage girls burned to death as a fire ripped through an Escape room activity centre in Koszalin, northern Poland. (TVN – Video)

February – Crazy Cows

A TV investigative report emerges of the systemic use of sick cows being introduced to the food chain and sold for Sunday dinner. (TVN – Video)

March – Girl Power

Poland jumps to its highest-ever ranking in a 33 country OECD report on Women in the Workplace Index. ( TheFirstNews)

April – Mrs Pulaski?

Casimir Pulaski, A Polish-born hero of the American Revolution may not have been all that he seemed… or indeed she seemed. ( NBCnews)

May – Suffer The Little Children

Following on from the revelations in the USA, Ireland and elsewhere, it is film makers who are the tip of the spear in exposing the child abuse and cover-ups in the Polish Catholic Church. ( TheGuardian/YouTube)

June – ” A little man in an orange robe burst into flames” – Good Morning Vietnam

Poland hits 36 degrees and more in a hot, hot heatwave – (TheNews.pl)

July – Taxing the Young

Warsaw approves a new law to exempt under 26 year olds from income tax in a bid to staunch a brain drain. ( France24)

August – Swiss Role

EU court brings the Polish banks to the brink with ruling on Swiss Franc Mortgages and who pays what. – (Bloomberg)

September – Minimum Wage Increase

In a bold move, PiS government announces plans to double the minimum wage by 2023 – Biznespolska.pl

Further reporting on this was done in an article on BigDoor24.pl and the possible effects on Polish property and Polish mortgages.

October – Nobel Winner

Poland’s Olga Tokarczak wins the Nobel Literature Prize, acclaimed internationally and mostly at home. ( TheGuardian)

November – Sex Education in Poland – New Law, Old Fight

A new law on sex education invites the ire of EU MEP’s, arguing that it effectively shuts down any and all sex education in Polish schools. – (EuroNews)

December – Priest Punches Woman in the Face… on Video

A headline that writes itself, a Wroclaw priest is filmed attacking a lady who is protesting religious paedophilia… not much more to say. – (TVN-Video)

The Digest is a roundup of weekly Polish news in the English language, published every Sunday at 10 a.m. Like us on Facebook to stay informed.

For articles on Polish Property, Polish Mortgages and tips on living in Poland please check out our sister site, BigDoor24.pl – Just Easier