Ex-PM appeals to gov't: stop war against the people

Former Polish PM Donald Tusk on Thursday appealed to Poland's government to withdraw from its confrontation with mass-protesting opponents of a recent ban on abortion due to foetal damage. Tusk currently heads the EP's European People's Party (EPP) faction.

In his tweeted appeal, Tusk pointed out that Poland was worst-prepared for the current second COVID-19 wave of all the EU states, and blamed this on Poland's Mateusz Morawiecki government. "While others were getting ready to fight the virus, you were mounting a war against the people. Withdraw from this war before tragedy strikes. All the people have left are their voices, the decisions lie with you," Tusk wrote.

Wednesday is the seventh day of countrywide protests against a Thursday constitutional court ruling banning abortion due to foetal damage.

Wednesday also marked a new record in COVID-19 infections in Poland (18,820) and deaths (236), bringing the total infection and fatality count to respectively 299,049 and 4,851.

On Tuesday Jarosław Kaczyński, leader of Poland's ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party, criticised the protesters for holding mass demonstrations during the COVID-19 epidemic, and the Polish opposition for supporting and encouraging the protests.