PolandOwnership & classification
Founded: 2014
Ownership
Notes from Poland is an English-language news outlet about Poland founded in 2014 in Krakow by academic Stanley Bill (University of Cambridge). It is published by the Notes from Poland Foundation (Fundacja Notes from Poland), a registered Polish non-profit established on 22 November 2018, with Bill as chair of the board, Daniel Tilles as editor-in-chief and Agnieszka Wadolowska as managing editor.
Funding
It operates as a non-profit financed mainly by reader donations, supplemented by grants; it explicitly stresses editorial independence from its funders and carries limited advertising/partnerships.
Affiliation & stance
It has no party, government or corporate-owner ties and produces straight news and explainers with a broadly centrist, pro-rule-of-law outlook. Because it is controlled by an independent journalist-run non-profit foundation with no state or party influence, it is INDEPENDENT.
Editorial lean
- Our estimate
- Center
- Measured from coverage
- Centerbased on 49
87/100
Factual
79/100
Objective
63
Articles
63
reports
Top stories
Most covered right now
Poland records highest ever temperature as European heatwave moves east
How Orbán's power machine cracked from within
More and more Poles live alone.
German police break up Polish nationalist procession to WWII memorial site
32 fruits buried on the property, want to charge the pathologist with two counts
Recent coverage
Ziobro is to be taken into custody, it's final consent, now it's time for extradition
The Warsaw District Court has issued a final ruling allowing the temporary arrest of Zbigniew Ziobro, a former Polish justice minister who is currently hiding in the United States. The court ruled on July 1, 2026, after a lengthy hearing where Ziobro’s defense team attempted to delay proceedings by requesting the removal of judges from the panel. These requests were denied, and the court upheld the decision to detain Ziobro based on allegations related to the Justice Fund scandal. The prosecution claims there is sufficient evidence to justify the arrest, citing risks of flight, obstruction of justice, and potential criminal liability. With this ruling, Poland’s Minister of Justice, Waldemar Żurek, can now formally request Ziobro’s extradition from the U.S., where he sought asylum under the Hungarian government led by Viktor Orbán. Ziobro fled to Budapest in late 2025 to avoid arrest linked to the ongoing investigation into the Justice Fund affair.
They checked how many people left their "life traces" in Warsaw
The Central Statistical Office (GUS) has released preliminary results from an experimental study estimating the number of people residing in Warsaw based on 'life traces' recorded in administrative registers. These traces include data such as employment, tax payments, social benefits, healthcare usage, and education. The findings indicate that over two million people, including more than 300,000 foreigners, were identified as living in Warsaw as of December 31, 2025—up by around 34,000 compared to the previous year. Foreigners accounted for 14.5% of those identified in Warsaw, while nationwide, approximately 2.3 million foreigners were estimated to reside in Poland, representing about six percent of the total population. The study highlights that foreign residents are most concentrated in major cities like Wrocław, where they made up nearly 20% of the population. The results align with demographic analyses used in shaping Warsaw’s future development strategy.
Man charged in Poland with insulting president with Shrek meme
A local politician in Poland, Wojciech Ślusarczyk, representing the center-right Polish People’s Party (PSL), has been charged with insulting President Karol Nawrocki for posting a meme on Facebook that compared Nawrocki’s wife, Marta Nawrocka, to the character Princess Fiona from Shrek. The post included the question 'And where's Shrek?' implying Nawrocka resembled Shrek’s partner. Prosecutors hired a linguist to determine if the term 'Shrek' constituted an insult. Ślusarczyk denies the accusation, arguing the comparison is not insulting. The case highlights tensions between PSL and the opposition-led PiS, which supports Nawrocki. The charges include both insults to the president and to Nawrocka as a private individual.
Why does the Polish People’s Party matter so much?
The article discusses the precarious political position of Poland's agrarian Polish People’s Party (PSL), highlighting its struggle to maintain relevance amid shifting voter bases and internal challenges. Formed in 1990 as a successor to the communist-era United Peasant Party (ZSL), PSL historically drew support from rural agricultural communities. However, over time, especially under the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) government since 2015, the party has faced significant erosion of its traditional electorate. The article notes that PSL is now part of a ruling coalition led by Donald Tusk's Civic Coalition (KO), alongside other centrist and leftist groups. Despite this, PSL's ability to meet the 5% electoral threshold remains uncertain, which could impact the overall composition of the next parliament. The piece emphasizes the party's historical role in Polish politics and its current vulnerability within the evolving political landscape.
"People in Ukraine often don't know or think it was marginal"
The article discusses the ongoing Polish-Ukrainian dispute over the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (UPA), focusing on historical tensions and their modern implications. Historian and sociologist Adam Leszczyński explains that both Poland and Ukraine have contributed to current tensions, but Russian interference has played a significant role. He notes that Russian propaganda since 2014 has exploited authentic emotions to fuel mutual distrust, with the Volyn massacre being part of this broader process. Leszczyński highlights that Ukrainian education on the UPA's actions has been inadequate, leading many Ukrainians to either misunderstand or downplay the significance of these events. He argues that nationalist sentiments rise during wartime, which has influenced current attitudes. Additionally, he points out that past Polish governments prioritized pragmatic relations with Ukraine over addressing historical issues like the Volyn conflict, leaving unresolved tensions to eventually erupt into open disputes.
Polish football star Lewandowski joins Chicago Fire
Polish football legend Robert Lewandowski has officially joined the Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer (MLS), marking a significant move for both the player and the club. After leaving Barcelona following the expiration of his contract, Lewandowski becomes a free agent and signs with Chicago Fire as a 'Designated Player,' allowing him to receive a salary beyond the team's standard salary cap. His signing is seen as a major boost for the club, with Coach Gregg Berhalter stating it raises the bar for the team. The move is particularly meaningful due to Chicago's large Polish diaspora community, which includes around 700,000 people of Polish descent. Lewandowski, known for his prolific scoring record across clubs in Poland, Germany, and Spain, is entering the latter stages of his career but remains a top-tier striker.
Polish and Belarusian suspects of espionage
Polish authorities have arrested a Polish citizen and a Belarusian suspect for espionage activities. The suspects, aged 19 and 44, were accused by prosecutors of recruiting individuals for diversionary actions within Poland through the messaging app Telegram, in exchange for cryptocurrency payments. Their activities reportedly involved photographing critical infrastructure and other key locations relevant to national security, with the materials allegedly used for propaganda purposes by the Belarusian regime. The 19-year-old Belarusian suspect was temporarily detained for three months, while the 44-year-old Polish suspect was placed under police supervision, prohibited from leaving the country, and had his passport confiscated. This follows previous arrests in November 2025 involving five suspects, including two Ukrainians and three Belarusians.
Solovov is on his way to conquering Britain, and Polish SMRs are going to power millions of homes.
The article discusses Polish company SGE's plans to develop small modular reactors (SMRs) based on the BWRX-300 technology in the United Kingdom. The project aims to supply up to 4.2 GW of clean energy, enough to power around 8 million households for at least 60 years. SGE has submitted a proposal under the UK’s Advanced Nuclear Framework (ANF) and plans to use a Contract for Difference (CfD) model to ensure consumers are not burdened financially before reactor operations begin. The technology is currently being built in Canada and has passed a key regulatory stage in the UK. Partners include GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy, Samsung C&T, and others. The initiative is supported by the UK government and international collaboration.
Fuel prices jump in Poland as final government crisis measures end
In Poland, retail fuel prices increased significantly after the expiration of temporary government measures designed to protect consumers from rising energy costs linked to the Middle East conflict. The removal of the reduced 8% VAT rate (reverted to 23%) and the lifting of a daily fuel price cap contributed to the rise. Analysts noted that the VAT change alone could push prices up by over 0.50 zloty per litre, though the actual increase ranged between 0.80–0.86 zloty per litre (around 13–14%) at some stations. These measures were introduced earlier in the year due to a spike in global fuel prices caused by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz from the Iran conflict. As tensions eased and a preliminary US-Iran agreement was reached, Poland gradually phased out the policies, which had cost the state budget approximately 1.6 billion zloty monthly.
Karol Nawrocki closed the case.
The article discusses the controversy surrounding President Karol Nawrocki's decision to revoke the Order of the White Eagle awarded to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in 2023. The Polish Chancellor, Donald Tusk, stated that this decision 'ends the matter which has disturbed public peace for three weeks,' but questions remain about what specific issue was resolved—whether it relates to national dignity or historical matters. The article highlights concerns that revoking the award could have diplomatic, economic, military, and moral implications. It notes that Zelensky had accepted the honor 'on behalf of his nation' during the ceremony, and Ukraine's society might feel that Poland has stripped the country's people and army of their honor. Ukrainian officials, including Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk, argue that the decision undermines historical truth, emphasizing that today's Ukrainian soldiers are defending freedom. Meanwhile, Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Jacek Chmielnicki criticizes the move as a strategic error benefiting Russia. The article also critiques Poland's approach to historical accountability, suggesting that while Poland avoids self-criticism, it imposes 'shy
There is an investigation into Zbigniew Kapiński.
The Polish National Prosecution Office has initiated an investigation into potential abuse of power by Zbigniew Kapiński, the current President of the Supreme Court and former head of the Criminal Division of the Supreme Court. The probe focuses on actions taken between May 8, 2024, and May 25, 2026, during which Kapiński led the Criminal Division. The investigation centers on alleged unlawful orders issued by Kapiński that aimed to prevent the recognition of motions to disqualify judges, potentially violating the rights to an independent and impartial court. Judges of the Supreme Court filed the report with the prosecution on May 28 of this year. As part of the investigation, witnesses were questioned, and documentation related to Kapiński’s decisions regarding judge disqualification motions was collected. The case could result in up to three years in prison if proven.
Ukrainian and Polish bishops jointly appeal for reconciliation and forgiveness amid historical dispute
Senior Polish and Ukrainian church leaders have issued a joint appeal urging reconciliation and forgiveness between the two nations amid ongoing tensions over historical disputes, particularly regarding wartime atrocities. The conflict centers on differing interpretations of events during World War II, including the massacre of Polish civilians by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), which Poland recognizes as genocide while Ukraine disputes this characterization. Tensions escalated when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky honored the UPA by naming a military unit after them, prompting Polish President Karol Nawrocki to revoke Zelensky’s highest honor, the Order of the White Eagle. In response, Zelensky canceled attendance at a planned Ukraine Recovery Conference in Poland. The bishops emphasized the importance of remembering history but called for moving beyond divisive narratives, especially as Ukraine faces continued conflict and Poland has demonstrated solidarity with Ukrainian refugees.
Students once again took thousands of Serbs to the streets.
Thousands of people gathered in Kraljevo during an anti-government demonstration organized by Serbian students on June 28, which coincided with Saint Vitus Day. The protesters, who had previously called for early parliamentary elections, again demanded snap polls and criticized authorities for their handling of the November 2024 New Sarajevo train station collapse that killed 16 people. The event was held under the slogan 'On Saint Vitus Day everything will come to light,' referencing a historical Christian-Serb victory over Ottoman forces. In Belgrade, President Aleksandar Vučić announced his intention to step down soon and focus on the upcoming early elections, scheduled for autumn. Students continue to organize protests against the government, accusing it of corruption and neglect leading to the disaster. Veterans and representatives from Kosovo, including Milena Petrović of the University of Pristina, criticized government actions, highlighting tensions between Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo, where Serbia recognizes the region as part of its territory but Kosovo declared independence in 2008.
Overlooked
Under-reported & one-sided
Nothing flagged as overlooked yet.