Moscow continues its barbaric attacks on civilian targets across Ukraine

First, though, a look at the headlines.

Poland should not face risks of higher gas prices.

Poland among EU leaders in falling alcohol consumption and Polish government to raise income tax threshold.

Poland's Energy Minister Milosz Motyka says there should be no major risk of gas price increases because of Poland's decision to reduce gas transmission costs by integrating its transmission system with the Yamal pipeline.

He said Poland's economy is fortunately not as dependent on gas.

while its gas storage facilities are 99% full, the highest level in the European Union.

Modica said he could not guarantee that energy and gas prices would not rise this winter because contracts for next year are still being negotiated.

He added that Polish energy companies are taking steps to mitigate the risks of price increases.

He also said the government is talking to importers to make it easier to bring pellets into Poland.

Imports previously coming from the east have stopped completely, he said, meaning new sources had to be found.

He said that these efforts were already producing results.

The minister also said supply on the domestic wood market should be increased, saying this was a task for state forests.

Poland is among the European Union countries seeing the sharpest decline in alcohol consumption, according to Eurostat data.

Only two other member states saw a bigger rise in the number of people abstaining altogether in 2025.

The survey found that 0.5% of Poles report drinking alcohol every day, one of the lowest rates in the European Union, behind only Lithuania at 0.4%.

Under 3% say they drink weekly, 17% once a month, and 44.6% occasionally.

A further 35% report abstaining altogether.

Across the European Union as a whole, 5% of people drink daily.

A fifth weekly and 33.5% had not had an alcoholic beverage in the past year.

Compared with a previous survey in 2025, the share of frequent drinkers has fallen both in Poland and across the European Union.

The proportion of occasional drinkers in the country has risen from 43.2% to 44.6%.

This decline is affecting state finances.

Excise revenue from alcohol fell to 3.9 billion Polish zloty, some €890 million by the end of June, down from €4.5 billion, that is €1.03 billion a year earlier.

Poland's government is set to raise the country's income tax threshold and introduce a new bracket in what would be the first change of its kind in nearly five years.

The Cabinet meeting on Tuesday discusses raising the income tax threshold from £120,000 to £130,000, below which a 12% rate applies.