Polish president backs lockdown despite business frustration

Poland's president on Monday expressed understanding for the "despair" of people who are opening their businesses in defiance of the anti-COVID-19 lockdown, but said they still must be punished for breaking government-ordered restrictions.

In comments published Monday, Andrzej Duda was reacting to the swelling nationwide #OtwieraMY (We Are Opening) movement of hundreds of business owners opening their restaurants, hotels, ski lifts, fitness centers and similar businesses to avoid going under as a result of the prolonged social distancing and lockdown, recently extended through January.

"I can understand the impatience and often even the despair of people, who see the work of their entire lives falling apart,'' Duda said in an interview for the conservative weekly "Sieci." "Punishing people who are desperate is a terrible must," Duda said, but added, however, that the regulations "have to be enforced." The government has warned those planning to or breaking the lockdown that they will be cut from the financial aid and exemptions from various dues it is offering if they go ahead with their action. Sanitary authorities are also fining unlocked businesses.

But business owners say the government help falls far short of their needs.

The #OtwieraMY movement describes itself as being an answer to a "crisis provoked by politicians" that it says is much more dangerous than the pandemic.

Social media is filling with videos and images from across Poland of parties at clubs and bars. In some of them, reportedly from last weekend, people are chanting anti-government slogans.

People in mountainous southern Poland are planning a protest action Feb. 1 that includes opening hostels, accommodation centers and ski lifts, their chief livelihoods that remained idled during the recent winter school vacation.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)