Thu Sep 19 06:15:33 UTC 2024: ## EU Leaders to Meet in Poland to Discuss Flood Aid
**Wroclaw, Poland:** European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will meet today with the leaders of four countries hit by Storm Boris in Poland to discuss aid for the flood-hit region.
The storm, which has battered central and eastern Europe in recent days, has claimed 24 lives and continues to threaten some areas with rising waters. Strong winds and heavy rains have caused widespread damage in Austria, Poland, Romania, and the Czech Republic.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, his Czech counterpart Petr Fiala, Slovakia’s Robert Fico, and Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer will convene in Wroclaw, a historic city in southwest Poland, to discuss the situation and potential European financial aid.
Wroclaw, which experienced devastating floods in 1997, is again facing rising waters, expected to peak on Thursday. While the water level is anticipated to be lower than in 1997, dams could be at risk if high waters persist.
The Czech Republic has already requested the activation of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to receive aid, and Austria’s Nehammer has called for its activation and a “better coordination of flood protection measures.”
Meanwhile, the Polish government has allocated 470 million euros in direct aid to those affected by the floods, while Austria has announced a one billion euro increase to its disaster relief fund.
The meeting in Wroclaw highlights the urgent need for coordinated action and financial support to help the affected countries recover from the devastating floods.
First Piper 