Wroclaw, Poland  - The Czech presidency of the European Union Wednesday backed Ukraine's ambitions to join the 27-member bloc, despite Kiev's gas row with Moscow that led to a two-week shutdown of EU-bound Russian natural gas deliveries via Ukraine.

Speaking after meeting the Polish and Ukrainian presidents in the Polish city of Wroclaw, Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said he would persuade EU leaders that Ukraine's integration into the EU and NATO was "in the fundamental interest" of the bloc.

Warsaw - Best known for films heavy in history and politics, Polish director Andrzej Wajda says his film that it is to premiere at this year's Berlin Film Festival is a goodbye to that genre, and to the past.

Sweet Rush (Tatarak), which will have its world premiere in Berlin, is the 38th film from the director who has chronicled his country's painful Nazi occupation and communist past.

Warsaw - Polish member of parliament Janusz Palikot resigned Tuesday as head of the Friendly State commission after insulting a former opposition minister, local media reported.

His party had recommended that Palikot be taken off the commission after he accused Grazyna Gesicka of "prostitution" over the former minister's alleged poor management of European Union funds for Poland.

Palikot said he did not agree with the recommendation, but did not want to put fellow party members in an "awkward situation."

Warsaw - Once doubtful and pessimistic, a majority of Poles now believe preparations will be completed in time to co-host the Euro 2012 football tournament with Ukraine.

Seventy-eight per cent now believe their cities will make it before deadline, said a survey of 3,000 people in the daily Rzeczpospolita on Monday.

The survey marks a swing in mood before the football championship. In June, some three-quarters were afraid the country might not be ready or didn't have enough time, according to a poll from the Public Opinion Research Center.

Zakopane, Poland  - Gregor Schlierenzauer edged fellow Austrian Wolfgang Loitzl to win the World Cup ski jumping event at Zakopane, Poland on Saturday.

Schlierenzauer had jumps of 130.5 metres and 138.5 metres for 285.7 points, seven more than Four Hills tournament winner Loitzl who posted 130 metres and 136.5 metres.

It was a 16th World Cup win for ski flying world champion Schlierenzauer and a seventh successive win for the Austrian team.