Poles vote in European elections

Polling stations opened at 7am and are due to close at 9pm.

According to Poland's National Electoral Comission, until noon on Sunday, 14.39 percent of Poles have cast their votes.

The comission added that the turnout before noon was almost twice as high as in the European elections 5 years ago.

Poles will elect 52 deputies to the European Parliament, the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union.

A temporary media blackout came into force in Poland on Friday at midnight, banning political campaigning immediately ahead of the elections.

Under the blackout, anyone publishing opinion polls showing the level of support for election candidates faces a fine.

The ban lasts until polling officially closes. Political campaigning is also forbidden during this period.

On Saturday alone there were 38 suspected cases of breaking the ban, public broadcaster Polish Radio's IAR news agency reported.

Poland has been a member of the European Union since 2004.

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