On November 20th 2013, PM Donald Tusk announced names of new ministers in Polish government. Our Public Affairs team has prepared a summary of changes, with short bios of each new minister and information on their areas of interest. Most of ministers will take their positions next week, except for MEPs who would join the government on December 3rd. Read our summary and follow us on Twitter: @MSLGROUP_Poland for more.

1. Polish government
Summary of
changes
MSLGROUP Poland, 20th of November 2013

2. Government changes in Poland - summary
● PM Donald Tusk (Civic Platform) announced long-awaited changes in his government,
effective next week.
● Ruling Civic Platform (PO), after 6 years in power, loses in polls with its main
competitor, Law and Justice (PiS) led by Jarosław Kaczyński, twin brother of
president Lech Kaczynski (died in 2010)
● Recently there were some scandals around the PO party – internal conflict of two
groups in the party, buying votes during local party leaders’ elections, corruption
scandals related to IT systems of public administration
● Additionally, the government decided to dismantle the major part of social security
system, planning to cancel state bonds owned by the private social security
companies. The reform was led by the unpopular minister of finances, Jacek
Rostowski.
● Current polls are: PiS (right-wing opposition) – 31%, PO (ruling party) – 22%, SLD
(post-communists) – 12%, TR – 5%, PSL (peasant’s party, in coalition) – 5%, SP - 3%,
PJN - 2%, NP – 2%.
Government changes in Poland – November 20th, 2013
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3. Minister of Finances
Mateusz Szczurek, 38 yr
• Chief economist of ING Group for CEE, active
in EMEA region
• PhD in economy, Sussex
• Econometrics studies in International Centre
for Money and Banking Studies in Genève and
London.
• Academic in Warsaw School of Economics,
University of Sussex and Goethe Business
School
• Previously not involved in politics, some
economists say that he may be selected to
carry out vision of Jan Krzysztof Bielecki,
chief advisor to PM Donald Tusk
• Replaced Jan Vincent Rostowski
Government changes in Poland – November 20th, 2013
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4. Minister of infrastructure and development
Elżbieta Bieńkowska, 49 yr
• Appointed as deputy PM
• Minister of regional development since 2007
• Senator since 2011
• Spent most of her carreer as a specialist for
EU (and previously PHARE) funds
• Took active part in negotiations regarding EU
cohesion policy fund for 2014-2020
• Recognized as an expert in her field and one
of best ministers in Donald Tusk’s government
• Government change extended her duties to
supervision of infrastructure development
• Her ministry joined with Sławomir Nowak’s.
Government changes in Poland – November 20th, 2013
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5. Minister of Envirionment
Maciej H. Grabowski, 54 yr
• Deputy minister of Finances since 2008
• Former deputy head of Gdansk Instytute for
Market Economics (IBnGR), influential
economic think-tank
• In MF was responsible among others for the
VAT legislation and shale gas taxation
• His main goals are increasing of use of
„natural resources in Poland”, especially
through finalizing works on the shale gas
legislation
• Replaced Marcin Korolec
Government changes in Poland – November 20th, 2013
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6. Minister of Administration and Digitization
Rafał Trzaskowski, 41 yr
• EPP MEP since 2009, previously adviser to the
group
• Phd in Warsaw University, specialized in
institutional changes in EU
• In European Parliament focused recently on
issues related to Digital Agenda, privacy
legislation and re-use of public data
• Member of EP constitutional commitee and
IMCO
• Not involved in daily „party life” in Poland,
recognized as expert in his field
• Replaced Michał Boni
Government changes in Poland – November 20th, 2013
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7. Minister of Sport
Andrzej Biernat, 54 yr
• Member of Parliament since 2005
• During parliamentary works focused on sport
issues
• Informal leader of one Civic Platform’s
fractions
• Will be responsible among others for the
Polish candidacy to Winter Olimpics, wants to
strengthen cooperation with sport associations
• Replaced Joanna Mucha
Government changes in Poland – November 20th, 2013
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8. Minister of Science and Higher Education
Lena Kolarska-Bobińska, 66 yr
• EPP MP since 2009
• Nominee to the MEP Award MEPs in the Energy
category
• Member of ITRE and Petition committees
• Professor of sociology, thanks to the Ford
grant studied in Stanford University and
Business School of Carnegie-Mellon University
• Head of the Institute for Public Studies think
tank. Advised to Lech Wałęsa and Aleksander
Kwaśniewski (former presidents of Poland)
• Wants to „well spend” EU money for R&D
• Replaced Barbara Kudrycka
Government changes in Poland – November 20th, 2013
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9. Minister of Education
Joanna Kluzik-Rostkowska, 50 yr
• Former deputy minister of work and social
policy, and of regional development (in Law
and Justice’s governments), former head of
election campaign of Jarosław Kaczyński (PiS)
• MP since 2007, in Civic Platform since 2011
• Will finish primary schools reform and new
educational programmes
• The new government is her „big comeback” to
the politics
• Replaced Krystyna Szumilas
Government changes in Poland – November 20th, 2013
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10. For more details, please contact
lukasz.jachowicz@mslgroup.com
MSLGROUP
ul. Domaniewska 42
02-672 Warszawa, Poland