Who will be the Polish speakers at WEC 2024

Actors 2024-03-13

The debates and panels of this year's Warsaw European Conversation will be attended by Polish government representatives and experts.

Actors

Radosław Sikorski. The MinFor is one of Poland's most recognisable politicians in Europe and the USA. He started his career as a journalist - in the 1980s he covered the wars in Afghanistan and Angola. He served as MinDef in the PiS government (2005-2007), as MinFor in Donald Tusk's government (2007-2014) and as Sejm marshal (2014-2015). From 2019 to 2023, he was a member of EurParl, where he chaired the delegation on US relations. In 2008, as MinFor, he initiated the EU's Eastern Partnership programme together with then Swedish MinFor Carl Bildt. He was also the initiator of the European Endowment for Democracy. In 2014, he led the EU diplomatic mission in Kyiv during the Euromaidan.

Krzysztof Bolesta. As deputy MinClim, he is responsible for issues related to EU funds, electromobility and the hydrogen economy, as well as for air quality improvement policies. Bolesta co-authored Polska 2050's energy programme. From 2004 to 2012 and from 2020 to 2024, he was a EurCom official in charge of, among other things, preparing the EU's CO2 capture and storage strategy. From 2012 to 2015, he advised MinEnvs on, among other things, the negotiation of the European energy and climate package. He also advised President Bronisław Komorowski at the COP19 climate conference in 2013. He was co-founder and vice-president of the Foundation for the Promotion of Electric Vehicles.

Ignacy Niemczycki. As Deputy MinDev, he oversees European affairs, as well as low-carbon and digital economy issues at the ministry. He previously worked in government administration between 2008 and 2012, including at PMChan, MinFor and the representation to the EU in Brussels, where he participated in the negotiation of EU funds for Poland. Niemczycki is a Polska 2050 activist, he is also involved in social activities - e.g. he managed the Professor Bronisław Geremek Centre Foundation, founded the Free Belarus initiative and coordinated the European Front - a coalition of pro-EU social organisations. He also runs an organic farm in Mazury.

Dariusz Standerski. The Deputy MinDigi oversees the work of the research and innovation, legal and projects & strategy departments. He lectures at the Faculty of Economic Sciences at the University of Warsaw. From 2015 to 2023, he served as chief economist and board member of the Kalecki Foundation, an economic policy think tank. Previously, he was associated with the Institute for Economic Research. He is a member of the national board of the New Left and was director of legislative affairs at the Left's parliamentary caucus from 2019 to 2023. Standerski works closely with MinDig Krzysztof Gawkowski, with whom he created the Left's vision for the digitisation of the state - the report entitled " The Digital State. A strategy for Poland'.

Lieutenant General Piotr Blazeusz. An officer in the Polish Army since 1994, with posts in Allied and NATO structures since 1997. In 2009 he became the youngest brigadier general. He took part in a mission in Afghanistan. Since 2019, he has served successively in the General Command of the Armed Forces, the Supreme Command of NATO Forces in Europe and the General Staff of the Polish Army. In 2021, he became the 1st Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Army.

Ilona Jędrasik. She has been involved with the ClientEarth Prawnicy dla Ziemi foundation for 10 years and has served as its president since February. Previously, she was a member of the foundation's board of directors and led the strategic litigation programme against environmentally damaging coal-fired power plants and mines. Among other things, her team brought about a court ruling that the decision to build the Ostrołęka C coal-fired power plant was unlawful. Jędrasik also chairs the board of the Reform Institute think tank. Previously, she worked as a spokesperson for political affairs at the Polish Climate Coalition.

Grzegorz Kotte. Energy market analyst and expert, he has been involved in the energy and heating industry since the beginning of his career. In 2016, he became vice president of the management board for technical matters at Enea Wytwarzanie and technical director of Kozielnice Power Plant, Poland's largest hard coal-fired power plant. He started his professional career at Energoprojekt Warsaw, later he also worked as a director for investments and repairs at Dalkia Łódź and as a director of the Centre for Realization of PKP Investments.

Marek Świerczyński contributed to this analysis

Photo: press mat. WEC 2024, MinDef

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Weronika Kiebzak

Analyst for Legal Affairs

w.kiebzak@politykainsight.pl

The second round of local elections has ended

It took place in 748 municipalities, including 60 presidential cities, in a territory with a population of almost 14 million people. According to an exit poll by Ipsos, Jacek Sutryk, who was supported by 67.8 per cent of voters, will remain mayor of Wrocław. The independent politician, who is backed by Lewica among others, defeated Trzecia Droga MP Izabela Bodnar in the second round with 32.2 per cent of the vote. Konrad Fijołek, the mayor of Rzeszów, also defended his position, winning 56.1 per cent of the vote. In the second round he defeated Waldemar Szumny from PiS (43.9 per cent). According to the exit poll, KO deputy Aleksander Miszalski won the election for mayor of Cracow. He was supported by 51.1 per cent of voters. He defeated independent candidate Łukasz Gibała, who won 48.9 per cent of the vote. However, the difference is small and the final results may show a different winner.

PiS gets 33.7 per cent and KO 31.9 per cent in provincial assembly elections

33.7 per cent for PiS, 31.9 per cent for KO – these are the results of the provincial assembly elections according to an exit poll conducted by Ipsos for TVN, TVP and Polsat. Trzecia Droga came third with 13.5 per cent of the vote. Konfederacja i Bezpartyjni Samorządowcy received 7.5 per cent, Lewica 6.8 per cent and the Association Bezpartyjni Samorządowcy 2.7 per cent.

The turnout in the parliamentary elections was 51.5 per cent.

In Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski (KO) won the election in the first round with 59.8 per cent of the vote. In Kraków, Aleksander Miszalski (KO) came first with 39.4 per cent and local politician Łukasz Gibała came second with 28.4 per cent. In Wrocław, independent Jacek Sutryk came first with 38.8 per cent and Poland 2050's Izabela Bodnar came second with 31.4 per cent. In Gdańsk, independent Aleksandra Dulkiewicz won in the first round with 62.3 per cent. In Katowice, independent Marcin Krupa won in the first round with 66.5 per cent of support, while in Rzeszów, independent Konrad Fijołek won with 45.1 per cent and the second place also went to independent Jacek Strojny with 18.6 per cent.

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