Centralny Port Komunikacyjny: Tusk government puts brakes on Poland's new main airport

Times are turbulent in Poland. After Donald Tusk and his three-party liberal coalition, the left-wing coalition Wicca and the conservative Christian Third Party, took over the reins of government from the right-wing nationalist Law and Justice Party in December, his government is trying to restore faith in democracy. .

PiS restructured Poland authoritarianly during its eight years in power. Special attention was paid to the judiciary and the media landscape. Public radio and the People's Action Party news agency have been transformed into the government spokesman. One of Tusk's first official acts was to fill key positions in Polish Radio and Television.

New boss

The renovation has now also reached a major project of the previous government. The new government has sacked the entire board of directors and the managing director of the company operating Poland's new main airport, Centralny Port Komunikaszej (CPK), it has been reported. Polish media. It is said that the committee was made up of politicians.

The new managing director of CPK is Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Szczecin-Golynyov Airport Filip Czernik for three months. Chernik brings aviation experience. He holds a doctorate in law and specializes in aviation and corporate law. From 2006 to 2017, he worked as an executive director at the state-owned Polish airport company PPL.

Clarifying the future with experts

Maciej Lasek, deputy finance minister, said the changes to the KKP's supervisory board were just the first step in closer examination of the project. Lasek doesn't want to give up on the new major airport project, but it's about making the best use of the potential. “Until recently, one might have had the impression that decisions are made first and then reasons are sought for them.”

This is exactly what the new government wants to change. Therefore, it will discuss the development of air and railway transport in Poland with experts with different points of view. However, Lasek points out that by focusing on the new main airport, his country has wasted years developing and modernizing existing airports.

Opening in 2028 is unrealistic

Poland has 15 airports and many of them are not developed further due to the large project. According to the government, many Poles want to use their regional airports. Deputy Minister Lasek considers that opening the new main airport in 2028 would be “unrealistic.”

The new main airport is being built about 40 kilometers west of Warsaw, on an area of ​​​​three thousand hectares. It is expected that the airport will be able to handle 40 million passengers when it opens. By 2060, it should be able to handle 60 million passengers annually.

The state bears the costs

CPK will not only be an airport but also a railway hub with 12 tracks. Every major Polish city can be reached within 2.5 hours. The project is funded 100% from the state treasury.