Arkadiusz Krzemiński: We want to know what the president spends residents’ money on

Grażyna Hanaf: What is this central contracts register which, in your opinion, the president does not want?

Arkadiusz Krzemiński: Together with my colleagues from the club, I took up an issue that our officials had downplayed. It concerns a central contracts register—that is, clear information posted on the city office’s website showing what the office spends our money on. In reality, we do not know what services the president pays for, whom he pays, or why. We want to know, when someone receives a specific contract—renovating tenement houses or a promotional campaign, for example—why it is that company rather than another and how much it cost taxpayers. Of course, some data can be withheld in accordance with the Personal Data Protection Act.

Do you want to hold someone accountable?
We do not want to settle scores or dig up contracts from 10 years ago. We do not want to find out whether the president and his family earn money from contracts awarded by the office—that is just an example. We only want clear information for residents: the type of contract, its completion date, what it concerns and its value. That is all. Such transparency regarding contracts is essential. There is demand for contract registers in Poland. Such a register has been introduced in the Bolesławiec municipality and partly in the county office. Unfortunately, our president has dug in his heels and does not want to introduce it.

How does he explain it? Is he actually worried about something, or is he simply saying “no” to the opposition?
In my opinion, it is a matter of good or bad will. The president and the City Secretary believe that, through access to public information, any resident can request such information directly from the office. It should be stressed that this procedure is lengthy and citizen-unfriendly. And why can’t we know this right away?

And what next? How will you make it happen?
We want to propose an intermediate solution that the president would accept and that would serve clarity and transparency in spending public funds.

What exactly do you have planned?
We have specific actions planned. We want to collect signatures and conduct a kind of promotional campaign to show the president that there is demand for this and that people want to know what their money is being spent on. I will keep residents informed about them on an ongoing basis. Our task as councillors is to engage people in the city’s affairs and life.

And how do you want to engage people in the city?
My initiative is a participatory budget. I want 1% of the city budget to be allocated to the ideas of Bolesławiec residents. Bolesławiec residents could enter a competition, say, in four fields: sport, recreation, culture and science—these are just examples—and receive funding for the best projects.

And what does the president think of this idea?
I also encountered opposition (smiles). The president initially said yes, but did not say when he would take up the idea. He also believes that every presidential budget is a participatory budget. I, however, believe that every presidential budget is the governing coalition’s budget, because it dictates what the money is spent on.

What else would you change in your vision of city management? What is your vision?
We have focused on what the city looks like. Revitalisation is under way, and new, attractive buildings, swimming pools and thermal baths are being built. Now we need to focus on making life good for us: ensuring there are jobs and that beautiful tenement houses do not cause frustration. People whose incomes are not increasing may feel a greater sense of their own poverty when they walk past a beautiful tenement house.

It is really great that we have the zone, but we must focus on development and keeping residents here. There was a promotional campaign called “Live in Bolesławiec.” I asked the president about its results, but there are no specific data from the campaign, apart from the fact that there are more employers in the zone.

Should we still be a city of ceramics?
I believe that ceramics is not visible enough. It is our gold, and in my opinion 80 percent of residents should make their living from ceramics. This gold is not being used properly. In reality, someone has no idea how to sell ceramics.

Arkadiusz Krzemiński has served as a councillor for a second term, representing district no. 8 (Aleja Tysiąclecia 32A–46, Jana Pawła II Street 6–56) and the Platforma Samorządowa PB club. He is a lawyer and economist by profession and runs a law firm. On the City Council, I serve on the Infrastructure, Development and Construction Committee and the Audit Committee. He currently works informally with the Veto Association, which safeguards civil rights.