We wrote in August that Adam Ciemięga, a Ziemia Bolesławiecka councillor and physician from Zebrzydowa, would have to surrender his seat. During the most recent County Council session, held on Thursday, September 18, councillors adopted a resolution on the matter. Ten voted in favour and nine abstained.
Ciemięga is subject to a final judgment conditionally discontinuing the proceedings, issued in September of the previous year. It all began in 2004. The physician was accused of misappropriating PLN 8,000 owed to the SP ZOZ in Nowogrodziec. According to investigators, Adam Ciemięga conducted examinations for driving-licence candidates at a public clinic, only... privately.
The first hearing took place at the beginning of 2005. Adam Ciemięga lost that case. He filed an appeal. The Bolesławiec District Court then considered the case twice more. In 2006, when Adam Ciemięga stood in the next County Council election and was elected again, his case was still pending. When the physician appealed against the first-instance judgment for the third time, the Jelenia Góra Regional Court conditionally discontinued the proceedings.
Adam Ciemięga stated that he did not know he had lost his eligibility to stand for election. “I would like to point out that throughout this year I conscientiously performed my duties as a councillor,” he said. “I attended all the sessions and committee meetings. I exercised this mandate in good faith,” he added.
The physician attended Thursday’s session. “I have no reason to hide,” he stressed. “I have considerable distance from this matter.” As he noted, the law governing local-government elections is controversial, particularly the provision concerning the expiry of a mandate as a result of a judgment conditionally discontinuing proceedings. The Constitutional Tribunal may perhaps address the issue. “Under the law, I am not a convicted person,” Adam Ciemięga stressed. He added that he did not rule out returning to politics if he had the opportunity. For now, however, he wants to take a break.
During Thursday’s session, the County Council also adopted a resolution declaring the mandate of Tadeusz Węgrzanowski of PSL expired; he died this year. His memory was honoured with a minute of silence.
After the resolution was put to a vote, Adam Ciemięga spoke and apologised to the secretary of Bolesławiec County and the councillors. “I am sorry that I have become a source of trouble,” he said from the rostrum. “I realise that this is my last address to you.” Józef Król noted that the Council had bid farewell to one of its best councillors: “He was always characterised by independence, courage and great commitment.” Chairman Karol Stasik added that Ciemięga had not looked after his own interests, but those of his constituents.
New group
On September 18, a group of councillors announced the formation of a new group—the Bolesławiec County XXI group. It consists of activists previously associated with PiS (Krystyna Boratyńska, Elżbieta Armata, Jan Leon Stasiak, Henryk Jasiński and Robert Tomczyk), as well as Józef Król (formerly of Ziemia Bolesławiecka) and Dariusz Galik (formerly of PO).
“The XXI Association has broader ambitions and plans that suit me,” Józef Król told IstotneInformacje.pl. “I want to be a constructive opposition. Together, perhaps we will be more effective,” he added. Krzysztof Konopka and Robert Rosiński of Ziemia Bolesławiecka may also join the newly formed group.
Will there be a landing site?
Starosta Cezary Przybylski informed the councillors that he had submitted an application to the voivode for the establishment of a permanent base of the Polish Medical Air Rescue service in the special economic zone in Gromadka. The proximity of a motorway interchange, infrastructure and the assurance by wójt Dariusz Pawliszcz that he would transfer the land free of charge all meant that the location raised no objections from the marshal, the voivode or the plenipotentiary of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship Board for healthcare restructuring. “We have no competitor in Lower Silesia,” Przybylski stressed. If the initiative receives the support of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration and the Ministry of Health, it will be the second subregional airport.
(GA report)
Updated 2008-09-19 12:10
Statement by Robert Rosiński
My name also appeared in the information about the formation of the new group. I want to firmly deny the report that I intend to join the members of this new group. I declare that I was, am and intend to remain a councillor of Ziemia Bolesławiecka and only Ziemia Bolesławiecka.
Robert Rosiński