Do you think you will prove effective on the County Council?
I have been active in local government for 17 years now, first as chairman of the Bolesławiec Youth City Council and, for the past eight years, as a City Council member. I have decided to run for the County Council because I am consistent in my actions and life choices.
I can draw on my legal and economic education, as well as my professional experience. Since 2009, I have worked on legal matters and helped thousands of specific individuals. The best school for a local-government official is daily work for residents, and that is my everyday life. Above all, I am close to people’s concerns, which are very often extremely difficult. I learn from people how to deal with problems and help them overcome them. I can listen to another person with understanding and empathy in order to learn their point of view. I also have a successful record of teamwork.
What specifically would you like to work on as a County Councillor? What is most important to you?
I always repeat that people are the most important. In my professional work, I often encounter human tragedy; the greatest frustration comes from helplessness in situations where the law does not allow real help to be provided to a person. When what matters most to people is pushed to the margins by legal technicalities. On the County Council, I would particularly like to deal with coordinating free legal assistance in Bolesławiec County. I have extensive experience gained on the Bolesławiec City Council, and I would like the County and the City to function as one organism.
You have said that you have experience working in your own business and meeting people. Did any of their concerns inspire you to create your programme?
Life writes the best election programmes, especially through people and their needs. My task will be to implement, together with the Bolesławiec County Local Government Platform, the programme we created for the County, based on several pillars, including:
- Health: continuation of the construction of the operating block, expanding the hospital’s diagnostic capabilities – magnetic resonance imaging
- Roads and infrastructure development: continuation of road investments, construction of bicycle paths along county roads, efforts to implement the second stage of the eastern bypass
- Education: creating a support package for efforts to reduce the outflow of graduates from our county
- Social issues: establishing a Vocational Activation Centre for people with disabilities, a Family Support Centre, and gradually expanding the facility’s capabilities by creating a Crisis Intervention Centre, including preventing domestic violence
Today, it is not easy to encourage people to be active and vote for politicians from the Platform. What distinguishes you?
I think this does not apply only to politicians from the Platform. When it comes to our attitude towards politics, we have three options: we can take no interest in it, passively observe it, or participate actively and make changes.
I cannot sit back with my arms folded, which is why I participate actively. As a member of the younger generation of Civic Platform politicians, I ask my older colleagues about many issues; I often disagree with them and propose different solutions. We will not change Poland by simply sitting in front of a computer and posting hate. If we want to have a political elite, then as young people raised and educated in a free Poland, we must build it ourselves. I believe that if we want to change the world for the better, we must start by changing ourselves.
Finally, perhaps a question about whether there will be a second round of the mayoral election?
I believe it is highly likely. Piotr Roman is a good and proven mayor. On the other hand, people’s expectations continue to grow, while a certain power structure has been in place for many years. During that time, a group of people who are very dissatisfied with the current status quo has emerged. They have a completely different view of the city and its development and will do anything to take its place, while voters’ favor is fickle.
Funded by the resources of the Bolesławiec County Local Government Platform Committee