In an interview with Grażyna Hanaf, Civic Coalition candidate for mayor promised that Bolesławiec residents would meet him during the campaign on International Women’s Day, March 8. His social media campaign will also begin.
Grażyna Hanaf: – Good morning, everyone. Today our guest is Grzegorz Przybylski, Civic Coalition candidate for mayor of Bolesławiec. Good morning, Mr Przybylski.
Grzegorz Przybylski: – Good morning, Grażyna, and good morning to everyone.
– Do you believe in love at first sight?
– Yes. That is how I met my wife, and we immediately liked each other.
– So will you be encouraging Bolesławiec residents to fall in love at first sight? There is rather little time to mount a major campaign—about 30 days before the election. When will you begin working so intensively in Bolesławiec?
– This campaign will be very short; the registration of lists is only just ending. I believe that we will begin the election campaign this week.
– And what are you planning, and under what slogan?
– The slogan I would like to present to people is “Bolesławiec in our hearts” or “Bolesławiec closer to its residents.” As a candidate for mayor, and later as mayor, I would very much like to open up to residents, to various local initiatives, and above all to create slogans such as “a mayor closer to residents,” as well as councils, because I would like to create a women’s council, an entrepreneurs’ council and a youth council. This is not about duplicating the Youth City Council, but about giving people slightly older than secondary-school students an opportunity to express their views. I would also like to create the position of representative for people with disabilities and third-sector associations.
– And what about a representative for equality? Do you see such an opportunity?
– That as well. I would like to open up to all the social groups in Bolesławiec, because I see enormous potential in every person and would like to open the city to Bolesławiec residents. To let them develop, not get in their way, but create conditions for their development.
– And do you think the current mayor is distant from residents?
– In conversations with residents, when we went around collecting signatures, people very often said that the city should be a little more open. It would be worthwhile consulting some ideas—or most ideas—with citizens. Hence my idea of creating many different councils that would support me as mayor.
– All right, when you asked Bolesławiec residents, how did they react to the Civic Coalition and to Grzegorz Przybylski? Do they associate you with your father, who has long been an important politician on Poland’s political map?
– Unfortunately, I cannot avoid that. Perhaps fortunately and unfortunately. As you know, my father is Marshal of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, and practically everyone I spoke to associated my surname with him. In general, I, as Grzegorz Przybylski, was received very positively. I did not encounter any negative reaction, apart from perhaps an occasional attack.
– And how do you view the second round? I wanted to use the word “believe,” but what are you and your campaign staff thinking now? Will there be a second round or not?
– If I did not believe in my chances, I certainly would not be running in this election. I believe there will be a second round, because we also have this... Today we have four candidates in Bolesławiec: Dawid Sarbak, representing Law and Justice; Łukasz Molak, representing Impuls Lokalny; and Mayor Piotr Roman, probably running from his own committee. So, from the committee that currently has the greatest support in Poland, I am the only one running.
– All right, so there will be a second round. And in the second round, who do you think the marshal will support—you or his party colleague?
– That is a very difficult question. I hope and believe that he will nevertheless choose me.
– Well, we are keeping our fingers crossed. In that case, I have one more question. We have Law and Justice, Impuls Lokalny and the Civic Coalition running against the long-serving mayor. Whose votes will you take? Who might support you in the second round? Two questions in one.
– As I mentioned earlier, I think the centrist and somewhat left-leaning electorate may be able to vote for me as a representative of the Civic Coalition, because Mayor Piotr Roman, Łukasz Molak and Dawid Sarbak represent somewhat more right-wing parties or circles. So I see an opportunity in the second round, thanks to the support of both the Civic Coalition and, I hope, our... Once we announce our programme, I think many people will support us as well.
– Then I have to ask, as a Bolesławiec resident: where can we see you? Which parish do you sit in, in a pew on Sunday at Mass with your wife and children?
– That is quite a difficult question. Generally, I am not attached to one parish; when I go, I attend different churches. I am assigned to the parish in the Kwiatowe housing estate, and that is where I usually go most often.
– And, as in confession, when was the last time you attended Mass?
– About two weeks ago.
– Well, that is a sin. And in the Kwiatowe housing estate. Residents apparently rate that parish very highly. Are you satisfied with it too?
– Yes. I also often go there with my daughter, because there is very good infrastructure next to the church, so I spend my free time there with her as well.
– I am asking about the church because you said, rather delicately, “right-wing.” Mr Molak belongs to the parish on Orzeszkowej Street and organises Marches for Life and Family. Mr Sarbak, as a Law and Justice candidate, will be very Catholic; Law and Justice has sometimes even been accused of having a “Priest Plus” programme, in which some priest would say: vote for Law and Justice. The mayor is certainly liked by priests, because as a city he offered them a great deal. So I am asking whether you already have an idea about this: will priests now campaign for people to vote for these candidates? Will that achieve anything? How do you see the political scene through the prism of parish priests and their support for candidates? I am talking about Bolesławiec.
– To be honest, I do not know what it looks like when it comes to persuading people in church to vote for a particular person. It is certainly a very large community, and priests definitely influenced this in previous elections because they are, in a sense, people of public trust, with many people attending Mass and participating in church life. So I think it may have some influence. I am thinking more about how to persuade mainly senior citizens. For example, by creating a Senior Activity Centre, developing the University of the Third Age and volunteering for seniors and with seniors. I would focus more on how to involve people from different age groups in social initiatives or open the city up to individuals.
– Do you have any ideas for activities? Will the Ceramics Festival continue, and will City Days continue? In which direction? We and our viewers would certainly like to hear a little more about your idea for Bolesławiec.
– I think it is still a little too early to reveal the entire election programme. The time for that will come. As for the Ceramics Festival, I have also considered that the city could be promoted a little more, perhaps by organising job fairs at the same time, because many companies in Bolesławiec could present themselves then, as huge numbers of people come to Bolesławiec during the festival. I would also consider, and perhaps, if I manage to win the election, return to the idea of Gliniada, or possibly Blues nad Bobrem, or come up with another initiative that would harness the energy previously used to promote Bolesławiec.
– I absolutely have to ask, as someone who organised Gliniada for the last six years after Mr Nowak stopped doing so: who are you backing? Those who have the original Gliniada, or Mr Nowak, who was once the frontman of the event and is associated with Gliniada?
– I am someone who tends to bring people together rather than divide them. If you and Mr Nowak would like to sit down and discuss Gliniada, I would be happy to invite you to meet with me.
– Unfortunately, we have already sat together—in the courtroom—and Mr Nowak was unable to earn many points when it came to cooperating with us, so it will be difficult. I think we will return to this subject. I wanted to ask: when will Grzegorz Przybylski begin presenting his programme to Bolesławiec residents? Is there a specific date? When will people be able to meet you and talk? That is my final question.
– I think I will be available to Bolesławiec residents from Friday, International Women’s Day. Of course, I am also on Facebook, although I have not yet officially launched the account as a candidate. From Friday onward, I will be available to Bolesławiec residents at all times. I will be visible, walking around and meeting people; I will also be available on LinkedIn and Facebook. Together with my council candidates, we will be very visible in the city, both on social media and through an outdoor campaign—leaflets and posters. We are also planning a door-to-door campaign, and I hope that people in Bolesławiec, our residents, will receive our programme very positively and vote for us.
– Thank you very much for this conversation. I hope we will return to some of these topics during the campaign. Thank you, sir, and thank you, everyone. Goodbye.
– Thank you very much.