With local government elections billed for 21 November, the list of pretenders fighting to become Warsaw mayor is all but complete.
The incumbent mayor of Warsaw Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz and former Democratic Left Alliance leader Wojciech Olejniczak are among candidates for the post of the Mayor of Warsaw.
Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, former President of the National Bank of Poland and Deputy President of the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development, will bid for re-election representing the ruling Civic Platform. Gronkiewicz-Waltz promises that if she is re-elected, she will complete the construction of the second line of the Warsaw Metro, the Northern Bridge and the Ring Road. She also wants to increase the number of schools and kindergartens, revitalise the Vistula River banks and centres of several Warsaw districts.
The Democratic Left Alliance candidate Wojciech Olejniczak, former leader of the left, Deputy Parliamentary Speaker and Agriculture Minister, also wants to open more kindergartens. Olejniczak’s priorities are also modern public transport, health services and build more underground car parks in the city centre.
Czeslaw Bielecki, an architect and former advisor of Lech Walesa, promises that he will speed up a decision-taking process in the Warsaw City Hall, improve public transport, eliminate traffic jams and finish the construction of the Ring Road. Bielecki also wants to sell communal apartments. Even though he is billed as an independent candidate, he is start from the Law and Justice electoral list.
Danuta Bodzek, the Polish Peasant’s Party candidate, member of PKP Polish Railways and a former employee of the Supreme Auditing Chamber, proposes an “active and modern programme for 21st century,” stressing that she is an expert in transportation.
Janusz Korwin-Mikke, leader of the conservative-liberal Freedom and Law party says he will improve Warsaw traffic by eliminating trams and suing the Polish Railways for closing railway crossings.
Romuald Szeremietiew, former opposition activist and Deputy Defence Minister, whose campaign slogan is “Warsaw – the heart of Europe”, wants to continue the work of the renowned pre-war mayor of Warsaw Stefan Starzynski. Szeremietiew wants to improve public transport and safety.
The Local Community candidate and Warsaw councilor Katarzyna Munio is planning to introduce bus passes for cars with at least four passengers and create more bicycle paths. Munio also promises to provide safety for the blind and women as well as promising to wage war against designer drug dealers.
The priorities of Piotr Strzembosz, the Right Party’s candidate, are the construction of underground car parks, tramways and expansion of the Warsaw underground. (mg/jb)
Source: IAR