Prime Minister Donald Tusk has told journalists he has two candidates in mind to take over Poland’s ministry for EU funds following last week’s sudden resignation of Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz, according to RMF24.
Pełczyńska-Nałęcz announced on Thursday evening in a post on social media platform X that she was stepping down both from her cabinet role and as leader of the Poland 2050 party, one of the junior partners in the ruling coalition.
Speaking during a briefing in Hanoi on Monday, Tusk said he had not yet had time to consult anyone about his plans for the ministry vacated by Pełczyńska-Nałęcz. He confirmed both potential successors are women and said he would reveal the name after returning from his official visit to India and Vietnam.
Tusk distances himself from departure
The prime minister was careful to stress that the minister’s departure was not his decision. “It was not my decision, I did not expel her from her party. Everyone who knows the minister knows well what happened,” Tusk told reporters.
He added that he would not publicly criticise her exit, but emphasised the importance of finishing the work she had begun. “I will offer this ministry to a person about whom I will have one hundred per cent certainty and trust that they will properly settle the huge project, because we are talking about billions of euros for Poland, not some party manoeuvres,” he said.
Tusk described both candidates as “excellent” and said he was convinced whichever woman takes the role will win support across the board. He underlined that both are non-partisan and extremely well prepared for the job.
Billions in EU recovery funds at stake
As minister for EU funds, Pełczyńska-Nałęcz was responsible for ensuring Poland correctly deployed money from the National Recovery Plan (KPO), the country’s allocation from the EU’s post-pandemic recovery fund.
Under her stewardship the ministry negotiated six revisions to the KPO with the European Commission, which allowed Poland to soften so-called milestones — the reforms and investments Warsaw committed to carry out in exchange for the funding.
At the end of September, Pełczyńska-Nałęcz reported that the entire allocation under the KPO would be invested and that projects already completed had contributed 1.5 per cent to Poland’s GDP growth.
Tusk stressed that Poland is now “close to the finish line” when it comes to securing and accounting for the funds, particularly from the National Recovery Plan, and said the incoming minister would be tasked with seeing the project through to completion.
What this means for Poles in the UK
For Poles living in the UK with ties to Poland, this reshuffle affects the flow of billions of euros in EU recovery funding that supports infrastructure, public services and business investment back home. If you are considering returning to Poland, work in cross-border business or have family relying on public investment, the smooth handover of this ministry is significant.
The new minister will oversee the final drawdown and accounting of KPO funds, which underpin economic growth and job creation in Poland. Any disruption could delay projects or complicate compliance with Brussels, though Tusk’s emphasis on continuity and competence suggests he aims to avoid this.
Keep an eye on official announcements from the Polish government website and the European Commission for updates on KPO disbursements and any changes to reform commitments that might affect sectors such as energy, digitalisation or public administration.
