Michał Ziemiak is the new Financial Ombudsman

“A new Financial Ombudsman has been appointed. Dr. Michał Ziemiak is an experienced legal advisor with knowledge of the functioning and legal regulations of the financial market. These are key competencies for the effective protection of clients on the financial market,” Domański said on social media.

In June this year Prime Minister Tusk – at the request of the Minister of Finance – dismissed Bohdan Pretkel from the position of Financial Ombudsman. The Ministry informed then that the reason for dismissing Pretkiel from the position of Ombudsman was that he did not meet the statutory requirements to hold this position. He was replaced by RF deputy Ziemowit Bagłajewski.

Pretkel was appointed as the Financial Ombudsman in December 2021, therefore his dismissal took place before the end of his term of office.

In accordance with the Act on the consideration of complaints by financial market entities, the Financial Ombudsman and the Financial Education Fund, the term of office of the Financial Ombudsman is 4 years. He is appointed and dismissed by the Prime Minister at the request of the Minister of Finance. During the term of office of the RF, he may be dismissed in the event of failure to fulfill his duties for more than 6 months as a result of long-term illness confirmed by a medical certificate, gross violation of the interests of clients of financial market entities, gross violation of the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland or laws, conviction by a final judgment for an intentional crime or resignation. The Financial Ombudsman is a state institution taking action to protect customers of financial market entities. The Ombudsman helps individual clients in disputes with financial market entities regarding the services offered and the method of their implementation, takes systemic actions to protect customers' rights and conducts information and educational activities to increase society's financial awareness. In 2023, the Financial Ombudsman took action in over 24,000 cases. It was reported that this number includes both applications submitted in 2023 and in earlier years. As for applications from 2023 only, 9.5 thousand interventions were undertaken. Last year The Ombudsman also filed 17 extraordinary complaints (three requested by customers in 2021, six in 2022 and seven in 2023), including one acting ex officio.