The current government's sluggishness regarding the CPK is surprising, but above all, which is very painful, it also costs money – said President Andrzej Duda during Thursday's conference at the Krynica Forum 2024. According to the company, the information provided by the head of state is untrue.
As the president said, there are areas that must be excluded from political struggle. – These are strategic infrastructure investments and strengthening the country's defense and resilience – he assessed.
– Ambitious and expensive projects initiated by the state authorities are usually not implemented during only one parliamentary term, so it should not matter which government approved which plan – said the head of state.
According to the president, “the flagship example of such an investment is the Central Communication Port”. – In the opinion of virtually all civilian and military experts, as well as most Poles, the need to build it is beyond dispute. Due to its location, history and culture, Poland should be a bridge between the East and the West, the South and the North – he added.
Duda on the government's sluggishness regarding CPK
Andrzej Duda he also said, citing a report by Kearney, that the CPK project would create 290,000 new jobs by 2040 and ensure an increase in total production in Poland by as much as PLN 90 billion per year.
– It seems that the icing on the cake was the support from the European Union for CPK, providing nearly PLN 870 million in funding – he said.
– Hence the current government's sluggishness in this matter is surprising on the one hand, and above all, and this is very painful, it costs – he emphasized. The president said that “nothing is known about talks with foreign investors, the Vinci group has decided to invest in an airport project in Hungary, and the Minister of Finance is delaying the transfer of treasury securities for the implementation of CPK”. He reported that since January, there has been an outflow of staff from the CPK company at the level of 20-30 people per month.
Andrzej Duda at Krynica ForumPAP/Łukasz Gągulski
He noted that “the implementation of the government's announced increase in speed on railway lines to over 300 km/h will result in the project being significantly longer and more expensive, because the cost of rolling stock will increase by 1/3, and Polish producers will be excluded from the supply of this rolling stock“. – This also aims to exclude smaller centres where railway stations will not be built – he noted.
CPK between Warsaw and ŁódźPAP/Maciej Zieliński
CPK key for troop movement
Duda said that “according to strategy experts, including politicians dealing with the security of Poland and its neighbors, the location of the CPK and the possibility of takeoffs and landings of heavy military transporters as well as the connection of the airport with the railway junction are of absolutely key importance.”
– I have discussed this issue several times with the highest commanders of allied forces within the North Atlantic Alliance and all their opinions were clear: CPK, alongside Polish ports, is of key importance for the rapid movement of allied troops when it is needed to prevent aggression or to provide a quick response to aggressive behaviour aimed at us or our neighbours, such as the Baltic states – he said.
– CPK as an airport that can accommodate the largest aircraft that are at the disposal of the world's armies in this part of Europe, in a country of such great scope and strategic depth as Poland, is of absolutely key importance for the security of this part of Europe – assessed the president.
CPK Company responds to the president's words
According to Thursday's statement by the CPK company, two statements made by the president are untrue. The first concerning the outflow of staff from the CPK, and the second concerning the delay in transferring treasury securities for the implementation of the CPK by the Minister of Finance.
The president said that since January, there has been an outflow of personnel from the CPK company at the level of 20-30 people per month. Meanwhile, the CPK company reported that from January to August, there were an average of five departures per month.
“In fact, a total of 87 people left the company from January to August. During the same period, 42 people were employed. This gives an average of 5 departures per month. Such staff fluctuation results from the natural needs of the company and in no way threatens the continuity of its operations, and even less the quality of the projects it implements,” the company reported.
Referring to the president's statement regarding treasury securities, CPK representatives claim that the financial resources from the CPK Multiannual Program, stage I for 2021-2023 were suspended in the fourth quarter of 2023.
“The financial resources from the CPK Multiannual Program, stage I, for 2021-2023 were suspended in the fourth quarter of 2023. In 2023, the company was to be recapitalized with the amount of PLN 7 billion, but it received only PLN 3.7 billion. The CPK company submitted an application for recapitalization under the Multiannual Program, stage II, for 2024-2030. The first funds will reach the company this year,” the CPK statement said.
Main image source: PAP