New supervisory changes at Poland’s Central Communication Port project raise questions about the future

The government in Poland announced changes to the supervisory board of the Central Communication Port (CPK) project, signaling a move to improve coordination and oversight of the program. The deputy minister of finance and regional policy, serving as the government’s plenipotentiary for the CPK, stated that the new board composition will enhance collaboration on the project and its verification. Given past public remarks by ruling party figures about the project, observers may wonder how firmly the drive to advance it will be carried forward.

A new supervisory board lineup was announced today, with further shifts expected in the near term.

– the deputy minister announced in the Sejm. The CPK was established to prepare and implement a long-term program for a central national hub, including plans for a new central airport for Poland and related investments in rail, road, and other infrastructure.

Lasek reorganized the advisory structure

The deputy minister said that he recently exercised rights as a proxy for the Ministry of Finance, the sole shareholder of the company, to shape the governance landscape. This move aims to facilitate closer project coordination and stronger verification of actions taken on the project.

He noted that an assessment concluded the advisory team, operating under a law firm and funded through a paid arrangement, had not produced practical, useful recommendations. Consequently, the decision was made to dissolve that body.

– he stated.

He also announced that an audit is being prepared to trace the activities of both the company and its representative. The audit will examine the justification and execution of CPK tasks, the decisions and financial commitments involved, and the organization and staffing of the company from both quantitative and qualitative angles.

According to the representative, the audit will cover orders and contracts as well, considering both completed and ongoing agreements for consistency, alignment with targets, and terms approved by the board. The conditions for possible contract termination will also be evaluated, without prejudging any decisions.

“All expenses are under review”

In the initial analyses, it was acknowledged that some spendings were hard to justify, such as the socio-economic plan, which set an expenditure limit for 2020-2023 at PLN 249 million. Recent days revealed sponsorship activities tied to several tasks, including projects referred to in media reports as “altar plus.” Media outlets cited a PLN 400,000 allocation for renovating three altars at a church near Baranów.

All expenses and their bases will be verified, he assured.

He also highlighted planned developments at existing airports, such as Chopin and Modlin, noting that the previous government was perceived as blocking these ports to justify the CPK. He argued that expanding Masovian airports is a necessary step and should precede any central airport project. He described the current schedule, with the first CPK flights planned for 2028, as challenging but realistic, calling for prudence and courage in implementation.

“We will work within the framework set by predecessors, but we will not be bound by their decisions alone. The aim is to pursue a development path that benefits all regions, not just Mazovia,” he said.

What about recommendations?

He pledged that all decisions regarding the CPK will be grounded in analysis. After the audit, he indicated readiness to answer detailed questions about the case for and against the construction of the CPK. For the time being, he could not specify what recommendations he would present to the Council of Ministers regarding the continuation and scope of the program.

The Central Communication Port is envisioned as a hub linking Warsaw and Łódź, integrating air, rail, and road transport. The project includes an airport to be built about 37 kilometers west of Warsaw, on roughly 3,000 hectares of land, along with a rail hub at the airport and nationwide connections intended to shorten travel times between Warsaw and major Polish cities to around 2.5 hours. The CPK is fully owned by the Ministry of Finance.

Public discussions have focused on the possibility that the aim of some changes was to alter the course of the CPK, though the limited detail available about the changes has raised questions about the direction of the project.