3 names that will change the balance of power in the regional assembly
The personnel moves in the regional assembly on November 12, 2024, are not just a simple replacement of officials. It is a precise strike against the existing arrangements that have blocked key budget decisions in our region for the last 4 years. We explain why these three specific individuals appeared at the top of the list and what it means for local entrepreneurs.
Robert Nowakowski and big money for roads
Robert Nowakowski took office on November 12, 2024. His new role is to oversee the modernization of 3 key provincial roads. Until now, these projects had been at a standstill for 14 months due to land disputes. Nowakowski, with 8 years of field work behind him, knows every landowner along the planned routes. He is a man of action who does not like fluff at working meetings. Already at the first meeting, he shortened the duration of meetings from 3 hours to 45 minutes.
His nomination caused panic in two construction companies from Poznań. Nowakowski announced that every invoice over 18,000 PLN would be checked by an independent appraiser. This is a break from the tradition of accepting cost estimates 'on faith'. Rumors are circulating in the corridors of the regional assembly that his promotion was a necessary condition for unlocking 42 million PLN from the targeted reserve, which had been frozen since July 2023. The party leadership decided that only someone with his profile would be able to complete these investments before the end of the term.
Nowakowski shortened meetings from 3 hours to 45 minutes and announced the end of accepting cost estimates on faith.
Elżbieta Wiśniewska – audit without mercy
Elżbieta Wiśniewska is a figure who does not fit the standard image of a politician. She is 43 years old and has 12 years of experience in tax administration. She does not like public speaking, but she loves spreadsheets. Her appearance in the regional assembly as the person responsible for internal control is like throwing a grenade into a calm lake. Wiśniewska has already managed to block the payment of bonuses for 7 directors, claiming that their goals were not achieved by 31%, which follows from her precise calculations.
Most councilors treat her with distance. Wiśniewska does not participate in assembly lunches and always drinks coffee in her own office. We checked this at the source – her priority for the next 8 weeks is to review contracts with external consulting firms. In the last year alone, the regional assembly spent 1.2 million PLN on such analyses. Wiśniewska believes that half of this work could have been done by full-time office staff as part of their standard 8-hour workday. This is a tough approach that could save the budget about 540,000 PLN annually.
Wiśniewska blocked bonuses for 7 directors, pointing to a 31% failure to meet goals.
Dariusz Kowal and party arrangements
Dariusz Kowal is a man whose phone rings most often after 8:00 PM. Officially, he deals with development strategy, but unofficially he arranges election lists and guards the loyalty of local structures. He is 39 years old and has experience in 3 national election campaigns. His transfer to our region in November 2024 is proof that the party headquarters has stopped trusting local leaders. Kowal has the reputation of a surgeon – he cuts anyone who does not implement the party line 99.8%.
During a meeting on October 16, 2024, in Poznań, Kowal clearly defined the rules of cooperation: only those projects that have the support of the top count. This means that 14 smaller civic initiatives will go into the freezer for at least 7 months. Kowal now manages the region's promotional budget, which amounts to 3.2 million PLN. We know that these funds will be redirected to an information campaign in those counties where support for the current government has fallen below 23%. This is pure political calculation without unnecessary sentiment.
What does this mean for your business?
If your company works with the regional assembly, prepare for a more difficult period. From December 1, 2024, new supplier verification procedures will come into force. It will no longer be enough to have 'good relations' with the head of the department. The new personnel team requires specific indicators and punctuality to the hour. It is said in the corridors that 12 firms from the region have already received letters requesting an explanation for delays in projects from the third quarter of 2024. This is the result of the new 'Zero Tolerance' policy promoted by Kowal and Wiśniewska.
On the other hand, these changes open doors for new players. If you run an honest, medium-sized business and until now you have been hitting a wall of arrangements, now you have a chance. The regional assembly plans to announce 47 new tenders in the first quarter of 2025. Most of them concern digital services and energy modernization of public utility buildings. It is worth following the announcements starting from January 15. No fluff – this will be a year of hard fighting for contracts, where price and precision will decide, and not old acquaintances from the assembly hallways.
The regional assembly will announce 47 new tenders in the first quarter of 2025, focusing on precision, not connections.
