What they got for Christmas
The end, for so long rumoured, was sudden. At a hastily arranged press conference the prime minister revealed who were the ministerial casualties in the early exchanges of his campaign to convince the electorate to turn out and vote in this year's EU membership referendum. Incidentally, Leszek Miller succeeded in strengthening his hand by raising a number of allies to key cabinet positions.
Or was there more to the changes than met the eye? Cynical observers suggested there might be a more sinister purpose to Miller's second cabinet clear-out in the past six months. In its timing, analysts said, there was a hint that the announcement was designed to deflect interest away from the Gazeta-gate affair, in which Miller was becoming increasingly embroiled. If this was his intention, then he was unsuccessful, with no less a person than the president himself, on the very next day, turning the spotlight back on to the prime minister by suggesting he might find himself testifying to prosecutors investigating the scandal.
Whatever Miller's reasoning, the sacrifices were made, and out of a job were Wiesław Kaczmarek, the treasury minister who has brought privatisation to a grinding halt and in the course of it alienated a number of foreign investors, and Economy Minister Jacek Piechota, who has not had the best of it recently, what with the miners' protests forcing him to abandon plans to restructure the coal industry.
Miller gave a clear indication of the reason for Kaczmarek's dismissal when he said, "I hope that the further process of privatisation will be accelerated. and can be less politicised." Dutch insurer Eureko - a bitter adversary of Kaczmarek - was quick to say it hoped the appointment of a new privatisation minister would unblock a stalled deal to take over PZU.
An unlikely winner from the political bloodletting emerged in the form of Jerzy Hausner, the erstwhile Labour Minister who has presided over soaring unemployment, and is now the head of a new super-ministry that combines social and economic affairs. Hausner is described by analysts as a "brilliant negotiator." He will need to call on all his diplomatic skills if he is to succeed in convincing militant trade unions of the need to restructure loss-making industries like coal. Hausner will now become a key figure in devising the country's economic strategy and reforming public finances.
That the shake-up was designed to boost the chances of a yes vote in the EU referendum was shown by the elevation to full ministerial rank of cabinet chief Lech Nikolski, who has been charged with winning the June EU referendum.
"Our priorities ... are joining the EU and preparing our institutions to receive EU aid," Miller said. "Secondly, we need to return to a path of fast economic growth." Within a few days the new referendum czar had outlined his strategy, promising "numerous printed publications on the EU ... addressed to specific groups of people and even to specific regions." He also promised the referendum would not be allowed to become a popularity test for the increasingly unpopular government.
The real surprise package in Miller's reshuffle was the new treasury minister, Sławomir Cytrycki. A Soviet-trained economist who has admitted collaborating with the communist-era secret services, he is described by those who have worked with him as a "competent manager." Whether this gives him the skills necessary to negotiate the privatisation minefield remains to be seen. He faces a tough job completing a bold sell-off plan this year, but he has the strong backing of Miller. Some analysts suggested that Cytrycki's very anonymity might work to his advantage, since he is unlikely to stir up the same controversy as his predecessor did.
In an unexpected twist, reports suggested that Piechota was in line to become the Secretary of State in the new Economy and Labour Ministry, appointed by his successor Hausner. The news came in the wake of the announcement that the previous incumbent, Andrzej Szarawarski, had been fired. Szarawarski had been responsible for negotiating key aspects of the purchase of 48 F-16 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin.
Or was there more to the changes than met the eye? Cynical observers suggested there might be a more sinister purpose to Miller's second cabinet clear-out in the past six months. In its timing, analysts said, there was a hint that the announcement was designed to deflect interest away from the Gazeta-gate affair, in which Miller was becoming increasingly embroiled. If this was his intention, then he was unsuccessful, with no less a person than the president himself, on the very next day, turning the spotlight back on to the prime minister by suggesting he might find himself testifying to prosecutors investigating the scandal.
Whatever Miller's reasoning, the sacrifices were made, and out of a job were Wiesław Kaczmarek, the treasury minister who has brought privatisation to a grinding halt and in the course of it alienated a number of foreign investors, and Economy Minister Jacek Piechota, who has not had the best of it recently, what with the miners' protests forcing him to abandon plans to restructure the coal industry.
Miller gave a clear indication of the reason for Kaczmarek's dismissal when he said, "I hope that the further process of privatisation will be accelerated. and can be less politicised." Dutch insurer Eureko - a bitter adversary of Kaczmarek - was quick to say it hoped the appointment of a new privatisation minister would unblock a stalled deal to take over PZU.
An unlikely winner from the political bloodletting emerged in the form of Jerzy Hausner, the erstwhile Labour Minister who has presided over soaring unemployment, and is now the head of a new super-ministry that combines social and economic affairs. Hausner is described by analysts as a "brilliant negotiator." He will need to call on all his diplomatic skills if he is to succeed in convincing militant trade unions of the need to restructure loss-making industries like coal. Hausner will now become a key figure in devising the country's economic strategy and reforming public finances.
That the shake-up was designed to boost the chances of a yes vote in the EU referendum was shown by the elevation to full ministerial rank of cabinet chief Lech Nikolski, who has been charged with winning the June EU referendum.
"Our priorities ... are joining the EU and preparing our institutions to receive EU aid," Miller said. "Secondly, we need to return to a path of fast economic growth." Within a few days the new referendum czar had outlined his strategy, promising "numerous printed publications on the EU ... addressed to specific groups of people and even to specific regions." He also promised the referendum would not be allowed to become a popularity test for the increasingly unpopular government.
The real surprise package in Miller's reshuffle was the new treasury minister, Sławomir Cytrycki. A Soviet-trained economist who has admitted collaborating with the communist-era secret services, he is described by those who have worked with him as a "competent manager." Whether this gives him the skills necessary to negotiate the privatisation minefield remains to be seen. He faces a tough job completing a bold sell-off plan this year, but he has the strong backing of Miller. Some analysts suggested that Cytrycki's very anonymity might work to his advantage, since he is unlikely to stir up the same controversy as his predecessor did.
In an unexpected twist, reports suggested that Piechota was in line to become the Secretary of State in the new Economy and Labour Ministry, appointed by his successor Hausner. The news came in the wake of the announcement that the previous incumbent, Andrzej Szarawarski, had been fired. Szarawarski had been responsible for negotiating key aspects of the purchase of 48 F-16 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin.
