Biznes Fakty
Deputy Minister Maciej Lasek about the president of PAŻP. „He has full support”
Magdalena Jaworska-Maćkowiak remains the president of the Polish Air Navigation Agency, enjoying the complete backing of the Ministry of Infrastructure, as reported by Maciej Lasek, the deputy minister of infrastructure and government representative for CPK. He mentioned that he had productive discussions with the PAŻP head regarding this issue.
On Tuesday evening, TVN24 disclosed that the PAŻP leader had tendered her resignation to the Ministry of Infrastructure the previous week, a fact confirmed by the ministry’s head, Dariusz Klimczak, who expressed his desire to understand the rationale behind the decision. Sources from PAŻP informed TVN24 that Jaworska-Maćkowiak’s resignation followed a critical letter from the air traffic controllers’ unions.
– President Magdalena Jaworska-Maćkowiak remains in her role at the Polish Air Navigation Agency, and there have been no changes in this regard. She has the ministry’s full support – Lasek reassured.
He went on to say that he had met with the head of PAŻP on this topic, stating, – This meeting was very productive. I also had an extensive conversation with the president. (…) We have had fruitful discussions and maintain complete trust. We guarantee the president full support from the Ministry of Infrastructure in her ongoing mission – he emphasized.
Government spokesperson Adam Szłapka informed PAP on Thursday that the Chancellery of the Prime Minister had not received the PAŻP president’s resignation.
The head of PAŻP resigned
On Wednesday, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Infrastructure, Anna Szumańska, verified that the head of PAŻP had filed her resignation with the ministry’s registry office on June 27. – According to the PAŻP act, it is the prime minister who, upon the request of the infrastructure minister, appoints and dismisses the president of the Agency. Further actions will proceed in line with the procedure outlined in the act – Szumańska stated.
When questioned about the reasons for the PAŻP head’s resignation, she noted that no reasons were provided in the correspondence submitted to the ministry.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk, at the behest of Minister of Infrastructure Dariusz Klimczak, appointed Magdalena Jaworska-Maćkowiak as the head of the Polish Air Navigation Agency, effective January 4, 2024. She succeeded Anita Oleksiak, who led the Agency for fewer than two years. Jaworska-Maćkowiak had previously served as head of PAŻP from 2015 to 2016.
NIK control in PAŻP
In June of this year, the Supreme Audit Office determined that PAŻP did not adequately ensure control and safety in air traffic during 2022-2023. The agency responded by stating that it had been implementing effective measures since January 2024 to prevent a recurrence of the 2021-2022 crisis.
NIK noted that the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a drop in air transport, subsequently leading to decreased revenues for PAŻP. The report indicated that the Agency, to maintain financial liquidity (including salary payments), limited employee hiring and took steps to optimize its employment structure. Many training sessions were put on hold, with some rescheduled from 2020 to later years.
PAŻP acknowledged that the NIK audit revealed „significant errors” in its management, which occurred in 2022-2023, as well as dating back to 2018. The agency remarked that since January 2024, its strategic processes have been corrected, which „is effective.” „The suspension of hiring and training for air traffic controllers during the pandemic was a significant oversight by the then-acting president of PAŻP, Janusz Janiszewski, as confirmed by NIK,” the Agency added at that time.
Unofficial reasons for leaving
As per TVN24, Jaworska-Maćkowiak’s decision was influenced by a letter dated June 25, sent to her by the two major air traffic controllers’ unions. This letter reportedly pertained to negotiations between PAŻP management and the unions regarding work regulations for controllers, which dictate their compensation.
In 2022, PAŻP faced a crisis that could have disrupted air traffic in Poland. During the spring, discussions took place between the Polish Air Navigation Agency’s management and representatives of the Trade Union of Air Traffic Controllers (ZZ KRL) over several weeks. These discussions revolved around safety, work regulations, and remuneration agreements.
If an agreement had not been reached at that time, air traffic in Poland could have faced restrictions starting May 1; nearly 170 area and approach controllers from Warsaw were in their notice period, which for most was set to conclude at the end of April 2022. Ultimately, an agreement was achieved regarding changes to the remuneration and work regulations.
